Author: simplebender

William C. Barron is a published author of Joy in Alzheimer's, Lap Around the Sun, numerous technical articles and a regular guest columnist in regional news outlets. This blog (simplebender.com) has garnered an international readership across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Graduating from The University of Texas and now a retired petroleum engineer, William brings decades of global experience, having worked professionally on three continents—above the Arctic Circle and below the Equator. His career has spanned roles from offshore roustabout to engineer, operations manager, and senior corporate executive. He also served as Director of the Oil and Gas Division for the State of Alaska. Currently, he is the Principal of Trispectrum Consulting. He is a co-holder of several patents and has provided expert testimony before state legislatures and at numerous public forums. Outside of his professional achievements, William is a seasoned endurance athlete. He has represented Team USA at multiple ITU Duathlon World Championships, completed the Boston Marathon, and finished numerous half-Ironman and Ironman events. ....always seeking... always learning.... Be Bold.....Never Fear the Dream.....Stand for Truth
Posted in Philosophy

Path Closed….Make your own

Posted on by simplebender

pathclosed

Sometimes the smooth path you are on seems suddenly short, rough, and then closed.  That’s the time to ask yourself if you were on common sidewalk, and if so, is it time to set your own trail.

All too often we find ourselves on a shared sidewalk.  Our paths overlapping with others. Enjoying the camaraderie and support.  If you’re not focused, it’s easy to veer off your path and get locked onto the common one; and then, you’ve lost control.

Do you know where you are going, and more importantly why you’re going there?  Or, are you just following the crowd on the common sidewalk?  Each of us has a path to follow.  It is your path to choose.  Don’t abdicate and let others dictate your course.  If you do,  your lost and your destiny is theirs to choosing, not yours.

There will be times during which you feel your path is controlled.  How you respond and react is in your control. You can establish the way for your today and tomorrow.

If you know your ‘why’ your ‘how’ becomes clear, under your control; and not on someone else’s sidewalk.  When theirs is marked closed that’s simply a wonderful opportunity to make your own, and Make It Great.

 

#NeverFearTheDream  # PathClosedMakeYourown #WatchoutForTheCrazies #MakeItGreat

Posted in Philosophy

Locked-In or Locked-Out

Posted on by simplebender

Locks are interesting.  Not the physical mechanical device but what they represent and our perception of intent and purpose.   Inherently, they protect, secure, and isolate.  If those functions focus on physical property, then they are performing as originally intended.  How often have you been locked out from a place you felt you should have free access?  How often has your mind locked you into physical limits? How many times have you locked in your emotions or options?  How many times have you locked your intellectual or creative boundaries.

All around us are metaphorical locks.  Limiters placed upon us by others.  Barriers and obstacles placed to impede us, limit us, and/or control us.  Those are locks you don’t control.  You don’t have the key, and maybe don’t know who does.  That doesn’t mean the lock will hold.

Locks have a function.  They shouldn’t be the instruments which limit and isolate you; you, as a person, as an athlete, as a creator, as a learning, caring, participating person.  It’s bad enough, there are those around us, even our friends and family, who want to put locks on us. It’s worse yet when we lock-up ourselves.

We know who controls those locks; but, do we have the courage to grab our own keys and start unlocking?  Are we strong enough to push through physical barriers when our mind says, ‘you’re done, push no harder’?  Are we smart enough to continue to learn and press our intellectual envelope? Are we confident enough in our bedrock beliefs to challenge them with counter beliefs?

If we are willing to do these things, will we do them with an open or locked mind and spirit?  If the locks aren’t open and removed, then it doesn’t matter how many outside locks continue to ‘limit us’.  We are the gate keeper and have placed the most important locks on ourselves.  We shouldn’t complain about the locks we don’t control until we’ve unlocked ourselves.

Focus on unlocking yourself.  Unlock your physical, intellectual, and emotional self without fear or indecision.  Challenge every aspect of yourself and free yourself of your own locks.

#NeverFearTheDream  #LockedInorLockedOut #MakeItGreat #WatchoutForTheCrazies

Posted in Philosophy

Who am I?

Posted on by simplebender

It’s the hardest question seldom asked.  It’s the question I should be asking myself before I ask; Who are you?  And it’s the question only I can answer.

The answer isn’t what I’ve done.  That’s ‘What I was.’  It isn’t what I’m going to do.  That’s ‘What I want to be.’  It’s not what I know; because the more I think I know the more I know I don’t know.  It isn’t what I believe; because my beliefs have changed as I’ve lived life.  Who I am, is a swirling blend of them all.

What I’ve done is my foundation for what I want to do.  I am what I was and what I hope to be. What I think I know is the foundation for what I currently believe.  I’ve learned from what I thought I knew and challenge what I believe.  It’s upon these shifting foundations I will build my future.  I will Never Fear the Dream, but I will have a Dream.

Who am I?  Because I’m alive, I’m excited to think I’ll probably never be able to succinctly answer the question; but, I’ll keep asking.  If you are living and growing, you probably can’t answer either.  And that’s okay.  Be who you are; because, in your own way, you are amazing.

 

#NeverFearTheDream  #WhoAmI #MakeItGreat  #WatchoutForTheCrazies

Posted in Philosophy

Have or Make…..

Posted on by simplebender

My father-in-law was in the habit of saying goodbye with ‘have a great one…’.  He was a thoughtful man and truly wanted you to have, not a ‘good’, but a ‘great one’.  However, phrase ‘have a great..’ anything has always struck me a bit passive, almost submissive.    Why be satisfied with ‘have a great one’ when you can ‘MAKE a great one’?

You’re in control of, and responsible for, yourself.  How you think about and perceive things.  How you act and react.  If you want a great day why wait for fate, or destiny, or someone else to give it to you.  No one can make it great, or crappy, except for you.  You choose.

Every minute of every day you are presented with challenges.  Opportunities to excel.  How you perceive them dictates how you will respond.  Will you allow them, or someone, to control the outcome?  Should you? Why would you?

If you are going to resolve to do anything this new year, commit yourself to taking charge of yourself and MAKE a great one….

And in the world we live in today I’d be remise not to include my Dad’s succinct goodbye… ‘watch out for the crazies…’  I’m just glad he didn’t say ‘watch out; you’re crazy…’

MAKE A GREAT ONE….It’s crazy not to…..

 

#watchoutforthecrazies  #makeagreatone  #neverfearthedream

Posted in Philosophy

Know Your Why; Plan Your How…..

Posted on by simplebender

 

goal-setting2

Know Your Why; Plan Your How…….

We are being inundated by social media, newspaper editorials and comics, radio and tv commercials, coaches, managers, friends, neighbors, and family imploring us to set our New Year’s goals.   There is not passion in goals.  They will leave you unsatisfied if too low, disillusioned if too high, and/or are rendered meaningless and summarily dismissed if too much of your environment changes. Let’s not spend any time on something we’re going dismiss; so, just say NO to goals.  What, no goals?….that’s right;  NO goals.

Rather than goals; know your why and plan your how.  We’ve been taught and browbeat to establish ‘SMART’ goals.  However, nothing in a ‘SMART’ goal is from your soul, no commitment, no understanding of WHY that’s your pursuit, your dream.  Look deep inside and clearly determine why you want to commit to accomplish anything.  Without a clear WHY, you can’t really focus, will miss your mark and fail.

Keep asking yourself why until your motivations and aspirations are clear. Once you articulate WHY, plan your HOW.  Your plan should acknowledge your strengths, weaknesses, fears, and confidences.  Bolster your strengths and focus on your weaknesses.  Include regular opportunities to benchmark your progress.  Strive for constant improvement, ok, maybe that’s your goal; but not your end.  With a WHY and a PLAN there is no end.  There is a cycle Plan-Do-Check, repeat.  You can adjust your plan to account for changing circumstance, as long as it squarely addresses your dream.

Don’t limit yourself by setting goals.  Dig deep; know your why and plan your how and get better and better and better…..

 

#NeverFeartheDream

Posted in Political

Amerihypocrism…

Posted on by simplebender

amerihyp

The outrage, the unbelievable, the unimaginable;  a foreign nation interfering with another’s national elections and governmental process. The audacity of disclosing emails; the horror. Marshall the members of the Senate and the House.  Form special committees, investigate and retaliate… but, but, wait; take a deep breath….
Let’s look at ourselves in this process.  We, the United States, have sponsored, promoted, and engaged in overt and covert regime change actions as a standard practice.  Since the end of WWII Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has been a, not so subtle, influencing tool we’ve employed to spread our version of the truth to destabilize the communist east.  We double downed and added Radio Free China and Radio Free Cuba, along with others as well.  We’ve spied upon and hacked our allies’ networks; as they no doubt have done to ours. We’ve participated in and sponsored ‘justified’ attempts at regime change, which were ‘in our country’s best interest’.  We were there in Chile ’73, Nicaragua ’82-’89, Panama ’89, Haiti ’91, Iraq ’94-’96,  Iran ’03 & ’05, Libya ’11,  and Syria ’05-’16.  
And now we’re incensed over the exposure of emails during our Presidential election.  We should be more incensed over the DNC favoritism and manipulation during the primaries.  More frustrated by the arrogance of candidates who put themselves above the law and common sense for convenience. More disappointed by the pandering and policy statements in private fund-raising and speaking engagements which were found to be in direct conflict with what was being declared publicly. 
Maybe it does matter how we found out about these travesties.  But maybe, just maybe, it matters more that they took place than were disclosed.  Whether it was Assange, Wikileaks, Russia, Putin, or that guy in Jersey, we found our system is not pure and clean.  Something we already knew, Bernie told us, but who listened? 
Before we get too carried away with our outrage let’s take a real hard look in the mirror and reassess our efforts in regime influencing and change.    This year, the choice between a bombastic, insulting chauvinist and an arrogant, deceitful elitist left us to wallow in a cesspool of our own making.  Our system works best with an educated, informed electorate and candidates who are willing to engage in thoughtful policy debate. The principles of our system are strong, but let’s recognize other nation’s will also do ‘what’s in the best interest of their country’ just as we have repeatedly done for ours, and will undoubtedly continue to do.
#NeverFearTheDream
Posted in Current Events, Philosophy

I Know…

Posted on by simplebender
Standing in line at the Post Office the week before Christmas is always fun; it’s the people.  Complete strangers sharing the plague of the queue, weary arms hugging overweight packages, and more than knowimagewilling to engage in conversation to pass the time in line.  It was the guy wearing the unbelievable holiday sweater who caught my eye and then my ear.  He was pontificating, to anyone who would listen, on his  knowledge of domestic and international politics and his disgruntlement with recent cabinet selections.   A demure woman commented about how worldly his knowledge was and that obviously he had traveled extensively.  To her surprise, he told her he had never been outside of the state.
I paused to ponder his acclaimed knowledge.  And then, contemplated my own; and asked myself, ‘what do I really know?’  Not just believe, but know.  I’m reasonably well educated, thanks to my folks (really I’ve not squandered my college education, really…).  I’ve seen a lot.  I’m reasonably well read, or so my library would imply.  I’ve traveled from north of the arctic circle to below the equator and to 4 continents. I’ve heard a lot more than I care to, especially from folks who don’t know.  I’ve been told a lot.  And, I guess I’ve experienced a lot.
 
But, through it all, what do I really know.  What I’ve heard and read can be easily discounted as opinion, except for most of my engineering; some of which is now changing.  Main stream media is biased, slanted, unabashedly opinionated, and cares more about being first than being right.  Social media  is an unreliable, unverifiable, and an interesting  social experiment.  What I’ve seen, is only really good from the perspective I viewed the scene.  What I’ve experienced is influenced by my perspective on the event and my collective experiences in life. 
What I’ve resolved is this;  for all I think I know simply shows me how much I don’t know; and the more I know, the more I know I don’t know…..
There will always be that which I simply believe; but, what I do know; is that I’m not going to believe the guy in the ugly sweater…..
#NeverFearTheDream

 

Posted in Political

Electoral Sports

Posted on by simplebender

score

After this election, as many are thinking about dumping the Electoral College, we should reassess and change how the victor of our favorite sports are declared.  If we are willing to accept the nation’s highest office be determined by the major population centers, the states of New York and California, and a few counties in Florida; then we should be demanding a change in sports as well.

We shouldn’t accept football scores as the way to determine the winner.  The victor should be based on total yardage.  After all it’s more exciting to see a lot of offense, and who really cares about those few yards in the Red Zone.  Winners in basketball and hockey, well of course, should be based on shots on goal.  Counting if they made their mark is silly, just keep shooting that’s what’s fun.  Baseball, clearly should be based on the the number of hits.  After all, getting a hit is the hardest thing to do in sports.  Tennis, well surely, most hits on ball; because what the hell is a love game anyway? And my favorite, being a fiscal conservative social liberal; golf.  With the cost of green fees; without question, golf should be based on number of swings.  It’s silly to win with the lowest number of strokes.  After all, I get more swings per buck than anyone I know.  And my passion, triathlons; well, just finish, uninjured, and you’re a winner.

The presidential race, well, it wasn’t as close as it might seem.  Ok; one candidate, did get  more individual votes.  Maybe about 1% of all votes cast.  Let’s look a little deeper.  The ultimate winner won 31 states to 19; a 62% win margin.  On the Electoral College front, needing 270 votes, one received 306 the other 228; a 57% win margin.  Geographically, by county results, the winner took over 80%.  There aren’t many ways one can make the outcome any different and still be representative.

But hey, I’m gonna continue to lobby for my swings per buck trophy and just keep finishing those tri’s.

#NeverFeartheDream
Posted in Political

Stuck in a Jam….

Posted on by simplebender
traffic2I paused on an overpass viewing the highway traffic coming and going.  When I noticed a few on the right had made poor choices resulting in an unfortunate altercation.  The right lanes almost immediately came to a halt as their sudden loss of momentum caused subsequent accidents.  Backing up and in the ditch, the masses stymied and stopped by those decisions.  It’s hard to tell if it’s a major accident or a series of minor incidents, nevertheless traffic stacked up. 
But then, I noticed the left lanes beginning to slow and they too came to a virtual halt.  The left, not directly affected by the right, had become so absorbed with the events they too became slowed and bottlenecked.  Although uncertain to the magnitude of the right’s calamity became embroiled in their own mess, but by their own choosing.  The on and off-ramps completely stopped; so, no matter right or left, those wanting to leave or join the mainstream, in either direction, were trapped in the every growing morass.  The left began to express anger at those on the right, but they were stuck by their own actions. 
It seems that rather than accept the situation for what it is, and control our own actions, we are too quick to blame others for our own misfortune, real or imaginary.  The jam we are in, or might be in, if of our own making, is for us to resolve.  If, it is because we gawked in awe and disbelief, or curiosity, then we impeded ourselves; shame on us, not on them.  Stay focused, attentive, and true to your own course and everything will work out.  Treat the other drivers as your conscious dictates, but no less than you want to be treated. 
Now,  if we can only clear at least one lane on the right, maybe the left will stop gawking and honking.
#NeverFeartheDream
Posted in Philosophy

Silhouettes…..

Posted on by simplebender
Silhouettes…..
silhoette
Long after the buds became leaves.  After the green leaves fluttered in the warm summer breeze.  After they slowly changed to yellow and red radiance in the crisp fall air.  Soon after they lost their grasp and fell to the ground.  Their silhouettes magically appear for us to remember and enjoy their existence.  So are our memories of people and events of our lives.  We desperately strive to make some always present and pray painful ones quickly fade.  With time, details become blurred; but, are forever emblazoned upon our soul. They make us what we are and will influence what we will be.  Your silhouette has and will undoubtedly be part of other’s future, so be as unforgettable as possible.   Don’t be alarmed, your’s too will be one to remember to some and hoped to fade to others.  Either way, you may get only one chance; make the best of it.
#NeverFeartheDream