Booze and Shoes

One thing I miss from when I was a kid was the freedom to do whatever I wanted. These days I have responsibilities that keep me from doing whatever I please. For example, I often used to hang out with other girls and boys and sneak into a neighbor’s barn. We would evade the farm’s dog and tiptoe into the barn. Once there, we would enjoy the guilty pleasure of it and talk about important stuff like which pop star was cool and which movies we wanted to see. I’m sure the farmer knew what we were doing and why but he afforded us the latitude that only kids enjoy.

Related articles

• Sunnyside Needs A Conversation On Both Problems And Solutions (blogsunnyside.com)

There are a few things that I really want to achieve in life. The first is the kind of work I would like to be doing and the environment in which I would do it. I have trouble taking orders from a boss so I think I would love being a freelancer. I’m not there yet but it’s something to work toward. It is also my goal to work in the creative industries. Being an artist, designer or writer would be perfect. Another goal is to own  my own place. Renting is an apartment fine but still rather precarious. Someday I will reach all my goals and wonder how I ever did it.

Image via Wikipedia

If I could relive the past five years of my life there are not many things I would change. I would probably try to have more fun and make it a rule to get out and meet people every day. With hindsight I can see that many decisions I hesitated about were not that important and I could have jumped in at the deep end without fear of the consequences. Second time around I could throw off my insecurities and ask that special person out on a date or apply for that job I dreamed of. We often regret the things we don’t do more than the things we do.

I would like to think that if I discovered I had only two weeks to live I would have few regrets about my life. One reason for this is the dubious nature of regret itself. Life is not a test in which we are judged. There is no right path and we should rather think of it as a path we make ourselves as we go. However, there are some opportunities that I may have missed which make me feel regret. In particular, I would like to have started my own business. I probably haven’t done this because of fear. If I had two weeks to live I would probably start that business and watch it take shape.

If I had the time and the money to make a big change to my home I would use the latest technology to generate all the energy I needed and use it efficiently. I would fit solar panels to the roof to generate electricity and I would install a wind turbine. All my appliances would run off the electrical power they’d produce. I could lay pipes under the ground to take advantage of geothermal energy and insulate all the walls so that the house didn’t waste heat. I would try to use recycled and recyclable materials for everything. In the end I could reduce my impact on the planet.

Related articles

• Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition Preview: The Transformation Begins This Monday On ABC (cinemablend.com)

When I have nothing to do and I find myself getting bored I try to think of something I need to get done. There are all kinds of everyday tasks that need to be completed. Why not use that extra time to get something out of the way? Another way I cope with boredom is to read or play video games on my phone. I am often waiting for something to happen. Maybe I’m waiting for someone to call or waiting in line. At these times I pull out a book or my phone to read or play a game. It’s not a good use of my time but that’s not such a big deal.

Everyone has good days and bad days. Every once in a while we have complete disasters and moments of pure joy. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine the good times ahead when we are down in the dumps. Our emotions can cloud our judgment and life seems like a burden. Thankfully, we can get around our emotions and use our reason to get us out of trouble. If we think carefully we can see that life, on the whole, is good and everybody has to take the rough with the smooth. If another human being can triumph over adversity so can we. When I feel down I use my reason to check my emotions and the world teaches me how to carry on.

My favorite invention in all of history is the sail. I love sailing for pleasure but this invention is serious business. Since the first recorded use of sails to power watercraft by the Egyptians and the Sumerians in about 3200 BCE the sail has enabled trade and communications between peoples of previously remote locations. The value of this mode of transport is quite evident because of the great wealth amassed by traders and the growing wealth of cities. The hidden benefit was the spread of ideas which hitched a ride with the sailors as they set up communication networks that followed the path of the trade.