Todd Huff Keeping It Real

The World Didn't Even Notice

2011-10-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

It has been several months since my last post. I guess you could say that I have had an extended problem with writer's block. Actually, I'm still not sure if it has lifted, but I have been writing some as an alumni blogger for SJC.

Some significant developments have occurred since my last post. First, in August, I started teaching Core One for St. Joseph's at St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Lafayette. Second, in September, I completed the final requirements for the MBA with an accounting specialization from Indiana Wesleyan University. Perhaps, I will write more about these developments in the future.

Last night, I was reading from John in The Message:

The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn't even notice.
He came to his own people,
but they didn't want him.
But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten. (1:9-13)

We have experienced and continue to experience exponential changes in communication and technology. Society continues to focus on "more." The only measure of the economic success seems to involve growth.

In the midst of our current environment, "the world didn't even notice" popped out of the page. Could it be the world didn't even notice that the Light was present because the world was distracted? How much do Facebook, Twitter, the latest advancement in TV size, and a focus on economic growth actually distract us from what is really important? In my case, I struggled inside through much of the MBA because I sensed that it was distracting me from a deeper purpose. Hopefully, I will remember that sense of struggle in the future and keep what is truly important at the forefront.

The Joy of Failure

2011-04-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I spent much of the day with one of our supervisors and a production associate. We were attempting to produce a new product. The key word here is "attempt" because, after several hours, we ended up pulling off the trial and switching the machine over to a new product.

Faced with this failure, I smiled.

Sure, we failed to meet our intended objective for the day.

However, in many ways, the day was also a success.

In the process of working on the product, we had the chance to interact and learn about each other. For example, I learned that the production associate used to run and play soccer. This naturally progressed to me sharing my interest in running and that I had been out on the road running at 5 AM that day. I then told him that another one of our associates had also been an avid runner. In other words, we created connections.

This day was a also a bit of a rude awakening for me.

I realized that, in the process of focusing on cost reductions and scrap reductions, I had started to lose focus on our people.

And, dang it, setting up this product was hard work - both physically and mentally. By the end of the day, I was extremely impressed by the efforts of the supervisor and the production associate.

And, sure, we may have failed, but maybe, just maybe, we also succeeded.

Egg-celent

2011-03-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

Over the last few days, I've been thinking a great deal about eggs.

Okay, so I like eggs.

Scrambled eggs.

Deviled eggs.

Egg salad.

Eggs sliced in salad.

Easter eggs.

Omelets.

If you too enjoy eggs, I'm sure that you get the point.

On Saturday, Jenn made eggs sunny side up. Well, even after searching Google images, I'm not sure if they were sunny side up or over easy. Maybe they were over easy.

At any rate, these eggs were perfect. The yellow yolk was completely encased in a while film of, well, egg white. Actually, as my eyes gazed longingly at these eggs, I wondered if Jenn had actually removed the yolks.

I picked up my knife and carefully poked the perfect white film. The yellow yolk burst through the white film. I happily dipped my toast in the yolk enjoyed a pleasant breakfast with Jenn.

However, this breakfast left me challenged.

We live in a world of mores.

More money.

More success.

More vacation time.

More retirement funds.

More fitness.

More... fill in the blank.

I wonder, though, if there is more to what we already have. Are there more yolks hiding just under the surface waiting to burst forth?

Experiences

2011-01-09T17:49:00.000-08:00

This past weekend included several exciting experiences.

Jenn and I played hind and seek in our house.

We built a tent out of blankets in the living room.

I had the chance to catch some rays.

Creating an Infrastructure for Change

2011-01-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I briefly discussed fire-fighting and foundation-building. Over the last six months, my coworker, Niles, and I have have been on a journey in the development of an infrastructure for change. We started on this journey by moving our process guides from Excel to Access. However, it has not stopped there and nearly each week Niles adds additional features to our database.

Now, each process guide includes a trend chart of gram weights and a quality log. This week, we will be launching a verification process that will close feedback loops between the production floor and engineering. This will allow for continuous improvement in the context of the historical trends and current processing conditions. Additionally, I have found the quality log to be an outstanding tool for keeping improvements organized. We have a pull-down menu with categories including material, tooling, and scrap. We are able to keep track of incremental improvements of individual products and quickly pull all changes within the category for a broader overview of improvements.

This week, Niles is going to add bill of material to the category list because cleaning up the bills is one project for this year. I'll be able to quantify each change and document this in the database by part. At the end of the project, I will simply need to print out the changes and be able to show our boss the impact of the project.

In addition, Niles is developing flags in the system. He has an automatic schedule checker that ensures we have a process guide for every product on the schedule. Products without process guides are listed in an email that automatically gets sent to the necessary email addresses.

We have described our program as an infrastructure for change and are continuously thinking about how to improve the infrastructure and how to use it to improve the processing of our products.

Foundation-Building Versus Fire-Fighting

2011-01-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

Each day, we only have so many hours available to us.

We are able to choose how to spend those hours.

My experience in business over the last decade (yeah, that is hard to believe) has led me to conclude that too much time is spent on fire-fighting and not enough time is spent on foundation-building.

What are some examples of fire-fighting? Perhaps, it is the quality issue that reoccurs every few months (or years). Some quick fire-fighting fixes the problem for the moment but it comes back again. Or maybe it is dealing with the latest, super-hot quote that requires rummaging through packets of data and using various calculators to determine the necessary inputs for the costing system.

So why is fire-fighting so attractive? It offers the opportunity to be heroic - to save the day. In the midst of many fires, sometimes the only possible reaction is to fire-fight. And of course, it requires a fire-fighter.

I wonder if the time spent on fire-fighting would be better spent on foundation-building. Sure, results might not be immediate. The return on investment might be a month, year, or decade (gasp). However, eventually, that reoccurring quality problem would no longer be a problem. The customer would input his or her own design parameters on a website and obtain a quote immediately. Eventually, the time spent on putting out fires would be used to continuously improve.

Sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

A Final Reflection from Running (for Now)

2010-12-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have been thinking quite a bit lately while running.

On Saturday, I was out running and praying again.

The sun helped to mitigate the snow and biting temperature. Originally, when I set out on the run, I planned to run seven miles. However, after a few miles, a quiet voice suggested to run an additional three miles.

As I neared the rec center, I was really ready for some warmth and thought it probably would be okay to run a few miles on the indoor track. Nope, the voice recommended continuing on the outside journey. So I turned north - directly into the wind - and the voice said it might be better to turn around to get a break from the wind. Not a bad idea!

So I'm running along and then the people that I had been thinking about during the run start popping in around me - not physically, but in spirit.

I was offering encouragement to a friend. Jenn swooped in and reminded me that cold toes weren't that big of deal. We were all there running together - offering each other mutual encouragement. The weird thing was that there was this other person running with us, too. He didn't really say too much. He offered an occasional laugh or comment. But there was something different about this runner - a certain lightness to his step, a certain radiance to his presence

Another Reflection from Running

2010-12-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I was reading some more of Dan Miller's book, No More Mondays. I had to laugh when I came across this gem:

There will always be naysayers and whiners; avoid them. Find winners and spend time with them.

On Friday evening, Jenn and I set out for a three mile run in some of the coldest, windiest conditions I have ever experienced out on the pavement. We were running half mile laps in the neighborhood around our house. So every half mile, we were right back by our house - and warmth. As we approached the 1.5 mile mark, my toes were officially icicles. I said that maybe we should head for the warmth of the house. Jenn adamantly replied that we had planned to run three miles and that is what we were going to do. I was a little taken aback by the forcefulness of her reply. Of course, when we approached mile 2, the end seemed in sight. It is amazing the difference that half a mile makes. That is one reason why it is so important to be a part of a team of winners. Winners don't let other people stop early at the 1.5 mile mark just because of some cold toes. Winners encourage each other to perservere through those difficult half miles of life.

Running

2010-12-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

In the basement, a plaque hangs on the wall that is engraved with Romans 12:2.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I have had this plaque hanging nearby for the last seven years. I have thought about this verse and the preceding verse on numerous occasions. Eugene Peterson offers this transliteration of Romans 12:1-2 in The Message:

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Three Sundays ago, I departed from home for my normal weekly long run. The long run is a time when many thoughts circulate around in my mind. The thoughts often become a jumbled mess with no clear direction or focus. However, as I set out on a chilly run, my thoughts went to a friend experiencing a challenging situation. I found myself asking, "What can I do to help him?" I was a bit surprised to actually hear a response to my question.

The response:

"Pray."

So I prayed:

"Strengthen him.
Encourage him.
Give him peace."

As the miles continued to pass and my mind began to wander, I returned to these three requests and just kept repeating them. Gradually, the run turned into something more. It transformed from a run into a mission. It transformed from my normal, ordinary run into something extraordinary. It transformed the coldness and the fatigue into a gift. Running became an opportunity to surrender the body to God's business.

Chili Pepper Lights

2010-12-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

Earlier in the week, I took this picture of the Christmas tree in my office but just didn't quite have the words in mind to go with the post. However, after a good work out and shower, the image of a hidden lamp emerged from the depths of a busy day. A hidden lamp is kind of absurd. Lamps provide light in the darkness of the night. It doesn't make much sense to hide a lamp. Yet, in some ways, the red hot chili pepper lights that emblazon this tree were hidden lamps.

These lights hung in the cafe during our days at Saint Joseph's. The lights always made me smile when I entered the cafe. (The smell of bacon wafting through the cafe also made me smile, but I'll save that for another day.) Something about those lights just humored me and grabbed my attention. I didn't hesitate to make this known to others - including the director of the cafe. The director ended up leaving the college. However, before his departure, he gave me these lights. The thrill of receiving the lights still brings a smile to my face. Of course, they proudly hung in our apartment all of senior year. Then, they went into a box for over seven years.

This past Sunday, Jenn and I visited my home church. The message involved light and darkness. My mind wandered a bit to Christmas lights. I decided that my office needed some lights. Later that evening, I went into the garage to get the Christmas lights for the other tree that did not go up this year due to the move. Much to my surprise, the chili pepper lights were situated neatly in the box of lights and ornaments. Unfortunately, when I plugged them in to the socket, they did not light up. Jenn noticed that a wire was actually cut. However, one strand of clear lights also emerged from the box. Furthering my surprise, Jenn and my brother, Troy, promptly sat down on the couch and began moving the chili peppers from one strand to the other. Meanwhile, I was dancing around and acting goofy.

Needless to say, I could barely contain my smile when I carried this tree into work on Monday. A supervisor greeted me with a smile and shaking head. I'm incredibly thankful for the chance to share these lights with others.

I kind of wonder how many other "lights" are hidden and waiting to be shared.

A verse from Mark came to mind as I was thinking about hidden lamps this evening.

He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?"

Still Excited?

2010-12-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

Last night as we were preparing for the Holy Walk, I asked, "After all of these years, is it still okay to be extremely excited for the Holy Walk?"

This year marked the 30th year of the Holy Walk in my home town, Bremen.

The Holy Walk and I were born the same year.

In fact, the first Holy Walk was at my parent's house.

I kind of grew up with it.

This year, though, was different. On Friday evening, Jenn and I packed the car after work and made the trek to Bremen so that we could could go through the Holy Walk before serving as angels on Saturday night. I have longed to go through the Holy Walk for the last several years but never had the chance due to serving as an angel or working with our youth group at the produce tent.

We arrived in Bremen and headed to the school. Last year Jenn and my sister-in-law snuck into a group at the start of the journey. However, this year, I asked if we could start at the school to gain the full experience.

Jenn obliged and we waited for about an hour and a half before catching a ride on a big yellow limousine to Bethlehem. The time, though, went by fast because we talked with a friend from Horizon and enjoyed watching the other people in the gym.

After the bus dropped us off at the site, we met our guide, James, from Caesarea. We were part of a family of 21 members on our way to Bethlehem to pay our taxes. On the hill outside of Bethlehem, we met a couple, Mary and Joseph. Mary was well along in her pregnancy. They were tired and cold.

As we left the couple, we were enshrouded by the darkness of night.

Soon, though, we came across some shepherds watching their sheep and were startled by angels proclaiming great news of a Savior to be born in Bethlehem.

We hurried on our way.

The innkeeper turned away our cold and weary family.

The Roman soldiers harassed us. I got in trouble for smiling too much.

We unsuccessfully tried to barter for rations and bedding in the village.

We paid our taxes.

Then, about 45 minutes into our journey, we found ourselves approaching the light of a lowly stable situated in the darkness of the night. The calmness of the stable contrasted significantly with the craziness of our journey. Even the wild 4th and 5th grade students that were in our family were completely quiet and still.

Some people were with the animals:

Joseph,

Mary,

and a little baby,

Jesus.

The story has been the same for the last 3o years.

The story has been the same for the last 2000 years.

Yes, it is still a pretty exciting story!

Love You, Bye

2010-11-20T09:46:00.000-08:00

Jenn and I take turns praying at meals.

At one recent evening meal, it was my turn to pray.

Some of you know that when I'm hungry, I tend to get a little crazy. I also tend to get a little crazy when juggling more than a couple activities. This particular night, I was definitely more than a bit frazzled.

So we sat down to eat and I prayed.

Of course, I got to the point in the prayer when it was time to end.

Amen.

Right?

Wrong?

I heard, "Love you, bye," exit from my mouth.

I was thinking, "What in the heck just happened?:
At first, I was a little embarrassed by this. I mean, who says, "Love you, bye" to end a prayer. That is how my wife and I end phone conversations. That is not how you are supposed to end a prayer.

I have wondered about this situation, though, several times since its occurrence.

I mean, isn't prayer supposed to be a conversation with God? So where did the "Dears," "Amens," and other formalities start entering into the picture?

The worship band at Horizon used to joke around quite a bit before church. Then, invariably someone would say, "Okay, it's time to dial up." In other words, "It's time to pray." At the time, this just seemed part of the humor.

Maybe, though, prayer really is more like a phone conversation or a face-to-face conversation - a conversation with a spouse, friend, coworker, or parent.

"Love you, bye."

Action versus Reaction

2010-11-16T16:22:00.000-08:00

An action is offensive.
A reaction is defensive.

An action is doing something before a problem becomes a problem.
A reaction is trying to fix a problem after it has already happened.

An action is part of a calculated plan.
A reaction is a response to a crisis.

An action is taking the first step and allowing others to follow.
A reaction is, at best, forcing people to follow.

An action involves forward thinking.
A reaction involves backward thinking.

An action changes an idea into something.
A reaction changes something into something.

An action is a vitamin.
A reaction is an aspirin (or alcohol).

An action is exercise (eating right, getting enough sleep, etc).
A reaction is cold medicine.

Special thanks to my coworkers-in-change, Matt Gongwer and Trent Miles, for their contributions and inspiration.

Thank you, God

2010-11-14T15:33:00.001-08:00

The past few days have been quite a whirlwind. Honestly, it is wonderful to be sitting here in the living room with my feet propped on the coffee table.

On Wednesday evening, Nick and I ventured up to the chiropractor. (This trip in itself turned out to be quite humorous and featured a vocal performance by Ben. K. To avoid digressing too much, I'll get back to the main point.) Upon returning, I noticed that my brother's car and brother-in-law's truck were parked on the street in front of the house. This is not totally unusual because Jenn makes dinner for them from time to time. However, she typically would have mentioned that we were having them over for dinner. As I walked up to the front door, though, I could see more of our friends through the front windows. Jenn had put together a surprise pasta party in anticipation of Saturday's run. Surrounded by friends and family, we enjoyed some amazing spaghetti, breadsticks, salad, and brownies.

On Saturday, around mile 24, the love and support of my wonderful wife, friends, and family started pouring out as tears. All, I could do was just say, "Thank you, God. Thank you, God."

Later, Jenn asked me about what I thought about during the run.

Here are some of the thoughts.

I thought about my wonderful wife and her encouragement. I pictured her riding her bike during training and offering much needed water.

I thought about some of my closest friends and my gratitude for them. I prayed for those struggling with health issues.

I sang "You Are My Strength" and pictured a group of friends singing the same song at a little church in Wisconsin.

I thought about seeing "Marathon" on my mom's refrigerator calendar and "Run, Todd, Run" on the poster in our living room.

I thought about long bike rides with friends in Bremen and Rensselaer.

I thought about running in the mountains of Vermont.

I thought about Kerry, also running in the marathon, and her encouragement.

And yes, by mile 24, all that I could say was, "Thank you, God."

"Let's have a picnic."

2010-11-09T17:59:00.000-08:00

Friday evening was cold and dark.

Obviously, this was a perfect night... for a picnic.

After putting together a great comfort meal of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, Jenn exclaimed, "Let's have a picnic!"

So we put some blankets down on the living room floor and moved the food from the kitchen to our picnic blankets. We proceeded to enjoy a picnic and movie - a walk-up-and-sit instead of a drive-up movie.

Although this picnic was relaxing, it also left me challenged. We managed to turn an "ordinary" meal into something different, something "extraordinary." What does this mean for the remainder of the day? What other ordinary parts of the day can undergo transformation into something extraordinary? Yes, this left me feeling challenged.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans, 12:1-2, MSG)

Vibrant

2010-11-08T18:53:00.000-08:00

We are very fortunate to have received Fiestaware from many of our friends and family as wedding gifts. This morning, I looked at our breakfast table and was just kind of mesmerized by the colors. It mind sound kind of goofy, but the table looked full of joy. The table looked vibrant. I have learned a great deal from Jenn at this table. Instead of virtually inhaling the food, I have learned to slow down and enjoy the food and company. I usually still have to pause and let Jenn catch up :), but we are so fortunate to eat meals together and just enjoy each other's company.

This morning as I was gazing at this vibrantly happy table, a verse from The Message came to mind:

He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds it proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. (Colossians 1:18-20)

God brings together colors in vibrant harmonies.

God brings together people in vibrant harmonies.

Problem-Solving

2010-11-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Jenn and I recently moved into our new home. Last evening, we went on a trip to Lafayette for what Jenn describes as "retail therapy." For me, this translates to Jenn dropping me off at Starbucks. I read and write. She shops. It works out great. Anyway, she was searching for a few key items for the house.

One of these items was a mat for our precious puppy's food and water bowls. This mat was an issue at our previous residence. While drinking water, Gus would invariable splash some onto the mat. The mat absorbed the water, and, over time, the moisture damaged the floor. Jenn unsuccessfully looked for a mat at Target while I was sipping a pumpkin spice latte.

After she picked me up, we stopped at PetSmart. The mat she found was $10 or $11. She was not happy with this price and was also afraid that it would end up doing the exact same thing as the previous mat. She described what she was looking for in a little bit more detail. She needed something that would protect the floor. She needed something to keep the moisture from getting trapped against the floor.

We went to Walmart and checked the pet section and still did not find anything that would work. I decided that it was time to think outside of the pet area. My first thought was a dish drainer. Nope. My second thought was a car mat. Sure enough, we found this clear floor mat for the rear seat of a car. It is stain resistant rubber so it provides a barrier between the water splashes and the floor. It also captures the water and allows it to evaporate instead of seeping to the floor. Even better, the mat was only about $4.

Problem solved!

Odd Friends

2010-10-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, first, it has been quite awhile since my last blog post. Honestly, I wasn't very happy with the direction of the blog, and I'm still not sure of a new direction to take with it.

Today, though, I had the chance to spend a Sunday morning doing what I love to do most on a Sunday morning - drink french pressed coffee and read. (Okay, I also love to eat, and Jenn made these wonderful pumpkin pancakes. They were so fluffy!)

My reading material included Statistics for Managers Using Microsoft Excel and the book of Haggai. The stat book is for the statistics class that starts tomorrow. The book of Haggai... well, I mean who isn't ready the book of Haggai these days, right? (Actually, I recently read Habakkuk and for some reason I woke up this morning wondering about the book of Haggai. I'm not sure what the connection really is between these two books except they are close to each other in the OT - separated only by Zephaniah.)

So anyway, what could possibly be shared by a statistics book and Haggai? Well, the readings this morning both focused on priorities. Levine, Stephan, Krehbiel, and Berenson (2011) discussed the Pareto principle and referred to the "vital few" and the "trivial many" (p. 35). What does this mean? Well, the stat book provided the example of using a Pareto chart to prioritize improvement opportunities. Several improvement opportunities might exist, but the Pareto chart makes it possible to pick the "vital few" that will have the most drastic effect for the effort expended.

Haggai also deals with priorities.

Consider the text (Haggai 1:6):

"You have planted much, but have harvested little.
You eat, but never have enough.
You drink, but never have your full.
You put on clothes, but are not warm.
You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

This sounds like the people are spinning their wheels. They are working hard and not getting much done. They are focusing on the wrong priorities. In the text, the people have lost their number one priority, God. Maxwell (2007) writes that one of the symptoms of this incorrect prioritization is that "they felt dissatisfied in their production" (p. 1148).

The challenge is to choose the correct priorities and focus the most time on those priorities. As Maxwell writes, "It is not about working hader, but smarter" (p. 1148).
_____________
Levine, D. M., Stephan, D. F., Krehbiel, T. C., & Berenson, M. L. (2011). Statistics for managers using Microsoft Excel (6th ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.

Maxwell, J. C. (Ed). (2007). The Maxwell leadership Bible: The New King James version (2nd ed.). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

"Keep It Simple"

2010-07-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

Jesus now called the Twelve and gave them authority and power to deal with all the demons and cure diseases. He commissioned them to preach the news of God's kingdom and heal the sick. He said, "Don't load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple; you are the equipment. And no luxury inns—get a modest place and be content there until you leave. If you're not welcomed, leave town. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on." (Luke 9:1-5, The Message)

I read these verses from Luke while spending some time in my office at Lake Banet. An image from this past week entered into my mind upon reading, "Keep it simple; you are the equipment." On Tuesday, Jenn and I did our normal 4.25 mi run. Lately, I've been running an additional mile after this run. This works out great because we are able to run to the athletic complex on campus. Then, Jenn turns right and heads home. I turn left and take another pass through campus. On this last pass, I took the alternate way around the grotto from our normal route and came across a substantial pile of branches, brush, and twigs. "Hmm," I thought, "that was sure nice of someone to clean up in the grotto." Later, I was so pleased to find out that this was Jenn's work. In reflecting today, I was also excited to think about the simplistic beauty of her actions - of her being God's tool to help in the maintenance efforts of this haven of peace.

SJC Camping Extravaganze III: Oh Yeah!

2010-07-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Jenn and I joined friends from my college dorm, Bennett Hall, for SJC Camping Extravaganza III. Perhaps, the youngest member of our camping group, Bennett, summarized the weekend most eloquently...

He kept running around exclaiming, "Oh yeah!"

God's Air Conditioning

2010-07-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks, Jenn and I have spent several Saturday and Sunday afternoons at Lake Banet on the campus of our alma mater, St. Joseph's College. This past Sunday, Jenn and I sat on our new beach chairs... in the lake. We read our books and enjoyed the silence.

The beach is nestled away from US231 just enough that the sounds of the cars and semis are only barely audible. No houses and yards disrupt the shore-line. Two lifeguards were the only other people at the beach. Okay, another lady is there almost all the time, but she usually is off on her own. So, yes, we were reading and enjoying the silence.

Yet, it wasn't really silent at all. The breeze rustled the leaves. The birds harmonized in the trees. The occasional movement of Jenn's feet resulted in a few happy splashes. The water lapped subtly against the shore.

Later, our friend, Nick, joined us at the lake for a brief respite from the fast-pace of life and the almost oppressive heat. As the three of us relaxed and kept cool in the lake, minnows started nibbling at us. Well, they really started swarming around me. One even went into my pocket. In fact, they kind of swarmed around some awkward areas.

We all laughed.

It is kind of amazing when you think about it. In this world filled with Facebook, Nintendo Wii, shiny vehicles, spacious houses, and the latest trends, three friends enjoyed something a bit more organic.

We enjoyed an afternoon in God's air conditioning.

Depth of Field: The Difference Between Spectators and Converts

2010-07-09T04:27:00.000-07:00

This morning, Seth Godin wrote about Fans, Participants, and Converts. One of the differences between spectators and converts is the individual's depth of field. Spectators are just trying to take in everything that is around them. They bounce from trend to trend without any commitment. Converts are able to see the details in the landscape of life - and make a difference. The irony is that embracing this shallow depth of field ultimately leads to deep and expansive focus.

Depth of Field

2010-07-07T04:32:00.001-07:00

As previously mentioned in this blog, I take quite a few pictures as part of my work. Pictures are an essential component of my ongoing research project into the causes of discolored copper. However, outside of work, I also experiment a bit with photography. Basically, it is fun to experiment with different camera settings. And the feedback is only a click away! Since receiving my camera as a Christmas present, I have been most interested in depth of field. Depth of field has to do with the portion of the picture that is sharp. Quite a bit more technical lingo in optics more adequately describes depth of field, but the picture above has a shallow depth of field.

Yesterday, I was thinking about depth of field while driving home. It is intriguing. Think about the world that we occupy. We continue to have exponential changes in technology, communication, and the overall pace of life. It would be overwhelming to keep track of all the latest developments. It is often overwhelming just trying to keep track of day-to-day schedules and commitments. It is difficult - perhaps exhausting - to keep everything in our view sharp and in focus. What happens, though, when we let some of the stuff on the fringes start to blur out? What happens when we can put more emphasis on what is truly important while de-emphasizing all of the superfluous background noise?

Cookies!

2010-07-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

Today, I received a text from Jenn:

"Pulled out the mixer. Working on surprise #2."

Jenn has enjoyed organizing the kitchen with all of the new items that we received as gifts. Yesterday, she surprised me with Aunt Lois' strawberry lemonade - compliments of the new blender. So this text piqued my interest and the day could not get over fast enough.

I arrived home from work and walked into the kitchen singing, "It's the freakin' weekend..." Then, my gaze landed on the table and my eyes widened. The table was covered in... cookies.

"Ooh, cookies!" I exclaimed.

I heard some laughter from the backyard. Jenn was reading in the hammock.

So I scampered out to say hello and was hopeful that perhaps it would be okay to eat a cookie.

Sure enough, Jenn said to get a cookie.

So I dashed back into the kitchen and inhaled a cookie.

Then, something dawned on me. These were not just any ordinary cookies. These were old fashioned sour cream drop cookies that Grandma used to make. Only, they were different! You see, Grandma only ever made them with white frosting. My initial thought upon discovering the cookies was that they were some great 4th of July cookies. It never occurred to me that these could be the same cookies from years past. But really, they were different. They were red, white, and blue... Jenn made them in her own special way!

(Thanks to Anita for the copy of the Grace United Methodist Church cookbook!)

Mutual Encouragement

2010-06-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

From July 16, 2008:

"Okay, I've put up a few posts on Vermont (as duly noted by Ben). We also went jumping. (Note the outstanding farmer's tan.) True confession: I was very scared about this jump. (This is not a confession for those bystanders who witnessed this jump.) Why was I scared? The rock wall slopes away from the jump site toward the water. Consequently, I could see the wall below me and was scared that I would not jump out past the wall and into the swimming hole. I envisioned myself sliding painfully down the rock wall and to the bottom of the swimming hole never to jump - or for that matter, do much else - again. My knees were shaking. Each time I tried to take the plunge, I would get right to the edge and then... step back. Finally, after some patience and encouragement from Jim and Ben (Hey guys, can you do that again? I just want to watch - and make sure that you survive one more time), I jumped. Wow, that was a great feeling. I ended up doing it again. Later, I started thinking about my life. To often, I get scared - scared of rejection, scared of failure. The easiest and safest option is to back away and avoid the pain. Instead of diving in, I often try to hedge my position a little bit - try to provide some safety. This time, I jumped."

Fast forward to June 16, 2010:

While in Riviera Maya, Jenn and I went on two excursions. On the first excursion, we took a step back in time and wandered the Mayan ruins. At the end of the excursion, we stopped at a cenote to do some jumping (top photo). My thoughts immediately went back to those jumps in Vermont (middle photo). However, this time, rather than fear, exhilaration pervaded my body, my soul. What was the difference? Well, I knew - I believed - that it was going to be okay to jump. The beautiful thing about this story is that this time Jenn and I were on a trip together and... she jumped. I asked her about this later and she said that she would have never jumped if we weren't there together.

Perhaps this is kind of what Paul referred to in Romans when he wrote, "that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith" (1:12). We can't get too far on this journey of life alone. Yet, together, by trusting in God, we can mutually encourage each other to take those plunges!

And on the fifteenth day...

2010-06-28T04:37:00.001-07:00

"No!"

"Yes!"

Oh, those big, naughty cooking words

2010-06-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

This morning proved to be quite an adventure in the kitchen. Jenn decided to try out the new waffle iron, and eventually, we ended up with the most enticing, fluffy waffles. Okay, we also had these delicious little waffle tidbits as an appetizer, but Jenn worked the waffle-making kinks out. As we were eating our waffles topped with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries (!)and drinking our French-pressed coffee, she dropped the bombshell. Yes, she announced that our waffles were topped with macerated berries. I don't know, this just humored me, and eventually, we decided that maceration is just one of those big, naughty cooking words.

What a difference a year makes/What a difference a week makes

2010-06-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been several days since my last blog post. Quite a bit has happened since June 10. That is certainly an understatement! On June 12, Jenn and I entered into the lifelong commitment of marriage. We had a great celebration with many friends and family. We still are in awe of the events of that day and the expressions of love that continue to be extended to us. On June 14, we arrived in Riviera Maya and enjoyed a week in paradise! What a difference a week makes! Last Saturday, we relaxed on the white sands and in the blue waters. of the Caribbean. Today, we relaxed at Lake Banet. Sure, the places are little different (okay, another understatement), but both days are memorable in their own ways.

Today is also another important milestone day. One year ago, Jenn, with tears in her eyes, replied, "Yes." Thanks Jenn!

30

2010-06-10T04:44:00.001-07:00

On Monday, I drove up to Jenn's house and an amazing birthday cake greeted me - at the driveway. Later, we "enjoyed" a birthday run that included an extra section through the Mt. Calvary Cemetery - the location of perhaps the only hill in Rensselaer. Then, we dined on Greek yogurt, fruit, granola (it really was my choice!). And, of course, some presents followed.

Yet, the best gift of all is Jenn!

Fellows Mass and Luncheon

2010-06-06T17:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we joined over 300 others for the Fellows Mass and Induction Ceremony. We also celebrated the 100th year of the Chapel. The previous Saturday, Jenn and I helped with the weeding and maintenance efforts in the Grotto. We were delighted that the rain held off and we were able to get some pictures after the luncheon.

The Candle Still Burns

2010-06-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

As my brother so eloquently stated on facebook, yesterday marked the third year since Grandma Huff fell asleep with Jesus. I have previously shared a picture of the candle that we light at Christmas in her memory. Although she is no longer with us physically, each passing year gives me greater confidence that her spirit lives on in her children, grandchildren, family, and friends. We must never forget this woman - diminutive in stature but mighty in spirit.

30 (Almost)

2010-06-02T04:53:00.000-07:00

Mom thought it might be a good idea to have a birthday party a week early. She thought things might start getting a little crazy in the near future. :)

Jenn took this pic and wanted me to post it!

Bringing the self to work...

2010-05-30T04:55:00.000-07:00

Bringing the self to work...

2010-05-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

Bringing the self to work...

2010-05-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Over the last week, I have had a few thought-provoking conversations regarding work. One theme from these conversations involves bringing the self to work. A year or two ago, a former employee, Sue, drew three pictures while I was on vacation. I found them this past weekend. They served as a reminder to me of what it means to bring the self to work.

Die Seminar 2010

2010-05-26T04:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we hosted the first-ever in-house die seminars (at least since I have been here). The seminar included the Die Wizard software developed by Carsten van der Putten and four stations for microscopic analysis. Each station featured a separate die category. The dies were retained from our processes and exhibited varying wear conditions from new to broken. Production and management personnel participated in the event. The successful seminars were a joint effort between our company and Esteves Group. Special thanks to Gary Kantz, Sales Director at Esteves, for his eagerness to participate in developing and piloting this on-site seminar. Stay tuned for pics from June's seminar on wire breaks!

What's the harm in asking?

2010-05-24T04:32:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have an idea or a thought come into your mind? I'm talking about something interesting, potentially positive, legal, different. You have that moment of excitement and then the excuses - not enough time, too goofy, what if no one is interested - begin to permeate the thoughts.

When I was living and working in Bremen, one of the ideas that I had was to do develop an interesting science lesson for the eighth grade science classes using technology. My hope was to borrow the calculator-based laboratories from Saint Joseph's and do a remix of one of the lessons from Mathematics Teaching Scholar Partnerships. I did my student teaching in eighth grade and education is still near to my heart. This seemed like a good way to remain involved in education. Seven years later, I had not done this because I figured it was too crazy to try. Then, I moved away. Well, recently, I finally emailed the teacher and expressed an interest in trying to set something up for this fall. Her response, "I have thought about asking before, but didn't know if you would have the time." I guess that we both kind of missed the boat!

Status Quo Sucks

2010-05-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

I received a text message from a coworker that included the picture of the above sign. Fortunately, I was in Bremen and could get my picture taken with the sign. I guess the sign says it all!

The Piano Journey

2010-05-20T04:35:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I met up with my parents in Bremen and, with the help of Jairo, we loaded up the piano in Grandpa's truck for the 100-mi trip to its new home in Jenn's house. The other evening, I was writing a blog post and Jenn sat down at the piano and began playing. The sounds permeated the room in a cheery, life-giving manner.

Recently, I worked on updating my linkedin page and added interests that included running, biking, piano, and trumpet. However, more than a moment of hesitation occurred as I began typing in these standard inputs. I really wasn't sure how honest all of these items were anymore. After all, I really hadn't played the piano much since last September due to a pretty serious proximity issue. And I do miss playing with the band each Saturday as well.

While sitting there listening, though I began to understand that I am still interested in piano and playing music in general. The wonderful thing, though, is that maybe the expression of the interest is now in supporting Jenn and her music. I can't wait to hear about her piano lessons this summer with the "new" piano. Attending her students' music programs this school year has been a welcome respite from the often frenzied day-to-day life. I really had no idea that events would unfold in this manner when the moving guys transferred that piano through my door six years ago. You just never know...

The Big Green Deposit

2010-05-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I was doing sit-ups (with the big green ball) and push-ups (no green ball - just regular push-ups) this evening and all of the sudden Jenn runs over to get her camera. She said that I needed to see the muscle sprouts on my back. I was pretty skeptical so that is why she wanted to take a picture. So, in the process of trying to get said picture, she caught me taking a huge green deposit. I suppose that I deserve this considering my overall volatile state when we run.

Take care,

T-Diddy :)

A Case of Mixed Priorities

2010-05-18T04:34:00.000-07:00

I recently joined two colleagues at a day-long Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course. My expectation for the course was extremely high. It sounded like a promising chance to review the entire process in a single day. However, it actually ended up being a bit of a turn-off. Perhaps, I'm being a bit kind.

One of the teachers discussed Steel Rod Technology. I italicized teachers because this ended up being a case of mixed priorities. Numerous times during the presentation, the teacher indicated that if we wanted to learn more, then we could hire him as a consultant. Here's the problem, our company paid for us to attend the class.

So I understand that it might be important to protect proprietary interests. However, it was highly inappropriate in that setting to promote consulting services under the guise of teaching.
______________

An additional note...

At the luncheon, one of the event organizers had those of us taking the course stand up. Many other people from the industry were at the luncheon because of various meetings. The speaker then proceeded to explain that a great deal of talent and experience surrounded us and that we should take advantage of it. Hmm, that was an interesting concept. What if we have seen the industry and are ready for wire and cable manufacturing to be something different?

Today would be a great day to...

2010-05-17T04:32:00.000-07:00

Fly a kite.

Go for it!

Clothed With Power

2010-05-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

The Gospel lesson for today describes the Ascension. On Friday, we dressed up to attend the Scholarship Dinner so I guess clothing was a little bit on the brain still as I was reading the Gospel lesson last evening at St. Augustine's. Our culture puts a great deal of emphasis on clothing. Walk through any mall and you quickly lose track of the number of clothing stores. New trends are always starting. (And yes, sometimes the new trends are actually old trends that went by the wayside but found a way back.)

Clothing is also an important feature of the Gospel reading. According to Luke 24:49, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

A few months ago, Jenn and I were out and about and Jenn saw this purple and white checkered shirt that she thought would be a good fit for me. It might sound goofy, but this shirt offers a sense of power - a sense of being cloaked in love. On a recent trip, I specifically packed the shirt so that I could wear a reminder of Jenn and her love. The cool thing is that this shirt has resulted in many positive comments. But the best part is that I get to say, "Jenn picked it out."

This is certainly a material example, but in some ways it starts to address this idea of being clothed with power.

Being clothed with power requires some form of outward expression of an inward transformation. As an outward expression, it is visible to others. Some will accept and encourage the outward expression. Others will reject it. Either way, though, we are able to wear the expression with confident power because of the unconditional love freely given to us.

Offering Hope

2010-05-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Jenn and I attended the 2010 Scholarship Dinner and Auction. The purpose the event is to raise scholarship money for students attending our alma mater, Saint Joseph's College. As a grateful recipient of past scholarship funds, I can personally attest to the promise and empowerment that comes with this support. Scholarships change lives in powerful ways and offer hope to students facing an incredible investment in their education. The dinner offers the opportunity to collectively recognize a need and contribute resources toward that need. I offer a personal thank you to the benefactors of Saint Joseph's - both past and present - as they continue the mission of offering hope to students.

Esteves Group

2010-05-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Esteves is our die supplier. Until yesterday, I thought that dies were pretty much dies. I can think of about six suppliers, and they pretty much all supply the same thing - dies. Price and quality are pretty much comparable between suppliers. However, Esteves is taking dies to another level. This guy named Carsten van der Putten has developed software, Drawing Die Wizard, that makes it possible for anyone with a basic understanding of computers to look into dies in a whole new way. The software makes it possible to manipulate variables - nib size, angle, bearing length, etc - and see the results in 3D. All of the sudden, the relatively old concept of the drawing die takes on an entirely new look. I have already used this software to support observations following a recent visit to a supplier. This gives me confidence in asking for several thousand dollars of capital to improve a process. The great thing is the designer of this software is visiting our plant in two weeks for an entire day. He and the sales director are going to teach all of our multi-wire operators and supervisors about dies using this software and microscopic analysis. He is in the process of revolutionizing the die industry. I can't wait to see the ideas that he has to offer us as we show him our facility.

Research Questions

2010-05-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

What is your dream?

What is your passion?

Today, I posed the first question to Jenn while we were running.

Her response, "I'm doing it. I'm teaching and coming up with new ideas on how to teach."

A few blocks away from where I am sun-bathing right now, the field-house is packed with students that are graduating from college, parents, families, faculty, and friends. I'm wondering about how each of these people would answer these questions.

"Living the Dream"

2010-05-05T04:44:00.000-07:00

The statement has become kind of cliche.

The big question: Are we?

What's the Current Situation

2010-05-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

John Maxwell wrote this book, Put Your Dream to the Test.

One point that he addresses in the development of vision is to first recognize where we are.

For me, I’m still kind of a wanderer.

But I believe that is possible to live a life with purpose and direction… and this is what all people long for but most people give up at some point along the journey.

How does this happen? Because as people, we get distracted. We lose focus. We get scared. We focus too much on the short-run with no concept of the long-run. We forget our roots and have no concept of the future. We listen too much to others instead of listening to the inner voice. For forget the awe of childhood. We focus on the material. We stop experimenting. We quit gaining new experiences. We get hurt. We become cogs. We get blinded by money.

I still believe though that in the midst of all of this, if we can peel back the layers, then each one of us can decipher the dream – the vision.

Staying True to Her Art

2010-05-04T04:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a group of Jenn's family and friends gathered to bid a fond farewell to Jenn's Grandma J. At the Mass, amidst the the tears and the sorrows stood an artist that stayed true to her art. The angelic sound of Jenn's flute floated down over the assembly as she offered her gift. She accompanied the songs throughout the service, but I looked up On Eagle's Wings this morning to reflect for a few minutes on the refrain:

And He will raise you up on eagles’ wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn,
make you to shine like the sun,
and hold you in the palm of His hand.

It is pretty safe to say that Grandma J. lives on in those who she has left behind. And by sharing in ways that Jenn shared yesterday, the palm of His hand is outstretched...

Running

2010-05-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

This morning, Jenn and I embarked on our Saturday run. The plan was for us to run 4 miles together and then I would continue on to finish out at 13 or so. Sometimes, though, plans just don't work out. We looped around the campus and sawing our friend, Nick Schafer, working in the grotto with a team of other people. They were cleaning up debris from the gardens. So we said hi and continued running. A few minutes later, I asked Jenn what she thought about me working in the grotto for awhile instead of continuing on running at the split point where she goes to her house and I keep running. She said that she wanted to help as well. So on the second pass through campus, we stopped and joined in on the clean-up efforts. We worked for about an hour and had a great time.

This kind of captures what running and biking has meant for me over the last few years. (It is hard to believe months have turned into years.) Sure, it is great for fitness and the occasional race is exhilarating. However, these activities are kind of symbolic for me as well. They are about going out with a sense of expectancy. Much of the time this involves personal awe of creation and the chance to worship. Sometimes, though, like today, something else happens. Today offered a chance to serve. Other times I literally run into people and we chat. Maybe it is just a friendly hello. I think back often to the times that Trent, Ben, and I would traverse the countryside of Bremen and the surrounding communities. Thank God for the air horn to scare the dogs away. I remember the spontaneous singing (yes, singing) and the deeper conversations. In thinking about these times, maybe Trent says it best, " Wow, I can't believe how much I took that stuff for granted."

The pace of our world seems to be increasing with exponential speed. It ends up being so easy to take these things for granted. Yet, running offers this chance to go out and live.

A Focus on the People

2010-05-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

The latter part of this week was interesting at work. In the matter of a few hours, a new vision started to develop for our employee training.

I'm still kind of recovering from the shock and my own excitement.

Next week, we are going to start getting out new training materials to our employees. But this is not going to be like the past. Sure, we will still have the work instructions and the process guides. However, these alone just don't meet the needs of the ever-increasing competitiveness of manufacturing. We are going to focus on developing our employees to be active contributors to the organization - not people who are waiting around to be told what to do.

The first segment is going to be on drawing and bunching dies. However, this is not just going to be talking about dies. We are going to have microscopes set up with dies having varying degrees of wear. Associates will actually have the chance to inspect dies. My hope - my dream - is that more and more people will begin to take ownership of their production. Why? Because this is the way it has to be. The manufacturing environment of years past is dead and gone. In fact, some people have said that manufacturing is dying off completely. Maybe we just need to start re-thinking manufacturing.

Making puddles

2010-04-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

Last night, Jenn and I had a stepping marathon at the fitness center. While I was in Tennessee, Jenn discovered that reading while stepping helps pass the time. Before heading out to the fitness centerer, she asked if it was okay for her to bring her book along. So I grabbed the iPod shuffle (a wonderful Valentine's gift from my sweetheart) and we headed out to own the stepping machines. Jenn dove into her book, and I decided go all out on the stepper. Soon the puddles formed below the machine. They were the biggest puddles yet. Actually, the puddles really have nothing to do with the post but they were impressive nonetheless.

Chris Tomlin's Arriving is one the the CDs that is on the shuffle. He is a great singer, and I have been listening to this CD while running. Lat night, I kept playing "The Way I Was Made" over and over again. These lyrics capture so much about who I want to be.

"The Way I Was Made"

Caught in the half-light, I'm caught alone
Waking up to the sunrise and the radio
Feels like I'm tied up, what's holding me?
Just praying today will be the day I go free

I want to live like there's no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one's around
I want to sing like nobody's listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I'm not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

Made in Your likeness, made with Your hands
Made to discover who You are and who I am
All I've forgotten help me to find
All that You've promised let it be in my life

Car #5

2010-04-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I received a call from this guy. In our brief conversation, he told me that I went to school with his brothers and that he was raising money to race in the Little 500 go-kart race. Well, he definitely succeeded in putting together a race team, and as you can see by the t-shirts in the pictures above, he had plenty of "Green Lightning" supporters. Although the race didn't turn out the way that he probably wanted, he really highlighted so much about what Saint Joe is about. It is about bonds and connections that so far have carried on for years. In many cases, they have evolved and deepened since our years on campus. For me, a friendship with Jenn evolved into a proposal and our upcoming marriage. Future Pumas have started to emerge. Family members continue to carry on the legacy of our school. (Troy just shared a great story this week.)

A friend commented, "You know, every time we get together, we end up telling the same stories. But somehow the stories are still funny."

The stories are still funny because they are a glue of sorts that holds us all together.

The wonderful thing is that those stories have not ended. (Car #5 is evidence.) In fact, they have only just begun.

Back at the Joe

2010-04-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Last fall, I moved to Rensselaer in order to spend more time with my wonderful fiancee, Jenn. (We are getting married in a few weeks :) so I guess that the move worked out okay.) The neat thing about Rensselaer is it home to this little haven known as St. Joseph's College. Jenn and I both graduated from St. Joseph's. Both of our youngest brothers are there now. Jenn's family has other SJC graduates as well. We are fortunate to be able to spend quite a bit of time at this park-like campus. We enjoy watching intramural volleyball games while stepping at the fitness center. We also run and bike through campus often - almost daily. We attend Mass at the Chapel and enjoy the music. It is interesting to be so close to Saint Joe once again. I just made the comment to Jenn this afternoon that I don't know if I really appreciated the beauty of the campus until now.

Yesterday, I was back in the Evans Arts and Science Building room 313 for a general chemistry lecture. However, this time around, I was the lecturer. It was wonderful to be on the other side. The lecture was on electrochemistry and the subtitle was, "Yes, It Really Is Relevant." During the lecture I shared practical applications of electrochemistry and then turned the students loose on a project. They looked at samples of wire and cable and recorded their observations regarding a discolored copper problem. We regrouped and recording some of their findings and ideas. In less than an hour, they were able to come up with many potential causes and focus areas that have come up with the project thus far.

I am extremely thankful for this and other opportunities to be around people with such an enthusiasm for life and learning.

"No, those aren't boogers." Part II

2010-04-21T18:06:00.001-07:00

Well, Jenn wowed me for the second Wednesday in a row. (Click here for the first.)

Yes, she referred to boogers at dinner.

Well, she did refer to boogers.

But her cooking continues to amaze me.

Tonight, we dined on a tantalizing blend of spinach, white beans, and pesto with grilled chicken breasts. Another exciting and healthy meal!

Work and Gift

2010-04-21T04:37:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard someone say,

"The company doesn't pay me enough,"

"Why aren't we getting a raise," or

"We deserve a raise?"

Note that all of these imply that speaker is on the receiving end of some kind of exchange.

However, what happens when the things get switched around a bit?

What happens when the shift in focus turns from receiving to giving?

A new perspective quickly develops.

This is a major cultural shift.

Let the giving begin.

Loyalty to your mission?

2010-04-19T04:36:00.000-07:00

Seth Godin's book, Linchpin, continues to offer so many valuable insights into my work. One of the great things about this book is that it has put words to so much of what I experience and haven't been able to fully describe.

For much of my career, I have grappled with a great deal of fear: fear of rejection, fear of failure. This has its roots in my academic career and a screwed up understanding of self-value. I get that and am working on overcoming it.

However, something that I did not pick up on is a sense of loyalty. More specifically, where are my loyalties? Are there conflicting loyalties? Godin writes, "The self-hating artist burns out. The hypercritical lizard brain will pick apart anything we do in order to preserve a sense of short-term safety. The alternative is to develop a sense of loyalty to your mission and generosity to your work."

I'm reading this and thinking, "What the heck?"

Loyalty to your mission?

Really?

It is okay to be loyal to your mission.

It is okay that perhaps loyalty to mission might trump loyalty to a company, a brand, or some kind of corporate identity.

This developing sense of loyalty to my mission is beginning to develop into a new sense of what my work is about.

French Pressed Coffee...

2010-04-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this stuff was potent!

"No, those aren't boogers."

2010-04-15T18:54:00.001-07:00

Once again, Jenn amazed me with her ingenuity. Last night, we enjoyed turkey burgers with spinach. They were absolutely delicious and absurdly health-conscious. Way to go, Jenn! (If you want, we can have those every Wednesday. :) )

Jeans and Marketing

2010-04-15T04:34:00.000-07:00

Sunday is the bridal shower and it is traditional in Jenn's family for the groom to attend. Jenn bought a shirt for me to wear, but I have been having khaki problems. One pair ended up with candle wax in a particularly problematic region. (The wax dripped from the candle at the Easter Vigil.) Washing them did not get rid of the candle wax marks. The other pair of khakis is too short.

Consequently, earlier this week I embarked on a hunt to find a pair of 30x34 khakis. Going into the search, I assumed it would be in vain. Finding pants in size 30x34 has been an ongoing struggle. (The best luck that I had in previous endeavors was online. The problem with online, though, is that it is not possible try them on before purchasing. If I am going to pay money for clothes, I need to know they are going to fit and don't want the hassle of sending them back.) Jenn did not believe me when I told her this so she started looking as well.

Guess what? She couldn't find a pair of khakis. They are rare - and so are 30x34 jeans. So the journey began at American Eagle. They had two pairs of khakis in the entire store. Of course, none of these were 30x34. I went down to Old Navy although I knew the story would be the same. (Actually, I would not have even been able to find a pair if they existed because the place was a disaster.) Jenn already informed me that Kohl's and J.C. Penny did not have them either.

I decided to just call it quits. But, then on a whim, I decided to take one more pass through the mall and find a store that had a pile of khakis that I could see visible through the window. One store stood out, The Buckle. I've never shopped there before but was met by a sales associate who asked what I was needing to buy. She promptly pulled out a pair of 30x34 khakis. Recovering from shock, I ask about jeans. She says, "We have someone in the back who can get you any length of jeans that you want." She proceeded to get me a couple pairs of 30x34 and then recommended the best pair.

Meanwhile, as I was trying on the khakis and jeans, she found a couple shirts that she thought would fit great as well. Now, all of this was particularly interesting to me because I have been thinking a lot about marketing. The Buckle distinguishes itself from other stores because it will modify jeans to desired lengths. They realize that people are truly different, and even the standard sizes do not fit all people. In addition, this particular associate was outstanding and offered personalized attention to get the sale done efficiently and effectively. As a guy, this was really important to me because I was ready to leave the mall as soon as I walked in the door. If other associates even exhibit a fraction of the enthusiasm that this associate demonstrated, then the store is far advanced compared to other clothing stores. This combination of fit and service sets the store apart from any other place that I looked. So actually this ended up being a positive experience, and I'll hopefully be set on pants for quite awhile.

Does your job match your passion?

2010-04-13T04:38:00.000-07:00

This is a question that Seth Godin asks in his book, Linchpin. This is a book about what it takes to be indispensable in the workplace. I have been reading it for quite some time now because I can only handle it in spurts. It offers so much to think about and areas to improve upon.

One area that I have wrestled with for so long is this whole concept of work. For me work should not just be a place where you go, figure out how to pass the time, collect a check, and then leave. It should be invigorating - part of a larger purpose. I have always assumed that the only way to make this happen is to find the right job. In my case, I have always wanted to teach. Teaching is the only way that I believed that I could pursue my passion of making a difference - of positively impacting people and creating connections. (Note to self: part of the problem is this idea of passion is too broad. Hone it down into something manageable.) Yet, despite two opportunities to focus more heavily on teaching - the journey has continued to wind through the business world. You might argue that not taking the plunge into teaching is due to fear or something of that nature. However, I can honestly say that it is not out of fear - it just hasn't been the right thing to do.

Godin points out that most people think that we have to find the job that matches the passion. (I would argue that a lot of people just settle and become cogs without even thinking about it.) However, he offers a great reversal by suggesting, "Transferring your passion to your job is far easier than find a job that happens to match your passion."

And so the the challenge begins...

A Picnic in the Backyard

2010-04-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

After Mass yesterday, we headed out to the back patio and soaked in some rays while reading. Later, Jenn went inside - I assumed that she was just getting a glass of water. However, I knew something else was up when I went into email my boss an idea and Jenn said, "Don't come in unless you need to go to the bathroom." Well, it was already a little too late, but my interested was certainly piqued. After a few additional minutes, Jenn brought out a blanket and food, and we proceeded to the yard for a picnic lunch. The time was awesome and it was quite difficult to abandon the blanket for a band concert at the college. One comment stands out in my mind from the picnic. Jenn observed, "The grass looks different from down here."

We just never know...

2010-04-11T08:34:00.000-07:00

As hard as it is to think about sometimes, we just never know when we are going to die. (We also don't know when a loved one, a friend, a coworker, or a perfect stranger is going die.)

Oftentimes, we also don't know when we do something that impacts a life for a moment or a lifetime.

www.toddhuff.blogspot.com

It's a Tense Issue

2010-04-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday morning, I woke up thinking about stones. Imagine hesitantly and sorrowfully approaching the tomb of Jesus only to find that the stone sealing the ink-blank depths of the tomb had been rolled away. The early morning rays of sunlight cautiously bled into a place where they did not belong - a place of stagnant air, a place of no future, a place of death.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. (John 20:1, NIV)

Okay, so on Sunday, I asked the question, "Did someone role the stone back into place?"

Not likely.

So this means that the stone is removed from the entrance to the tomb. The stones are removed from all the dark areas of life - the fears, sorrows, mistakes.

Now, perhaps, if I can be bold enough to go one step further:

The stones are being removed...

Finding the "Easter Egg"

2010-04-08T04:48:00.000-07:00

This morning during the commute, I was reflecting back on this past weekend. Eric's Easter egg hunt was one highlight of Stunday afternoon. Eric is the only grandchild that still "qualifies" for the hunt and Auntie Reg made sure to take great care of him. (I mean how many kids have an auxiliary Easter bag that includes Legos and other cool gifts? :)) So the whole Easter egg thing is kind of interesting. Eggs containing candy, coins, and other cool things are hidden throughout the yard. Then, the search begins. Inevitably, these treasures end up being right in front of the hunter - except the hunter can't always see them. The angle is not quite right. The focus is not quote there to see the egg. Yet, as I was driving, some other images came to mind:

Jenn leaning down to the daffodil to see its full beauty
Meg picking up the baby chick from the heated box
Troy stooping down into the window sill to find a salamander

Jenn, Meg, and Troy each had the focus and the eyes to see these treasures of life. Some might have walked right on by the daffodil. Others might not have even thought to see the chicks. Still others wouldn't even think to look for a salamander. But each of these people demonstrated the beauty of a different sort of Easter egg hunt. This hunt continues on from Easter and celebrates the beauty and awe of restored life.

Easter Reflection in Pictures

2010-04-05T04:47:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:18-25

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Freedom of God's Friendship

2010-04-02T04:31:00.000-07:00

Whew, is it really Friday morning already? The past two weeks have certainly been a bit of a whirlwind. However, as indicated in the previous post, I want to take a few minutes to discuss God's friendship.

God's friendship

This certainly is not an easy concept to fully grasp. I mean, how many times do we totally miss it? Yet, somehow, we need to come to some kind of deeper understanding of this deep friendship. In preparing for my recent Kairos talk on God's friendship, I noted four key words in the outline that came with the talk: freedom, mystery, gift, and risk. Seriously, though, how does one tackle such an abstract topic as God's friendship? It turns out that oftentimes, God's friendship is right in front of us - if only we have the eyes to see it. In contemplating the talk, I decided to put this point to the test and look back over pictures in search of God's friendship.

Freedom

When I think of the freedom of God's friendship, several points come to mind.

Friendships are not forced. We choose to enter into friendships with others. Others choose to enter into friendships with us.

The freedom of true friendships enables those in the friendships to be more fully themselves.

Within the friendship, we understand that mistakes happen. Despite these mistakes we continue to love and know, with confidence, that we are loved.

We are free to love.

One of the pictures that I chose to highlight this point is included in this post. This picture is of one special lady, Clella. She taught me a great deal about the freedom of friendship. I tend to be a pretty awkward guy - particularly when it comes to dancing. Yet, whether in the the desert of the Dominican Republic, on the plaza in Woodstock, VT, or on the grocery store parking lot in Bremen, IN, Clella instilled in me a freedom to dance. She didn't care if I missed up. She didn't care if we looked goofy. In those elusive moments, we had the chance to live life freely and to its fullest.

If you are so inclined, please take a minute to share an example of the freedom of God's friendship. It just might be a sign of hope to someone else!

LT4,

Todd

God's Friendship

2010-03-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had the privilege to join retreatants and leaders from my alma mater on the last Kairos retreat of the school year. My talk focused on God's friendship. I can assure you that God's friendship was overflowing throughout the long weekend. Stay tuned for some posts discussing God's friendship - the mystery, freedom, gift, and risk - in more detail.

LT4,

Todd

Finding the Kairos Cross

2010-03-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

This week, I have struggled to keep track of writing utensils. On Monday, my office did not have a single writing utensil available. So I ventured down the hall to an abandoned office in search of a pencil or pen. Much to my delight, a pencil stared back at me upon opening the center desk drawer. This pencil worked great. But, of course, all pencils need to eventually be sharpened. On Tuesday morning, I asked a coworker if he knew where the nearest pencil sharpener was located. He informed me that the only one he knew of was in the water treatment room - literally, about a half mile away. Well, fortunately, it was about lunch-time and I was in need of a short drive (and a Starbucks skinny vanilla latte). Upon returning back to the plant, I grabbed a pen out of my Bible before exiting the car and happily continued on my working way. Except, about an hour later, after running an errand in the plant, my pen had disappeared. It was just starting to get ridiculous. Not willing to break down and ask coworkers for a pen or pencil again, I found the pile of junk that came with me from Bremen and was convinced there had to be a pen. I located a box that looked promising, opened it, and saw a brown string. Surprised, I grabbed the string and pulled out my Kairos cross. This was pretty amazing considering that the retreat is coming up this weekend and I had assumed the cross had ended up misplaced during the move. No, it had been right there with me all the time - I just couldn't see it.

What's Next, Papa?

2010-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Last week at the end of the Kairos team meeting, we went around the circle and shared what we were looking forward to most about the upcoming retreat. When it came to my turn, I heard these words come from my mouth, "I'm looking forward to seeing what the Holy Spirit has in store." Honestly, this kind of startled me because it just came out of nowhere. However, it should not be surprising at all.

My journey through Romans has reinforced this so much over this past week:

So don't you see that we don't owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There's nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God's Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go! This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" (8:12-15, MSG).

It is so easy to get caught up in a grave-tending kind of life - a life of woe, a life of the flesh, a life of fear, a life of anxiety. Yet, in the midst of all of this God's Spirit beckons us to new adventures.

What's next, Papa?

An Arby's Experience?

2010-03-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

The Starbucks Experience has become a common phrase. It recognizes that there is often something attached with the item that is purchased. In the case of Starbucks, many people have found something else attached to that mocha, latte, coffee, or tea. Perhaps this something else is the culture, ambiance, music, or environmental awareness associated with the brand.

However, have you ever heard anyone talking about an Arby's Experience?

I mean, have you ever been in Arby's and heard:

Hey, man, that was the best roast beef sandwich.

Dude, isn't this radio station awesome?

Aren't these hard plastic chairs comfortable?

Well, last Monday, I pulled up to the Arby's drive-thru window in Lafayette while en route to class.

While I was rummaging for some change, I heard this voice, "Hey, how's it going? Isn't it beautiful out today?"

I was kind of taken aback and turned toward the window kind of dumbfounded. This was the most friendly fast food worker ever. He proceeded to carry on a quick conversation of which my responses were "Yeah," "Sure," "Yep" because I was still kind of shocked. After all this is not what fast food is about, is it? Don't you normally just pull up to a drive-thru window, pay, and get on your way? Yet, this brief exchange was so unusual, so different from all previous fast food experiences. This guy single-handedly created an Arby's Experience.

The reason this is particularly interesting to me is that this Arby's employee stepped out of the factory-like mentality of the typical fast food establishment. All of the sudden it wasn't just about producing sandwiches in the fastest way possible. So tomorrow night, I'm planning on conducting an experiment by going back to see if this place really is different. If so, I think it is safe to say that this particular Arby's is onto something different for the fast food industry. Sure, McDonald's can renovate all they want, but a conversation can go a long way, too.

Emotional Bank Account

2010-03-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Check out this post at the Bremen Castings blog.

2010-03-17T16:14:00.001-07:00

Taking (a picture of) a Leek

2010-03-16T18:08:00.000-07:00

You might recall from the last post that I discussed the cooking of my wonderful almost-wife, Jenn. Well, last evening we were just relaxing for a few minutes and Jenn was sharing her plans for the St. Patrick's Day meal. She said that she was planning on making corned beef and cabbage and potato soup. I'm thinking that sounds awesome. But then she throws in a curveball of sorts.

Jenn says, "Oh, I need you to pick up some leeks and chives after work."

I'm thinking, "Leeks, what the heck are leeks? Isn't leek something you have to take when the bladder is about to burst?"

"Oh, sure," I reply. "Just one problem, though, I'm not sure what a leek is."

We proceeded to look up leek on Wikipedia and I felt confident that I could find them in the produce section at Target.

So today after work, I set off on the mission for leeks and chives. At the produce section, I see these things labeled leeks. They are HUGE - much larger than I expected to see based on the picture.

I grab the leeks and chives and head up to the cash register.

The cashier asks, "What are these?"

I reply, "Don't worry, I had no idea either. They are leeks. My fiancee is making an Irish dinner for St. Patrick's Day."

The lady behind me comments, "Oh, we just go to the Irish pub."

I said, "My fiancee really enjoys cooking. I'm extremely thankful for that.."

They said that they would be, too!

The Art of Cooking

2010-03-14T14:15:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate to know many artists. These folks share some common characteristics. They are passionate about what they do. They don't follow rules. They share their gifts.

Jenn is an artist in several areas. For obvious reasons, one of my favorite forms of her art is her cooking. When it comes to cooking and baking, she is a true artist.

How does she approach cooking?

She researches
Jenn peruses magazines and tunes into the food network. She even gleaned inspiration from Cook or Be Cooked for Wii. Jenn does the work necessary to learn different techniques and gain new ideas.

She experiments
Most anyone can follow a recipe if they really try. (Okay, some people really cannot follow a recipe, and they should probably stay away from the kitchen. ) Jenn, however, makes nearly every recipe her own. Tonight, for example, she is making Shepherd's Pie. She was not pleased by the quantity of butter in the recipe and is going to try lowering it with some strategies. She is frequently modifying recipes to reduce calories and fat. (Of course, this is difficult with cookies!) Among other areas, she also experiments with color, texture, and seasoning.

She gives
Probably the most delightful thing about Jenn and her art is that she gives. Just this morning, she asked me to invite Troy over for dinner on Wednesday night. She invited her brother as well. When I went to Bremen a few weeks ago for work, she sent cookies for Mom and Dad.

So for my part, I do the dishes and step in on an as-needed basis to chop vegetables and help with cookies. Okay, she used my idea for pears in the salad this week, too! :)

Crossroad

2010-03-13T08:32:00.000-08:00

As discussed in my previous post, I was recently running and came to an intersection. Over the past few months, I have encountered this intersection many times while running - sometimes more than one time a day. However, on this particular run, the intersection had much more meaning. In fact, I couldn't get the intersection out of my head and decided to take a picture of it. (Actually, I'd like to try taking a picture again and blur out the background. A nearby dog was barking like crazy so we were creating quite a disturbance. It was not a great time to be artistic!)

You see, on that particular run, I look up and saw a cross created by the two road signs, Mt. Cavalry and Winding. This intersection kind of summarizes life. Life is this kind of winding road with detours, country roads, potholes, and freeways. Eventually, though, the winding path comes to a place call Mt. Cavalry. And at this intersection is a cross. The key, though, is what happens after this encounter. A couple of options exist.

Option 1
Turn around and go back.

Option 2
Keep traveling along that Cavalry road.

Option 3
Stay at the Cross.

Option 4
Move on down a New Winding road with the confidence and freedom of new life.

A Post Coming Soon

2010-03-11T04:28:00.000-08:00

I have worked quite diligently this week with the hopes of having time allotted for a blog post for this morning. I'm doubling up for a few weeks with classes because of the wedding and ensuing vacation coming up in June. The nice thing, though, is that I know what the goal is. In other words, yes, these few weeks are hectic, but it is time well-spent in light of the event (and the start of our life together) that's coming. (Kind of a major understatement.) However, it made me pause and think this morning. Goals and a direction are important. They provide an understanding of what we are working towards. I've been doing some inquiring this week and making some observations. This is leading to some new thoughts about goals and direction.

Okay, the real reason for this post is to set up the next post. A few weeks ago, I was out running and came to an intersection. I have encountered this intersection several times but something struck me about it on that particular run. I looked at the road names and couldn't get a thought out my head. It was a thought for a picture. Last Friday, Jenn and I went on a walk and took the picture. The picture didn't end up being anything too special but it captured the point. More to follow.

Pussy Willow

2010-03-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

I just don't know why everyone laughs.

The Law

2010-03-03T04:41:00.000-08:00

I recently alluded to The Law.

Now, I'm not specifically talking about our current systems of laws. However, they probably in some ways help to understand the concepts shared by Andrew Farley in The Naked Gospel.

Instead, I'm talking about The Law of the Old Testament.

More specifically, as Farley writes, "performance hoops to jump through in order to impress God."

I can relate on a very personal level to what it is like living under The Law.

Sure, it is not a law written down in any ancient text. Rather, it is a self-imposed sort of law that was most prevalent in my early college years. It had to do with grades and performance. I still remember spending hours in the basement of the library (the dungeon as I thought of it) studying for tests, studying quizzes, studying, studying... Why? I was afraid of failure, afraid of losing scholarship money. And my sense of self-value was confined to academic performance. So after coming out of the dungeon, I would then wonder around campus knowing that something was not right but not able to understand what was wrong.

Only now, are the pieces starting to come together.

However, what is clear is that these types of laws - whether self-imposed or rooted in churches or other institutions - don't make much sense. What are some other vestiges of "law-mindedness?" Some things that come to mind are concerns over church attendance and belief that in order to get closer to God we need to do all kinds of activities.

None of this sounds like freedom.

It sounds like prison.

Voices of God

2010-03-02T04:45:00.001-08:00

A friend shared that he also has some kind of perhaps semi-spiritual experience in bookstores.

He wrote, "I love entering a book store without a single plan or idea of what I am going to buy."

Several words came to mind when I read this statement.

Freedom.
Open-mindedness.
Spontaneity.

I have often considered the different images of God... God in others, God in nature, God as teacher...

However, the different voices of God have never even been on the radar. Yet, why wouldn't God use a book to share something with us? Why wouldn't God use a gurgling stream or a buzzing wind mill turbine to offer some insights? I have always assumed that the voice of God had to sound like someone talking. Now, this narrow view sounds kind of confining, perhaps absurd.

Pressing On Revisited Yet Again

2010-03-01T04:46:00.001-08:00

Jenn and I spent Saturday morning and early afternoon with friends in Lafayette. While Jenn and Katie were shopping, Nick and I headed over to Barnes & Noble.

As strange as it sounds, going to a bookstore has almost become a spiritual experience. Somehow, more often than not, a book just kind of jumps off the shelf. This day was no different. As I looked over titles, a book stood out from all of the rest:

The Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley.

I mean who wouldn't be a least a little curious about a title that includes Naked and Gospel?

So I started reading and before long am already at page 55. Why? This is a book that makes so much sense to me. Because it makes so much sense, it is almost like speed reading. Pieces from my ongoing spiritual journey start to make more sense. Questions about what is going on in our world become a tiny bit more clear.

It even applied to a recent decision as related in a previous post.

It has to do with laws.

More specifically, The Law.

Well, time for work, but more to come.

Pressing On Revisited

2010-02-25T04:47:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I wrote about pressing on towards running a marathon before my 30th birthday. I had just made the decision to sign up for the Flying Pig marathon in Cincinnati. However, I quickly learned that sometimes greater plans might be in the works. Almost simultaneous to the decision to sign up for the marathon, I had an interesting experience in church. Here is an excerpt from an email communication:

I had a pretty cool experience yesterday. Jenn and I had gone to church in Lafayette on Saturday as part of our marriage class. On Sunday, she went with her parents to Chicago to see a play (it was their Christmas present to her). So I was pretty much planning to chill for the morning. However, about 10:15, I had this sense that maybe it would be a good idea to go to church again. My initial thought was the Methodist church that I went to in college. However, it was very close to 10:30 by the time it became clear to go to church so the next option was St. Joseph’s chapel at 11:00. So I’m sitting there in the chapel looking at the windows and paintings and Brother Tim comes up and says that he needed to contact me this week. He asked if I could be an adult leader for the Kairos retreat at the end of March. I’m extremely excited!

So the excitement kind of wore off when reality started to set in regarding the next few months. I mean, hello, Jenn and I are getting married! And there are still minor things like work, commuting, and the MBA program to balance as well. Something had to give. So after discussing with Jenn and a running friend, it made sense to shift the marathon out to the fall.

This still kind of fits into the theme of the original post, though, because it becomes part of an even longer term plan. It has also highlighted to me the need to listen to that still small voice and recognize that my plans might not always be the right plans.

Take care!

Pressing On

2010-02-22T17:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I reached the 13 mile mark in my training for the marathon. This is an important milestone because it marks the half-way point. However, this year, I find this point particularly meaningful. Last year, I trained for and ran in the Sunburst half-marathon. However, I experienced some pretty painful shin splits for several weeks as the date of the half-marathon approached. At the time, I wrote, "But stepping out of the box can be risky. Actually, stepping out of the box is risky and opens up the door to failure, to pain." However, things get kind of boring without risks, without change. Last year, I set a goal to run a full marathon this year - before my 30th birthday. At the 13-mile point in training, I am shin split free so this in itself the most notable improvement over last year. With this improvement has come some new insights.

First, it really is important to set long-term goals and plan accordingly. This is very difficult for me because I like to be able to complete a short project and move onto something else. That is why the school environment worked so great for me. A new project or paper was always on the horizon. Each semester brought all new classes. However, a longer term perspective is important, too. Where am I going? From where have I come?

Second, rest is extremely important. The training schedule that I am using recommends rests on Monday and Friday. This is difficult. It is difficult to just rest. Yet, without this rest, injury is much more likely as I learned last year. The rest also provides a chance to regroup and regain some energy. Rest also been very difficult for me and I struggle with it all the time - just being able to sit back and relax.

So for this story and chapters to come, I am thankful.

Hunger

2010-02-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

This morning in church, Gospel reading included one of the most significant understatements that I have ever read:

“He was hungry.” (Luke 4:2b, NKJV)

You have to be kidding me.

Jesus was starving.

(As I side note, I’ve read about fasting at some point and know that the body goes through all kinds of changes during these extended fasts. Bear with me, though, and allow some allowance of the italicized starving.)

He had been fasting for forty days in the wilderness.

Forty days.

I started thinking about times when I have been hungry for food.

Well, let’s face it. As some of you know, I am nearly always hungry.

And when I get really hungry, weird things start happening.

For example, one time spaghetti ended up in my back jeans pocket. Seriously. Okay, maybe that would be best to save for another day.

The other night, though, something happened that doesn’t make for a good story. I was hungry and cranky and a friend made some rather innocuous comment. I curtly and sarcastically replied, “No f-ing kidding.”

So I’m at church this morning reading this scripture passage and am just really amazed. Jesus doesn’t start acting all weird when he his hungry. He doesn’t even start dropping high-powered f-bombs.

Instead, he withstands the enticement of that wily tempter.

I don’t know about you, but I get pretty hungry. And I’m not just talking about food.

Unfortunately, these are the times when that wily tempter is right there ready to step in and reek some havoc.

He Waited Up

2010-02-18T19:12:00.000-08:00

So I ventured back to Bremen earlier this week to attend a meeting at the Bremen plant and also continue research regarding some problems in Lafayette. As an added bonus, I was able to spend time friends and family.

I left for Bremen right after class so I ended up driving up the lane to my parent's house just as the digital display reached midnight. As I walked up to the house, I noticed that the lights in the living room were still glowing bright. Upon opening the front door, I could even hear the TV. This was a bit surprising. The parents usually hit the hay in pretty good time - kind of like me (as Jenn pointed out last night). Anyway, Dad was still sitting in his chair awake. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "Well, I just wanted to make sure you got in okay."

Of course, this shouldn't have been surprising.

But, in a way, it was pretty awesome.

I mean, here I am getting very close to 30 and Dad waited up to make sure that I got in okay.

This meant a lot.

I kind of think this is a lot like God.

He waits up for us, too.

Thanks Dad.

Fortune Cookies

2010-02-17T04:50:00.001-08:00

We all have extraordinary coded within us, waiting to be released.

There is nothing permanent except change.

Is it spiritual?

2010-02-15T04:49:00.000-08:00

Last week, I read Seth Godin's blog post, Phoning It In, and some things started to make sense.

He poses the question, "But isn't your work spiritual?"

Time is short this morning, but the the quick answer is, "No."

I'm not sure what happened (or didn't happen) over the last few years, but the spiritual nature of work has, for the most part, vanished.

That is what makes work particularly trying right now.

Deep within there is a yearning for something more. As Seth writes, "an art form, a calling, something worth doing."

I know that this sense of calling is possible with work.

"Milking the Cow"

2010-02-08T04:43:00.000-08:00

A quick reflection from managerial accounting...

As I was reading my managerial accounting textbook (dorky, I know), I came across the phrase milking the cow. I had not heard this phrase used in this context. I mean milking the cow is the milking a cow... for milk. Right? In the context of managerial accounting, though, milking the cow has to do with managers focusing on short-run budgetary performance instead of long-run viability.

What does this look like?

This looks like trimming expenses where they can't be trimmed - particularly in repair and maintenance.

Sure, it makes good business sense to look for alternative suppliers or re-engineer a machine or process to reduce repair and maintenance.

But moving parts wear. Solutions need to be replaced. Wearable parts, um, they wear.

Unchecked milking of the cow can lead to disaster.

Why? You can only cut so far. Then, all of the sudden machines don't run when you need them to run. Then, you miss orders or your cost to produce goes up. Then, well, you get the picture.

It takes constant vigilance to avoid an untimely demise.

Intensity

2010-02-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Jenn and I recently went to a family gathering at Chad and Meg's new house. I went around the house snapping some shots. Today, while working on a special project, I came across these pictures from an intense game of shuffleshot.

These pictures capture so much of what I envision for the working environment.

In the bottom picture, Chad is completely involved in Eric's turn. He is not some bystander. He is hunkered down with Eric - supporting him.

In the top picture, Eric is either excited or dismayed. I'm not really sure. But, he is clearly totally into the game. He is passionate. I sense his joy of playing - of being in the game.

These are the values that I would like to see in our plant.

Thermal Imaging Continued

2010-02-05T04:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I shared a thermal image from the Fluke Ti20 Thermal Imager. The thermal image is a great way to identify "hot spots" in a process. In particular, I am searching for areas that could lead to the desorption of azole-type corrosion inhibitors from metallic surface. Generally speaking, these types of inhibitors can form bonds with the metallic surfaces to reduce corrosion and oxidation. At elevated temperatures, some research suggests that they will come off of the surface and leave the surface susceptible to corrosion.

Some new questions:

1. Okay, so I am in search of a specific temperature that I have found in the literature. How much does exposure time come into play? In other words, will the species desorb at lower temperatures with more lengthy exposure?

2. What is causing variation between components and machines? Mechanical differences? electrical differences?

Thermal Imaging

2010-02-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have been quite interested in pictures and images in the workplace. My Canon EOS Rebel XS has become an essential instrument for documenting observations and changes. Today, I obtained images using a different technique - thermal imaging. My mission is to locate areas of elevated temperature that could lead to the desorption of azole-type corrosion inhibitors from metallic surfaces. The first foray into thermal imaging resulted in more questions than answers. However, the images are quite fascinating.

Canon EOS Rebel XS

2010-02-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

In a previous post, I introduced a new tool that I have been using in the never-ending quest to help solve problems. This new tool is the Canon EOS Rebel XS. A problem that has plagued me over the last four months has been determining the causes of color variation in copper. In this study, it was relatively easy to define the problem. However, measuring or quantifying the problem is quite difficult. Advanced techniques such as SEM/EDAX and Auger spectroscopy have only offered clues to the elemental composition of the microfilms. Electrochemical techniques also did not work. Consequently, I was delighted to receive the Canon EOS Rebel XS as a Christmas present from my parents. After some much needed instruction, I have had a great time using the camera to document observations in my ongoing studies of the discoloration of copper. This has proven most beneficial, and I have isolated another variable. Note the difference in color between the top sample and the two below it. Special thanks to Trent Miles for his help in getting me started with this powerful tool.

Salamanders and Toads

2010-01-29T04:43:00.000-08:00

My brother used to spend quite a bit of time back in the woods looking for salamanders. He has this uncanny ability to look under the right rock or piece of wood. He would also spend a great deal of time with his hands in the window well at the southwest corner of our house. This was the location of his carefully developed habitat for toads - a toad abode.

I thought about this while reading the early pages of Seth Godin's book, Linchpin. These images contrast starkly with the factory life that dictates so much of our existence today. I don't just mean factories as places that make things. In addition to these places, I think about schools and churches and other places that squelch the creativity and wonder that seems so natural in early years. Then, at some point along the way, it almost seems like people have to begin forcing themselves to be creative or experience awe.

The alternative really is death.

That is what any type of factory-like setting runs of the risk of doing - killing. Sure, I'm not talking specifically about physical death. I'm talking more about emotional and spiritual death. I'm talking about zombies walking around saying "yes." I'm talking about people who forget what it is like to be outside somewhere in the country riding bike in the middle of summer. At some point, we trade this in to work in some sterile facility or someplace that is grimy or someplace that is devoid of awe and wonder.

It is time to turn this around.

We recently have started taking steps to turn this around. The addition of many new lights is kind of symbolic of this new way. Quite literally, we have added light at the end of the tunnel.

Define the Problem

2010-01-26T04:37:00.000-08:00

As a process engineer, I never have to search for problems to solve.

In fact, I often have to pause and remember that we in fact do some things right, too.

Problems, though, can quickly become rather complex with a myriad of different issues and concerns. All of the sudden, I'm left wondering, "What was the original problem?"

So now this brings up another problem. The answer.

Define the problem. Develop a problem statement.

Before and After

2010-01-20T19:00:00.000-08:00

My perspective on work has changed drastically over the last few weeks. This change has resulted from several factors. One of them is the camera that my parents gave me for Christmas. It has become an amazing tool for me in the world of process engineering. Above, you can see a great before and after picture from a recent improvement.

Leading the Way

2010-01-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

As part of the facility’s ongoing copper conservation efforts, a formal team was launched in October 2009 to develop and implement new strategies. As a result of these changes, the pounds saved per month in the fourth quarter increased by 221% over the pounds saved per month during the first three quarters of the year. This equated to over $100,000 in savings due to the team’s efforts.

"Everything Old is New Again"

2010-01-17T12:37:00.000-08:00

Plant Engineering (Dec., 2009) recently featured the Siemens plant in Norwood, OH. The title of the cover story is the title of this blog post. The article discusses a commitment to engagement of the workforce, continuous improvement, and fixing up the plant.

This year we are also making a commitment to continue our efforts to fix up the plant. This blower is one of the first items to go in the new year. Stay tuned for a great before and after picture.

In addition, we have a assigned one individual to begin the process of turning one of our departments into a truly world class department. I am excited by the plan that is developing and hope that it offers a path toward excellence.

Strands

2010-01-16T08:57:00.001-08:00

Earlier this week, I received a PowerPoint presentation from Matt, one of my colleague at the Bremen facility. In the presentation, he included this statement, "Copper is symbolic." Of course, a statement like this piqued my interested and I replied back, "What do you mean?"

His response:

"Copper [wire] is symbolic because… we are all strands. Individually we are not much use and can become entangled with one another creating more problems and hassles. If we stick together as a “bunch," we can do GREAT things. But, if one of use is not in unison and strays from the bunch, things may not go as smoothly as they could."

This analogy was on my mind the entire week. I shared it in the shift meetings and we are going to post at the multi-wires with the corresponding corporate core value.

Let's do great things!

New Toy

2010-01-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

This week, I started using my new toy in the never-ending journey to improve products and processes. To start the new year, I have been focusing intently on communicating (perhaps over-communicating) observations and improvements. My new camera has been a crucial element of this venture. As you can see in the above picture or at http://www.toddhuff.blogspot.com/, a picture really goes a long way to report observations. This picture clearly captures the distinct difference in strand color between the fine wire (right) and coarse wire (left).

Stables

2010-01-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

As my dad noted this weekend, the blog posts have been a bit sparse as of late. Two reasons for this are adjusting to a new schedule this fall and less accessibility to the Internet. Honestly, I kind of miss this a bit because writing offers this outlet to organize and offload thoughts into written words. For me, though, as soon as some thoughts leave, other ones usually take their place.

This holiday season, though, one image remained persistent in my mind. It has yet to escape. It the image of a stable. As previously discussed, I had a strong desire to visit the manger during the Holy Walk in Bremen. Yet, I turned away. About two weeks later, I was in my basement abode and saw The Chronicles of Narnia and felt a tug to finish reading them.

I start the last book. Shortly thereafter, I am reading about a stable.

Queen Lucy insightfully shared, "In our world too, a Stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world."

The past few days have included some times of reflection. This of course included thoughts and images from work. As I was thinking about our facility, the smells, the grunginess, and the frigid drafts began to morph into something else. I was walking through the plant - basically feeling sorry for myself. Then, after a period of time, I was no longer walking through a plant but was walking through a stable filled with smells, grunginess, and frigid drafts.

Is there something bigger inside these stables?