see as i saw

I would like to pat myself on the back for not only finishing the first book since I declared my reading challenge, but for accidentally choosing the LONGEST book on the list to get started on my mission.  Three weeks into reading it, I was struck by how odd it was that the Kindle app told me I was only 60% finished.  Off to Amazon.com to check the page count...656.  For some reason that knowledge got me hyper-motivated, and I raced through the last 40%.

I have heard grumblings about the inconveniences of redeeming frequent flyer miles, whether it was coming from a rewards-based credit card commercial or an actual consumer.  Frankly, I didn't even attempt to accrue airline miles until a few years ago when my travel frequency (and distances) hit an uptick.  Upon nearly closing in on the magic number that qualifies me to fly for "free", I'm learning some things.

A trip to Central America or a subset of South American countries will cost you 15,000 miles each way. My sights set on Ecuador, and my points balance around 26,000, I was practically ready to pack my bags.  Until I started perusing the rewards flight schedule.  On about two days each month, I can find a flight from Chicago O'Hare to either of the international airports in Ecuador at a cost of 15,000 miles.  Across a span of six months, I could not find a single day that would grant me access back to the United States for less than 30,000 miles.  So, I guess that debunks the 15,000 miles each way story.

I tried looking into flights on another airline within the same alliance, because word on the street is that they'll accept your miles, too.  Unfortunately, their site provided me with a less than friendly user experience and I simply gave up.  A final attempt at creative thinking was my last ditch effort for the day.  What if I redeemed 15,000 miles for my outgoing flight, then paid for the one-way flight back home?  As it turns out, that one-way return flight cost only $88 less than an entire round-trip ticket.  Hardly worth it.

The good news is that through all of this, I'm pretty positive that Ecuador will be my next destination.  It's just the when and how long that remain to be determined.

LinkedIn sends me a lot of emails each week.  Sometimes it's jobs that they think I'll be interested in, although I never have been.  Then there are the trending articles that may be of interest, and sometimes actually are.  This doesn't take into consideration the emails generated by the alumni groups that I'm a member of or recent changes made to the profiles of people in my network.  Oh, and then there are the free trials of premium services that they want me to try.  Moral of the story: I don't necessarily find value in most of these emails, but I tend to open each one anyways...just in case.  Today that decision felt justified.

Attempting to sell me on a new book, "the start-up of YOU", LinkedIn provided a free preview of a chapter.  Perhaps you received the same email.  Although the excerpt didn't necessarily tell me things that I didn't already know, it drove home some things that I've been wavering on recently.  My rational self knows these things, but a succinct reminder never hurts:

"You won't encounter accidental good fortune - you won't stumble upon opportunities that rocket your career forward - if you're lying in bed.  When you do something, you stir the pot and introduce the possibility that seemingly random ideas, people, and places will collide and form new combinations and opportunities."


"'Keeping your options open' is frequently more of a risk than committing to a plan of action.  Many failures in results can be chalked up to people trying to keep their options open.  Making a decision reduces opportunities in the short run, but increases opportunities in the long run."


I've been overwhelmed by the sheer number of possibilities in front of me - and I've been afraid to choose the wrong one.  Depending on how you twist it, though, there may be no such thing as "wrong".  Instead, if I don't hit a final destination on the first try, I can look at it as a stepping stone.  A perspective that I've always managed to have in looking back on my life is not regretting any of my experiences.  I can see how aspects of each one led me to greater and happier places.  Now I need to employ that attitude in looking forward to prospective opportunities.

It just so happened that this elementary school in my neighborhood is rocking a sign that summed up this mindset perfectly.  Thus, today's photo.

Something peculiar dawned on me this week.  What used to be an encompassing and dedicated passion has slowly shifted further down the priority list.  It's French Open time and even though I don't have a day job, I have only amassed a couple of hours watching those guys slide around on the red clay.  Partial blame can be attributed to the heaviest coverage being on the Tennis Channel, which had to be struck from my finances.  The ESPN coverage window only lasts from 5:00-9:00am, which is less than convenient.

Regardless, I find myself looking at the draw and seeing so many unrecognizable names.  That can only mean that I've been paying much less attention over the past three years.  Inexcusable.  What's even more dismal is my distance from playing the sport myself.  That whole membership at a racquet club idea backfired in my face.  Public courts in Chicago seem to be more of a waiting game than an actual opportunity to hit balls.  And my strings are so loose that I'd be impressed if my racquet could push the ball over the net from the baseline.

So many excuses.  Unacceptable.  Maybe I don't have the time to dedicate to researching the best and brightest upcoming talent, like I did back in the high school and college days.  I likely can't dedicate ten hour days to watching matches.  And if I want to snag some court time, I'll have to put up with the parameters that the city necessitates.  But ultimately, you have to make a priority of the things that mean something to you.  Tennis, whether watching or playing, has always brought me joy.  So, tomorrow I'm taking the first step toward reigniting the flame.  There's no reason that I can't wake up an hour earlier and spend some quality time with the French Open.  Now, hopefully there are men's matches on at that hour.

For a moment in time, or rather three minutes, I was back in Playa Sámara today.  Standard practice on a beautiful day tends to include a park bench, book and iPod.  Today I was pleasantly surprised to find that the fountain in my favorite park space was actively flowing again, after being out of commission for over a year.  Settling in on the closest bench, I sometimes felt a light mist carried over on the breeze.  Then, at some point, Jack Johnson's voice cut into my focus on the words in my book.  He was lamenting Sitting, Waiting, Wishing and I, in turn, drifted into a reverie.

Next to the little piece of beach that I claimed during my three week stay was Gusto Beach.  The bar menu may have been outside of my budget, but I enjoyed their tunes all day long for free.  Every morning around 11:00am they cycled through a mix that included a Jack Johnson block.  The chill vibe of his music correlated with my state of mind.

So, in that moment on the bench this morning, with the sun shining down on my face, all I had to do was close my eyes.  Images of my daily beach life flashed so vividly behind my eyes; it seemed as though I was just there yesterday.  The trifecta of palm trees that served as my sun protection.  The Tico's Surf School hut with the guys' hammocks strung between the beams.  The exhausted novice surfers precariously balancing boards on their heads.  The dogs without leashes and sometimes seemingly without owners.  If I didn't listen too closely, even the sound of the fountain was slightly reminiscent of the Pacific waves.

But the song ended.  I opened my eyes and saw Chicago.  And I was content with that, because the day and the setting were still beautiful in their own way.  Honestly, it was just nice to transport myself back to such an amazing point in time - and then to think about how I can take steps toward the making next memory for that mental catalog.

Although my body aches and I may have a sliver of glass in my hand, I would say that I'm ending the day pleasantly content. The sun is shining, warmth returned to the Midwest, my neighbor is jamming to the best of Marvin Gaye, and it's a soothing sound drifting through my windows with the breeze.
Today's mission was an organizing job with a focus on unpacking. Interesting revelations occur when a couple moves in together for the first time. Especially when it's in a city apartment. Too much stuff, too little space. Only the man of the house was around for the unpack, so any divesting of material goods would have to wait for his lady's permission. Organization became a backseat activity to simply making the space livable for now. After eight hours, we achieved that. It was quite a feat, but he was happy with the progress.

And me, well, I was happy for a job well done.  It didn't hurt my mood that it was an active payday. To really tip the scales, after I was already brimming with contentment, the client extended a very generous gesture in the form of Rioja. That's gratitude you can't refuse!

Once upon a time I worked in a building downtown...in a cubicle.  Since I walked away from it four and a half months ago, I have not laid eyes on said building.  Until today.  No, I did not go inside.  I did, however, casually pass a former co-worker in the crosswalk.  We exchanged hellos while he looked at me with a mix of familiarity and confusion.  Similarly to my other occasional trips to the Loop, it felt like an old acquaintance seen through new eyes.  Something that was once a part of my everyday is now relegated to such a minor role.

The itch to buy a dSLR camera has picked its way back to the forefront of my mind.  I'm blaming it on all of the Canons we ran into during the jaunt in Traverse City last weekend.  I'm pragmatic enough to realize that it would be foolish to drop a load of cash on a camera without gainful employment.  There is a small freelance cash flow in my life, as well as a couple part-time opportunities that have piqued my interest this week...still not enough to greenlight a brand new dSLR set up.  Key words in that sentence: brand new.

Since I'll be starting from square one anyways, what harm is there in a beginner like me purchasing a "pre-owned" camera body?  People are trading up camera bodies on a regular basis, and they lose value much like a car does.  Once I've mastered the learning curve and returned to a stage of gainful employment, I can join the trade-up crowd, too.  Until then, I think I've struck a nice compromise with myself.  Don't worry, Google is there to teach me what to look for when shopping for a "pre-owned" camera.  It may not be a bad idea to find an experienced user to give me some input.