Jake Grad, Goat & Ngong Hills

What changes a man.....

That's Jake on the left....

 Well this week marks an auspicious occasion indeed; the graduation of my son Jake. It's at a time like this, a clear milestone, that you can't help but remember your own "after school" beginnings. In retrospect - my high school friends and social scene were the whole world as far as I was concerned. Everything I needed was there, much like a chick in an egg; all the ingredients for life conveniently self-contained. At the end of high school the egg cracks and the first peak of the new world is revealed. You start pecking away at this and that to break out of your shell to have a better look. My own adventures started off pretty wobbly as I hobbled from one view to the next. As my mother is fond of saying... "it's the people you meet and the books in read that make life interesting". And I did a lot of both those things... eventually the legs get stronger, the wings stronger and you take flight....

Jake is a really an exceptional young man. His calm mature demeanor is, and always has been well beyond his years. Young or old, poor or wealthy, black or white, big or small... it matters little to Jake, as he's truly sees people as just that - people. His ability to relate well to others and find the very best in every situation is indeed an enviable and admirable quality. With his unshakable smile, I can see him going into whatever new adventure await him with a curiosity and an attitude of gratitude that belies his years. I am immensely proud of both Jake and Stevie and love watching them both taking flight. This is indeed what changes a man.... for my son has become a man...and a gentleman at that!! Congratulations my son, I love you and couldn't be more proud.

The Ngong hills

The Ngong hills are a series of 5 knuckles and a ridge running along the Great rift Valley just outside of Nairobi. It was re-settled by many British who established farms along the base. It's pretty and a really nice 7 km trek. Occasionally Lions are spotted here but more often it the 2-legged predators that have to be avoided. For that reason - a gun or two should be brought along.
The hills figure prominently in the 1985 film Out of Africa and in fact are the backdrop to the Karen Blixen farm. The hills are green most of the year but as you can see - they are particularly beautiful on the morning pictured above. The mist sat stubbornly on each knuckles  as sun flooded the countryside.... as if daring us to uncover the secrets..

My good friend Florence arranged this trip and it was a a great success as usual. I like trekking more than serious hiking as it presents the opportunity to chat and discuss. Along on the hike was a mixture of folks from all over the world. The conversation was lively and thoroughly enjoyable.

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about the wind farm on the Ngong hills. While I am at heart genuinely concerned and participative in environmental initiatives that lesson out dependence on fossil fuel... these are just pain fugly. Like Birkenstocks, they send all the right signals but just never look right regardless of how you look at them. I saw the same in Spain a few years ago...and thought it a shame that the wonderful views are interrupted so savagely with these breeze monsters. I like them in Amsterdam where they fit with the interesting architecture and cityscape....and I know I should ease up....but again they are fugly. Visual pollution will be a big deal soon...I'm sure of it!!

The town of Ngong located near the spring of the same name. A very Typical East Africa town

A couple of trekkers enjoying the view. Mostly - these are teachers volunteering.... from Belgium.

After the trek we joined a big group at a country club for Nyama Choma. Traditionally meat and beer, it's served on a board or platter just as shown below. This started out earlier in the day as a goat (Mbuzi) and now....a feast!!! I am developing an appetite to eat goat but as of yet, unable to gobble it up with sheer delight in the way my fellow Kenyans do. Maybe someday.... and then again maybe not.

Thanks for reading....Layno

A weekend in Paris

Only the French.....

 

My work finished in Brussels and I thought....why not spend the weekend in Paris? With that in mind I rented a room in a rooftop apartment through Air BNB (even though it was a little girls bunk bed, a bargain at 25 Euro per night... besides...I love vampire diaries posters) and caught a train to the famous Paris Gare du Nord. It's just a bit more than an hour and a very comfortable relaxing ride.

Arriving into Paris, I caught the 54 to Boulevard de Clichy and after settling in my room (and admiring the posters which to my absolute delight included a mostly naked Drake) - went straight to a bar to catch the opening Euro 2016 game of France vs. Romania - a match settled late in favor or the French and celebrated with significant boisterous enthusiasm. The fans were out in full force with the streets full of enthusiastic and from what I could see very well-behaved fans.



I started the day by taking the Metro to Champs Elysees and went searching for a perfect coffee and croissant. In the picture up above - is the object of my desire!! The croissant on the outside seems like it's coated in a thin sheet of glass...and the inside, rubbery and delicious. As my good friend Gary Hochban always has said in an exaggerated and comical accent "only the Fraaaanch make da true crooooiiiiisant". It is so....

The Arc de Triomphe is no less impressive than ever and I spent the balance of the afternoon walking the streets enjoying a pleasant time resplendent with Parisian flotsam and Jetsam. I really do love this city and was not surprised by the rekindled affair I have had with the city since I first visited over 30 years ago. Of note is the "price" of this mistress....with most items costing quite a bit more than expected. A beer in the pub can be $10 or $5 if you get off the beaten track and look french :) However!.... with a little creativity - you can always find a "low cost effective" alternative.....

So lunch on this day was:
a half bottle of excellent wine  - 2 Euro
a wheel of excellent Brie -  2 Euro
a warm fresh Baguette - 1 Euro 
a small delicious chocolate bar - 1Euro


Total cost of the food for lunch 6 Euro, and the view and ambiance from the bench smack in the middle of the Champs Elysees .... priceless. (the joy of drinking wine from a bottle shielded by a brown paper bag.....also priceless :)

I headed over to the Tour de Eiffel which you can spot sticking out above this sweet Piaggio gracing a Parisian side-street. Walking the streets all day is tough work, particularly after a couple beer stops and that half bottle of wine I had for lunch....but I pushed through exploring the many "little sights & sites" that surprise and delight from usual streets and places along the way.
Feeling very French - I tried to conduct myself only in French...ha! For the record I start lessons this Monday and no doubt the French folk I spoke with would have preferred that I started much earlier. :)





I've always been a fan of live performance (who isn't)  and planned in advance to see  the world famous Moulin Rouge.  A fixture in Paris since 1889, and while the location may have changed (it burned down in 1915) and the acts tailored to meet a more modern taste,  the 60ish female dancers still appear topless and absolutely resplendent in their fluffy colorful costumes. Like some weird exotic birds strangely misplaced and choreographed to unimaginable routines that are both erotic and delightful.

Recently adapted to the silver screen by Christina Aguilera and others, the real thing is still a far better experience in my view. And remember - the show that brought us the CanCan and similarly "naughty" fun entertainment holds a particularly important place in the history of show business. The show is worth every penny from a modern entertainment perspective and a historical reminder of an institution that brought considerable joy to those enduring the madness of Europe during the world wars.

The world famous Moulin Rouge

The stage is actually the whole width of the curtain...this is the warm up act...

On Sunday morning I attended mass at Notre Dame. One of the world's finest churches, the combination of stained glass, architecture and pipe organ make it a special day in church. I'm not so enamored with modern day organized religion but appreciate the community it creates, the goodwill it promotes and the sense of history it evokes. I'm sure over 1000 people were in the church as the mighty Pipe organ began filling the massive space with it's dramatic mix of rich off-key tones unique to this fabulous instrument. And just when you think it can't be any better -  a sea of voices rise up as the pipe organ subsides just enough for the 100 member choir to be heard. Truly spectacular in this day and certainly more so 100 years ago... and more. Imagine the poor huddled masses in 1345 as they first glimpsed the massive structure and witnessed the stained glass lit by the morning sun. It must have been truly mesmerizing.....

As I made my way to the church I saw this red-touqued man sitting quietly by the fountain. It was a site that touched my soul somehow  - so peaceful and at the same time thought-provoking...what is his story?. It was my best shot I think...capturing the moment so perfectly.

In the afternoon - the Musee d'orsay. While the Louvre gets all the attention - this only slightly less exciting institution deserves a  similar billing. With heeps or Monet, Van Gough and the like - it's a special place. My Mom introduced me to the concept of impressionist work when she took art history classes. At the time I suspect she didn't realize the "impression" (hehe) she was making on my young mind but it stayed with me and caused a curiosity about such things. I spent 6 hours at the museum enjoying many famous works of art and the atmosphere as people walk deep in thought from one view to the next. I worry, a bit,about the generations to come and the seeming need to have their minds stimulated and spoon fed with  a constant diet of images and info. Did I leave or create the same curiosity for my children or has the business of parenting been replaced by Facebook and Insta-gram. I don't mean this in a whiny self- loathing manner :) - rather just a thought about how the world is changing in a major way and my hope is that the identified works of art of our past can maintain top billing with the works of art of today and the future.

In the spirit of masterpieces and concentration - it was cool to see the painting on the right and then the young man sketching the same on the left. Some of my favorites would be the one below...

Or a classic like Van Gough's Starry night...painted as he went mad....slowly.....

But my favoriterest was the painting below by Ferdinand Hodler painted in 1910. The effort completely disproportionate to the task. The tree almost falling but a powerful blow coming symbolizing for me the frustration of the painter and my own frustration and impatience I experience from time to time. Ahhhhh to be perfect :)

In my last blog I spoke of a friend that had died accidentally while mishandling a firearm. The evidence available now points to her being murdered. I won't comment further on this but in the case of determined guilt - justice must surely be served. I missed the funeral but that doesn't mean that Grace was not in my thoughts and continues to be. I added the picture below of Grace from a recent trek. For me it captures her playful, saucy spirit that made her unique brand of humor as engaging as it was entertaining. A true inspiration - she will indeed be missed.

Thanks for reading -Layno

Democracy Belgium style!

Yay or nay!!!! What say you.....

As I walked to the Belgian Médecins Sans Frontières offices on a misty cool spring morning, I looked carefully back at King Leopoldo II where he sits patiently aboard his trusted steed. He ruled Belgium for exactly 44 years (1865 - 1909) and was the guy who colonized the Congo. Leo personally claimed the land and was authorized to do so at the Berlin conference (1884). His private venture was conducted under the auspices of improving the lives of the local people in what is now know as the Democratic republic of Congo. And arguably - if not Leo....then whom? The Dutch, the Brits?? Someone....

Up to 15 million Congolese died during the time that Leo stripped the country of resources which were primarily Ivory and then later rubber. With his vast fortune, he built many public Belgian buildings which were then donated to Belgium shortly before his death. Were the lives of 15 million Congolese better off as a result of Leo's benevolence? I don't think so...and the legacy he left - while lovely in Belgium  - still impacts the day to day lives of the peoples of East Africa. What would he have thought of the work MSF is now doing to help clean-up the mess left behind? Hmmmm - ironic.....



I was fortunate enough to be invited to the MSF General Assembly where many of the guiding principles are defined, revisited or abandoned as the members debate the state of affairs within the organization. It's a time for retired, active, associated and otherwise committed humanitarians, to have their say about the direction of the organization. And by all accounts it is going very well indeed. The organization's reputation is very good, the direction is well supported by donors, and I can personally and emphatically say that the dollars so generously provided are being well spent. The organization is responsive, engaged, and effective.

That said - the debate is lively and while respectful, honest and bold. For me - it's a significant departure from the private sector where concerns are wrapped and delivered in the most inoffensive packages or more often - not said at all. The fear of losing your job is not part of the MSF culture or the organizations structure. It's about the beneficiary and not shareholder wealth. It's about doing good work and not just appearing to do so. Fortunately King Leo2 was not among the debaters on the day :)

The Assembly started with a 10 minute presentation from a surgeon who was in the Kunduz hospital when it was bombed. His story is as gripping and emotionally compelling as anything I have ever heard in my life. I believe, as do many others, that this tragedy is an opportunity to bring focus to unsanctioned actions of aggression that are reported with sanitized facts and figures but ignore the messy realities on the ground. It's an opportunity for society to hold states accountable for their illegals actions, their lies and their future actions. "Sorry - It was a mistake" ..... is hardly good enough.

I just got word that a friend in Kenya died yesterday while mis-handling a friend's handgun. As one often says at a time like this - I saw her just last week and she was fine.... such a stupid thing to think. Grace was funny, friendly and fearless. As tender and delicate as a rose petal but tough and fearless when standing for what she believed in. I had planned to write a bit more today but will stop here for now. RIP Grace  - my thoughts are with you friends and family

Thank for reading  - Layno

So what is a team anyways?

If you want to go fast - go alone.... but if you want to go far - well  then  - you have to go as a team. 

We pulled away from the office on Friday morning - early - way too early for my liking. And despite the early hour, the team was laughing and clearly eager to begin our day of team building exercises in Naivasha. The trip was 2 days at the resort area where we would combine classroom instruction and activities with the goal of bringing us even closer together.

As the wheels on our bus went round and round I thought of how lucky I am to be a part of this unique and special team. To a person, they are respectful of one another, unfailingly committed to our goals and possess a warmth of character that I have not previously come across in my travels. I have had the honor of managing teams in the past (with varying levels of success I might add) but I have to say from my experience to date, that the willingness to be part of a team is an essential ingredient. This is truly a team that requires the manager to clear the way ..... then get out of the way so they can get shit done! Introducing the amazing team that runs The Mighty KSU!!

Listening carefully in the picture above, teams Super Simba (white ribbon) and Panda (Red Ribbon) receive instructions for the next activity. The task was tricky. All team players had to pass through the hoops but the bottom hoops could not be used and only 2 members could go through the second level hoops. It was remarkable how quickly the teams figured out the best strategy and executed. Team Super Simba celebrates below after completing one of the tasks before Team Panda. The enthusiasm was as exuberant as it was contagious.

 I've been leading teams for a number of years now and am honored to have been chosen for the responsibility both here and previously. It's always been my firm belief that a leader's responsibility is to serve and those who manage least, manage best. Set the goals and then let the team do it's work. In these games as in the office, leadership came from throughout.... not just supervisors. It comes from people's competencies and interest in helping the team reach their goals.

When you break down the barriers of stiff hierarchical authority relationships amazing things can happen. But here's the thing. As my friend Kim Wenner once said (very smart cookie she is)  
Communication is key!!! 
And so along with encouraging each team member to define their work, achieve self- mastery of their tasks and satisfy their needs for increasing responsibility is the importance of authentic and respectful dialogue.

Respectful and challenging communication with your colleagues....
Respect for the need to hold one another accountable
Respect for the organization itself
Respect for the agreed upon goals
Respect for yourself .... 

And so what is a team? Vince Lombardi said it well.... 
"Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." --Vince Lombardi

Smiles from a couple team members......

Caro always smiling

Mercy always smiling

Henry - always smiling

Tilapia - the chicken of fish! 

My friend Florence was good enough to cook me an authentic East African delicacy - Tilapia with all the trimmings. Easily one of the most favorite dishes in East Africa, it is available fresh and delicious throughout Kenya. One of the big three fish of biblical times, it is has been a staple in diet throughout the world wherever in fact Cichlids can survive. That happens to be almost anywhere where the water is warm. Because they will eat plant material (less harmful discharged), they can be grown in more crowed environments. Also - because they're vegetarians, they don't accumulate mercury or fat. Add to that their fast growth and tastiness and it's close to the perfect food. It reminds me of red snapper - white slightly firm meat - it's perfect with Tomato and peppers and a squish of lime. In a tidy mound above is mashed potato with fresh coriander. All in all.....a perfect feast! 

Thanks for reading - Layno