Tag: Travel

Positive stranger

Today I am asked to describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to me. I do seem to meet a lot of strangers, and most of them are fairly positive encounters.

For example, earlier this week I stopped off at a bar on my walk home. I stop in at that bar periodically for a beer and to talk to a bartender friend I have there. When he tossed the coaster on the bar, it was fairly close to a brown-haired girl who seemed to have been talking to him for a while.

As I started talking to the bartender, the conversation naturally extended to the stranger. She seemed very positive and friendly to me. I got to know a few things about her. Her name was Kim, and she was only in town for a week on business. She was also a single mom of two kids and lived in Montreal.

The bar there was about to close, but the conversation with her was nice, so I asked her if she wanted to go to another bar. I also asked the bartender if he wanted to go, but he said he wanted to get something to eat, so I suggested a place that serves pizza, and then made him promise to come over after he closed.

As she and I walked over to the bar together, I realized that she just felt very comfortable to be around. We stopped off a couple places on the way because she wanted to take photos, since she had never been to this city before. I took a couple of photos of her on her phone. She seemed very happy.

After a short walk, we got to the other bar and had a couple drinks while my bartender friend finished his pizza. We all then said goodbye and parted ways. I’m sure I will never see her again, which is usually the case with people I meet on business trips or vacation, but she definitely left a positive impression on me. She seemed like my kind of person. I wish I could say that about everyone I know.

Do you meet many strangers? What’s a positive experience you have had with a stranger? Do some people feel like friends upon first meeting? Are there people you wish you had never met? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

I will never visit

Today I am asked, what place in the world do you never want to visit? I don’t have any strong biases against most of the places on the planet. The places I am least likely to visit are those that might be considered inhospitable or dangerous. For instance, I know a lot of people say they would like to visit Mars, but I wouldn’t go right away. Maybe I will go one day when it’s fully settled, and they have a nice Martian resort built, but only if it’s round trip. Other places not on my bucket list would be barren deserts, frozen wastelands, active war zones, nuclear testing sites, crime infested cities, hostile countries, deserted islands, outer space, malaria ridden swamps, countries experiencing a disease epidemic, and places with no nearby amenities, like running water, sanitation, electricity, etc. I might forgo this briefly for a camping trip.

Where would you never visit? Have you ever visited a place you wish you hadn’t? Let me know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe!

Wish I could do more

Today’s prompt is what do I wish I could do more of every day? I think about this a lot. It sometimes feels like I am using all my time and energy up on things that just pay the bills. I suspect that’s true for most people, but I find it sad. Maybe it’s selfish, but I feel like it’s my life, and most of my time should be spent on self improvement and life enjoyment. When I do get a few days off, which is usually only during Spring Break, I thoroughly love it, and wish it would never end. Below are a few things I would like to do every day.

  1. Contemplation. I like to think about things. Sometimes I talk about those things to God in prayer. It helps me to make sense of life. I feel like this is the only way to give life any meaning. I guess this is what Socrates meant when he said “the unexamined life is not worth living.”
  2. Conversation. I like to talk to likeminded friends and sometimes even strangers. This helps me to understand everyone better. A good conversation can be very satisfying and sometimes even enlightening.
  3. Observation. I like to see and experience new things. This can include a variety of things, such as travel, art, music, food, nature, etc. Experiencing beauty makes me happy. It would also include people watching, which is always entertaining.
  4. Stories. The idea of having so much free time that I could just sit and read a book for as long as I wanted sounds pretty good to me. This would also include audiobooks, and movies. I especially like stories that make you consider something new.
  5. Writing. I like writing, which includes writing stories of my own or blogging. Good writing seems to be one of the longest lasting mediums for human creativity. Writing has survived for thousands of years and will continue to serve countless generations.
  6. Learning. I like to learn new things. Not all of the books I read are stories, many are non-fiction. I’ve read plenty of books over self-help, psychology, health, management, religion, finance, etc.
  7. Affection. Not going to lie, I would love to have more time for affection and romance. It’s hard to find the right person of course. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being in love, and having the time to spend with this special person.

What would you like to do more of every day? Do you feel like you don’t have enough time for yourself? Is there something you would add to the list? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come

A few posts back, I mentioned that I am trying to get a feel for different book genres and started collecting suggestions from you. I am going to reblog that post below for reference. Please feel free to add to the list by commenting on the post. I am still processing through one book at a time, and I hope to read all of your suggestions. Please feel free to read along and add your own thoughts in the comments.

The book I just finished is called Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come by Jessica Pan. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was once a shy introvert just like Jessica describes in this book. I managed to overcome most of my shyness gradually over the years, but she takes a different approach. She just throws caution to the wind and dives headlong into an introvert’s hell all at once. I found her journey to be entertaining and insightful. I really do believe we were meant to continue to make friends throughout our whole lives, not just during our younger years. Making new friends is also an objective I strive for daily. If you are also a shy person, I think you will equally enjoy reading this book. Five stars!

On a side note, I found Jessica’s relationship with her husband to be very interesting. She’s literally connecting with everyone under the sun, traveling abroad by herself and everything. It was kind of refreshing to see how trusting they were in their relationship. I guess I’ve witnessed too many relationships where jealousy binds the couple up in such a way that they are afraid to venture out very far, which is really sad to me.

Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come: One Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes

Rating: 5 out of 5.

An introvert spends a year trying to live like an extrovert with hilarious results and advice for readers along the way.

What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she’d normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. With the help of various extrovert mentors, Jessica sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much, much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life. Chronicling the author’s hilarious and painful year of misadventures, this book explores what happens when one introvert fights her natural tendencies, takes the plunge, and tries (and sometimes fails) to be a little bit braver.

Fiction Genres

Are you an introvert or extrovert? Have you ever tried to overcome your fears by facing off against them? Would you ever do standup comedy? Have you ever traveled abroad by yourself? Do you think jealousy ruins a relationship? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and remember to like, share, and subscribe!

What I would pay to go to the moon.

I like reading Sci-fi from time to time, but I honestly don’t want to live it. I would not pay anything to go to the moon, or at least not presently. It’s a barren rock and the trip wouldn’t be without danger. If there was a thriving community established on the moon, and the rocket ride was comfortable and safe, then maybe I would take a vacation up there, but right now there’s just no incentive for me. I would also be risking my life and endangering my health. I wouldn’t even go if it were free. You would honestly have to pay me quite a bit of money to get in that rocket. I would say I would need maybe $250k guaranteed just to feel like the trip was worth it for me.

If you had asked me to take a trip to the moon as a child, I would have probably jumped on the opportunity immediately. When I was young, I had an incredible thirst for adventure, which I think most children do, and danger would have meant nothing to me. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have had much money to pay for the trip, but I would have gladly thrown caution to the wind and busted open my piggy bank.

This brings to mind an early childhood memory I have. When I was very young, probably barely able to read, I remember the school library had a very old and ragged copy of Destination Moon from The Adventures of Tintin series. I loved that book! The artwork was superb, as I recall, and the drawings of the rockets and other equipment really made my tiny childhood imagination spin like a top. I spent countless hours looking at the images in that book, and I think they greatly influenced how I perceive space and technology, even till this day.

I’m surprised to see that the book still appears to be in print and available on Amazon.com, a testament to how good this comic series actually was. I might just have to pick up a copy for my growing library. I’m sure it will cause countless old memories to resurface. Thank you, Herge.

Destination Moon (The Adventures of Tintin)

Herge’s classic comic book creation Tintin is one of the most iconic characters in children’s books. These highly collectible editions of the original 24 adventures will delight Tintin fans old and new. Perfect for lovers of graphic novels, mysteries and historical adventures.

The world’s most famous travelling reporter discovers that Professor Calculus is building a space rocket. Tintin and Captain Haddock are amazed to find that Professor Calculus is planning a top-secret project from the Sprodj Atomic Research Centre in Syldavia. And before our intrepid hero knows it, the next stop on this adventure is …Space.

What would you pay to go to the moon? Do you think this will be a common thing for people one day? Did you ever dream about space flight this as a kid? What about a Mars trip? Do you read science fiction? Did you ever read The Adventures of Tintin growing up? What early books really influenced you? Let’s hear about it in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

The biggest risk I’d like to take.

I have tried a few things that might be considered risky in my life, like riding a fast motorcycle, climbing on rooftops and trees, playing with fire, electricity, and chemicals, going out to dive bars, being friends with people who have questionable morality, etc. Yea, I’m surprised I lived this long with all my fingers, lol.

There is one thing I have been thinking of taking a risk on that I just haven’t had the opportunity to do yet. What I would like to do is travel alone. I’ve always traveled with a group or at least another person. I’ve never boarded a flight by myself and had to navigate a foreign landscape alone.

I think being a lone traveler might be sort of exhilarating the first time. You would have only your own skills and intuition to get through all the obstacles you might encounter. I’m sure it’s not overly difficult, and I’m a fairly resourceful person, but it’s just not something I have tried to do yet.

I might start with a short trip, in my own country, but eventually I would like to pursue international travel. It’s probably pretty safe, provided you research where you are going, but you never really know what you are going to find.

What risky things have you done? What is the biggest risk you would like to take? Do you like to travel abroad? Do you travel alone? What’s something unexpected you encountered on a trip? Have you ever felt like you were in a dangerous spot? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe.

What I could try for the first time.

There are many things I could try. The question is would I try them. I could, for instance, go skydiving. There’s a very good reason why I haven’t tried that yet. It’s because I would die of a heart attack before I reached the ground. It wouldn’t even be a pleasant experience for me. I don’t even like standing near the ledge of a tall building. I can’t imaging the feeling of not having a railing to grip. I can’t say I haven’t been a thrill seeker. I have done so pretty exciting things, but falling a long distance just doesn’t call to me.

  1. Travel to a place I’ve never been. There are plenty of places across the globe I have never been. I could go there. Nothing is stopping me except making time to do it.
  2. Try an exotic delicacy. I could try some type of food that most people haven’t. I might have to travel to get to it, but that’s certainly possible.
  3. Eat raw sushi. I’ve had some forms of sushi, but I’ve never had raw sushi. I could do this of course, but I’m not a big fan of sushi in general.
  4. Go rock climbing. I used to climb trees when I was young, but I’ve never climbed something steep enough to require climbing equipment.
  5. Go skiing. I have never been snow skiing. It might be fun, provided I can do it without breaking any bones, which I’ve heard happens to people a lot.
  6. Go on a cruise. I’ve never been on a cruise ship. I’ve heard it’s fun. I have thought about it a couple of time, but just haven’t made any arrangements.

What could you try? Have you done any of these things? What things would you never try? Let us know in the comments, and please like, share, and subscribe!

What I have been putting off doing.

There’s a variety of things that come to mind that I might be putting off, but there’s usually a pretty good reason. It might be because it’s too expensive, or maybe I just can’t find the time, or perhaps certain people are interfering in some way. I think your brain calculates these things somehow to determine if they are worth doing. My brain just hasn’t said go for it yet. Mood and mental state probably cast a long shadow on your motivation also. You really have to be in a good state of mind. I guess I would have to will it into being, overpowering my brain and mood, but I don’t know how satisfying that would be in the end. I know I’m getting older every day, and one day I won’t be able to do those things, so maybe I should get moving on them. Here are few that come to mind.

  1. Publishing a book.
  2. Taking a vacation.
  3. Traveling abroad.
  4. Visiting local museums.
  5. Seeing the local orchestra.
  6. Going to the gym more.
  7. Home decorating.
  8. Planning my free time.
  9. Seeing local events.
  10. Spend more time outdoors.
  11. Shop for winter clothes.
  12. Get out of bed before noon.

What have you been putting off? Do you have a plan to make it happen? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!

The details of my life that deserve more attention.

There’s probably a few areas of my life where I don’t pay enough attention to detail. I will list a few below.

  1. Clothing. My life has went through significant changes in the past few years. I would like to pay more attention to my clothing choices and develop my own personal style. Right now, my clothing isn’t bad, but it’s pretty plain, and doesn’t represent where I am now. I’ve actually become a completely different person I believe.
  2. Décor. In the same vein, my home interior doesn’t convey much about me. I went through an extreme minimalism stage. I gained more space after moving downtown, but I’ve done very little with it. Paying more attention to the details of my living quarters might bring more motivation in other areas.
  3. Planning. I need to pay closer attention to what I do outside of work. I do enjoy a fair degree of spontaneity on my day’s off, but I might benefit from better planning of my free time. I would really like to accomplish more in the time I have. I need to set some life goals, and then plan out how to accomplish them.
  4. Dining. I should pay more attention to meal planning. I think having a nice dining experience, both at home and when out at restaurants, is important for well being. I also need to put more thought into exactly what I am eating, and especially the quantities. It’s not that I’m over indulgent. I just need a little more planning.
  5. Wellbeing. I believe I should pay more attention to my mental wellbeing. This might include more reading time, or maybe meditation and quiet contemplation. I should also focus on getting the right amount of sleep. There’s a lot going on in my life sometimes and I need to let my mind detangle.
  6. Culture. There are lots of things to see and do in my city, but I don’t get out and do much, except at night. I need to plan and schedule more things to do, rather than just sleeping in on the weekend. I might even consider going to bed earlier and setting an alarm on the weekends. We’ll see.
  7. Travel. I haven’t had a real vacation in years, scary thought I know. I generally just burn up my leave, a day here and there, but haven’t even done that lately. I think it’s because my job feels pretty demanding. I do need to find time to put something together though. Life is short and I’m missing out on the best parts. I should set a travel or vacation goal, then plan and execute.

Does this list trigger anything you need to focus on? Is there something you would add? Let us know in the comments, and please remember to like, share, and subscribe! Thanks for being here!

Three jobs I’d consider if money didn’t matter.

I do sometimes wish I had chosen a different career path, but none of them called to me at the time, and opportunity didn’t knock either. I chose this one because computer programming was really interesting to me when I was young, though it did take me quite a while to break into the career path.

I also don’t know that money is the main reason for being at my current job. It pays pretty well, but the real reason I stick to it is the pension. I don’t want to starve out in my retirement years, and I’ve seen too many people do that. I also don’t trust the market due to societal instability and political involvement. Having a steady income is important to me. I do have money invested though, including two IRAs and a 457(b) account, but those are mainly as a backup plan.

I also don’t really like the idea of having another job. A job means someone else sets the schedule and direction. It also means that in the end, most of the money is going to go to them. That’s just how business works. Hire people, pay them a lot less than you are making, then reap the rewards of their labor.

All this considered, I’d like to have a job where I set the schedule, made all the important decisions, and received most of the income from the enterprise. Below are a few careers I think might allow some of that flexibility.

  1. Writer. If money were no issue, I could put all my creativity to work authoring new books or other works. I might set a schedule, but it would be based on my creative mind, which doesn’t wake up until after lunch. Being able to stay up late would be perfect for me. That’s my favorite time to write things because the world is so quiet. I also think this career would be very satisfying once you get off the ground.
  2. Photography and Film. I think I would enjoy a career related to photography and film. Beauty is all around us, and capturing it in just the right shot or video has always fascinated me. I don’t know this would pay much money, but chasing down beautiful objects and capturing them at just the right moment and angle would be fun. I have always been fascinated by what beauty actually is. It’s hard to define.
  3. Entrepreneur. I’ve thought about this job quiet a few times. It wouldn’t be an easy job, but it has the potential to be very rewarding once the company you start is up and running. It’s one of the main reasons I pursued an MBA. I wanted to know all the ins-and-outs of how a business is run from the ground up. The only problem I had was I couldn’t come up with a product or service that I thought would really sell.

Here’s a few runners up: therapist, bar owner, captain on a yacht, restaurant owner, app developer, private investor, real estate owner, travel blogger.

Would you enjoy any of these jobs? What jobs would you pursue if money were not an issue? What do you think the world would be like if money couldn’t influence decisions? Tell us in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!