Sunrise in Kauai: New Beginnings

Finally. Almost 12 months in the making, but I am here. I am here in Kauai. This is near the end of my second full day here on the island. Listening to my dearest friend, Leokane Pryor, singing lovely Hawaiian melodies on my ipod, and trying to grasp a sense of my reality...

HST,  or Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time, is currently a two hour difference to PST, but will return to three hours time difference after daylight savings time ends, as it is not observed in the state of Hawaii. Hawaii maintains its 10 hours difference behind GMT, Greenwich Mean Time, throughout the year.
The reason I mention this is because I currently have a time change issue, and have been waking up several hours earlier than normal, around 4-5am, while still dark. Knowing that I will eventually shift my sleeping pattern to reflect normalcy, which for me is a waking time between 6-7, I have taken advantage of my early rising and have had my coffee early, and the past two days have sat on the beach and watched the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean.

I have seen the sunrise over the Caribbean a few times, I have seen the sunrise over the Himalayas once, Mount Kanchenjunga, at Tiger Hill in Darjeeling, India. The magnificence of watching a sunrise is exactly that...magnificent. Nature, God, whatever we wish to call it...at its purest and finest...it is the beginning, the beginning of a new day. 'Morning has Broken,' and all possibility exists again...and most of us sleep through the glorious sunrise, or we simply are not in a location that we can view and experience this daily miracle.

So my first two days here in Kauai I have watched the sunrise over the ocean...starting in darkness and progressing to glimpses of sunlight through the clouds and horizon, and then rising above to a new day, a new beginning, where life starts again...so I find it fitting that I have been awake and prepared to view, for I am at a new beginning myself, a new life, a place where where my life is starting again. And though I know that my sleep patterns will adjust to my new time zone, it is so gratifying to know that I have the ability to watch the sun rise...I am in a place now that I can do this, I can watch the sun rise if I so choose.

And I only imagine the transformation of a life where one watches the sun rise each day...and lived life with the understanding of the brilliance of the new day, its new opportunity, its new beginning.
It is to this life that I aspire.

Thanksgiving

My post this week was going to resemble a kindergartener's essay on the things I am thankful for...good health, my family, my friends, food on the table, the amazing privilege to be on this voyage...

I have been suddenly stopped in my tracks, however. And though there have been times before when this tragic road has been traveled, it does not become easier, it does not become more navigable, it does not become okay. It feels like a fist has been thrust through my gut. There has been a life lost, the life of a young man from my community who is my daughter's age, a young man whose family, like mine, has spent years of their life dedicated to their children and their activities and sports, a young man who died in battle serving in the US Marines.

I am without words, speechless. Emotions overcome. I do not believe in war. And it is with absolutely no disrespect that I make this statement. I acknowledge and support all the young men and women and families that serve our country in unquestioning patriotism. As my children grow older, however, and as life appears more fragile, it just seems that the loss of a young person feels more tragic and unnecessary.

So this Thanksgiving what I would like to give thanks for is life. The precious breaths that we take for granted daily, the precious moments of life that we share with our children, our family, our friends, and  that which gives meaning to our life. For we simply do not know when it will be taken away, and we do not know why it will be taken away...but make no mistake, it will be taken away. So I am thankful for the time, this time that I have, with this life that I have, with the people that I have. I am thankful.

So take a moment to breathe some life into your moments. Create the life that you dream of and then live it. Life is precious. Breathe. Be alive. Be thankful.


                                                         Joshua 'Chachi' Corral, USMC
                                                              12/30/1991- 11/18/2011

The Calm Before the Storm

Entirely relaxed, perfectly still, calm and peaceful life. Pacific Beach has been simply therapeutic. I have listened to the ocean, listened to the rain, and watched the sunset all from my little cottage on the beach. I have worked out for hours a day (because, quite frankly, what else do I have to do?), I have read, I have written.

My son's last football game of the year was on Saturday, so we took our final trek to Salem, Oregon this weekend to watch his 42nd and final college game. My daughter made the trek as well, but fairly uneventful, except the reflection of the past 21 years and the past 33 of his sport seasons (37 if you count regular Little League and All-Star Little League as separate seasons, which they were). This portion of my journey is over. And so this chapter is complete.

In two weeks we will be back in California, back in the fast lane, and tying up loose ends, getting rid of the last of our winter clothes, taking our shorts and tank tops and flip flops and Aloha shirts and dresses out of storage and packing them for our one-way journey to paradise. Having our final San Francisco meal at Scoma's on the wharf, and our last cheers in San Francisco over irish coffees at The Buena Vista. We will be visiting family in Half Moon Bay, San Jose, and Fremont, as well as close friends in Danville. We will visit the Wine Country and have a last champagne toast on the Mainland. We will be dropping off Keanu, our Honda Element, for his journey across the sea, and we will do all of this in 6 days.

It is tiring to think that I will have all this movement in such a short period of time, as I now am perfectly still, with little or no movement. Perfectly still, entirely relaxed, calm and peaceful life. The calm before the storm, the perfect quiet and still before a period of motion, movement and change. I shall sit back and enjoy this quiet, enjoy my free time, enjoy my last period of stillness for a while.

'Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict.
Saul Alinsky

Great Expectations

Expectations are inevitable...we all have them; for events, jobs, relationships, careers and life itself. So the question becomes where and how do we set our expectations? And where do our expectations come from? In getting prepared for this move to Kauai, and the numerous stops along the way, there have been expectations of what each step would look and feel like. A picture or snapshot of what each step will be...yet just a few weeks into our journey, I have had expectations that have already been met, been exceeded, and fallen short in different areas...there are expectations for everything, from a dining experience, to interactions with people, to the weather, to life events. So without going into great detail of the different pleasant surprises and great disappointments of the journey thus far, my question is simply how these expectations become formed, and our feelings of satisfaction when they have been met or exceeded, and our very real disappointment and hurt when our expectations have not been met.

“The best things in life are unexpected - because there were no expectations.” Eli Khamarov

So does having an expectation for an event or a relationship potentially harm the enjoyment or satisfaction that you can receive?
If an expectation is met, then it simply has satisfied and completed the task and purpose that it was supposed to have in the first place. If an expectation has been exceeded, then there is a great sense of pleasure and surprise, for it was not something that was anticipated, and so it comes as a welcomed gift and addition to anything that was originally intended...but if an expectation is not met or satisfied, whether it be for a job or event, or expectation of a friendship or relationship, or even for a life path, there is disappointment, hurt and sense of failure in the shortcoming...and that pleasure that would have been derived is overlooked because the falling short of expectation is the only thing that we can focus on.

So perhaps the secret to all life satisfaction is just in setting the proper expectations...and he who is capable of succeeding in that task is the most fulfilled.

SEATTLE

Part of the reason that our time here in Pacific Beach is so enjoyable and not cumbersome is knowing that on weekends we are leaving our population 141 town for the Big City...more than not, we are going to Salem, Oregon, home of Willamette University and the Bearcat football team where my son is a Senior outside linebacker and captain of the defense. One of the reasons to be here at this time is that we would be able to see all of the games his senior year. Salem is not what I would really term as a 'big city' of course, but remember, we are comparing it to a population 141 small coastal village...

This last weekend, however, he had an away game at The University of Puget Sound, UPS, in Tacoma, Washington. Taking advantage of the proximity of Tacoma to Downtown Seattle, we opted to make a long weekend out of our excursion and stay in Seattle a few nights. I chose a downtown hotel, The Westin Seattle, as it appeared to be walking distance to the waterfront, Pikes Market, Space Needle, downtown shopping, dining and nightlife. And though I have been to Seattle before, I have never stayed more than one night. I was expecting a stay similar to a few night stay in San Francisco, as I had always felt the two cities to be quite similar. After all, they both lie on bodies of water on the West Coast...

Let me start by saying that it did not rain a drop the three days we were in Seattle, so my perception is perhaps skewed by the abnormal weather pattern this weekend...but the moment that we parked the car and started walking around, I immediately felt the difference between Seattle and SF...Seattle has much more of a tight knit and compact feel to it, and my guess is that it is, in fact, quite a bit smaller than SF. The city has beautiful restaurants and bars, coffee houses and breweries, all lining the streets that lead up and down to the waterfront. The waterfront has restaurants, museums, bars, all that capture views of Elliott Bay and the various ferries that transport resident locals and tourists alike to the many different islands that populate the different waterways and channels in the area. This city has charm that is altogether different than any other city I have been to...between the city's love of coffee houses to their love of craft beers, to the beauty of the waters, to the excitement of downtown baseball and football fields, to the fresh seafood, to the birthplace of the grunge movement...all can be felt here in walking its streets. I could see myself living in a city like this...not for a long time, as I do not like the cold and I can feel the proximity to the Arctic Circle here :) But for a few months, long enough to explore the different offerings that the city has, and long enough to say that I once lived in Seattle...

The Diva with a Red Mercedes

When my daughter was informed of our life plans earlier this year, she laughingly expressed that she did not believe that it was possible for me to live a simpler life, as she thought I was a 'diva with a red Mercedes.' And she felt that a person like me couldn't find the way to simplify and tone down her so-called wants and needs enough to be able to live the kind of authentic life we were talking about....

So the first step in ridding myself of this title was getting rid of the red Mercedes, which I did several months ago. So now I guess I am just a diva...but in Pacific Beach, WA, I don't think divas are much appreciated...so I am trying my hardest to blend and fit in, wearing baggy jeans and not putting on the red lipstick that matched my car...just trying not to draw attention to myself. Not sure if that is working, but what I do see already in myself is a shift in my perspective and what is bringing a smile to my face and making me happy.

After my morning workout last Wednesday, I drove a few miles down a road that I hadn't been on before and I found a family-owned produce stand...Voss Acres Produce Market. You would have thought that I had found the Fountain of Youth, but I was so happy to have found a place to buy fresh and locally grown produce that I did not have to drive an hour to get to. A quaint little produce stand, and I had the opportunity to meet the owner, Sharon Voss, who shared with me her life story. She had grown up a mile down the street, but had gone out on a 'life adventure,' living and working in Portland and Seattle. She several times referred to her 'life adventure' but then recounted how she finally reconnected with a man she had known since she was much younger and found her way back home. Lovely woman and a lovely story...

And then there are Chloe and Sue, both of whom work at the Ocean Crest workout room that I go to every morning, both telling stories of their week and offering their pleasantries to me each morning. It is amazing to me that complete strangers here are more than happy to tell you about their life if you are willing to listen...

We took a road trip to a football game this weekend and discovered the best XM radio station that started off by playing 'Hotel California' and proceeded to play more Eagles, Bob Seger, James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison, Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash...and an entire era of music that has not since been equalled. And this made me happy.

I had forgotten the power and emotion of music, and reveled in listening and singing to some of the greatest songs ever written.

A simple conversation and connection with a stranger, a favorite song on the radio, the sun shining on the ocean, a phone call from a friend...these are all things that have made me happy this week.

I may still be a diva, but I think that is part of who I am. But this diva is adaptable and willing to make some changes in order to achieve an authenticity that I have been lacking. But because I don't want to lose my authentic self either, I think that when I get to Kauai, I will wear that red lipstick that matched my red Mercedes, with a flower in my hair to match...

Pacific Beach, Washington

So with all our possessions in a 5x5 storage unit in Danville, and our Honda Element packed with all the rest, we have officially headed out on our adventure. After a short weekend stop in Salem, Oregon for a college football game, we our now at our home for the next two months in Pacific Beach, Washington. We have rented a charming one-bedroom cottage a half a block from the ocean, with lovely views and sunsets...

So a little information about Pacific Beach...this is a small beach town on the Pacific Coast of Washington state, unincorporated, and located in Gray's Harbor County. The biggest draw of the area is the two miles of flat, wide-open Pacific Coast beach.

Population: 141, number of households: 62. Yes, that is not a typo, this is a small town.

Our cottage is located right smack in the middle of the one block town, just a few yards from Surf House Espresso, a quaint coffee house, and 59 Main, the only gift shop in town. Around the corner are the two convenience stores in town that carry 7-11 type items, and around the other corner is the Naval Base, with the only restaurant in town...I had to drive 45 minutes today to the nearest grocery store...

Earlier today there was a siren that sounded with an announcement over speakers to the entire town...it was only a test, similar to the emergency broadcast tests that I grew up with on television, but this was broadcast over-air to the town. Tsunami alerts, storm alerts, or whatever other emergency might occur here is broadcast in this manner.

I had a vision that I would be jogging on the beach in the mornings for my workout, but when I awoke to pouring rain, I had to rethink my plan. I found a small 'club,' actually a small workout room for the Ocean Crest Resort in the next town over in Moclips. For $35 per month, I joined the club, no liability waivers signed, no EFT info required, and I even got to choose my own membership number...a far cry from SportsClub/LA- San Francisco, where just two months ago I was selling $270/month memberships with $600 initiation fees to CEO's of startups...

A simpler life, isn't that what I was looking for?