Original as Daylight

Dear Members and Constituents,
Why is it so hard to be original? I would argue we borrow things we’ve heard or read because it’s efficient. I’m not talking about outright plagiarism here, just thought “recycling”. It has been the path of least resistance long before mass media’s pervasive spread of homogeneous messages. It’s a natural progression. Letters are recycled into words. Words are recycled into sentences (George Carlin’s brilliant illustration comes to mind– speaking gibberish so as to say something in his “own words”). Naturally, this progresses into recycled sentences, thoughts and opinions. It’s easy, comfortable and safe. We are adept at recycling thoughts, appropriating and calling them our own. My hope is, each of us is building on this familiar foundation and adding to it (not just re-arranging the pieces).

Today, as is the case most Fridays, we have a familiar sight: five dozen donuts. We also have a twist of originality. Alissa Baan (donut girl) on her debut delights us with utterly fresh Daylight Donuts, with a few “fancy” donuts in the mix. So follow that old worn out path to my office and delight your taste buds with an original donut.
Happy Friday!

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Remote Donuts

Friends, I knew working from home was going to be weird, so I had mentally prepared for some of the inevitable challenges. I decided to keep as many personal routines as possible intact . I’ve been getting-up at the same time (even though it is tempting to sleep-in due to the shorter “commute”) and have kept-up with personal grooming (showering, dressing for work, having breakfast, etc.). I got a nice desk and dedicated ergonomic space and brew a pot of coffee every morning. As for the isolation, I suppose it can’t be helped. Sure, video meetings are nice, but they can’t take the place of hallway conversations. On whole I’d say my first week working from home has been a guarded success. Still, there were a few unexpected twists. Fresh air. On Wednesday afternoon I realized I had not set foot outside my house since Sunday –and quickly remedied the situation. Invisible chair. The edge of my camera view catches a corner of the room with some “invisible” clutter. As it …

Donuts, here for your safety!

Friends, This week I discovered our Denver North office has a Bitcoin Teller Machine (BTM). What?!? A convenient way to cash-out on all your Bitcoin millions before the hype wears-off. Except, this teller only TAKES your hard-earned dollars and converts them to Bitcoin. It does not DISPENSE hard currency. What’s the use case for that? Never mind, duh! It’s the general scenario that will ensure Bitcoin never goes to zero (despite recent trends). Crime! Say you are a crime boss (or petty criminal) who wishes not to have your transactions traced. An anonymized crypto-currency is the perfect vehicle to contract for that hit job, buy and sell stolen goods or funnel your monies far from prying eyes. But what if your cash business still accepts, well, cash? What do you do with all that clunky paper? Depositing it at your bank so you can buy your crypto online defeats the whole scheme. Enter the BTM. First you rent some office space at Spaces (which, by the way, makes for a great front). The…

Family and Friends

Friends,
I’m trying to maximize the time I spend with friends and family while in Ecuador. My dad had nine siblings, my wife’s dad 15. As you might imagine, my cousins and their families are fairly numerous (despite the fact five of my dad’s brothers didn’t marry or have children). Then there’s my wife’s family and my childhood friends. Needless to say, there is never enough time to see everyone, despite a valiant effort. Of course, I’m also working from “home”. Corny as it may sound, working half a world away, I realize I miss my Windstream “family” and I look forward to seeing you soon. In the meantime, there are donuts, here today courtesy of John Huddleston. So, enjoy some comfort food with regards from my Cuenca family (pictured) to you!

Friday Donuts

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