The purpose of this book is to describe strategies for improving your marriage by identifying the 'season' you are in and illustrating strategies for making improvements. Its full of illustrations and descriptions of couples experiencing different seasons for a variety of reasons. It acknowledges that we're all different and have different paths for making your relationship work. 

Foundational to the premise is the couple wants to make their relationship work. From there, he provides different strategies to genuinely take action to improve your relationship. From accepting differences, to caring and looking to meet your partner's needs - they boil down to "trying" and not taking your spouse for granted. He promotes his book, The Five Love Languages as a component as well as the value of his marriage seminars. At times, it sounds like an advertisement a little too much as these points are repeated several times.  

The premise was solid - how should you be contributing to your community in the second half of your life. He discusses the benefits of experience and some talk of the value of being an elder without any application or advice. My real problem with this book is is basic premise and the solution he offered. His premise is that through our failures, we can redeem ourselves by contributing selflessly to others. While its not exactly clear, he's supposing that only by failing we can contribute and then begin to redeem ourselves. I agree that all have value and we live in community and should be contributing and sharing what we learn. I also agree that we learn best through trial and failure - those lessons stick. But we can't save ourselves. 

This is where I have problems with the book, that are we are redeemed and 'earn' favor eternally through our actions. He conveys a universal religion, that all point to god, all point to truth, all ideas fit and support a universal truth. He does believe in the deity of Jesus, but the core tenant of Christianity that Jesus death paid the price for our failings completely, finally and immediately is specifically confused. He likens Jesus descent into hell after his crucifixion (as payment for our failures - sin) to what we will be doing when we die. As a description of purgatory and self-salvation. This illustration in the book alone cast doubt on his premise and solution. 

Beyond all this, the book is rambling, poorly written and full of quotations and references making it hard to follow and see the point he's trying to make. I don't recommend this book. 

Ayn Rand describes her philosophy of objectivism imagining that purpose can be created from rational thought that expects that man's perfection can be achieved through self-esteem and purpose. While I agree, that we should live in reality, realizing our position in the world and recognizing our abilities and needs appropriately. The philosophy of rationalism falls apart when we believe that our self-esteem comes from our demonstration of purpose. By our actions and production. To believe that those of ability would always act with good intentions and never cheat, exploit or take advantage is a fallacy.

Her core believe of rationalism is flat and binary, believing only in only rational or irrational ignoring trans-rational beliefs. Things like mercy, grace, and love. These concepts are only presented as devious imitations to demonstrate power for the rational and lies for the irrational. Characters become flat illustrations who unfortunately represent real people. While love is expressed, selfless love for reward is considered valueless. Even the celebrated characters lack this basic dimension receiving personal value from actions and (temporary) results.

This is a good book in that it displays characters and events present in the world who think and act purely out of self. The result is a world in collapse on itself and a good warning to all of us if we let them.

What a despicable story. Highlighted is a one sided view of over regulation driving greed for the benefit of "the people". If all opportunity is taken away and the greedy were able to run wild we would be living in this fictional world. It doesn't take long for everything to break. The problem with this story is that it only shows one dimension of the fallen human condition, can absolute socialism really ever exist? Can selfishness ever really be controlled in a fallen world? A single perspective isn't realistic, but it does give any credence to legitimate charity. At this point, the story is so one-sided and difficult to accept, its hard to go on. I’ve begun part 3 and the author begins to clearly articulate her philosophy. In a perfect world, which she creates, all are able and all can contribute. Sadly, this isn’t the world we live in.

I’m looking forward the finishing this, I think I get the point but am curious how the author will end the story.

What a fun challenging trail, starting with a desert landscape and climbing into a rocky forest along side a creek. Starting with 1000 foot climb with multiple challenging rock fields and water bars. I love this trail for the steep challenging climb and the diversity of trail types. The two loops at the top creates opportunities to change up the trail changing the order and direction you can go.

Red Mesa loop is simpler but reaches to 7400 feet altitude. Through the meadow in the middle, I've seen deer and elk. Clockwise is easier with a steeper climb and gently drop over a longer distance. Counter clockwise, the long climb and shorter drop takes some of the fun out of it. The Plymouth Mountain loop is more challenging with switchbacks. Counter-clockwise, it starts with a steep climb and then rolls along the mountain edge and down switchbacks. Clockwise, it feels more wooded and moderately challenging climbs over rocky path and around swithbacks. The first part through the trees is beautiful.

Once you finish the loops, the drop is a long technical downhill where you unwind all the technical climbs you built up your energy. The wall is the famous portion of this trail. Its not very long, maybe 200 feet, but with large waterbars leading to a boulder field makes it a real challenge. I've heard people can climb it but have never seen it. It would take a talented trials rider to hop up and drive up it. I can ride down it as you drop over ledges catching your chain ring and slick rock you slide down. I feel really good when I make it, you have to just go for it.  

Zac Brown Band was in Denver at Fiddler’s Green for two nights. We saw him on the second night which turned out to be a lucky choice. The first night was colder and a little stormy. The second night was beautiful weather, the concert was great!

Stergill Simpson opened for him with a 1 hour set of country rock. He was great, his guitar player, Joe was awesome. It was hard to believe all that music was coming from just him. I think it was given the change ups and rifting. Either way, they have talent!

I like Zac Brown’s acoustic and string talent. Its definitely more than a vocal talent. It kind of brings you back to the country-rock talent of the 70’s. He even played a Marshal Tucker tune, “Can’t You See” with a lot of soul! Stergill Simpson and Joe joined him to lead the guitar and vocals for this song. It was rocking’, great performance. Zac Brown did all his hits, in the middle, he broke into an acoustic set displaying the talent, steel guitar, violin, base and acoustic guitar. The highlight of the first set was their rendition of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb. Clay Cook led the vocals, the sound was full, it wasn’t a country version, it was full on guitar led rock ’n roll.

The second set started with the Charlie Daniels Band song, The Devil Went Down To Georgia. They performed the song on the CMA’s a couple years ago, and almost better than the original!  he did most of his hits in the second set and there was a lot of sing alongs. The encore started with spooky music filling the gap time and the band coming out in skeleton costumes playing a song I recognized but I don’t know every one of their songs. They finished with a song I definitely know, Chicken Fried. Two and a half hours of rockin’ fun!  Great performance! 

I love Chinese electronics!  I buy a lot of things on eBay and get great deals most of the time. This is definitely an example of that. Last year we started swimming more, more laps. I’m used to listening to something when I run and bike, swimming laps with just the water and echoing kids gets boring. I started looking for a good waterproof MP3 player and wondering if I wanted to be that geeky. After almost a year, I said I must!  Most of the popular options are waterproof iPod Shuffles for $150!  Its not that important to me. 

Looking around more, I found the Dolphin IPX8 4GB waterproof MP3 player. With headphones, charge/data cable, silicon sleeve if you want to wear it on your arm (for surfing) for less than $20!  I couldn’t pass it up. I’ve had it for several months now, swim dozens of times and it keeps going. Loading songs is slow, but how much do you have to do that. Charging is fast, its supposed to operate for 5 hours. I’ve never been in the water for more than 2, so I’ve never run out. I usually boost it if I can before a swim, 30 minutes or so if I have time. Controls are simple, on/play/pause, skip forward/back combined with volume up or down. If you press forward/vol up quickly, it skips to the next song, if you hold it the volume goes up. Its also got an FM tuner but I haven’t played with that feature yet. Its described as a simple scan to the next station.  The headphones work well, being included and with three clips, they hold well to goggle straps. Two removable zip ties, attach the tube shape MP3 player to your goggle straps. As a double benefit, the headphones are also good ear plugs if you don’t like water in your ear given the flanges. They come with a couple sizes to fit your ears and are tapered. I’m not sure of the sound quality, but in the water, I’m not sure how picky you can be there. Your in the water, listening to music. The player shuffles songs, skipping is easy if you hear something come on that you don’t want to hear right now. Given your in the water, they don’t work two feet under, so if you’re a diver, these headphones won’t work. You need air to push the sound, its physics. But swimming laps and on the surface, they’re great! The big negative is cable management, keeping the headphone cables out of the way and in place on the goggles. Not a big deal to me, but might be for some.  I highly recommend this for swimmers who want some entertainment and can’t stand being unplugged! 

Since I don’t read or watch many thrillers, listening to an audio book in this category is a departure. In the vein of “things aren’t always what they seem”, this book offers an alternative explanation for things we struggle with every day. 

I’d heard about this book on TWIT when Rob was a guest on the weekly tech culture show. I’m a Sci-Fi fan, so I thought it would be a good read. Year Zero is a snarky look at the modern intellectual property system with bias for all things hip. PC versus Mac, Unions, politics, lawyers, lobbyists, republican and democrats are all lampooned. Set this in the context of alien visits and you get a ridiculous scenario.