"Dismissing an idea is so easy because it doesn’t involve any work.  You can scoff at it.  You can ignore it.  You can puff some smoke at it.  That’s easy.  The hard thing to do is protect it, think about it, let it marinate, explore it, riff on it, and try it.  The right idea could start out life as the wrong idea."

It's D's big four-oh birthday.  To celebrate, she invited a large group of friends to take a trip.  It started with ten-ish people or so.  Then we figured we had to cast a wider net.  I squeezed in a couple of my folks who D has spent significant time with as well.  A good mix of old and new.  We asked 24 folks, figuring that we'd end up with a large but manageable group of maybe ten or so.  Nineteen folks said yes.  Yowza!  That was biting off much more than we were ready to chew.

But this is what she does: produce destination events.  It took a lot of work, but we managed to make it fly.  And on a budget.  And never at a resort or with some sort of package deal.  Customized to fit our character.  And it was a smashing success.  Mad skillz.  I'm a bit of an organizer myself, but I never really appreciated how much goes into destination event planning until I got sucked into it through D.  I think she should go private and do this full time.  Do you need a big complicated event put together to some place you've never been?  Ask my girl.  She delivers.

Anyway.

This was all set up to say: this has been a good week of sharing lots of love.  I'd met everyone before individually, but this was a great way to bring everyone together.  In a bringing together a big group of old friends and new, we've had a lot of candid reflection banter as a result.  One of D's old college buddies that's known her for a couple of decades made a great remark last night.  He commented that what he likes about the dynamic that D and I have is that I bring her remarkable peace of mind.  I think that's fantastic.  That's exactly what she does for me too.  We bring out the best in each other.  And apparently, it shows.  That's a great thing to find half way through life.

Here's to hoping for another forty together.
 

They call it barn raising.  This old rural tradition has been modified to take on a new modern DIY twist.  It works like so: you work with about five other households, you each commit one work day to every household, some calendar-foo, then presto!  Over a dozen able bodies show up to your home to help you knock out one of your mega-DIY projects: re-vamping your backyard, adding a new room, reflooring your kitchen, installing cabinets, even spring cleaning, or chopping down a tree, whatever you want.  Brilliant!  Communal.  Cooperative.  Awesome.  We showed up to just check it out... with no project of our own in mind.  We left being in demand and wondering how exactly we could put this to use.  It's interesting adjusting my perspective to that of a home owner.  Suddenly, my hobbies have become useful and marketable skills.

Reason #13 is that we're grocery shopping on farms now.  I know this isn't specific to Austin, but it sure is much easier around here.  A while ago, I realized the importance of focusing on more natural foods.  Farmer's markets are a good first step.  So is grass-fed beef (also, I love that in Texas we'll focus on whole-natural foods, but damned if we'll give up our beef).  I'm scrutinizing ingredient labels now.  Transforming one's health and what one eats is much more realistic when it isn't an overnight process.  Start small.  Change this.  Change that.  Before long, a lot has changed.  I have much further to go still, but I've come a long way without even realizing it.  Both the quality and taste of things I eat has improved dramatically.

Also, I find it interesting to note that D and I are in month 5 of living with each other day-in-day-out.  That means we're on month 17 or so, total.  We have yet to have even a small skirmish about anything.  There's been ample opportunity.  We share one car, we're tight on finances, D's burnt out at work, I'm stressed out with the job search, we've each had strife, we spend a ton of time together.  By my calculations, we should have pulverized each other at least eight weeks ago.  But nope, nada.  Even when we've had disagreements.  It's bizarre.  We joked that maybe we should pick a fight with each other just to give it a go.  But it would probably be--at most--maybe 20 seconds of fight followed by 2 hours of apologies and making up.  Yet, somehow, we still manage to push each other in good directions.  Mind boggling.

My stamina is coming back.  Strength is about 95%.  That happened faster than I anticipated.  My running is improving, but still has a ways to go.  I got a solid 6-miler in last weekend.  Once I start feeling my trademarked 10-mile turbo boosts again, I'll know I'm back in business.  I just got my NYC Marathon confirmation in the mail.  D wants to do a Muddy Buddy with me.  Now if that isn't mind-boggling, I don't know what is.

Also also, I tried Soyrizo for the first time.  Not bad.  Cooking with it is wildly different than with Chorizo.  Not sure I'm entirely sold, but it definitely exceeded my expectations.  Anyhow, picking it apart has given me some good ideas for making my own.

The girl and I had a further merging of the stuff this week.  We only have so much space for certain things and it makes sense to combine them.  Our movies and music merged.  Sure, I'll be able to tell which of some were originally mine... but certainly not all.  Not anymore.  "Was that your Beatles?"  "Oh look, we have two Ziggy Stardusts but the disc is missing out of this one."  "We'll always have Casablanca... unless I take it with me.  ... Or was that yours?"  Awkward!  That's it.  We're entangled now.  There's no going back.

Which is just as well, I suppose.  We've been discussing the pros and cons of getting another house together.  I've also been in DIY MrFixIt mode.  There's a fine line in balancing the financial ROI of home improvement, the one for quality of environment, the one for quality of life, and knowing when it's just time to start elsewhere.  That's the other thing: where?  So many options.  So much agreement.  So many plans.  Yet we're taking things one day at a time.  There's still much to be done in this home before we even start to reach that decision point.

I watch an inordinate amount of HGTV now.


I should get out more.

Really.


I should schedule that.  My girl and I calendar like mad.  We're very productive.  We like to keep full plates.  She helps me organize and get it together in some ways.  I help her organize and improve in others.  We have a weekly status meeting to stay in sync.  We have shared Google calendars, documents, and spreadsheets to coordinate it all.  Can it be?  Am I living the dream?  Did I really find an awesome personal assistant and a fantastic girlfriend all in one?!?

Oh.  And we just started planning the next episode of Where In The World: South America Edition.  It, two other domestic trips, and a transatlantic trip--all in 2010--should be set and booked by end of month.  On the super duper cheap.

Looks like I found a clever travel agent in that mix too.

♥
 

... but damn the weather is just so nice here.

I hate you LA. No, but I love you. But I hate you. You're so complicated!

So I was going to post a Where In The World, but both Firedrums and Burning Man org stuff had me backed up and there was much to-do before deadlines and such.  I left the country without an LJ post and without (*gasp*!) cell or data coverage.  Utterly disconnected.

But so connected.  As you might be able to surmise by the fact that I'm posting, I'm back!  The answer to my Where In The World would have been: Belize and Guatemala.  Both were fantastic in their own ways.  I considered a post with vacation wrap-ups, but decided against it because there are a number of great stories and I would hate not having a chance to tell them all in person.  If I don't see you before, say, August... hit me up I'll give you the online update then.

In our 9 days; we swam with sharks, dove the Blue Hole, picnicked on secluded islands in the middle of the Turneffe Atoll, hiked deep into Belize's Mountain Pine Ridge forest to see amazing thousand foot (read: 1600ft) waterfalls, had a mind-opening homecoming with my country of origin, hiked to find a romantic champagne lunch for us tucked away in front of a secret waterfall, found a spiritual modern-day connection with ancient Mayan mythology and history, sampled a plethora of Belizean and Guatemalan flavorful foods, took in the sunrise from atop the planet with the hidden rebel base in the original (episode IV) Star Wars, and survived the first earthquake ever recorded in Belizean history (a 7.1 off the coast of Honduras).

I have to say it occurred to me that if--and I'm not saying it will, but IF--things ever did work out with D and at some point we decide marriage would be a sensible option for us, I have no idea what the hell we could do for a honeymoon that would possibly top our travel experiences together thus far.

I have to process my pictures (they're not that great).  But for now, here's a few of the things I mentioned...

Easter Sunday, I had one of the worst hangovers I've ever had.  I was utterly useless.  I did make it out for two things; 1) I attempted to hit a Target and/or Toys R Us only to discover that I don't really live in a town full of heathens after all (they were closed for Easter!).  I want my money back.  2) Even though I felt like crap and puked into a trash bin along the way, I *HAD* to make it to the Bring Your Own Big Wheels Race.

I didn't acquire a vehicle, so I was only there to watch.  Flugtag and Soap Box Race be damned!  This was amazing non-stop carnage.  Wipeout after wipeout.  Little plastic parts flying all over the place.  Once the races started I could not stop laughing.  This is the right level of stupid any event could ever aspire to achieve.  The paramedics at the bottom of the hill were pretty busy.  I love SF because it never fails to make me LOL.

( Lots of carnage behind the cut... )
 

Have I mentioned I'm going to Central America?  If not, many of you already know this.  As per the plan, we're driving a 4x4 over some hairy terrain in some jungle back roads and tiny little towns.  I've been kicking around the idea for a while that travelers need a simple breakdown or quick reference of differences in road rules between nations.  I started looking at my destinations and here are some highlights from what I found:

• Three-lane paved roads have no painted lines, and provide excellent passing opportunities. Use care when weaving through oncoming traffic.


• The driver of any passenger vehicle smaller than a minibus who allows himself to be passed by a chicken bus will receive a written warning for the first offense, and will have his driver's license suspended for a period of six months for each subsequent offense.


• Slow down for stop signs.


• Speed limits in urban zones are determined by the space between speed bumps.  After passing a speed bump, you are required to proceed to the next speed bump as fast as your car will allow.  Drivers failing to reach their vehicle's maximum velocity between speed bumps may be subject to a fine for obstructing traffic.


• If anyone is broken down by the side of the road, stop to help.


• If another motor vehicle is in front of you, you are required to pass it.  It does not matter if you are both traveling well above the posted speed limit as it is, you must pass.  It does not matter if there is oncoming traffic, you must pass.


• Two-lane paved roads have either a solid painted line down the middle, or a line of dashes. The line of dashes indicates that you must pass immediately. The solid line means pass with caution.


• In case of accident, all parties are required to hide from police until they are able to engage legal representation.  Any driver found by police at the scene of an accident will be jailed without legal representation pending completion of the investigation of said accident, and before being released will be required to pay whatever amount in damages is demanded by the attorney or attorneys of any driver or drivers who had succeeded in hiding from police.

Good idea theatre.

These last four days, I've gained a new appreciation for both skiing and my lack of terrain ability on a snowboard.  I have seen the future of my snowboarding.  I just had a small taste, but I now see the path and avenues for growth on a learning curve that has plateaued a bit.  I used to think I only had parks and freestyle tricks--which I'm not thrilled about--to look forward to.  Exploring new mountains, gnarly terrain, and 55 degree+ slopes is definitely far more exciting.

Cali... you'll always have a fond place in my heart as my first true love.  But I sense a new love affair starting with the Rockies.  Telluride and Solitude, I'm coming for you next year.  Maybe even Jackson if I get some backup on that one (man that was pricey!).

With the exception of talking a bit about the new girl, I haven't written with any substance all year.  It would seem I've been saving it up.  In the order it comes out...

I'm shit out of shape.  But this must be fixed.  ( Stuff about running )

One of my computers caught its first virus in, like, ever.  ( Reader's Digest Version: I hate Windows )

At the same time, I'm aiming to drop some extra pounds.  I got sloppy, lazy, and fat.  I saw it all starting to happen too and did nothing (for silly reasons).  But I'm back in the gym pretty regularly now.  And the results have been startling.  ( Fresh Starts )

The final steps have started at work.  One by one, my remaining responsibilities are being nixed.  ( Come on baby, don't fear the reaper )

Things with the new girl have taken center stage a bit.  ( Summing up the girl in 10 words or less )

Which leads me to: a whole lot of death.  Maybe I'm just looking more for it now, but it seems to be happening in my immediate circles as well.  ( Phil, Lou, and Jason )