Journey & Adventure

I’m constantly perplexed at how I could have possibly made so many bad career choices over the years that I am now once again sitting at the crossroads of disconbobulation and quagmiredness. Yeah, I don’t know what it means either, but it pretty much sums up how my job has been making me feel for at least the last six months. Oh well, life goes on and I’ll manage to get through this. It helps knowing that it’s only a means to an end… Perplexed Definition: (i) filled with uncertainty; (ii) full of difficulty; Disconbobulated Definition: when something odd happens and you get an indescribable confused feeling. Quagmire Definition: (i) soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot; or (ii) a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position;

There’s an old saying “Know what you don’t know”. There’s also a saying “know when to keep your mouth shut”. Today, I’m surrounded by people that have obviously never heard these sayings. Everyone is offering up their opinion on how things should be handled. If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times “if I were you…” I’m all for taking advice when I ask for it and I’ll even accept it when I need it and haven’t asked for it. I’m not one for unsolicited opinions on topics that these so-called “experts” know nothing about. There is nothing wrong with simply smiling and walking away – it makes you look intelligent and keeps people guessing what your next move will be. “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” – Mark Twain

I owe all the credit for this blog post to Chloe Carter from LearnStuff.com .   I find it fascinating how we have all become so consumed with "getting the job done", that we forget to stop and take time for ourselves and this unhealthy work habit is slowly condemning us to an unhealthy lifestyle.  I am so guilty of this...

The hardest part of coming back from vacation is the reality that comes along with it. We’ve been back over a week, but it seems like we have never left. As soon as our feet hit Canadian soil and our phones were switched back on, we were immediately immersed within our old lives and the day to day madness it brings. How come it takes a week of being on vacation for the stress to leave your body, but it only takes a mere hour or two for all the stress to return? Household chores, work, family madness, bills and all the responsibilities that go along with everything I just listed seem to loom larger than before we left. I know, I know, I keep telling myself “suck it up buttercup”, but it doesn’t mean I have to stop whining about it. In a mere 8 months, I’ll have another chance to decompress…maybe. We are taking J’s parents on a trip to Puerto Rico with us. They wanted us to take them back to Hawaii again, but as I told them (thanks to the Rolling Stones)… “you can’t alw...

While still in Bocas, J and I started to compile a list of the pros and cons of the island. It’s funny to me what made our list – J listed being able to flush toilet paper in the toilet as a major pro because in some countries/locations, you must dispose of used paper waste in a trash can because the plumbing is not equipped for anything except waste. I on the other hand listed the amount of excess water bottles tossed around as a con. I understand it’s not North America, but the lack of recycling facilities bothered me. Even with the lack of recycling facilities, I was very impressed with how clean and pristine some of the beaches were. J liked the idea of still being able to purchase oceanfront property. I too like this idea, but my expectations are that we still can’t afford even the smallest amount of oceanfront luxury in Panama. I was also disappointed in the lack of quality fruits and vegetables. I understand we were on an island, but I thought nice fruits and v...

J and I have just returned from our trip to Bocas Del Toro, Panama. Our one week trip allowed us to experience a little of what this island has to offer. We mixed pleasure, with business, as we were after all trying to get a lay of the land and to see if this place could be in the running as a retirement destination. I’m happy to report that it’s still in the running. We may just need to adjust our expectations a little. Some of the Pros included - Beautiful Beaches; Friendly People; Warm Weather; Cheap Adult Beverages; Affordable Real Estate; Relaxed Atmosphere... Some of the Cons included – a lot of rain (it is a rainforest after all); not many options for household shopping; no potable water – all drinkable water needed to be purchased; not a lot to do, except relax (this is also a Pro, but long term I would likely need a little bit of something, something to keep me engaged). I'll try to collect my thoughts a little more and expand on the above Pros and Con...