• Reflections - Travel - Updates

    March Madness: A Whirlwind of Life Events and Achievements

    While some might think of the famous basketball tournament when you hear these words, I found myself in a whirlwind of big life events during my most recent March.  We start this little story at work where the first quarter of the year is a sales promotion meant to bring in new business.  We are on the service side of things, but the people that are selling did not disappoint.  There is always a cutoff time, but the people in the field submit items to us up to the last minute.  Sometimes we will get stuck on creating this large…

  • Reflections - Travel

    Hanging with Dad

    For the second time in a month, I flew into the beautiful Jacksonville airport to be picked up by my parents.  We arrived early, so I enjoyed some calming piano in the main lobby of the airport just outside Security.  It was a good way to get into the right mindset of my vacation.  I then proceeded to the madness that is the pick-up area of the airport.  It didn’t take long for my parents to find me, but it is the least favorite part of travel for me.  After a couple hours of catch-up and planning for the week,…

  • Poetry - Travel

    Cotton Candy of the Sky

    Our metal tube lines up on a runway Anxious engines wait for the call Then roar to life when a deafening sound Bringing us to a speed beyond reason, comprehension Houses in grids tessellate to the horizon We rise, sharply, to the blue sky Clouds hide the ground Fluffy and full, a blanket in all directions The winged craft skips around A child during recess Reaching ever higher towards the Great Unknown Sailing the sea of cotton candy

  • Reflections - Travel

    Chicago 2020 (Trains, No Planes, and Automobiles)

    Note: This trip was taken in February 2020 before COVID was a major issue in the USA. I have been pretty much trapped in my tiny apartment since then. Trains: The last time I had been on a train before this had been more than 15 years ago when I had just started Boy Scouts.  One of our adult advisors worked for the Railroad and was able to get a few of us on board for a special tour.  We walked the length of the train and rode in a fancy sleeper car.  It was an adventure!  About halfway to…