Sojourner - Traveling with the “Canman”

I've been hankering to scuba dive since I first became certified in Okinawa 4 years ago.   Friends offered that I didn't need to travel all the way to Asia as Cozumel, a world class diving reef, was just a short flight away.   So I threw an "internet dart" to pick a Cozumel resort and struck gold with the Blue Angel resort.  It's a 24 room hotel overlooking the ocean with a first class dive dive shop, accommodating staff, and a thatched outdoor restaurant all just a few steps from my room.  Blue Angel's unhurried environment allowed me to do my yoga, meditate and play guitar on the lawn overlooking the ocean (just 20 feet from my room) before heading out on a boat to dive. In the afternoons and evenings the same lawn was the place to socialize, read, enjoy talented local bands playing American hits.  Later maybe night scuba or just fall asleep under the stars listening to waves.   local band view from my room view of lawn from restaurant Yog...

  Don't understand the title of this post, "Busyness is Laziness"?  Neither would have I before this retreat held at  the  Drala Mountain Center , an 45 miles north-west of Fort Collins, Colorado.  Having come off of 3 days of vigorous skiing and driving challenges, we were ready for what was advertised as a meditation and yoga renewal.  As we pulled into the mountain center there was an immediate aura of tranquility.  Entrance to Drala Mountain Center    Drala Center The meditation retreat was team led by 2 incredible people, Linda, a yoga teacher from the Czech republic and Steve, a meditation leader with training in the Tibetan Buddhist practice.  But this was not a Buddhist retreat per se. Rather sequential meditation and yoga sessions interspersed with opportunities to enjoy outdoors, existential conversation, scrumptious vegetarian eats and even some guitar jamming.  The opening session was amazing beyond words with eloqu...

Breckenridge, Colorado Want to find yourself?  The formula...  First learn a little about space exploration, then challenge yourself on the ski slopes, get a lesson in servitude, finish it with a snowy mediation and relaxation retreat all punctuated with thought provoking existential discussions.   Two big messages came out of this experience for me... 1.)  Busyness is Laziness 2.) It Doesn't Matter in the End This trip started with a visit to my good friend Dave, who had recently moved from Fort Worth to lead amazing virtual reality developments at Lockheed Missiles & Space near Denver. A rising star, 3 decades my junior, who may very well be a future Elon Musk or a renowned guru.  Time will tell.  That GPS you take for granted is brought to you courtesy of a constellation of huge satellites.  Imagine a workspace where you strap into a virtual gaming machine or interact and design satellites as an avatar in virtual reality.  Too cool! GP...

It is hard to believe 2 decades have passed since I last saw the port of San Diego, then as a naval officer.  What has not changed is the beautiful blue bay, ubiquitous sail boats and AWESOME Mediterranean climate with the juxtaposition of cool ocean breezes and dry desert mountain.  Dinner by the seashore with an old friend rekindling memories and youthful fantasies.   But what brought me back to San Diego was not fun or friend it is war and family. My son, a navy pilot deployed overseas was not coming home as planned with a Pacific cruise now extended for months at a minimum.  His bride and two newly adopted kids from an orphanage were in need of support as they prepared for a move to a bigger home.  The beauty of retirement emerged allowing me to come and cook to my hearts content, trying out new recipes such as Indian curries and lemon tarts using fresh lemons from their backyard.   And staying in shape biking thinking, "Dorothy I'm not in Tex...

"There's no place like home"   Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz" Six years of traveling to Europe and Asia 200+ days per year were remarkable for the richness and diversity of experiences in every aspect of life.  Now totally free of company obligations, what does my next great adventures await?  The answer of course is all continents!  But a wonderful epiphany (for me) is that when I am not traveling, some of the wonderful lifestyle aspects of Europe and Japan can be experienced literally in my back yard!   The view from my back porch  looks out at the Trinity river (just a 100 feet away) teeming with wildlife giving the illusion I'm in a nature park.  The  trail along the river allows me to perform or commute to most daily activities via my bike or walking including eclectic  outdoor restaurants, shopping, tennis lessons, fitness center, parks, theatre, concerts, yoga, picnics , & meditation. Similar to what I exper...