Birthday Mania!

Sooooooooooo, today is my Dad's Birthday. He is 54. That really isn't that old, though when I was a teenager I would have thought 54 was quite old.

I also thought 30 was a long way away, but two days ago I hit that very age. So here I am, 30, homeless, and pursuing a job meant for guys ten years younger than me. How do I feel about that?

DAMN GOOD! Here I am, still young in my life and realizing what makes me happy. Many people I graduated with have jobs, kids, and the whole life. And they are jealous of me, and what I am going after. I am loving life in my third decade, and am quite sure that I am going after the right thing.

I had a great conversation with my loving girlfriend a week or so ago. We were imagining what we would do if we won the lottery. I realize that for the first time ever that even if I did win I would want to go down the same path. It's a great thing to be that confident about what you are doing in life. Sure the pay isn't that great, but you certainly can't beat the office views.

I am also excited because now I have finished my Level I Avalanche class, and my WFR course. This fall I am going to be taking an American Mountain Guide Association course with one of the most influential people in my climbing career, and a man whom I respect greatly. He really is one of my mentors. How many people get to have this opportunity?

What a great birthday. I am loving my choices, I have the support of my parents, a girlfriend who pushes me to be my best, and I am making definite measurable strides toward my goals. All because I was willing to take a big risk. I hope I can inspire others to take big risks in their life as well. You don't have to live out of your car, but you certainly can push your comfort zone a bit. You never know how good it might be!

Welcome one and all!

So this is my first attempt at blogging, something I thought was a bit ridiculous in the past. Now, however, I find myself with a fair amount of time, since my life is pretty simple. I guess I will start at the beginning.

I was a teacher, and a pretty horrible one. I would stay up all night trying to make lesson plans, which were promptly rejected by my vice-principal. I will admit that living in Newark, NJ didn't help my mental state much either. I had a bit of a mental breakdown, and decided to leave Newark and head to my safe haven, Seattle. Now, of course I had a full time job, a serious girlfriend, and a lease with about 10 more months on it. So I did the only logical thing.

I bailed.

I sold all of my furniture (which was only a couple of months old) for a loss, broke my lease (for a loss), and then packed up everything into my 1997 Honda Accord. I then decided to drive cross country. Now, I am a climber, and I love being on the rock, or in the mountains. So in my drive, I went to Joshua Tree National Park first, which is just a few hours east of San Diego. I climbed for a few days with a friend, then headed north to Seattle.

Now, as rash as my decisions were, I did have the forethought to contact an old employer, a sweet climbing shop called Second Ascent, to see if I could get a job. I am now fortunate enough to work 40 hours a week there.

Once in Seattle, I had put on almost 5,000 miles on my old car, and I am proud to say Zbl is still running strong! It's a good thing, since he is also my home at the moment, and will be until at least October.

It's crazy, but believe it or not, living in my car has been one of the least stressful situations in my life. I have been liberated. Thoreau was right, simplify! Now, I'm not a hippie who wants to get rid of everything and live in the woods. I love being in a city with restaurants, and toilets, and people. I just like being able to get away from it to be alone in the mountains. And then I am ready to return. I do want a house one day, and I do want luxuries like a kitchen and a tv. It's just that for now I am pretty content living this way.

I will be working for a mountain guiding company this summer, only working 20 hrs a week, along with some trips in the mountains with clients. If you need a company to climb with, look up Mountain Madness, we're awesome! With this schedule I will be able to climb several days a week, and still pay my bills. As long as Zbl is running strong, everything will be fine. You will all be able to follow along with the status of him as time goes on. I love this car, and you will also get to know and love him!

So this is my introduction to me, and what I'm doing Homeless in Seattle. In the climbing world I'm a climbing bum, which also means I'm living the dream. I hope to give you some insight into my world, and to let you have an escape into a fun life. I will share it with honesty and hopefully some humor. If nothing else, I will have some great pictures, and some decent stories. Let me know what you think!