I got together with my friend Jan recently at a craft brewery in Orange County. Jan is a wine lover, and the first time we met was her introduction to craft brewing. I think that might have been the first time she had finished an entire pint of beer, which was something of a revelation to her. Now we have found a common goal of exploring craft brewing from the point of view of a wine lover, while researching Southern... Read more
Discovering and growing into contemplation is one of the greatest joys of my life. Becoming contemplative changes everything for me, enriches my life beyond description, and helps me begin each day to be a stronger leader. Contemplation helps me learn to let go. Being contemplative is all about letting go of everything that distracts us. We are surrounded by more and more that demands our time and attention. There is very little room for silence or solitude in our lives.... Read more
Pasadena is known for its trees. Many parts of town are filled with tree-lined streets like the Midwestern town where I was born. Pasadena’s trees give great shade on warm days. They are like old friends and acquaintances as I walk, and run, around town. A couple of weeks ago there was a very windy night in the Pasadena area. Winds that gusted well over 100 miles an hour ran through most of the night. In that one night, more... Read more
I wanted to learn more about my new friends who are developing the Can Van in San Francisco, and they agreed to answer a few of my questions. Here is the second of two parts: So, how will the van work? How will a craft brewery get you to come help them? We will bring the equipment to breweries in our trailer. The Wild Goose engineered canning line itself will roll out of the trailer to get as close as possible to... Read more
I wanted to learn more about my new friends who are developing the Can Van in San Francisco, and they agreed to answer a few of my questions. Here is the first of two parts: Please tell me about how The Can Van began. Where did the idea come from? The idea originated when Jenn Coyle learned from her father about the drawbacks of bottled beer in Alaska: bottles are too heavy to carry on small planes, and glass isn’t... Read more
I met some people the other day who are out to change the world. I first heard about them because another friend of mine, who knows me pretty well, thought I might be interested and sent me a link to a story about them. I read it and thought, “I want to get to know these people!” Their vision is tangible. Craft brewers would benefit from the ability to sell their brews in cans, but the equipment for canning takes... Read more
When we think of the word “Leader,” most of us get a picture of someone in our head. We may think of someone who is confident, or articulate, or dynamic. We may think of someone who is nurturing, or compassionate, or dignified in the face of opposition. We may see someone who is insightful, or deeply committed to a cause, or empathetic. We may think of a person who has demonstrated their leadership, either in history or right now. We... Read more
Each year, our church has a special Advent Lessons and Carols service. We remind ourselves, in music and words, of how our journey together begins. We light the candles and take turns telling the story. Telling our story is part of the preparation, part of the anticipation, of Advent. It helps us remember, helps us appreciate and understand how we got here. We each tell what we have read, what we have heard, and the story comes together around us.... Read more
Research continues in anticipation of the 2012 Craft Brewery Pilgrimage! Please let me know if you would like to recommend potential research locations or, even better, if there are places you would like to participate in this work with me. Significant research can always benefit from more data and peer review. It can be a challenge to grasp the significance of this research at first glance. More than going places to try craft beers, which is important in itself, each stop... Read more
I get quite a few different responses to the heading on my website: Leadership, Monasticism, and Revelry. Some people really like the combination; it really connects with them. There are people I see as a spiritual director and as a leadership coach who chose to work with me because of that heading. People ask the questions that these words raise for them: Do those things fit together? Which one is most important to me? Can I do all three at... Read more
Strategic Monk
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