11.10.2012

UPDATE


I’ve been jobless for more than 10 months. Thanks to the US Unemployment Insurance program, which I have paid into since I was 15 (36 years!), I have been receiving weekly paychecks this whole time. It’s a good thing, because jobs are hard to find. Never-the-less, I have faith I will find a good job before the money runs out. That’s my goal and as you know, setting and reaching goals is kind of “my thing”.

So what have I been up to since my last blog post?

I feel a little guilty because I haven’t written in six months. There are two reasons for my absence. First, I strive to keep my posts interesting, intriguing, positive, and thought-provoking. If I don’t have something to say that meets all those requirements I will usually say nothing. Second, I have been spending a lot of time outside and less time on my computer.

I read somewhere, years ago, that you should spend at least an hour every day outside. Something about nutrients you get from the sun and spiritual health that comes from the earth. I dunno about all that, but it does feel good to spend time outside, especially when the weather is nice.

Bicycling is still my favorite hobby. So far this year, I bought a used mountain bike on Craigslist, cleaned it, tuned it, adjusted it, and made several upgrades with new parts. Fun and easy stuff if you have any mechanical interest and a good assortment of metric tools. 

I rode this bike for about 3 months, then I donated it to a friend who wanted to buy her son a bike for his birthday but was having trouble finding a good used bike. It felt wonderful to help others and to know the bike I had cared for would be loved and ridden and enjoyed. Time to acquire another bike from Craigslist. I found a Schwinn I really liked at a good price and brought it home. I will probably keep this one forever. It just feels perfect for me.

At the beginning of this year, I couldn’t imagine riding my bike 10+ miles in one day. I mapped out some routes of 1 mile, 2 miles, and 4 miles. I really thought riding 4 miles one direction then back home would be the farthest I would travel on a bicycle. Wrong. As summer came and the weather warmed up, I found myself staying out longer and going farther and father on my bike.

To date, I have ridden more than 20 miles in a single trip and I now feel that 10 miles is a SHORT RIDE. Isn’t that interesting? Is there a lesson here? You tell me.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.

 
Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel 

5.05.2012

RE-DISCOVERING A FAVORITE HOBBY


JOBLESS, 122 DAYS

I’ve had a lot of time to think and do what I want to do without the pressure of working at a job for 4 solid months. I have to tell you, I am loving the freedom I have now!

In the past, I have fantasized about how wonderful it would be to retire from my job and spend my time doing what I want to do. This first taste of what retirement will be like is as wonderful as I had imagined. I still get up early, 6am at the latest. But it is because I want to, because I love mornings. The world is quiet and the coffee tastes best first thing in the morning.

How about a hobby?
I got my first bike when I was 10 years old. The drawing above is from memory of that bike, drawn in 2008. My bike was my transportation, my freedom, and my independence. I rode it all over town. I rode every chance I got. I loved my bike more than all my other toys combined. Once I started working, I bought a car and sadly, my bike was forgotten and eventually given away. Now that I have no job and lots of free time, guess what? I bought a new bike! :)

I have re-discovered my love of bicycling. I am not a pro-bicycler. I don’t wear the Spandex bike clothing and I don’t push myself to the point of exhaustion. I wear comfortable clothes and I ride at my own pace. I usually take a snack and a bottle of water with me. I stop and take frequent breaks in beautiful city parks. It is the most fun I’ve had in years!

Bottom line:
At this point in my life, my time is my own and I’m enjoying every minute.

Now go take on the day.

Peace, out.


Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

2.08.2012

EXERCISE, WHAT A RUSH!

Factoid:
Exercise is good for the body and mind. There are hundreds of studies that show physical activity reduces stress, depression, and makes you feel more energized and confident throughout the day. Exercise helps stimulate the production of s
erotonin in the brain. The effect of this mood elevating chemical makes you feel good for hours afterward.
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I’ve been unemployed for 33 days. The job search is going about as expected. No interviews yet. Of course my recent experience in a research laboratory is not a high demand field. In fact, the field is shrinking. If you can score such a job, it’s great. Otherwise, you feel the curse of being far too specialized.

So what else have I been doing to keep myself busy? One thing I am committed to is keeping active. I have implemented an exercise routine that is easy, fun, and free. I know myself, and if it weren’t easy, fun, and free there is no way I would stick to it. So here it is:

Every day I will do one or more of the following--
INSIDE--
Stretching, at least 3 minutes
Push-ups, at least 10
Work out with nunchucks, at least 3 minutes
OUTSIDE--
Walk at least 1 mile
Bicycle at least 2 miles

So far in the last 33 days, I’ve only skipped 3 days. Not 100% but better than I have ever done with any exercise routine, ever! That’s a win in my book! I know it’s not much of a workout to do only one thing on the list. But I usually do more than the “required minimum”. Besides, even the minimum is much better than doing none at all.

This is the starting point of my do-it-yourself home fitness program. I would love to hear about your exercise/fitness success stories. What do you do for exercise and what do you do to stay motivated?

Your comments are always welcome!

No go take on the day!

Peace, out.


Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel

1.07.2012

ONE GOAL

I normally have 5 or more current goals written down where I will see them every day, and I eventually reach every goal that is truly important to me. However, some of the goals I set for myself are eventually dropped from my list because I realize they aren’t really important to me after all.

Buying a motorhome was one of those goals. When the idea came to me, I was all gung-ho to get one and start traveling. But after a few months I realized I didn’t really want a motorhome and all the work and expenses that go along with it, so I dropped it from my list.

Anyway, I’m telling you this as a precursor to a different approach to goals. I know from experience that anybody with normal mental capacity can have different goals in different areas of life and achieve each one, such as:

A PROMOTION AT WORK
BUY A NEW CAR
HELP YOUR CHILD IMPROVE AT READING
TAKE YOUR FAMILY ON A CRUISE

But think about this-- What would happen if you only had ONE GOAL at a time. You would put the others on a separate list to deal with later. Then you would be free to focus all of your energy and attention on that ONE GOAL. Success would be an absolute certainty! Not only would you be focusing on ONE GOAL like a laser beam, but there would be no question that this is truly something you want.

Try it and let me know your results.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
 
Check out
 
Duane’s YouTube Channel

1.05.2012

FISH OUT OF WATER

Yesterday was my last day working at the laboratory. Today is my first day of unemployment. As the title suggests, I feel a bit like a fish out or water. I’m not saying the lab job was my ideal job, not by a long shot. But it was part of me and I was part of it for nearly 8 years.

“Now what?”

It’s not hard to find the silver lining in this current chapter of my life, but I do feel the need to remind myself that there are positives to being jobless. At the top of that list is: “Free Time”. So what will I do with all my new-found free time? Part of it will be spent searching for a new job, but certainly not the 10 hours a day I previously spent working and commuting to my job.

I will invest more time posting YouTube videos and writing in this blog. I hope you, my viewers and readers will continue to find them both interesting and entertaining. As I have said many times, it wouldn’t be any fun without you.

Other plans include more minimizing of my stuff, and more exercise. This is my favorite time of year and I intend to take full advantage of the enthusiasm I feel right now. 2012 BRING IT ON!!

Your comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
 

Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel