Archive for the 'Personal' Category

Personal Reflections on 2008

Bryan December 30th, 2008

Personally, 2008 did not go as I planned it. But then I suppose there are lots of investment bankers who could say the same thing. I didn’t spend nearly as much time in the wilderness as I’d like and I investigated but didn’t start my business.

But rather than beat myself up for what I didn’t accomplish in 2008, double my resolve and make a whole bunch of New Year’s Resolutions to address them, I thought I’d reflect on the great things about 2008.

  • I met a number of great personal friends this year. I’m not talking about just casual acquaintances. I’m talking about quality people that I can say are my friends that I can live life with. These are people who are honest with me and at least put a lot of effort to “get me”. Being as I’m not exactly a social butterfly, this is very rewarding to me.
  • Between the end of June and the middle of November, I changed to a significantly healthier lifestyle. In the process, I lost 27 pounds and 2.5 inches. I now weigh less than when I graduated college and am in much better shape than then. And I’ve managed to keep it that way thus far through the holidays..

Now, I’m not posting any resolutions for 2009. I’ve come to abhor them. Why is it the new year brings about such resolve in people to make things better? Just wait until next week and see how many unfamiliar faces you see at your gym and how much longer your 45 minute workout takes. Then note in March how many of those same people are still around. Focus and planning are great, but I have chosen to evaluate my life more frequently and make small changes throughout the year. Fellow blogger Sam Davidson called this a New Day Resolution.

Celebrate 2008 with me. What are 2 great things that you changed in 2008?

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Quotable

Bryan December 1st, 2008

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. –Jesus

Quotable

Bryan November 11th, 2008

“and this above all, to thine own self be true, and it follows as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man” — William Shakespeare, Hamlet

The world has never been the same

Bryan August 2nd, 2008

Thirtysome years ago today, this couple changed the world. She gave birth to a 6lb 7oz baby boy and the world has never been the same. Thanks mom and dad!

Prebirthday Dinner at Chappy’s on Church

Bryan August 2nd, 2008

Some friends asked me where I would like to have a birthday dinner. No hesitation… Chappy’s on Church. I’ve been wanting to eat there since I first heard about it. I’m not sure what it is about my palette that loves Creole and Cajun food. Must have had something to do with my trip to New Orleans when I was one.

Chappy is the Mobile, Alabama native who, in December 1984, opened up Chappy’s on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Almost 3 years ago, Chappy’s and his home were demolished by Hurricane Katrina.

Less than a year later, Chappy’s on Church opened in Nashville.

So, 7 friends, old and new, gathered last night at Chappy’s on Church for my birthday predinner.

House Salad with Creole Vinegarette. One taste of that tangy, spicy dressing and I knew I’d come to the right place.

Blackened Red Snapper with lumb crabmeat and rice. Melts in your mouth. It’s hard to find good Red Snapper inland, but I found some! Crowned with a glass of Concannon Pinot Nior.

Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline sauce. Wow!

Chappy visited our table twice during the evening. A delightful, neat guy. I’m glad you’re here Chappy!

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2008 Music City Brewer’s Festival

Bryan July 28th, 2008

Saturday, I spent my afternoon at Hilton Park and the Walk of Fame (located between the downtown Nashville Hilton and the Country Music Hall of Fame) for the 7th annual Music City Brewer’s Festival. There were around 40 different breweries there, and while due to the oppressive heat I was unable to be quite the connoisseur I’d like to be, I did make some notable discoveries.

Heck, even the newly Belgian Anheuser-Busch was there. ;)

I did generally have a good time, but I’ll make a few suggestions for the organizers

  • The heat at the end of July in downtown Nashville is just horrendous. How about a cooler date?
  • Musical entertainment was okay at best. How about an upgrade?
  • Ticket taking. How difficult is it to check an ID and scan a barcode? An hour wait to get in just isn’t acceptable.

In spite of that, I’ll go again. I hung out with old friends and made some new ones (including Will, Vonnie and their friend Beth who I discovered I dated while in Ms. Cain’s 2nd grade class… LOL)

What I’ve been up to

Bryan July 26th, 2008

June was a busy travel month for me. As I blogged then, I got to see the space shuttle launch and hang with friends in Central FL before Microsoft TechEd for Developers in Orlando. In mid June, I went to Chicago for a semi-vacation because I’d never been there before. I also attended eBay Live, a conference for eBay sellers. I stayed near Michigan Avenue and got to sample a bit of urban living. I enjoyed the convenience of having lots to do within walking distance: Sears Tower, Lake Michigan, Art Institute of Chicago. I didn’t have enough time really. A highlight for me was hearing Seth Godin speak live and challenging us live out our passion and let everything else flow from there.

For Independence Day, a friend invited me to watch the Nashville Fireworks from the roof of his place which turned out to be quite impressive and a wonderful view of the festivities. I suppose I’m becoming a bit of an enigma, enjoying the rugged backcountry, peaceful and quiet country living, and finer urban living (I still hate the burbs).

And I’m preparing the house to do more of what I intended, entertaining small groups of friends.

Look for more detail on these activities forthcoming in a new blog, dedicated to more personal pursuits, coming soon.

I’m rambling, but all of that to say, I haven’t exactly spent a lot of time in the backcountry lately. But I’m needing a fix. Any suggestions about where to go in Middle Tennessee?

I took down the Stars and Stripes today

Bryan July 4th, 2008

I’m flying this one instead

Don\'t Tread on Me

That’s right. Today, Independence Day, I took down the American flag known as the Stars and Stripes or Old Glory and instead I’m flying the Gadsden flag. Yes, I still love my country. You see the Gadsden flag is one of the first flags of our nation, having been designed by Colonel Christoper Gadsden and presented to Commodore Esek Hopkins, commander-in-chief of the newly formed Navy, in 1775. It is certain this flag flew above this nation’s Navy before the one crafted by Betsy Ross.

It is also the spirit of that slogan, “Don’t Tread on Me,” that drew me to it. In 1775, this nation was fighting for freedom from a tyrannical, overtaxing government. The overtaxing, wealth-redistributing, tyrannical, anti-Christian, welfare state that the United States has become has much in common with King George. The line spoken by my friend recently rings true with me: I love my country. I hate my government.

Barrack Obama and the Democratic Party won’t change this. John McCain and the Republican Party won’t change this. Nobody will change this until the people change their hearts and stop demanding favor and benefit at the expense of their brothers and sisters here and around the world. And then they must stand up and demand that their leaders return this nation to one that promotes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happeness instead of death, tyranny, and the pursuit of mediocrity.

So, to all current and future leaders and office holders, I say to you: Don’t Tread on Me.

Gadsden Flag website
Gadsden Flag wiki

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Space Shuttles, Dreams, and Me

Bryan June 1st, 2008

space-shuttle-launch-4.JPG

Yesterday as I was in line at airport security, my friend Eric in Florida called to tell me a shuttle launch was scheduled for 5:01 EDT, about the time I would be arriving at his house in Melbourne. He suggested I go to Cocoa Beach and try to catch it. I was absolutely giddy because I’d never seen one in person.

It all started on April 12, 1981 in Ms. Stanfill’s second grade class. I was seven years old. She stopped class and allowed us to watch the first space shuttle launch, the Columbia, on a little 13″ black and white TV she had brought from home. Wow, the thunder and roar! I was in awe!

In 1983, my parents took me to visit my aunt in Titusville. Of course, I had to visit Disney World, but the main reason I wanted to be there? Kennedy Space Center. My aunt’s (now previous) husband Rick worked there. I even still have the old shuttle mission manual he gave me.

On January 26, 1986, I was at home from school due to snow. I still have the video tape of footage from that day. It was the day 7 astronauts “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.”

I dreamed of working for NASA and even flying the shuttle and going into space. And as media interest waned in the space program, mine did as well. But it never left me the same. It steered me to science, engineering, technology and computers. And maybe it even planted in me the seeds of exploration and adventure.

Everything had to go perfect for me to get to the beach in time. The plane had to arrive on time. Baggage had to be there on time. Rental car process had to go smoothly. It did.

Traffic was absolutely atrocious on the Beeline and I thought I wouldn’t make it. I passed the last chance to park before getting on the causeway with 3 minutes left. Traffic creeped up the causeway. I knew I was done for. And at 5:00PM EDT, traffic stopped above the Indian River with me at the causeway pinnacle. I’m not sure I could have had a much better vantage point if I’d parked. I looked out the window and saw the launch pad light up. And suddenly I remembered why I studied so hard and why I went to engineering school. And I remembered just how easily and how far I’ve let myself stray from my dreams.

About a minute later, the thundering sound reached me. For just a brief moment, I was a seven year old little boy again.

Pictures

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Quotable

Bryan May 14th, 2008

The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it.

-John Eldredge, Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive

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