I went camping this past weekend at Big Lagoon State Park to the Southwest of Pensacola and well, my camping trip was surely wet and rainy. Fortunately, I stayed pretty dry the entire time thanks to my tent (thank you mom). I can't sing the tent's praises enough, because this bad boy really did take care of me and keep me dry. It rained a solid 4 inches on Friday night. Normally, that would mean your tent would get soaked, water would pour in from everywhere, and you would have a water bed. This tent however keep me dry throughout the night.
It was Friday the 13th too.... Kinda spooky out there in the woods, in the rain and lightning, just like in the movie at Camp Crystal Lake! Beware of Jason.... I had my mag light and if anybody tried to mess with me I was gonna shine the light in their eyes and run the other way. The campground was full of old snow birds from Canada. I figured he might go after them first anyhow. Bunch of Florida Q-tips!!!
Suffering a few early setbacks, I tried to stay positive. This little camp out did teach me some stuff, made me remember old times, and made me think of a few things I may need to pick up or prepare before I set out on my big trek. Camping in the rain is tough on gear and a few things went by the wayside after getting entirely inundated on Friday night. Lessons were learned...
Quite honestly, some of the most memorable camping trips I have been on have involved inclement weather. Camping in the rain and snow or with a hurricane approaching for instance. These terrible trips generally make for some long lasting memories. I am glad that I was only having to look after myself, because if there had been a group of people out there, I would have experienced a lot of bitching!
Saturday the weather was much better and I went hiking and biking around the park. Its really not a large place, only 700 acres, and its set amongst a lot of developments. From the beach you can look out and see Perdido Key, the barrier island which is peppered with condos and multicolored houses on stilts. The park is bordered on the north and west by the highway and the bridge to the key, respectively. I did see quite a bit of wildlife though. Mostly birds like some hawks, osprey, pelicans, cormorants, ducks, doves, cardinals, jays, finches, and herons but also some rabbits and raccoons and even deer tracks.
I stayed entirely dry on Saturday night thanks to the state park system. At the park there is a huge pavilion with a giant fireplace in the center. I lugged my firewood up to the pavilion and made a fire, with the help of lighter fluid and some charcoal and had a pretty good fire for several hours. I slept great on Saturday night and awoke to some sunshine on Sunday morning. Cooked breakfast and then broke camp before noon. Got in one last bike ride and then went back to town to dry everything out. All in all it was a good weekend and I hope to make some adjustments and go camping again soon.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A Few things...
I was thinking about a few things I might need before I take off on the trip. Sure, this isn't a complete list, but these are things I would like to get before I go. I need to invest in a decent camera with video/sound recording capabilities and a good battery life. I am also interested in a turn by turn GPS navigation system for my truck. One hang up is that the cigarette lighter doesn't work in the truck so getting power to this unit may prove tricky. I also need to invest in a good watch that is not too ostentatious and is quite functional. Finally, I need to find out about the power source for my laptop for when I travel overseas. These are some of the little things I am working on lately... more to come. Oh... and if you have any suggestions about this stuff, let me know! Thanks!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Getting the truck back from LA
Well... I may have a problem. IF my truck makes it all the way to LA (and I hope it does) then I will have to figure out what to do with it. There are a few options.
1. Sell it for what it is worth... maybe $800.
2. Ship it back via a semi-truck transporter... approx. $700.
3. Store it.... don't know the cost. In LA too? Might get stolen.
4. Have some one drive it back for me... priceless.
So... those are my options. I guess the best option would be for someone to drive it around and possibly deliver it to P'cola or park it in their yard somewhere or something like this. Any ideas?
So if somebody would like to join me in LA and drive my truck around in the end of June or first part of July that would be killer (literally too, no A/C). I can't imagine the misery of that truck on a freeway in LA for 2 hours of bumper to bumper traffic pumpin' the clutch and sweating furiously. That is surely someones version of hell.
One other thing is that I will have a bike with me and a lot of camping gear that I will need to either ship back via the mail or ship back with my truck. Shipping all of that stuff, bike included would probably cost over a hundred dollars. So that is something to consider too. Better put on my thinking cap...
1. Sell it for what it is worth... maybe $800.
2. Ship it back via a semi-truck transporter... approx. $700.
3. Store it.... don't know the cost. In LA too? Might get stolen.
4. Have some one drive it back for me... priceless.
So... those are my options. I guess the best option would be for someone to drive it around and possibly deliver it to P'cola or park it in their yard somewhere or something like this. Any ideas?
So if somebody would like to join me in LA and drive my truck around in the end of June or first part of July that would be killer (literally too, no A/C). I can't imagine the misery of that truck on a freeway in LA for 2 hours of bumper to bumper traffic pumpin' the clutch and sweating furiously. That is surely someones version of hell.
One other thing is that I will have a bike with me and a lot of camping gear that I will need to either ship back via the mail or ship back with my truck. Shipping all of that stuff, bike included would probably cost over a hundred dollars. So that is something to consider too. Better put on my thinking cap...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Big Change
Well this is what got me going and this is my plan. I originally wrote this for my family, but check it out and ignore some of the family details....
Hello All...
Well, I'm currently in the process of planning a big trip, kind of like a sabbatical (and global in nature). I had a bad day this Monday at work; my boss pissed me off and I am no longer able to sufficiently deal with the burecratic nature of things. I am moving on.
My boss point-blank told me I would not get a position I applied for and this was the shove that got things moving. I didn't even score high enough on my application to merit an interview. This was where I had to draw the line and say enough is enough...
The job description was written in a very specific manner with statements such as must be proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel ect. The boss had a rubric that he used to score points on the application, so if on your application you mentioned that you had experience with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access, and Excel you would get the full amount of points. There was a formula that he has to follow and this is to ensure "fairness" in screening applicants.
I spent all of 10 minutes filling out the application as I thought that this was just a formality and a way to let him know I was interested in the position. However, I made a bad assumption. Even though I have been at the Health Department for 2 years longer than the boss and even though I have known him personally for a year it didn't matter.
Since I only spent a short time filling out the application I did not specifically mention all of the hundereds of little things that the application required for the position. Therefore he could not award me points and he was tantamount worried about an audit from our state capitol reviewing his hiring practices and therefore could not give me credit for things he has witnessed me do if they weren't written on my application. What we have here is a failure to communicate.
I plan to quit my job in mid to late March and will leave Pensacola on April 1st. This date would have marked exactly 3 years with the Department of Health- far too long. When I first took the job I kept telling myself I would not stay longer than 2 years.
My current plan is to travel across the US for several weeks and eventually end up on the West Coast in either LA or Seattle in mid to late June. From there I plan to take a one-way flight* to Southeast Asia, probably Mumbai ($800 approx. July 1st +/- a few days). This will give me about 10-12 weeks to make my way across the country.
*[NOTE: there was a promise of 50,000 sky miles made in Dec. 2005 from the Canonero Crew that I may be cashing in on or some part there of.]
I feel that this may be the only chance I get to take a trip like this and that is what is motivating me. I have soooo much freedom; more than anyone I know. I have no mortgage, no car payment, no school loans, no lease agreement, no wife, no kids, no girlfriend, no dog, no plants, no goldfish... I can pack up and leave tommorow.
On the other end of things, I have been able to bank money each month over the past three years by living below my means in a crummy house with lots of people and driving a '92 truck without air conditioning in Florida. This is my reward!
On my US leg of the trip I will be driving the Kazius truck and staying with friends and family. I also plan on doing a lot of camping and wish to avoid spending a lot of money on lodging. I haven't camped too much in the upper west and would like some suggestions on places that I should visit.
I am beginning to plot a course and Mississippi, Chicago, Des Moines, Denver, Boise, Bend, Seattle, San Francisco, Monterrey, and LA are on the list so far. The route will generally start with me making a trip north on my way to Chicago to stay with the Gorhams for a while. Then west to Des Moines. Further west to see some friends and camp and what not and then hit the west coast and probably run from Seattle to LA assuming the truck makes it.
If the truck should break down I will have my bike in the back! HA. Another back up plan includes riding on some busses- certainly not the preffered method, but entirely doable.
If I get to LA and the truck is still intact I just may spend the $700 it takes to transport it back across the country on Interstate 10. Theres a lot of sentimental value wrapped up in that little brown Ford.
During this time I plan to research a lot about India, its geography and culture, the state of the Indian economy (global recession), and about microfinance. I am considering trying to find a real job in India. My futute in India seems quite vague at this point, but I will definitely keep you posted on new developments. Once I am in India for several weeks I will make the decision whether I could actually live and work in this place or if its only somewhere I would like to visit. I would like to get a job in finance especially microfinance if possible.
Some of you may be thinking I am crazy, but I just want to chase my dreams for a little while. I am so lucky to have a loving and supportive family that I know I can do this without much downside risk. If I go to India and I am miserable, then I can always come back, get cleaned up, and hit the US job scene again.
As it is the economy is so bad and the job market is harsh. Nobody is hiring, but I am through with this stinker of a job I have now. If I go on this trip and take a break from things, possibly the economy could improve by the autumn of this year to a point where some people are hiring again. That is the contingency plan.
Some of you are thinking I should just get Elaine to call Tom Daschle or whoever and get a job in the Department of Agriculture, but that's not my dream. Maybe that is the rational choice, but we're all irrational beings. I'm gonna listen to my heart and go for it. The dreams of youth are the regrets of maturity.
Any questions or comments? And like I said.. I will keep everyone posted as things develop. Also, I would love to have visitors come and see me in India, especially if I get an apartment and actually stay for a while.
Hello All...
Well, I'm currently in the process of planning a big trip, kind of like a sabbatical (and global in nature). I had a bad day this Monday at work; my boss pissed me off and I am no longer able to sufficiently deal with the burecratic nature of things. I am moving on.
My boss point-blank told me I would not get a position I applied for and this was the shove that got things moving. I didn't even score high enough on my application to merit an interview. This was where I had to draw the line and say enough is enough...
The job description was written in a very specific manner with statements such as must be proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel ect. The boss had a rubric that he used to score points on the application, so if on your application you mentioned that you had experience with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access, and Excel you would get the full amount of points. There was a formula that he has to follow and this is to ensure "fairness" in screening applicants.
I spent all of 10 minutes filling out the application as I thought that this was just a formality and a way to let him know I was interested in the position. However, I made a bad assumption. Even though I have been at the Health Department for 2 years longer than the boss and even though I have known him personally for a year it didn't matter.
Since I only spent a short time filling out the application I did not specifically mention all of the hundereds of little things that the application required for the position. Therefore he could not award me points and he was tantamount worried about an audit from our state capitol reviewing his hiring practices and therefore could not give me credit for things he has witnessed me do if they weren't written on my application. What we have here is a failure to communicate.
I plan to quit my job in mid to late March and will leave Pensacola on April 1st. This date would have marked exactly 3 years with the Department of Health- far too long. When I first took the job I kept telling myself I would not stay longer than 2 years.
My current plan is to travel across the US for several weeks and eventually end up on the West Coast in either LA or Seattle in mid to late June. From there I plan to take a one-way flight* to Southeast Asia, probably Mumbai ($800 approx. July 1st +/- a few days). This will give me about 10-12 weeks to make my way across the country.
*[NOTE: there was a promise of 50,000 sky miles made in Dec. 2005 from the Canonero Crew that I may be cashing in on or some part there of.]
I feel that this may be the only chance I get to take a trip like this and that is what is motivating me. I have soooo much freedom; more than anyone I know. I have no mortgage, no car payment, no school loans, no lease agreement, no wife, no kids, no girlfriend, no dog, no plants, no goldfish... I can pack up and leave tommorow.
On the other end of things, I have been able to bank money each month over the past three years by living below my means in a crummy house with lots of people and driving a '92 truck without air conditioning in Florida. This is my reward!
On my US leg of the trip I will be driving the Kazius truck and staying with friends and family. I also plan on doing a lot of camping and wish to avoid spending a lot of money on lodging. I haven't camped too much in the upper west and would like some suggestions on places that I should visit.
I am beginning to plot a course and Mississippi, Chicago, Des Moines, Denver, Boise, Bend, Seattle, San Francisco, Monterrey, and LA are on the list so far. The route will generally start with me making a trip north on my way to Chicago to stay with the Gorhams for a while. Then west to Des Moines. Further west to see some friends and camp and what not and then hit the west coast and probably run from Seattle to LA assuming the truck makes it.
If the truck should break down I will have my bike in the back! HA. Another back up plan includes riding on some busses- certainly not the preffered method, but entirely doable.
If I get to LA and the truck is still intact I just may spend the $700 it takes to transport it back across the country on Interstate 10. Theres a lot of sentimental value wrapped up in that little brown Ford.
During this time I plan to research a lot about India, its geography and culture, the state of the Indian economy (global recession), and about microfinance. I am considering trying to find a real job in India. My futute in India seems quite vague at this point, but I will definitely keep you posted on new developments. Once I am in India for several weeks I will make the decision whether I could actually live and work in this place or if its only somewhere I would like to visit. I would like to get a job in finance especially microfinance if possible.
Some of you may be thinking I am crazy, but I just want to chase my dreams for a little while. I am so lucky to have a loving and supportive family that I know I can do this without much downside risk. If I go to India and I am miserable, then I can always come back, get cleaned up, and hit the US job scene again.
As it is the economy is so bad and the job market is harsh. Nobody is hiring, but I am through with this stinker of a job I have now. If I go on this trip and take a break from things, possibly the economy could improve by the autumn of this year to a point where some people are hiring again. That is the contingency plan.
Some of you are thinking I should just get Elaine to call Tom Daschle or whoever and get a job in the Department of Agriculture, but that's not my dream. Maybe that is the rational choice, but we're all irrational beings. I'm gonna listen to my heart and go for it. The dreams of youth are the regrets of maturity.
Any questions or comments? And like I said.. I will keep everyone posted as things develop. Also, I would love to have visitors come and see me in India, especially if I get an apartment and actually stay for a while.
Followers
Hello,
I would like for you to visit often and if you click the link called "Followers" on the right hand side of the web I should be able to see who you are and send you email reminders when important updates have been made.
I would like for you to visit often and if you click the link called "Followers" on the right hand side of the web I should be able to see who you are and send you email reminders when important updates have been made.
Welcome.
This blog is going to be my little spot on the internet where I try to keep you posted on what is happening and what is important in my life. Don't worry, you can get involved too. Just post a message, question, or comment and I will personally check it out and get back to you. Come back often, as there are plenty of updates in the works. Enjoy!
Matt Szymoniak, Editor-at-Large
Matt Szymoniak, Editor-at-Large
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