Revival

I'm hereby reviving my blog here on blogspot. It's about damn time too, as I've been craving an outlet that isn't as obscure as LiveJournal. I'm not giving up on LJ simply because nobody seems to be using it. On the contrary, one of my favorite blogs is up there: HopStopTravel.com. Read it, it's completely inspiring. I just feel like refreshing my environment, classing it up a bit--not that LJ is classless. Are blogs ever labeled as such? It's true I did originally move over to blogspot to provide a home for more high-brow endeavors. I'd just rather not juggle the two. I'm condensing, economizing, simplifying, etc. Plus, this is way more fun to play around with...

I've taken on the ambitious task of transferring all my previous LJ posts here and postdating them, because I think it's interesting to see the progression. Unfortunately, some of them have really good comments attached to them and I don't think I am able to add the comments. So if you see a post you like, maybe refer back to the original LJ post for some wonderful commentary.

This reminds me of the day I wrote my first entry, back in January 2006. It was just before I left for Australia. It's interesting how new everything was to me, how exciting. I created it as a way for my friends and family to keep track of me while abroad and it morphed into this time capsule, a way for me to keep track of me and my metamorphosis from a young, naive college grad to a jaded, world-weary vagabond (ha!). Well, maybe it didn't exactly go down that way, but I'm sure I have grown up in the almost three years since starting this. I've gone through a lot, but not in the sense that's particularly interesting to anybody but myself. It's all very a day in the life, as The Beatles once sung. But don't take my word for it, read for yourself.

Indecency

As a follow up to my previous "People are idiots" post...the other day, again on Fifth Avenue, I saw a tourist take a photo of a homeless man asleep on the ground. WTF!!! Whatever happened to basic human decency? A homeless person is still a person, you know. I really don't get how anybody feels they have the right to make a spectacle out of someone like that.

Am I being overly sensitive?

People

I really think I'd be shocked to witness a person acting his actual age. Today, on the street, I saw a middle-aged man talking on his cell phone walk right in front of an SUV, which had the light. So the car honked at the guy so he wouldn't GET RUN OVER and this jackass shouts out, in stereotypical New York fashion, "Oh shut up!" and proceeds to flip the driver off. For real dude?! I hope next time he decides to walk in front of cars he does get run over.

Leaving NY

I'm thinking more and more of going away again. I'd like to think it doesn't have everything to do with job dissatisfaction, or not being able to switch jobs either. I love New York but I just don't think I want to be here right now. Everything about making it here has to do with having money, material possessions, etc. I'm beginning to grow bitter of the corporate business world. It just seems so arbitrary. Everything is a business, even those that shouldn't be, like health care or education. Why? So people can live longer lives with more stuff. I'm not immune to it, of course. I have all the comforts of home, and then some. Is there any other way to live in this city? But what I'm talking about isn't returning to some agrarian lifestyle, or becoming an ascetic Buddhist (although those two things do sound appealing idealistically). I just want some kind of REAL experience, outside of my comfort zone.

Why am I like this?! Why can't I just be happy where I am? Why do I always feel the compulsion to go away?

I suppose this is mostly coming from just reading an amazingly inspiring book called, "Vagabonding," by Rolf Potts. It's a guide to long-term travel, but it's more of a philosophy than a proper guide book. Everything in it totally speaks to me. It awakened thoughts and beliefs I already had, but were lying latent. According to Potts, vagabonding is not about taking a vacation or a break from life, or even running away from an unpleasant situation. It's going out and seeing the world, not as a pseudo-hippie backpacker, but as a true traveler who doesn't conform to notions of conventional travel. It's about scaling down to the bare basics and wandering and exploring in a deliberate way. It's about being completely open to new experiences. It's about gaining wealth of time, not material wealth. When you travel all you really possess is time.

Critics of this lifestyle will call it selfish and irresponsible. But I say, how is living my best life (to paraphrase Oprah) any more selfish than those who work their jobs all day only to have money to buy more things...for themselves? Aren't I contributing to society just as much as they are? And who says I even owe society anything anyway?

In any case, it's a great read, especially for skeptics, since I imagine most of who read this book are already converted. But again, this is not a cult or religion. It's simply living.

Musing...not amused

As I begin yet another job search, it occurs to me how crucial timing is. It is the thing, really, essential to getting a job. Everybody plays the "what if" game, but seriously, what if I had never gone to Australia or come home a few months early? Most likely I would have been privy to a bunch of job openings at Avalon, where I interned the Autumn before. If I had gotten one of those jobs, chances are good I would have been out of it half a year later, when Avalon got bought out by Perseus Book group and dissolved. Yeah, I might have been able to find another job. I might even have stumbled upon my current job.

I just feel so helpless. I know there's a job out there I would like and be good at, but I just don't know what it is and even if I did, it feels wildly out of my control. Sure, I could apply and even get an interview, but it just seems like there's way too much left to chance.

I suppose it's time to start plans for world domination...

Almost forgot...

I'm going to Israel this summer!!! Yesterday Marissa and I registered for Birthright Israel, the Israel Outdoors trip. Our chances are pretty good considering we're both close to the cut-off age, and they tend to give priority to us "old" folks. Also we registered in time for the priority, first-come, first-served status. And, if Heather gives our names to the Israel Outdoors folks, apparently that makes us VIP. I'd say it's pretty much in the bag. We won't know for sure until the end of February or March I think. Wish us luck.

Also, send some luck our way for Herschel, who is currently at Paws & Claws Veterinary Hospital. His eye got messed up somehow and it's not looking good. Hopefully it won't cost us $$$ and won't cost him an eye. Poor guy.

Legen...wait for it...dary!

New obsession: How I Met Your Mother. Funniest show since Seinfeld, bar none. Seriously folks, this is one hilarious, LOL, knee-slapping sitcom. The writers are geniuses...and now they're back!

As expected, the weekend away in Florida was lovely...80 degrees everyday, not a drop of rain, abundant sunshine. I may even like Florida a little. We spent the day Saturday at the Morikami Gardens, the gorgeous Japanese gardens in Delray Beach, and the evening eating sushi and walking around Downtown Delray. Sunday we went to the beach and had G'ma and G'pa over for a surprise dinner. The surprise wasn't the dinner, it was their grandchildren being at the dinner. We had a yummy meal followed by the second half of the Super Bowl. Now, I'm not a football fan in the least. In fact, I don't think I've ever really watched the Super Bowl, only had it on in the background to watch the halftime show and the commercials. But this was one exciting game, I have to say. The pass that led to the touchdown that let to the Giants winning had to be, well, legendary. We were all cheering and jumping up and down. This is from a family that doesn't "do" sports, aside from skiing and golf.

So let's take a minute and reflect on the weather, about which I am slightly obsessed:
Last week--temperatures in the 60s, spring jacket weather
Monday--so bitterly cold it was below 0 with the wind chill
Tuesday--snowed all day with accumulation of a few inches
Today--53 degrees right now and raining

LOVE IT!