Sunday Night Referee

You don't notice the referee during the game unless he makes a bad call. ~Drew Curtis

Indoor Soccer Field

I referee at an indoor soccer area near my home. I have either played or refereed there in the Coed Adult league every year since the facility opened 15 years ago. Some of the people I played against in the beginning of the league, a time when my knees could handle the rigors of playing, still play soccer at this facility. These days, I restrict my on field activities to blowing the whistle. Being a referee is much easier on my knees, so much so, that I can walk without pain after an evening of officiating something I could not do after a game in the latter stages of my playing career.

Zidane being Sent Off

As a referee, I hold a position of leadership on the field.  By definition, I am a level 1 leader. A level one leader is defined as leadership by position, I have authority ascribed to me by virtue of my position.In essence, I am police officer, a judge, the jury, and the executioner. I monitor activity, determine what does and does not violate the law (in this case the laws of the game), determine the punishment for any infractions that occur, and, for extreme breaches of the law, mete out an execution to a player in the form of a permanent dismissal from the game during which I brandish a red card for all to see. Unlike some referees I know, playing the executioner is my least enjoyed activity in my role. Still, for the safety of the other players and for the good of the game, I must on occasion dismiss a player.

Being a level one leader, I don't need a relationship with the players to exercise my authority. In fact, as a referee I don't need a relationship with anyone to do my job. However, not having a relationship with the players, means my ability to manage the players is limited. Referees perform 'man management' as a way of keeping the game under control, as a means of helping players to not commit fouls when the red mist has clearly descended. What separates the average from the good referees is the ability to manage the players without having to take the recourse of dismissing them from the game.

Having been at this indoor facility for so long, I have had the opportunity to establish relationships with many of the players. Having the relationship pushes me to a level 2 leader and has a two fold benefit. When I referee at this facility, it feels like I am at a social gathering. The players and I talk about our families, joke on the field, and genuinely enjoy each other's company.

The other benefit is that the games are much easier to referee. Since the players know me and respect me, they rarely argue with me during a game. The respect comes from my ability to referee and because I have taken the time to get to know many of the players. They don't always agree with my calls but don't typically give me any grief other than a laugh and an 'are you kidding me?' type of comment with a smile on their face. Because of the relationship, I rarely have games escalate to violence because I can talk many of the players off the ledge.

I like to think that there are times when my leadership on the field touches on level 3, the leadership levels that produces results, that gets a team to operate at a higher level. In the soccer field, this is a game where the players refrain from fouling so the game has better flow, has more enjoyment for both the players and their fans. After all, it is a game and a game should be enjoyed by all involved...even the referee.

Splash of Culture

I experience a period of frightening clarity in those moments when nature is so beautiful. I am no longer sure of myself, and the paintings appear in a dream. ~Vincent van Gogh


I went to the Art Institute in Chicago today, a place I have only visited once previously and that was more than 20 years ago. It may have been before my kids were born so that would put my last visit somewhere in the mid to early 1980s. I initially planned to head over to the Field Museum of Natural History because history is more appealing to me than looking at a bunch of paintings. When I learned that a Genghis Kahn exhibit will be at the Field Museum in the near future, I decided to forego the tour of natural history for a tour of art.

After I got over the initial shock of having to pay $18 to enter the institute, I headed on up to see the pictures of the Renaissance era. The last time I was here those many years ago that wing was closed so I never had a chance to see some of the finest works ever created by man. Instead, I was underwhelmed by the modernists who created things that I could never conceive of passing off as an artistic creation. A drop cloth, yes. Art, not even close.

Bedroom in Arles

by

Vincent Van Gogh

I was impressed by the impressionism and pointillism and the realism. I came across the van Gogh paintings and enjoyed seeing some of his works that I had seen on a recent episode of Dr. Who. I was never really familiar with his work until the Doctor happened upon Vincent and I saw a few of his paintings including his self portrait and his bedroom

To my surprise, some of my favorite paintings were the surrealistic creations. I say surprise because I have seen a couple of works by Picasso and always thought, Huh?. Surrealism puts a bizarre twist on reality in my eyes, the eyes of an Engineer that tends to perceive the world in more realistic ways. My world is filled with straight lines, clean angles, symmetry, gentle curves, animals that look like animals, plants that look like plants, people that look like people. The works done by the likes of Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, and others put a very different spin on the natural world. I could see putting a few of the paintings in my living room and actually enjoying contemplating them for hours on end.

Inventions of the Monsters
by
Salvador Dal

Woman
by
Joan Miro

I took the obligatory walk through the modern art section and caught myself laughing out loud at more than one of the 'works of art'. Most of it I would not call art for it looked like more like mistakes one does when creating. One exhibit was two equal sized rectangles with the upper rectangle painted yellow, the bottom black. It was such a piece of garbage that I would not even waste a picture on it though it would cost me no more than a few bytes in a memory card which could be deleted at my leisure. They were two separate paintings stacked one upon the other. A replica of the exhibit was being sold in the museum store for $350 including frame. One could easily go to a local art store but a couple of $3 canvases and a couple tubes of $1 paint and create the exact same 'painting'. Why people would pay that much money for something my grandson could slap together in a couple of hours is beyond me. All I can assume is that they appeal to the snob factor and hope to impress their friends with their fine 'taste' by owning some modern 'art'.

Other highlights included wooden desks with intricate inlays that, for me, is far greater art than any arrangement of ink brushed on to canvas. But, in that respect, I am biased because my father was a woodworker and I, too, have dabbled in crafting functional art of wood with an eye to aesthetics. Truth be told, the Engineer in me is also drawn to functionality in creations and prizes beautiful functionality over beautiful solely for viewing.

There was a hall of statues, busts of ancient Greeks and Romans, statutes of the Hindu gods, some frightening to behold, Japanese and Chinese art as manifest in paint, ink, ceramic on canvas, paper and bowls. Native American art as shown in their clothing and headdresses, African art which contained many masks, European art in the form of armor worn by knights and their horses. Many of the these artifacts I would have expected to see in the Museum of Natural History rather than an institute of art. But, I guess, the line is blurred when historical treasures are crafted with intricate beauty by a skilled artisan.

I missed the section that contained photographic art, the capturing of everyday subjects on film in a way the creates awe in the observer. Photography was a hobby in my younger days so I understand the effort required to find a subject, to lug the equipment to the precise location at the optimal time to capture the perfect angle of the sun for a landscape shot. I understand the creativity that goes into the composition, lighting, and exposure of an exquisite photograph. I landed a some good photos in my day and sold a few but was never good enough to make a living with photography. I will to return in the near future to the Art Institute to see the photographs of artists with greater skill than I was able to muster but I will make sure I save the $18 and visit on the free Wednesday for my next splash of culture.

Winter Bliss

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. ~Rabindranath Tagore

Today was an impossible day for a Chicago January, a day that just can't exist. It was one of those days that if someone told you about it you would look them dead in the eye and call them a liar, a story teller of Mark Twain proportions. The temperature peaked at 56 Fahrenheit about double the average Jan temps with a sun shining between the puffy white clouds. People were out at lunch time without hats, scarves, gloves, or coats. It was as if Spring had sprung a few months earlier than normal.

 I couldn't let the beautiful day expire without enjoying the weather for that would be a crime of epic proportions, a sin to waste the gorgeous day God sent our way. I hurried home after work for a bike ride. Nothing big. Just a 6 miler. Six miles of bliss with a gentle breeze in my face, feet pounding on the pedals, working the body into a good sweat, legs burning, heart pumping. Honest exercise for a body that is showing the effects of being relatively sedentary during the winter months, for a body that is feeling the effects of long work hours, infrequent trips to the gym, and holiday feasting.

It was much needed exercise for the body and much needed introspection, solitude for a mind that seems to almost never rest., especially since I was given the blessing to start my work leadership training program at work. The notice calling for applicants was sent out by my boss yesterday. He told me the interest is high, so high, he expects there will be many more applicants than the six spaces we are offering. He received calls from supervisors trying to make sure their candidates make the cut. The organization is excited and so an I. Outside of the company, I also have someone who would be a potential first client for personal leadership mentoring. If all works out, this could be the start of a new direction for my life, a side job as a leadership coach. But that's getting ahead of myself, looking to far into the future. It's great for a long term goal. For now, I will continue to put together my training plan, continue weaving many of my learnings into a digestible feast for those I will have the privilege of training.

My ride headed west for a few miles, headed west into a gorgeous sunset. The sun cast the sky into an array of colors so vibrant the clouds appeared to be on fire, waves of fire from the horizon reaching high into the heavens. It was on fire like my desire to have a successful training for aspiring leaders, to serve those next generation leaders so they can take their teams and the company to new levels of success. The ride was vital for my spirit, a great way to combat my Winter Blues and move me into Winter Bliss.

Winter Blues

"It's snowing still," said Eeyore gloomily.
"So it is."
"And freezing."
"Is it?"
"Yes," said Eeyore. "However," he said, brightening up a little, "we haven't had an earthquake lately."
~A. A. Milne



The holidays are over without another vacation coming until the end of May, the coldest of the winter weather is settling in freezing the very blood that slushes through frosted veins, the gym is packed with the New Years resolutionists ensuring the regulars have to fight to even touch the equipment such that the body cools down while waiting a turn and questioning eyes peer while sets are being counted off, the days are still short ensuring arrival and departure from work is under cover of darkness, snow falls rendering streets nearly impassable pushing drive times to twice or thrice normal, it's too cold to hop on the bicycle for a two to three hour mind relaxing ride, motorcycle rides result in icicles dripping from exposed skin, when the sun does shine it only serves to remind of those long off days when shorts and t-shirts are worn outside without fear of losing a limb to frostbite.

Luckily, I have an adventure called work to keep my mind from becoming numb in the long nights of winter. I have an job that utilizes my talents, that pushes me to develop my skills, that challenges me to learn and create and improvise, that requires me to focus on building up others, that keeps my mind occupied from the instant I open my eyes and consciousness subdues slumber to the moment I close them for the night and I am transported by dream to exotic lands filled with warm days, colorful people, star filled nights.

Perhaps one day I will awake from that dream to find myself living in that dream, the dream that is a dream yet not a dream. Perhaps one day I will open my eyes for the 365th consecutive day to the warmth of the early morning sun rising orange over a turquoise ocean with waves gently brushing the seashore while birds roosting in verdant trees raise their voice en masse and the heat of the sun laps my skin until it is a light pink. Perhaps one day I will never again have the winter blues.

Book: The Ambition by Lee Strobel

A belief in hell and the knowledge that every ambition is doomed to frustration at the hands of a skeleton have never prevented the majority of human beings from behaving as though death were no more than an unfounded rumor. ~Aldous Huxley

I received an iPad for Christmas from my kids. I must say that it is a nice device, nice despite me not being a fan of the way Apple does business. The whole, sorry you are too stupid to have a device with a replaceable battery, rubs me the wrong way. One of the first apps I downloaded was the Kindle reader so I could take advantage of the myriad of free books on line and, when I travel, I could have a number of books at my fingertips instead of lugging around a couple of books in my luggage. 

Perusing the Amazon site, I noticed that Lee Strobel had written a work of fiction and that I could get it for a less than five dollars before the end of the year. Lee used to be a teaching pastor at my church before taking another pastorship elsewhere in the country. I always enjoyed his teaching so I purchased this his first novel despite it being a Christian based book. And his 'Case for....' books were very good.

I used to read a lot of Christian fiction but stopped because the ends were just too predictable. The story line could be really catchy, sometimes downright terrifying but, no matter what happened, in the end I knew the side of God would win out. This is a sensible ending because the books are God based. Many Christian books tend to be resolved by deus ex machina, God out of the machine, a plot device where a problem is solved by the unexpected intervention of what can only be categorized as God's intervention to solve a problem. Typically, I am not attracted by books that are sensible or predictable. I like to be surprised, I like a twist at the end of a novel.

The story is placed in Chicago which is nice for a Chicagoan like me because I recognize many of the landmarks. It follows a newspaper reporter as he explores the world of politics and investigates a church where there 'has to be something uncouth going on'. I can see parallels to Lee's life based on his sermons when he used to teach at Willow. The Chicago politics were typically corrupt. While I enjoyed reading about his characters, the plot and ending were too predictable for my liking.

Book: Candide by Voltaire

What! Have you no monks to teach, to dispute, to govern, to intrigue and to burn people who do not agree with them? ~Voltaire, Candide

I have just finished Candide by Voltaire another of the 'The World's 100 Greatest Book'. The book was written in just three days and has survived for 253 years. The quick pace and biting humor should keep it on the shelves for many years to come. I found it to be a very easy and enjoyable read.

The story follows the life of Candide, his adventures and misadventures, his quest to reunite with his beloved Cunégonde. He travels around Europe, to the Americas, spends time in Eldorado where, to his surprise, there are no keepers of the religious beliefs. This gives rise to one of my favorite quotes in the book:

"What! Have you no monks to teach, to dispute, to govern, to intrigue and to burn people who do not agree with them?"

As you may have guessed, the story is a satire on the state of the world in the mid 1700s, a book that makes fun of the institutions of the day, religion, monarchies, philosophy, and other beliefs. Like many books that challenge the status quo, the status quo decided it should be banned for religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility.

The banning of books has been utilized then and now, to suppress knowledge, to 'protect' people from ideas that might lead them to 'bad' thoughts. What these keepers of the status quo seem to never figure out, have not been able to figure out even in modern times, is that the banning of a book is precisely what makes people want to read the book. Telling people they cannot read something, which is telling them they really are too stupid to think for themselves, is the surest to make something popular.

People know when an institution in power bans a book, it's because the book exposes the foibles of the institution. The people don't need a book to tell them it's flawed. They live under it's rules and are already very familiar with the flaws of the institution. The act of banning the book serves to cement the flaws in the collective conscience and does more to have the people distrust the institution, to ridicule the institution then if the institution would just have ignored the book and let it runs it's course.

Infinite Possibilities

I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost


Since the moment we were born, we have made choices. At any given instant in our lives, we make a choice, a choice that excludes every other possible choice at that given moment. Those other choices, the ones not taken can never be made again for the exact same set of circumstances has come and gone. The choice we make, the road we take, determines the the next set of choices we will face, a set of choices that is there only by the virtue of our previous choice. Since the moment of our birth, the choices we have made have set us upon the path we are now walking. It is our path, our one and only path, the path we chose out of an infinite possibilities of paths that has brought us to this point in our existence, a point where we have before us infinite choices, infinite paths to travel on as we live our life of infinite possibilities.