100 Things?

Recently, on Dancing with Elephants, I heard about a man trying to whittle his personal belongings down to 100 items. Greg and Tonya asked their audience to write in with what 10 things they couldn’t live without. That got me thinking: as a self-professed, but improving, pack-rat, could there be only 10 things with which I couldn’t live? So, to start, I did a rough inventory of the Outback. For those of you that are new here, that’s the name of our home office / recording studio. Our first home had a separate room in the back yard, which was the whole reason I wanted to buy that house, that served as an office and studio. When my oldest brother, Ken, saw it he instantly christened it the Outback. On a somewhat unrelated note, it was also Ken that gave Emily the nickname she uses today, Emo, the day she was born. Back to the story. These days, the Outback is inside but still serves, in addition to a home office and recording studio, as my personal junk drawer. While I was up late recently I started counting and cataloging nearly everything in the Outback. Here’s what I came up with so far:

87 shot glasses 9 century patches 4 century pictures 3 shelves hanging 3 shelves waiting to be hung 1 Paul Stanley framed pictured (B&W) 8 misc framed pictures 1 Apple Store opening shirt in tube (Arden Fair) 34 Kiss CDs 2 Kiss albums 2 Kiss 8-tracks 1 picture of Blackie Lawless 1 Yamaha synthesizer 1 M-audio keyboard / MIDI controller 1 movie poster - Gore Vidal’s The Best Man 1 framed poster with hundreds of stickers from CDs and tapes 1 framed poster with 55 concert and game tickets 1 replica "flying disc" patent drawing, framed 118 magazines 1 television (I didn't realize this was still in here) 7 guitars 2 mandolins 1 bass 5 guitar cases 3 guitar pedals 6 microphones 1 guitar amp 1 bass amp 1 bottle of Kiss wine 1 Gene Simmons bottle topper 1 double deck tape player / recorder 127 books 239 cassette tapes 3 mic stands 1 complete set of the New Yorker magazine on DVD 27 pens 1 Rubik cube 1 wireless router 1 DSL modem 2 money clips 2 computer (PC) 1 monitor 1 PowerBook G4 1 iMac 1 iCurve 3 Mice 4 keyboards 1 tape dispenser 2 cameras 1 pack of blank DVDs 1 pack of black CDs 1 corded phone 1 printer 5 surge protectors 1 bobble head 7 post cards 4 trophies 2 desk calendars 1 Roland mixer 1 MOTU ultralite mixer 1 mic pre-amp 1 DV-AV switchbox 2 set studio monitors 1 desk 2 chairs 1 barstool 1 4-drawer cabinet 1 2-drawer file cabinet 1 calculator 1 scientific calculator 3 sets of headphones 1 Zoom portable recorder 1 iSight camera 6 sets of guitar/mandolin/bass strings 9 guitar cables 17 various audio cables 1 M-audio guitar pre-amp 5 power supply units for unknown devices 3 Lacie external hard drives 1 VCR 1 magnetic dart board 5 clip boards 3 Kiss comic books 10 3-drawer cassette tape holders 8 conference badges with lanyards 139 home movies on VCR tapes 2 hole punchers 1 Yamaha 4-track tape recorder 4 Kiss matchbox cars 1 Kiss toothbrush 3 rulers 14 notebooks 1 can of Mountain Dew from the middle east 1 miniature NFL helmet 1 picture frame with 10 pictures (1 pic at a time) 1 12-drawer plastic cabinet 1 2-drawer plastic cabinet 3 guitar stands 1 set of computer speakers 1 camera cable 2 iPod cables 1 iPhone cable and dock 1 whiteboard 4 boxes of thank you cards 2 mouse pads 2 decks of cards 2 letter openers 3 magnetic clips 7 keychains 9 owners manuals 3 various packs of KC Chiefs stickers 4 unused gift certificates 9 used Moleskine notebooks 2 unused Moleskine notebooks 238 business cards 1 pocket knife 2 name tags from previous jobs 19 various buttons and pins 4 bumper stickers 1 can of Copenhagen from 1991 2 cork boards 1 box of jewel cases 190 California lottery tickets from 1987-1990 1 wireless print server 1 KC Chiefs punch puppet 2 photo albums 1 camera tripod 2 shoe shine sets 1 ziplock bag with my hair from 1992 - the last time I had long hair 1 man purse (unused since 1989) 3 cell phone chargers 2 boxes of football cards 8 binders 1 homemade "Outback" sign 2 framed / autographed Nick Lowery portraits / paintings 1 scanner

1,430 items in the Outback alone. Of course, I have all of my CDs (which I haven’t touched in years) stowed away elsewhere, another collection of books, 23 Franklin Quest / Franklin Covey storage cases and other keepsakes in my bedroom. Then there’s the garage. Two road bikes, a mountain bike and of course, the penny farthing; tools, bike accessories... the list goes on and on.

What 10 material things could I not live without? That is a very difficult question to answer. If I had to name the top 10 things I couldn’t live without, I’d have to say:

PowerBook G4 iMac Acoustic guitar (probably the nylon string one) Electric guitar (Fender Stratocaster) Guitar amp Camera Yamaha synthesizer Zoom H2 Bose headphones Kiss Music From the Elder album

Of course, as much of a pack-rat as I am, this has actually been a good exercise for me. I have too much stuff; maybe it’s time for a purge. If you want to take any of the other 1,420 things off my hands, feel free to make me an offer - iwilltakeyourjunk@mattbeckwith.com

Manager Tools Conference

Last week I had the privilege of joining the Manager Tools Effective Manager Conference as an associate of Manager Tools. As a long-time listener and premium member since day one, I was honored that Mark Horstman and Mike Auzenne gave me the nod to working with them in San Francisco. After their first conference last year I considered it the most valuable conference I have ever attended. This time, as part of the Manager Tools team for two days, it was absolutely the highlight of my professional life.

My role was to interject with my thoughts as Mark, Mike and Michael presented on effectively using one on ones, feedback, coaching and delegation. It was my goal to talk about the successes and challenges I’ve had in, and after, the implementation of one on ones, feedback, coaching and delegation. Just the same as last April, the conference was high energy with over 100 other managers who were all passionate about becoming better. At no other conference have I ever seen attendees stay for two hours after the formal close of the conference, digesting more content.

I met a lot of other very talented managers from all parts of the US (and beyond) and from very diverse backgrounds. I found it refreshing that other managers at all levels struggle with the same things I’ve struggled with. Interacting with the attendees was very rewarding. I felt like a million bucks when some of the attendees told me after the close that they appreciated my insight and contributions to the conference. I share Mark and Mike’s passion for the powers of good management and was thrilled to share the stage with them on the subject. Mark has said before that good managers can change the world. I couldn’t agree more. Management is about people and good management has to come from love. Mark and Mike acknowledge that there are not a lot of other management consultants that talk about love as the basis for good management. This is one of the things that makes them different.

Mark, Mike and Michael did an amazing job throughout the two days and I learned a lot about presenting from them. Again, it was a great honor to play in their very large sandbox for a couple of days.

Thank you to my friends, Steve Holden and Rich Ruh for blazing the trail and helping me prepare. Mark, Mike, Michael, Kate and Maggie - thank you for allowing me this awesome opportunity.

When I was a teenager I wanted to be a rock star and dreamed of being on-stage, playing rhythm guitar, with some of my favorite bands. Now that I’ve grown up, I aim to be a better person and better manager, more than a rock star. Rock stars have been replaced by great leaders. Dream fulfilled.

For some time I referred to Mark and Mike as being the greatest management theorists of today but, after spending more time with them I am reminded they are not theorists at all. They don’t talk about theory, they talk about what you can do today to be a more effective manager. If you are a manager (or hope to be in the future) you owe it to yourself to subscribe to Manager Tools.

Why We Love Stockton

Last week, in anarticle written by Record editor Mike Klocke’s, local residents were invited to write in with three things they liked about Stockton, along with one thing they’d like to improve.

Of course, I couldn’t resist chiming in on the subject. Sometimes I feel as Dawn and I are the only ones that actually love living here.

Some of my comments were published in today’s Record, so I thought I would share my entire piece here.

What do I like about Stockton?

I love the Asparagus Festival.  I loved it when it was held at Oak Grove Regional Park and my parents used to perform country western dancing there.  That was back when Sue Carson owned KFMR and country was cool.  I love the festival even more now that it is downtown.  Yan Can Cook.  Enough said.

I love the restaurants.  Sure, we used to be the restaurant killer.  Not any more.  Of course, I miss the Hatch Cover, Shannon's and Mallards.  I also miss Cancun, the original one.  There food never tasted the same after they moved a block away.  Cibo di Vino is not only one of the best pizza places in town, it's one of the best restaurants.  Paragary's (with all that goes with that) has promise.  On Lock Sam, Dave Wong's, De Vega Brothers, Portifino, Yasoo Yani and Ciao Bella are some of my favorites.

I love that we have two malls, right across the street from one another, situated the furthest possible distance from any freeway.  Call it quirky; I love that!

I love that the Blackwater started playing music again.

I love Victory Park. I love the Miracle Mile.  I love the waterfront.

I love the Trivia Bee.  I have never done well, but I love competing.  I loved the Business Leadership Summit and was devastated when it ceased.

I love our Stockton Thunder and our beautiful Stockton Arena.  Given the fiasco to build it, I truly am amazed at what it became.  I remember thinking that hockey would fail and that soccer might have a small following.  Soccer is all but defunct at the arena while the Thunder is breaking attendance records and hosting all-star games.  If you lose hope in Stockton, go to a Thunder game.  People from all walks of life, some (like me and my family) had no interest in hockey before, bond in a way that this city has needed for a long time.  We're not itching for a hockey championship; we're itching for a sense of community.

I love our neighbors.  We have great neighbors who help watch out for one another.  They are respectful, courteous and all around lovely people.

One change I would like to see?  Stockton's residents need to get more involved in the city.  Sure, crime is rampant.  I blame the people of Stockton, my fellow Stocktonians, more than I blame our police department and our leaders.  We, especially as parents, need to take a more active role in the lives of our children. It is our responsibility to teach them to be contributing members of society, it is not the responsibility of our police department and our criminal justice system.

Stockton woes self-inflicted?  Yes.  There is a lot to be happy about in this great city.  My wife and I take great resposibility in raising our family and are proud to do it in Stockton.  It's our responsibility to ensure that our children get the best education possible to build up to their college years and on to their careers.  Schools are not simply a place to drop kids.

Click here for our other blog posts about Stockton.

The picture up top is from 9-16-01 and is one of my favorite pictures I’ve taken at the Waterfront. Here are the rest of the pictures from that set.

Iguana Wanna

For dinner last night, we went to Iguana Wanna, a new restaraunt in Stockton. They opened for business a little more than a month ago in the space that used to be occupied by Papapavlos (7555 Pacific Ave).

It’s no surprise that we love trying new restaurants but the real treat is trying a new local restaurant.

The layout of the restaurant was the same as it was for Papapavlos but with updated decor and paint. There was no wait and were quickly seated by the window. Our server came right over with chips and salsa and took our drink order. There was no kids menu but he did rattle off some kids items - cheeseburger, burrito, quesadilla.

Dawn and Emily ordered salads which were each very big and served in a tortilla shell with grilled vegetables and shrimp. I ordered the Iguana Spicy Chicken, served with rice and beans. Makenzy stayed simple with a cheesburger and fries. All of the food was very good. Dawn and Emily didn’t care for the sauce on the grilled veggies but I did. The Spicy Chicken was delicious and true to its name. Makenzy ate every bite of her meal so it’s safe to say she enjoyed it.

The prices were very reasonable. All of our entrees were under $10. The service was friendly but they were a little forgetful. When they brought my meal I was asked if I wanted tortillas, I said yes but they never came. There were a few times our server didn’t know something we thought he should: not being sure if they had root beer and not being sure if the salsa had jalapenos (the couple behind us asked that one).

I wanted to ask the server a little about the restaurant but it started to get busy before we left. With only two people working the front of the restaurant I wondered what level of service they would provide.

The one thing that I thought was a little odd was the fact that they had cloth napkins (I like that) and plastic drinking cups (I don’t like that). At $2 for iced tea or soda it would be nice to have the drinks served in a glass.

In the end, I would definetly recommend Iguana Wanna. The food was good, the prices were good and the service was ok. Check out the other reviews on Yelp.

Stockton Ports vs. Visalia Oaks

So, how did we spend the last night of my wonderful vacation? Watching the Stockton Ports beat the Visalia Oaks. We sat in the AARP section (and it was senior citizen night) and met two great couples. One of the men is a retired ObGyn doctor who spent 40 years delivering babies in Stockton... how cool is that!

The game was great, with the Ports taking a 4-0 lead off a pair of two-run homers in the first inning. Just before the the first one, a couple out on a date were asked to pick a player that they thought would hit a double. If that player hit one she would get a bouquet of roses. The young man picked Chris Carter and then got down on his knees and proposed to his girlfriend, whom he met exactly five years ago, at a Ports game! She said yes and everyone applauded. Just a short time later, Carter got up and with two outs, belted a homer to put the Ports up 2-0.

Early in the game, a foul ball came flying toward our section, hit a young boy in the head, bounced and hit a woman in the head and then flew right over me. I got my hand on it but it fell behind me. I couldn’t get over the fact that the ball bounced twice and still flew from about the middle of section 119, about row 5 all the way to section 118, row 10!

The Ports beat the Oaks 4-2 and will face the Oaks again tomorrow. Dawn and the girls will be at that game as well... maybe they’ll do a better job holding on to a ball than I did.

Check out the pics here.

iPhone 2.0

After returning home from camping, I finally downloaded iTunes 7.7 and iPhone 2.0. Even though I’m not getting the new 3G iPhone I have been really looking forward to the new software. I had just won a $50 gift card from Stacey over at Pill’s Place so I decided to get an iTunes card, just in time for the opening of the App Store (and the purchase of Alan Jackson’s Good Time).

In addition to the App Store, 2.0 has some new features, such as the ability to do a screen shot (Jason Tucker explains how). Now I can easily show the applications I’ve downloaded.

So far, my favorite apps are: Remote - now I can control my iTunes from my iPhone... awesome! Guitar Toolkit - A great portable guitar tuner Where To? - An app that shows nearby restaurants, attractions, etc. Super Monkey Ball - fun game, kids will probably play more than I do Fuel Gauge (MPG) - helps me track my gas mileage Tetris - amazing game for the iPhone, a must have! AOL Radio - I know, it’s AOL, but the interface is beautiful and the music choices are great!

I was also thrilled to see the push services work. Since I rely heavily on iCal and Address Book (and, oh yeah, Mail) I can now go about my day no longer worrying that I may double book myself. Another new feature I really like is the way passwords are masked. Now, the last character is left un-masked until the next character is typed - very helpful when I fat-finger a password and forget what I’ve already typed.

So, thanks Stacey, for letting me go wild on the App Store!

Do you have an iPhone? What are some your favorite apps? E-mail me (mb@mattbeckwith.com) or post your favorites in the comments section.

Lori and Tim Visit

Today, we went to Grace’s in Sacramento to see Lori and Tim who were visiting from Florida. We all had a good time swimming and catching up with the cousins and other family. It was great to see Lori and her little son. Of course, I use the term, little, loosely given the fact that he is 6 feet tall!

We were also treated to Lee and his wonderful resonator guitar. After playing and singing Happy Birthday to everyone with a July birthday, we all sang The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel and a couple of others. Then Lee played a couple of new originals. Here’s a small clip of one of his songs.

Click here for the other pics from today.

Annual Brotherhood Camping 2008

This year, we joined the Deckos and the Havenses at good ol’ Folsom Lake - Beals Point to be exact. Having last been here in 2002 we were looking forward to the combined camp sites - especially since the Deckos were actually camping in tents and the lil’ ones are older now.

To say the first day was hot would be a major understatement. The local newspapers had called it the hottest day of the year. With the mercury soaring to 110 degrees right about the time we arrived at camp and started to set up we weren’t doubting that one bit. There was still a pretty bad haze in the air from all of the local fires and we thought we’d not see blue skies for days.

On Thursday we made our way to one of the only parts of the lake where we could swim. The day use area near our camp, where we spent a lot of time 6 years ago, was a ghost town. The water was so low that the beach extended at least a quarter-mile. Ken, Tony, Christina and I went by bike, using the vast mountain bike trails that surround the lake to get there. About half-way through the 3+ mile route I took a hard turn to fast and spilled my bike (my MTB, of course) pretty bad. After I picked myself up and assessed the scrapes to the elbow, knee and back I realized that I smashed the LCD of my camera. Interestingly, it was the same fate that the previous version of our camera met on our Disneyland trip in 2005 - the smashed LCD that is, not the bike crash. Tony also crashed a few minutes later and broke his derailer. Don’t fear, though, bike fans, Tony rigged it up nice and pretty when he got back to his truck.

Later that evening, Shauna and the kids joined us. We headed out to the lake again on Friday afternoon. The temperature had fallen to below 100 and the skies were actually starting to clear from all of the fires buring in Northern California so it actually felt a little “chilly”. The big girls, Emily, Kaela and Maryssa, covered themselves in mud and entertained the adults while Christian spent the better part of the afternoon in the water, eventually bringing up a water-logged tree trunk that must’ve weighed 200 pounds.

On Friday night, Ken, Tony and I took a late night ride out toward the water. We made it a couple of miles out on the trails and decided to turn around; riding in the dark was fun until we got to the climbs, and worse, the descents.

All in all, even given the extremely hot weather on the first day, it was another great year of camping, aside from smashing the LCD on my camera - good weather the rest of the trip, including blue skies, awesome bike trails and well behaved kids.

To get a better perspective on ABC ’08, check out the pictures here.

Happy 4th of July

Happy Independence Day! To start the holiday I met Mike and Harold for the annual 4th of July Linden ride. It was perfect weather, not hot at all and just a little wind. Once we got back to Lodi I headed home for a quick pit stop before riding out to Manteca. After 80 miles I couldn’t wait to jump in pool!

The kids swam most of the day while I repeatedly got my butt kicked in ping pong (well, except for the game I played against Bruce). After some hackey sack and then a great dinner of hot dogs, beer brats and hot links we drove to watch the fireworks. Even though we were only a mile or so away from the Field of Dreams, the fireworks were a dud, too low to really see so we went back and blew up the arsenal we bought from the local fireworks stand earlier in the day.

Shortly after 11 PM, I jumped back on my bike for the 23 mile ride back home. Ok, I didn’t really ride home last night, but everything else really happened!

Check out the pictures here.

Vive le Tour!

It’s July, so that means it’s time for my Tour de France predictions.

After the debacle that was the ’06 Tour I vowed to never again follow the race. All I’ve proven by doing that is that I am weak; I still love le Tour. In 2006 I predicted that Floyd Landis would take the final yellow jersey - which he did, until he was officially stripped of the title for the final time last week.

The ’08 Tour would’ve been a lot more fun to pick had Astana been given the opportunity to race. Plus, with some of my favorite riders like Boonen and Mayo out for ’08, this year’s Tour de France is a tough one to call. Add to that the fact that I am horrible at picking winners and you have the recipe for failure... until this year!

It is without hesitation that I make the following predicitons for the 2008 Tour de France.

Overall: Cadel Evans / Lotto 2nd: Carlos Sastre / CSC 3rd: Alejandro Valverde / Caise d'Epargne 11th: George Hincapie / High Road

KOM: Yaroslav Popovych / Lotto

Sprint: Thor Hushovd 2nd: Fabian Cancellara 3rd: Mark Cavendish

Team: CSC

During the next few weeks, I’ll be following the tour from a few sites: http://www.letour.fr/us/homepage_courseTDF.html http://www.versus.com/tdf/ http://twitter.com/DailyTour

If you have an opinion, I’d love to hear it. Feel free to make a comment on this post or send me an e-mail. Come back on July 21, 2008 and see how I did. I’m sure Cadel Evans will be wearing the maillot jaune in the end.