The trip has been a good one so far with many opportunities for reflection and living in the moment which I have appreciated greatly. As always the kindness of strangers has been greatly appreciated. There have been some wonderful children of different ethnic backgrounds traveling in the same trains or planes or staying at our hotels or just out there doing what kids do regardless of where they live......to witness their enthusiasm and sense of play is wonderful....bright eyed and joyful they are engaged with their environment-truly inspiring......

In Paris the people watching is wonderful. The city has a certain feel to it that is hard to explain and of course there are the locals mixed in with tourists from all over the world. It seems to be very much "a live and let live" kind of environment. Of course there are many people strolling around holding hands as the city seems to encourage closeness...

We were fortunate to be able to enjoy some good hotels and excellent cuisine both in France and Tunisia. We travelled on a budget but because it was off-season there were some good deals....

I will share more in future blogs

My suitcase is unpacked and clothes washed and today I am going to tackle getting my backpack unloaded and all the contents returned to their rightful places or recycled as necessary.

I found I had everything I needed to travel comfortably although in retrospect next time I would attempt to pack more lightly as I had a few items of clothing that I did not wear (It is difficult to determine the exact requirements for being away for nearly 4 weeks). My suitcase did not arrive with me in Paris so I had to go out and buy 3 pair of socks, some underwear and a T-shirt as I waited the 2 days for the suitcase to arrive in St. Omer where I was staying for the first leg of my journey.

It feels good to be back home. I have started retelling some of my adventures to family and friends and downloading my digital photos for review and sorting. I am sure the journey will serve me well in obvious and not so obvious ways as I continue on with my life adventure.

Yesterday consisted of waking at 3:00 a.m.-sleeping again between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. , a power nap at 9:30-then falling back asleep between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. then again between 7:30 and 10:00 p.m. finally returning to bed at 12:30 a.m.  In retrospect I think I should have tried to stay awake after 7:30 for at least a few hours-today I will be more disciplined in this arena.....

The jet lagged state is an interesting one for me as I seem to motor along really well then all of a sudden (like a toddler who is overtired)  I "crash" and have to put my head down and in a few seconds I am asleep.  

Yesterday I caught up with some family members and kind of rambled around the house doing odd jobs, reading and looking outside at the ridiculous amount of snow that has fallen in the last few weeks, I had no idea I would have to shovel so much snow so late in the winter season? 

Today I need to return to the yoga mat, I enjoyed a mini session in our condo in San Diego about a month ago and have not been back to my practice since. I always wonder why I have a tendency not to practice in periods of time when I an a "stressful" or over stimulated state when the practice would be provide a grounding effect? In retrospect I have truly missed my practice and intuitively I know I need to get back to it...

The fact I was away from my day to day routine and at times my "comfort zone" it allowed me to practice living in the moment or at the very least "appreciating" the moment. 

Coming back from vacation and being away for nearly a month requires the setting of some priorities and a "one step at a time" approach to working through what needs to be "handled". Since returning last Thursday and operating in my post vacation jet lagged state I have slowly worked through the tier 1 priorities and now have a feel for what needs further attention?

It is that time year again when income tax returns need to be filed. Yesterday I caught up with my "snail mail" correspondence to make sure I had all my income tax related documentation so I can get my return into the accountant and my refund into my bank account. Everything I needed was there so it is all systems go!!

Next I have to figure out what I am going to do between now and April 15th? 

April 15th is a marker for a potential return trip to Europe and as such represents a decision point for allocation of time and priority to travel. I realized while away on my last trip that my wanderlust has abated somewhat over previous decades but it is still part of my nature. However I am less inclined to travel for the sake of traveling vrs looking at the potential focusing on other priorities closer to home? 

The Federal government is offering an income tax rebate opportunity for home renovation projects that I am going to spend some time researching in the next few days. The next month might be a good time to tackle the ensuite bathroom renovation??

I spent some time while away thinking about future income generation opportunities. There are a multitude of options and I realized on reflection that I have to start making some definitive decisions to get the ball rolling in this arena?

The clutter battle is still raging. I have made some inroads and continue to focus on my goals of getting our family possessions sorted, stored or sold or recycled? I have to honestly say I am behind schedule on this but not giving up...I have had some successes on E-Bay selling items that are no longer wanted and I continue to gather items to post and sell which is hugely satisfying. I am trying to generate some cash flow for my Triumph TR3 sports car restoration and E-Bay seems to be a good vehicle to do so....

I on the other hand did not embrace such an established routine as I felt it was important not to be so routine driven so that my mind was more active adapting to different patterns and I felt this would serve me well on the longer run. In particular I varied my route to work on a regular basis and for sure my departure and arrival time at work. As for breakfast I really need variety because I believe gastronomic boredom is something that can easily be avoided because there is a ton of interesting breakfast foods just waiting to be enjoyed!!!

My colleague left the company and moved away and I went back to solo travel for a while but I have noticed in conversation with others that many people do embrace a pretty well defined routine in their day to day activities. My parents are very routine driven. Being older they need to be so in order to deal with living a self reliant life style in their 80's. I can appreciate this as they have found what works for them and they are not interested in "surprises" in their day to day lives.

In reflection I have embraced certain routines in semi-retirement--particularly related to morning rituals. My dog dictates a certain response from me based on our relationship. I am the morning person in the family so I am usually the first one up. My dog nuzzles me in the morning (in bed) to greet me. She has done this for years and it seems to serve both of us well. She is a small dog and she places her head into my neck area and moves it around while wagging her tail. I have not explored the limits of how long she will do this but I would assume in most cases she would continue until I get up and out of bed? I can tell her to stop if I wish to return to sleep and she will do so when requested. From there we both go to the back door and I let her out to do her morning business and  99% of the time do the same and put the coffee on, Next she comes in from outdoors and I feed her a treat then prepare her breakfast. 

She finishes her meal then comes to see if she can extract some of what I am eating? I will give her a small morsel of food then she sits with me for a few minutes then returns to our bedroom to go back to sleep. There is no benefit in my mind of modifying this ritual because dogs are creatures of habit and for sure this routine works for the two of us.

In earlier blogs I have been exploring productivity and creativity and today I woke up pondering how important a role routine plays in the overall mix? I am a bit perplexed by the contemplation because I do not embrace routine easily but I am beginning to see some advantages of a disciplined structure with respect to how I allocate my time on a daily basis. Particularly with respect to unsavory activities that fall into the must do category like the filing of paperwork for example.  My system seems to rebel against setting up a routine for these type of activities?

An exception being yoga which needs to be scheduled or in my case or I do not practice if I don't allocate the time in the morning to routinely hit the mat.

 

Yesterday I did some internet research on the importance of routine when pursuing creative endeavors and expression. Often my creative process is short circuited by my not scheduling time and effort to do the work!!! and it appears there is a lot of information on the WWW stating the importance of routine and commitment to the routine and the positive impact on creative individuals.

In March 2009 I am still wrestling with the "first things first" approach to scheduling my time. My project list is still long but I believe a bit more manageable than last summer when I found myself buried under a avalanche of overcommitment. I am making sure that I review my list and pick what I deem to be important and at least take some steps to moving the activity along. This stops the looping that goes on in my head when I don't take appropriate action.

I find the "first things first" approach like a chess game. Sometimes I have to do what appears to be an unrelated task in order to facilitate the activity I wish to undertake. For example 2009 is the year of my sports car reassembly. Right now my garage has a number of items in it not automotive related. Until I get them cleared out my project doesn't get started. They are not getting cleared out because I can't figure out what to do with some of it (keep, sell or recycle) so it sits there until I take action, Yesterday I worked on my back yard shed construction. It was a beautiful winter's day and a very reasonable temperature for outdoor work. The project started last summer but I couldn't finish because of conflicting renovation project priorities. By finishing the shed I can move some things out of my garage and get started on my project. By finishing the shed I also get rid of my surplus lumber that I have been collecting and get my back yard looking neater. All good stuff and hopefully tier 1 priority?

Lounges are an interesting place to observe people and their socialization activities. No virtual world there! 

The abstract painting was the result of a visit to an art gallery event and a realization that it would be a neat idea to have some people over to express themselves creatively. Our guests were a young couple (friends of my daughter who seem to enjoy our company) who came over to the house for a vegetarian dinner (East Indian theme) and as part of the festivities we gathered around a table set up in our living room. The creative juices flowed (fueled by some excellent ambient music in the background) and it turned out to be a very enjoyable evening all round,

The managing of change relates to my potential to continue to explore this means of expression? It will be interesting to see if I make it a priority to do so and if I do, how do I align myself to undertake the challenge? Unlike other pursuits this could be a bit more tricky to orchestrate? 

I can also "lived" this scenario and in many cases came out the other side successful but often worn out and somewhat worse for wear. I have often felt disappointed that I didn't ask (demand) the help I needed or more importantly actually say "no" to myself and others and not get into the situation in the first place. 

The gist of the conversation was around how interested people are in the planning and conceptualization of solutions but the same people are often reluctant (or unable) to commence doing the work they committed to when it comes time to do so. 

I think this is a common situation that many individuals and organizations get themselves into......

Yesterday I went out to my shed construction area to get a piece of wood for a crate I am building. I picked the wood up and was heading back through the yard. Right above me two squirrels starting fighting on the fir tree. As I passed underneath one of the squirrels must have been temporarily distracted by my presence and fell off the tree narrowly missing my head by about a foot. The squirrel's falling presence startled me and I let out a yelp of surprise. The squirrel landed feet first and scurried off a high speed. My first thought was if it had landed on my head and the fact I didn't have a hat on there might have resulted in a trip to the emergency room to treat squirrel related scratches on my folically challenged head? Luckily this was not the case...

The even tempered aspect of my existence is part of who I am for sure and I believe I am pretty consistent in this area. I am one of those people who is inherently patient combined with an incredible tolerance for aggravation but push me over the edge and I become a literal "fire storm" of pent up emotion that usually manifests itself into an intense "brooding" which has been coined as "unleashing the dragon". Depending on the situation and the issue resolution and clarification might be sought or conversely if I determine it is not worth pursuing I may "walk off" the emotion through physical activity of some kind or moments of solitude (to regroup) . 

The dragon strikes a couple of times a year at the most. The intensity of the experience is very interesting to me as I find myself "surprised" that I am capable of experiencing such a depth of  "shadow" emotion-a very controlled intensity that certainly doesn't fit the label of mild mannered?

The process takes time but I find it satisfying for "things" to find their way to new homes where people will hopefully enjoy them or recycle them themselves. There have been some interesting "unearthing" of some treasures which makes the whole process even more fascinating. 

My father-in-law had a collection of RC model airplanes that I have sold off in lots. The latest sale is a 1/4 scale Tiger Moth which is going to Ontario to a real enthusiast who is going to finish the model, name it after my father-in-law and send us a video of it's maiden voyage-how cool is that!! Ah-the power of E-bay and the ability to sell to the world!

Interesting times....

I like the island due it's diversity of things to do. Of course all the beaches are great so there will be some beach time in the equation. Hiking is also high on the list along with early morning strolls on the beach with coffee in hand. Snorkeling is also a priority for my wife but I am somewhat less enthusiastic because I am somewhat snorkeling challenged due to my facial hair and difficulty in getting a good seal on the face mask.

Due to my previous visits I am fairly familiar with the island and I am looking forward to going back and seeing some places already visited and also exploring some new locations.

The trip comes at a good time as the winter drags on here. About 8 inches of wet snow fell yesterday and it will be a while before we see green grass around here.

I originally saw the movie at the theatre when I was a young man in the early '70's so it brings back some nostalgic feelings. The re-viewing of the DVD makes me appreciate the movie even more from an artistic and automotive point of view.

The star of the movie is a 1955 Chev 2 door sedan heavily modified and race ready. The Driver and Mechanic (the characters do not have names) make their money by challenging others to drag races for money usually on the street. The combination of driving and mechanical skills make the car hard to beat. But the movie is about more than fast cars so following the characters as they make their way through the days is very interesting. Lots of angst for sure and not many words spoken. The interview (in the Special Features section) with James Taylor is also very interesting as he admits as of 2007 he had not seen the movie because he felt self conscious about doing so and that he also spent much of his time on the set angry and frustrated (mainly based on the fact that his co-stars did not learn their lines appropriately before the shooting). The director did not share the full script with the actors and only did so half way through the shooting based on James Taylor's insistence. His brooding anger shows through in the movie and probably adds another layer of texture to the experience There are criticisms of the movie from an acting perspective but I find the performances real and compelling.

One of the three cars originally used in the movie has been restored to it's original state by a car restorer in the U.S. Interestingly the car spent some time in Canada and the DVD shows details of the restoration which is also interesting to watch.

In the early 1970's I had a chance to buy a very similar car and declined doing so. I still look at 1955 Chevy cars kind of wistfully but I doubt if I will do the Babyboomer thing and revisit my past by buying one?

I think the regular soaking has been a good way to enjoy the winter and being outside even if it only for a short while. It is an interesting feeling to leave the tub and be able to stand in very cold ambient temperatures without discomfort. Of course the ability to do this is short lived as one's body can cool down rather quickly at -32 degrees Celsius. I really pushed my limits at times and at -32 a wool hat is required to keep my head warm.

Often the birds are very present but not today. I must have missed their feeding time.

I daydream and problem solve in the tub so it often a time of meditation and quiet. Enjoyable all round.

In 2008 the winter/early spring snowy cold weather closed in on me (moderate cabin fever) and I decided I needed to get outside so I  started a rebuild in April. Determining to reuse as much of the existing structure as I could I made a few trips to the building center and started patching up the substandard components of the shed. In retrospect I probably should have started from scratch but the upside is that was able to incorporate some of the existing structure and save money but probably not time. Some of the walls aren't as "true" as I would like which has resulted in some custom cuts to fit non-square spaces but that is OK.

This year the same cabin fever hit and I have been trudging through the snow and enduring some fairly cool temperatures to work on the shed. I figure now is the time as I seem to get busy in the summer doing other things and carpentry takes a low priority status.  The storage space improvement will probably help with my de-clutter initiative as I will have a dry storage area for some seldom used items that we are not parting with right now. 

The project is progressing well and I am really enjoying being outside and building something.. my head and hands are warm so no worries.

My "self help" crusade (often but not always) causes friction in our household as the new books often result in spirited "debate" about the true merits of both the books and the allocation of my financial resources to purchase them. The argument often revolves around the same message repackaged in different ways by different authors. I kind of get caught up in the "potential" of the book's concepts or messages and I like to "arm chair" reflect on a possible application in my own life. 

In recent times I have become very interested in how people make decisions in their lives and how sometimes decisions made in a few moments impact a person's life for a long period of time. I am also interested why people put off key decisions for long periods of time and lose out on real opportunities to move on or profit from a good decision. I purchased the book "Nudge" by Richard Thaler. The premise revolves around improving the decision making process and what I can glean from my initial review of the contents we as individuals and a society don't do that great a job in this area. The book compliments some of the studying I have done lately on critical thinking and I believe I will get something out of reading it.

I am also interested in how my inner world and the "inner worlds" of people close to me plays out in our day to day existence. The utilization of imagination and creativity and in some cases fantasy to create rich inner landscapes that are seldom shared.

 

This disclosure actually doesn't come as a surprise to me! It is a bit of a trap on many fronts as it puts me into the position of anticipating/expecting personal growth and self actualization in those close to me. Of course this represents the transference of my values and expectations to others which may not benefit either party?

This "gap" causes friction and potentially becomes a catalyst for change or acceptance! The question becomes whether of not the expectation of meeting potential could be viewed as a positive aspect of the relationship dynamic especially if there is a contribution I can make in assisting a loved one to help them meet their potential?

I came to the realization last night that I spend a fair amount of energy "thinking" about my relationship to potential? Is it OK to dream about such abstract concepts? Does my intuitive sense of my own or another's potential a gift or something for me to be very leery of? 

If I turn the reflection inwards my quest for potential drives me to experience and grow but also to get frustrated. 

The whole issue of being "stuck" and caught up in the hubris of life is where the quest for potential gets complicated because it is difficult for people to move on with their lives and potentially experience beneficial personal growth?

This wordy reflection is starting to cause my head to spin.....I'm out of here!!!!

I have been attached to the idea (in fact I think I am bordering on obsessing) it would be beneficial for me to purchase a replacement vehicle. In fact it has become somewhat of a hobby doing the search and pondering the options but I am beginning to question if I am focusing too much on my desire-is this a case of "wanting" vrs "needing"? If I had a better truck would I be happier? Hmmmm..........

The question is why then do I feel tired today? 

I am heavy into reading Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth-Awaking to Your Life's Purpose" and it was last thing I did last night before falling asleep. The book strikes a chord with me and I am very interested in continuing my quest for a change in consciousness. The challenge of living in the moment and being totally present is a bit daunting to me but I realize on many levels the need to do so. 

The mental trap of anticipation and running scenarios continues to play out in my day to day life and the understanding this practice may be contributing to depleting my energies is at least a first step.

I am a big fan of the concept of incremental steps,setting reasonable goals and doing a bit at a time-if possible consistently day in and day out.  I also find more success if I meet the "reasonable" goals and stop when I obtain them and celebrate the success in some small way. 

In the past I have "burned out" on certain projects (usually falling into the category of the must do's vrs passionate about?) by giving too much "short term" focus and energy on the doing and really going for it and then hitting the wall (usually by not being realistic about what can be accomplished) and getting discouraged and potentially being forced to take a break. And I know how hard it is to get back into "project mode" after a disruption in the process.

Of course the flip side is not taking on the project due to the intimidation factor-too much perceived effort to get the ball rolling and lots of excuses why it is not happening. This is why the act of trying is so important-getting out there and doing and learning as I go...