mek.highcroft.com

31

I turned 31 this past Saturday and a few people at work have asked me, "How does it feel to be 31?"

Really, what does that mean? It's not as if yesterday feels all that different from today, and unless something major happens, tomorrow will not be all that different from today. This is not to say that I am bored or unsatisfied, just that I'm OK with the status quo, and that excitement and spontanity are a smaller percentage of my daily life now than a few years ago. With a few very notable exceptions, most days run together like a blur

• The day after I was married, that definitely felt different than the day before.
• The day after I bought my first house, I felt different than the day before.
• The day after my daughter was born, my life had definitely changed.

So it's not like I'm out searching for Wild Adventures on Pirate ships or Hot Air Ballooning around the world in 80 days, but I've just been thinking about the "how does it feel to be (insert age here)" question and wondering... how will I answer next year? Will things have changed around me, or will I have changed them?

Snacks and Sneakers

I've decided (for like the 23rd time in my life) that it's time to eat a litle better and exercise more often. I don't think that typing or attending staff meetings really qualifies as exercise, nor does a Three Musketeers bar or a Charlston Chew qualify as a healthy snack. So, time for a little change.

I've been told that a major shift in my approach to healthy eating and excercise will doom my efforts to failure, and that doing it alone will also make it harder for success to be found. So, I've started small. I ate two apples today, and I'm planning to take a short jog this afternoon. It's not like I want to run the Boston Marathon or compete in the Iron Man Triathlon at this point, but just to get some exercise and feel good -- so that I can keep up with my family members as they grow up and grow older!

Inspiring Music -- Soundtracks

It's not the first time that I've seen it, but I recently watched Prince of Eqypt again and was surprised (again) at how the music moves me. Certainly the story is familiar to a huge world population, and I believe the depth of the score (except for the "You're Playing With the Big Boys Now" diddy which falls flat in comparison to most of the other pieces) is impressive, both from a "supporting the movie" standpoint, as well as the power of the pieces when separated from the film itself.

Usually film soundtracks are not usually something I buy, since most seem to be a hodgepodge of instrumental interludes intermingled with moderately popular music, but there are several notable exceptions, where the music of the film is as much a part of the emotional storytelling as the characters and plot; music so memorable that the scenes are retold each time the music is played. The soundtracks that have impressed me in recent years include:

• The Mission (movie info | soundtrack info)
• Prince of Egypt (movie info | soundtrack info)
• The Sting (movie info | soundtrack info)
• Band of Brothers (movie info | soundtrack info)

Granted, the films are very different from one another, but the fact remains that the music stands out above the din that is so typically a film soundtrack.

Like most music, I cannot really describe what it is that draws me in and makes the connection, emotionally speaking, but it moves my heart, and I suppose that's what matters most.

Faithful Companion

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherour, is his dog. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. When all other friends desert, he remains.
~George G. Vest

I thought the quote was cute and interesting. Anyone who has a faithful dog will understand =)

Feel-good Employment

Would it not be great to work for a company whose products are more than mere playthings to someday be discarded with the old ping-pong paddles? Toys, books, and other memorobelia from when I was a child excite incredible memories of carefree days playing in the sun and snow with friends and family. Sure, we brothers had our share of fights over who would get to use the Fun-Skis or the Big Wheel, but perhaps there is an overreaching value in technology-less toys, ones that allow children to use their imagination instead of always requiring more batteries.

Here is a little list of things I was thinking about over lunch...
Teddy bears, Tinkertoys, Lincoln logs, Legos, Blocks, Matchbox cars, Dolls and action figures, Viewmaster, and more...

Yes, now that I have a daughter of my own, I've been combing the aisles of local stores in search of fun toys and books. There are warehouses of goodies to be had, and sifting through them is pretty fun, actually. I just want to make sure that the toys are as fun and engaging for my daughter as toys of my youth were for me!

Oh, and don't get me wrong... I am not a Luddite and I love my current place of employment. But really... how can it be wrong to think about providing something good to the world?