Integrity

A cursory glance at an online definition will give you the following definitions of the word "integrity:" Thanks

in·teg·ri·ty

noun

1. 1.

   the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

   "he is known to be a man of integrity"

   synonyms:

   honesty, probity, rectitude, honor, good character, principle(s), ethics,morals, righteousness, morality, virtue, decency, fairness,scrupulousness, sincerity, truthfulness, trustworthiness More
2. 2.

   the state of being whole and undivided.

   "upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty"

   synonyms:

   unity, unification, coherence, cohesion, togetherness, solidarity

 Thanks Google dictionary.  This is a word I find myself clinging too almost daily but how do we apply it? A better question is, should we?

The answer is a resounding YES!  No one asks about integrity without implying it should be observed. Here's what integrity means to me.  Definition 1: I don't knowingly lie, I don't cheat, I don't steal, or deceive anyone or anything.  If a commitment is made, I stick to it unless new information presents itself and then I'm upfront about why I reconsidered.  Even then, I'll still do my best to uphold my commitment.  Definition 2: as Abraham Lincoln said "a house divided cannot stand."  This goes for the individual as well.  My convictions may not make sense to others but they are unified in my consciousness.  I strive to be upright and solid in my little world.  No loose ends, no unpaid bills, no surprise phone calls.

I've taken a number of oaths in my time but none weigh more deeply on my consciousness than my wedding vows and my Masonic obligations.  To me being a husband and a Mason are a serious business and not something to be taken lightly.  Each requires a promise to God and to others that we will do the right thing.  Weddings use rings as symbols of unending love and devotion, Masons use tools as symbols.  I promised my wife to love and take care of her for the rest of her life.  Much of Masonry is sworn to secrecy but it is no secret that some of the symbols are a square, compass, and plumb line.  I'm sure every Mason has his own interpretation of them and how they fit in his life.  For me, the square reminds me to be square with people.  I do my best to be honest and fair.  I pay the bill for dinner and give a fair tip; no more, no less.  A square is always 90 degrees and when used in trigonometry, gives you answers you may have a difficult time finding otherwise.  Think back to high school and those silly questions about the height of a tree and its shadow.  I bet you didn't know trig was actually teaching you morality!  The compass measures proportions, makes perfect circles, and (in my backcountry experiences) reminds me where north is.  Drive into any town in the United States and you'll see the compass around the letter G.  For me, not all Masons, the compass shows the way to God, my true north.  Any carpenter can tell you that a plumb line is nothing more than a vertical line.  Gravity pulls the weight and the string goes taught and shows the directionality of the force of gravity on the earth. Stand up straight.  Do an honest day's work.

When you combine all these qualities, you are left with a pretty amazing man.  I can't promise I'm 100% on all of them all the time but I do my best.  This is how integrity applies to everything.  Strive for perfection but accept that in this human form, we are going to come up short some, if not most of the time.  Some of these shortcomings we can avoid just by being our "best, most authentic selves," to quote Rich Roll.  If you've read my blog before, you know that running and music are important to me.  When I'm running and really present, I know that God is there helping me.  When working on a difficult piece of music I have no idea how I'll ever get through it but God does.  When my wife sings (a beautiful operatic singer), I feel something deeper than just the notes and rhythms.  I hear God's message through her voice (whatever the context or language of the lyrics) I hope people see that in my music and running as well.  There is no "life hack" to this wonderful state.  No shortcut.  You simply cannot scream-sing and hear that message like you can with decades of refined practice.  You can't just turn up the drums, plug in a distortion pedal, and drown out the congregation and expect to unify a group.  This is something Stravinsky wrestled with at the premiere of the Rite of Spring.  He sought to portray the profane; the non-refined pagan cultures.  This work is terrific but no one would ever consider it a sacred work (except Esa Pekka-Salonen who called it a Bible because it is terrifying for the musicians and dancers).  With Rite of Spring you see an artistic portrayal of a primitive society.  With Bach's B Minor Mass or St. Matthew's Passion, you feel God's integrity.  Martin Luther wrote "A mighty fortress is our God." To me, this implies craftsmanship, hard work, dedication, and most of all integrity.  Luther did not write, "our God is an unrefined, shoddily constructed, concert venue."  When my wife sings, it is solid, beautiful, and touches everyone (admit it or not) deeply.  It's not about musical style, it's about the integrity.  Solid, square, upright before God.  Even if you try and miss, there's power in the attempt.  No amount of praise-gasm, history lessons, scream-sinigng, or "just want to this or just want to that" can engage the soul as authentically as the refined traditions of thousands of years of worship.  There is no shortcut to being a good musician, runner, and who am I to argue with two thousand years of tradition. That's not to say that we can't have modern music but it should maintain the same ethos.  The Maslanka Mass, Bernstein Mass, Lloyd-Weber Mass, Britten War Requiem all move the listener just as much as the Bach mentioned earlier.  Thankfully, no scream-singing.  

One final thought to leave you with:  C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity talks about three kinds of morality.  There is your morality (or standing) with God, other living creatures, and yourself.  If you construct your personal building on a solid foundation from the ground up, you will have integrity with each of those branches of morality.  For me this is the only way to live. 

The Champions Blueprint/ Begin with the end in mind

Yesterday on a seemingly routine trip down south to Farmington, NM (I do this every Tuesday afternoon) I popped in a an episode of the Rich Roll Podcast.  I listen to his podcasts about half the time (Dave Ramsey takes up the other half, usually).  I always enjoy his fresh perspective on "plant-powered" athletes, specifically endurance athletes.  Yesterday's episode was a special treat.  Yesterday, he interviewed Dr. Jeff Spencer a chiropractor for people like Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, and has served on teams for 9 Tours de France.  He also went to the Olympics during the 60's as a cyclist on his own merit.  Here's a link to the podcast: http://www.richroll.com/podcast/rrp-57-dr-jeff-spencer-champions-blueprint-prolific-peak-performance-optimizing-your-best-self/ .  Admittedly, I was a little skeptical that I would hear a rehash of Stephen R. Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" since there are seven steps he gives on the way to the top.  Some are quite similar others are a little more unique.  I think what Dr. Spencer has carefully unearthed is the human traits that lead to our best performances... something this blog is uniquely dedicated to revealing.  The world seems to be overcrowded with people merely "getting by" and doing "good enough."  I truly wonder if they realize there are a large number of people who are determined to be the absolute best.  Maybe those people just don't live near me.  I've never lived in LA or NYC but I perceive those places to be overrun with the self-importants who are looking to excel. Maybe I'm wrong.  Please feel free to leave comments agreeing or disagreeing.  I don't think it's a coincidence that the Yankees and the New York Phil are in the same city, and it is not the Middle of Nowhere, South Dakota.

I thought it would be a helpful exercise for us to go through his steps one-by-one and really come to terms with what the implications of this blueprint are for musicians and endurance athletes.  Each day I'll explore a new principal, as I see it, and maybe together we can crack this code.  The really interesting part about this is that, he explains, these steps can be as large or small a scale as we desire.  So maybe for you, start a small project with these in mind and learn how it works, then ramp it up!

1. Legacy: Start with the End in Mind
This one, admittedly, sounded a little Covey-ish (since his Habit Number 2 is Begin with the End in Mind).  Putting the label legacy on it, though, implies a larger sense of what is meant by "the end."  As he explains it, what do you want to leave behind on this earth after you are gone?  That is your legacy.  For me, I intend to leave a legacy that proves people can do both music and sports with equal success simultaneously.  I am working to have a few big wins in each category (my personal definition of success at this endeavor).  As I see it, it is like having a job as a computer programmer and being very skilled at it while training for and winning marathons.  Google Rod Dehaven's bio and you'll see that feat has been done.  I don't know Rod personally but I do remember that he held a "normal" job as a computer programmer while training for and making the 2000 US Olympic team in the marathon.  What is your legacy?  What feats will your grandchildren look upon and say proudly, "My grandpa was a _____."  For me, personally, (this is probably the driving force behind all that I do), I look very proudly upon my maternal great grandfather and both my paternal grandparents.  They are in my thoughts daily.  My great grandfather, John Harlan "Speedy" Rush, was an an outdoorsman, college football coach, youth camp founder (Dunmore, Keewaydin and Songadeewin), and tied the world record for the 100 yard dash.  My paternal grandmother was a church organist and music teacher, her husband was a true Renaissance man; expert craftsman, built his own house without ever owing a cent, great with people, could quote Shakespeare and Carl Sagan in the same breath.  Yeah, I'm cut from that cloth, alright.  I've always felt like God and I sat around before I was born and came up with the idea:  what would happen if we put elements of these people into one person?  Here I am!  My legacy will be to my grandchildren: "Grandpa was a champion long distance runner, professional clarinetist, highly college teacher, outdoorsy guy, vegan..."

So as an experiment, write down what you want your legacy to be.  You may assign a timeline to it, or leave it open ended.  If you want some accountability, post it as a comment on here!  I think writing it down really helps clarify and possibly quantify our intentions.  Also, when you're rummaging through your drawer for a lost item and come across it, you'll remember your purpose.  Or, you could experiment with http://www.futureme.org.  Send yourself an e-mail in a year.  I promise you'll have forgotten it is coming and be surprised when it shows up.

Tomorrow, we'll cover Mindset: View the world through the lens of your legacy.  See you then!

Why extreme is bad, or is it?

For today's blog, I'd like to pose a question: why is extreme bad?  I've been thinking about this a lot recently as people typically use that term to define or quantify activities I'm doing.  I run more than most (but far less than some) and that to some is extreme... I practice clarinet more than most (again, far less than some)... My wife and I are pretty good at managing our money.... I can do a modest number of pull-ups... I'm "plant powered"... I manage my time well.... all these things, from a certain perspective are no big deal or world-class (unfortunately. Sponsors feel free to chime in, maybe we can take some of these up a notch) but routinely are described as "extreme." So this led me to thinking, maybe extreme is defined by perspective?  Perhaps "abnormal" would be a better term.  It is somewhat abnormal to meet a clarinetist who routinely does workouts consisting of 300 pull-ups.  It is somewhat abnormal to meet an ultra runner who performs classical music recitals and concerts as often as I do.  But is this extreme? Or are we abusing the word like we do with "awesome."

Initially, I thought maybe excessive might be a better term for it all but even that implies that there is too much or an excess of activity.  Clearly, this cannot be the case.  Unconventional, yes.  Extreme?  Probably not.  This perspective may indicate a larger societal problem indicating that our musicians are largely sedentary (I can't tell you the number of times I have walked down the hall either as a student or a professor or heard on breaks from rehearsal someone complaining about wanting to lose some weight due to their lifestyle).  The other societal problem is that a fair number of top athletes offer zero intellectual or humanitarian contributions to the greater good.  Not everyone needs to grow up and be Gandhi in both physique and contributions but just bumping along is not a way I am willing to spend my days.

I lived in Boulder, Colorado for a number of years both during and after my undergraduate study.  There are a large number of world-class athletes and Nobel Laureates and even some Grammy winners.   Are these people all extreme or are they just good at what they do?  If they are "extreme," why is that a negative thing?  I would argue they are good at what they do, have a plan for success, and work diligently and patiently at their pursuits.   The take away from this is, if you are working towards your goals, let them be extreme.  Roger Bannister was once called extreme.  He remains a shining example of someone with a great intellect and athletic prowess.  Go break your own 4 minute mile, extreme as that may be!

Short and sweet

Today's blog will be short and sweet but it comes, a little bit anyway, from a sermon I heard yesterday about success.  I am exited to be carving out some time to make these blogs more frequent.

Success to me means setting a certain minimum end-point you are comfortable with and judging your results in relation to that goal.  If, say, your goal was to earn $100 and you earned $95, you were 95% successful.  Most goals are a little more subjective than that but one can get the picture.  When you start a goal, define what success means to you.

The other take-away is that as a musician we not only can be actively engaged in some sort of physical pursuit like running, we should be engaged in some sort of physical pursuit.  I see many, many musicians and business people who "don't have the time"to squeeze in even a simple 30 minute walk with the dog.  I think this is detrimental to our long term success.  If our health goes, we won't be able to do much, including the work we don't have time to miss.  For me, the best time is first thing in the morning but sometimes the climate or keeping up on my sleep gets in the way.  I read an article shortly before writing this that going to work with less than optimal sleep is like going to work drunk and I agree.  Sleep, workout, eat right, work, spend time with your family and friends.  It's all about balance.

Short and sweet.  See you tomorrow!

Silverton, Hardrock, and Mission Statements

Hello Friends,
Sorry it has been a while since I last posted.  I have been pretty busy... let me bring you up to speed.

This summer, I am in the throes of training for my second running of the Hardrock 100.  My training runs are consistently longer than ever; averaging a little more than 13 miles per run.  I have only run outside of Silverton twice, but I am hitting a good deal of mileage and hills here in Durango.  The first run was from Grouse Gulch to the summit of Handies Peak and back.  The second was today from Silverton High School to the top of Putnam Ridge and back.  I am eager for the race as each of these runs was somewhat of an exercise in route-finding.  I don't mind doing that when I'm hiking but it is really easy to miss a trail when running.  I am not generally a person who needs, or even likes, a great deal of time on the actual trail.  I can get pretty creative in any surrounding.  I remember running up parking garages in Lincoln, NE for hill work.

One of my big struggles lately, is that the bulk of my runs are starting at 4 a.m.  The main reason for this is that I am working at the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and I usually report to work at 6:45 a.m. and work 11 hour shifts.  Once in a while I can squeeze in a run after work but Durango is also quite warm in the evenings so it is better to run in the mornings.

I realize that some of you may be in disbelief that a college professor needs to work on the railroad during the summer but rest assured, my wife and I are "gazelle intense" and trying to make as big a dent in our student loans as possible (she is working as a meter maid).  The train is enjoyable but, let's be honest, I'd rather be practicing or running.  It pays the bills.  I think I am pretty adept at my position as a concessionaire as I usually outsell my co-workers.  I have always had good sales skills.  We are making progress and trying to enjoy as much of the summer as possible.  We get a mini-vacation next week... we are going to Glacier National Park with my wife's family.  We are both very excited.

So Hardrock will be what it will be.  I think I have improved in my uphill technique and use lots of little steps to keep my heart rate at a reasonable level.  I am traveling light and not packing more than one water bottle since the water up high is very drinkable.  I'll let you know how that goes two weeks after if giardia sets in!  In the high country in Colorado, a jacket, and a hat and gloves are always a must, so I'll bring those as much as possible.

Ok, now for the mission statements part.  Some of you have asked what the focus of my blog is so I'll explain it.  I believe that people need both intellectual and physical activities in their life.  There are far too many people in the world with interest and activity in only one and I think they end up missing something in their lives.  I know a great many musicians (and people in general) who suffered from some possibly avoidable maladies including diabetes, cancers, and heart disease.  I also know some athletes who suffer from brain-rot by not engaging in any sort of mental activity.  They also usually have pretty low-level careers and don't contribute much beyond their sport.  The great ones, I believe, do both.  One of the great mentors in my life is a renowned bassoonist and professional body builder.  I've known professional runners who are great computer programmers.  I would bet that someone like Jerry Rice has an active interest in some sort of non-football pursuit.  Unfortunately, we only know these people for what they do as musicians or as athletes and few every "come-out" as both and I find it disappointing.  While I am not a world-beater at either (yet), I hope people reading this blog will see the value of committing a good amount of time to both their intellectual and physical activities.  I find that when I am playing clarinet a lot, I run better and when I am running a lot, I play clarinet better.  The only compromise, as I see it, is the issue of time management.  The average American spends an ungodly amount of time watching TV every week.  I don't mind missing The Bachelor to squeeze in another couple hours of Opperman Studies and, frankly, I love running at night during football season so I can see people watching as I'm working out (there is a familiar blue glow on the curtains in their homes).  Yep, I'm that creepy guy with the headlamp outside your house.  I like movies, I enjoy a few programs on a consistent basis (who can argue with Mythbusters or Stephen Hawking's Into the Universe!?) but only after I'm either too spent to be productive or I have accomplished my to-do list for each in the day.  I make time to spend with my family.  I think it is really about priorities.  I really get tired of the "oh you're a runner, I want to run to lose 10 lbs., how do I start?"  I run because I love it... not because it's good for my waistline.  I play clarinet because elements of it fulfill me intellectually.  It can really be an exercise in consistent thinking.  I haven't tried Luminosity but I'm sure I'd love it.  Additional activities supplement both major endeavors.  I do pull-ups regularly, read books about musicians and music not directly related to clarinet, I read great non-fiction business-type books, and when the weather is bad, I ride my bike in the garage on the trainer.  It is sooooo important that people are active in both major elements of their lives.

That wasn't a very concise mission statement... how about this: I run and play clarinet because it is good for me and I enjoy it.  It is my mission to help others pursue similar endeavors in their lives because it is good for them too! So, ask yourself, why do you do what you do and how can it positively impact others?

Any questions... let me know!

The San Juans in their late spring glory! (last week, from Handies Peak)

Me atop Handies Peak (last week)

Putnam Ridge (today)

Rule No. 1 and the Durango Hogback

There have been a number of  you who have asked me about Josh's Rules and Rule No. 1, in particular.  Josh's Rule No. 1 is "Don't be dumb." I thought I was flirting with breaking this rule today until I arrived home after my run and saw some videos I would truly dub as people being dumb.

My run today was scheduled to be a 15 minute tempo run.  So far, I am 0/3 this season as far as meeting objectives on tempo runs.  The first two I attempted were on the treadmill at SJC and, while the second was better than the first, both missed their objective.  Today, I was a little achy in the upper gracilis area and so I thought decided rather than pound out 15 minutes on the concrete, I would do a time trial of sorts on the Durango Hogsback Mountain.  The most treacherous parts of Hardrock are very similar to this climb so I figured it may be a good bench mark for this season (just add sleep deprivation and 40-50 miles covered before it, oh, and add about 5k feet).  Anyone who has climbed this foothill will tell you that there are three big concerns: lack of traction, narrowness of the ridge, and angle of the slope.  The hill is less than 1 mile from the meadow at the bottom to the peak so it should be no big deal, right?

My running of it was relatively unremarkable.  It took me almost 10:00 to scamper up the 35+ degree slope from the meadow.  Running an incline of that magnitude really feels more like doing lunges.  My usual modus operandi is to pitter patter my way up any steep incline but with the shale giving way under my feet, pitter pattering it seemed more slippery than larger steps.  The drawback to larger steps on this kind of ascent is that the ridge at points is maybe 8 feet at the widest and 3 at the narrowest points.  There is one part where having one foot four or five inches either way would likely earn you a ticket to slide down one slope or the other.  I spent about 5 minutes at the top admiring the view, the rock carvings, and Perin's Peak to the west.  Because of the loose footing and steep angle, the return trip took me about 15:00.  I am pretty sure I can get the ascent faster but I'm not sure I want to get the descent too much faster (though I'm sure some people can run this in half that time... we'll get to Rule No. 1 in a minute).

This is not my favorite mountain or climb but it is useful in that I think it steels a person in a few ways:  The narrow trail forces you to focus on foot placement.  The steep angle forces you to muscle up as much as possible and keeps your heart rate well elevated. The loose terrain, especially on the descent, makes you listen to the trail and your body.  A misstep on this trail and you will have a very bad day.  Which brings me to Rule No. 1: Don't Be Dumb.  I consider today's ascent and especially today's descent fairly conservative.  No doubt that as I do it more I will be more comfortable with the route and my speed will increase but a person simply cannot afford a lack of focus or mistake on this trail.  I've fallen and eaten enough dirt to know when something will likely trip me up if I'm not careful.  When I returned home, I did some Google research (highly academic work for spring break) and found some videos of some very amazing descents of this hill by mountain bikers and a couple on skis.  This alone could spark a discussion of Rule No. 1.  Nonetheless, I took my time.  I think the me-being-dumb factor increases with the speed in this case.  So take your time, don't be dumb, and go climb that mountain!

A Google Earth View of Hogback.  The Trail goes starts at the dirt road on the left, goes up the skinny ridge, meets the main ridge and summits at about 7500'.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Happy Saturday everyone! I am going to divert from my usual topics of clarinetting and running for a more universal topic: food! Many of know that I enjoy a vegan palate for many reasons which I don't care to expound upon in this post. Some of you have asked me to share my recently found recipe for baked beans. With the summer approaching, this could be the hit of many a vegan BBQ or tofurkey weenie roast (though the carnivores will also enjoy it!) As a scholar, I should inform you that it is not an original creation but was included in a book called "Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker" by Robin Robertson. This book has 200 great recipes. They are easy and fun to make! I did make some changes because I didn't have all the ingredients as they are printed. Here is my adaptation. I'll put the original ingredients in parenthesis when they differ. Let me know if you make it!

2 teaspoons grapeseed oil (olive oil)
1 medium onion minced (I used the food processor and it looked like pudding)
4 5oz cans navy beans
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup maple syrup (not a typo, I didn't have the 1/4 cup light molasses so I doubled the maple syrup)
1 small can tomato paste
1 Anaheim Chile (1 tablespoon minced chile in abodo)
2 teaspoons brown mustard
1 teaspoon apple vinegar (1 teaspoon rice vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup water
(1 teaspoon liquid smoke)

1. Heat the oil in a small skillet. I used cast iron but that is not mandatory. Sauté the onion.
2. Add the onion and beans to the croc-pot. Set it to low.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, (molasses), chile, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the water and blend with a whisk until well blended.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (Just before serving, stir in the liquid smoke). My sauce was a little watery so I turned the heat up to high, removed the lid, and cooked for 30 more minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally. If the sauce is too thick, add water. Add more salt and pepper if desired for taste.

That's it! Pretty simple, pretty easy. Gluten free, soy free, lots of fiber and taste! Enjoy!

This picture is what it looked like at the start of cooking.