So, I have made it to the ripe young age of: 50!

Is life half over?  Is it truly "all downhill from here"?  Or does it really start now, because I know so much more than before?

These and other questions I don't think anyone can really answer, can they?  All I know is that I get some cake today, and some presents.  However, it isn't the cool toy of my boyhood, or manhood for that matter!  Just quality time with the family!

I have had an interesting life until know, but I think it is only going to get better.  I have experienced some pretty bad lows, and I am looking only up, focusing on what I can do, and then for that which I cannot control or do on my own, I'll rely on God for His help!  I guess that's what I've learned in my life so far.  -And that my body can't handle my 20-30 year old notions! 

Peace, Love, Health and Prosperity to all!

Michael

It's been too long since I added something to this blog, not that I have too many followers, though!

We thought we'd spice things up for the season by changing colors on our site, (yes, because we can easily do so!) to reflect the season a little bit with just some Halloween overtones. 

What are some of the BEST areas to go trick-or-treating in San Francisco?  Our traditional spots (we've been raising kids in The City for almost 10 years now) are: The Seacliff area has a suburbian feel to it, albeit a very upscale one akin to Beverly Hills or the like.  The other is Lake Street corridor.  The decorations and numbers of smaller kids in both areas before sundown are pretty good, meaning: it's relatively safe.  Once it's dark, watch out as to not get run over by the big kids!  -And what I mean by big kids is: High-Schoolers!  Yeah, they didn't get the memo that Halloween is pretty much over at 12-14.  Especially high-School age!  That's our only pet-peeve with the day, or should we say night!

So if there are any "big-kids" out there running around, go slow for the little kids.  It's more for them anyway. 

I don't remember this picture, but if the caption is true, then this makes for an interesting conversation.  Notice the "Sarah, wife of Lot" who looked back type of gesture by the woman in the picture.  Is this because married women in particular, have a tendency to do so?  "I still remember the time you _____!!!" is a typical phrase, -right guys?  I am blessed to have a wife who is more forgiving and more forgetting of such things.  (Or she's not letting on!  -I don't know which!)  I do like the fact that they are both leaving some bad experience behind, -together!  Even though a black cat is at their heels!  Sometimes it's best to just start over, TOGETHER.  Man without Woman and Woman without Man is not the best way to go about life, and scientific studies have proven the fact that those married are healthier, too.

We'll try to come up with a theme for the Holidays next, but will not implement until after Black Friday!  Any earlier plays TOO much into the corporate "shop-now" mentality, missing the true meaning of each of the Holidays we celebrate.

Have a safe, fun Halloween! 

Not sure what this picture on the left is, but it's interesting!

Anyway, going green is not as hard as it seems.  There are many things we can do to go green in our daily lives.  One thing we can do is just pick up after ourselves.  At home, work, play, school, Church, event, or whatever.  We can do so whenever, and wherever, too!

If we all were to take responsibility for doing so on a daily basis, sure some garbage collector might lose a job, but less energy expended by that entity that runs the venue or building or facility is helping the planet, and ourselves out in the long run.  In doing so, we can "lower our carbon footprint", -right?  If they use less energy in doing so, that means that another entity or person that needs that energy can do so easier.  Or, we become more energy efficient or energy independent, right?  So it pays to pick up after yourself or to chip in to do so after your event, meeting, etc. has finished.  Something our parents have been harping on us for generations, I'd bet!  So what's old, -is new again!

If you do not have an opportunity to do such, then you live in a cleaner world then most; -or, you need to find an opportunity to do so.  Local Churches, Schools, Shelters, Soup-Kitchens, etc. are the obvious choice to offer one's services to help clean-up.  Then there are Cities, Counties, States and Countries that can also provide opportunities to clean-up, or pitch in.

If you would like to post your organization's offering of an opportunity to be of service to one's community, and to thus "Go Green!", then please feel free to do so within this blog.

Thank you,

Michael

I traipsed all over Moscone Center today to look for companies that are looking to grow their business internationally, and even within North America.  I found some good companies that look like they could use help in doing so.  I also found a couple of interesting technologies, too.  One was a vegetable based gel that can perform 50 times better than water can in holding heat!  Now if we could use that inside the walls of a home, cost-effectively, THAT would be a find!
It sounded like that was not the case, but we'll see.  Another was a roof solution that the Solar PV array IS the roof!  This might actually have a shot at being useful and not an added expense, since a it eliminates the roofing needed for a structure!  How much it costs on a square foot basis compared to a conventional set up, is yet to be determined.  (I'll let you know!!!)

My feet are tired, and so am I from ALL the hop-along motions today, so time for bed.

That's what they say.  I know it is because with all of the sweet things in life, there comes along with it, the pits!  I had some great news this week, and some bad news in life, and the extremes in life seem to come at the same time, don't they?  My good thing outweighed the bad one by far, though!

So, I take it in stride and look to the next juicy, organically-grown, Bing cherry!  They don't come pitted off of the tree!

BTW, if you want a referral to a great organic cherry picking orchard, let me know.  Also another place that's great for organic strawberry picking, too!  Just send me an e-mail to: Michael@GreenTekHaus.com

Take care of yourself!

If you are looking into the latest in Green Materials, then you need to get to PCBC in San Francisco, from June 22-24, 2011.  I have found some pretty cool items there over the years, and now for you, -IT'S FREE!!!

All you need to do is: send me an e-mail and I'll send you a free pass!  If anything, simply post a comment to this article on my blog, and I'll send you a free pass!  -I'd love to meet you there!

Happy hunting!

Going Green is more than good materials from sustainable resources, but does it mean going back to "living with the land", or at the least, "being at one with nature"?  I would propose that the answer is "yes!"

Supposedly, if our history books are truly correct, then we have only lived away from the land and nature for only 100 to 150 years or so.

Why is it that with technology, people want to manipulate their surroundings?  For the Christian, we believe that God told us to manage the Earth.  He did not tell us to destroy any part of it, on a micro or macro level.  So just what does that mean?  I believe that it means 1). Doing what's right.  We all have the innate ability to know what is correct and what is not.  Just "check your gut".  (Mine needs to lose some weight, -and that's part of the topic, too!) 

I have come to the conclusion that it also means living with less or no TV, and spend even more time with my wife and kids.  Every day is precious, and who knows when it's our time to go on to the next life, or just be incapacitated to where you can't enjoy things you could the day before.  (That's my ankle's two-bits! -Still nursing my foot and lower leg muscles!) 

I remember working in Tokyo on a project where I was providing atrium designs for the Harumi waterfront redevelopment project.  It was at the then world's largest architectural firm, Nikken Sekkei.  I met Kisho Kurokawa who also worked there at the time.  His claim to fame then was: 1). He had a great PR person, because he got on TV a lot and 2). his design for the future of Tokyo City and Tokyo Bay.  It was then I knew what he was posing was wrong, and not Eco-Friendly; as he was seeking to totally annihilate the landscape and much of the natural bay.  I innately knew that designers are to work WITH nature, not try to totally manipulate it.  Working with nature brings lasting results, too.  I was amazed that someone of his experience and fame, just didn't get it. 

It was a lasting impression upon me that still resonates with me today.

However, I think we need to think about bringing all aspects of our life into an organic harmony with nature and the real things that are important in life that are eternal in nature and that you can't just buy.

Family time, parent-child/children time, parent dates, one's own quiet or alone time, are obvious ones to me.  But there are other areas that are not as obvious.  I have written previously about "living with the Sun", meaning that when it rises, so do we.  When it sets, so do we.  This is so that we can follow the natural rhythms that are prevalent in our universe, even within our local solar system.

There are other areas of life we can improve, too.  Become more Spiritual if you are religious.  If not, at least meditate and observe your surroundings on a daily basis.  Do so with as little, or preferably not much, energy used in doing so.
As you find balance in all aspects of life, true happiness, or at least more happiness will be yours.  This is the goal of most religions and new age gurus of the world: Find Balance in your own life and become one with the greater life force or Creator of the universe.  -This is still my never-ending goal, as I am far from it.  I just recognized again that I need to recommit myself to this lofty aspiration.  However, another important aspect of this kind of Living Green or Going Green, means that you yourself can recognize the need to improve oneself from one's current state.

I am Christian, this is my blog, so I will say, in a country where I have the Right to do so: May God Bless us all in our efforts to do so!

Happy New Year!
あけましておめでとうございます！ 

So, 2011 is now upon us!  One year and 11 months to go if you believe in the 2012 thing, right?  A few months ago, my oldest son asked me about that, and answered him:

"Well, the ancients were very smart people, just as smart as us, or maybe more.  They had their calenders and so do we.  Ours will end on 12/31/10.  What do we do with an old calender?  (Throw it away?)  Yes, we throw it away and we will start another one for 2011.  So what do you think will happen, most likely, when the Mayan Calender finishes?  (Get a new one?)  Yes, we'll start a new one.  Now, whether or not that includes other happenings, we do not know.  We'll just have to see what happens and hope the Lord guides us and keeps us safe."

To which he replied: "okay."

May the New Year bring success in all you do, to you and yours!