Inside Colin's Head http://colinmathews.com Home to the wise, unwise, flippant and thoughtful musings that pass through my head. posterous.com Wed, 23 May 2012 07:35:00 -0700 Squirrel taunts our dogs (and almost dies) | Video http://colinmathews.com/squirrel-taunts-our-dogs-and-almost-dies-vide http://colinmathews.com/squirrel-taunts-our-dogs-and-almost-dies-vide

This happened for several minutes--just over and over and over. At the end when the squirrel decided to leave, he leaped on the side of our house thinking he could climb it and plummetted to the ground -- luckily he was just outside of our fence. 

VID_20120523_103001.3gp Watch on Posterous

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Sat, 12 May 2012 07:09:00 -0700 What "Chimpanzee" tells us about our story http://colinmathews.com/what-chimpanzee-tells-us-about-our-story http://colinmathews.com/what-chimpanzee-tells-us-about-our-story

Semi-spoiler alert for the Disney movie "Chimpanzee"

"Chimpanzee" is a fun movie with an amazing story. I'll try not to give too much away -- maybe the trailer and news articles already inform you what I'm about to write about anyway...

Ultimately this is a story about a newly orphaned chimp facing the threat of being cast out by his community. He finds acceptance, and ultimately family, from the least likely place: the elder, alpha male of the group.

I don't know much about Chimpanzee behavior, but from what was said in the movie, casual reading, and with a basic understanding of alpha-male social structures, it is easy to see that a male's role in communities like this is typically very unconcerned with the welfare of others--outside of basic community survival. So the fact that an alpha-male truly became a mother to this orphan is incredible. He is a representative of the first single dad. 

It's the outlying stories of individuals like this male throughout history that created the evolutionary path to human existance. We are a product of scattered individuals breaking rank with their instincts and adding a compassionate intelligence to the DNA pool. We are a species of care, emotion, and thoughtfulness. In watching this movie, I felt I was witnessing one of the many forks in the road that led directly to not only my anatomic makeup, but my existance in that very theater!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Thu, 03 May 2012 18:02:10 -0700 Dusk in Whitestown http://colinmathews.com/dusk-in-whitestown http://colinmathews.com/dusk-in-whitestown

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:31:00 -0700 Getting shit done and still having fun http://colinmathews.com/getting-shit-done-and-still-having-fun http://colinmathews.com/getting-shit-done-and-still-having-fun When I first started transitioning to my current work style, I felt guilty for waking up refreshed and without an alarm. In the very beginning of my transition, I rushed through my shower so I could start working as quickly as I could to make up for that lost time. When 4:00 came around, I felt guilty that I was finished for the day, so I slogged it out for another hour. I caught a fair amount of shit from people implying that my work day didn't really count.

After being on my own schedule now for basically three years, it's the rest of the world that seems screwed up to me. 

I wake up when I wake up--oddly enough, now that I'm more relaxed I often wake up before my wife anyway. I enjoy my breakfast and take breaks during the day to watch The Daily Show or read blogs. It becomes very clear to me when I'm done for the day, so I stop. Some days I'm on fire and I get an insane amount of focused work done. On days like these I often end up working long hours, but I never notice the time. Other days when things just aren't clicking, I turn to easier tasks and end the day early. 

As a result, my work is of higher quality, I get more done in less time, I continue to stay excited about the work that lies ahead, and my work-life balance is great. I feel in tune with my body's natural rhythms: I'm off caffeine, I sleep well, and I eat healthier. Of course there are times when I have to push through to deal with time-sensitive issues, but those occurrences are the exception, not the rule. 

Here are some things I've learned:
  • Prevent distractions: don't interrupt others and expect the same in return
  • Don't do things that don't matter: spend 5 minutes thinking if a task should even be done before you start--don't invent work for yourself
  • Set realistic expectations: don't bite off more than you can chew and don't let others dump work in your lap
  • Believe you will succeed: the simple mindset that your goal is possible truly helps make it happen
  • Strike while the iron is hot: take advantage of those good days and kick some ass
  • Inject change: every once in a while add some kind of change to your daily life 
  • Be responsive to your body and your mental state: don't force it--if tired or bored feelings last more than a couple of days then you're in a rut and you've got a more systemic problem to address (change something about your life!)
  • Have fun: when you get lost in the fun of something you'll find yourself reset and energized the next time you sit back down for work

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:36:00 -0700 Lunch! http://colinmathews.com/lunch http://colinmathews.com/lunch

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:05:39 -0700 Rachael's flowers http://colinmathews.com/rachaels-flowers http://colinmathews.com/rachaels-flowers

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:04:54 -0800 Unmasking your secret identity http://colinmathews.com/unmasking-your-secret-identity http://colinmathews.com/unmasking-your-secret-identity

Childhood was thrilling. Adolescence was impossible at times and amazing at others. My early twenties were inspiring but sometimes frustrating. I turned 30 in 2011 and over the past few years I feel I've finally got a decent hold on who I am.

Through a fair amount of tough love and doing my best to maintain a deep honesty with myself (at times facing some pretty tough questions), I have uncovered bits and pieces of my identity at each stage of my life, desperately seeking the big picture. Not that I'll ever be finished learning and growing (puh-leaze), but it's relieving to finally feel a truly strong foundation on which to build.

I don't mean to imply that I have it all figured out, but I feel a strong sense of peace and compassion in my life right now. I feel empowered and ambitious, but also very content. And it strikes me now that while any early death is tragic, the ultimate tragedy is death before getting a chance to really know yourself.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0800 Sights from India http://colinmathews.com/sights-from-india http://colinmathews.com/sights-from-india

From the Taj Mahal, to the Ganges River, to the Pink City, and to a hundred temples in between, these are some select pictures from our trip. Enjoy!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0800 Pictures from the wedding in India http://colinmathews.com/pictures-from-the-wedding-in-india http://colinmathews.com/pictures-from-the-wedding-in-india

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0800 Where we laid our heads in India http://colinmathews.com/where-we-laid-our-heads-in-india http://colinmathews.com/where-we-laid-our-heads-in-india

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:00:00 -0800 On the streets of India http://colinmathews.com/on-the-streets-of-india http://colinmathews.com/on-the-streets-of-india

Dogs, cows, camels, pigs, bikes, pedestrians, scooters, cars, and tractors all share the road in India. Here are some pictures from a variety of places!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:31:00 -0800 Our food in India http://colinmathews.com/our-food-in-india http://colinmathews.com/our-food-in-india

Even though I caught a bug on the way out of India (most likely from something I ate) that took me out for a full week, the food was a superbly interesting part of our trip. 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800 Pictures of us in India! http://colinmathews.com/pictures-of-us-in-india http://colinmathews.com/pictures-of-us-in-india

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:05:00 -0800 Doors from India http://colinmathews.com/doors-from-india http://colinmathews.com/doors-from-india

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:48:00 -0800 Seems like some of our last pictures didn't make it in that last post... http://colinmathews.com/seems-like-some-of-our-last-pictures-didnt-ma http://colinmathews.com/seems-like-some-of-our-last-pictures-didnt-ma

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:55:00 -0800 A couple of amazing pictures from today http://colinmathews.com/a-couple-of-amazing-pictures-from-today http://colinmathews.com/a-couple-of-amazing-pictures-from-today

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And today was our last day with our driver who was amazing-such a nice guy. And though we could barely communicate with words, I felt like he was really part of our vacation!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:24:00 -0800 Puppy! http://colinmathews.com/puppy http://colinmathews.com/puppy

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:03:00 -0800 A video from the back of our elephant... http://colinmathews.com/a-video-from-the-back-of-our-elephant http://colinmathews.com/a-video-from-the-back-of-our-elephant

VID_20120131_130553.3gp Watch on Posterous

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:20:00 -0800 Our sunset trip to Taj Mahal http://colinmathews.com/our-sunset-trip-to-taj-mahal http://colinmathews.com/our-sunset-trip-to-taj-mahal

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We nearly missed it because it closes shortly after sundown!

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:10:00 -0800 A picture of the bride and groom http://colinmathews.com/a-picture-of-the-bride-and-groom http://colinmathews.com/a-picture-of-the-bride-and-groom

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/1517297/Colin.jpg http://posterous.com/users/1lTL0a89aAV Colin Mathews Colin Colin Mathews