On the good life, careers and wasting time.

I think we all want it and some of us of use even strive for it us while I believe most of us settle for some skimpier version of it. How does one achieve it and exactly what is this concept of the good life?

What defines a good life? The word “good” is subjective so there can be no definitive answer. Also, good is not the same as perfect. The perfect life would be easier to define; the ability to go and do as one wants without having to adhere to the restraints of time and money. A good life would have to adhere to the limitations of time and money. Also what things would help to create the good life?

Defining these things will be unique to each individual and once they are defined a person could make steps toward obtaining the good life. But what if you can not define it? This is my case. I know things that I like and I do feel that I have a “pretty good life” but it is not quit all the way there. I will say my life overall is better then it has been in years if not ever. I have a good relationship with those most important to me, I am able to spend a lot of time outdoors and biking, and I have a nice home and even a little bit of savings. What I don’t have is a career. Is that the only piece missing? Once I have a good career will I be completely happy then or will I find something else that is lacking in my life?

Here is what I do know; I hate my job environment. The job itself is ok and I have some coworkers that have become pretty good friends. I hate the trashiness and clutter of the office, the management style, and the inefficient nature of our office, the unethical and inconsistent behavior of management. I start counting down toward the time I get off work as soon as I get in the office.

What career would I want if I could choose? That is the million dollar question! I know I love the outdoors. I know I would like to make a difference somehow to people or the world. I know it would have to be based in central Arkansas because I will not move away from my son. I know financially it would have to be, at a minimum, equal to the compensation as I have grown accustomed. Of the 10 Life Goals I have defined, 8 of them are outdoor related. I also like people. My second job is being a server for a local coffee shop/restaurant. I love working there and interacting with people. I guess, as of right now, if I could choose any career it would be the following if I could set up this way.

I would like to own a cycling/outdoor store. I would like to sell and service cycling equipment and accessories and outdoor equipment such as tents, canoes, kayaks, backpacks. I would also like to set a program of some sort to work with underprivileged children and homeless shelters to provide free bicycles to them. Also set up summertime camping trips to children of single mothers and or underprivileged children who might not have the opportunity to go out and learn about the outdoors and the importance of protecting it. Maybe even teach an outdoor survival class to older children and women. All programs would have to be free of charge to the user.

Even if this is what I want to make for my career choice there are some many obstacles to overcome. Money to start this endeavor is one. Two, is there an enough of consumer demand here for another bike shop or outdoor store? Would there be enough of interest in the programs.

This is mainly an exercise to clear and work through some thoughts I have but any comments are welcome. Sorry for the long ramblings.

Father's Day

Since my last post life has been pretty good. I had a wonderful father’s day weekend. Jess got up early and made a big nice breakfast and got everything ready and set out and the came and woke up Branson and myself. We stayed in a lot because of the rain this past weekend but we did get out to Petit Jean to the car show and car museum. It rained on us all the way up there. Once we got on top of the mountain the rain quit. We looked at everything we wanted to and then on the way back to the car it started to sprinkle. Once we started driving back home the rain began to pour down. It was if the rain stopped long enough for us to do what we wanted and once we were through it started back.

Sunday was similar. It was raining all morning then the rain stopped and the sun came out. We all wanted to go biking so this was our chance. We loaded the bikes up and drove to the NLR river trail and took off. After biking 9 miles we were back at the car and headed home. As I unloaded the last bike it began to sprinkle again. I put the bikes and equipment up and looked out the window again and it was pouring rain. Once again it seemed as if the rain worked around OUR schedule.

The bike ride was wonderful. Branson was so excited because it was the first time he got to ride his new mountain bike and he was fast on it. His old bike had 20” tires and this one has 24” tires. I used to have to wait on him some but now I constantly had to tell him to slow down. At the end of the ride he wanted to race me. So we took off. He got up to 17.4 mph and did not even shift into the big chain ring. My little boy is growing up. It is hard to believe that he will be 11 in 3 more months.
Last night was pretty good as well. Jess and I went trial riding. She is getting better at riding the trails and she is still enjoying it. Now if she can only get her level of fitness

bikes and camping

Well she did it. Jess bought a new bike. She bought the Santa Cruz Juliana. It is so pretty. It is really a great bike. She rode it and said I want it. Bruce (one of the owners of Chainwheel) and Eric (E1) stayed late and got it ready for her. She has to go back one day next week to get the bike exactly fitted for her.

We actually had a busy night last night. After getting the bike taken care of we went and got some stuff for the camping trip this weekend. We are going to Devils Den hopefully to do some caving and biking with my son. It is going to be a good father’s day.

Jess's new bike 

And Leave This?

I sit here at my 70’s era desk in a broken chair every single week day. Even though my chair is broken I am lucky to have it. Jess scavenged it from Children’s hospital since they were throwing it away. It is much better then the broken chair that the state has provided me to sit in. My view is of 10 large black, 4 drawer, metal, legal sized filing cabinets. As this view is not an attractive enough in itself, there are also file boxes on top of the filing cabinets stacked to the ceiling. The files boxes are of a variety of ages and colors. Some of the boxes used to be white but have aged so that they are yellowish brown in color, some are black and that same faded white color, while some are grey and others that are blue and white. There are a total of 29 file boxes in my office. It is a splendid view that I am truly blessed to have. The large, but tight weaved, green carpet in our office is original to the building of this modern marvel of office space. This exquisite floor covering is not only lovely to gaze upon but it adds to the pleasing aroma of mildew and musk that is so ever present. The office building itself is as such all office/administration buildings built during time of Nixon and is a thing of architectural beauty; perfect cubes with its nondescript concrete and glass. I can not understand why architecture moved away from such wonderful designs. How could someone ever fathom leaving all of this?