Testing Boundaries

Today, I made a bit more progress testing some boundaries by challenging some assumptions about the arc of my life going forward that I've managed to fall into the habit of believing over the last several years. For whatever reason, a new energy has begun to emerge. I always believed that I was a relatively optimistic person, but even that aspect of my outlook has improved. As far as testing boundaries, all I really have done is begin to take small steps away from some unconscious assumptions that I may have been harboring. These steps aren't long or far reaching, but just a little bit of change has improved my outlook and resulted in a new sense of invigoration.

Looking forward to what tomorrow may reveal. 

Gratitude Wednesday

The old fallback when one hasn't taken a picture worth posting and is short on creative ideas gets trotted out again...that's right folks it's gratitude Wednesday.

I'm grateful that today one of the toughest problems that I had to solve was getting my youngest son to finish his Valentine cards for his classmates.  I'm grateful that after introducing a bit of structure to his writing routine we were able to bring that little task to a successful conclusion.

I'm grateful for the US Highway and Interstate system. Taken as a whole, they are both engineering marvels and monuments to the accomplishments of this great nation that I was fortunate enough to be born into. I remember learning is history class that one of the great achievements of the Roman Empire was the network of roads and aqueducts that they were able to create. Zipping along the highway at 60 (or yes, sometimes only 20 or 30) mph, I'm here to observe that those folks have got noting on us.

Keeping with the vehicle theme, I'm grateful for my automobile. It's a self contained, climate controlled, entertainment rich, spectacularly complex piece of technology that has reduced the day long commute from Annapolis to Washington, DC a day or two in times of old to less than an hour today. Rolling friction is a beautiful thing, and when it's backed by about 100 hp, the results from a quality and quantity of life perspective are stunning.

I'm grateful for central heating and air conditioning...particularly heating today as the temperatures are headed for the mid-20's tonight. The house that I live in is old enough to have at one time been heated by fireplaces. They are in both living areas downstairs as well as two of three bedrooms upstairs. No hot brick, warming pan, or bed wagon for me today. I didn't even know a bed wagon existed until just now.

Which brings me to my last entry for the evening. I'm grateful for the internet and Google. I'm old enough to remember when this capability didn't exist except in the thoughts and dreams of computer scientists and early programmers. Today, with a very few keystrokes we have access to information that outstrips some of the world's greatest libraries from just 50 years ago.

Today has been a good day, and I'm looking forward to what tomorrow may bring.

A Changed Approach has Resulted in Unexpected Breakthroughs

A couple of different mental exercises that I've been fussing around with over the last several weeks have been yielding some unexpected and apparently positive (so far anyway) results. Quite a bit of this change has been "forced" upon me by the foot injury, but some of it has been a conscious decision to pursue something quite a bit different from my routine.

The change that's been introduced from the outside has been welcome. Of course this welcoming outlook did not happen initially, but like most change imposed from outside I've come to terms with it.  That aspect of the differing routine is not particularly interesting to me since it is largely the "same old, same old" story of adaptation to my environment.

The deliberate decision making that led to chasing after something completely different has been the much more interesting, and frankly, rewarding process. I'm really not completely clear on why over the last several weeks I decided to begin some relatively simple experiments. Some of it was my exposure over the last several months to the TED Talks. Some of it was borne of frustration with situations that I don't have much influence and almost zero control over how the outcome plays out. Some of it was generated  from a re-emerging foundation of "playful" adventure that has been left to atrophy over the course of some challenging times.

One thing that I've observed as this reawakening has been manifesting itself is that it is building on some of the very foundational changes that have arisen out of the more disciplined routines that I developed over the last year or so.  Those routines have laid in an infrastructure from which this more fun-filled approach to leaning my shoulder into the experience of living can draw experience and sustenance as I peek out fomr behind some of the berms that I've accumulated in the past.

It's really been rewarding and fun, and it's given me a renewed sense of confidence moving forward. I don't know what the outcomes will be, but I believe that I'm prepared to meet them as they unfold.

No Photos, No Walking, Writing

I didn't make the time to get out and capture any photos today.  I'll make a deliberate effort tomorrow.  The résumé  that I've been dreading for the last several weeks has made some significant progress over the last several days.  I should be able to wrap up the large version of it tomorrow or the next day.

After that, the hard work of editing it down to two or three pages will begin.  It's tough to gist a little less than 20 years of experience down into just a few pages of less than 2000 words. I believe I'm getting the hang of things, but the editing bit is going to be somewhat challenging.  I really do enjoy the challenge of bringing it all together, and I can definitely sense the value of writing just a little bit every day for the last five months coming to bear.

Yet another situation where doing just a little bit every day can lead to quite a bit of incremental progress if applied consistently.  I'm looking forward to what tomorrow may hold.

Superbowl Sunday with a Serving of Gratitude

It occurred to me this morning that the fracture in my left foot has caused me to slow down quite a bit over the last several weeks, and because of that docile pace, I've been granted the opportunity of noticing things that have escaped my observation over of the last 14 months. I certainly didn't relish giving up on my walking streak, but overall, it seems to have become a welcome respite.  It has given me the opportunity to refocus some aspects of my daily practice that had taken a step or two out of the foreground.

This morning, I drove down to the Annapolis Yacht Club parking lot, and I was able to recapture some of the gratitude that I felt early on in my walking discipline.

Sunrise over Eastport

Once again, the still of the morning radiated a sense of serenity on both the water and the land. The day, in all its promise, was just breaking over the horizon.

Gratitude on Spa Creek

When I was walking over the bridge, I spotted this sloop moored at the AYC piers, and I did a double take upon reading the name.  I really wish this panorama had lined up, and it hadn't given the double image to the left, but I suspect there's a message in the imperfection that manifested itself. Gratitude has been clearly doubled, and I'd venture that message is something that I should take onboard. While not intrinsically perfect, the message was just what I needed to start the week.

Gratitude and Serenity on Spa Creek

In spite of some slight flaws with the panorama, I was able to capture some of the Gratitude and serenity of the morning from the overlook of the Eastport Bridge.

The foot is feeling much better, and I only have about two and half weeks to go before I can start getting back into my ambulatory swing. I looking forward to tomorrow and whatever it may bring.