Choosing the mountains over the sea

Searching for the right spot…

I tend to wander between the mountains and the sea…

I was fortunate to grow up in Colorado which has amazing mountains. Now after living in Florida for several years, I’m realizing just how much I took my home state for granted. I have always been looking for another place over the horizon.

Most of my youth was spent outside climbing trees and camping. I started to get into hiking and climbing towards the end of high school, however, I felt this force pulling me to the coast.

My family and I took a vacation to San Francisco that completely changed life as I knew it.

One day we took a walk around some docks full of fancy yachts. At the end was this very run down green steel two-masted sailboat. At first, it was funny to see this mess of a boat sitting between all these very expensive watercraft, but after a few minutes, I fell in love with it. I could see the work the owner was doing, and where they were starting to make progress in fixing up this old boat. At that moment I was taken by sailboats forever.

changyu hu - Unsplash.com
chengyu hu – Unsplash.com

I could see this sailboat taking me on grand adventures to places I could only dream about. Why buy a house and be stuck in one place when I could live on a boat any place I wanted…

At that moment I think I became a wanderer. More consumed by the journey rather than any destination.
As soon as we got back to Colorado I started to take sailing lessons. I was able to find a Red Cross class that taught basic sailing classes. I learned to sail in a little Sunfish on a large lake not too far from the house. A far cry from that grand ship that inspired all this.

The class was great, and not too long after finishing I bought my first boat. My friends and I would take that boat to the lakes high in the Rockies several times over the following years.

And then I changed my mind…

Anyone that has been around me long enough knows that I change direction frequently, and quickly.

After I finished high school I had decided to move to Orlando to learn to work on boats. I had lost all interest in going up to the mountains and camping. All my focus was on getting to a nice sunny spot, on a boat of course. I secured my spot in school and even started to look at apartments.

After everything was in place I decided on a whim to just join the Army instead. With all this focus on boats and the sea, you would think that I would have chosen the Navy. I did go to them first, however, at the time, they were not guaranteeing what job you would end up with. Knowing my luck I would end up doing laundry, so jumping out of planes and blowing shit up sounded much better. Joining the Army was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The reasons behind that deserve their own post.

The next chapter…

Fast forward three years and I found myself working at Denver International Airport in one of the worst snow storms I can remember. After I got out of the Army I decided to go back home and enjoy the great outdoors Colorado had to offer. I started to get my hiking gear together and even joined a climbing gym.

Sitting in the break room that very cold evening, I found a SCUBA diving magazine. In the back, there was an add for “Paychecks in Paradise”. Having spent the last three years being cold, I thought it would be nice to get a little slice of paradise!

A month later I was learning to dive in the FL Keys. I finished dive school and jumped on a sailboat and headed to the Bahamas. After a few months I found myself in Seattle, but six months later I was back in Florida.

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rosin hormones – Unsplash.com

The nice thing about being a SCUBA instructor is that you can generally find work. You don’t make much money, but it did allow me to move frequently. I was really enjoying the warm salt water and sunshine, but then a familiar feeling came back.

The thing with being back in Florida was that I miss the mountains. There are plenty of places to go camping and hiking, but it isn’t the same. Florida is very flat… and also very hot. If you plan to do anything outside in the summer, it is best to make sure that it involves water. My wife and I spent a couple nights camping in the summer in Ocala and it was not very fun.

Finding a happy medium in the land of no mountains…

The bad thing about moving between such extremes is that balance is hard to find. While heading out to the beach here is easy, finding a nice hill to climb is more difficult. It’s not easy to find the time to make an eight-hour drive to the nearest mountain range while working a full-time job. Not much fun spending more time in the car than on the trail.

My goal is to take at least one major hiking trip a year. In 2016 I went on an amazing hike in Washington that challenged me in ways I have never been before. Trips like that makeup for not being able to run out for a quick trip over the weekend.

sebastian pichler - unsplash.com
sebastian Pichler – unsplash.com

I will always find myself daydreaming of the exact opposite of the environment I am in. I know that about myself now. As much as I long to be out in the middle of the woods, I can still see myself on a sailboat heading to some distant island.

I think happiness has a lot to do with finding a little bit of peace where you’re at, while always looking towards that next adventure…

Goals: How I Set Goals for a Full Life

Goals…

I know that I am a bit late to the table for a new years goal setting post, however, the best day to make a positive change in your life was yesterday.

I have seen several posts about how people are going to get in shape this year or become even more productive. These are some of the common themes that are floating around out there, and I’m all about doing everything possible to improve my performance in my day job. I have plenty of goals documented at work, and there are a lot of people that have already put out some good career and productivity stuff that can be used at the 9-5.

Things in my professional life are doing okay at the moment, so I plan to take some time to focus on my off time. Becoming more efficient at work will give me more time to enjoy at home, and since that is what I really want in life, will help me stay on the professional track throughout the year.

These days most of us spend more time at work than we do with our families and the activities that make life worth living. So, this year I want to tackle some things that have been on my list for quite some time, like:

Fencing

Yep, that’s right. Nothing says fun like good old-fashioned swordplay! Of course, I have never done anything close to fencing since I was a kid battling the neighborhood kids with broomsticks, which was always fun.. until you got smacked on the hand, or ear. It may be my inner pirate or that one James Bond movie that got this one high on my list.

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Rock Climbing

There have been a couple periods of my life where I was hitting the rock climbing gym pretty often. Growing up in Colorado I took the mountains for granted and never made it out of the gym.

I do think it is a little funny that this is pretty high on my list as I am terrified of heights, so I’m hoping to spend some time confronting my fear head-on. Granted I won’t see any major heights in FL, so I will have some time to work on this one.

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This also fits into another overall goal…

Getting active

I work in an office, so that means I sit on my ass all day and get fat. There is no shortage snacks and temptations floating down the aisles between cubicles, and I am never one to turn down a baked good that happens by.

I know that getting fit is one of those New Year’s resolutions hardly anyone keeps, so I am going to start by just being more active. Easy stuff like going for a walk during lunch and having a Nerf gun war with my kids. Just getting off my ass and away from the TV will go along way.

Writing

I really wanted to try my hand at writing this year, so started this blog. I don’t really have a set plan or goal for this other than to publish a new post about once a week. I realize that I will need some time to find my voice and what I really want to write about.

Camping and hiking

I love it outside! I love the smell of campfires and sleeping in a sleeping bag. Listening to the breeze move through the trees and waves lap on some shore put me at peace. It’s very true that going into nature is going home, and even an overnight backpacking trip feels like a week-long vacation.

Car camping is great, but nothing beats heading into the back county where everything you need fits into a backpack! I really want to take my son on an overnight trip this winter before it starts to get hot again. We only have two seasons in FL. There is the scorching hot sweat staining summer, and a couple cool days sometime in January- March. So, needless to say, I need to pencil this one in soon.

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Now for the things that really matter…

Playtime with my kids

My kids are growing up so fast. My boy is in kindergarten and my little girl is already starting potty training. It’s hard to imagine moving into the next phase of parenting where there aren’t any babies anymore. I can admit that becoming a dad has made me more emotional, and sometimes it makes me a little sad to see how big they have grown.

My last position in my company had me traveling about a week a month, and over the course of a year, I felt like I missed so much. Even though my trips were usually three to five days they looked bigger every time I came home. I realized it was time for a change when it wasn’t a big deal to them when I left on my trips. I was fortunate when a new position came along that required much less travel.

Whatever you do, don’t take time with your family for granted. It will be over sooner than you think!

Snuggling with my wife

Is there any more that really needs to be said about that? Spending time with your significant other is precious. I really look forward to nights after we put the kids to bed and we can just talk, and be us for a while. It is hard to believe that we have been married for ten years as of June 2017! I’m glad that she still puts up with me, and all my quirks… Like wanting to go fencing.

Me and the soon to be bride in Hawaii

An overall goal of a full life

All of these things just help to enhance the quality time we have. Don’t spend too much time thinking about work, and your next big move up the corporate food chain. Do your best to leave work where it belongs, at work!

You can always make more money, but you will never get the time you spend away from those you love back. Don’t let stress get in the way of a full life, and never ever take time for granted.

 

Business Travel: Tips from my time on the road

Over the last couple years, I have been working for a company that has required quite a bit of business travel. Although I am far from a road warrior, I have some international and domestic travel experience under my belt. Most of this may be common sense to some, however there are a few things that I have learned along the way.

Heading out with the sunrise

 

Flights

Be careful how early you schedule your travel if your plans require you to be at a vendor site, or meet with a client the same day. You don’t want to hit the wall too early due to picking the red-eye. Sometimes it works better arriving the day before.

My rule of thumb is to fly in the morning if possible to avoid bad weather. Research the weather patterns in the area you are traveling too. Know what times of day are best to arrive/ depart. Anyone who has flown out of Denver in the summer can attest to the afternoons being very stormy and resulting in lengthy delays.

Be sure to get your frequent flyer miles. Depending on how your company manages your travel you can get rewards for the flight and the purchase. You might have to stick to one carrier to maximize this, or you can also use a credit card that gives you points for all purchases. Chris Guillebeau has a great Highbrow course on earning frequent flyer miles.

TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are worth the money. Being able to skip the long lines at security and customs make life much easier.

Hotels

Pick a hotel chain and stick with it for domestic travel within the US. Some are a little fancier than others and you will get a sense of what you like, and what you don’t. I prefer the Hilton branded hotels as I have had good luck with clean rooms and good customer service. I would give the opposite advice when going overseas, just pay attention to the reviews.

Take the time to look at a map of the area so you don’t end up right next to the train tracks or a busy highway. If you have no choice, be sure to get a room that faces away from any loud areas. Also, weigh the cost of local amenities with the distance you would have to travel to your work destination each day. You don’t want to spend 45 minutes in the car stuck in traffic just because you picked a hotel next to the only Starbucks in the area.

Traveling alone vs with a group

Hopefully, if you have to travel with coworkers you enjoy their company. There isn’t much worse than being stuck next to someone you don’t like on a long flight. On the flip side, even bad company beats being the guy sitting all alone at the bar each night. I have been lucky in that I really enjoy the people I work with, and get a chance to know them better while away on business.

Be careful in what you share with your coworkers and clients while out on after-hours events or meals. While everyone tends to open up and share stories after a few drinks, you can’t take back anything embarrassing that you let out in the open. You might not want to share tales of drunken exploits with your boss, clients, or coworkers that may end up your boss one day.

Afternoon flight from Tampa to Nashville

Packing

Be sure to pack the right clothes for the weather you expect. Going from Florida to any place that actually gets cold is a challenge considering none of us own a winter coat. Also, pick outfits that are one step more professional than you think you need and that fit well. Being underdressed or uncomfortable will affect your self-confidence and that is the last thing you need while out of your normal element and meeting a big client for the first time.

While you can pick up most things, such as a toothbrush, just about anywhere it is a little more difficult for medications. Be sure to check to make sure you have enough to get you through the trip and keep them in your carry on bag to ensure they don’t get lost. Should you really need a refill, you can have a prescription transferred to a local pharmacy. This can take a little while but will work in a pinch.

Be sure to check out the local food and cool things to do in the area you are going to visit. Depending on the reason for your trip you may end up with some downtime over a weekend that will allow you to really explore. Traveling for business can be fun and exciting, or be really awful. Most of this will be in your control, so go forth and make sure you have an awesome trip!

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