Channel and Harness

Explosions would be happening everywhere.  Fireworks would be thundering all around.  Parties and dancing would be taking place as far as you could see and happiness and excitement would encompass you if you could actually shrink yourself to cell size and leap into my bloodstream and chest.  The impulsive passion that hits me is truly some kind of wonder.  If I could keep this alive continuously and constant I would be some type of super hero, but I'm not, so it leaves and basically pulsates into me at it's own surprising schedule.  Luckily it's quite often as I love the outcome and feeling.  How awesome it would be if I could bottle it up and sell it.  I suppose then it would be considered a drug - sure sounds like one.  Maybe it is - a self induced emotion and reaction.  Actually, I think not.

I'm not working today.  I have to listen to thy self and take the time I need in which South America taught me to realize.  Right now I need a day to re coop from a great Thanksgiving and weekend hunting pheasant in south central Nebraska.  Hunting those roosters with my Pops and two good buddies from Omaha I grew up with is always a great time.  We stayed at these "Sportsmens' Apartments" that are fully furnished in a town that is less than 145 people.  All the apartments are rented out from hunters all across America.  We have fun networking with them and learning what each group is hunting.  The place is full of all sorts of hounds and hunting dogs so a good nights sleep isn't likely, but that's ok as we're hunting and sleep doesn't matter.  These apartments are near Harlan reservoir which claims to have the best water fowl hunting in Nebraska.  I believe the lake is close to 12 miles around and over 13,000 acres.  Good size lake.  Most the hunters are there for the duck and geese.  Some are there for the rabbit.  We were there for the pheasant and quail.

Such beauty out there when you're actually walking the fields and hunting.  It truly gives you a sense of peace that can only be found in the country.  Alone, and far away from any farm house, town, or rat race back home.  What a feeling.  It also sheds light on the dangerous conditions that exist with the elements and ways of the wild.  Interesting to see and observe all the different wildlife you come across.  Sometimes they haven't a clue that you're present.  Also interesting to think of the animals that were observing me - while not having a clue.

Several places I would have loved to just lay down with my shotgun and take a nap.  Disappear into the grass like a little insect.  Especially when exhausted, trudging through the tall, wild, grasses of a meadow surrounded by a stream and several acres of picked-corn to the south and to the north more corn and an old overgrown railroad route from which the actual tracks and rails were removed decades ago.  Ducking into the grass and just letting it's thickness support your weight as you roll to a side could easily become a bed for a few hours.  Vanishing from the sight of anything and keeping you safe from the cold, late November wind.

I also need this day for creativity, rest, and mental preparation for the objectives ahead in terms of finances and income as well as spiritually to be where I want to be in the coming days.  I believe taking this time and putting life first and work second helps replenish the energy and drive I hold to make happen what I need to happen for my family, our happiness, and well-being.  Thank you God for giving me the time in South America to function mentally, physically, emotionally, and most of all Spiritually the way in which is best for me... and that connects me to you, Jenny, life, and work.

It is now noon and I've got a lot accomplished in terms of the personal life and filling the urge for my creative side.  I have an afro rockin' out from wearing a stocking hat the last few days over my long, curly hair, and a good 4 day beard from hunting in which I cannot WAIT to shower in the next few minutes and then shave off (or just clean up a bit with some nice angled shaves).  Gotta keep the beard.  It's super cold outside, gusty, and thick gray skies are lurking above trying to snow.  The streets are glowing from the sheen of freezing water and ice.  Definitely a cold, true winter day we all read about in the story books.  Glad I'm choosing to live this day instead of work. 

How's your story shapin' up?

Until next time, warm and comfortable, from my den.

AA

Riding the Wave

Before we left for this trip I heard all sorts of encouragement and astonishment from people that we were actually going to leave our home, careers, doggies, and everything to just take off and travel the world for a year – not really understanding how we could do such a thing.  I had several questions come at me quite often.  Several people even subtly inquired whether we had an inheritance or wedding gift of some large cash value.  I just smiled with these few inquiries and just felt even more blessed about our decision and direction to push pause on life and travel for 1 year.  Sell one of your cars, get rid of the cell phones, find homes for your dogs, rent your house out, and put your belongings in storage.  It's much easier to pull off than most people give credit - it's just the way we've been raised - our norms and structures of society that cause most people confusion and the absolute feeling that this cannot be done or isn't the right thing to do.  I don't know where my 401K will be due to the fluctuations of the market and what will happen with Social Security in 30 years so I was all about going now when  I'm young and able to do more adventurous things while traveling than to risk waiting until I'm "retired" and hopefully having a strong 401K and hopefully collecting Social Security.  I may fall over dead before that time as well!  If you got the window - go for it!  If you wait to see - you miss the opportunity.

The questions I was worried about or didn’t like hearing seemed to stick in my head more than just the fun ones I enjoyed hearing like where all are you going to go?  What are you taking?  Where will you sleep?  Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese?  I didn’t want to have any doubt in the decision we made and with so many questions coming at me from a variety of people it was relatively easy to start doubting when hearing questions not so fun and that emphasized potential hardships upon our return.  Questions such as:  What about your career?  What are you going to tell employers when you return?  That won’t look good on your resume.  What about the economy and job market? - It will be tough to find a job when you get back with thousands already out of work and looking.  What about this and what about that? 

All in all, I guess the rebellious nature I’ve had since I was young magnified at these moments and actually made it clearer that this is what I wanted.  I guess I'm still a little kid and if you tell me not to do something - that's all the motivation I need to go do it.  The other driving force and motivation was the challenge I would face upon returning in obtaining another good position and career track.  Challenge has always sparked interest in me and fueled my desire – same as many people say about themselves.  I feel it too!  

I will never forget how incredible this experience was for us.  Absolutely the best year of my life and worth every second.  It was wonderful, challenging, exciting, emotional at times, educational, fun, and overall - has created a deeper sense of awareness of what’s important to me and who I am.

I see this in myself weekly now that we've been home and in the way I look at the company I now work for.  I negotiated my salary down by $10,000.  Yes down!  One of the owners of the company just started laughing and said to me, "Let me get this right - you're selling me on why I should pay you $10,000 less per year?  Done!  No problem."  I just smiled at the fact that he said that.  I don't care about money like I used to - don't get me wrong I still want to make money and be comfortable and be able to save some money after the bills are paid, but pay me a little less.  I don't want these extremely high expectations anymore and constant pressures hanging over me that aid in bad moods, lack of sleep, consuming thoughts of work and less time for my family, things I enjoy, and bottom line - life itself. 

I can honestly say the time spent in South America was long enough for me to really understand what's important to me.  I will still make the money I need to make to be where I want to be for my family and our goals, but I am now all about the quality of life in having the time in general to do what we want to do with as minimal stress as possible that is manageable.  Pay me with flexibility and freedom - that's enough motivation for me to reach the desired results and goals for myself and the company.

The crazy thing is that with the worry and nervousness I had before we left of not being able to find a job in this market upon our return (which wasn't much as I knew I'd just cross that bridge when getting there), or having my resume look bad with a year gap, and the thoughts expressed by several lingering in my head that I'm potentially giving up my career all turned out better than I could have imagined.  It  turns out I've ended up in the best situation EVER for work now.  I truly feel everything worked out better than if I never would have left for this adventure with my wonderful wife.  Praise God Almighty!

I now work as a consultant and sales manager for Collective Networks - a Master Agent for telecommunications and managed IT services.  It's great as we truly have a solution for all companies as we have the ability to offer all the different providers and carriers in Colorado as well as several other states and regions.  The best part about it is that the owners were past colleagues and managers of mine, in which I highly respected, at the company I left in order to take this trip.  The integrity, friendship, and expertise created with them around business at this past company established the foundation, trust, assurance, and loyalty I desire and now have to have in a culture and work environment.  I have finally found my ideal workplace.  I have to give it all to the Lord for providing the assurance and confidence in deciding to push pause on life for one year.  He had and has the plan.  It gave me the time I obviously and unknowingly needed to find out my priorities, what's most important, where my strengths and passions are, and most of all - how I want to live.  Thank you God Almighty.

Onward and upward...

AA