It is funny how well I think I know myself, and how little I (maybe all of us?) actually do. Someone said recently: Well, he needs structure, and we know you won’t provide that (about someone to manage). And I was thinking — but structure is my whole game! But, it’s a loose structure.

Then we did a thing at work about what type of person you are, and there was so much revealed — how I am terrible at chit chat (but I always chit chat, I said, and my colleagues said, ‘no, you dive into the deepest subject possible’). How I devalue compliments because I am looking for ‘what is in it for them, why are they complimenting me?’

ANYWAY. I went to a board meeting in Montana last week, and I love to hike up to the big University of Montana M early in the morning before the meeting (I HAVE done this before). It turns out that I haven’t done it at the end of September. I left my room at 5:40 a.m. (which is 7:40 my time, remember) and was surprised by the dark, but assumed the light was just coming. I ran the 1.5 miles to the trail, and it was still dark, so I set up the trail. Then I tripped on a rock in the dark, and almost fell. Then I tripped again (I was trying to do it without my phone light, because surely it was about to get sunny). Finally I checked the time of sunrise … yes … 7:29 a.m. I was back in my room after the hike up to the top, and it was STILL pitch black.

SO, a friend who has known me a long time pointed out that I am … not great at taking advice. She recommended parenting books? I didn’t read them. I’m going on a hike? I don’t check the weather/light. There are lots of examples. But I DO take advice (sometimes, or, ahem, I think I do) from friends and family. When Suzanne told us to follow through on punishments for my daughter we have and it has made our relationship SO MUCH BETTER. I just like being told by the person who learned from it, vs. a book.

Anyway — check for daylight before going on a hike! Look at that famous M! (hint: You can’t see it at all).