🦃 Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

We've got a turkey in the oven (which didn't come with giblets so the gravy will not have as much flavor as usual). Heather's working on an apple pie. "As American as apple pie", which originally came from the Dutch appeltaart, imported by the Dutch colonists in the New Amsterdam colony which is now New York City. The Dutch also imported a lot of other of values that are still core things Americans hold dear but I'll save that for another time.

This Thanksgiving I'm thankful for our team at Gozynta. I'm thankful we have developed a great culture, and that's something that everyone contributes to. We have the right people to make it a pleasant place to work. Good things are happening.

The other night I was reflecting... I had been talking to Mya, my youngest, about her plans after high school. I was thinking more about it after. I think the advice I gave to her really can be summed up by saying "optimize for experiences".

It got me thinking about the experiences I value from my life. I usually think I don't do that much besides work, and I have worked a lot, but that's also made a lot of other experiences possible.

• I did some long cross-country motorcycle tours, in multiple countries
• I've learned how to operate a scanning electron microscope and look at things with 1000x magnification
• I single-handed sailed a 30+ foot sailboat for a 2 day trip
• I've consulted for some rather large companies and got a little window into how they operate. Learned about their product, their internal culture, how the implement policies, who their customers are, etc.
• I've flown an airplane
• Lots of downhill skiing
• Climbed Mt Washington, twice. Some other quite challenging mountaineering adventures too
• Undertook some major home renovation projects (and managed not to drop my house on myself)
• I found myself a great partner in Heather who supports me in so many ways and has enabled so many of my dreams that I thought were out of reach
• I was "adopted by" 2 teenagers
• I've learned to take apart cars and motorcycles (and usually get them back together again)
• I've been involved in the purchase and sale of at least 4 companies now.
• Jumped out of a plane
• Learned a new language after 40 (well, I'm still learning, but I can communicate a good amount in it)
• Oh yeah, and moved to Europe

I've done some pretty cool shit. I'm thankful that I've been able to have these adventures, and I wish just as much richness in the lives of my 4 kids.