Sunday, July 21, 2013

Summer Time Photos

Without passion, writing is a burden to be borne like a yoke on the back of an ox.  Lacking the drive and the passion makes it hard for the words to flow and the ideas to spring unbound from your mind.  Right now I seem to lack that passion to write this blog.  My day-to-day thoughts are instead turned to the projects on which I am working and the helping Zack continue his growth.  I will eventually rediscover the passion for blogging, but for now my writing efforts are focused almost exclusive on those projects that will get me published.  I believe I am close to that goal and I will of course announce it here on this blog the day that first article or book is accepted for publication. 

For now instead of a long narrative of our adventures and fun that we have had I will post these pictures that capture some of the beauty we have seen this summer.

 Hiking into the prairie at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
 Don't mess with the big guys at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (RMANWR)

 Water fowl habitat at RMANWR.

Big Sky at RMANWR

Hiking in unique rock formations at Staunton Ranch State Park - Colorado's newest state park.

 An interesting array of wildflowers

 Gorgeous scenery at Staunton Ranch State Park

 Hiking the wetlands at Flying J' Ranch Open Space

 Water break!

I love trails like this through the deep forest!
Zack on the ropes course at his Outward Bound Expedition

Zack climbing high on a cliff face during Outward Bound.  Never would have believed he did this until I saw the pictures!  I am very proud of what he accomplished on Outward Bound!

Zack and his team ready to do some serious hiking.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.

Friday, July 12, 2013

And So Begins A New Chapter....

Today marks the end of one chapter in my life and the beginning of another.  After 14 years, today is my last day of employment with my current employer.  I began work at my current employer on April 5, 1999 when I started a new job with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Consulting.  In October of 2002, PwC Consulting was sold in it's entirety to my current employer.

In the years since 2002, I have had many different roles and responsibilities with my employer and I have endured through many reorganizations, shifts in corporate direction and layoffs.  When my employer announced their financial results for the first quarter of 2013, the results did not meet Wall Streets expectations.  To help meet Wall Street's expectations going forward, my employer also announced with its financial results that it would spend over $1 billion to reduce the work force and re-balance staffing between more expensive countries and less expensive countries.  Little did I know that I would get caught up in this work force re-balancing.  On June 12 I was offered severance package I couldn't refuse and today is now my last day with my current employer.  I can feel nothing but gratitude for the people who I have worked with and the company that has given me so much over the last 14 years.  It is bittersweet to leave after so long, but it is also something that will inspire positive change in me and will allow me to grow, learn and expand my horizons!

This might seem like a bad situation but instead I feel that it is a tremendous opportunity.  I am now free to pursue my passions of writing and photography without the need to spend 8 - 12 hours a day working for a corporation.  Now I will be working directly for myself, doing the things for which I have a passion! 

Over the last month my thoughts and efforts have been focused around the changes that come as of today and as a result I haven't very little.  I have even been silent on Facebook if you can believe that!  But now that all the pieces have come together the time available to write is returning - so there is much more to come.  I hope you all will continue to follow this blog in the days, weeks, months and years ahead as adventures are just starting.

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.