Now for the update…

:: Last month I accepted a new position at EffectiveUI (www.EffectiveUI.com). EffectiveUI is a user experience design and development agency.  There are several examples of work and case studies on their site.  I’m a few weeks into this new role and really enjoying it.   Our offices are downtown (22nd and Market) so if you’re around the neighborhood lets grab a coffee, lunch or happy hour.

:: Kelly and I still have our feet in the vacation rental industry but solely in a charitable capacity.  VacationHomesForCharity.org and Geronimo.comcontinue to raise money for charities using extra weeks at vacation rentals.

:: The kids are doing great. Makayla is now 8 months old and getting mobile (not the iPhone 4S … she’s crawling).  Campbell (3 1/2) is playing soccer every week and loves going to the Buffs football games.  He got is his first football helmet last week and it’s only been off for sleep and school.   Piper (2) is adorable and we just can’t get enough of her.  Some pictures are on McFaddenPlace.com and Facebook.

:: Kelly and I completed the Denver Half Marathon a few weeks ago.   And yes Kelly beat me by about 20 minutes.  Actually, I’m surprised I got that close!  You can view my training program/results on our blog: http://mcfaddenplace.com/2011/10/half-marathon-complete/

:: This wouldn’t be an official update if I didn’t fill you in on my golf game … well, it’s out of whack.  I have my highest handicap since high school.  I just can’t stop the double bogies.  That being said, I did play great 2 days this summer and it happened at the club championship at Common Ground.  I got my only eagle of the summer that weekend and had more birdies than any other round.  I took 2nd place.  But my luck ran out … later that week I lost in the match play championship 5 and 4.  I love this game!

:: Books, Blogs and Tools:

• Books I’m reading are available onLinkedIn.  Some of my favs this year are 4 Hour Body (BTW I gained 17 lbs in 40 days), Do the Work, and The War of Art.
• Books on my radar: That Used To Be Us,Hunger Games, The High-Beta Rich, andThis is Service Design Thinking.
• Blog posts I’ve read and shared through google reader
• Twitter Updates available @McFads
• A few cool tools I’m using: Evernote (I love this tool on my phone and laptop),Remember the Milk (excellent to-do list app/program), and Instagram (cool photo app).

That’s it for now.  I’d love to know what’s going on with you.  Drop me a note if you get a chance.

Cheers

Trim put in tomorrow

Kid on Friday

Fortunately I don’t have to do any of the work for any of the projects

1. I organized

For some reason I decided it was time to organize the garage … in February … in Colorado.  Actually the weather was nice so it wasn’t too bad.  I put some more boxes in the rafters, swept the floor, threw away a dead mouse (yep), organized my tools, and put away all the gardening tools.

2. I fixed

Our upstairs bathroom toilet has been broken for 6 months … the running of the water unless you jiggle the handle.  So this weekend I actually switched the toilet tanks.  I installed a smaller (eco-friendly) tank on the old base.  It works great and now we don’t have to tell guests to jiggle the handle.  I also finally installed ball catches on the french doors in the office.  Lastly I installed a new shower head in our upstairs shower.

3. I prepared … for 40 days of going vegetarian

I printed out several recipes friends sent me when I told them I was going to go vegetarian for 40 days.  I also printed several from Dr Weil’s site.  Know any more recipes?  Would love to get them before March.

A big thank you to family, especially

• Kelly
• My parents
• My inlaws
• My kids
• My brother/sister inlaw
• My brothers

A thank you to my spiritual family, especially

• Dave R
• Gibson’s
• Michael H
• Small group – until the breakup in the summer
• DCC Small Group
• DCC leadership team

A thank you to those around my work, especially

• Mark G
• The TSOLE board
• The TSOLE investors
• Therese L
• Joseph S
• Berks
• Alex S
• Bob S
• Bob D
• Dale P
• Eric B
• Jon F
• Cicada
• JBL
• Meghan B

To some writers that have influenced me this year

• Seth Godin
• Tony Schwartz
• Heath Brothers
• Donald Miller

To some friends that we shared some good time in 2010

• Bridgette B
• Halls
• Campbells (CO)
• Finleys
• Alex and Jen
• Shocks
• Kris K
• Kerr
• DJ
• Huy
• Jacob G
• Von Ebers
• Denver Active crew

In September of 2010 I wrote about story lines.  Within there I listed out some others that have impacted me through the years.   Its a very cool exercise.  It reminded me of how blessed I am.  I hope 2011 I can I live in such a way as to positively inspire as many that have done for me.

Per a blog post from Seth Godin I’m going to publish my accomplishments  (things I got done) in 2010.  I chose “got done” vs “accomplishment” because not all of these things are necessarily admirable per the definition of accomplishment.  They are just things I “shipped”.  It’s not being published to tout or gloat rather I’m actually doing it because I think it will inspire me to do better next year and perhaps it might inspire some others.  I’m also doing it because I often focus on what I didn’t accomplish … here’s my attempt at focusing on the bright spots (in chronological order as much as possible)

• Joined Denver Active 20-30 and helped raise money for 40 charities that help kids in Denver
• Broke 70 on the golf course with a 68 at Heritage in Westminster (don’t be fooled though I had several rounds in the mid 80s the rest of the year)
• Participated in lent by giving up alcohol for 40 days
• Participated in a one day silent retreat at Sacred Heart Retreat Center
• Launched LuxuryVacationRentalMarketing.com
• Sold The Society to Luxury Real Estate
• Impregnated Kelly for the 3rd time … sounds funny but this is a serious answer to prayer.  We went 2 years trying for one kid and now we’re on #3. See video that was posted in Feb 2007.
• Completed 100 day fast from alcohol (September – December) … disclaimer: I did have ~5 glasses of wine during the time (Italy, bday, and Christmas)
• Launched a redesigned VacationHomesForCharity.org
• Visited my mom and participated in her 10 year recovery celebration … awesome story of restoration and reconciliation
• Visited my brother Joe in Florida
• Raised ~$200,000 for charities through Vacation Homes For Charity
• Read 11 books (goal was one a month)
• Set up family budget for 2011
• Wrote 6 blog posts on My Story
• Wrote 52 blog posts on McFaddenPlace
• Wrote this blog post

Obviously I did not do all these things myself.  There are many many people that contributed to each one.  I’m publishing it to inspire myself and others.   AND none of these things would have happened (especially prego #3) if I didn’t have the most loving, supportive, understanding wife in the world.  As she knows very well I can get pretty crabby and irritable when I’m trying to “ship” something.

1. Androids hit the McFadden’s.  Not real Androids but the phones.  Why would that change anything? Because all our updates go directly to Facebook or Twitter.  You can check out Mike’s Twitter feed @McFads or search for us on Facebook.

2. Blogs take time … I am working on a few things as it relates to my experience starting a company.  It’s turning out to be quite a task to distill my learnings over the past 3.5 years.  I’m also hoping to write some reviews on a few books I’ve finished including Linchpin, ReWork, and Prayer (Foster).

3. 2 kids … everyone can agree 2 is more than 1 but did you know 2 is more than double 1?  It is with kids.  Less down time …. but that’s no real excuse.  We’ll get better.

Stay tuned.

-Mike