Snippets

by Jon Sullivan - 2022-11-21 - Status

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As I settle in and kick back to think about this new life, I'm slowly figuring out how deep this all goes.

- I had to buy a coat rack. This is very different. For 30 years now I've had one coat, and I only wore it Montana on very rare trips there. Now I need coats for various things. Rain, snow, freezing, slightly cold, good weather that might turn bad, bad weather that might turn good, layers for morning walkies, layers for trail hiking, a quick coat to grab the mail, coats to camp in, and coats I don't even know I need yet as we haven't gotten to peak winter. Fishing and crabbing coats? Dressy coats? Lots of coats. Too many coats. Coats coats coats. Home is where you have too many coats.

- I didn't think I'd get much enjoyment from the park behind my apartment. Adventures will typically take me out of town, so no need to wander around in the park here. But it's that weird thing where I'm suddenly embracing things in Eugene that I rejected for decades in San Diego. Back in my hobbit hole I never, ever, opened the blinds. Here I just open them every day. Watch the locals out walking, seeing people eat picnics, lots of people doing normal park stuff. And it's wonderful to see it all from my window, or sitting out on the balcony drinking coffee. I do use it for walkies sometimes, but it's really too small for a proper walkies route. Enjoying the neighbors strolling by is a non-Jon thing to like, but I like it. Weird.

- Still trying to negotiate what being more social looks like in my life. I don't know what I want. And given the many divorces and failed relationships over the decades, should I just avoid anything like a "relationship"? Do I want a relationship? Do I want to do all this adventuring alone? Should I get my own existential crap squared away before worrying about a social life? What even works for me? What about the social anxiety problem? Should I get counseling before imposing my shit on someone else? I haven't made any new friends for 20 years. Am I prepared for ANY of this? As with everything else, I guess we're going to find out. Later. After I stew over it more.

- At the top of the to-do list is spending a weekend researching sunrise and sunset photo locations. It seems like every morning and evening there would be epic photos, but only if I find better spots than my window. I really liked having those dialed in in San Diego, so that great photos just meant getting up and driving 10 minutes. Oregon is going to be much more spread out though. Sunrise over Mt Hood, obviously, but finding the right spot will be tough. Most of the area will have trees blocking the view. Then multiply that by 20 for all the other mountains, lakes, rivers that could make a great photo. I don't think I had counted on needing so much research. We're going to be here a while......

- I'm committed to having good coffee here. Which means tweaking the water, managing a few different brewing systems, finding a roaster that has the exact roast and blend I'll like. And then experimenting with all the variables until it's perfect. So far I'm a ways from it. Getting the roast right is the current challenge. So, on top of the other to-do stuff, I need to investigate all the local roasters. My coffee happy place is likely a year or so away. Which is good to know. Even though I'm rejecting the hobbit hole, I can still be insanely focused on trivial hobbit shit.

- Tonight I fly to Kalispell for the Thanksgiving event. The food challenge. The food stunt. I'm not ready. At all. Which is part of it I guess. Taking on way too much stuff, and then pulling it off, getting food on the table. Impressing friends and family. Trying to Stoic through the panic. Excelsior!

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