Time flies! How fas everything has gone! Ny ambitious goals of writing every day was not possible to keep up – neither every week, or even every month! 😁 truth to be told, we got taken into so many things, personally, professionally – and we got Laki being born, our little boy, earlier than expected after our trips to San Francisco, Houston, Mexico City, even Havana, and Las Vegas. After our travels, we settled back in Salt Lake City, this time “for good”, and have been here since. We stay at a place called “Sugarhouse”, which was built during the Utah pioneer times, when Brigham Young and his colleagues were trying to boost up the sugar beet industry around these corners. (That was the “hot” industry during those days, kind of in a similar way as tech would be now). 🙂 Sugarhouse is a little “hip” and more liberal area, not too far from University of Utah main campus, and close to the old settlements. Even several church presidents and prophets have lived here. It’s a curious combination of traditional and modern. We like it very much. On the other hand you have the “LDS” houses where people have lived for generations, and then you have “hipster” streets that make you feel like San Francisco…

I have taken Lumi many times to a local Barnes & Nobles bookstore, which is huge, and is decorated with fascinating American and world literature. Stories from Vietnam veterans, prince harry, faith and religion, self help, kids books, old classics, nice periodicals…. And a cozy little cafeteria – with Starbucks flavors, and so many decaf herbal teas available. I’ve taken mainly the tasty peppermint tea with milk added. (Kind of like a herbal milk tea…) 🙂

I often walk the road to the Barnes and nobles with Lumi – and not more than once has she fallen asleep along the way. Lumi sleeps usually around 80 minutes. That’s a good time to explore world literature. I read parts and pieces of All Quiet from the Western Front – what a masterpiece! And so timely today, when wars and “chauvinism” feel like ravaging all around our globe. I read periodicals about communism, American wars, the Constitution, Founding fathers… I took 10 books with me. Put sleeping lumi next to my table, ordered my peppermint milk tea – and read an hour. Suddenly I see our little Lumi starting to open up her eyes, and it’s time to go home. Or get something from the Whole Foods, very “Helsinki” type of fresh and hippie organic market (my Brother Markus would love it!), or just go directly back home. “The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round…” 🚌 I often sing something with Lumi. She’s curious to look around… 🙂

On another day I visit the closeby Old Navy store for kids clothing, get a printed material from UPS Store, get something to eat from a noodle bar or pasta place, or just walk around. These corners are nice ones… We often walk by a Jewish center, and sometime have even bought a bread or hello the local burger guy. (He’s a Colombian Jew apparently, nice guy.)

Dogs with their owners and joggers walk by. “Brownies here!” 7-11 there. Red light and green light, walk walk walk. 🙂 or even run. It’s still snowing here, which is probably the coldest spring in 40 years. As where the “LDS Church” conference and Easter have apparently often been the divider when you should change your long sleeves into short ones, this year we have snow coming down even in April. (Next week is still forecast to keep snowing…) occasionally a warmer sunshine surprises us, just to be followed with more snow. 🙂 ⛄️ but I don’t my, it’s been a good experience for Lumi and our family, to get used to the “Finnish” conditions. And Lumi has liked to stroll on the snow and see snowballs being thrown – and landing on an asphalt to make a big white mark… 🙂 we’ve even made a couple of snowmen. ☺️

I have usually taken Lumi out in the afternoon, or later evening. The early mornings I’ve tried to priotize during the past week for work. My rhythm has changed from late night working to very early mornings. I go to sleep often around 9 or 10, and wake up even at 5am. Then working easily between 06am to 9am, or up to 10am. You can get a lot of done in a few hours. Noon and afternoon are more silent, when both Finland and China seem to be either going to a rest mode, or not woken up yet. But in the event the phone starts beeping again. I’ve tried to prioritize only the most important and acute meeting and plan well ahead our work (as much as possible). I have also been “forced” to let go a little and delegate more directly some tasks to China and our team members. If I have to choose between taking care of our kids, or browsing partial not so acute messages, I’ve mainly chosen the former one. But actually by improving your prioritization and delegation skills you can get almost as much done. And you still have time for your family.

I’ve noticed that folks around here – some really serious and successful businessmen that I have met – seem to prioritize those three things: family, business and church life. There’s a super fascinating book by Jeff Benedict the Mormon Way of Doing Business, where he interviews people like Mitt Romney, Clayton Christensen and the JetBlue, Marriott, Deloitte, executives. All of them became ver successful in USA – and all of them devote huge amount of time for their families and the communities they live in. While others relax on a baseball match or see a nice TV show, these guys help random individuals in their wards, or do non-profit work for the poor. Or take their families out on a vacation – or study Bible or Book of Mormon together with their spouse and Children. All this work Create leadership, caring, punctuality and organization skills that they can excel in their business lives. Following Christ and devoting time to your family helped them to become MORE not less successful in their careers. I’ve seen so many fascinating examples that “prove” Benedict’s theses.

After our travels in the “Left Coast”, “Deep South”, and “El Norte”, we’ve got a great insight to the “Far Western” life in the USA. The history is here still with us. The pioneer settler spirit lives in the streets and houses of Utah. But Salt Lake City has also changed a lot. Probably both for better and worse, depending on whom you ask. But we’ve really liked it in here. My work and business is still in China – but in a modern world there’s a lot of stuff you can accomplish also with the help of digital tools, and delegating and outsourcing. I wouldn’t find it impossible, that we’d live here longer. I’ve already checked the visa options to land in here (with the best ones being L- and O-visas). Or even employment, but that would be in the further future. Business could be though started almost right away.

There’s been a few interesting songs and Melodies that have been going in my mind, while strolling the streets of Salt Lake City.

If it’s a snowy an sunny spring day, try to walk in from the city hall towards the Temple Square – and put Arcade Fire’s “Keep the Car Running“ to your ears. Try to walk without having any tears on your eye, or cheeks, I can guarantee that you might be surprised. For me at least it grasps superbly well the atmosphere in the city center. (I walked couple of times to the center with Lumi).

Also the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack is a “killer” here. Try to imagine your personal story – and the goals, aspirations, dreams, potential challenges you may have faced, and the “mission” that you have in your business, work, society or everyday life. And put up “Darkstar”, curious Hans Zimmer masterpiece. Imagine walking your “life road” towards the Capitol Hill, much of the the highest place in SLC center. Or watch a PBS or HBO pioneer documentary in YouTube – or visit the Beehive house about Brigham Yound – and ponder the settlers’ challenges before establishing the “Far West”. Arcade Fire’s No Cars Go works really well for that…

There’s many more, but just a few to mention…

Life is interesting and teaching. It ain’t so easy and simple always, but sometimes the challenges and ups and down are the ones that keep you going and learning. The meaning comes often through challenges and learning experiences, which help you to see what is truly worthy and meaningful, and what not.

Let’s keep strolling! ☺️👌