Merry Christmas,

It is Thanksgiving weekend and there is much to be thankful for: good health, family, friends and the approach of Christmas. I love the music of Christmas. I enjoy the lights that brighten the night. And I so look forward to gathering in church to be reminded of the reason for the season.

I begin this letter early so as not to miss the chance to say hello. I have already missed many opportunities this year, and yet, it has been a very full year. I’ll quickly tell you my tale and then return to the seasonal tidings. I am still with SiteLite, the little startup company that now has offi ces in the USA, Ireland, India and Malaysia. I began this year by working rapidly through the requirements to be certifi ed as a Project Management Professional (PMP). I then spent months struggling from California to coordinate a project in Malaysia. Next we got swept up with a British standard on data processing called ITIL. I taught myself the basics of ITIL and began teaching classes at SiteLite. I passed the fi rst certifi cation level and was promptly shipped off to help Toyota with ITIL. My day now starts at 5:15. I leave home by 6:15 and get to Toyota around 7:30. Half an hour for lunch and I’m out of there somewhere between 6 and 7pm. Home, dinner and then the dilemma. Do I get the sleep I need, or do I spend time building training materials? Sleep often won out and that pushed everything else off to the weekend. Soon I was working seven days a week.

For a while that schedule crowded out everything else. My mail sometimes sat weeks at a time. I missed choir for about six weeks. I missed the Messiah choir. I stopped running and have not ridden my bicycle in over a year. But, there are blessings in all of this. I am fi fty-two and still learning new tricks faster than the young pups. While friends tell me how bored they are with their jobs I never have a chance to think about whether or not my job is boring. I like being active and this year has given me an abundance of activity. But this Christmas I am going to be a lot more careful about what I wish for.

Altogether this has been a wonderful year. I fi nished the ITIL teaching series at SiteLite, fi nished enough studies to attempt the third certifi cation level on ITIL (still awaiting results) and found some breathing space on the Toyota project. I met scores of new people by teaching PMP classes with the Orange County chapter. I made new friends while working in San Diego. And my excursions away from here remind me of how I much appreciate my snug little apartment.

What is your priority for the next year? I used to think I wanted a more stable job - but the Toyota experience has given me a glimpse into the stagnation that comes with stability. I used to look forward to meeting a wonderful lady, but my dating experiences here have reminded me of the blessings of being single. Is it money? Well I have food to eat, clothes to wear and a car that usually works. John Wesley’s plan was to live on less while giving more every year. As I survey the wealth and prosperity of Orange County, I gain admiration for Wesley’s wisdom. No, I do not long for the challenge of having less, but I also pray that I can avoid the temptation of wanting more.

So, perhaps the best expression of my life this year is our once a month evening service. It is a service of contemplation with prayer and a brief lesson. I am part of a small group that sings with this service. There is quiet time. We sing a few songs - but the style is sparse - often medieval chants. And afterwards we sit in silent prayer. People pray, and then quietly leave. Perhaps that is an analogy for the good life. Take a little time to sing. Learn when you can. Be thankful for what you have. And then quietly move on to the next activity. It is the quiet that allows you to fi nd yourself and gain perspective. Recharge yourself and then charge into whatever comes next. While this life is not packed with emotional happiness, it brings contentment. And I think “contentment” will be my theme for the next year.

What is your priority for the next year? I plan to focus on the joys that are around me.

I hope you can do the same.

Robert Perrine
Christmas 2004