Coach Bob's Log

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2010-03-09T15:04:00.001-05:00

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Timeboxing my writing

2010-03-03T14:42:00.009-05:00

In the March issue of the Voyage of Your Life eZine, one of the articles is about timeboxing. This technique comes in very handy when there is a big job that needs to be done and it can't be done in one sitting. Here's an example: I am writing a book and want to make progress every day, but clearly this will take some time to complete.

My way of making real progress and staying fresh with ideas and prose is to set aside 30 minutes to dedicate to writing. In early attempts I may do just the outline in that 30 minutes. Regardless of whether I finish or not, I stop at the time limit. Another time I may rough out a chapter or a character. On another day the time goes to embellish a chapter that is already there. You get the picture.

It works for me. Try it for yourself. And let me know how it goes for you.

Enough Snow Already!

2010-02-12T15:09:00.006-05:00

We've had quite enough snow this winter as far as I'm concerned. Seems like the forecasts are for more just when we have finished shoveling out from the last storm. My knee knows when it is going to snow, and it also knows when I have done a lot of shoveling.

One of the best things I have seen was a picture of a church marquee that said "Whoever is praying for snow, please quit!"

That about sums it up for me.

But I will say since all this snow has me mostly confined indoors, I have attempted to make the most of that time by stripping wallpaper and painting the foyer and upstairs hallway. I guess this is just another way of making hay while the sun shines.

Good Habits

2010-02-03T16:09:00.004-05:00

In the February edition of the Voyage of Your Life eZine, there is an article on habits. Check it out if you have not done so already. I'm on my way to having my morning exercise time become a habit. How can I tell? I simply have not missed waking up, and getting up, to exercise since my program began in early January. And after a month, it is beginning to be second nature. I know what I am going to do from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. every day. That's how I know this is becoming a good habit.

How about you? What habits are you trying to build? And how are you doing with them?

As always, give me a call 804.873.3931 if you or someone you care about needs help with creating a new good habit, or breaking a bad old habit.

Too Much Social Networking

2010-02-01T09:54:00.010-05:00

I've had a Facebook account for some time now, though I don't sign on all that often. I think it is great to be able to find friends from high school, college, and other social venues and to keep up with what is going on in the world. I think it is exciting to watch discussions take place right in front of me in real-time.

But there is a downside. I am not a fan of is getting hooked on games that are offered on Facebook, and I am not a fan of spending hours seeing what other people are doing, or in mindless trivial pursuits online. For that reason I am rarely on for more than a few minutes at a time.

How about you? Do you have an account? How much time do you spend on Facebook every day? Do you take all the quizzes, personality profile tests, wish all your friends happy birthday, tell the world where you are every minute, and hop onto games for hours at a time?

I suggest you continually ask yourself this question, one that I try to ask myself all day long -- is this the best use of my time right now?

You decide. You can either comment on this posting, or hop over to my Facebook page and let me know how you feel.

All the best!

Where does the time go?

2010-01-14T16:35:00.004-05:00

It took me a week and a half, but I came to the realization that I still need an automated calendar on my computer to know what I am supposed to be doing at any given moment. In corporate life, my Outlook calendar was invaluable not only to me but to others who depended on me. I tried to keep it up to date so that I knew where I was supposed to be and when.

The good news is that I can now chose to share my electronic calendar with the world, or not. Either way, it is nice to get those pesky reminders of what I am supposed to be focused on, even if it does seem like work! Maybe some disciplines do carry over into retirement.

I'd write more on the blog, but this activity was not scheduled.

peace.

Our Grand Re-Opening!

2010-01-11T17:45:00.003-05:00

Full Sail Coaching is re-opening with a bang! To celebrate I have created some incredible coaching deals when you sign up before Valentine's Day. The Silver and the Gold Packages are significantly discounted for eZine subscribers only. So take a look at the special offers on this month's Voyage of Your Life newsletter, and then get busy contacting us!

Happy New Year!

Today I am a House-elf

2010-01-05T09:30:00.005-05:00

You Harry Potter fans will remember Dobby the house-elf. Well today I am Bobby the house-elf (at least that's what Emily calls me). This morning I am baking a birthday cake for Philip's celebration, then comes the icing. Next I have to clean the laundry room floor (thanks to a really bad cat that someone can have), and take care of the laundry.

If my friends could see me now! Totally domesticated (which is way more than I can say for that cat!).

In addition to all my new-found prowess as a house-elf, I am also a really good life and executive coach. Tell your friends (about the life coach part, you can leave out the house-elf part)!

On the first day of retirement ...

2010-01-05T09:20:00.003-05:00

... my true love gave to me -- a page and a half of things to do.

It was weird for me yesterday not going into the office after 31 and a half years of commuting to a job working for someone else in corporate America. Still I had plenty to do around the house, and council meeting and basketball game in the evening. I got a lot done, though you would not know it from the couple of small items I ticked off my true love's list!

But I survived my first day of retirement!

Supposedly now I work for myself, but my new boss is not all with it yet. Give him some time. This is a big adjustment!

Recovery and Recuperation

2009-11-08T20:00:00.006-05:00

Still trying to get mobility back in the knee, and I'm looking forward to being back at full strength. This was the first hospital stay for me since my tonsils were out many years ago. Everyone was really nice and accommodating yet professional, so no complaints there. And I received so many well wishes and phone calls to check on me.

I heard a life lesson quite some time ago -- it doesn't cost an extra dime to be nice. Something I have tried to live up to, and my caretakers certainly did.

It's nice to be nice.

It would also be nice to be able to run again soon, but that will depend on my recuperation schedule.

Carmen at JMU

2009-11-08T19:56:00.002-05:00

Last night we travelled to Harrisonburg to see Philip in the opera Carmen. The JMU cast and orchestra did a really good job keeping me awake through an opera. It was great to see Philip back in his element on stage and singing.

I was also most proud of him for trying out as a freshman and sticking with it through long rehearsals and preparation. That is the only way we grow -- by sticking our necks out beyond the comfort zone and stretching our boundaries.

Leave it to our kids to show us what to do!

Bravo!

Ships in Harbor

2009-09-13T20:38:00.004-04:00

"A ship in harbor is safe; but that is not what ships were built for."

That saying kept coming into my mind as we toured Honfleur, an incredibly picturesque harbor town in France. As nice as they look all together in the safe port, how much more exciting and alive would they be out at sea?
Of course the same goes for us humans. Where are you this day -- playing it safe in the harbor, or living an adventure in the open sea?
Go for it.

Works of Art

2009-08-09T15:36:00.003-04:00

It was astounding to walk through the famous art galleries in Paris. The Louvre is so large that it seems impossible to take it all in, regardless of the time allocated. The Musee d'Orsay was impressive in a different way, with rooms filled with some of my favorite artists and their works. I am partial to the impressionists, so I spent a fair amount of time on the 5th floor of d'Orsay taking pictures of paintings (okay, I admit that sounds strange, but ...).

I believe we all have architecture, design, and building skills inside us. Seeing these works of art was truly inspirational for me. It is pretty sad when you witness so much at one time, because after a while you grow accustomed to being surrounded by very famous works.

I wonder how long it took these masters to create their paintings. I wonder if they ever thought so many people from all over the world would enjoy them years later. I wonder if any of those masters ever conceived of a blog site! (I'm pretty sure da Vinci did, but I can't prove that!)

Le Tour 2009

2009-08-07T07:53:00.003-04:00

Bonjour! One of the neatest experiences in Paris was to witness the post-race celebrations for the Tour de France. After sight-seeing all day, we got to the Champs-Elysées just as the teams were circling around for their photo ops and waving to the crowd.

We got to see many different racers, including the top finishers, and I have posted a picture of Lance Armstrong, clearly a crowd favorite even though he came in third this time.

Earlier in the day we had stopped at the LiveStrong exhibit along the Seine and got some chalk to put a message to the racers, and picked up a couple of LiveStrong bracelets. Regardless of what you think of racing and Lance, you have to be in awe of his foundation. Here's Emily leaving her message.

You can click on any of the blog pictures to see them in larger size.

au revoir!

In a French fishing village

2009-07-29T15:01:00.003-04:00

Continuing on, we made our way to a small fishing village called Honfleur. The first interesting thing was calling the lady who was going to meet us at our flat and let us in. She spoke little English, and fortunately Emily speaks French more than adequately. Between the two of them we cobbled together enough information for directions that got us to the right place to drop the luggage off.

We stayed in an apartment that was a former fisherman's home. The stairs went up circularly like in a lighthouse and were very steep and narrow. Tricky with luggage, and Philip carried most of it himself.

Here's a picture of the kind of narrow cobblestone street we were on. The town itself was quite fascinating, with high dollar sailboats in the protected harbor. You know I took lots of sailboat pictures.

Dinner was amazing, and only a block off the center of town. We noticed that it was still light at ten o'clock at night, so there was more day to enjoy.

France was proving to be a good choice for vacation.

On vacation in France

2009-07-29T14:49:00.003-04:00

This will be the first of several blog entries regarding our family vacation to France. On the first day after the long night flight across the Atlantic, we picked up our rental car at the airport in Paris. I have never been able to manage to sleep much on those overnight flights, and this one was no exception.

Once we got the car and were able to read enough of the signs to navigate away from the Charles de Gaulle airport (no small feat), we proceeded towards Normandy. Just outside the airport we came to our first roundabout. I had heard horror stories about them, but this one was no big deal. Just yield to oncoming traffic and make sure you know when and where to get off. Piece of cake. Soon I had 10 or so under my belt and was feeling quite competent. (more on roundabouts in a later blog)

Our first stop was at Giverny, where Monet hung out and did some very cool painting. I am a big impressionist fan, and Monet is one of my favorites. I included a photo to try to show what the landscape was like. No wonder he loved this little place so much.

More to come later, but for now enjoy the scenery from Giverny.

Au revoir!

Summer Vacation

2009-06-23T22:31:00.003-04:00

It is officially summer now! The outside temperatures are heading way up and vacation plans are in full swing. We are headed to France soon, to see the Normandy area and to visit Paris. France was not my top choice for a vacation spot, but now I think I might be more excited about this trip than anyone else. Gives me yet another foreign language to attempt to learn.

We have made reservations in Honfleur and Paris for several nights, and are already picking people's brains for places to go and things to experience. That is what summer is all about, experiencing things that you can one day tell others about.

Go make some summer plans, and find a place to live out the summer to its fullest!
Carpe diem!
(wait, that's not French!)

High School Graduation

2009-06-14T14:35:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday, our second graduate in less than a month walked across the stage to receive a diploma. Before that, earlier in the program, Philip sang the Godwin alma mater. It was quite an honor for him to receive and a treat for us to enjoy as a family. Here's a picture of him singing.

I wish I could take some credit for Philip's vocal talent, but that would introduce facts not in evidence.

This Godwin High School Class of 2009 was made up of some awesome young people, and I was fortunate to get to know quite a few of them. The students who spoke at graduation were tremendously gifted and they all did a great job of relating to their audience.

Steps along a journey are filled with small accomplishments and setbacks. This night was just a convenient stopping place.

Best wishes to all the graduates!

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T11:11:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned on my Facebook page this morning, freedom ain't free. Thanks to all the individuals who have made the supreme sacrifice to keep our nation free. Thanks to their families, their loved ones, all who cared about them. Thanks to their comrades who still feel loss today. There is no way to repay debts like that, we can only remember.

Help me to remember that it is from their heroic efforts that we still enjoy the freedoms we so often take for granted. May their sacrifice never be in vain.

Graduation Day

2009-05-12T20:54:00.004-04:00

On Saturday Emily joined the ranks of James Madison University's graduating class of 2009. We were in Harrisonburg for the day, wishing all her classmates good fortune as nearly all of them look for employment. When I graduated nearly everyone in the class had job offers, and most had full-time employment waiting for them whenever they decided to start. But this year's class is looking for their first offer. Circumstances may not be in the favor of this year's grads, but they are determined to make something meaningful of their lives.

That is the spirit that was infectious on Saturday. You remember that graduation feeling, which included a mix of joyful at achieving something that was mostly accomplished on your own, kind of sad to leave college life and friends, at the same time a tiny bit of trepidation at entering the real world, and excitement at the same time.

The class of 2009 will be great! They will work hard and figure things out and make the most of their lives, just like we did. Congratulations!

Congratulations Grease Cast and Crew

2009-05-10T20:14:00.004-04:00

Grease was the word last week. I got to see all four shows and thought the cast and crew did a great job. If you had a chance to see the show, did you notice the wallpaper in Marty's room? Did you notice how straight and nice it all looked, even around the window trim? Amanda, Brittany and I made that contribution to the set design!

All the vocalists were amazing as usual for Godwin Theater productions. As the proud parent of a Greaser, I took lots of pictures during the shows and I only included one of my favorite ones here on the blog site.

This was Philip's farewell performance on Godwin's stage, and while the show was no Les Miserables, what is?

Thanks to the directors, cast and crew for a great performance, and congratulations on a job well done!

Spring Musical (Grease)

2009-04-22T22:24:00.003-04:00

I'm looking forward to Godwin High School's spring musical Grease. We picked up tickets today for each of the four shows starting April 30th. Philip is playing Kenickie, and lots of the chorus kids have parts in the show. Do you have your tickets yet? You can get them for $10 at lunchtime at the school, or at the door (but the price is $15 then). Better hurry, the show starts in just a few days.

See ya later, alligator!

Spring Break

2009-04-14T22:41:00.003-04:00

I wasn't expecting to have a spring break this year, but then life is full of surprises. We got an opportunity to go to Ft. Myers Beach, FL last week for some R&R. It was much needed. One of the big things about the trip was getting to go fishing with Kim and Philip. We had a cool captain who knew where to take us, and we got to see manatees swim near the boat and were able to catch a fair number of fish of all varieties.

Here's me with my prize catch of the day.

I'm not sure there is anything like Spring Break!

What Can You Afford?

2009-03-15T18:52:00.003-04:00

It would not be a news flash that the global economy is having challenges right now. I was talking to a friend very recently who asked how my coaching business was doing in this recession. Before I could answer, she said that now more than ever the people who need me the most are the ones least able to afford a coach.

While there may be some truth to that, I prefer to think of the situation a little differently. My philosophy is that the folks who need me most are the ones who know what investing is all about, and who know that investing in themselves right now is a top priority. And they are the ones who end up thriving regardless of the general economic state. They create a different game plan, and adjust to changing climates by playing to their strength.

Everyone I know needs a coach at some point in their lives. Nearly everyone needs one right now.

Snow Days

2009-03-01T19:48:00.003-05:00

Hard to believe, yet here in March we are having a really big snowstorm. On Sunday night, it is pretty evident that tomorrow will be a snow day. Philip is a senior and in his 4 years of high school he has never missed a day of school for snow. Tomorrow will be a first (so long as everyone wears their pj's inside out)!

I remember snow days and still get excited to see my high school listed on the school closings. In my four years at JMU we only closed school one time, when it snowed 16 inches on a Sunday evening. Emily has missed numerous college days in her (almost) 4 years at JMU. Times are different, and there are many more commuters - I get that.

Still, a snow day is very special. They don't happen that often.

I think we should make snow angels, don't you? They can watch over us while we are slip-sliding around in the snow.