A Proud Dad
June 21, 2006My daughter Madelyn (9) just received her black belt in taekwondo! I really am a proud dad. It’s such an amazing achievement. Ever since she was 4 years old and saw other kids training at our local centre, she said “Mum, I want to do that”, and she didn’t let up until she was old enough to start. She started in Ninja’s, just after she started school, and has never looked back. She has participated in club championships and competitions, and really has put in a sustained effort over a 4.5 year period training 2-3 days a week to achieve her goal of black belt. Having gone through the process myself, I understand just how big a commitment it is and how much personal sacrifice you have to make. To have that sort of dedication and strength–particularly for someone of her age–really amazes me. Congratulations Maddy.
Getting Away
June 13, 2006
I spent the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (can someone remind me why we celebrate that?) with wifeandkids.com and friends in the Strathbogie Ranges about 2hrs drive north of Melbourne. It’s been bitterly cold in Melbourne, but the weather was magnificent while we were away — although it was chilly, the sun was shining most of the time. We found a great little spot–Polly McQuinn’s Weir–to light a camp fire, have a picnic and watch the birds. Did a couple of walks and camping activities with the kids … lots of fun. A great place to get away from the hustle and bustle — I don’t think we even came across another person for the whole 2 days we were there. I’ve uploaded a couple of pics that capture the essence of the weekend.
Community Building
June 8, 2006Over the years, I’ve been involved in a number of clubs, organisations, CoP’s, user groups etc. and I’m currently in the early stages of planning a community of practice for web entrepreneurs. I’ll share the details on this a little later (drop me a note if I’ve piqued you’re interest!).
Whilst doing some research, I came across an elightening piece on the challenge of building communities by Dave Pollard.
I’ve read everything I can get my hands on on intentional communities, and what strikes me most is that their failure, just like the failure of so many new-age business models, is a failure of imagination. The intentions are good. They invest a lot of time and energy in research, and in trying to make it work. But when they run into difficulties, they keep falling back on ‘conventional wisdom’: we need a council, and committees, and voting and non-voting shares, and strategic plans, and legal agreements, and to borrow lots of money; we need to work harder, and to wait until conditions are exactly right. I appreciate that creating a new community is scary, but the social, political and economic failings of the old system are exactly what got us into this mess, and incorporating them into the new models is just asking for the same terrible results.
Whilst the focus of his post seems to be a broader context of intentional communities, I think the same reasoning applies to building communities of practice and social networks. It is very easy to fall into the trap of making things too strucured or formal, and this can stifle creatvity and openness.
To be successful, you have to nuture and create the right conditions for evolution and transformation rather than trying to control and force resolutions. This is the philosophy I hope to take with me into the new venture. Do you subscribe to this philosophy, or do you think I should take a different tact?
Walk the Line - Review
June 8, 2006Walk the Line (Widescreen Edition)
Year: 2006
Writer: Gill Dennis
Director: James Mangold
Length: 135 minutes
Category: Drama
Media: DVD
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Rating from : PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
UPC for dvd: 024543224228
Rating: out of 5
I was really bummed at not getting to see this movie on the big screen, but that’s a long story that involves baby sitters, so I won’t bore you with the detail.
Needless to say, it was with much anticipation that I watched the DVD release. In fact so much so, that we rented it out on the day of release. I can’t remember the last time I did that, so my expectations were high. And it did not disappoint.
Brilliantly written, Walk the Line is a story about redemption–a man who gets a second chance at life, despite making an absolute mess at his first go at it. Burdened by the death of his younger brother at an early age and a less than happy relationship with his father, Johnnie ends up going off the rails and turns into a “pill-poppin’ rock star”. If it were not for Cash’s deep love for June Carter, and her courage and strength to help Johnnie face his problems, the Johnnie Cash story may have ended entirely differently.
If you are expecting an ‘autobiography’, you may be disappointed. Cleverly, the writers have selected a ’segement’ of Cash’s life and long music career to craft an inspiring and amazing story. Both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, as Johnnie Cash and June Carter respectively, are totally believable and convincing and are deserving of the praise that have been placed on them for their work.
I’m going to go as far as saying that this one of–if not THE–best movie I’ve seen in the last couple of years.
Breaking Boards
June 7, 2006
My daughter Maddy broke boards for her black belt grading on the weekend. I’m a very proud dad — she showed great strength and courage, as did all the other kids breaking boards. I have to do the same tomorrow … 5 boards 21mm thick to be broken by 3 foot techniques and 2 hand. Should be fun!
