The Blog

You might ask - why is the blog called "Navigating Chaos".

Life, from the time we wake up in the morning until we go to sleep at night, is controlled chaos.  We are faced with the unknown in each minute, risks abound in every activity.  Many of these risks we are aware of, and have over time learned to mitigate or control.  Other risks lie just under our radar, or we may not even be aware that they exist.  From walking to our car, to using a computer for work, we are piloting a ship through rough and unknown waters.  

The purpose of this blog is to talk about how we get through each day, how we become aware of the risks, whether that's from a physical risk like a mugger or walking in front of a bus, or from technological risks, like getting a virus or stopping a hacker from stealing your data.

It's like you are the Captain of the ship, and the waves are treacherous.  You must be on alert and prepared against any eventuality, because the passengers are depending on your ability to navigate the rough seas.  In life many people depend on us - it is imperative that we are aware of the risks so that we may learn to deal with them appropriately.

The blog has somewhat of an Asian theme - I have been involved in the Martial Arts for quite some time - most recently Aikido.  In the martial arts, you learn what the risks are, and then learn how to deal with those risks.  If someone tries to punch you in the face, in Aikido you might pivot while controlling their arm, leading them into either a throw or an arm-lock.  It's a chaotic situation and you are learning to control it.

I am also interested in the Asian ways of doing battle - Miyamoto Musashi was a Samurai living in Japan in the 1600's.  He wrote a book called The Book of Five Rings, which is an amazing study on tactics and strategy in battle, as well as philosophy and honor.  Sun Tzu was a Chinese General who lived around 500 BC - he is the author of writings which eventually became the book "The Art of War", which is a textbook on military strategy and tactics.  As with Musashi's Book of Five Rings, many businesses use these books to help inform their business strategies and tactics, many with great effectiveness.

As a Deputy Sheriff, I had to be constantly on guard, on alert against any possible threat.  Even while on my lunch break, sitting in my uniform, I was a target.  Someone with a screw loose may just have decided that this is the day they would take out their frustrations by attacking the most visible symbol of authority in society.  In the mix, many innocent bystanders would also be in harm's way.  In this line of work, you learn quickly to be on constant, yet relaxed, alert.  You learn to assess a situation and an individual for threats, risks - you learn to be prepared for any eventuality - to be resolved to take immediate and forceful action if the situation merits.  We don't need to cultivate this extreme sensitivity or paranoia about Life, however we can learn lessons from those who, faced with danger on a daily basis, have learned to incorporate risk management into their methods.

The blog may lean towards a focus on Information Security, as that's what I do for a living.  However we will discuss many aspects of navigating the chaos of Life.  It's an interesting proposition, learning to walk through our personal and professional lives, the Captain of our own ship, learning lessons from martial arts and Asian military masters, to effectively manage the chaos and getting safely to our destination.