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travel

lessons learned

Nov 16th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
6 comments

I need a love to help me find my way
I need a strength that I cannot betray
I need a word to say what I can’t say
I need a lover

-Cherry / The Smashing Pumpkins

It really hard to sum up a weekend like this in a word or two. I’m inclined to say “it was a good weekend” but there’s really so much more than that.

I’m at a time right now where “loneliness” is the overwhelming feeling. I feel alone, and important, and, at times, betrayed. It doesn’t feel good. In a time like this, two days alone on the road isn’t exactly a good idea. It’s not exactly a bad idea either, though.

So there it is.

The drive was nice. The weather was chilly, but also nice. Two of the four state parks I visited were nothing short of breath taking. I can still close my eyes and feel both in awe and at peace. The other two were quite nice as well. I read quite a bit, which I enjoyed. True, raw bits of nature really excite me. As does exploring new places and new things. I only wish I had someone to share it with.

In all of my time spent driving and walking and thinking — always thinking — I did learn a few things, which I guess makes it all worthwhile in the end.

#1. I am responsible for my own happiness. As much as I’d like to be able to lean on my friends, my family, and my wife for happiness, when all else fails, I’m still left with myself. I am my own last resort.

#2. I am responsible for no one other than myself, the child I brought into this world, and any commitments I have made until they are either fulfilled or broken by someone else.

#3. While there are plenty of things (friends, sex, drugs) in this world that can make me feel better, relying on them will only lead to absolute breakdown when they are unavailable when I need them most.

Where’s Jim?!

Sep 20th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
No comments yet

I’m about 15 minutes away from heading out to the Myschievia Work Weekend.

So, this weekend you may be wondering, Where’s Jim!?

I threw together a little something to answer just that question. It uses a portable GPS receiver and the mobile network to upload my location on this planet and display it so you can see where I am. In most cases the GPS is working fine and it’s accurate to about 30 feet. Sometimes, the GPS device hiccups and it resorts to cell tower based position, which is only accurate to about 1000 feet. Other times I have no mobile coverage so it doesn’t upload my location at all. With the current version, you won’t know which method was used. You’ll only see the location and the time that it was uploaded at.

Check it out. If you think it’s fun, useful, or sexy in a stalker-ish way let me know and, when I get back, I’ll made it better, nicer looking, and filled with more features.

Send lots of text/email love while I’m away.

heading out

Jul 11th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
4 comments

along the wayGood Morning from Anchorage.

Since the sun’s already up, I don’t have to worry about my desire to get any where before sunrise. It nice and overcast which means great things for photography opportunities today. I’m pretty sure I’m taking the route through Watertown this morning, though I’ve got no one to answer to so I might change my mind. A quick poke at various weather forecasts shows that it might actually be overcast and stormy in the places I could travel tomorrow. So, if it’s not too late, maybe I’ll take the ferry at Tobemory after all, instead of going through Barrie. Then I can see the Island and Bruce Peninsula all in one day.

If you really want to know where I’m at you should check out my Bright Kite stream. I’ll keep it updated as often as I can. I turned off the sync between it and Twitter because it was annoying some people. Ha.

Went the casino last night. I really, really, really love playing Craps. I love that it’s complicated for no good reason. I love all of the superstition around it. I love that (most) everyone at the table is rooting for the same thing. I love that, even at the cheapest table in the house, if you’re playing well, you still end up with $50 on the table at any given time to lose. I love that there is so much math involved if you want there to be, but, if you’d rather not think about it, you can still play along. I lost $100 last night. Not too bad considering I’d told myself I could lose $200 and then just decided I was tired after 3 hours. I’ve never been able to come out ahead in Craps. I don’t really have a gambler in me (though Craps is the exception). But, if I did he’d say that if I went in the game with more cash I’d stand a better chance of coming out ahead. Something more like $500 or $600.

Some time in the next two days I’ll become mostly unreachable via Mobile Phone or email and will remain that way for about 2 weeks. So, if you need anything, leave a message and wait a few days for me to get back to you. Since I use Google Reader to keep up with websites and even LiveJournal, there’s little chance I’ll miss anything I really care about. However, just to be safe, you right something important or really interesting, do me a favor and drop me an email with a link so I’ll be sure not to miss it.

It will be hard to find any solitude during these travels. I’ll be surrounded by my In-Laws and all of their family for the next two weeks while staying at a summer camp. I won’t be able to find a corner alone unless I’m willing to actually leave on my own. Of course I have no problem with this usually, but this makes me appear to be rude if I do it too often and actually makes me real, honest-to-goodness bear bait, if I sit too alone or too quietly, much to the amusement of my In-Laws. My attempts to talk Jess into going with me don’t usually work, either. Maybe I should just buy some bells for my shoes.

Regardless of all that, I’m still hoping to get some soul seeking done some how. I’ve been having a really hard time lately. Several of you have picked up on this and talked to me about it which I really appreciate. I have some amazing, selfless friends.

That’s enough for now. Think of me, and send lots of love for me to pick up when I reconnect now and then.

brain dump

Jul 9th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
4 comments

SheridanI’m a bit scattered this morning, so I’m sure this will flow in a similar fashion. Ugh.

I’m pretty sure I’m not taking the Ferry from Tobermory. Sure, I might change my mind at the last minute and hope for the best but, the added travel time just doesn’t make sense considering how eager I am to see my little girl. Besides, I think the time and money would be better spent if I planned a trip out there during my stay at “Camp” these next two weeks. Then I can give the Island and the Peninsula the time and effort it deserves.

Free Wifi and never ending coffee at Denny’s is awesome. Even if it is really noisy.

I’m hoping I can dodge any invitations to any kind of dinner event this evening so that I can go for a nice long walk at my favorite Syracuse Park: Green Lakes. Then again, I heard a couple of guys talking about this “new wing place you just have to try” and I think they were aiming for tonight. We’ll see.

Then thursday night, I’ll either end up going to bed early or heading out to the casino to blow a couple hundred dollars at a Craps table. It depends on what I’m going to do the next day.

I think that I might drive to Toronto via Watertown. If I leave around 5am, I’ll be to the Lake Ontario just in time to catch the good light. Then I’ll still have 9 hours to make a 4 hour trip. But I can always waste more time at the Islands or pay the crazy parking rates in Toronto and explore on my own before I meet Kim.

As crazy as they are, as insistant and demanding as they can be, as hectic as the time I spend with them can get, I like my family. My family, my extended family, and even my in-laws. Yesterday I got 4 phone calls of people singing me happy birthday. It’s a small thing, sure, and, at the time, it was interrupting a hectic day and that made it kind of annoying. But at the end of the day when I close my eyes to sleep, it feels good to know that people are thinking of me. I even got to hear my Niece screaming at my brother until he’d let her talk to me so she could say “happy birthday” too.

These next few weeks have me wound up quite a bit. The problem is that I am a planner and a worrier, and my wife and my mother-in-law are the exact opposite of that. So, I end up not coming up with things for me to do, worried that it might step on the toes of something they’ve planned to do when, in the end, they never plan to do anything. However, when I finally give myself enough freedom to make some sort of plan, it’s usually met with the knowledge that they have made plans and, of course, mine interfere with theirs. So, being selfless and a worrier, I generally give in to thier plans and opt not to make any more for myself.

This year, I’m going to try something different. I’m going to make plans for myself starting from day one. If they make plans and tell me about them and everything works out, then great. But if they come up with plans too late and I like my own plans better then I’m keeping my own plans. It’s easier said than done. I’m a push over. And I don’t like to cause trouble or upset people. But, it’s my goal at least.

There are so many things I want to see and do. Here’s the short list: Bruce Peninsula National Park, Manitoulin Island, Lake Superior National Park, Pukaskwa National Park. and Killarney. I doubt I’ll get all that in. Some of those are quite difficult to plan a trip around, especially when my “home base” is in the middle of no where with no cell service or internet access. But, it’s something to try.

If you know of anything closer to Webbwood, Ontario worth seeing, please, let me know.

I leave you now with this photo of my Neice, Sheridan.

Toronto with Bust

Jul 8th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
4 comments

On Friday I’m Toronto bound. It’s about a 4 hour drive, and I have 9 hours or more to make it in (Kim is meeting me at 5pm).

These are my options:

  • I can take my time in Rochester, Buffalo, and Niagra Falls. Maybe pick out some state parks or look for some industrial areas to visit.
  • I can take a dip down through Ithaca and explore the finger lakes.
  • I can go up through Watertown, NY and explore the islands at the mouth of Lake Ontario, the many parks in that area, and then drive along the Northern Coast of Lake Ontario to get to Toronto.
  • I can sleep in really, really late, drive straight through, and get to Toronto just early enough to do a little shopping.

On Saturday I’m headed just outside of Webbwood, ON. From Toronto it’s a 5 1/2 hour drive. These are my options:

  • Head straight there, I’ve already wasted enough time and I miss my little girl.
  • Take the Tobermory Ferry to Manitoulin Island and drive up through the Island to Webbwood. Straight through, this is about 7 hours, 2 of which are spent on the Ferry. However, Manitoulin is beautiful and I’m interested in seeing the Peninsula as well as the Bruce Peninsula National Park. So that 7 hour trip will become more like 9 hours and include 2 hours of photo taking. Of course, unless I get lucky and end up with some stormy weather (slightly possible, but not likely) I’ll want to be there early morning or late evening for the best photos. This just isn’t possible considering that it’s 4 hours from Toronto (I’d have to leave at 2 or 3 in the morning). So, seeing it all will be nice, but the chancees of getting really good photographs is not all that high. But I get to spend the time on the Ferry with Kim and I get to go some place I’ve never been.

into Vermont

Jul 5th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
5 comments

bigger than I amThe trip to Vermont went well. Two stops for feedings (one which included ice cream for Jess and I), and we still made it in about 5 hours.

There was lots of family waiting for us when we got there. Had a great dinner and good times. Then settled in at my brother’s place, made a late night trip to the Laundromat, and then called it a night.

This morning, I’m up for coffee and photo editing in downtown Burlington. Later today we’ll all go out exploring.

Even though they didn’t say it out loud, their faces spoke loudly enough. They didn’t approve and they didn’t think she should go through with this. But it was far too late now. Her eyes were wide, her hair wet with sweat, and she was all alone in this room. She was having Holiday. She would be a good mother. And she was never speaking to her family again.

– OneWord // HOLIDAY

Celeste: World Traveller

Jul 4th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
3 comments

We don’t have a lot of time this morning. We’re in Syracuse and about to head out to Vermont for family festivities. Just thought I’d share this photo of Celeste waiting for the plane yesterday.

waiting for a ride

celeste smiling

vacation?

Jul 1st, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
4 comments

flying overWe leave in two days with what is probably the most hectic “vacation” schedule ever. On top of that, it’ll be the first time Celeste travels anywhere more than 4 hours away. Of course, we’re crazy, so she’ll make 7 different trips to places more than 4 hours away over the course of 3 weeks. In the words of Tim Roth from the movie Four Rooms, “I haven’t got a problem. I’ve got problems. Plural.”

If everything goes as planned it will go something like this:

Thursday(7/3) morning we leave for Syracuse by plane with one connecting flight.

Friday(7/4) morning we drive 6 hours to see my family in Vermont. We’re staying at my brother’s house with his wife and my two nieces.

Saturday(7/5) we have a big get together with whatever family my Grandma manages to round up.

Sunday(7/6) afternoon we drive 6 hours back to Syracuse and meet Jess’ parents there.

Monday(7/7) morning Jess, Celeste, and Jess’ parents drive 9 hours to where her parents live. I stay in Syracuse to work. No, I’m not happy about my poor little girl making her first very lengthy car trip and adventure into another country without me, but, this is the way it works best for Jess. Otherwise, she’d have 3 days less time to spend in Canada.

Friday(7/11) morning I make the 4 hour drive to Toronto by way of Rochester, Buffalo, and, generally, taking my time taking photos. I hang out with Kim for the evening and spend time having as much fun as is allowed by law in Toronto.

Saturday(7/12) morning I make the 5 hour drive to where Jess and Celeste are.

Then we spend all most two full weeks at a summer camp on the lake in the middle of bear infested woods using an outhouse and generally lazing around and, for those who like that sort of thing, enjoying doing nothing or, for those who don’t, trying to find activities and adventures to occupy your time. Mobile phones barely work here and Internet access is unheard of so, connection to the outside world will be nearly non-existent.

Thursday(7/24) morning we make the 9 hour drive to upstate New York to see the other half of my family. We’ll either be staying in a hotel or with my Grandma, depending on who else comes up for the weekend and how well my Grandma is feeling.

Friday(7/25) we have a big get together with whatever family my mom manages to round up.

Saturday(7/26) afternoon we make the 4.5 hour drive back to Syracuse.

Sunday(7/27) morning we get on a plane back to DFW with one connecting flight.

Monday(7/28) I go back to work because I need to save my vacation time for a trip back to Canada for Christmas.

Yeah. We’re crazy. I know. I wanted to break it up into smaller trips and combine the time in New York and Vermont into one 4 day event in order to save on the travel time, but Jess gets more time in Canada this way, even if it makes the trips to see my family a little shorter and more hectic.

all a blur

Jun 17th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
No comments yet

over used

With so much travel occupying my weeks, my weekends can get quite blurry. Here’s my last one in a nutshell.

Last Friday I got off the plane from Providence and headed home. As I pulled up, so did a few friends. Another friend showed up later that evening. We had dinner, a few drinks, played crazy card games (Fluxx is awesome!), and watched a couple of really warped movies. I went to bed somewhere around 4am.

8:30am on Saturday and I’m up, of course. We lounged around the house quite a bit. Towards the afternoon we did a little shopping, stopped by a friends house, changed clothes, and then went to a housewarming party. A few more drinks, a stripper pole, lots of people dressed very nice. Jess and I left early and headed home. I think we went to be around 11:30pm.

7:30am on Sunday and I’m up again. Jess and I bum around the house a bit and then head out around 10:00am. We stop by Fry’s for a little shopping then go to my dad’s for Father’s Day lunch. We had a great lunch and a couple of beers outside as my nieces and nephews played on the water slide. Then my dad and my brother and I played poker over a bottle of Don Julio. Jess drove home. We got home very late, threw some wash in, started packing my bags and then went to bed.

6:30am on Monday I woke up, finished packing and got ready to leave. Jess brought me to the airport at about 8:30am. I get to NYC that afternoon, check in to my hotel, wander the streets a bit, and get rained on. Then I meet up with a couple of friends, have too many martinis, followed by my first ever oyster experience, followed by sushi and sake. Finding my way home on the subway and then trying to remember which side of Broadway my hotel was on was fun. I made it back to the hotel before 12 and was in bed before 1.

Which brings me to now.

When I think back over it all it seems very busy and very rushed. But, in reality, I enjoyed every minute of it and, except for feeling like I was rushed Monday morning, never felt as though I was doing too much with too little.


rainy with a chance of sun

Jun 13th, 2008
by Jim Reverend.
4 comments

I’m actually a bit nervous about my trip to Manhattan next week. Not because of the travel, I’m quite used to that. And not because of the city itself, I’ve been many times and love it.

What’s bothering me, I think, is that while I’m there, I’ll be all on my own. I know a friend or two who wouldn’t even question coming to my aid. I even know a few co-workers there that would be happy to help in any way that I needed. But, still, in the end, I’m there all on my own. In the past, I’ve either traveled there with someone, or had gone there to meet someone. I’m good at exploring. Good at finding my way. Very good with directions. But I still have this whole “safety in numbers” thing going. Being in a car is one thing. There’s some safety that it provides. But walking alone is something else entirely. Should I just hole myself up in the hotel all week? No. I’m adventurous and I intend to have an adventure. I don’t want to be afraid when there’s nothing to be afraid of. Yet, at the same time, I don’t want to force myself to be courageously stupid either.

Also, it’s that I’ll have to work there. It’s one thing to be on my schedule, on my time, doing my thing. It’s something entirely different to be working. I have to get from point A to point B on time. I know where my hotel is, I know where I have to report to work. I don’t have the foggiest idea of how long it will take me to get there. Should I walk? Take a cab? A bus? A subway?

Usually, I drive to the office, walk in and start work. Being in Providence was a small break from that, since I walked 5 or 6 blocks to work every day. But, NYC is very different. Do I need a different bag? Something smaller? Something lighter? Will I be comfortable carrying this around all day? Is it going to be blazing hot? I take great pride in my work and always make sure I go above and beyond to make a good impression. Especially a first impression, which this will be. I don’t want to show up, stinky, sweaty, late, and overburdened with a too-heavy bag.

I’m sure I’ll figure it all out in the end. I’ll have to — it’s two days away. But, until then, I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was consuming quite a few of my brain cycles.

with too many reasons

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