Revisiting the lemming

I was reading through some older posts and I had to chuckle at this one. Oh, the veiled symbolism and meanings. But, what I wrote stands and more so today I think than when I wrote the stupid thing.


I finally realized that I can't be all things to all people and need to do what's healthiest for me, regardless of what others think. I've been torn between two groups for too long now..and I've decided enough is enough. Time to go with the one that makes me happiest, healthiest and is more "me". Not that I don't love the folks in the group I'm stepping away from, but it seems like there some expectations of me surrounding another that I don't quite understand or want to deal with at this time. It's too hard always being "the good friend." I am ready for more in my life. A friend last night stated that at some point you get to an age where you no longer want to be a part of a "scene." That is exactly where I am right now. Really, all I want is a quiet, yet interesting life. A girlfriend that can deal with my quirks and insecurities and lets me deal with hers. Someone who isn't going to run away from emotions. Because lord knows I do that enough on my own! Some travel when possible. A couple of pets. Maybe even kids. Doubt it but heck who knows. Financial security would be nice too!

I've done a lot over the past couple of years. Morocco, Peru, Costa Rica, camping in the southwest. All on my own. I'm training for triathlons and marathons. Biking centuries. Turned 40. Now I'm ready to settle and share it with another, especially the travel. Which is why I am focused on doing the things I enjoy with the people I enjoy and those people happen to be those who seem, at least on the outside, to be settled themselves, either relationship wise or just with their lives in general.

I've made some mistakes in how I handled some things over the past couple years. I was also put in unfair positions a few times...and not just by one individual. I can honestly and emphatically say that I've moved on. The intense feelings are gone. The anger, gone. Zen, baby, zen. Okay, not zen. Not in my genetic make-up. But the rest stands.

I'm sure anyone reading this (and I doubt anyone does, other than Lynn. Hi Lynn!) probably thinks, "well, if you've moved on, why this post?" Human nature. Nobody is perfect!

Lessons from the British

The poster to the right is from World War II and has been brought out of the attics and archives recently to remind us in these "hard and troubled times" to keep a stiff upper lip, what what?? Oh those affable Brits.

Er, the other right.

Six dias en Costa Rica

Dia Uno:

Well, that is about the extent of mi espanol. So much for those 12 weeks of lessons last year.

Last month, more or less on a whim, I decided to spend a week in Costa Rica. I so needed to escape not only the Chicago weather but also just needed to get away from my life for a bit. Now I don't want to give the impression that my life is total misery. Far from it. I'm probably the happiest I've been in a long time. But a break is always a good thing and travel is one of my passions so if I can do it for relatively cheap, I'm outta here.

First impressions of this natural playground of Costa Rica. Well, it's pretty much just that, a playground for the gringos. San Jose, the capital, isn't much to see so everyone pretty much ends to the mountains and volcanos or the rainforests and the coast. Culturally, there also isn't much to see..no ruins, few museums, and most of the Tico's are very Americanized, only much poorer. One cool thing about the country though is that they have no military. Hard to imagine in this day and age.

My main objective was to head to the Pacific coast and chill for a couple of days in a beach town. I've never really done a "beach vacation" before so figured if I am going to do one it won't be your typical Florida vacation. I chose Santa Teresa because it sounded like it had a cool vibe and was relatively easy to get to from the San Jose area. Well, relatively easily despite the crazy traffic and roads. Luckily, I wasn't driving but took a shuttle for this portion of the trip.

Santa Teresa/Mal Pais are former fishing villages turned surfer towns located on the Nicoya Peninsula. The area is reknown for it's surfing and I actually just missed seeing a Red Bull Surf competition there. I stayed at a "high end" hostel called Casa Zen, which was very nice. I had my own private room and shared very clean and well kept showers with the others staying there. The place was designed with and Asian/Buddhist theme, i.e. pagoda, bamboo, etc. They even offered yoga classes on a terrace above the Thai restaurant which was also a part of the hostel. Stayed there for three nights and met some interesting folk. Luke, from Whistler, BC who had been there a month to learn surfing as well as take advantage of the yoga and massages. Nice guy; talked to everyone. I called him the Zen ambassador. My last night there I met a couple gals that had just arrived. Mo from Bend, Oregon and Linda from Sweden. We chatted over dinner and some drinks and hung out a bit my last day before I had to catch the shuttle back to Alejuela (just outside of San Jose). Bummer we didn't meet sooner. Mo and I probably would have hung out a bit...she was my speed. Chill, talkative and liked to drink beer! Plus, it's nice to have someone watch your stuff so you can go play in the surf!

I also rented a car, which was an experience in and of itself being the roads there make the potholes in Chicago seem like nothing. Definitely best to have a four wheel drive, which I did. Drove a "jungle" road to Montezuma, another slightly more built up beach town not far from Santa Teresa. There I hiked to a waterfall that Montezuma is famous for and went swimming at it's base. There are actually three waterfalls but I got confused as to where the path was that would lead me to the others located above the one I stopped at to see. Bummer because I guess the higher falls have a platform in which you can jump off into the pool (30 feet!) as well as a rope swing. I probably wouldn't have done the rope swing. Bad memories of a rope swing incident.

I drove to the Curu Wildlife refuge where I wanted to go snorkeling as well as hike the many trails they have through the rainforest. Unfortunately snorkeling turned out to be almost an all day adventure. Actually it was mostly sitting around on Tortuga Island waiting for a ride out to the snorkel point, but hey, can't complain too much being it was gorgeous. This was my first time snorkeling so I was a little nervous but picked it up really fast and was able to relax and enjoy the experience. I want to learn how to dive with a snorkel next time so I can get closer to the fishies and whatnot. Well, maybe not all the fishies. Downside of my snorkeling experience was the really burnt back that I received. I shouldn't have been shy about asking someone to put lotion on the spots I couldn't reach. It has been peeling and itching like crazy!

My last couple days were spent in Alejuela at a cute hotel called Los Volcanos. It used to be the headquarters for the Red Cross and was built in 1920. Much nicer than the place I stayed on my arrival into Costa Rica for sure! At the hotel met a women who had just completed a two week kayaking trip in Belize and was now waiting for her husband to arrive so they could travel around Costa Rica for two weeks. She was really cool. From San Fran and obviously an outdoor enthusiast. We shared a taxi to a volcano near San Jose but the weather didn't cooperate and we basically just stood in a cold, misty cloud at the top of the crator. Oh well.

The food in Costa Rica was okay..but not as good as I was expecting. Mostly rice and beans. Though the fruit was always fresh and really good. My last night I actually decided to hit up a Peruvian restaurant and had a great ceviche and some scallops and lobster topped with cheese and served in seashells. It was quite tasty. As was the mousse like dessert with was quite alcohol filled! Oh, the Pisco Sour was darn tasty as well. My waiter, Marco Blanco, was a cutie who likes to talk to the ladies and collect email addresses. It was cute and I appreciated the flirting, especially since it was quite harmless.

So, overall, a great trip but I think I'd only go back if I were to go with some friends who wanted to travel there. Otherwise, I'd try another Central American country, like Nicaragua, next time.

Illinois Politics

Fucked up. That's all I can say, all I have.

I heart Neko Case

She will be playing at the Chicago Theater in April. Yea! Her version of the spiritual Wayfaring Stranger was the inspiration for this blog, actually. Funny, being I'm not at all religious!

Wayfaring Stranger Lyrics

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
A-trav'ling through this land of woe.
And there's no sickness, toil or danger
In that bright world to which I go.
I'm going home to see my father (mother, sister, brother etc.)
I'm going there no more to roam;
I'm just a-going over Jordan
I'm just a-going over home.

I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep;
But beauteous fields lie just beyond me
Where souls redeemed their vigil keep.
I'm going there to meet my mother
She said she'd meet me when I come
I'm just a-going over Jordan
I'm just a-going over home.
I want to wear a crown of glory
When I get home to that bright land
I want to shout Salvation's story
In concert with that bloodwashed band.
I'm going there to meet my Saviour
To sing His praises forevermore
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home. [3]

My Inauguration Report

Amazing. Electric. Crowded. An exercise in patience. Cold. Worth every minute of the eight hours I had to deal with the crowds and craziness.

Here's the link to some facebook pics I posted.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=53335&l=1dfd3&id=527639392

Whatever happened to the house call

that doctors once made.  You know, like in the Little House on the Prairie.  No matter what the conditions, doc jumped into the buggy and off he went to save poor Laura or Albert or Mary.  I want that doctor because the last thing I feel like doing when I'm sick (like now) is getting dressed and in my case, take a bus, cab or train to the doctor's office just to sit in the waiting room.  

Grr.