After more than a few weeks (lost track of days) I think I’ve kicked the soda pop habit. I still have cravings, headaches and withdrawals from the cold, sweet concoction but have resisted. I’ve been managing with a lot of water and soda water. So…yay me.
After more than a few weeks (lost track of days) I think I’ve kicked the
soda pop habit. I still have cravings, headaches and withdrawals from
the cold, sweet concoction but have resisted. I’ve been managing with a
lot of water and soda water. So…yay me.
Traveled up and down the Mother Road from Oklahoma City to Tulsa, Baxter
Springs, Kansas, Joplin, Missouri and all points in between recently.
We’ll do the rest eventually but for now…
Time to evaluate my progress for my Groundhog Resolutions, the 10th
annual attempt at creating life-long habits for myself. I’ve discovered
that right after the end of the year holidays I am not mentally or
physically capable of sticking with resolutions for the upcoming new
year. I need a break so I take the whole month of January off to reflect
and plan and start on 2/2 instead of 1/1.
I’ll check back in on myself on 8/8
Get another tattoo: Coming soon
More camping: It’s hot y’all. And the last attempt was off asphalt and sand dunes. Fall cant get here fat enough.
More skinny dipping: Does a jacuzzi count? Then yes. When’s the next one?
Learn Spanish more fluently: Watching futbol and Spanish-speaking announcers helps(?)
Join a book club: I have given up on this one. Not enough interest for guys.
50 Books a year challenge: I have lost count but still going. Mixed signals here.
Snail mail friend: Eh.
Volunteer: Taking care of my business is challenging enough. Still looking for opportunities though
Kickboxing: Tae Bo for the win
Self-defense: Meh.
Yoga: Almost daily practice using the Sworkit app. Is it supposed to hurt when I stretch?
More 5 & 10k obstacle course racing: See above. It’s hot.
Consistent training: Still going strong here. I’d like to add more days.
Consistent nutritional training: Work
in progress. I’ve dropped soda pop and going with water, soda water and/or beer. Less eating out too. Small victories.
Hashing:
Waiting on cooler. Got called out by THHH Mismanagement for it too. Will be paying for it when I’m back on trail.
Hiking: Taken
more than a few hikes this year and explored familiar and new trails.
Geocaching: I am 0 for 12 so far this year. Um, what? Meanwhile, Tracy has decided to sign up and has found two that I wanted.
Meditation: Will be utilizing the same space as kickboxing and yoga for this.
Complete my book: Researching settings, plot, characters and more. Novel or short stories? Hmm…
Photo essay on a topic I am passionate about: Waiting on warmer weather and a topic.
Video log every month: Landed
on Vimeo. Will post a link when it gets interesting but so far just
dark, grainy video of me looking tired but giddy for some reason.
Leave inspirational notes everywhere: Send me inspiration.
Year in photos album: 2017 is just there, waiting on me. Cannot wait to see what 2018 memories I’ll have at the EOY.
Shoot more film: Buy more film. Ain’t cheap!
Find my muse: Found her. Now how to use her?
DAM: Constant work in progress here
Time to evaluate my progress for my Groundhog Resolutions, the 10th
annual attempt at creating life-long habits for myself. I’ve discovered
that right after the end of the year holidays I am not mentally or
physically capable of sticking with resolutions for the upcoming new
year. I need a break so I take the whole month of January off to reflect
and plan and start on 2/2 instead of 1/1.
I’ll check back in on myself on 8/8
Get another tattoo: Coming soon
More camping: It’s hot y’all. And the last attempt was off asphalt and sand dunes. Fall cant get here fat enough.
More skinny dipping: Does a jacuzzi count? Then yes. When’s the next one?
Learn Spanish more fluently: Watching futbol and Spanish-speaking announcers helps(?)
Join a book club: I have given up on this one. Not enough interest for guys.
50 Books a year challenge: I have lost count but still going. Mixed signals here.
Snail mail friend: Eh.
Volunteer: Taking care of my business is challenging enough. Still looking for opportunities though
Kickboxing: Tae Bo for the win
Self-defense: Meh.
Yoga: Almost daily practice using the Sworkit app. Is it supposed to hurt when I stretch?
More 5 & 10k obstacle course racing: See above. It’s hot.
Consistent training: Still going strong here. I’d like to add more days.
Consistent nutritional training: Work
in progress. I’ve dropped soda pop and going with water, soda water and/or beer. Less eating out too. Small victories.
Hashing:
Waiting on cooler. Got called out by THHH Mismanagement for it too. Will be paying for it when I’m back on trail.
Hiking: Taken
more than a few hikes this year and explored familiar and new trails.
Geocaching: I am 0 for 12 so far this year. Um, what? Meanwhile, Tracy has decided to sign up and has found two that I wanted.
Meditation: Will be utilizing the same space as kickboxing and yoga for this.
Complete my book: Researching settings, plot, characters and more. Novel or short stories? Hmm…
Photo essay on a topic I am passionate about: Waiting on warmer weather and a topic.
Video log every month: Landed on Vimeo. Will post a link when it gets interesting but so far just dark, grainy video of me looking tired but giddy for some reason.
Leave inspirational notes everywhere: Send me inspiration.
Year in photos album: 2017 is just there, waiting on me. Cannot wait to see what 2018 memories I’ll have at the EOY.
Shoot more film: Buy more film. Ain’t cheap!
Find my muse: Found her. Now how to use her?
DAM: Constant work in progress here
I am reading and curating a lot lately for various reasons. Inspiration, mostly but also for reflection and knowledge.
What I am not doing lately is creating. I learn better by doing but haven’t been inspired yet.
This doesn’t make sense.
I’m torn. Should I “just do it” and learn as I go or do I study then practice what I’ve learned?
I am reading and curating a lot lately for various reasons. Inspiration, mostly but also for reflection and knowledge.
What I am not doing lately is creating. I learn better by doing but haven’t been inspired yet.
This doesn’t make sense.
I’m torn. Should I “just do it” and learn as I go or do I study then practice what I’ve learned?
While reading through some inspirational articles on writing, I came across a recommendation for the Scrivener book-writing software. While it is geared mostly towards Mac users there is a passable Windows version. This software is more like a workstation than just a word processor but time will tell.
What it won’t do is write the damn stories for me.
Photography misadventures
I enjoyed Anthony Bourdain’s travel and food shows when I could catch them but will find time to watch more now that he has passed. Dry wit, curiosity no non-sense bullshit and enjoyed life by meeting people over good food in great places around the world. Inspiring.
Also inspiring was some of his attitudes:
“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as
much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The
extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat
their food, it’s a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the
couch, move.”
“I’m a big believer in momentum. As an ex-abuser of drugs, I’m not a
person who should have any pleasurable interruptions. Inactivity, time
for reflection–these are not good for me. I work a lot, do a lot of
different things, but I think in some ways I’m overcompensating for the
inner, hidden knowledge that somewhere deep inside me there’s a lazy
hippie waiting to get out, that if I’m given the opportunity, I’d lay
down on the couch, turn on Adventure Time or The Simpsons, smoke a joint, and lay there for the next six months. If I go to work, I’m going to do things. I keep at them.”
“Create an esprit de corp, and a feeling that you are an elite,
that even if you have the shittiest jobs within a large organization,
you should feel proud of the fact that you’re part of something.
Recognize excellence. Celebrate weirdness, and innovation. Oddballs
should be cherished, if they can do something other people can’t do.”
“Who, after all, wants a ‘sensible’ relationship? Might it follow then
that we shouldn’t aspire to live always by sensible choices? That what
is good for us in the short term is not always the ‘best’ way? To live
always by what’s right now in front of our faces and the imperatives of
keeping things running smoothly for me and mine, good business, no
problems — that’s the kind of shopkeeper mentality that got the world
into a whole lot of shit back in the day. So, maybe, just maybe, fuck
sensible.”
“A few years back, I got the words, ‘I am certain of nothing’ tattooed
on my arm. It’s what makes travel what it is, an endless learning curve,
the joy of being wrong, of being confused.”
“The absolute certainty that no one was ever going to care about or buy or read Kitchen Confidential was
what allowed me to write it. I didn’t have to think about what people
expected. I didn’t care. As a result, I was able to write this book
quickly and without tormenting myself.”
