Hot hot hot

It's Thursday morning and I'm enjoying my first cup of coffee. I enjoy coffee, and it's the unofficial beginning of my day each morning. Although it's not even 7am yet it's already 92 degrees outside. They've issued an "Excessive Heat" warning for the Valley for today and tomorrow with highs expected to reach 112. Welcome to summer in Phoenix.

It's also July 1 today. It's hard to believe that the first 6 months of 2010 have come and gone and the year is already half over. Sheesh. Before you know it it'll be Christmas. I think my next entry will be a "mid-year" review....

I'm not a technology "junkie", per se, but the convergence of photo, video, smart phone technology, and all the other "gadgets" that are based on technology are amazing to me. I suppose my single most techie gadget is my iPhone, and it scares me a little to admit that it has become an integral part of my day to day life. It would be a significant challenge - perhaps even a crisis - in a number of ways if I lost it, or if something happened to the stuff on it.

So, it was not without some sense of trepidation that I installed the new operating system, iOS 4, on my iPhone a couple of nights ago. I've seen some of the problems that friends have had installing previous new versions of the OS and the thought that something would go wrong and that I'd spend a day or more trying to recover was a real concern.

It took overnight to complete, and I'm both happy and relieved to report that everything looks ok. There were a couple of error messages that initially seemed to indicate that something was awry, but so far as I can tell everything is actually working as it should. Phew. I'm still on my original iPhone 3G so I'm a couple of versions behind, but I'll upgrade at some point.....

It's a shame upgrading our own internal "Operating Systems" isn't that simple although I suppose that's what makes us different than machines, or robots. I

In yesterday's blog entry I mentioned attending SCC this year. The latest bit of news about the conference is that Chaz Bono is scheduled to attend:

Chaz Bono to Attend Transgender Conference in Atlanta

The Georgia Voice
SCC is a conference that serves the transgender community with seminars, workshops, as well as vendors and special theme nights and parties. ..

I have come to look forward to SCC every year, and this year is no exception.

Although the year seems to be racing past there's still lots of ground to cover between now and then. I'm hoping to visit my son and mom in TX one more time. Our one annual family get-together is for my mom's birthday at the end of August so I'll be back in upstate NY for that. I've got a couple of speaking obligations. And, I've got some things I'd like to do. I expect to be chillin' for a little while, though, which is actually a bit of a relief. And, of course, things can always change depending on circumstance....

Then, of course, there's always the fact that I need to figure out what comes next for me in terms of income. Some seem to marvel at the fact that I do so much without having a "job" but I marvel right back at how so many people forego living their lives for the sake of their careers. I realize the challenges on both sides of the fence so I don't need anyone writing to me to challenge me - we all make decisions in life and I've made choices that involve balancing the my need to live life to its fullest with the financial and other practical implications involved. Those are my choices, and I've made them.

I'll tell anyone who asks that I refuse to die in a cubicle. My last day on earth will not be spent there - that's just the way it is. My next "job" will be different from anything I've done before. It will be a new chapter. It will be interesting and fulfilling and challenging and will serve deeper needs. It will leverage my skillset as well as my provide opportunities for interpersonal interaction. It will be a job where I don't need to dumb down my resume to the purely technical aspects of what I've done. My so-called "career" as an IT Project Manager is none of those things so if I end up doing it again it will be recognition that (a) I've run out of options or (b) I admit that I'm not creative enough to do something else or (c) I'm desperate.

There are lots and lots of online resources for finding jobs. One that I'm finding particularly interesting at the moment is a website dedicated to non-profit and government agency jobs. It's idealist.org. The reality for me is that if I follow that path I'll most likely end up having to move to the Washington DC area. There was a time when I felt that I'd end up there. That's still a possibility. I'd do that although I have to admit that Austin, San Francisco, and a number of other cities are higher on my "livability" wish list.

I'm also actively looking for ways to leverage photography into something that provides income. THAT'S one of my passions and after a week like last week in Oregon it burns brighter than ever. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't read much - many of my friends are voracious readers who always seem to have a book but I read maybe one or two books a year. I know - that's sad - but it's true. Anyway, the book I'm currently reading is "The Photographer's Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business". Stay tuned.

I know some people who say that they love their jobs, and they actually mean it. If you're one of those people, I envy you. I really do, because it's a rarer quality than many realize. By mid life so many of us get trapped in our careers that it becomes like sleep walking. Changing that can be difficult, and sometimes you get to choose but other times you don't. Either way, when you're doing something you enjoy it's not even like it's actually work. I look forward to the day when I can say that and mean it, too. And, I realize that I own making that happen. Have no doubt - I will.

Lastly for today - there was a story on the local news this morning about how exercise has a number of other important benefits besides improving overall health. It lowers stress, creates a sense of "euphoria", provides greater focus, and is good for body image. I make it a point to get to the fitness center 3 or 4 times a week and I don't know that it creates "euphoria" but I do know that it's just generally good for me. I feel guilty when too many days pass and I can't get there for some reason....