The past and the present. How $1 and a dirty trip to The Goodwill can help keep them connected.

I’m enjoying a renaissance (a renewal of life, vigor, and interest) in the things that built the foundation of my life. A life I had slightly abandoned, as we all do, when life happens. I got sidetracked by “life”. Responsibilities, careers, relationships, some of us unknowingly stray from what makes us happy, what makes us “us”. If you’ve ever gone to the mall because you could not think of anything better to do, well then… this applies to you.

Over the past year or so, I’ve been on a journey back to “me”. Basically I’m going backward to go forward.

After years of forgetting what it was like to be an athlete, last year I trained myself back to a respectable level of athletic competition. I competed in over a half dozen triathlons last year after preparing for the 1st in less than 30 days. Last winter, I trained as a boxer with Jimmy Farrell Jr., never getting the fight I asked for but suffering enough injuries, completing enough rounds of sparring, and progressing enough fundamentally to feel more than accomplished. I took up Bikram Yoga momentarily and enjoyed ~~the hot yoga butts~~ it, as well. Basically, I took my fitness/health where it hadn’t been in over a dozen years. And, it felt great. I forgot how good it felt to train/feel like an athlete. It’s good to be back, I plan on being here for the rest of my life.

I’m continuing to revisit/rekindle various areas of my past. Things I still identify myself with but had long since visited.

2 weeks ago, EA Horton and I decided to revisit one of my favorites. Camping. I spent countless days/weeks/months of my childhood camping. Sure, we had a small motorhome, which some might not consider camping, but whatever. EA Horton had NEVER been camping and Little C hadn’t been camping yet either. Perfect. I found a last minute steal of a campsite available through reserveamerica.com at Harold Parker State Forest and booked it.

We got geared up with tent, lanterns, stove, etc. and we spent the weekend catching and releasing the tiniest fish I’ve ever hooked, roasting marshmallows on a campfire, and making coffee in a percolator. We got dirty, stinky, and EA was eaten alive by mosquitos… but it was nice to sleep under the stars, hear frogs all night and play the game, “EA Horton got sick and ralphed outside the tent last night. What kind of animal do you think ate EA Horton’s ralph?” My guess was deer. We’re planning our next trip within the next few weeks, hopefully a beach camping spot with better fishing.

Honestly, the worst part of the trip was taking my dog, Snoop, to the Vet to get her Rabies shot (dog’s gotta have a current Rabies vaccination to visit a state or federal park/forest). While I held Snoop, the vet attempted to get Snoop’s temperature… rectally. We stopped after Snoop violently head-butted be in the mouth when the thermometer touched her delicates.

We came home and made a quick trip to a place we often donate to. The Goodwill. For what? I needed a new book. I hadn’t read an actual book since I moved to Boston over 5 years ago. Like some people say they don’t have time for the gym, I used to same excuse for reading. In the past, I’d read the canons of Bukowski, David Sedaris, Sam Shepard, Chuck Palahniuk and others. I was never a HUGE reader, but if I liked an author, I’d read the shit out of him. I finally started reading again recently. I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy two weeks ago. I read The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell on a round trip flight to Florida last week. And after the weekend of camping, I was hungry for something new to read.

But, why the Goodwill for books? Because it’s a little bit of an adventure. Nothing is categorized, you have to hunt a little, and people tend to donate some good books. I picked up a brand new copy of The Big Sky by Wallace Stegner. It was written in 1947 and so far it’s pretty nasty/awesome. Plus, at The Goodwill, paperbacks are $1 and hardcovers are 2 bucks.. if the book sucks, you’re not out $20.