The Bell Curve of Stuff

Have you ever thought about the evolutionary process of stuff? As children, we start from scratch with nothing but diapers. We rush to grow up, get our driver's licenses, go to college so we can get good jobs to make money to acquire things. Those things get replaced by more things, better things, bigger things. Then, as we grow older, we start the process of downsizing. We get rid of our things so we can fit into smaller spaces. We move into smaller homes, townhouses, condos, retirement homes, assisted living homes, or nursing homes and find ourselves back in diapers with nothing left of our stuff, right back where we started.

I'm intrigued by this phenomenon and wonder, Is this an American thing or is this a common occurrence with other cultures? Given our young country's economic dependency on consumer driven behavior, I can't help but think this is a self induced cycle of economic insanity in which Americans willingly participate. Big business drives this train in the form of commercial advertisements that tell us what we need to buy in order to be happy. You need this car, these clothes, that house. No one would dare suggest that happiness is an inside job. If someone lets that secret out of the bag, it might tank the economy.

I, for one, am skipping the bell curve of stuff and embracing the flat line approach; I don't want to be the janitor of my possessions. And it doesn't matter that I'm a SINK (single income, no kids). Even if you are a DINK (dual income, no kids) or have a big family, you can embrace the flat line approach. Mindful living doesn't mean living without, it means living consciously; making honest decisions about your possessions and remaining in control of your life. If your stuff doesn't fit where you're living, it's time to get rid of some stuff, it's not time to move into a bigger place. Living mindfully also means living within or below your means. Just because you have the money to buy more, bigger, better, it doesn't mean you should. Sometimes what you don't buy says more about you than what you do.

If you feel like your stuff is running your life, it is. But it doesn't have to be stay that way. You have a choice. You can change this any time you want. You will get everything you need, and probably a whole lot more, as soon as you let go of a few things.

Serendipity

I love waking up in the morning and having no idea what my day is going to be like, Who will I meet? Where will I go? What will I see? I'm not much for planning; I plan to go to work and the gym five days a week. Isn't that enough?

Some people are born planners; they get a lot of joy out of the anticipation and comfort of knowing what they will be doing. Makes sense; routine has its benefits. It's nice to have something to look forward to to stave off the doldrums of the day to day grind.

This morning I woke up to the sound of cars driving through the rain. Oh, I love that sound! I love the rain for one very important reason: It gives me an excuse to completely chillax and check into the yin life. I snuggled back under the covers and stayed in bed. Mmmmm! This feels amazing. 

A few hours later I woke up with a wild idea. I grabbed my phone, opened the Apple Store App, and checked out the latest and greatest laptops. You see, a funny thing happened on Camino, I did all of my journaling on my iPhone. Why? Because I sent my iPad home. It was too heavy to carry and too difficult to use. So, I got used to writing on my iPhone.  Walk, write, eat, sleep, repeat. Everyday a new adventure, everyday words dripped from my thumbs. 

Since I've been back I've had a terrible case of writer's block. This morning it dawned on me, Of course! This whole sitting on my ass staring at a desktop isn't working for me. I need to be out and about, doing, seeing, experiencing life and then the words will come. I have to write on the go. 

I headed to the Apple Store by way of Starbucks and an overdue pedicure. (My first since returning from the Camino.) An Apple sales guy approached; he looked vaguely familiar. I told him what I wanted, he got it for me, and when I put down my phone I said, "It's been on Camino," pointing to the shattered screen.

"Oh, how was that?" he asked, as if we had started this conversation somewhere else at some other point in time.

"It was amazing, transformational...."

"That's where I know you from!" he said. "I used to work at REI."

"Oh my gosh, right!"

We talked for about 20 minutes.

"Don't you miss working at REI?"

"I miss my coworkers (a propos, I thought.) and I liked helping people get ready for their adventures, but I never got to hear how things went, so this is cool running into you."

I explained the technological challenges I experienced with my iPad and wifi, but also how awesome my photos from the iPhone 6 turned out. I showed him my blog on a display computer and the photos. (He had to at least appear like he was working!) 

"How did your gear workout?"

"I didn't have any blisters! I was one of the few!"

"Oh I remember talking to you specifically about blister kits."

"That's right! I didn't need that stuff. Good boots."

"Did you end up carrying food?"

"Yes, but that's a whole other story!"

"What would you do differently?"

"Two things come to mind: walking sticks are a must and so is a sleeping bag..." 

"Great to know. I still keep in touch with my colleagues at REI. I'll let them know."

"I should go apply, maybe write on their blog..."

I left the store with the Apple REI guy's business card, a new laptop, and a really cool, serendipitous experience that wouldn't have happened if I had planned my day.

How cool is that?

Blogged from my iPhone @ Chipotle, another instantaneous, unplanned decision...

The Corner of Bitter and Sweet

I love the excitement and unpredictability of a new adventure; new people, experiences...the surprise of the unknown. But every new beginning is another beginning's end and sometimes that means saying goodbye to people you really care about. My life would be an extraordinarily boring place if it weren't for the people in it; they make it what it is, at least in part.

Today was my last day at my current job and I'm going to be straight - I'm poly-emotional. As thrilled as I am about the path in front me, I'm equally, if not more sad about the people I'm leaving behind. Just think about it for a second. Most of us who work full time spend more time with our office mates, colleagues, and favorite cafeteria workers than we do with our housemates or families. They may not be as intimately familiar with us as the people at home, but they spend a significant amount of time with us every week. Over time this adds up to a lot of hours; a lot of time to observe and get to know each other.

There is tremendous solace in seeing familiar faces on a daily basis; we become part of a bigger whole and take comfort knowing that we belong to this pack. And those faces which seemed strange to us in the beginning, become the faces of family members who are walking through the same experiences, facing the same challenges, celebrating the same victories, day in and out for months and years. And just like family, there may be some we like more than others, but in the end we are all on the same team. And then there are those we genuinely love and care about-those who become more than coworkers and colleagues-our friends and confidants. These are the people who make work fun, who make our jobs easier, who make work an enjoyable and pleasant place to be. These are the people who care more about us as people than they do about our productivity, who listen when we need to talk, who offer a shoulder when the burdens we carry become too much. These are the people who support us and help us achieve our goals both professionally and personally, and encourage us to reach for the stars. These are the people we want to take with us to our next assignment. These are the people we would do anything for if they ever needed us. These are the people who don't burn popcorn in the microwave or bring leftover fish for lunch.

Today is a bit on the bitter-sweet side of things, and that's okay. It's okay to be sad. It's okay to grieve leaving a job. That means we did something right. Actually, we did a lot of things right.  It would really be sad if I couldn't wait to leave and never wanted to see your faces again-and that's happened to me before, at least once. So, to the friends and family members I'm leaving behind today, this is not really goodbye, it's just see you later. Thank you for everything and thank you for being part of my Camino. See you soon!

Dawning of a New Day

Keep Walking

I was driving down 495 when a torrential downpour hit. Lightening, thunder, the works. 495 turned into a parking lot. We crawled along at a turtle's pace while I jammed to some good tunes; I love a roaring thunderstorm. Then a huge rainbow shone across the eastern sky. I made my way to Starbucks for my afternoon cup of joe, hitting every green light on the way, picked up a cup of liquid joy between rain bursts, drove to my afternoon appointment in another downpour, and just after I arrived, the rain ceased.

And that's sort of how things have gone since I returned from my walk. The Camino has been like a massive umbrella sheltering me, protecting me from the torrential downpour of Washington, D.C.’s traffic, politics, commercials, road rage, angry people, insane jobs, all trying to interfere with my peace and serenity. I am back in the urban grind but it is not back in me.

I am free of the strangleholds that once kept me here; my job, my affections. I have no interest in reintegrating into the madness of the Washington Metro Area. My stay here is now, only temporary. I have set my heart on Oregon, a place that is a little more sane, where people work to live instead of live to work. I want to slow down, simplify my life, be closer to nature, and breathe. I don’t know when or how this will happen, but I trust it will, in its own time. The road will rise up to meet me so long as I put one foot in front of the other and keep on walking, or in my case, writing.

Thank You For Not Reading My Blog

My friend just blogged a very snarky piece telling bloggers to shut the hell up and quit blogging. Teehee. Funny. He disavowed us as a group of self serving egomaniacs hiding behind a guise of important information sharing. This of course was directed at me after he asked me a few questions about my Camino, that, had he read my blog, he would have known the answers to. "Clearly you didn't read my blog, Thierry,"I joked. Nevermind, Dani, he may have wanted to have a conversation with you. Nevermind he is writing eight different books and maintains a blog of his own. Nevermind he may just have a failing memory - he doesn't but that's not the point. Not everyone can be a loyal follower like my friend Tony who has restored order to my universe by replacing my missing hat. (Clearly, HE read my blog.)

Thierry’s point is well taken though. I’ll own up. I can be a selfish bitch who thinks I have something important to say.  So forgive me (or not) for being a self absorbed blogger who cannot take five minutes to answer your sweet little curiosities. Forgive me for not putting myself in your shoes; we all have a story to tell, and mine isn't all that interesting. I'm plotless and boring and my story has been done to death. I’m a bad pilgrim, mindless and dull, who went for a little walk to clear my mind. Everyone does that, every day, blisters not included.

Namaste!

Congratulations Kay & Class of 2015!

Before heading back to the urban grind after walking 500 miles, I attended my littlest little sister's high school graduation in Ohio. As salutatorian, Kay had several roles to play in her graduation ceremony, not the least of which was giving a speech in front of a few thousand people whom she had never met. I cannot imagine the pressure she felt. She admitted she was nervous though you would not have known it listening to her. Her speech was eloquent and highlighted four years of Rogers High School memories, challenges, magical moments, and achievements. She spoke honestly about the past and shared about the recent loss of her mother. I shed a tear as I listened to her. It wasn't her words that moved me so much as her presence, her voice, her spirit. It was the promising way she saw the world, the vulnerability she presented, and the hope she had for her classmates, that they would go forth in their lives and achieve great things. Their futures awaited them.

Kay’s speech was followed by others and then the shoe and swagger parade began. Across the stage, one by one, the students received their well deserved, hard earned diplomas. As it has been since the beginning of time, the stage turned into a Parisian catwalk with wicked shoes in every color, style, and heel size imaginable fashioning beneath graduate gowns. The women in white walked in style, and the boys in red demonstrated their prowess with macho hand gestures and swaggers of coolness that even Jay-Z wishes he could pull off. The crowd went wild, screaming and hollering for their loved ones. For some of Kay's classmates, high school graduation will be the highlight of their lives. Some will go to college, others will serve in the military. Some will go straight to work, others will start families.

As I watched these young men and women bask in this moment of glory I thought to myself, Enjoy this time, graduates. The next five to six years of your life are meant to be lived with the pedal to the metal. Test your limits, express yourself, find out who you are. Be good to yourself, your family and friends. And most importantly follow your bliss…this is YOUR future and it starts NOW.

Blog On

There is nothing like doing a Camino to bring to the forefront what is really important in life. I'm happy to be home. I missed my friends and housemates (my sisters), my bed, large cups of coffee, and real vegetarian food. I also missed work. No, that's a lie. I didn't miss work at all but I missed several of my colleagues who really are some of my best friends. Most especially my officemate, S, who brings a great deal of laughter, joy, and perspective to everyday office life and doesn't eat fish for lunch or smoke cigarettes, my workout partner, H, who pulls me as much as he pushes, and my best friend who will remain anonymous because he would be embarrassed if anyone knew we were really friends...just kidding R. Let's be honest, I'm the one who would be embarrassed.

It was pointed out to me by my loyal followers (both of them) that my blog has become a disappointment because towards the end of my walk I wrote less and less, and when I returned home I stopped writing altogether. It was then I realized my loyal followers needed to get a life. But, since my blog has become an important source of entertainment for them-which has me a little concerned but whatever, it's their lives- I will keep blogging, just for them…who am I to disappoint?

Camino de Santiago: SJPP to Finisterre - An iPhoto Journey

https://goo.gl/photos/3kJy2jeoTKXifbJT7