Easing Back Into the Daily Practice

For the last three weeks, I've not been particularly rigorous in conducting the daily practice.  I've gotten in a decent attempt at my current set of habits and given the distractions (moving, travel, churn at my current day job, etc.) the efforts haven't been all that bad.  For the first time today, I finally had enough time with enough rest behind it to start missing some of the rigor that's been spent on other, less fruitful, endeavors over the last several weeks.  It things go well, I'm on the cusp of ramping up into full swing on the elements in the very near future.

It's worth listing the activities that I now consider mandatory work toward a more spiritual future.  Generally in the order I acquired them, they are:

1.   Walking
2.   Talking to Rory on the Phone
3.   Landscape/Skyscape Photography
4.   Blogging
5.   Daily Self Portrait
6.   Calisthenics (push-ups, crunches, resistance band curls, plank, flutter kicks)
7.   Meditation
8.   Minimalism
9.   Prayer
10. Saving Money
11. Introducing Myself to One New Person

Another Glorious Day in Fairhope, AL

Considering that less than four years ago I truly believed that I didn't have even a few extra minutes to spare in my busy daily life, this is a pretty good list of habits to have implemented. That said, I believe there are more than a handful more things that should at least be added to this list for a month or two on an experimental basis at least.

I am grateful for the friends I have met, the help I have gotten, and the relationships that have been enhanced by this steady but sure accumulation of habits that have displaced ones of more dubious value as time has marched forward.

I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I'm going to go search for an alligator, a sunrise, and a sunset if I'm graced with experiencing the dawning of a new day.

Downsizing Nearing Completion

Today was dedicated to cramming far too many material possessions into a much smaller dwelling.  On the upside, we got rid of quite a bit of excess material.  I feel pretty good about that part of things.

That said,we have quite a bit of progress left to make.  I feel good about that as well, but now it will be interesting to see if we can follow through on what promises to be an excellent opportunity.

Even with all the comings and goings, the sunset tonight was pretty spectacular.

Soccer Sunset with Moon 0 Annapolis, MD

The younger male roommates were playing a soccer game, and even though we were more than a stone's throw from the water, the light show was worth a glance to the heavens.

We'll see what happens tomorrow. A busy day is in the offing, and it will be fascinating to see how it plays itself out.

Sunset on an Era

We're done with our old accomodations.  About half our material possessions are moved out, and it's apparent to me that some downsizing is in order. I'm tired, and it's hard to tell how this is all going to work out.  That said, I know that it will work out for the best.

I'm going to break a guideline and post a picture from yesterday. I've kept up the daily practice in fits and spurts, but getting interesting photos today just wasn't in the cards. The one from yesterday captures my mood. We're putting things in the rearview mirror, and the initial indications are that this is going to work out for the better.

Rearview Mirror Sunset - Bowie, MD

I've missed a couple of days because I fell asleep meditating. I guess I needed the rest, but I know that tomorrow will be a new day in a new house and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

Culminating Moves

Labor Day this year was spent laboring at getting ready to move from the six bedroom five bath mini-mansion into the three bedroom one bath apartment. One reasonable conclusion for all this is that we have fare too much stuff, and it's doing a pretty good job of owning us right now. Frankly, it's a little grim, and I'm not sure we're going to be ready to fit it all into the smaller place that's headed our way later this week. The sun is setting (I hope) on the era of out greatest excess.

Sunset - Halligan Hall - United States Naval Academy

In spite of the stress involved, I really am hoping we can leverage this move into a more spiritual existence. Having fare too many material things has proven to be no real way to go about living in terms of being able to fulfill our spiritual purpose, and I really feel that this way of life has reached a crisis point.  Even on the third round of minimalism when I thought things might be winding down for me, I've found a pile of stuff that just needs to be shed in order to be a happier person.

Leading my family into this new way of life is proving challenging, but I hope this change in circumstance forced on us by people who were only seeking to do us harm flips the script and proves to be one of the best things that's happened to us in a awfully long time. It's hard to see how that's going to work from the chaos that's ensued over the last couple of days, but I remain hopeful.

Folks say that everything happens for a reason, and I'm hoping that tomorrow those truths reveal themselves in all of our lives.

Transitions Into a New Future

Today the morning's walk was marked by a great sunrise over the Anacostia. It proved to be an auspicious start to a day where I felt that the transition to a different and I believe better life moving forward gained some significant headway.

Sunrise over the Anacostia

Deep into the third round of thirty day minimalism, the practice is finally getting into a comfortable rhythm, and I'm really liking the results. Meeting new people is starting to gain some traction, and I'm mostly keeping up with a solid effort at previous incarnations of the thirty day principles.

A year ago, I was beginning to sense that major lifestyle shifts might be possible. Now I know they are a reality with some relatively simple rule sets, and that knowledge is giving me a great deal of confidence that almost no goal is out of reach if you make small steps in the right direction and keep it up over time.

Acting the way to right thinking has been the key in unlocking this previously untapped resource for me, and I'm grateful that my focus has shifted from a lethargic intellectual approach to a more active physical approach. I'm also grateful that I've had a great partner in this journey in Rory Conlan. I believe we've supported each other in making some significant changes, and that relationship has really been a bedrock of some of the great things that are happening around both of us.

Today we spent over an hour discussing the walking route between Newport, RI and Newport, OR.  We both approached the challenge in our own way. He tackled it with paper maps in a Rand McNally road atlas, and I took a more digital approach with Google Maps. Regardless of the reference material, this action and discussion helped solidify the path forward in our march toward what I hope will be a collective adventure of a lifetime.

I haven't the faintest idea what tomorrow might bring, but I'm excited to experience the unfolding of what promises to be another great day.

Minimalism Update

After my first thirty day experiment with divesting myself of excess material possessions, I conducted a second thirty day round and twenty two days through a third round.  I've gotten rid of over one thousand excess items through donations, giving things away to friends or acquaintances, and just putting some things in a dumpster.

Round Three - Day 22

Today, I gave some tools that I haven't used since 2007 away to a friend of mine who will hopefully put them to use in his business. I also got rid of some items that I've been hauling around since middle school or at the latest high school.

During the first round of minimalism, I looked at all of these items and thought that there was no way I could bring myself to give them up. One of the interesting aspects of this nearly daily practice is just how much that outlook has changed over the intervening period. I find that I hold onto material things for one of three reasons.

1) I have a use for the item, or it brings me joy.

2) Just in case.

3) The item has become tied to my past in a way that makes it difficult to part ways with. The items has "become" part of my identity or at least part of the way I define myself.

Those last two categories of items are the ones I'm slowly getting rid of to lighten my load, and the more I lean into the discomfort associated with both of those reasons the better I feel about walking away from material things that I did not imagine I'd ever want to get rid of a little less than ninety days ago. 

This exercise has cleared my garage and my mind of some of the clutter that's built up over the years. It has made me more aware of the present, and increased my consciousness of the often unhealthy relationships that I've developed with material possessions. One side effect of that consciousness is a  non-trivial change in my purchasing habits. Impulse buying (which I didn't even recognize I was doing) has largely vanished. I've become much more deliberate in the use of my monetary resources.

This daily practice has also made me aware of the value of starting a new lifestyle "habit" slowly but keeping it up for thirty days. This suggestion has been made time and time again, but it really is one of the most effective approaches that I've found to ramp into and solidify an new way of living.

I'll take a brief pause from my minimalism activities tomorrow as I hit the road, bound for the midwest, but I have confidence that I'll pick it back up again when I return. I don't know what tomorrow holds in store for me, but I sense I'm on a good path and I'm looking forward to seeing what surprises wait around the next bend in the trail.

Minimalism...Looking Back

For about sixty days of the last seventy, I've been getting rid of material possessions. The suggestion I followed is a pretty simple one.  On the first day, I divested myself of one item.  On day two, two items left the house. Day three...three items and so on till day thirty.  Over the course of thirty days, if you don't cheat, that ends up being four hundred and sixty five items. I went through one cycle of that practice, and now I find myself twenty days into the second cycle.  I also did about ten days in another location where I'd managed to collect a fair amount of material junk.  Ten days of not conducting the practice account for the remainder of the time.

Some observations from this foray into minimalism...

1.  I have quite a bit of useless junk. I didn't start out feeling this way, but that's one of the reasons it's good to start small. With over six hundred items divested, I have not found a single thing in the last thirty days that I've actually missed. That's pretty stunning because over the course of that time, I've certainly gotten rid of things that at the beginning of the journey I never imagined I'd be ready to give up. I still have things that I'm holding on to for less than good reasons, so I think I'll keep going with the goal of getting down to a set of material possessions that either have utility or bring me joy.

2.  The amount of money I've wasted on things of dubious value is stunning. Yesterday, I believe the nineteen items I ended up putting in the dumpster cost be about $110. In retrospect I really wish I had that money back. With a new outlook on life, that wasted cash would have been much better spent on an experience of one sort or another. On a related, but separate note, the way to financial wealth in America is keeping what you earn. That's a lesson that I learned far too late in life, and I still have a whole series of bad habits in that regard to tackle as well as a whole lot of past mistakes to undo. No one reads this material, but if you do and if you're young, keep that in mind going forward. Hold on to your hard earned money. It will buy you freedom if you can manage to resist the pull of advertising and the strong undertow of a relatively materialistic culture.

3.  I've held onto things for one of three reasons. a) Items have utility or bring some joy to my life.  This is really only a small handful of things that have endured the test of time. The rest of this junk was purchased on a whim, and looking back, I have made some serious mistakes in this regard. b) I keep items "just in case." This outlook isn't inherently negative, but it is a cost driver in terms of time (keeping things tidy), money (over insuring things I really don't need or wouldn't replace if I lost them), and focus (if you have too much stuff, your passion can be diluted...this is my theory anyway). c) Items are associated with some past aspect of my life or personality. This is probably the most insidiously damaging aspect of materialism. After having confronted this aspect of things, which I didn't even know existed until I started a disciplined approach to getting rid of them, I found that my material possessions were anchoring me to my past. Even the joyous aspects of my life in the past have long vanished in the wake of the creative destruction associated with the passage of time. Keeping the stuff because of the memories kept me anchored to a myth that, having slipped some of those anchors, is becoming less important to me moving forward into the future. Perhaps even more importantly, letting the past go has allowed me to enjoy the present with a lot less distraction. Finally, the happy memories don't vanish with the divestment of material.  Those thoughts are still there, but I find it much clearer in making new memories to layer on top of the older events that have shaped who I am right now.

Today was a good day, and I got rid of some things holding me back. I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the wide open spaces out ahead.

Father's Day - 2016

I had a really good Father's Day this year.  I started off early getting together with friends where the memories and stories quickly centered around the general topic of father's. I'd be lying if I didn't say it felt pretty good to have a day dedicated to stories about the antics of dads.

My family and I ate some breakfast, and my daughter even chose to go to the bagel store with me. That's an unusual event, and I think we had a pretty good time. We all headed out to the garage (father space if there ever was one), and instead of getting some ties or sweaters or something else I don't really need, we spent the better part of the afternoon downsizing our material possessions. We didn't quite go far enough, but five bikes, two bookshelves, and a whole host of smaller items later, I'd say we made a good start.

Fifteen Pairs of N2N-TCP Training Shoes off for recycling

I got rid of fifteen pairs of worn out N2N-TCP training shoes that had used up their useful service lives. There are over 5,000 miles of walking represented by these shoes, and although we've come a long...long way together, the time was right to let the go.

Today was a great day, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the universe will help me along the way to my destiny tomorrow.

Ten Ways to Decompress Following a Hectic Week

This week proved itself a little hectic. Without going into too many details, I'll say that in the last six days I've helped manage the schedule of approximately two hundred folks in a pretty fluid high technology test environment, been isolated from email and internet connectivity for forty eight hours, gone to work at 0230 in the morning, and put in about eighty hours in "the office."

With the appearance of the first relatively calm day following that gauntlet, my thoughts turned to ways that I found useful in decompressing a bit from that high intensity time.

1.  Catch the sunrise.  Awakening before the crack of dawn ought to come with some advantages. In addition to pretty good compensation (which never really makes up for lost sleep, by the way), the sun will make an appearance and you should probably consider taking in the sights for a bit.

Gulf of Mexico Sunrise

Up before dawn, there were a series of things that called to be dealt with, but when I stepped outside for a moment, this is the vista that awaited. I stood in the moment and reveled in the perfection. The tone had been set for appreciating the other perfect (though less scenic) moments that would follow.

2.  Meditate. When you sit at a picnic table and stare at a point in space for twelve minutes (or so) as the frantic actions unfold around your reverie, a co-worker might eventually come up to you, tap you on the shoulder, and ask if you're alright. When they do, you might consider sharing with them the benefits of mindful meditation including but not limited to clearer conscious thought, a heightened sense of serenity, and lower blood pressure. They might show some interest, or they might leave you alone going forward. Either way, this is a win-win from my perspective.

3.  Don't catch the sunrise. There's something to be said for paying back some of that sleep debt you might have built up during the week. I'm staying at a hotel that's chose Arianna Huffington as their ambassador for a good night's rest. The staff even left a handy list of her eight tips for a better sleep. A quick Google search reveals that she's authored five, eight, twelve, and ten tip lists for a better sleep so it seems to me that she takes the topic pretty seriously.  The fact that four of the eight tips are part of my own daily practice is heartening. 

4.  Turn off the television.  I have not watched any television nine days. I don't miss it a bit. In today's connected world it is all but impossible to get away from what passes for news and current events, so my knowledge of what the talking heads have been endlessly yammering about over the last nine days have not escaped my attention (unfortunately). Keeping the television off has lessened the volume of their hyperventilating to a background murmur, and I find that it's much easier to stay in the moment and appreciate the things that are happening within about a meter of my existence. I saw a lizard on the front quarter panel of a Ram Hemi Truck this afternoon. Apparently one also secured their position as a presidential candidate and another is likely to follow shortly.

5.  Take a walk. I went to a park with a bluff overlooking the water today. It's one of my favorite haunts when I get a few hours of downtime in this neck of the woods. The weather was cool with a hint of warm humidity, the mosquitoes have not yet invaded in force, and I spent some quality time in the vicinity of some fellow travellers watching the world complete another revolution. It's just the kind of revolution that I can get behind.

6.  Eat something new. I found myself hankering for something a little sweet, but I didn't quite know what I wanted. Fortunately, I stumbled across a little bakery that was new to me, and they had some fresh lemon scones. Never having tried them before, I knew before they crossed my tongue they were going to hit just the right balance of sweet and tart. I was not disappointed.

7.  Say "Thank you" more often than usual. The bakery counterman asked me if he could help me, and since I didn't know what I was searching for I said, "I'm just poking around, but thanks for asking." This elicited a smile from him that brightened my day. The checkout girl with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a smattering of freckles beamed up as well when I thanked her for her help purchasing the scones. I don't know if saying "thank you" and meaning it brightened their day at all, but their smiles sure brightened mine.

8.  Get rid of excess stuff, and if you can swing it, give it away that might help someone else. 

Minimalism - Day 9 - Alabama

Some of this stuff went right in the trash. Let's face it, when you have two toothbrushes, it's time to part with the one that's worn out. Who needs more than one pair of nail clippers? When you drop a pair of work gloves in a toilet accidentally, you might want to think about tossing them in the bin. On a happier note, I returned The Lobster Chronicles to the Little Free Library that I borrowed it from about three weeks ago. It was a good read, and I recommend it to those who might be thinking of becoming a lobsterman (or woman) and are worried about the winters in Maine. The book didn't chase me away from that particular idea, although I might consider a summer lobster season in Maine followed by a winter season in the Caribbean. That book was joined in the little shed by When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron. This book makes a compelling case for the argument that pain and uncertainty are harbingers of a person getting a little bit closer to the truth of their existence if you can muster the courage to lean into the discomfort. It was compelling, and I recommend taking a gander.

9.  Journal. It's what I do now, and I find that putting thoughts into typeface gets them out of my head where they're easier to manage.

10. Catch the sunset.

Sunset at The Bluffs - Fairhope, AL

It's been a long day, even if you chose not to catch the sunrise, and the revolution is over for now. Take a moment and feel the warm wind come off the bay. Watch the blues turn to greens and the hot yellow melt into orange and red.

Seahorse Sunset - Fairhope, AL

Know that you've done your best, and, whatever the outcome if you're like me at all, you'll be looking forward to the hopeful newness of another day tomorrow.

Becoming Unstuck

I found myself reflecting on the concept of being stuck over the last several days. I've been coming through the process of becoming unstuck through the evolution of the last weeks events. It's difficult. It's difficult because the uncertainty that has always existed around me is now undeniably revealed, and I'm finding the process a little bit unnerving.

One thing that's kept me focused on what I believe is the right path has been my reliance on my daily practice. Today, I realized that I had seven items to move past, and even though I hadn't planned how that would play out, I found the items and got rid of them.

Minimalism - Day 7 - Alabama

I've been carrying all of these items around with me in my luggage for a minimum of three months. The oldest item is from well over a year ago. When I realized I hadn't planned my divestment earlier this afternoon, I was a bit worried that I'd be able to find seven things that I was ready to let go. Once I started, it only took a few minutes, and I only had to look in two locations to find them.

This small act of moving forward in the face of unexpected uncertainty has become a model, in my mind, for the change that's about to occur as I become unstuck from the familiar.

Additionally, I stuck with my calisthenics, and furthered the practice of letting go of some of my ties to my work. It felt a bit like leaning into discomfort, but the process of taking that step is getting easier.

I'm rambling now, so I think I'll wrap up.  I'm looking forward to the adventure of tomorrow.

Returning to Normal

Getting back into the swing of things really started to kick into high gear today. For the first time, I interacted with two colleagues who apparently didn't realize that I had not been promoted.  The first one congratulated me on making the cut. That was a bittersweet revelation because I really respect this guy and it seemed that he was a little surprised things had broken left when he thought they'd broken write.  The second one was a well meaning but clueless gent whom babbled on about the most recent decisions without acknowledging I might have even been in the mix.  I kept my tongue and moved on with this lad.  Not advertising my apparent misfortuned seemed the best course of action for him.

All that aside, today was the first day that the recent state of events did not linger at the forefront of my mind. I found enough action afoot to manage to lend a hand without being overbearing or inserting myself in situations that did not require my input. I believe that's the course I will chart going forward. I'm finding that not pursuing things that are outside my scope of responsibility feels like quite a relief.

I also got back to thinking about walking, calisthenics, and photography.

Foggy Sunrise - Mobile, AL

This evening, I headed back into the office to pick up my items for the daily practice of minimalism, and while on the road came across this vista that begged to be captured.

Mobile, AL Skyline with Austal Ship Assembly Bay in the Foreground

This picture doesn't quite to justice to the scene that I stumbled upon, but it gives some idea of the stark industrial beauty of the riverfront landscape in Mobile, AL after the sun has set. After stopping to take in the sights, I picked up my candidates for divestment and headed back to the hotel.

Minimalism Day 5 - Alabama Edition

I left five books in the business center of the hotel. After a bit of arranging, I got them to sit a little like a miniature library. I caught myself imagining that this might become an informal version of the Little Free Library concept. If you see something you like, take it while you're on the road. If you finish something while you're here, drop it off for the next traveller. Perhaps we can all save ourselves nine or ten dollars at the airport when we've exhausted our reading material just before catching the next plane to wherever we're headed.  

I'll track it for the time I'm here, and if it lasts or changes let you know.  This little book exchange hasn't been sanctioned by the hotel, so it would not surprise me to see it disappear entirely in relatively short order, but perhaps it will remain. If it does, I look forward to observing the ebb and flow of the reading material of my fellow travellers. One way or another, my pack got just a little bit lighter, and I now have something to look forward to observing, my own little literary experiment if you will, as the day unfolds tomorrow.

Fellow Travelers

Today, I connected with fellow travelers.

Fellow Travelers Boarding the Plane at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

I that interaction with my fellow travelers is something that I really try to avoid, and I'm not really sure why I take that particular approach. Today, on the first flight leg, that proved to be impossible because one of the guys in my row enthusiastically exhibited his clearly extroverted tendencies and engaged the whole row in what turned out to be a relatively jolly and wide ranging discussion that covered topics of work and golf interspersed with oblique references to love-making. All this occurred while hurtling through the higher levels of the troposphere at a little over 400 knots.  In spite of my initial skepticism, the boisterous banter helped pass the time and proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Crawling out of the ashes of my first career over the last two days had left me in a place where I really needed that kind of fun-filled diversion from the slow smolder I'd allowed myself to stoke in my head. When I let it, the universe has a way of delivering just what I need at just the right time.

Before I left for the trip south, I attended to the daily practice of minimalism and parted ways with ten pair of worn out socks and five shirts. You're probably thinking, "Who the hell keeps ten pairs of worn out socks?"

Minimalism Day 15

This guy.

Today was a good day where the physical and mental baggage that I've managed to collect in the past (even the recent past) got a little bit lighter. I never would have thought that getting rid of material possessions would help me cope a little better with setbacks that aren't directly related to having too much shit in my closet that I don't need, but I believe that the last two weeks of moving on from my material past has had just that effect.

The practice of deliberately walking forward from material things that meant something to me at one time but have outlived their utility has led to a subtle shift in my mindset. I understand just a little bit better that I'm not so closely defined by the things or events or any number of outside circumstances that the universe puts in my path.  I truly believe that just two weeks of this practice positioned me better to cope with some disappointing, though not necessarily surprising circumstances.

People ask me how I'm doing, and I can honestly answer that I doing real well. Being able to say that and feel it has proven to be a great relief.

We'll see what tomorrow has in store, and I'm looking forward to whatever may come. It will be an adventure to say the least.

Letting Things Go

Days like today serve to remind me of the power of a positive daily practice. I believe I've handled being passed over for a promotion about as well as anyone could have expected. I went to work and tackled the things that needed to be accomplished. In terms of productivity, it's one of the most successful days I've had in quite awhile.  Some of that productivity can be attributed to putting my emotions into accomplishing things that needed to be done, some due to looming deadlines, and some due to a stubborn streak that just about refuses to let circumstances that have been out of my hands for some time deine my reaction to life.

Part of the resilience that I feel can also be chalked up to getting into a daily practice.  As has been my habit over the last several months, I wandered down to the USS Barry and captured some pictures on what will probably be the last day the she and I are together at the Washington Navy Yard.

Morning on The Anacostia - Walking up on the USS Barry

The Barry will likely be gone once I return from the trip that I'm embarking on tomorrow. It's a bit hard to believe that today was the last day that she'll be the centerpiece of some of my favorite photos that I've taken over the course of the last sixteen months.

USS Barry - Readying for the Next Step of the Journey

Her presence in the Navy Yard has lasted for over three decades, and I remember first seeing her in the summer of 1992 on a college trip to see The Navy Summer Pageant. I'm not sure when this tradition stopped, but it has not been performed since at least 2004. The only reference I could find to it even existing is in a 1985 article from the New York Times covering parade activities in the summer in Washington, DC.

Anacostia Riverfront at the Washington Navy Yard with the USS Barry

This will probably be the last view of the USS Barry that I will have.  Like the tradition of the Navy Summer Pageant, it is time for the Barry to move on and make room for the next iteration of happenings in this little corner of the universe. Sadness and a sense of loss is tempting at times like these, but I'm reminded that change is happening around us all the time, and any sense of stability is merely a sometimes helpful illusion to help me better manage the constant adventurous churn that surrounds me in any given moment.

One of the comforts of routine, or a daily practice, is the power it has to bring this adventurous churn back into a sort of loose focus. Today, one of the changes that I made was getting rid of fifteen items of clothing that have outlived their utility in my closet.

Minimalism - Day 15

Out with the old to make room for the new. It puts the prospect of missing the promotion into perspective. The act and practice of letting go forces me to realize that though I'm feeling uncertain due to the missed promotion, this event is merely another transition in the series of transitions that will define every moment of my existence. A port in the storm, so to speak.

I don't know what will happen tomorrow. I never did and never will, but I'll be grateful for the opportunity to experience it and endeavor to see it without too much fear and doubt for the adventure that it truly represents.

Are They Roadblocks or Street Signs?

There was a time in my life that I blew past a number of red flags and paid them no heed whatsoever. Fortunately for me, the end result of ignoring those messages from the universe did not result in complete and utter disaster. It took far too long, but this sort of reckless behavior led me to a place where I've grown to have a deeper appreciation for the possibility that red flags or roadblocks put up by circumstances may not be exactly what they appear to be at first glance.

USS Barry - Fore and Aft Masts Removed

Though it's hard to let go of things, like the USS Barry a bit of minimisation might be just the thing for my ego. Once a thing has truly outlived its usefulness, taking some of the superfluous growth off the top might be characterized as a good start. In parallel with my efforts at material minimization, it appears there have been forces greater than myself at work trimming a bit of the excess ego that may have developed over the years.

Today, I received word via email, after the announcement had been plastered on social media, that I'd not been selected for a promotion. This development is a bit of a disappointment, but it really does not come as much of a surprise. I could point out the opinion that at least a couple of people who were chosen for a promotion over me might not be as capable of delivering results in my field of endeavor.  I might be tempted to point out that someone that I view as even more capable than I am, and widely recognized for his prowess, was also passed over this year. I've gone through those conversations in my mind, and I've decided that they don't really cover the fact of the matter.

The fact of the matter is that in assessing my future value to my current employer, a decision has been made that other people bring a more highly valued set of characteristics than I do at this time.  That's a tough thing to admit, and I believe this assessment may prove to be less than accurate, but the fact remains that this is what's happened.

Minimalism - Day 13 (minus one item that didn't make the photo)

Today I got rid of thirteen pieces of clothing. I came to own every single one of these shirts, shorts, sweaters, etc. because at the time I acquired them I perceived that there future value was higher than the present expense. Since I rid myself of these items, it's clear that the value calculation that I used in the past has changed, and that's alright. This shift in priorities feels a bit like what happened to me today with the promotion (or non-promotion, in my case) announcement today. My value hasn't really been diminished, but the organization I work for has made a very detailed and deliberate assessment and they've communicated to me that we have a bit of a disagreement on my value to them.

I'd like to say they are wrong, but that's a pretty tough case to make since the decision has been mulled over by their top minds and this is the conclusion they've drawn.  Perhaps they've made mistake, but perhaps this is one of those street signs that's been cleverly disguised as a roadblock. 

I go talk to the man who informed me (five hours after I'd heard the news already) via email. It may prove to be and interesting morning, and I'm really quite curious and excited to see how that set of events will unfold.

Roadblocks or Street Signs...I'm really not sure.

Contemplating Conciousness

Earlier this evening, I wondered a bit about the apparent magic that constitutes life and consciousness. It's not a new pondering for humans. My thoughts represent nothing particularly creative. I wondered if my body is merely the armor that surrounds and sustains a dream. We have science and religion, but I don't think that either of those areas of study really get to the heart of what it means to be alive. To experience this dream.

Is it a firing of electrons due to chemical reactions, or does it have a more supernatural origin. If life is a dream or imagination or work of art, what is behind any of these explanation of my individual experience of the world? I don't know.

I know that I feel grateful I can experience the unfolding of living and loss. I'm grateful I can bear witness to the ever present change that gives every appearance of progressing toward something that is greater than anything that has come before now. To understand both the sadness and the hope when familiar locations move through time and space and vanish as if they were never there in the first place.

USS Barry on the Anacostia - Aft Mast Removed

The slow transition of the Barry is an example of the relentless march of change. The hopes, dreams, work, angst, tears, joy, sunrises, sunsets, wind, calm, heat, cold, dark, and burning light that has passed over and through this great ship, this magnificent monument to the ingenuity and determination of humans is almost unfathomable. The ship gives the impression of solidity, but molecular science tells us that it's mostly empty space. With all that the ship has witnessed, she's slowing being undone by time and change.  Today, her aft mast had been removed in preparation for her last trip down the Potomac. The work was done by a crane that I last crossed paths with over ten years ago in another time, another place, another set of feelings. Venice, LA had been wrecked by Hurricane Katrina. Our group butted heads with the sheriff of  Plaquemines Parish. The crane moved the mangled shrimp boats out of the bayou and back to the river so folks could start rebuilding their lives. We worked and laughed and saw everyday the grim reminder of our powerlessness in the universe. We persisted, and things got a little better.

Today was the twelfth day of moving things out of my life that I no longer value in the same way that I once valued them.

Minimalism Day 12

Some clothes and some books that all meant something special to me at one time have suffered the same march of change that's happening to the USS Barry. These things have passed through me and with me in my travels in time and space. I carry the memories of the text in my dreams. The thoughts on the page continue to spark my imaginings of the future.

In the final accounting, I suspect that the best any of us can hope for is to bear witness to the wonder that is unfolding around us in every moment. These things were, at one time, a tangible part of that great unfolding, but for me those moments have passed.

Like the sailors who walked the decks of the Barry, time, tide, and formation have shifted. The young man in the gun came back and visited to see the place that had shaped his life a long time ago and a world away on the gunline off the coast of Vietnam or quarantine enforcement in the Caribbean Sea during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I'm not sure what change tomorrow may bring, but I hope to be ready for whatever the sunrise may reveal.

Whirlwind to Gentle Breeze

Today ended up being one of the more productive days that I've had since recovering from my foot injury.  Things started off well with a sunrise walk of just a little over four miles this morning.  The first meeting of the day wasn't until 0900 so I took advantage of the opportunity to usher in the day with the sun peaking up over the horizon.

Sunrise over the Salt Marsh - Little Creek, VA

I intended to head down to the beach to catch the sun peaking up over the horizon of the Chesapeake Bay, but when I stumbled across this pond in the salt marsh area short of the beach I stayed put to take advantage of the calm water. I admit, that the final result supported that decision.

Ducks headed into the Sunrise - Little Creek, VA

When I walked up on the pond, I flushed a blue heron and was not quick enough to catch the graceful glide out across the water. I did get to share the event with a pair of mallards and a fisherman (not pictured). The air had just a hint of chill that will soon be a fond memory as the late spring and summer unfold and the heat and humidity sit on the earth like a foggy elephant. For today, calm winds and cool temperatures collaborated to make this a perfect start to the morning.

Not to be outdone by nature's art, some enterprising soul decorated the fence at the swimming pool and waterpark in the area.

Chainlink Zoology - Little Creek, VA

These murals are exceptionally well done, and the very concept of different colored squares to be added to a chain link fence raise some interesting possibilities in my mind. This is the first time I've ever seen anything quite like this, and it's probably because I'm sheltered. After a little searching with Google, I concluded that these designs are a derivative of Put-In-Cups or something very much like them.  This is the only product of this kind that I found in the first couple of pages of search results, and one of the alligators on the site bears a striking resemblance to the one in the collage above.

Putting southern Virginia in my rearview mirror, I motored on back up to Washington, DC.  Another quick pedestrian jaunt found me eleven books lighter after dropping off my Christopher Moore collection (plus two additional books) at Riverby Books. I am growing increasingly comfortable with leaving behind monuments to the past and lightening my material burden going forward. I've also noticed that the practice has changed my reading habits (to a small degree), and I consider purchases more carefully than I have in the past. I believe that I've gone a week without purchasing anything but consumable items, and I even buy consumables with a much more deliberate approach.  It's still early in the experiment, but I value how my thought processes seem to have changed in a relatively short time. These guys hinted at how the simple act of shrinking my overabundant inventory of material possessions would change the way I experienced the world, but I never would have guessed that the impacts would start manifesting themselves so quickly. The journey feels good so far, and I'm looking forward to experience continuing change.

USS Barry - Towing Bridle (the chain on the starboard side of the ship) is now Rigged

Finally, I ambled past my old friend the USS Barry, and got a chance to speak to the supervisor in charge of preparing her departure in her final days at the Washington Navy Yard. The towing bridle was rigged today, and he told me that the masts were going to be removed to allow her to pass underneath the Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac. There are a number of elements to the story he told that may be of interest in a future post. Apparently, the departure of the ship is raising a great deal of interest involving a number of admirals, local authorities, a series of "interesting" planning assumptions, support vessel trades and changes, money, good deals, chains, tugs, sediment, and henchmen. I'm going to keep all that to myself for now and see how things shake out. Like all towing and salvage stories, there's always something more than meets they eye.

After over seven miles of walking, two hundred miles of driving, a briefing and included forty people, offloading eleven books, and talking about towing one, sixty four year old ship, I've probably droned on enough for today. As the day wraps up, I'm forced to consider the possibility of new adventures and how they might spring from the shadows of the waxing darkness tomorrow morning.  Until they do.,,

Virginia is for Lovers...And Work

I find myself on the road again after a productive day of walking, travel, and minimalism. I headed south again, and based on all the signs along the way, I'm convince beyond a shadow of a doubt that Virginia fulfills the billing as being for Lovers.

Virginia is for Lovers

This sign at a rest area on I-64 represents one of many Loveworks installation pieces throughout the state that promote the notion that Virginia is for Lovers and offer scenic stops along the way to capture that feeling. The simple lines of this particular rendering appeal to my newfound asceticism (both deliberate and by circumstance). I even managed to find a donation center in VA to offload ten books today on the tenth day of my path to a greater feeling of freedom and minimalism.

Minimalism Day Ten

All of these books stayed with me for so long because they came to represent a part of my identity. There really is no explanation other than that. "Elementary Applied Partial Differential Equations" represented a very challenging and difficult phase, and if I never have to conduct a Laplace or Fourier Transform again, I probably won't shed too many tears. At any rate, it was good to lighten my load a little to make room for whatever the future may have in store.

On the way down to Virginia, I stopped off at the Washington Navy Yard to pick up some clothes and capture a shot or two of the USS Barry in her final days at the Navy Yard.  She's been there for three decades or so after having served the fleet ably, and I find a bit of nostalgia poking up through my normally tough and crusty exterior.  Today, it became clear that preparations for her departure in early May (currently, Saturday, 07 May 2016, 0600) are beginning in earnest.  The crane barge Columbia NY owned and operated by Donjon Marine, Inc. was moored beside the USS Barry along with two Donjon tugs.

USS Barry with Donjon Marine, Inc. Crane Barge Columbia NY

The last time I worked with Columbia was during recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita . We spent months pulling primarily shrimp and fishing boats and tank and deck barges out of the bayous of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. A fairly comprehensive accounting can be found in the US Navy Salvage Report - Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (S0800-AC-RPT-010). A picture of Columbia NY refloating shrimping vessels in Venice, LA can be found on page 4-3 of the report. Nostalgia ruled a good hour of the day. 

It's a bit sad to know that this river view will undergo a major change in the coming weeks, and I share history with the equipment and company that will play a role in that change.

Anacostia Afternoon with USS Barry and Columbia NY

Change is inevitable, I suppose, and moving out old possessions to make room for new possibilities seems to be a thematic element for my life this spring. It will be interesting to see how the universe conspires to shape the unfolding, but until it does, I'm looking forward to what dawn may bring tomorrow.

Great Blue at Canoe U.

Today, after catching up a little more on some sleep, I returned to my normal home base routine. Minimalization picked up at Day 9, and four shirts, one pair of tech underwear, two pair of shorts, one travel pillow, and a race jacket all made their way into a Planet Aid clothes donation bit out behind the Veteran's Center in West Annapolis.

Day 9 Victims of Minimalism

I really liked that NASA shirt, but when put to the test it just didn't make top billing in things that are truly important to me.  The other stuff basically fell into the category of "just in case," but as discussed, I've concluded that this "just in case" isn't all that useful for being able to live in the present. I always hated the red 5K fun run shirt. It was thick cotton and trapped heat, showed sweat, and the silk screen wasn't very comfortable. I didn't really want it when I got it, but I'd done the run so it represents the "identity" argument for keeping things I don't like. Anyway, it's all gone, and it was a good way to start of the walk this afternoon.

The spring weather was ideal if a little breezy. The cobalt blue sky was spectacular and the mid-70's temperatures kept the pep in my step heading down the trail.

College Creek Under a Cobalt Sky

Spring has sprung in the area and the forests are greening up nicely. The Dark Ages have been vanquished for another season, and there is real promise in the air.

Toward the end of my ramble, I stalked a Great Blue Heron from one end of the boathouse dock to the other trying to capture the perfect shot. The heron was sporting the dark plumage, and the bird carried a magnificence that proved difficult to ignore. After a few laps of pestering, I caught a passable shot as the heron broke free of our little round of shenanigans and moved on to better (or at least quieter) hunting grounds.

Great Blue at Canoe U.

Riding along the wavetops with graceful ease, there is a freedom to be envied as the heron goes about living day by day. He doesn't fret a mortgage or wonder about taxes, credit, retirement, or college funds. He stalks his prey and eats as he must, but let's be honest, I've never seen a heron carrying a bit too much weight around the middle.  He catches the sunrise and the sunset, and he even experiences the occasional rainstorm.

I'm going to try to adopt the way of the heron and be open to be surprised by what tomorrow may, or may not, have in store.

A Rare Day of Rest

After a brief stint at work this morning, a coworker asked what I had planned for the rest of the day and suggested that, if I wanted, I could spend some time kicking around with him and his family. I thought about it for a minute, and I told him that I, though grateful for the offer, I thought I might take a nap instead. He said, "A nap, man, that sounds like a pretty good idea." With that little piece of encouragement, I laid down for about three hours and slept soundly.

I would be fibbing a little if I didn't admit that the idea of turning on the television, "for just a few minutes," didn't tempt me a little, but, in the end, I fought off the idea. Waking up after a good rest, I'm glad that I resisted the devil in the flatscreen. My energy restored, I headed south to Fairhope, AL to get in a walk and catch the sunset.

On the way down to Fairhope, I thought about stopping off at a store and getting a book, but the reminder of this minimalism way of life convinced me that I really didn't need a book. I remembered I'd seen the first Little Free Library, the index case of my LFL infection so to speak, in Fairhope and decided I'd see what was on offer.

Little Free Library - Fairhope, AL

Unfortunate, nothing really caught my attention so I moved on. Making my way to the second LFL in the area, I fell in behind a small woman walking a very big dog. I snapped a picture because the sight of this unlikely pair taking a stroll through a true American downtown area is something that catches the eye. It' probably not as rare as I perceive it to be, but also not a sight that's easy to ignore.

Small woman with Large Dog - Fairhope, AL

Happily, luck favored me at the second Little Free Library, and I borrowed The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw. The dust jacket advertises that it's a book about a swordfish boat Captain who returns to her small hometown in Maine for a change of pace and the book chronicles her adventures and insights along the way. Linda Greenlaw was prominently featured in  Sebastian Junger's, The Perfect Storm, and I'm looking forward to her observations about another small town in America.

Little Free Library #2 - Fairhope, AL

After getting in the better part of my walk, I relaxed a bit near the Fairhope Pier to take in the sunset. Disappointment was not part of the program, and the universe treated me to a rendering of the horizon rich in color and subtlety.

Sunset - Fairhope, AL

I spent the final moments of the day with the Fairhope Seahorse by Bruce Larsen on the bluff overlooking the municipal pier. 

Fairhope Seahorse 

Rest and recuperation were the order of the day, but it turned into a day of beauty, serenity, and adventure as well. Tomorrow I head out into the Gulf of Mexico if things go as planned, and I'm looking forward to another day or two of new sights and adventures on the rolling ocean.

Dropping My Ruck

Today, I relieved myself of a few more material burdens, and every day that passes the act of lightening my load gets a little easier. This shirt rainbow that's been sitting in my closet, for the most part unused, is no longer my problem.

Shirt Rainbow - Someone else's burden to carry

I meant to get back out to Riverby books to drop off my collection of Christopher Moore titles, but a hectic schedule and late departure thwarted my meager attempt. I hope there is another day to make that drop because I feel a strong connection, very likely of my own feverish imagining, to the owners of that store who are pursuing their dreams. I hope that's what they're doing anyway because I love the idea of a neighborhood used book store.

I wrapped up the day with some quick snaps of the Washington Navy Yard in the late afternoon. Only a very few more weeks the USS Barry departs. Circumstances forcing me again to expand my horizons for new subjects to photograph.

Late Afternoon or Very Early Evening at the Washington Navy Yard with USS Barry

Daylight savings time seems to be working against me in capturing sunsets. My proclivity for ignoring my alarm counters my attempts at the sunrise. C'est la vie. Loosely translated, that means that if you want to see the sun peeking up over the horizon it's best not to sleep until 0630 in April while located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Tomorrow is "climb in the aluminum tube and hurtle across the countryside at an altitude of five miles day," and I'm really looking forward to how the day leaves me scratching my head in wonder.