The Parish Family Blog

Lauren and Ryan Foresman Visits

I made a trip to Galveston to see them at the end of April and they came the first week of May for a friend's wedding. So, I pulled together a short video of the two visits and got them to talk about their plans for moving to Portland ME. Their next adventure!

Enjoy
Tom (dad)

What Happens when Animals Take a Stand?

You will be amazed at the end result here. It's not gory, though it is about the animal kingdom's quest to survive. Thank you to Gregg Roberts for passing this along. Total time is 8 minutes.

Tom

Rising Prices

I've had some noteworthy lifeshocks around money over the last few months. It all started with my thinking about why the cost of college education seems so outrageously expensive. Why is it our children have come to accept the fact that a college education is synonymous with graduating with tens of thousands of dollars of debt? There seems to be no end in sight for this issue. All I see are businesses interested in lending students money versus finding ways to deliver college-level education at more competitive prices. Where is the SouthWest Airlines of education? What segments of society are getting excluded from higher education because of this?

But more on the home front is the cost of gas and the cost of food. I've been driving more lately. Some of that is work-related and some of it is that I'm out more and dating and just seeing more people in general versus staying home all the time. In the past I was lucky to only fill up with gas once a week or every 10 days. Now it's much more often. It's something I can afford so I choose to drive, but it just seems like there is a powerful trend up in prices that is not letting up. Sure it falls back some, only to rise even more a few months later.

I was speaking with a friend of mine who has retired with his wife in San Miguel, Mexico. They sold both of their cars and walk everywhere or rent on rare occasions.  I know that's not uncommon for New Yorkers or people in Boston or maybe San Francisco but for us Texans that's such a foreign thought. Yet, how enticing is that - no automobile to feed endless amounts of maintenance and gas to. Which reminds me, I need new tires ...

Anyway, what I also wonder is how the price of gas is impacting the cost of food. Sure seems like I'm paying more at the grocery store. How about you?

So let's look at the trends. Notice over the last three years there have been spikes but this current upswing we are on seems to have a head of steam to it ... where is it going to end and what will it mean?

Tom

My Interview on Web2point0.tv from SXSW

Here is yours truly - Tom Parish at SXSW March 2008.  It's always kinda odd at first seeing oneself being interviewed. I so often do the interviewing or I speak in front of a crowd. But being interviewed one-on-one in front of two cameras, I found myself a bit more nervous than I expected. Anyway I am thankful for the opportunity to speak about my services.

Lauren and Ryan - Moving to Portland, Maine, in June

Well, it's official. Ryan matched for a residency position at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, in Anesthesiology.  Lauren is applying to physician assistant school at the University of New England. They leave Galveston on June 4 and head for the East Coast to start their journey together to pursue their careers.  Lauren and I have talked and I can hear both the worry about leaving all her friends and relatives in Texas and the excitement of living on the East Coast for 4 years while they complete their education.  I'm proud and excited for both of them, and look forward to hear about their new adventures as a young couple.

Well, ol' dad is going to have to figure out how to visit Juliet and Justin in Boulder and Ryan and Lauren in Portland. Thank goodness Lily is still in Austin, but that too will change in a couple of years.

For now I'm looking at a short trip to see Lauren at the end of April to connect with both of them and wish them well on their journey. I think May will go by quickly for them as they focus on packing and moving and finishing up school in Galveston.

Here is the lovely couple in Maine in December of 2007 when they were scouting out the location. I understand they already have dibs on a neat little home to rent. More on that soon.

Tom

A Night of Refection

It's saturday night - late. I've been standing outside my bedroom looking up at the twinkling stars. I can hear the chimes on the back deck singing the song of the night air. The air moves around me and feels crisp, cool and so clear. The sky looks lit up with more stars than normal - it's almost creamy.  I'm wondering what goes on up there in the starry heavens, and where are the people I know who have left this earth. I miss them. I wonder why am I still here, what will I be called to do next and in service to whom and what? This is a vein of thought that has been occurring for me more often in the last couple of months.

A business friend from many years ago (early '90s) died this week. He was about my age - Ron Riedesel. We were not close but I do remember going on numerous business trips with him and admiring how gutsy he was in his business dealings.  He was a family man and family was important to him. I'll admit I was shocked, hearing of his passing, and saddened to hear the news of him going so quickly while struggling with cancer.

I'm wondering what my next few years will be like while I'm here. I know I want to cultivate a love for life and a passion for sharing what I know with others.  LIly and I were talking about her graduation in the year 2010 and what life will be like then. I realized that her graduation is in two years and I know from experience how that passes so quickly.  Each passing day becomes another one to cherish.  Justin will graduate the same week, I believe. One phase of my life will be complete and yet I'm sure more will be on offer for me to participate and contribute in Justin's, Lauren's and Lily's lives and others close to me.

But what about society and global issues? How will we shift our consciousness and mindsets around the practice of generating more clean power and using it more wisely, promoting healthy living with more nourishing food, affordable medical attention, education that is affordable and matters of peace versus war? These matters don't just go away by voting a new, seemingly popular president into office and hoping he has all the answers.

I'm not sure where my part is in all this as I enter the second part of my life. I trust this will come to me when it's time. I do feel an urge to be part of the solution versus part of the problem in whatever way I can contribute my skills.

The stars might not care one way or another. They will always be here just as the sun will rise again tomorrow. But I care and will be searching for how I can stay engage and create and continue to inspire others.

Sweet dreams,
Tom

How our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another

I wish could have watched this with each of you. Justin sent it to me encouraging, pleading, with me to see it. I did so finally today and all I can tell you is how much I cried at how beautifully insightful and touching it is. The feelings I had in my body were like those of a More To Life Training on a Sunday.  You will think of Sharon Parish and all that she wanted for herself and others to know and all that she worked so faithfully with us to have for ourselves and others.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

About the Video:

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.

A School Project from Justin - "The Artifact"

Justin sent this to me quite a few weeks ago. I wanted to be sure to get it posted because I was so touched and so impressed with his thinking and creativity.  What you want to do is keep in mind Justin's thinking around losing his mom and connecting with her in such a creative and deeply spiritual way.

Tom

"We embark on a familiar voyage to a place we have never been.  An adventure lies ahead with familiar players playing unfamiliar roles, for I will not be delivering you to your final destination.  You travel protected within the waters of life to meet the sun upon a lone exposed ridge along the Great Divide.  Supported in your raw timber blossom, the sun will aid you in your metamorphosis.  Eagerly awaiting a playmate to navigate the skies with, the wind licks at your ice cocoon.  The surrounding snow yearns to return you into the streams, into the lakes, into the rivers, into the vastness.  I leave you atop a mountain where nature’s essential elements will begin your cyclical journey back into the Earth, leaving nothing behind, only the memory of what was."

Lily Is Driving ... (with me nearby)

Just when you thought this blog was going a bit stale - whammo, more goodies show up. Yes, a lot has been going on in the Parish family.

There are some amazing school projects that Justin is working on. I am rather tardy in getting notes on those posted with some pictures. But I will, check back ...

Lauren and Ryan are for sure moving to Maine for four years. They are excited about the next big leg in their journey as a couple. I know I am, though I'll miss them for sure. Guess I'll have to look at a trip up there in the fall when the leaves are changing.

So for this morning here is a pic of Lily driving. I'm teaching her how to drive the old red truck, which is a stick shift. Justin and Lauren learned on the same truck, so it only seems fitting. The first time we gave it a go I let Lily drive around in the front yard so she could get a feel for how to use three pedals and the shifting of gears. After a few bumpy starts she quickly got the hang of slipping the clutch with just enough acceleration to get into 1st gear with not 'too' much difficulty. Each time it gets better.

How exciting for her ...

Alright, more soon on a variety of topics.

Love
Tom

Tom Parish Interviews Dave Evans on Social Media Metrics

I'm creating a series of short video podcasts before SXSW 2008 with various social media experts I know. Be sure to attend the panel I'm moderating at 5pm on Saturday March 8th for "Social Marketing Strategies - Metrics: Where Are They? Dave Evans is VP of Social Media at Digital Voodoo. He's not on my panel but he's got the right stuff. Fun guy too!