Kurt Johnson

From a 747-400 over Britain.

Bank doors last weekend in Paris.

Traffic and Changed Priorities in London a few weeks ago.  Seen around the corner from Harrods in Knightsbridge.

My resolutions:

1. Block time to eat right and exercise
2. Increase the energy I invest in maintaining relationships

Both of these are about elevating focus on things that are important but lack any natural urgency to spur action (see Seth Godin or Steven Covey for more on prioritizing urgency vs. importance).

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Is it too early to wish for warmer weather?  I offer an inspirational passage from Anna Karenina:

“on the following Monday, in the evening, the fog parted, the storm clouds split up into little curling crests of cloud, the sky cleared, and the real spring had come. In the morning the sun rose brilliant and quickly wore away the thin layer of ice that covered the water, and all the warm air was quivering with the steam that rose up from the quickened earth. The old grass looked greener, and the young grass thrust up its tiny blades; the buds of the guelder-rose and of the currant and the sticky birch-buds were swollen with sap, and an exploring bee was humming about the golden blossoms that studded the willow. Larks trilled unseen above the velvety green fields and the ice-covered stubble-land; peewits wailed over the low lands and marshes flooded by the pools; cranes and wild geese flew high across the sky uttering their spring calls. The cattle, bald in patches where the new hair had not grown yet, lowed in the pastures; the bowlegged lambs frisked round their bleating mothers. Nimble children ran about the drying paths, covered with the prints of bare feet. There was a merry chatter of peasant women over their linen at the pond, and the ring of axes in the yard, where the peasants were repairing ploughs and harrows. The real spring had come”

I’m enjoying re-reading Anna Karenina in small bites – the last time I read it was almost 10 years ago.  My favorite feature of the Kindle service is being able to highlight passages and then quickly see all of your highlights in one place at kindle.amazon.com.  I’d like to be able to easily share my highlights with others…perhaps they work this out in another iteration or two.