Using my Christmas gift from JoAn of a year all-access to the Master Class series.
Annie Leibovitz’s class on photography prompted the class to ‘look back’ at previous work of our own.
I pulled out old photos and was so pleased I’m on vacation so I can take my time.
Pat recently asked me for photos of Justin when he was young. The images above and below made the adventure worth my time.
I’m pleasantly spending my last week on vacation following Annie’s advice.
While still on vacation, driving Ellie to school I talked about how much I enjoyed not being in a hurry. Making a conscious effort to consistently give ourselves more than enough time to get somewhere pays off during any given day.
Days tend to have a way of ‘building up to’ a crash or state of wonder. Good days and bad days, I believe, have a way of manifesting from little gestures and decisions we make.
Take time to give the day at least a chance to unfolded with even a fleeting moment of grace.
Upon hitting the bed Friday after mentioning slowing down, I reflected on the day…and smiled to myself. What else did I do the rest of Friday? Ask and I’ll tell you:)
Restaurants in California and around the world are embracing the farm to table movement.
JoAn and I discovered a great way to keep vegetables and greens fresh.
After wrapping vegetables and greens in paper towels, we package it in plastic or tin foil and refrigerate.
Eat more…waste less, love it.
From this hotel room in the warehouse district of New Orleans, I walked everywhere I wanted to visit.
Destinations – art galleries and fine restaurants. Favorite gallery, Martin Lawrence. Favorite restaurant, Restaurant Revolution.
The last walk I took was to the train station to board the Amtrak Sunset Limited back to LA. Almost everyone I talked with in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) were still in the after glow of the New Orleans Saints victory over the Eagles to go to the NFL Championship game to play our own Los Angeles Rams.
I did not realize the Superdome was right next to the train station. Hence, the photo you see above.
Traveling alone on long train trips have a solitary, meditative portion mixed evenly with a social, interactive portion. In the roomette I was fortunate enough to afford was blissful solitude. I sit for hours staring out the large window to scenes like below of the mighty Mississippi.
Socializing comes with every meal on the train because it’s communal seating. I met a couple from Columbus, OH taking a train trip around the states. Another couple headed to San Antonio to visit their daughter, a software engineer from Washington state, and a woman going back to LA to the hotel she runs on skid row. The conversations were mostly one-sided thanks to the active listening skills I’ve picked up over the years. I did end up giving a signed copy of my book to the software engineer. Wes was in the roomette across from me so I got to know him well.
A perfect four days…now I’m back home blogging and enjoying two weeks off before the start of the Spring semester at SMC.
This rainy scene of passengers waiting to board the Sunset Limited reminded me of my trip in ’97 to move west. Was there someone in that train depot embarking on a total eclipse of their life?
January 2017 – Solo journey to Ho Chi Minh City
January 2018 – Solo Amtrak roundtrip to Portland
January 2019 – Solo New Orleans to LA train adventure
A relatively new lifestyle change for me has been to purposefully travel alone in the month of January every year.
I’ve recently shared this new habit with friends in conversation and get pretty excited when recalling the first two trips. I pack light and make very loose plans if any. I don’t expect anything. During the first two trips I’ve encountered a few brief moments, elevated aliveness.
“To Travel is to Live”
Hans Christian Anderson
Amtrak has roomettes that I inhabit on trips, two bunks and a window. I bring books, writing material, tablet, laptop…but typically just spend hours looking out the window.
The small quakes happening all over the state has led my wife to read up on preparedness. Oh, actually it’s a podcast. JoAn takes it serious for a good reason, 1994 Northridge. I was in Michigan, dodging the crafty tornadoes.
No doubt a big one will come to our region. I’ve only been privy to one extremely shaky ground incident in 1998. It was reported ‘just’ an aftershock from the ’94 Northridge quake.
“You’ll thank me someday, for being a renter.”
Our family is entering our sixth year as Unitarian Universalists. We joined the church on 18th and Arizona St. in January 2014 and has proved to be quite the lifestyle change for us. We were shopping around in the fall of 2013 for a church to join to give Ellie some religious and/or theological foundation that we had as children. However, when JoAn took Ellie to the local Catholic Church, St. Monica’s, Ellie just didn’t take good too well to this church and that’s a story JoAn can tell. Pure comedy.
I couldn’t help but notice, that’s what I liked about UU, it’s a welcoming church that announces at the beginning of every service. I especially like the line, “there are those of us who believe in God, those of us that don’t, and those of us that are content with the mystery.”
After feeling pretty comfortable attending a couple services. We sat in on a new member orientation. The man sitting next to me, appearing to be in his mid-30s, was asked how we come to find out about Unitarian Universalist. He replied, “I googled no dogma and you guys came up.” We all laughed or smiled, including the minister, Rev. Rebecca.
A lifestyle change about six years ago was to start walking to Santa Monica College’s High Tech Training Center four days a week when classes are in session. The city has an alternate transportation program that pays me $30 a month to NOT drive to work.
“Walking brings me back to myself”.
Laurette Mortimer
About four years ago I discovered a simple, quiet, early morning walk to the ocean shore. From our condo, the walk takes me all the way down Pearl St. to Lincoln Blvd. After crossing Lincoln, I take Strand St. all the way to Santa Monica Beach. The walk is two and a half miles each way. I’m usually listening to birds or a book on Audible with ear buds.
I take the beach walk on average about three times a week.
A criteria I’ve developed for myself is that where I retire, has to be a very walk-able location. Of course I’d love to stay in Santa Monica but it’s so expensive that I’ve started researching alternate locations.
Most folks dislike (maybe even hate) L.A. because of the traffic. Walking is a sweet lifestyle alternative.
Here’s a moment….just sitting on my sofa looking out the window. After seeing a leaf fall, I decided to use my phone and video the scene and hope for another to fall.
Staring out the window is what I enjoy about traveling. Out the window of plane, or especially a train. I prefer the beautiful picture window in the sleeping car roomettes that I usually travel in.
Next week will mark the third year of a lifestyle change I plan to keep. The change is to go off on an adventure by myself. JoAn, bless her heart, has been supportive and Ellie understands this need of mine. If it seems selfish to you, my guess is you are under 70 years old. (comment if I’m wrong)
I find traveling alone…being present for one’s self.
