Tao Student – A Personal Site for Gary Ardito

Cloud computing is the dominant conversation within all levels of IT these days.  It is the rare computing paradigm shift that is affecting organizations of all sizes and maturity levels.  The reason for this is that cloud computing is more than a new way to purchase software or “outsource” operations. It brings an evolved way of thinking about delivering IT services.  Cloud computing is changing everything from the ground up and creating dynamic opportunities for organizations from SMB to the fortune 50.

To date a majority of the focus of cloud computing has been on general computing services including Infrastructure, Platform and Software as a service offerings.  These general computing service offerings are the low hanging fruit.  They provide significant opportunities for enterprises to reduce cost and increase agility. We are seeing significant adoption growth across public, private and hybrid clouds as the core computing principles of cloud computing take root.

Organizations are using these services to work though the complexities of extending the enterprise into the cloud.  We are seeing cloud providers step up their capabilities around security, compliance, transparency, and integration with operational processes like those defined in ITILv3.

This is not a new point of view.  What makes this post any different than my previous ones? Well, I am seeing the beginning of the next wave of cloud computing.  These advances and the attained confidence of the enterprises will enable another round of services and the emergence of another set of cloud service providers.

The emerging solution providers are offering cloud based offerings targeted at industry vertical solutions. These service providers will differentiate themselves from other providers by providing deep industry expertise with value add services focusing on a particular industry vertical.  We will see these value add providers take root across many industries and customer segments.  Customers who were previously too small or cash poor to afford the complex, industry specific systems will now have the opportunity.  Other customers will have the chance to decrease costs and leverage deep expertise in areas core to their business.  This new breed of cloud service provider will provide service offerings that simplify many industries by tackling solution areas weighed down by regulations and other operational complexities.

The exciting thing about cloud computing is that it remains a moving target with service providers and customers both changing what kinds of service offerings they want to offer and are willing to consume.  The next wave of service offerings is coming fast on the heels of the maturity of the first wave.  This new breed of vertical, value adding service provider is pushing the ball forward.

Life is about moving on, embracing change and making the most of new opportunities.  This week I have been reminded about that as the Attachmate Group has acquired Novell, my employer for the last 11 years.

My 11 years with Novell has been fantastic. I have felt excited, optimistic and enthused about our strategy and approach to the market.  The Novell executive team has created a clear vision to place Novell at the center of the major emerging computing trends.  With this in mind, about 2 years ago, I changed roles from running the Novell Services Data Center Practice to tackle the role of Chief Architect for Cloud Service Provider solutions in the Americas.  It is an exciting role in the middle of an exciting, dynamic market.

The new chapter begins this week with introductions and planning.  This is very exciting.  I love the energy, focus and technology we are bringing together to create a powerful, customer driven organization.

Keeping my head in the clouds, I can already see tremendous opportunities this combined organization brings to attack the cloud service provider market.  I am excited to add the NetIQ products to the Novell technologies we have been positioning for cloud provider.

I can already see the deeper solution architectures coming together in my head.  I can’t wait to get in front of the cloud service providers and tell them about what the new NetIQ has to offer!!

The ongoing consolidation of cloud service providers continues to create an interesting mix of companies for enterprises to select from.  There is a lot of activity at both the high and low end of the market.  At the high end, the market is moving towards a fewer number of uber-capacity providers dominated by telcos expanding their cloud footprint through the acquisition of existing cloud service providers (e.g. Verizon acquiring Terremark and CenturyLink acquiring Savvis).  On the lower end, we are seeing the growth of smaller cloud providers, focusing on more distinct value added services to differentiate them from their larger brothers in arms.

This makes sense as the telcos have the infrastructure, depth and reach to manage the level of capacity required to deliver on the high-end.  However, the large telcos lack the agility and domain expertise to deliver the value added services differentiating the smaller providers.

What does the future look like?  I think both these trends will continue and even collide a bit with the smaller providers leveraging the infrastructure of the larger providers to deliver their services.

Of course there are exceptions to every rule.  The exceptions in the cloud computing space are Amazon, Google, Apple and Microsoft.  These companies have both the size and the focus to play in this market at any level they choose.

What does this mean for enterprises starting to adopt cloud computing?

My tea leaves show enterprises using multiple cloud providers as they expand their use of cloud(s) for different computing needs.  Enterprises will choose the high-end providers when looking for an endless amount of capacity.  Right now this choice also demands the enterprise have the technical depth to make sure the virtual environments are up to snuff in terms of policy execution, back up/restore processes, application monitoring and secure access control.   Enterprises will search out the smaller providers to meet specific needs either driven by industry or process needs.

My bottom line is that there are all types of enterprises with differing needs when it comes to information technology and this will stay diverse as they start to consume computing in the cloud.  These diverse needs will drive both the consolidation at the high-level providers and growth of smaller providers to meet expanding needs.

It continues to be a fun ride….

More and more organizations, from industry large enterprises to existing or upcoming service providers, are undertaking the effort to define an overall architecture to support the delivery of cloud based services.  This begs the question:

What is important in an architecture designed to support a cloud service delivery model?

Here are a few thoughts:

• A cloud computing architecture is more about lifecycle management than just virtualization

Throwing up VMs is easy. Providing the management from cradle to grave is tricky and needs to be well thought out.  Successfully deploying cloud based service offerings is all about efficiency.  This must translate to having a compute centric model vs. a labour centric model.  This requires automation across the lifecycle of service offerings (creation, deployment, versioning, patch/update, and end of life)

• A cloud computing architecture needs to be based on open standards and not proprietary tools

Technologies in the cloud computing space are evolving at a fast pace and will continue to do so.  It is not technically or financially advantageous to burden the architecture with proprietary tools that will cause a big rip and replace situation down the road as needs and desired capabilities evolve.  To this end, it is important to choose interoperability (e.g. multiple hypervisors, SOA/Service Bus Architectures, policy based workflow, job automation, etc.)

• A cloud computing architecture must provide multiple transparent views into operations, performance and compliance

The successful deployment of cloud-based services requires the trust and acceptance of end-customers (tenant).   This acceptance is driven by the ability of the tenant to have visibility into what is happening within the cloud infrastructure.  This takes the form of real-time views of SLAs,  visibility into key operations data (log files), and views demonstrating compliance to general or tenant specific policies (regulatory, security, etc.)

• A comprehensive Identity fabric is the single most important architectural building block for a successful cloud based offering architecture.

The key to compute based architecture is leveraging a ubiquitous identity fabric as an adhesive for creating tight “sticky” relationships with end users (customers or tenants) through roles, access rights, etc, lifecycle of service offerings, and efficient packaging and deployment of services.  A architectural identity fabric requires fully integrated identity into every level of the cloud architecture.  This includes users (both admin and end user), service offerings (granular workloads and aggregated business services), VMs, devices, storage, network and compute resources.

The individual components of a cloud computing architecture must be selected carefully.    In all cases it is critical that they fulfill the requirements for performance, scalability and reliability.  Here are some criteria to consider when selecting tools, utilities, and platforms:

• Scalability including the ability to participate in an n-tier architecture
• Compatibility and well defined interfaces with other industry-standard applications, even ones not chosen for early phases of the project
• Expandability based on industry standards
• Market-leadership for each tool, facilitating support, development, and future security
• Commercial grade, fully productized, standards based, and publishable to the standard architecture protocols

We are in the early stages of a major computing paradigm shift to cloud computing.  This shift is disrupting almost every aspect of how enterprises consume technology products, computing services and even their relationships with professional services firms. All technology professional services firms are about to be disrupted with the continued maturation and adoption of cloud computing.

Cloud computing is the next paradigm shift in our computing landscape.  We have gone from mainframes to the introduction of PCs followed by Client/Server which evolved to commodity distributed systems with Linux/Open Source adding to the trend line.  Take this ongoing computing evolution and add to it ubiquitous connectivity via the Internet, advances in virtualization, raised user expectations because of always available applications from giants like Google, Yahoo, Amazon and eBay, and extraordinary cost pressure on IT and you have the forces creating the phenomena known as cloud computing.

What does this mean to professional services companies?  It means everything.  Cloud computing is changing how your customers are going to consume technologies.  My next statement is not a huge leap – as companies change the way they consume technologies they will dramatically change what kinds of professional services they will consume.

The movement to cloud computing will be a business boon to those professional services companies that embrace this vision of the future.  Professional services firms must understand how their customers are going to do business in the future and start to adapt their offering to align with changing customer demand.  Remember, this is an ongoing maturation with a graded adoption plane.  This means that professional services firms can build offerings with two event thresholds in mind.  Offerings that help customers move down the cloud computing maturity level and offering that are synergistic with the cloud-computing model itself.

As with any paradigm shift, enterprises are looking for advice and assistance in making the right decisions to quickly move up the maturity curve to maximize the benefits to their organization.  This creates professional services opportunities to become trusted advisors to your customers.  Most enterprises do not have the skills to do these things by themselves nor are they long-term competencies they need to develop.

Here are a few types of offerings you should be considering:

• Direction setting engagements: Customers need to know where the true value is to them and what steps to take to get there.  This is likely to include many decisions that require technology and business alignment.  Help your customers build a roadmap to their future and you have a great chance to be a part of their future.
• Workload assessment/migration: Come with a process and/or toolset to define the complexity and effort to migrate existing applications to a cloud delivery model.
• SaaS Adoption: Most companies are struggling with how to determine Saas opportunities.  Develop an evaluation matrix or checklists helping your customers make the correct SaaS decisions and then provide the migration, management and handholding to help them make the most out of their decisions.
• Security and compliance assessment/ architecture: This new computing model brings different security and compliance challenges.  You can be the advisor your customers need to understand how to extend their existing security and compliance policies to the cloud.
• Cloud Application Builder: The very nature of application development is changing to support cloud deployment models.  You can help your customers transition their internal development efforts to produce applications ready to be deployed in a cloud.
• Cloud Governance: Once your customers have started leveraging cloud delivery opportunities they will have to adapt their governance policies and efforts.  You can again step in and help them understand the transition and what they need to do to validate adherence to key policies.

This is just a partial list of professional services offerings to help your customers move safely up the cloud computing maturity curve. The other thing to consider is what should you be offering your customers once they make the move to cloud computing.  What “service offerings” can you provide that your customers can consume in same vein as cloud offerings?  What services will provide the right kind of value for your customers while generating continuing revenue steams for you?

One last thing to consider is that cloud computing is all about the ecosystem and leveraging partners to provide a network affect in terms of value add.  Who should today’s professional services firms partner with?  I think you should look in two directions. First, the service providers like Amazon, Rackspace, Savvis, GoGrid, OpSource, etc all need help with the last mile touch point to the customer.  These important players can become great partners with quite a bit of alignment with your offerings.  Second, identify the infrastructure software vendors that are establishing themselves in the cloud computing space and understand what they bring to your customers.

This is a great time to be leading a professional services company.  The pace of change and adoption of cloud computing models has created an environment like never before.  It is up to you to make sure you are riding the wave and not being smashed by it.

I continue to be amazed by people who draw hard lines between public, private and hybrid cloud computing models.  I have blogged about this before but I want to restate a core position before I move into today’s topic - Cloud Computing Architecture and Identity. Cloud computing is a way or means of delivering computing behavior or functionality to a business or other entity.  It is an architecture model that takes a services delivery context combined with an emphasis on virtualization, elasticity, self service, automation and granular usage metrics.  This model changes very little whether applied to a public, private or hybrid deployment scenario.  In fact, I propose that this cloud computing architecture model will become the dominant architecture implementation for the delivery of compute services regardless of the managing entity.

The distinctions currently being made between public, private and hybrid clouds are largely marketing and go to market related.  I will argue that the only difference in these models is the number of tenants.  This being said, they cause more confusion than clarity.

Ok.. off the soapbox and on to today’s topic

The core architectural component to make this happen is the embedding of identity management technology throughout the architecture.  Identity is a foundational principle for networked systems and components. Various entities – concrete and abstract, human and machine, processes and devices – all need to be identified by running processes for the system to achieve maximum flexibility and usefulness.  An identity driven architecture uses policy to control all devices, components, workloads, users and processes.

A robust cloud architecture with embedded identity allows for:

• User security clearly defining who has access to what,how they will authenticate including strong and multi-factor where needed,  This needs to be federated to allow credentials to remain on-prem as needed.
• Tenant relationships – Multi in a service provider driven cloud or singular in an enterprise managed cloud.
• Physical security of VMs and related storage and networking components
• Data encryption tied to specific tenants or users within a given tenant
• Workload lifecycle management providing the definition, version, tracking and updating of cloud based services included in a services catalog
• Dynamic growth and cloud-bursting based on operation metrics, policies, SLAs, and regulatory requirements.
• Full Multi-tenant audit and compliance reporting.
• Processes and process framework components allowing for the integration with required data center operations processes like those found in the ITIL3 framework and loosely coupled integration with problem, issue, and incident management systems.

The goals of cloud computing architecture are aggressive and demanding.  These goals cannot be met without embedding identity management throughout the architecture.  A cohesive, scalable cloud delivery architecture providing a robust, secure end-user self-service experience simply cannot be delivered without it.

A conversation with my youngest son made me think about what it means to be “Strong”.  He is a very physical athlete at age 8 and understands strength to be a very physical thing.  He aspires to grow “Stronger” and he believes this will let him achieve his goals (e.g. better football player, wrestler, baseball player, etc.)  He is right. Physical strength is very important.  It gives us the healthy body to take on life.  This being said, it is not the only strength we need to make the most out of our lives.    Other aspects of strength come from inside and are not solely dependent on the physical.

With thanks and appreciation to Seth Godin ( http://tinyurl.com/2ueo67u ), internal strength comes from being able to do the following:

1. Apologize
2. Defer to others
3. Avoid shortcuts
4. Tell the truth
5. Offer kindness
6. Seek alliances
7. Volunteer to take the short straw
8. Choose the long-term, sacrificing the short
9. Demonstrate respect to all, not just the obviously strong
10. Share credit and be public in your gratitude

Risking the appearance of weakness takes strength

I am not diminishing the need for physical strength.  It is still a very important part of being complete.  We are not whole without having both physical and internal strength.  A person without both is too weak in one area.  Making the most of  our lives means engaging in activities that develop both of these areas of strength.

A strong body provides the vessel capable of moving us through our lives while internal strength provides the compass and sense of direction.    It is a matter of Mind, Body and Spirit being aligned.  It all takes work.

Why is everybody making such a big distinction between private and public cloud services adoption?  We are making this way more complicated than it needs to be.  The way we are complicating this message is causing confusion and setting the table for missteps on the way to cloud services adoption.

In my day job, I spend all my time with both service providers and enterprises looking to either offer or consume cloud services.  The binary distinction between public and private clouds is causing people to make un-natural choices.  Perhaps I am being too simple  here but after 20 years as an enterprise architect I find that the simplest explanation is usually the best.

Cloud computing is a set of architectural, process and operations principles that describe an evolutionary computing paradigm.  Make no mistake, this is the paradigm of the future and enterprises will adopt it either by design or eventually by necessity.

The thing is.. it is not public or private.. it just is.

This is important so let me be very clear.  The future of enterprise IT is based on cloud computing principles.  It is not moving 100% to a public cloud nor is it just building a private cloud.  The current definitions of public and private clouds are really just two sides of the same coin… the yin and yang of future enterprise IT.

The only way for enterprise IT to ride this train (instead of being run over by it) is to acknowledge that the new paradigm for providing IT to a business is via the principles of cloud computing and embrace it as a single strategic focus.   This includes services provided by enterprise IT themselves and services consumed from outside SaaS/IaaS providers.  Enterprise IT must not see these as separate things but have one cohesive set of architecture, processes and policies to encompass both.

Most service providers and analysts refer to this as hybrid cloud.  I do not like this term as it does a few things incorrectly.  Rather than simplify the communication it add to the confusion by creating a third category of “cloud” to consider.   The term hybrid means is so overloaded with definitions in biology, print, vehicles, music, and sports.  The basic definition is the bringing together of different entities into a single entity.   This just adds to the confusion.

Cloud computing is the future.  Enterprise IT must embrace the fact that this will include services delivered inside their four walls and from outside providers.  Lets simplify the message and not continue to confuse the market with unnecessary definitions.

I recently had the opportunity to be a guest on CloudChasers (http://www.novell.com/promo/cloudchasers.html) on the role service providers are going to play in the evolving cloud computing market. It was a great opportunity to discuss the issues driving service providers in this market.

The markets for service providers are shifting. The increasing adoption of cloud computing is creating a level of market dynamics we have not seen in many years. These dynamics are forcing all service providers to question the services they offer their customers and how they will differentiate themselves in the future.

The first thing I notice when looking at this market is the wide spectrum of different service providers being impacted by this shifting market. We can look at the service providers across the following segments:

• Current cloud services providers (Amazon, Rackspace, Savvis)
• Current telcos (Verizon, AT&T)
• Content providers (Comcast, Time Warner Cable)
• Hosting/outsourcers (ACS, CSC, Dell/Perot)
• System integrators (Cap Gemini, Accenture, Deloitte and Touche)

It is important to note that for the purposes of this conversation we are talking about very large, Tier 1 service providers. There are thousands of smaller providers in the consulting and MSP markets that are equally impacted by the market conditions we are discussing.

The impact of the shift to cloud computing is being felt in each of these service provider segments.  We are in the midst of one of the rare tipping points where we will see a complete realignment of how and where customers will consume IT services. Those service providers that embrace this change and work hard to position themselves in the new markets will succeed. Those that do not will quickly lose relevancy with and the commitment of their customers.

These shifts are putting both financial and technical pressure on the service providers to not only define what services they will offer customers but also determine if they are capable of doing so at the new market driven price points.

Service providers are working out how they fit in this world but, right now, there are more questions than solid answers. These questions range from which type of services to offer all the way to how cost effectively they can deliver cloud services.

Some of the questions facing today’s service providers are:

1. What type of cloud (or cloud services) will the service provider focus on?  Public, private, hybrid?
2. What delivery model do they believe is tailored to their current strengths and assets?  Infrastructure, Platform or Software (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) as a service?
3. What customer segment will they target? Will they target enterprise or  small/medium business? How does this reconcile with their current customer base?
4. How will they monetize their cloud offerings?
5. Do they have the infrastructure to offer these services at the right price point? Can they be competitive based on their current cost structure?
6. How will they fill technology gaps needed to be successful? Key areas like security and compliance.
7. What partnerships will they need to achieve their goals?

The shifting market dynamics do not stop with the service providers. While the service providers are trying to answer these questions the future consumers of their services are busy with questions of their own.  Everybody from global enterprises to small/medium business have to decide what services they will consume from the cloud. The increased adoption of cloud services is fairly universally accepted but what services that adoption will include are not completely clear.

The only thing that is absolute here is that both sides of the equation are aiming at a moving target. It is going to be real interesting to see how both sides evolve together as the cloud computing market matures.

I will start out by saying that being an active Twitter user has seriously cut down on my blog postings.  Now that I recognize this, I am going to work diligently to post more here.  There is a lot going in both from a personal and a professional standpoint and I will have a lot to say.

Speaking of a lot going on.. I am starting a new chapter in my life by moving to Albany, NY .. actually a suburb of Albany – Altamont NY.    I am moving close to my 2 boys – Michael and Christopher.   I am looking forward to this on multiple levels.. first, i am looking forward to having a more stable life… not living out of a suitcase 2-3 weekends per month when visiting the boys and also becoming a  bigger part of their regular routine.  It is going to be good.

In addition to be  closer to the boys, I am looking forward to exploring the Altamont (Albany) area.  I see great mountains with lots of outdoor activities like hiking.  I have talked to people at a couple of wonderful Buddhist temples/meditation centers and have started exploring a few groups focused on spirituality and Taoism.

Much more to come as I get settled and start speaking my mind again…

There is a very interesting viral communication moving through Facebook.. and no, you do not need a vaccination.  The idea is you provide 25 random thoughts about yourself.. tag a bunch of others to do the same and so and so on…..

Here is what I put together for my 25 random things…
1 I am a voracious reader. I have about 8 bookcases overflowing with books. From the classics to current fiction to technical books. My next house must have a library.

2 I have been studying Chinese Martial Arts and Taoist Philosophy for over 17 years. I consider myself a Taoist and try to live my life by Taoist ideals and principals.

3 I love to cook but, unfortunately, do not often have the time.

4 I have two extraordinary boys – Michael (9) and Christopher (7) – and I spend as much time as possible with them.

5 My ex-wife, Nicole, is one of my best friends and there is nobody I trust more with raising my children.

6 I spent 8 years working as an independent consultant, mostly for business startups, before I took a job with a .com that was going to make me rich and famous…..then the bubble burst.

7 I currently work for Novell – a software infrastructure company. I run the Data Center services area.

8 I love to eat any eastern food – Japanese (Sushi), Chinese, Indian, Thai, etc.

9 I actively believe in and use natural health care options like Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, etc.

10 I love sports – Baseball (Pro and College), Football (pro and College), College Basketball, Tennis, Swimming….

11 I think Golf is a good walk spoiled and it is a reach calling it a sport…

12 I believe Mark Twain, Tom Robbins, Neil Gaiman, Pat Conroy and Jimmy
Buffett are the most gifted storytellers I have had the pleasure of reading.

13 I love music of all types. My Ipod currently has a total of 3245 songs. Of those 330 are by Jimmy Buffett – not a surprise here…. I am truly a Parott Head!, 52 are Blues, 742 are Country, 248 are Rap/Hip Hop, 420 are Rock, 50 are Classical, 30 are Alternative, 535 are Pop, 40 are Jazz, 95 are spoken word, and the remainder are undefined or soundtracks

14 I regret not playing an instrument and being more involved with music as a kid. I am encouraging my kids to play instruments and make music part of their lives.

15 I live in Asheville, NC but I travel extensively for work and pleasure. I am gone most weeks Monday – Thursday and spend at least a weekend a month in Albany, NY with my kids.

16 I really need to be close to a natural energy center – either the beach or the mountains. Something to keep me connected.

17 The only significant medical issue I have had in the last 20 years is surgery on my shoulder. I am thankful for this.

18 Guilty Pleasures: Home design and construction tv shows (HGTV, DIY), investigative tv shows (NCIS, CSI, The Mentalist, 11th Hour).. oh, and I DVR Inside the Actor’s studio whenever it is on.

19 I enjoy very good aged Rum.

20 I lived in England for almost 2 years. Love the country.. hate the food. This is where I first came to like Indian food.

21 I have traveled extensively in the Caribbean and South/Central America. I think this area is one of the most beautiful on the planet.

22 I think Miami is the greatest city on earth for so many reasons and would welcome the chance to move back there someday.

23 I think listening is a lost art along with letter writing and, in some cases, willingness to work hard and sacrifice for what is important to you.

24 I count myself amongst the technophiles. I own the latest of most gadget types.. multiple computers, etc.

25 I think the Tao of Pooh should be required reading….

I dislike the idea of resolutions.  I dislike even more the idea of New Year Resolutions.   I understand the idea of starting fresh and leaving bad habits behind.. believe me I love the idea of leaving bad habits behind but why do we need a forced calendar date to do this?

I was once told that any change you decide to make that does not start at that instant will never happen…. that is tomorrow never comes.

My expectations for 2009 are ones that I have for myself all the time….

1. Improve myself  physically, emotionally, and spiritually
2. Become a better father, son, brother and friend
3. Learn something new and apply what I have learned to do what I already do better, easier or smarter
4. Perfect the oh so hard to obtain work-life balance
5. Make a difference in the lives of those around me.. however small

With all these expectations in mind, I will race into 2009 with fearless enthusiasm and optimism.  I am excited by the possibilities and remain optimistic that the challenges we carry over from 2008 and whatever new challenges 2009 presents shall be mere bumps in the road to a fantastic year.

This past week I had the opportunity to experience many of Asheville’s restaurants for breakfast and dinner. I had family in town who enjoy eating out and eat out we did.  The one bit of context I would add is that, due to health issues of one of my guests, we were not able to stay for dessert or casually linger but other than that, we had very good experiences.

The list  (duplicates included)

Breakfast

1. Rise ‘n Shine Cafe
2. Over Easy
3. Early Girl
4. Denny’s (Only thing open on Christmas Day)
5. Moose Cafe
6. Early Girl

Dinner

1. Early Girl
2. Mayfel’s
3. Bouchon
4. Vincenzo’s
5. Grove Park Inn
6. Black Forest Inn
7. Marcos Italian

Some impressions

Rise ‘n Shine Cafe -   640 Merrimon Avenue

This was a great neighborhood breakfast place.  They are in N. Asheville a bit in shopping center shared with Circle on the Square, Urban Burrito and The Hop (Ice Cream).   Because they are out of downtown, parking is easy in the large lot.  They promote the use of organic ingredients and I believe it.  Highly recommended if you are looking for standard breakfast fare in N. Asheville.

Early Girl -   8 Wall St

Early Girl is perhaps my favorite restaurant in all of Asheville.  Early Girl has a diverse, creative menu all day.  You can order breakfast all day and their preparation and ingredients are outstanding.  From the warm banana bread, to the sweet potato scramble, to the warm biscuits, it is all good.

Over Easy Cafe -   32 Broadway St

Over Easy is a breakfast only cafe in the heart of downtown Asheville.   A small place off Broadway, Over Easy has a loud, diner atmosphere with GREAT food and service.  Their home fry bowls, eggs, sausage, and smoothies are wonderful.  This place is highly recommended if you are in downtown for breakfast anytime before 2pm or so.

The Moose Cafe -   570 Brevard Rd

This was my first time at the Moose Cafe.  I had heard good things about it and was looking forward to the visit.  The Moose Cafe is a bit out of downtown so parking is easy.  The Moose Cafe is right next to a Farmers Market so their ingredients are about as local as you can get.  This meal was awesome.  The Moose Cafe experience is truly southern and wonderful.  When we sat down, we were immediately given a batch of hot biscuits and homemade apple butter.   My meal was equally good.. eggs, potatoes, ham and a Moosecake ( large pancake).  All of it was outstanding.

Mayfel’s – 22 College St

Mayfel’s is a Louisiana bistro serving local, wholesome ingredients.  This restaurant has great atmosphere and even better food.  I could come back here for the Gumbo and Jambalaya every day.  As Jimmy Buffet says, “I will play for Gumbo…”.  Love this food.  My guests had seafood etouffee and loved it.  On an earlier occasion, I took my 8 year old son Michael to Mayfel’s and he loved the triple cheese grilled cheese sandwich and the chocolate cake dessert.

Bouchon – 62 North Lexington Avenue

Bouchon is truly a french bistro.  It is situated in a long, narrow pad that makes for a more intimate atmosphere.  The bar is well stocked and extremely inviting for whatever you like.  The wine list is deep with French wines ( as you would guess).  The food was rich in the French tradition and good. 

Vincenzo’s Italian – 10 N Market St

Vincenzo’s is a northern Italian restaurant in downtown Asheville.  Vincenzo’s was a good restaurant with an upscale feel. The food was excellent as was the service. They were open on Christmas Eve and provided a very good menu.

Grove Park Inn,  Sunset Terrace – 290 Macon Ave

It is impossible to talk about the Sunset Terrace restaurant without first commenting on the Grove Park Inn as a whole.   The Grove Park Inn is a magnificent structure with a huge lobby atrium area when you first enter.  The main lobby is a site with very tall ceilings and awe inspiring fireplaces.   The view is spectacular.   The Sunset Terrace restaurant is a traditional chophouse with a Steak and Seafood focus.  We were there on Christmas Night so there were a few extra items on the menu as well.  The service was very good as was the food.  I had a NY Strip while others at my table had Prime Rib  and Salmon.  The side dishes were served family style and we had Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes…both were excellent.  We were seated with a few minutes left before final Sunset and the view was breathtaking.

Black Forest Inn -2155 Hendersonville Rd, Arden, NC

The Black Forest Inn is located just outside of Asheville but still only about 20 minutes from my house in N. Asheville.  They serve German and Italian dishes. The food was great, my guests ordered Veal Jaeger schnitzel it came with German potato salad, sauerkraut, red cabbage and German noodles everything was delicious. I ordered an Italian dish that was very good also. The servings were very substantial.

Marcos  – 946 Merrimon Avenue

Marcos is a great family Italian  & Pizzeria restaurant.  It is my favorite pizza in Asheville but I do not often get a chance to sit in their dining room and eat a full meal.  Their pizza and Stromboli are excellent – without peer in Asheville.  On this night,  however, me and my guests stayed in the dinning room and ordered some Italian entrees.   The menu is family Italian to the core.  Pastas, sauces and meatballs.  You can go with a Lasagna or a Chicken Parmesan if you like.  Me and my guests all went with the Pasta and Meatballs after enjoying a good antipasto. I would put the Marcos antipasto on peer with the one we had a Vincenzo’s.  The food was great.  The service was quick and attentive.

The U kept it close and the baby canes played with talent, poise and control.   This is something to build on and move forward into next year with Jacory Harris as a clear #1 quarterback (sorry Marve), a year of maturity and coaching for today’s group and another stellar recruiting class coming in this year.

My new year wishes for the Canes…

• A new offensive coordinator (Please.. Please..Please)
• Some new big uglies on the offensive line
• Some defensive back ballas to play with the young kids returning
• Some time catching the ball for our wide outs
• A 2009 recruiting class with the same passion of the 2008 class.

But mostly, I hope for continued growth and development while bringing in young men of character and good spirits… yea.. a few head crashers and guys living on the edge will be fine too..  In other words I want the next Ed Reed, Winslow, Warren Sapp, Rohan Marley,  and dare I say… Sean Taylor.

and a new OC… gott have this!

As life goes on, I become more and more aware of the importance of family and the strength I gain from being from being with people who are the pure embodiment of love without demands or requirements.  This can come from places you never expected -  a relative who has always been more at arms length or children who teach us things every day with their enthusiasm for the moment and seemingly unending compassion.

I am fortunate. I have always had family in my life that told me I can do anything – to reach as high as I desired – and if I fell short, well, no big deal – try again or go in a different direction.  It never mattered.  It never changed who I was and their unconditional love and support allowed me just to reach again.  I understand now how much freedom and calm that kind of support provides.  I think I took advantage of it in my (some would say misspent) youth.  Now, I just hope I can provide it to my children and others in my life.

I find it interesting that what we learn from others and the support we gain from others can cross n0n-traditional family boundaries.  I am divorced and if I played by “the rules”, my ex-wife would have little to do with my thoughts except for working out details of when I pick up and bring back the kids.  Not so fast, this woman (she knows who she is) has turned into one of the great friends of my life and I still get inspiration from how she leads her life and raises our kids.

So, for all my family out there, I am thinking about you…

• My Mother – a rock of support and endless encouragement
• My Father – Full of surprises, knowledge, and  yes, even inspiration
• My Children – An endless supply of happiness, reminders of how to live each day, and a source of incredible optimism for the future.  Love and joy personified
• My ExWife – Strength and compassion – Nobody has more of either and nobody has taught me more about both
• My ExInlaws – Karen, Dick, Rick and Melissa – A perfect model of what is means to be a close family.
• My Cousins – Comfortable times, easy conversations  and shared memories
• My Aunts/Uncles – More examples of family standing by each other in good times and difficult times.

It is easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget these things, these people but I work hard to come back to this whenever I can.

As old man winter seems to be visiting early and often so far this year, it is time to make sure my immune system is working at maximum capacity. To do this, I try to double the amount of Vegetables I am eating, eat a little more vitamin C (Citrus and Juice) and also start on the Chinese herbs for health.

Here are some of my favorite herbs or tonics:

Yin Chao - Chinese herb for immune support. Disperses Wind-Heat, clears Heat and Relieves toxins, diaphoretic Yin Chao is particularly effective during or prior to the early stages when fever, headache, cough and sore throat are present. There may be slight chills or no chills present with difficulty in sweating.

Traditional  Medicinals Tea - Immune System and other health support teas:  Organic teas that activate and stimulate immune cells.

Chi Kung – Circulates Energy and Regulates Stress.  Chi Kung” means “energy work” or “spirit work” involving energy meridian’s, muscle groups, body parts or particular types of energy circulation. The combination of herbs in this formula work on the blood as a tonic to aid in circulation while also acting on the spleen, stomach and liver energy.

Shou Wu – Rejuvenate and Purify Blood.  It is a famous rejuvenater and blood purifier, which is said to build vital energy, aid in concentration and prolong life. For centuries, this formula has been used to nourish the blood tonifying the liver and kidneys and benefiting the spleen. Noted for strengthening the lower physicial structure, it is helpful for pain in the lower back, waist and knees. Shou Wu Liqueur strengthens the sinews and bones and benefits the joints, clears the vision and inhibits premature graying of the hair and other symptoms of aging associated with deficient liver and kidneys.

Gan Mao Ling – Gan Mao Ling has been formulated to assist the body’s abilities to cope with the discomfort during the cold seasons, and maintain our body’s well-being.

In my 15 years studying the Chinese Martial Arts of Tai Chi and Ba Gau Zhang, I have been striving to move lightly, energetically, without physical force or tension.  Allowing the movements to just flow through you as you are a vessel instead of a roadblock for the universal energy that surronds us.. the Tao.   My sifu has taken me far down this path and while I still have very far to go, I am confident that my journey will continue to progress because of my Sifu and his teachings that stay with me wherever I go.

The concepts of formlessness, spontaneity and natural movement sound easy but when translated with martial intention, they take much training and practice to develop.

So.. I am diverse in my music tastes.. now here is my “Fired Up” playlist that I use to get my juices flowing..

• Runnin’ with the Devil    Van Halen
• How Bad Do You Want It    Tim McGraw
• You Shook Me All Night Long    AC/DC
• I will play for Gumbo – Jimmy Buffett
• Tear It Up    Yung Wun featuring DMX, Lil’ Flip & David Banner
• She’s Tight    Cheap Trick
• Shake That    Eminem
• Have a Nice Day    Bon Jovi
• Magic Carpet Ride    Steppenwolf
• What Do You Do For Money, Honey     AC/DC
• Closer    Nine Inch Nails
• Just a Cup   – Jimmy Buffett
• Enter Sandman    Metallica
• Back In Black    AC/DC
• She’s a Hottie    Toby Keith
• Tom Sawyer    Rush
• Highlander    Queen
• Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap    AC/DC
• Loud    Big & Rich
• All Summer Long    Kid Rock
• Crank Dat MIA wav
• Hells Bells    AC/DC
• Welcome to the Jungle    Guns N Roses
• Girls Girls Girls    Motley Crew

I usually think of myself as a very open minded guy.  I have a very broad set of likes and very few dislikes.  This carries over into my music.  I always tell people that I can listen and enjoy almost anything.  Today I decided to put it to he test and examine my iTunes library and see what is there.. here are the results.

Total of 3245 songs in my library.  Of those…

• 330 are by Jimmy Buffett – not a surprise here…. I am truly a Parott Head!
• 52 are Blues
• 742 are Country
• 248 are Rap/Hip Hop
• 420 are Rock
• 50 are Classical
• 30 are Alternative
• 535 are Pop
• 40 are Jazz
• 95 are spoken word
• and the remainder are undefined or soundtracks

I think I qualify as diverse.

Just when you think you are rolling along tackling lifes little challanges (which often seem like big challanges) and feeling pretty good about yourself, something comes along to knock you back and give you a moment to reset your perspective and priorities.

Just such a thing happened to me this week…

My oldest son, Michael – 9 years old, went to the hospital last Tuesday for stomach pains. It was diagnosed as an appendix problem and surgery was scheduled on Wednesday afternoon.  This was actually good news to me since of all the possible causes, an appendix issue is fairly low on the list of scary things.  One thing that you have to remember though is that to a 9 year old – all of this is very scary.  There is no such thing as minor surgery when you are 9.

The surgery took place on Wednesday and, sure enough, it was an inflamed appendix.  They removed it using a laparoscopy procedure that saved him the extra pain of a full cut through his abs.  His recovery was a bit longer than we expected and comforting him through all the pain he suffered in the 3 days after his surgery required more strength than I thought I had.  It is very difficult to watch your children go through pain knowing you can do nothing about it.

But all is well.. He came home from the hospital and is in great spirits.  We are back to planning our Thanksgiving vacation plans.

As I was with my son on Wednesday through today, I was following my work email on my iPhone.  I answered the important emails and postpned all meeting requests to next week.  One thing was sure, the issues and challanges at work that would have seemed so large.. were really very small.

I hope I can remember that as I ease back into my work life as my son eases back into his regular life as well.