In the time I have spent recently evaluating where I am and where I want to be, I have had to pin down the activities which are time wasters.  Unfortunately this means I must put aside things that will never be more than a hobby.  As it stands, this will leave me with very little distraction aside from the work which pays the few bills I have.

It is always the case, but I am truly responsible for my own success or failure in achieving the life I want.  If I don’t eliminate the non-essential, my life will be ruled by it.  I must take true ownership of my life and get moving on my goals.  There is much to achieve and it is never certain how long we all have.

So I will pour myself a little cocktail this evening and toast to the things that brought me joy but must be eliminated.  The payoff is worth the sacrifice.

After a super productive weekend of painting my room and placing a second coat of epoxy flooring on, I decided I would make the most of a beautiful afternoon and drive about an hour and a half to a natural treat, the Indiana Dunes State Park.  This served as a brief getaway from my all-too-familiar surroundings and as an opportunity to see something bewildering while I wait for further destinations.  I walked for several hours taking time to clear my mind and contemplate the vast nature of the world.  As the sun made its descent over Chicago, the world took on a perfect balance of light, minimal but effective cloud cover, and a dazzling display of what one might call “neon pastel” colors in the sky and in the waves.  To do anything less than stand still with a wide open smile would have been an insult to nature in one of her finer moments.

I’ve seen what nature can do when you don’t respect her, but you couldn’t have paid me to wipe the grin from my stupid face.  All this and I was a proverbial stone’s throw from home.  It wasn’t some great vagabonding mission but it stoked a fire I have had for a year and a half.  A reminder of what happiness feels like, and I must listen when it calls.