40th Birthday on the Horizon

As I approach my 40th birthday, I am thinking about the things that I want to accomplish in the next 40 years. When I look back on my life thus far, I feel that I have definitely had some great experiences and met some wonderful people. Basically, I don't have any regrets. There have been good times and bad times, but overall I would have to say that I have had a good life. I've definitely learned a lot along the way.

Some would call this mid-life crisis time and talk about it as a bad thing. Honestly, I don't think it is a bad thing to take inventory of your life and make some goals for the future. It is my theory that the people who go off the deep end at this point in their life do it because they didn't enjoy or reflect on their life until now. They feel like they haven't accomplished anything that they wanted to do in the last 40 years, and now they are panicking. I do not think that will happen to me. For the most part, I've always found a way to be happy. It is my theory that a place does not make you happy. Happiness comes from within. Another reason I do not think I will have a huge mid-life crisis is because due to the recession I took the last year off of work. It gave me a lot of time to relax, think, reflect, and plan. I got in touch with who I was as a person outside of work. I took up some new hobbies and returned to old hobbies that I had given up due to the "rat race." I recently got a job again, and I feel totally refreshed and like a kid just out of college ready to join the workforce. The year off will definitely make me a better worker because I will make sure that I take care of myself and that I am happy. My job is not my identity anymore. When people ask me what I do, I feel like saying I blog, write, enjoy movies, bicycle, love home improvement, hike, camp, explore, etc. I love my job, but it is not who I am. It will fund my life and is an important part of my life, but it is not my whole life. This is my new approach to work, and I think it will work well for me.

As I reflect on the next 40 years, I have decided on the following things that I want to accomplish:

• Become a published author.
  
• Learn Spanish.
  
• Keep up with technology.
• Stay close to the ones that I love.
• Continue my faith in God.
• Stay in the helping professions where I feel like I can make a difference.
• Save for retirement.
• Visit Europe.
  
• Go to Hawaii.
• Stay healthy and work harder on becoming fit for the future.
• Continue to enjoy and appreciate the little things in life.
• Take more time to read.
• Volunteer.
  
• Continue to laugh a lot.
• Whistle more.
• See a Broadway Show and visit the Statue of Liberty.
• Take up photography as a hobby.
• Ride a jet ski.

I wonder if I will accomplish all of these goals in the next 40 years. Honestly, it really doesn't matter, just as long as I continue to take the time to enjoy life and appreciate this incredible place called Earth.

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Tres Pinos, California

On my way back from my camping trip, I found a small Catholic church. It was a very decorative church with a lot of grottos on the outside. They even had an outside walk to Golgotha with monuments along the way commemorating Christ's journey.

Camping Trip to Pinnacles National Park, CA. 10/11/09

Below are the pictures from my overnight camping trip to Pinnacles National Monument, CA. I hiked up the trail 1.9 miles above the fog to the top in order to get these shots. The park has many other trails and caves which I plan on exploring at a later date.

Random Pics, October 5, 2009

Doppler



The Sugarlump , my home away from home.

San Francisco

Out & About in San Francisco