Items of Want 047

This notebook keeps coming up and I'd love to see what all the fuss is about. One feature that I know I'll appreciate is that it opens completely flat. Add that to their dot grid paper type, and I should be a happy camper.

Bellroy Pencil Case

Sure it can hold pencils but it looks like a well made little tool for carrying any variety of objects. Although I'd probably go overboard and get one of each color. That would certainly make it easy to grab the one I need at a glance.

Kikkerland Bedside Caddy

I like to keep a tidy bedside table but sometimes I need a little more storage. I think this caddy could do the trick, but I'd have to convince the wife because my side of the bed is facing the door.

LeviMoon Levitating Moon Light

I'm fully convinced that while all levitating gadgets are junk, this one may actually be worth it. But for fear of being proved wrong, I hope I never get it. 

The Voyager Golden Record LP Box Set

Space. Vinyl. History. Coffee table book. Choose any 1 of those topics and I'm interested. Currently, Voyager 1 is still cruising along through Interstellar space, headed towards Proxima Centauri, our closest star. See where Voyager 1 and 2 are for yourself.

— Check out past Items of Want —

Finding Solitude

 

When was the last time you found some solitude? I’m referring to a physical place with no unnatural sounds. Whether it's camping in the backcountry or visiting your family's cabin in the woods, that’s the kind of solitude I'm talking about.

Specifically a place with no cars driving by, no cell reception, and no people (unless they're with you). I'd say no planes overhead but there's not much you can do about that other than avoiding airports.

 

Solitude

“a lonely or uninhabited place.”
— Oxford English Dictionary
 

I'm actually pretty lenient when it comes to solitude in that I don't always feel it has to be solitary. Sure, the main idea of solitude IS solitary but if you're out with a friend or two and your goal is to escape the norm for a weekend, I feel that should be allowed. A time of shared solitude (which has to be an oxymoron) can be a really good thing because it brings connection and possibly a deeper level of communication.

I find that every now and then, the tension for solitude becomes so strong that I start to lash out at those around me. When that happens, I know I need a retreat.

For me, I have a place about 3 hours away from home where I can be completely alone and unreachable. I thought about looking for something closer but maybe that’s the point. Maybe it needs to be 3 hours away.

Anyway, I recommend it. Find some solitude. Get away from the noise and busyness of things. Look, you don't have to take my word for it, not only did Superman understand the importance of this idea but even Jesus did too.

 
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
— Luke 5:16 NIV
 
 
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”
— Mark 1:35 NIV
 

For further reading, check out The Spiritual Disciplines: Solitude and Silence by The Art of Manliness.

Make a point to spend some time in solitude this week. Be sure to carry a notebook and a pencil or pen too for when those thoughts and ideas start to flow. 

 
 

Consumption vs. Creation

How much are you consuming on a weekly basis and how much are you creating? By the way, I'm not talking about food but instead the kind of consumption that is equal to endlessly scrolling on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

It seems I can come up with a load of reasons for not creating even the simplest of blog posts but when I do get one out, I feel immensely better. Like this one. It counts.

What I've Been Up To // October 2017

Fall

Fall seems to have finally arrived in Delaware and I couldn’t be more excited. Man was it touch and go there for a bit but the forecast (for now) shows the consistent 60 degree temps I’ve been waiting for. At least probably until I brought attention to it just now. 

Backyard camping

Jenni and I have already taken advantage of my favorite season with a few crisp morning hikes. Event spent a couple nights out in the tent. Sure, it was in the backyard but it was fantastic. Got down to high 30’s one night I believe.

I think some of my favorite days of Fall are these first few. There are some crunchy leaves fallen on the trails but most of the trees are still plenty green while the air is brisk. Just has a little bit of everything and makes for nearly perfect trail running and mountain biking.

 
Trail running
 

Oh and a new tradition I’ve started is greeting these cool mornings with a cup of coffee and a biscotti while rocking in the rocking chair on the back porch. I highly recommend you try it.

The Strenuous Life

While I’m working on a separate post solely on The Strenuous Life, I wanted to at least touch base on it because I’ve just spent the last 12 weeks living it. 

More specifically, I recently completed The Strenuous Life Challenge which is basically a 12-week boot camp designed to start you off strong in the program. You get out what you put in and honestly, just click the link above and you'll know quickly if it's for you. 

GORUCK GR1
Rucking

All I can say for now is that without a doubt, these last 12 weeks have been an incredible learning experience. And I’m continuing to learn more and be stretched in new ways every week. Huge hats off to Brett McKay and whoever helped him build this program.

New House

It’s not exactly new but we’re still in awe of how blessed we were to get this house. It just fits us in every way and we’re not taking it for granted.

One thing we love is the neighborhood and we’re currently gearing up for our first trick-or-treaters. Surprisingly enough, we’ve never lived anywhere that had them but we expect that to change this year. And I’ve bought a couple bags of the mini candies as well as some boxes of full size candy bars. Yup, we’re going to be ‘that’ house.

I’ve also been working on my office but it’s still not ready just yet. Here's a few select photos to give you an idea though.

So that should just about get you caught up with me, what's new with you? There's always something. Don't discount the minor things either.