This and that...

It has been  relatively quiet week, though it was a very busy and for a short work week, it seemed like a long week.  Not entirely sure why it seemed so long, other than the usual feeling of not being able to catch up and being behind.  I think struggling with a bit of a cold and leaning on the Nyquil didn't help.  Yes, you sleep, but it's not a good sleep nor are you particularly perky the next morning.

I met an interesting couple yesterday--I sold press to a good home, and I really liked the person I sold it to and his partner.  They were good souls and were interesting.  He was a former printer, boat builder, canoe master who navigated the whole Mississippi and a hiker who walked a good chunk of the Appalachian Trail.  She was an advocate, a documentarian, and, of course in her favor, a photographer.  They got a good deal on the press but I got a better deal because of the delightful conversation and their kindness and humor.

What I liked about them is that they had their priorities in the right spot.  Both had the skills to be successful in several fields, but they were into the "follow your dream" mode of life. It was a reminder to me to focus on the right things, the things that really matter.  For example, I have been feeling pretty guilty about taking 10 days off in a few weeks.  Part of it is for a conference, but most of it is for an adventure of sorts.  I am going Florida for this conference but then I am staying there and driving around the state to try to be a backroads tourist.  Many of you have read William Least Heat Moon's classic book, Blue Highways.  My goals are to travel only the blue, small highways on the maps, to get lost, and to hopefully make it all the ways to the Florida Keys and back.

I explained this to someone recently.  I have no doubt that I would have a better retirement and more savings if I would not have traveled as much these past 15 years.  I kind of think of this as taking my retirement a few weeks at a time, a little bit on each trip/adventure.  I don't know if this trip to Florida will be the extreme adventure but it will be different.  I would title it my 2013 "Diners and Dives" tour.  It should be fun.  Maybe I will bring back a sea shell from the sea shore.

Today was a laid back day--good food, good music, decent wine and even some good company, even it was mostly myself.  The snow, wet, mushy snow that will no doubt be ice by tomorrow morning helped with the above photo.  I love these big huge trees, more so because of their shapes.  They have the shape of the trees that I draw, a ball on top with a stick/trunk below.  There was enough snow to mush out the photo and to make it almost look like a drawing.  It was much warmer today, bringing hope that the bitter cold of winter is ending.  I might even make it outside again for a photo or two before Florida.