Blog

Looking After Myself

Read more about the article Looking After Myself

I was parked at the beach sitting in my car having just finished a half-hour phone call. In front of me stretched the ocean views of English Bay. Across the bay the North Shore Mountains stood out in sharp relief to the deep blue sky. The sun was shining overhead while people walked or ran along the path in front of me. Nothing was booked in my calendar for the next thirty minutes. The task master voice in my head told me to drive off and get working on the next thing on my list. After a few moments, I put on my sunglasses, opened the car door, stepped out, and went for a walk, fully taking in the beautiful day that was right in front of me.

(more…)

Continue ReadingLooking After Myself

Honoring the Spirit

Read more about the article Honoring the Spirit

Karalee and I were driving from Sechelt to Gibsons on BC’s sunshine coast to catch the noon ferry back to the mainland. The day before we had celebrated our 34th anniversary and were happy after having had a four-day mini break together away from the busyness of regular life.

My mobile rang this April morning and I answered it on the car speakerphone. It was a reporter from the National Post newspaper. He asked if I heard the news and with a sinking heart I said that we hadn’t. He then told us that our good sailing buddy John Ridsdel had been murdered by beheading by the Abu Sayyaf terrorists who had kidnapped John and four others off the docks of a marina in the Southern Philippines September 21, 2015.

(more…)

Continue ReadingHonoring the Spirit

Challenged on to the Stage

Read more about the article Challenged on to the Stage

While I was still a computer science student at the University of British Columbia, I joined a young software startup called Robelle, named for the two founders Robert and Annabelle. I was the first employee.

As a requirement of my employment Bob and Annabelle insisted that I had to write my first technical paper, submit it to the 1980 International Hewlett-Packard General Systems User Group, and if accepted travel to the conference to present my paper.

(more…)

Continue ReadingChallenged on to the Stage

When Fear Shows Up

Read more about the article When Fear Shows Up

A couple of years ago, I was face-to-face with my fears. My wife Karalee and I were in Santa Cruz for a conference with my long-time technology friends where we spent the weekend collaborating and discussing the future of technology and innovation. The conference ended Sunday afternoon, after which Karalee and I had a nice drive, followed by dinner. We turned in for the night, ready for an early morning start to return to Vancouver.

All seemed copacetic until I was awakened at 4:00 am by the sound of running, shouting, and hitting all right under the window of our ocean facing hotel room. Then there was silence for a few minutes. Then I could hear a voice calling out quietly from the street below “Help me.”

(more…)

Continue ReadingWhen Fear Shows Up