3 things to tell you “about” to best understand this site.
1st, about Mike.
Linked-in highlights my 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley as a sales & marketing professional for ROLM, IBM, Siemens, Sun Microsystems, and Oracle Corporation. Upon leaving Oracle in 2017 I took a 1-year sabbatical to become a certified New Ventures West Integral Coach® and moved to Trader Joe’s for the final chapter of my career. I have a beautiful wife of 29 years and two grown children, who also found their way to TJs.
Here’s my resume.
My goal is to offer help, encouragement, and coaching to those who struggle to keep it all afloat in this valley of endless opportunity. I have a passion for helping people tackle the work/life integration challenges and do professional development coaching across a wide range of topics.
This blog is a narrative of my story, from growing up on the beach in Southern California (see: Corona del Mar and Growing Up) to life as a cog in the high tech revolution in Silicon Valley. Its underlying message is about gaining an eternal perspective on how you are investing your time in the midst of all the chaos. I liken it to learning to surf in heaven (see: “Surfing in Heaven”, which will be the title of my upcoming book!).
2nd, about surfing and my Christian faith.
I was thirty-five years into my life when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My walk with Jesus has been an evolution of learning and understanding about the plan God has for the rest of my life here on earth. I have found great joy in pursuing that plan. Jesus has not changed who I am as much as He has changed who I want to become.
As for surfing, let’s just say I’m at my very best when I am in the water on a surfboard.
Surfing has been a large part of my life for as far back as I can remember. Dad had me out on his surfboard riding waves at a very early age. Surfing is my escape from the stress of daily living, while also drawing me closer to God and his magnificent creation. I can’t wait to go surfing in heaven!
3rd, about dad (Jack B Mulkey)
See “about” This Picture.
Dad was living out his dream at 89 years young in Kailua-Kona on the big island of Hawaii, when he passed away peacefully in his sleep, after spending a delightful Father’s Day with his daughter Terry (see Kona Jack). This blog is dedicated to dad, for all the wonderful lessons in life I learned from him through the sport of surfing. They have served me well.
Dad and grandson Matthew in front of a Douglas SBD Dauntless aircraft at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor in 2014 (Dad flew in the gunner position off the USS Saratoga in WWII).
Mike, What a wonderful blog, you are so blessed and thank you so much for sharing this great story/adventure in lifes journey ….God Bless. Bill Purcell class of 1973
Michael: This is Douglas Westfall, historic publisher. Great piece — thank you. I’d really like to hear more — I wrote the book on Corona del Mar (actually two, 10 years apart). Douglas@SpecialBooks.com
Thanks Douglas for the note — I will take a look at your book. Sounds very interesting!
Hi Mike,
Good talking with you a bit after Road Crew at PBC Palo Alto this morning. After we talked, I opened the Psalms and for some reason began reading Psalm 39, which contains the following verses. I thought they connected well with what you had to say about having an eternal perspective.
Andy
“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:4-5)
Hi Mike,
Fantastic blog… I’m kinda surprise that I don’t think I know you, although you’re about 3 years older than me. I grew up at SanO’ too. My parents, Bob and Babs Fitzgerald, were among the founding members of the club, as well as my Dad being a ski instructor at Mt. Waterman! Charlie French gave me my final lesson at Waterman, when I was 12. His son Scott is one of my best friends (along with Pete Watson, also from Sun Valley, who passed away a few years ago…:( I grew up in Huntington (vs. you in CDM), but the stories are pretty much the same. SanO in the summer and winter weekends skiing at Waterman, with fellow SanO kids: Scott, Kirk Milette, Karen and Traci Peterson, Sam and Shauna Lockett.
Shawn Fitzgerald
Thanks Shawn for your note — GREAT to make the connection!!
if you don’t mind — send me your email ID. I remember the name “Fitzgerald”, probably from the SanO surfing contest, but don’t think we ever crossed. I was always too focused on Eric Hops, wondering if I could ever surf as good as him on that red of his (and of course, I now ride a red board in his memory… my email: m1mulkey@gmail.com