We celebrated his birthday with all of his friends by renting out the Greenlake cultural center. The kids tore around in the indoor playground while the adults got settled in around food and cider. We then had the ceremonial Happy Birthday song and blew out candles. Nico was in the moment as if choreographed--which of course we didn't do. That's just him.
What an awesome kid! I know I'm biased but what a great thing it is to have him in my life. My parenting skills certainly don't deserve the kid I've got.
We also had dinner with the Filipino family in West Seattle. Great food and they were happy to see Susan's family and Nico. We, well Nico, sang Karaoke! Really well. Like he scored a 94 on famous hits like London Bridge. He knew more words than we did--everyone thought he was reading (giggle).
Nico is 2!
Mein Karl, Mein Kampf
When I started at Premera, I had the pleasure of working with Karl Johnston. I was still reeling from the consulting to healthcare insurance culture shock. It was a 6th to 1st downshift--no syncros in first either. Karl was having trouble with the same transition but kept going in 3rd or 4th--and running past folks. He was running the quality assurance on the largest project the company would do for the next 5 years. I was leading a team of 40 (including QA) and still trying to get to know them. We developed a friendship while working around implementing Quality Center for everyone. They had no QA tool support or an idea of what one was. Karl jammed real change into the organization and I was the brake on his drive to keep people from open revolt. Good cop to his bad cop--the guy who said 'hang on there buddy.' He really got QA, got excited about it, and brought folks along with his excitement. I respected his intelligence, his courage to keep on a plan and his personal charisma. Probably more than most. We had lots of disagreements that made us both a little smarter. I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool QA guy and he did a great job not beating me over the head with it. I am a people guy and he needed some help with balance.
Steam rises from the pipes
October and steam rises from the pipes
a scarf goes 'round my neck to my ears
in the mornings
scarves aren't in style
where I catch my out-of-date bus
surrounded by people in new 4 x 4s
My bus deposits me happily with a squeak goodby
in october with yellow-gold roads
where scarves are okay on men
Playing in the leaves, the smell of cool air.
Coolness looking for chinks in my scarf-armour
like a sniffing dog with a cold curious nose
Moist yellow leaves on a brick road
calling me out during lunch
calling to wander the rain-soft paths of October
Sadder
The saddest things are not
diminished by things sadder still;
streams and rives both flow down hill.
As years after dancing
embarrassment lingers still
with lost children never met
and pictures of faded family
all are true
the dams we build say some should hold
so be it
but rather the sluice gates yawn,
drops or deluge ignoring
then they leave the remnants
of today's sorrows tomorrow.
