Love means different things to different people. Some of us see hearts and flowers. Some taste very dark chocolate, sweet as well as bitter. Some of us see another person’s face, or the light in a child’s eyes. Some find love in our dog or our cat. Some of us think of making love, of bodies coming together. For some love is romantic, a grand passion. There is loving another person, loving our family, loving our neighbors, loving our country,... Read more
I tend to have high expectations, of myself and everyone else. I was raised with expectations. I was the first child, and only son, of parents who thought for years they were not able to have children. My parents passed their high expectations on to me. I was expected to behave, expected to do well in school, expected to be a leader. Their expectations shaped the person I became. I expect things to happen; growth and progress, results. I expect... Read more
I am part of a church that follows a liturgical calendar. Like all calendars, a liturgical calendar helps us remember the day and the season. On Wednesday we begin a new season again. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. Each time we get together we remind each other of our story and we share a meal. During Lent, we remind each other that we have what we need. Lent is not about giving up things like chocolate or being online. Lent is... Read more
My friend Jon Dephouse is a young, vital husband of a young, vital wife and father of two young, vital boys. He has a good sense of humor, and encourages and inspires the people who meet him. Jon loves music, coffee, and running triathlons. He is also a priest at Saint James’ Episcopal Church in South Pasadena, California. Several months ago, Jon discovered that he has cancer. Jon’s cancer is an extremely rare and agressive sarcoma which is generally found... Read more
My friend Jon Dephouse is a young, vital husband of a young, vital wife and father of two young, vital boys. He has a good sense of humor, and encourages and inspires the people who meet him. Jon loves music, coffee, and running triathlons. He is also a priest at Saint James’ Episcopal Church in South Pasadena, California. Several months ago, Jon discovered that he has cancer. Jon’s cancer is an extremely rare and agressive sarcoma which is generally found... Read more
Though last years’s Craft Brewery Pilgrimage culminated months ago, I have not spent the winter resting. I have a long term commitment to meeting the challenges of crafting a movement and creating meaningful revelry. I am dedicated to do whatever it takes to complete the arduous work of researching and preparing for the approaching 2013 Craft Brewery Pilgrimage. Enlisting like-minded pilgrims, I am visting craft breweries in various counties in Southern California, including San Diego, Orange, and Riverside. I even spent a... Read more
Our pilgrimage is not a race. There are some similarities. Planning and preparation are important. Breathing is essential. We train and practice each day. Each step has lessons to teach us. Sometimes we develop a rhythm or find the zone. There are very significant differences. Our pilgrimage is neither a marathon nor a sprint. It is not a competition with anyone else or even with our own best effort. Our pilgrimage is not about improving our technique, winning a medal,... Read more
Before I knew what leaders do, I saw them as giving other people answers. People needed direction and guidance, and leaders told them what to do. Leaders were smarter and had more answers than everyone else, so other people listened to them to make sure they did not make any mistakes. Of course, I decided that I wanted to be a leader. I set out to learn about leaders and leadership. I studied and read, and tried to find the... Read more
I believe in the power of revelry, and this has been a revelrous week for me. I set goals, and I celebrate when I meet them. I create incentives and rewards to motivate myself to meet my goals, even beyond the satisfaction I get just from meeting them. As my goals grow, my revelry grows as well. One of the incentives I created for a goal last year was that if I met it I would get a tattoo. I... Read more
I do an excellent job of planning and preparing. I can foresee a very wide variety of potential obstacles and challenges, and design effective steps to overcome them. I am excellent at seeing worst case scenarios and finding ways to prevail over them. I do exhaustive research to learn as much as I can about people, places, and possible tools. I am very good at assessing the costs and benefits of various options. I can be very strategic. Planning and... Read more
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