Slipping back into the blog

Some months have gone by since I furtively blogged--movie script I'm writing is even cooler than I thought, but not writing itself. I've been busy with real estate business and doing well financially for the year. That hardly matters with all the other stuff going on. Mother has hospice and hospice partners now. My 14 year old Ragdoll cat, Yeti, is in poor health and I've come face to face with some revelations triggered by the Santa Barbara Half Marathon on Nov 7.

I did well (for me) in the race. Ran 2:23:11, approx 21 minutes faster than my only other half. Ran with Team in Training--great group of people making a real difference for Leukemia and Lymphoma society. In the course of training and during the race I came to see more clearly than before that I am a "game day player". My obsessive compulsive side allows me to crank out the hour workout 7 days a week, but I don't run aggressively and don't make progress. Training with others and racing brings me to an entirely different level--like I'm someone else with heightened abilities. In training runs I do 10 minute miles. On my own I do 12 minute miles.

So what? Even though advancing maturity is upon me (social security is near) I need to create MORE "game day" opportunities in my life (beyond foot races). I'm content to keep a low profile, but I don't do my best there. That said, I don't savor getting back into organizational politics. Things there are worse than ever, thanks in part to the incredible venality evidenced in nearly every type of organization--including our non-functional governments (CA and US).

That's one of the things I like about endurance racing--no politics. You run, the chip on your shoe records the time. That's IT! No ass kissing, cocktail schmoozing, power brokering, smoke filled rooms or nothin. You run, you get a time--the real time--no adjustments for who you know or what you might do for them. Clean, simple and when you finish, you're really finished. If life was only that simple!

Without getting in too deep on this first post back, here's a thought about organizations that bodes ill for the future of humankind and the planet. Job One for any organization is to sustain itself and its leadership. There's a sobering organizational nacissism that permeates human existence and retards change. What's best for the members of the organization or the focus of the organization or the planet is always less important than the perpetuation of the organization and its leaders. Politicians NEVER stop running for office. Long term effects aren't considered--the next election is as far as most think. Because of this trait, orgainizations are not generally receptive to alternative viewpoints, new ideas, revolutionary concepts and such. They distrust anyone espousing that sort of thing, because they MAY represent at THREAT to the organizations continues existence and the power position of the leaders--who in all fairness may have invested decades into their ascent to power. They are loath to see it slide away.

Next time (better be quicker than 6 months--LOL) more organizational dynamics, some ecology and psychology.