Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Kill your Darlings

A leadership post in this morning's inbox really sent me reeling.  Kill your darlings, it recommends.

The article contends that the sooner you relinquish something (or someone) that isn't working for you, the quicker you can move to something suitable, something worth building.  We hang on desperately to our long-held beliefs, our darlings, long after they are useful. 

Thinking about this sends me to my default for conflict - the following 3 questions:


1.  Can I fix this?
2.  Do I have to put up with this?
3.  Should I walk away?

Leaders are not pushovers when they reconsider their convictions.  You do not have enough time to keep working on something that is never going to work.  The cost of conflict is high - loss of productivity, loss of innovation, loss of motivation, loss of trust...


Take a ride, or a walk, and envision a new certainty.




Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Vowing for a Better AM

Here's a marriage tip we received, and appreciate:  As you part ways on work mornings, or are waking up on a discretionary day...recite your vows together.  You probably eagerly said these words in front of a crowd… so why not now, with coffee or bed breath, in the privacy of your home? I still get emotional.


Of course, some days I'm having a hair or clothing crisis, and I fly out the door so fast, I forget my lunch, and don't remember the other important thing...so that's when I get a sweet text like this:





Sunday, April 3, 2016

Winslow AZ

We traveled from Santa Fe to Albuquerque and then, finally, our last vacation night was spent in Winslow, AZ. We enjoyed going to the famous corner and also the La Posada Hotel (are restored 1929 Railroad hotel with a southwestern feel)...We enjoyed having a beer in the turquoise room.  We enjoyed finding the corner that the Eagles made famous with their song, "Take it Easy".




Albuquerque

We drove from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, to meet Shawn's oldest sibling, his sister, Mary (and Carlotta) for lunch. The food was authentic southwestern and the conversation was worth the trip. I kept thinking that siblings are a valuable key to help us make sense of ourselves and our lives.  Mary provided insight on their dad, who served in the Air Force in WWII, shot down on a bombing run over Germany.  Mary summed up their rough childhoods with tenderness and forgiveness in her voice:  He was a POW and then he returned home and later we became his POWs, she said.


Saturday, April 2, 2016

Santa Fe Saturday

We enjoyed our first morning hour on a scenic run through Sedona's Main Street area, and then spent the day traveling from Sedona to Santa Fe. Super enjoyable drive…very different than life back home. We saw snowcapped mountains and beautiful plateaus; trains traveling at high speeds across the flat land; many long-distance truckers, and a variety of casinos along the interstate. We are happy to be here in Santa Fe, the capital city of New Mexico, the oldest city that is a state capital in the country (founded by Spanish colonists in 1610), and the oldest city in the state. Their architecture is Adobe-colored stucco with rounded corners; definitely a Spanish influence.  Native Americans dominate the scene, living and working  in New Mexico. We drove by the exit for the continental divide and had a spirited conversation about geography...we were in too big of a hurry to get to our Santa Fe bungalow to stop! 



Sedona

We hiked all day and visited two wineries in the evening...There are 300 miles of trail hiking in the Sedona area...we only experienced a fraction, but hope to return.

We saw very limited wildlife, but many friends and families along the way. We started the day at Chapel of the Cross, walked the entire Soldiers Pass and Brins Mesa, and ended this perfect day at Oak Creek and Page Spring Cellars wineries.


Friday, April 1, 2016

Red Rock Country

We spent the day, traipsing around the Coconino National Forest - an area near Sedona full of red rock trails and many (many!) hiking trails!  We enjoyed hiking the Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte trails. We spent the afternoon, hiking, and taking in the awesome breathtaking views. Rocks, brush, red rocks...and wilderness...I felt so small, and so blessed.