December Challenge, Day 9: A few of my favorite things

Ok, so these are a few of my favorite things...



Classic Movies



TV Series...



Comic books, Super hero Movies, TV Series, etc...

Compulsively buying books in the hope I will get to eventually read them...

Coffee...

Beer...

Eating out...

Playing music with friends...

Concerts...

Running...



Hiking...



Doing sports in general...

Traveling to fun places...

Hanging out with friends and family...

Spending quality time with my girl...

December Challenge, Day 8: What Matters

Today I found out that an old co-worker and friend died. Not sure when he died, but to me it's as if he died today. I had not seen him in a few years, but with people who you don't see, it's as with Schrödinger's cat. You assume they're ok unless otherwise told...

This got me thinking about a very disturbing statistic that I've noticed this year. 2015 is the year that I've been to most funerals in my life. Until this year, the most funerals I'd attended in any given year had been 1-2 at the most... This year I attended 5 funerals, and I did not attend an additional 2 which I really would have liked to attend, because I could not physically attend, as they were held far away from my city, with no time to travel.

None of these were of people specially close to me, but all of them were of people very close to people very dear to me. In all cases I had a very dear friend or family member loose someone close and dear to them. A father, a mother, a brother, an uncle, a son, a best friend... People who I love lost someone they loved dearly and in some cases it changed their lives forever...

I was in the process of thinking about my "December challenge" topic of the day: "What matters" and it became so obvious and clear... Being alive, being healthy. This is what really matters. I would even go further... what really matters is having those close to you, those who matter to you be alive and healthy.

We take this for granted, we believe this is "normal". We don't even think about it, and worry about nonsense, get worked up with trivial things and stress out about minute troubles... until someone we love is faced with a disease, or has an accident. And then we realise all of that crap is really insignificant and we wish we had payed more attention to the person we now miss... We wish we could have them for just one more day, one more conversation... Wish we could call them or email them... just to see how they're doing...

It's too late to call or write to my friend... But I have many friends who I can call and find out about
... And this is what matters...

Alfredo, a good guy... a good friend!

December Challenge, Day 2: One Word

If I have to sum up the year in one word, it would have to be "Comeback". Both in the sense of "rebirth" as well as turning around a situation... 

First of all, in my professional life, this year brings a new beginning in many aspects. A new business venture, one that also brings me to collaborate again with an old friend and former co-worker; a first signed contract for another one of my business ventures; and a collaboration with a band which has meant my comeback to the music business in a new capacity, as a personal manager, which has also meant my coming back to a part of the business which I had long forgotten.

On the other hand, I've also made a comeback in a more personal aspect of my life: My music. Music is a big part of me. One which I had forsaken for many years, and which I started to get back in 2013. This year I not only released my second record (as I mentioned in the first post), but I also started playing again with friends, on a regular basis, as I started playing in a cover band. 

December Challenge, Day 1: What was the best part?

Many things have happened in 2015. I ran my 7th Marathon, I started a new venture, I began playing in a cover band with friends, I started working as a musical manager...  I had some pretty awesome trips and hiking experiences... All in all a very eventful and full year, but I guess my biggest highlight would be the release of my second record. 

Many years ago I released an album where I was a composer, singer and musician. I also participated in arrangements and production, but due to my youth and lack of experience, I always felt my effort fell short of mark... Even though the record was hugely successful (in Chile, at least), I always felt bad that I never got to do a second one where I could apply all that I had learnt in the first one. This year, after 18 years, I got to compose, record and produce (co-produce) a new album. Not only that, but we even released it with two videos in which I also had a part, and a "world tour" which saw us perform and do promotion in Chile and -for the first time ever for my band- Spain! 

Finishing, releasing and supporting this album with my band mates was the best part for me...

A deep breath of fresh air!

One of the things I enjoy the most about swimming is how my lungs seem to grow after I've been training for an hour... I suppose the fact that you must hold your breath and take the air in between strokes, makes you appreciate more the fact that you can take in deeper and slower breaths once you're outside if the water...
Tonight I came out of the pool, only to find that while I was in the water, the Earth itself was being bathed by a refreshing spring shower...
Now the cool, clean air feels wonderfully refreshing, with almost a velvety quality that reminds me of a cool beer... A beer for the soul!

A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO ALL MY FEMALE FRIENDS

This is a post I wrote almost two years ago. I'm reproducing it word for word, rather than updating:

"Today a very good friend of mine is undergoing a mastectomy. A few months ago she found a lump and had it checked out. She eats healthy, doesn't smoke, has had a child and breast fed him... According to most guidelines she should not have breast cancer, but she does. The good news it that they cought it in time to treat and operate. She's undergoing quimo-therapy, an operation, will have reconstructive surgery and most likely another round of Quimo to top it off...But in the end she has a great chance of surviving and seeing her child grow up...

I'm sharing all this in the hope that all of my frieds make sure to check themselves out periodically. It can happen to you, but if you catch it in time it will only mean a bad year... think of the alternative...

Love to all!"

March 17 2011

I'm happy to say that after the mastectomy -when she had one breast completely removed to make sure, and after a second round of radiation, she is well and healthy. She had reconstructive surgery, and her hair has grown back since... She feels and looks great, and this whole experience has made her put things into perspective, and appreciate more the little things in life... As well as Life itself. 

Apart from the fact that I still want to stress the importance of having periodic check-ups, it also helps to remember that we take many things for granted, such as life, health, as well as the health of those we love... Something to think about when we're feeling like life is not being fair, or we're just having a bad day... If you're alive and healthy. If your family and friends are alive and healthy... It's always a great day!

DECEMBER CHALLENGE... The Sequel

As it happened last year, the holidays caught up with me and I ended up losing the flow of the challenge... but as I hate to leave things unfinished, and since it’s always better late than never, here goes:

DAY 22: Action. When it comes to aspirations, its not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

Funny I should get stuck precisely in the call for action. But it’s symptomatic. Even though I’m a man of action, I’m also a master procrastinator, and this has always been my achilles heel... When  faced with a large task I tend to put it off and focus instead in smaller errands and simpler tasks just to get them out of the way and feel active, while avoiding the inevitable moment when I must tackle the White Whale... 

This is a problem for which I know the solution, which is to take on the large project by decomposing it into small easy-to-handle tasks that can be turned into quick wins and thus give me the sense of moving forward.

So now I’m precisely doing this, and decomposing the huge task of going from 0 to 100 on my new professional project, so I can at least attempt to engage it and get things going...

DAY 23: Write a letter to your future self, telling the future you about what you hope for you. (read it slowly again, you'll get it)

Dear future Fran, I hope you are happy with your life. This is my main wish for you, and my objective in everything I will do this year is to ensure your happiness... 

This year will be an important year for us, so I will focus on our professional project, and hope that you reap the seeds I saw... I also am a believer in “enjoying the ride”, so I will make sure I enjoy the work and the road towards getting you to where I hope you get. Hope you’re still doing this as well...

Finally, I will also make sure that the main objective does not distract me from the important people in our life, and also from keeping healthy and in shape. You can thank me for your ideal weight, low cholesterol and amazing abs... just keep at it for the both of us!

Don’t forget to pass all this on to our future self...

Present Fran (Past Fran to you)

DAY 24: post a photo of what this holiday means to you...

To me Christmas is all about family, and I’ve been blessed to be with family every single Christmas of my life... Maybe not with the whole family, as that get’s harder every year, but always with somebody of my immediate family... So these two photos describe my idea of what Christmas means to me... 

DAY 25: what is your favorite holiday tradition?

Christmas Eve dinner... My mom’s traditional menu if and when possible, but the main ingredient is the company, of course... 

DAY 26: If you had the chance to do X over, what would it be?

My choice of career... If I had to chose today I’d probably choose a different major or even a different field... It’s a shame an 18 year old is expected to make these choices before really knowing what the choice means... Still, I’ve changed that original choice many times over: From Economics, to Communications, to Marketing, to Business Administration, to Marketing Online... so maybe the fact that I took the long road will eventually make sense after all... 

DAY 27: Surprise. What event touched you in 2012 in an unexpected way?

Finding out I was going to be fired. It actually made me realize that I was wasting my time in a place that did not appreciate me, for people who did not respect me professionally... This made me wake up and admit that I was not happy in that company, I was not engaged with that project, and -with some exceptions- I did not respect my directors professionally... So I saw clearly that I should make the most of my time and efforts and decided that I would make the best of the situation, and take this opportunity to try something different. So this event actually changed my life in a way, and hopefully for the better. At the very least, I am more engaged and much happier now!

DAY 28: Compassion. Were you gentle with yourself in 2012? How were compassionate towards yourself in 2012? How will you be kind towards yourself in 2013?

I suppose I could have been much gentler towards myself... Specially I could have taken better care of my body and my health. I will try to eat better, sleep more and exercise much more... To train better before my next Marathon and to be fitter and slimmer before my next surf trip.  I already started, so I hope it shows soon, and most important, will strive to maintain my good habits throughout the year.

DAY 29: Challenges. What did you wrestle with in 2012? What did you learn? What challenges do you foresee in 2013?

On a superficial level I must say my biggest wrestling match has been controlling my weight. I can “easily” lose the extra weight when I follow a strict diet, as I did a year ago, and reached my ideal at 80kg... Staying there is the real challenge... For 2013 I will strive to change my ways and my lifestyle, rather than just “campaigning” for a quick loss. Become healthier in my eating habits, and maintain a regular exercise routine. 

On a deeper level, my struggle is always to keep from second-guessing myself. Self-doubt can be draining and keep you from moving forward, specially when you rely on faith to build a new life project. For 2013, keeping my faith will be a must to be able to maintain momentum and push forward. As with my other challenge, will power will be vital.

DAY 30: Love. How did you feel loved in 2012? How did you give love?

Being loved, even when it doesn’t work out in the end, is the greatest gift one can receive. I have felt loved this year. For this I am very thankful! I did give love as well, but I'm afraid not enough, or at least not in the right way I suppose...

DAY 31: I Wish. What do you wish for in 2013? How will you make it come true?

For 2013 I wish what we all want: Health, Love, Prosperity and Happiness... I hope that my prosperity does not come at the price of my health, that love brings happiness and that I’m able to make all these coexist in harmony...