Moving Forward

As it says, Life Happens.
I mentioned by wife's surgery and my injury in my last post.

Moving forard now, her cast is off and she is almost out of her removal walking cast.

I am essentially healed as well.

Over the past 6 weeks I have had time to consider how I am doing on my path in life.

I have to say I am pretty happy with my progress.

I mentioned my accountabilities in life and I am committed to generating new action and moving forward in all of them.

In a review of the year I have to say I am. That's not to say there haven't been a few obstacles, after all it's life, not a game show.

But I am clearly building momentum in my sculpture, in my volunteer posts in public art organizations, and just about every aspect of my life. Well not everyone.

I have still been asleep in the wellbeing area. The injuried halted exercise and I have conveniently not resumes exercise now that I am healed.

It goes to structure. I need to put in the struture to make it happen and it will.
If I don't structure it, you can guarantee it won't happen.

I also made a major commitment in the structure department...........

I am now part of the Blackberry cult...........I love my Pearl

I also love having an integrated tool, instead of a phone, and a Palm.

I am making solid inroads into managing it's use, as opposed to it managing me.

Ooops, it just went off, I have a meeting to head off to!

So, Ask yourself, "How am I doing on my path in life? Am I on the road I want to be? Am I doing what I love to do? What's next?"

It will make a difference..............there it goes again, bye!

Second Life

Have you heard of Second Life. I was listening to NPR last week and on Science Friday I heard a story about Second Life. Perhaps I am behind the curve, or too old or too....
to understand what the big fuss is all about.

I went and checked it out and was thinking, "What a horribly unproductive use of time." That's one of the reasons I quit playing video games years ago. Too many other fun and productive ways to use my time.

So the question is how do you choose to spend your time?

When is a "leisure time" pursuit worthy and when is it a waste of time?

I'll watch Jon Stewart on the Daily Show on Comedy Central, and enjoy it quite a lot. But some people think it's a waste of time.

I know far too many people who watch professional sports, and I think that's a horrible waste of time, not too mention supporting less than admirable values in atheletes and their teams' owners.

So what determines how you spend your time outside of work. Can you separate life and work? Isn't it all your life? Don't you choose how you spend your life?

So how do you choose?

I prioritize my time to keep my commitments in life moving forward. I have several plates spinning in my life and throughout the day I need to spin one a little more to make sure it keeps moving and doesn't fall and hit the floor.

I mentioned Jon Stewart. I choose to spend some time watching his show now and then as a means of defusing ny disappointment with current events. He is able to provide a sufficiently humorous and sarcastic view that it's all a little better.

Now Second Life. Isn't the one we have in the physical world interesting enough???

Over 50 What's and ?

After turning 50 I had one of those blinding glimpses of the obvious:
"I have lived over half may life". I really doubt that I will live another 50 years unless there are some incredible breakthroughs in medicine, and weight management.

So now that my life is half over, how's it going?

Am I happy with the way things are?

Am I happy with what I am doing?

Where am I heading for the time I have left?

I think things are going pretty well. I need to lose a bunch of weight, it would be nice to have some more money but all in all no major complaints.

My sculpture career is expanding, although gallery representation would also be nice.

My work at the university is very fulfilling. My position in utilities is challenging, my teaching position is fun, most of the time, and the development of a new Power Plant program is very exciting.

Last Friday I attended a big event for the college. The second annual College of Applied Science Hall of Fame banquet. Pete Strange, CEO of Messer Construction was inducted into the Hall of Fame and over $317,000 was raised for scholarships for students. A super success!!

Duke Energy sponsored a table and they had a great time. One of their VPs could not make it so I asked them to host a student at their table. The student had a great time, and Duke LOVED him.

I am on the Board of Trustees of the Hamilton, Ohio City of Sculpture, Inc., and have been for over a year. They are a GREAT group of hard working people making a serious impact in the world of public art and sculpture. It is truly an honor to be part of the board. (More later).

I was also just appointed to the City of Montgomery Arts Commission. Even though I have only lived in Montgomery since July, I really feel like I am grown up enough to be involved. The work so far with the City of Sculpture board has encouraged me to take this on as well.

I am looking forward to updating my sculpture web site, and I am really looking forward to the weather warming up so I can spend more time in the studio. I can'y afford to heat it in the winter, except for a radiant gas space heater I use where I am working.

I am exhibiting in a new gallery in Northern Kentucky, Marx Gallery, and will probably have some work at Kennedy Heights again as well.

I am reconnecting with old friends from the pre-marriage and kids phase of my life.
They say you can't have too many friends and I think that's right. As the kids get older and leave for college soon, we will be looking to spend more time socializing with friends.

I could go on and on I think, but this is my first blog and I think I should catch my breath and read it.