Before 2020, I loved working from home. I thought I would want to do it all the time. When it was a periodic treat rather than an every day necessity, it felt fun and like a privilege. Now that I have to do it daily, it doesn’t feel so special and I’ve needed to adapt to the situation to establish a workable daily office at home so I can actually get work done. In order […]
Last week, the Northeast got knocked out by Tropical Storm Isaias and we were left without power for five days and internet for six. While we waited for restoration, I still had to work, so after a day of difficult working situations, we decided to head out to my grandmother’s house in PA for a little visit and to have the benefit of air conditioning and internet for a few days. The time reminded me […]
Bringing a baby into the world during a global pandemic and lockdown certainly wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was spending the first two months with that baby at home while our older twins were home from daycare. On the positive side, I’ve had more time at home with all three kids than I expected and I haven’t been at work during the first two months of our baby’s life. However, it’s not like I’m […]
After three months locked in the house with three feral children who were perfectly described as “drunken penguins”, we’ve been anxious to start getting out of the house again. With numerous business reopenings in the past few weeks, from parks to beaches, to amusement parks, zoos, and restaurants, we were finally starting to make plans to leave the house again. But the coronavirus had other plans. Even though we can go out, we’re largely choosing […]
Along Spain’s southern coast, the perfect stopping point on a drive between Marbella and Granada, is Nerja. Nerja doesn’t get the same top billing recognition as Marbella or Malaga, but this smaller town gets just as much sun and arguably has even better food along the beach. Paella, the traditional food of choice in this region, doesn’t come any fresher. It’s literally cooked in massive skillets right on the sand of the beach. Nerja has […]
2020 had to be the longest year in history. Each week feels like a year and they are getting longer and worse. This week alone has to have set a record for the most terrible news crammed into a 7 day period ever. It’s getting harder and harder to focus on anything other than the dreadful news day after day. Optimism is especially tough to come by in this country right now, and I, like […]
One on ones can be both the most frightening and the highest value meeting for a team member and manager. Done well, they can be the best way to dive into specific issues, provide guidance, help with personal and career growth, and give feedback, all in a short time. Used poorly, they just become status update meetings with no lessons learned or action items to take as next steps. Though it can be terrifying, especially […]
Since my twin boys turned one-year-old, I’ve felt we should lose the pacifiers for them. Though our boys were never what I’d consider addicted to them, I wanted to wean them off before they got too attached. I was worried that usage of them would lead the boys to dental problems, ear issues, and becoming weird older kids who still used pacifiers. I was ready to ditch them, but my wife had other plans. My […]
With shins sore from a day on the slopes, I eagerly await a table to sit down with a hoppy beer and a massive burger to restore some energy. At this altitude, drinks hit faster, and fatigue sets in quicker, so finding the right spot for a break is paramount. Thankfully, Breckenridge has more than just a world-class ski scene, there’s no shortage of incredible places to eat and drink as well. I may have […]
I sit in the grass in a park 800 miles from home, after running 26.2 miles through an incredible city with great sights and friendly people. It sounds just like my second marathon, in Belfast, but my fourth marathon, in Chicago, was different than any other I’ve run. My first marathon in New York was a life-altering challenge in which I barely made it to the finish, propelled only by the massive crowds and friends […]