In these rather distressed and distressing times, it can be quite easy to slip unnoticed into negative states of mind. This can be particularly true when you also do the type of research that I do. Meaning “futures” research that tries to understand trends and drivers and where events are headed, how likely, etc. On some days, it can all look pretty dire.
To muddle through like most, I try to spend more time consciously focusing on the positives, including my experiences, usually in the comfort and security of my own head. This time I decided to share and came up with “Nine for ‘09.” Basically a list of 9 really great experiences in my life to date. Here they are, in no particular order (and certainly not in reverse like David Letterman’s Top 10):
1. Flying over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in a single engine airplane with Michael, a good friend of my sister’s from the Bay Area
2. Wadlopen in the Waddenzee (you’ll have to Google that first term to figure it out!)
3. Working with Alex the African Grey Parrot and Irene Pepperberg as an undergrad at Northwestern
4. Skiing in the Alps with Anthony (Swiss), Gareth (Kiwi), and Ramona (Swiss too)
5. Mud sliding with my adopted Kiwi family: Angela, Louis, Daniel, and Christina
6. Peter Mayer CD hunt for Angela’s birthday (see #5)
7. Island hopping in the Bahamas looking for radar sites for the FAA’s new weather radar station to provide weather info for the Miami-San Juan flight path
8. Planting tree ferns in the front yard with Suus, Joris, and Roos
9. My wedding day – which truly was a perfect day.
I could go on, but limited myself to to just the nine.
How about yours?