The tides

Well, it's been quite a year. Moved to Harrisburg, worked a job through a staffing agency for 7 months, and now on to new things. Canoed alot, hiked alittle, took many photographs. Made new friends, played lots of music, and now recording music for a change.

Paddle Along

Nothing like a living room impromptu

Been spending some time paddling on the Susquehanna River. Paddled over to Daniel Flatley's and heard a new tune he created on the spot- "On the chill, boy".

Appalachian Trail Day

Provided our directions to the trailhead... and later showed us a very big ball of yarn!

This was in someone's front yard on our way to the trailhead. We just had to stop and ask. (laughter). Apparently the previous owner had a dentist office and wanted a few ornamental animals.. which turned into a whole jungle. They came from an old minature golf course and were shipped in! Very amusing- supposedly a sight to see at night when it's all lit up.

Never forget peanut butter sandwiches for a mid-hike break snack. They come in all forms.

Looking down the power line trail. Just looking at this makes me want to mountain bike down it, although I've never really done that sort of steep trail.

Day hikin' buds.

Angel Falls, LT

A few weeks ago, as the weather broke, it was nice to go hiking with this waterfall as a destination point. The trees may still have been brown and ugly, but the waterfall made it all worth it.

One of my favorites

On of my favorite inspirational speaker/writers is Dr. Wayne Dyer. Reading an article of his today pointed out this:

“The real purpose of life is just to be happy, to enjoy your life, to get to a place where you're not always trying to get to someplace else,” Dyer said. “People spend their lives struggling, trying to be someplace that they’re not. They never get to arrive.”

What's next

What's next? Been working this temporary job for 2 months by this Friday. Will they offer me long-term employment in the corporation? Or will I be out there again on the career quest? Expect good things. Think good thoughts. Good things will come. :)

Planning...

So I'm thinking of planning adventures for this year. Instead of having a weekend come around and trying to figure out how to make the best of it, have an exciting boat/winery tour planned. Or have a free week between things or able to schedule a week vacation way beforehand? Why not book a plane ticket to somewhere I've been wanting to go. So I've got a little handheld calendar now, covered it with a colorful bug picture from Audobon magazine, and I'm on my way to filling it up. This year is going to have some good memories, or at least memories of some sort!

For G.B.S., Old

by William Carlos Williams
August, 1948

When the mind burns
the external is swallowed
nor can cold
censor it when it launches
its attack

Sever man
into his parts of bird and fish
Wake him
to the plausibilities
of those changes
he contemplates but does not dare

Until by acceptance
he forfeits
the green perspectives
which frighten him off
to his own destruction--

the mirage
the shape of a shape
become the shape he feared
his Tempest frozen
into a pattern of ice.

Creating a dream job

Reading along in the book the reader is told to make a list of traits in a "Job From Hell".. then find the contrasts, which equal a dream job. My dream job includes various hours (some days I could sleep in).. a mix of outside & inside work, meeting with people in person (vs. phone/email)... bonuses.. and job security to name a few. I've always been curious what a courier job would be like, and think it would be freeing to be on the move during the day, and every day alittle different, with stories that come from the experiences. It's a start!

I could do anything if I only knew what it was

Written by Barbara Sher, a book among others was handed to me by a friend recently to help gear me up for my career quest. As my current temporary position is not guaranteed for permanent placement, I may soon be on the jobsearch again.

This particular book focuses on being a do-er, a joiner, and an explorer. One is encouraged to decide to do something, then figure out the how-to as you go. A direct quote.. "Set a goal, any goal, and start doing everything you can think of to achieve it". This is to be life-changing, and you never know where various goals, once followed out, could lead.

Last week I committed to making a casserole for a get-together tonight. I didn't know what I was going to make, when or how I was going to make it, but I figured that out as I went along and now have something to show for it! So far I'm good at the little things....

Why they make retreats

It has been alittle while since my last posting. I've been working. Now I understand what people mean when they say they've been busy. I never really understood that b-word, but I'm getting an idea of it now. Work seems to be such a time sucker. You wake up, drink a cup of coffee, shower half-asleep, hope you look decent, and off you go to sell your time to some corporation. At least that's what I'm doing now. It's a one-of-a-kind business, but very corporate-minded if you ask me. One day you think you're doing so much, and crunching out so much work sitting behind a computer screen and on the phone for hours and hours.. then the next day they want you to do twice as much in the same amount of time! What?!

But I'm thankful to have work in this awful economic recession, I remind myself, and keep on working, making sure to use my 2 ten minute breaks and 1/2 hour lunch break. They have us clocking in and out with a device that literally measures each employee's index finger diameter to validate their identity. Crazy.

Three weeks in, five to go.

Last weekend was great, as there was a retreat at a camp that i was a camper and counselor at years ago. It was a post-college aged retreat, in which we sang by a fire, played cards and talked til the wee hours in a rustic setting. I wish there was a retreat every weekend to get away from the office come Fridays!

One way to look at it...

Ha,ha.

To have a choice

These are choices for a 29-yr-old female to ponder. Well, a 29-yr-old male could as well. There are so many viewpoints, if you take the time to dissect it, on having children or not. Overpopulation, loss of independence, shift in life goals are a few things on the one side against parenting. On the other hand, there is always something going on if you have a family, always something (or someones) to make you smile, and an excuse for some crazy adventures. Hmmmmmm.....