Friday, July 04, 2025

Picture of the Day - Tracheotomy

My goal this month is to take a daily picture of something that makes me smile. 

This picture is art created by my daughter, which I call 'Tracheotomy' (not something she calls it). I have had this on my office wall when I worked at UPS, and now in my Man Cave. It's my favorite piece that she has done—one of the first pieces where she used her face as the central figure.  She is an Amazing artist and has won several awards over the years

Book Review - Be Water My Friend

Several months ago, a fellow martial artist recommended a book, which I bought and had on my desk to read, titled "Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee" by the Author and his Daughter, Shannon Lee. You don't have to be a Martial Artist to appreciate and get value from this book.

This was a very insightful reading. I love how she wove his teachings into various stories and real-life examples. I also appreciated how she incorporated his philosophy into self-care, extending beyond just martial arts. I was so impressed that I went out and bought the box set of Bruce's Movies to see what she was referring to. I have seen these movies a lot over the years, but it was good to see them from a different perspective.  

Many people only think of Bruce Lee as an action star, but he was also a deep thinker and quick to embrace people as friends, regardless of Race, color, or other differences. He truly lived his life to the fullest.  

In her book, I felt the most fantastic example of Bruce's impact on human existence was the statue they erected in Bosnia after their civil war. He had no cultural ties to Bosnia, but the leaders said, "One thing we all have in common is Bruce Lee."  Shannon indicated that "He was seen as a symbol of someone who bridged cultures and brought people together and made them feel uplifted."

After reading this book, I came away with the impression that Shannon has learned a lot more about her dad than most people generally know about their parents. Granted, her dad was very special and documented a lot, along with her mother maintaining his legacy, but that doesn't mean that we can't also be special. What legacy will you leave your kids, family, and Friends?

Thursday, July 03, 2025

Picture of the Day - Cup of Life

My goal this month is to take a daily picture of something that makes me smile. 

This is a combination of two things, and I have had them together for more than 20 years on my desk at work or at home.

My daughter in Elementary school made the Grumpy Face Cup. The Bat in the Cup represents how much I appreciated Halloween when I was younger. This brings a smile to my face because it often represented my mood swings.

I occasionally complain about my daughter's mood swings, but I know that she is very much like me. I have learned to be a little more consistent, but please catch me when I'm tired, and you may see something you don't like. LOL.

Wednesday, July 02, 2025

Picture of the Day - Philippines Mementos

I started using the Finch App, a self-care app that utilizes a virtual pet bird to encourage users to develop healthy habits and enhance their mental well-being. Similar to the old Tamagotchi game, which was used several years ago to keep a virtual pet alive.

My goal this month is to take a daily picture of something that makes me smile. 

These are mementos given to me by my Filipino partners at UPS Clark when I was on a special Assignment there during 2011. I spent six months there and had to end my assignment early when one of our local managers fell ill and we needed coverage. I had another opportunity to work with them remotely after moving into the GBS Vendor Management role during my last two years at UPS. They made me feel like I was a family member.

Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Picture of the Day - Iceland Air

I started using the Finch App, a self-care app that utilizes a virtual pet bird to encourage users to develop healthy habits and enhance their mental well-being. Similar to the old Tamagotchi game, which was used several years ago to keep a virtual pet alive.

My goal this month is to take a daily picture of something that makes me smile

This is my Icelandair model, which I acquired while stationed at NAS Keflavik. This brings a smile to my face because it was a delightful assignment, even though my Wife and Kids didn't go with me. I made some great friends there. I was the Air Force Passenger Specialist who handled commercial air flights for our personnel assigned to the base for TDY and PCS Assignments, while also serving as the Superintendent of the small Transportation Flight, which comprised Vehicle Operations and Vehicle Maintenance. Since I was the sole TMO Person in the flight, I had to teach Galen Smith, a Vehicle Maintenance troop, how to back me up. He had no TMO-type experience. 

I don't know how many times during the Winter months Smitty has had to direct me in the right direction to the Senior NCO Dorms, as I have no sense of direction at night, and it's blowing snow.

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