Total Confidence

I had one of these epiphanies the other day when I was reminded of how absolutely awesome life is in it’s simplicity. I felt in the zone more than anytime in my life. And this while taking a hot bath.

My First Speeding Ticket – Ever!

Today I got my first speeding ticket which I regard as quite an achievement. It was bound to happen sooner or later. And I guess this late morning – when returning from the golf course – the odds were against me and I got clocked at 82 mph on I-280. I actually feel relieved in a strange way. And very human. And glad that I got a very favorable reading on the radar.

So now it’s off to driving school if I don’t want to see my insurance sky rocket!

Did you feel it?

We did. At 4.42am this morning we woke up by rattling windows and doors. The earthquake just lasted for about 10 seconds and then back to normal. Great wake up call!

The Life-Deferred Plan

I just finished The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss and gotta say that I’m really impressed. Most of his advice are things that we have already put in place or discovered during our mini-retirement last year (actually my second mini-retirement; first was in 1999). That said, he puts everything into a nice context and reinforces our decision to challenge current career conventions and focus on living life and stop following the Joneses.

The overall message is to become the CEO of your own life and focus on what really matters to you. It’s about finding your true purpose and living a rich life. Maybe not rich in dollars but rich in happiness, personal growth and sense of meaning.

My Objects of Desire

There are three things I’d like to have before I kick the bucket:

1) A cool 70s vintage leather jacket – brown or black.

2) A leather and suede knife roll for all my chef knives (like Eric Ripert’s).

3) A few boxes of Cohiba Robusto.

240 Miles Later

Right before Christmas I started to walk to work on a daily basis. I had grown tired of waiting for the bus, didn’t want to drive and needed exercise. I also wanted to have some personal “me” time every day to compress and think about things (aka daydream).

The first few weeks were harder then I could ever have imagined. Four miles a day is not that far but when you have been driving to work for the past few years it’s quite an adventure to start out every morning with a walk. I turned breathless more often than not over the first few weeks.

The morning walks started out being quite painful for my untrained body but quickly grew into a daily routine that I now look forward to. I get to walk through some of the most notorious neighborhoods in San Francisco and see them wake up: Pacific Heights, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, North Beach, Chinatown and the Financial Districts. Tourists pay money to see what I experience every day.

The net-net is very positive:
- I’ve quickly gotten into shape during these 240 miles (386 km)
- I’ve discovered new areas of San Francisco that I never knew of
- Life has slowed down and I no longer feel stressed
- I’m much more patient and realize that things need to take their time
- I’m never stuck in traffic or stuck in a crowded bus
- I’ve saved bus fair and gas money for 3 months
- And I have time everyday to plan my work day with the best views in the world

And even-though we get a few weeks of rain in SF I’ve hardly ever had to ask the Missus for a ride to work. I just grab a rain jacket and charge through the rain like a well trained marine. Give me a who-ha, seargent!

Hyde Street Bistro

Man, we headed off to the Hyde Street Bistro for some celebration yesterday. A few victories had been won among the circle of friends that deserved good food and wine. Hyde makes the best steak fritte outside of France so that was my choice, accompanied with a few bottles of Lalande de Pomerol. In addition I had a rabbit pate for starter and a fondant for dessert with some sweet dessert wine. And within walking distance.

I, Slacker – The Book

I slurped (publishing speak for downloading blog content into the Blurb BookSmart app) my old I, Slacker blog this weekend. The purpose of the blog was to share my experience of taking time off – the comme il faut of the corporate world. My manager at that time at Yahoo! totally got what I tried to do and supported my venture wholeheartedly. That man will always have a special place in my heart.

The book making process sort of forced me to read through all my old ramblings which is always a sensitive process for a writer. Old stuff could be insanely great or just pure awful. Once I had read through all my blog entries I realized that I’ve met all my targets and came out with a few really invaluable key learnings. I also ended up being much more motivated and passionate.

After my first 3-month hiatus I took another year off to just chill. That was a life changing experience. All the fear of not being able to survive in one of the most ruthless market economies in the world disappeared. And so did the greed. And back came the passion and the energy. And I found a killer gig at an awesome startup in central San Francisco. It was one of those rare win-win-win-win situation. A quadruple victory as they say.

Anywho, by reading through my old blog entries I realized that I have enough good stuff for a book on the subject. It might not be a mass market product, I’m just hoping for a niche market response and the start of a discussion around the devilish rat race. See, I know who the man is now and I’ve learned how to stick it to him. That should be worth a few bucks.

The New Year

Every new year is a healthy rebirth, an opportunity to start over again. Last year (2006) was all about taking time off, about idleness and contemplation. This year (2007) is about work/life balance, focusing on real personal development and evolve as a human being.

I’ve always made a list of the things I’d like to focus on during the new year, everything from savings to more travels and learning a new language. As I go back in time and read my new year misson statements I realize that some of them have always failed (getting into shape, making more money, getting a PhD) and some has always succeeded (traveling to new places, enjoying life, more personal freedom). I realize that there are certain things I prioritize over others, that means much more and has a strong emotional connection.

So in the true gospel of building on ones strength’s I’ll focus my energy and time in 2007 on things that I enjoy doing and am excelling in: drinking wine, cooking, traveling, languages, process-thinking, analytical challenges, watching movies, memorizing esoteric trivia, writing random blog entries, reading, napping et cetera. And I’ll stay away from getting into shape and trying to get a fancy academic title. Spending ones time wisely is an art in it self.

When Nothing Else Matters…

I’m reading Charles Handy again. He is one of the most brilliant contemporary worklife and management philosophers there is. In his book ‘The Elephant and the Flea’ he argues that a market economy sometimes brings along the lesser desirable market society where success is only measured in financial wealth.

During my self imposed sabbatical I realized how stuck most of us are in the rat-race, in the earn-and-spend cycle and in keeping up with the Joneses. There is very little real need behind why we’d like the latest Garmin GPS navigator, iPod or flatscreen. The only reason we buy it is that we can afford it (which feels good) and our neighbor doesn’t have one – yet (which feels even better).

The sabbatical taught me that I have everything I need to have a great life – material, emotional and intellectual. More of everything doesn’t solve problems, it only creates more problems. Spending time on shopping is wasting your life if it doesn’t solve a true need – just a want, a lust or an envy. But it’s easy to get sucked into that world if you lack a personal vision and mission with your life.

So I took a number of steps to ensure that my next years will focus on quality and not quantity:
1. I asked to get opt-out of all kinds of unsolicited mailings. The Federal Trade Commission is a great place to start. Now I’m hardly getting any unsolicited mail.
2. I never spend quality time shopping. I usually find stuff by accident on our travels.
3. If I buy something it has to replace something old. It cannot just be a new closet filler.
4. I sell or give-away old stuff to make room for new.
5. I only spend money on a few categories: media that makes you smarter, food that makes you happier and travels that keeps you open-minded.

Charles Handy writes: ‘A worthwhile life, in my book, requires you to have a purpose beyond yourself, something that selfish capitalism puts low down the agenda’. I could not agree more.