Woops... I got lost today...

In the last 18 hours, Leena and I have run over 12 miles... Not much in the grand scheme of things, but a lot for us. We found a new trail called Aliso Creek Trails, and its our new favorite place to run. Its a mixture of paved, and unpaved roads, leading through the heart of Aliso Viejo.

I hadn't planned on a long run today, but we were having so much fun that it sort of turned into one. Eventually, we got so turned around, we had no clue where we were. I actually had to stop someone and ask how to get back to a main street. This is a direct result of not having a cell phone connection... More about that later... Turns out we weren't that far from the house, maybe a couple of miles, but I had somewhere to be in an hour.

We hustled back to the house, quick shower, food, and out the door again. I was trying to make it to my friend's play on-time. She starred in a reproduction of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, one of the all time best movies (imho).

The production value was a bit amateur, but I think that's why I had such a great time. Myself, and the people around me, all had big smiles on our faces. It was evident that everyone, including the cast members, was simply enjoying the experience. My girl has a set of lungs on her, that's for sure!!

The past week has been one of daydreaming and fantasizing. I am getting really excited about the move to Costa Rica, and have spent hours on end looking for a place to stay. Its incredible what you can get for your money down there. I am homing in on a target location, and will post again once I've made a decision.

No bites yet on a new home for Leena. Have a look at her site: http://bit.ly/bCcjKR

My cell phone service is now disconnected. It has been very strange getting used to this. I had to run some errands the other day, and once I was out the door, I realized I didn't know how to get to where I was going. I instinctively pulled out my phone, and tried to do a Google Maps search. Duh, no cell service. That is the first time that has happened to me in maybe 15 years.

Luckily, I found a wifi hotspot nearby, and was on my way. I can't really describe the feeling of being unconnected like that; I suppose I have just grown accustomed to mobile internet. Who knows what will happen in other countries when I can't find a hotspot, but that's part of the adventure. I might be forced to carry a physical map... oh the horrors...

Well, its official, I've started packing...

My parents brought me some boxes during our weekly Thursday morning breakfast, they're awesome. I'm so happy to have their support in this, I wasn't sure how they were going to take it. Our weekly breakfast will be sorely missed while I'm away!

Packing is a big step in the process. There is a lot to pack, and a lot to sell, but mostly the work is just going through everything and deciding whats staying, and whats going.

The past week has had a lot of ups & downs. My last post was about selling my motorcycle. That fell through this week. Turns out, the buyer went and bought a new motorcycle instead. He got such a great deal, that I can't really blame him. So now, the bike goes on Craigslist, and I must wade through the phone calls from dealers, and people who are just bored on the internet. Hopefully I can get my asking price, but at this point I'd just be happy to have the cash.

While looking around for a new home for the dog, my pooper-scooper offered to put the word out. He's awesome, and I'm glad we've become friends above and beyond the client-server relationship. He asked for some pictures, so I threw a few of my favorites online. I've you're interested, check out http://bit.ly/bCcjKR

An old neighbor from childhood past away this week. He & I were never very close, but he & his wife are long time friends of my family. I remember as a kid watching his slide shows from his travels, and that has had a lasting effect on me. Particularly, his under water diving photos, which I was always captivated by. I've taken hundreds of scuba diving pictures since then, and hopefully will take many more in Central America.

I finished my pending work early in the week, and that made life run a little slower. I'm not complaining, its nice to sit around all day, take a nap in the sun, run my dog, practice my Spanish. Such is the life I have created for myself, and I'm loving every minute of it. I was just telling a good friend of mine how peaceful and relaxing this is; such a diversion from my past years.

Ended the week on a high note: my associate and I are bidding on a 50+ hour project together. The 5 to 10 hour projects are great, and always provide something new and exciting. However, it will be fun to sink my teeth into a larger project like this... and the paycheck isn't bad either.

What a day, what a day...

One of the things on my list to do before I leave is to sell my motorcycle. I must really be sentimental because things like this are difficult for me. I've had her for six years, but its time to go.

A friend of mine put the word out, and one hit came back this week. We've talked a couple of times, and the buyer is stopping by tomorrow morning to see her. However, she needs a little tender loving care.

I spent 4 hours today driving around town trying to track down a new battery. She has sat for a while, and that's the first thing to go. I have purchased batteries for the bike from PepBoys in the past, so I tried there first. They didn't have what I needed in stock, but pointed me to a store in Lake Forest that had only one left. Hmm, bike season must be approaching...

After a short 20 minute drive, I bought the battery & returned home only to find out that its the wrong one. Upset, ya, but no big deal. Found a local motor-sports shop, whom I should have called in the first place, and I now have my battery, after returning the first one.

Now, an oil change is no big deal, unless you're dealing with a bike, and its 6pm after the sun has set. With flashlight in hand, I started to dismantle the outer shell. This must be removed before you change the oil filter, what a pain. By the time the oil change was finished & new battery installed, it was too late to start the bike without waking the neighbors. Guess it'll have to wait until the A.M...

It'll be sad to see her go, but the buyer is excited and I'm sure he'll fix her up. His previous bikes had custom paint jobs, full exhaust, and who knows what else. Good time of year for it too, seeing as how summer is just around the corner. This is all, of course, assuming I get her put back together before then, and he likes what he sees.

Keep your fingers crossed...

My family buried one of our beloved cats today, Peaches, at 11 1/2 years young.

I have been much closer to some of the other cats in our history; regardless, she was a sweet and loving cat, to say the least. The family seems to be taking it well, although its always harder on some. May she rest in peace, in the backyard, along with our other cats, dogs, turtles, doves and rabbits that have blessed our lives...

Still looking at a June 1st departure to Costa Rica, but I will have a better estimate after next week. Today my Mom reconfirmed her commitment to order a passport, for the first time in her life. It will be my Mom's first time out of the country, exceptions being Mexico & Canada. I am so excited about my parents visiting me in a foreign country.

This marks the third week in a row that the EX has blown off our plans for a discussion about the dog. While I understand her reluctance, my patience is wearing thin. I feel that pressure does no good in this situation, so I must endure. At least for a little while longer. Besides, I don't mind spending as much time as possible with the Leena before she leaves me forever...

I am procrastinating on the house. The garage still needs a good sort-through; The motorcycle still needs to be posted online; The furniture still needs a new home. I blame it on keeping busy with work, but lets be honest. Everyday I find time to run Leena, sit in the sun, watch a movie, work on my side-projects, dream up new iApps... These things give me instant gratification, but somehow moving forward with my trip plans doesn't register.

Blame it on a fear of the unknown, a fear of leaving everything behind, or a fear of giving up the stuff. Whatever the case maybe, when I think about living abroad, my mind is happy, I am happy. Truth be told, I must overcome this fear to accomplish my goal. I get it, but its easier said than done. This is why the rewards are worth the risk.

Travel well Peaches,
and I shall do the same...

ps: Hindsight is 20-20... in an effort to join the E.U., and adopt the Euro, Greece bed a villain named Goldman Sachs. Basically, they cheated their way into the EU, and now suffer the consequences. Recently, Greece sold a _huge_ bond (read: 10 years, at higher than current US mortgage rates), which may or may not allow them to escape disaster. Next to fall, my adored Spain.

That was strange....

I just had a P.I. knock on my door. He introduced himself, took a picture of me standing in the doorway, jumped in a white Mercedes, and drove off...

Probably sent from one of my creditors, just to prove that I'm still living here. Honestly, who does that?? How strange...

Two things have changed since my last post... The EX has decided not to deal with the dog. Awesomeness, right?!? Now what...

And, lil bro is not going to be able to move out before my move. That's too bad, really. I'm selling my stuff for 1/4th what I bought it for, seems like a waste of money, but that's what I'm good at, making & wasting money :)

Just a quick shot of the country side during today's run with Leena... this was taken shortly after a lite rain this morning. Click on the image to see the full size.

I try to find moments of bliss during my day that give me the strength to continue in the face of adversity.

A simple look from my dog; A professional accomplishment after hours or sometimes days of work; The feeling of reciprocated love; These are all moments that I live for.

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to what my life will be like after my move to Costa Rica. Will I still be able to find these moments? Probably not, but there will be other moments that will present themselves, and I will learn to love those just as much.

New experiences is what this trip is all about, that and to find happiness again. Find a new life, in a new country, in a new culture, and learn what my limits are, learn a new language, and see where I end up.

I looked at plain tickets again today. Thank goodness prices came back down to under $200. For a while I couldn't find anything under $500, and that was making me a little nervous. However, I have to fly through Fort Lauderdale now, not so bad but I have a 3 hour layover at 7am... not so fun.

I was hoping to push my plans up to April, but now they have moved back to June. I'm putting my motorcycle on Craig's List next week. I love that bike but haven't ridden it in years. I should have sold it 2 years ago, but I'm stubborn like that.

The house is starting to come together. I haven't started boxing anything up yet, mostly throwing stuff away that I don't think I can sell. At some point I'll have to have a big moving sale, and take care of the big stuff like the couch, kitchen table, bed, etc. etc. Hopefully between those things and the motorcycle, I'll have enough to make it to June without dipping too much into savings.

The house is still a question. I'm getting about 50 to 60 phone calls a day from my creditors. Maybe I should take it more seriously, but the fact of the matter is, I'm done playing this game. I'm through with the pressure of success that is the culture here in Southern California. I am done living in debt and working myself to the bone simply to pay off others.

I have been working in my profession since I was 12. I have never had a chance to relax and enjoy life. I have chased the all-mighty dollar for far too long, let it run my life, and am burnt out because of it. The past 20 years have been a great ride, but its time for a change. The stress this life has caused me is no longer worth its gains.

Bring it back to the moments that make each of us happy...

After all, life is just a series of moments...