Alexithymia Antithesis

Holiday travel alert - airlines launch second fare hike in two weeks!

Holiday travel alert - airlines launch second fare hike in two weeks!

Posted using ShareThis

While many in the world speak english, other languages are dying

While many in the world speak english, other languages are dying

Posted using ShareThis

What really annoys airline passengers? (A POLL)

What really annoys airline passengers? (A POLL)

Posted using ShareThis

What really annoys passengers? (A POLL)

What really annoys passengers? (A POLL)

Posted using ShareThis

Evolution of a Travel Writer - Part II

In 2004, I took my first trip out of the country since my trips to Estonia.  Since that time, I have been to Europe 4 times and have seen 15 different countries.  I read travel sites and books.  I follow blogs.  I have developed my own personal philosophy and outlook on traveling and my experiences have changed the way I view the world.  I have numerous friends who have been missionaries in all corners of the world.  And their experiences have opened my eyes and given me a greater passion for travel.

When people ask me what my passions are, "travel" is always the first word out of my mouth.  Ironically, with a new house, a one income family, a young son, and another on the way, I really don't get to travel much any more.  More than anything, my family is my biggest priority.  However, travel is still my biggest passion.  And the greatest thing about the passion is that I never have to fake it.

Recently, one idea led to another and I decided on a whim to apply to be a travel writer for Examiner.  To my surprise, I was accepted so I started writing.  I don't have a travel budget, don't get a chance to travel much but I do have a passion for it and a willingness to work hard at this.  And the last few days of writing have given me excitement and fulfillment like I haven't had in a long time.  Time flies by and I am really having fun when I write.

When becoming a writer for Examiner, I was given all these tips for writing articles and building your readership.  Two things we were told to do were - write and advertise.  While I have done a lot of the former (which I am sure my facebook friends are tired of me posting a new article every few minutes), I have done very little of the latter.

I posted a few articles here and there and just enjoyed the process.  It didn't matter how many people read what I wrote, I took pride in my work and was energized by writing.  On Sunday, I wrote an article on credit cards and how new technology may make American credit cards tough to use overseas.  I was so excited to see that 45 people actually viewed my article!!! By the time I went to work on Monday, I had 95 people view my site and I was on cloud 9!!  I thanked my facebook friends for checking out my articles.  On Monday, I posted a couple more articles and by the end of the day, I had over 950 views to my site!!  I became the #1 writer for all of Sacramento and the #5 travel writer in the nation.  On Tuesday, I had 860 views and was still one of the top writers.  All of this was happening and I wasn't even promoting my articles at all.

I have heard people say that they love their job so much that they would do it for no pay at all.  With the career path I have taken, I could never say that.  Now, I finally understand what those people mean.  In travel writing, I could care less if I get paid.  I have put in so much effort and passion in the research and the writing that just having this opportunity has given me more fulfillment in the last few days than I have had in years at my current job.  I don't really care if people read my stuff but I have been so excited to see how many people are interested in what I write.  It's like that first trip to Estonia.  I was so enthusiastic about being there that my passion took over and I didn't care if anyone noticed.  However, when someone noticed, it gave me confirmation that someone else saw it too.  And maybe that is part of my excitement that people reading what I write is confirmation that they see it too.

I don't know if I am any good at this.  I don't know how long I will do this.  I am humbled by the opportunity.  I really want feedback from people to know what they think, where I can get better, and where my mistakes are.  That has to be a good sign if you enjoy something so much that you welcome the opportunity for people to critique you.  I honestly just enjoy this opportunity to write about something I am passionate about.  I want this to take off only because writing and travel have become my passion.  I only hope this excitement, hard work, and effort shows in my writing. 

Did I always want to be a travel writer?  No, it just kinda fell in my lap.

Evolution of a Travel Writer - Part I

"So you want to be a travel writer, huh?" 

Everything I have ever done in my career has kinda fallen into my lap.  The only I time I have ever known what I wanted to do with my life was when I was a little boy.

Growing up, we all have our dreams of what we want to be when we grow up.  Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to be a professional baseball player.  When I got to college, I had no idea what I wanted to do.  My very first class was an accounting class.  I made it my major and got my degree.  I had no clue what I wanted to do once I finished but I needed a job.  While going to see one of my professors one day, a former student was in his office talking to him about an entry level job that had come open.  I applied, got the job, and started my career in accounting systems.  There were parts of that job I absolutely loved and it gave me a lot of personal fulfillment and satisfaction for the work that I did.  Before moving to California, I flew out here for an interview, got the job, moved here, hated it, and quit after 6 months.  Got another job within a couple of weeks implementing and supporting a finance system for hospitals and have been doing it ever since.

I never loved accounting.  I liked it and did well.  I don't love my job now.  I am comfortable with it and am used to it.  In the last 8 years, I have had a handful of days where I really loved what I was doing.  In my first job, I really loved my job and my role but felt it was time to move on.  Looking back, my first job has been the most successful and personally fulfilling job I have ever had.  In the last year, I went back to school to take classes in computer science hoping that I can move my career in a new direction so that I may find something that really excites me and brings satisfaction.  There is some hope there but it took 13 years of work, a 4 year degree that was just ok, and jobs that just fell in my lap to try and figure out what I really want to do.  Despite a lack of satisfaction in my career, I can't complain as I have been blessed, still have a job, and am thankful for what I have.

Back in 1995, I went on a trip to the country of Estonia with a group from my church.  When I was there, I absorbed the culture like a sponge.  I wanted to learn the language, meet the people, find out whatever I could about the history and the culture, and just see and explore.  At the end of our trip, the missionary there wanted to talk to me and my friend Eric about living there for a year and working with his ministry.  It wasn't the right time for me to do so but in looking back, I discovered a passion that I never knew I had.  And the great thing about it was that someone else saw it too.

Life went on, a lot happened in my life, and things didn't turn out like I planned.  In going through a divorce in 2003 and 2004, I realized that I needed to communicate more.  Even if I didn't talk, I found myself needing to dig deep and write to gain an deeper understanding of who I was and what I thought about and believed.  I found it to be a cathartic process.  Ever since then, I have enjoyed writing.  Even if no one else cared about what I wrote, it was a process of discovery and working through the things in my head and heart and communicating that in words.

I discovered a desire and a need to write and in the process, found some satisfaction and fulfillment.

Is socialism the Christian thing to do?

Right now, our leaders are looking to put together a bill that would create a universal health care system that would be run by the government so that everyone would have access to health care.  It seems this may be the first step towards a more socialistic approach.  As a result of the health care system taxes would be raised to help pay for this system.  I can see the benefits of this system for many people.  However, should we be for it?  Should Christians be for it?

God's call to his people has been to take care of the orphans, widows, the poor, the needy.  Isn't socialism a Christian call to take care of people?  Why shouldn't we pay more in taxes so that these people may be helped as God commanded?  In Acts 2, it talks of people worshipping and breaking bread together, meeting the needs of others by selling their possessions and goods, and having everything together.  Isn't this what socialism is?  Isn't this God's call?  Shouldn't we be supporting the government's move to take care of these people that God has called us to take care of?  In answering this question, I am going to give two reasons why government socialism isn't a Christian solution.

Earlier this week, I referenced an article talking about Denmark as the happiest nation and asked the question if this is what we should be seeking.  The Danes pay high taxes so everyone has health care and so that their drug problems can be dealt with.  High taxes instituted by the government are taken from their checks to support this system.  The Danes seem to agree with the taxes but they are used to having the money taken out of their checks.  Over time, they just learn how much they are going to receive each week and live their lives accordingly.  As for me, my taxes are not as high but I also choose to set aside money for retirement and for health benefits for my family.  While the latter are choices I make, I also have gotten used to my paycheck amount and I don't even think about the money to help my own family.  Because it is paid before the money hits my account, I pay more attention to the amount I received than I do the amount that was taken out. 

On the flip side, whatever money I choose to tithe or give to charities, missionaries, organizations, etc is what I gave AFTER I have received my check.  To give to these is a choice and a sacrifice.  I am choosing to give to others out of what I have left, not out of what has already been taken from me.  A vital part of God's calling to take care of others is that it is a choice and a sacrifice to do so.  For the Danes, it isn't a choice or a sacrifice.  It is something that is done and they never have to make a decision out of their own free will and hearts to help.  Charitable contributions in Denmark are very low.  They don't feel they have to because people are being taken care of and it is not a choice they often have to make to help people.  What is more sacrificial - to have something taken from you and given to others or to make a choice and a sacrifice to give what you have to help someone else?  Part of God's calling in taking care of others is for it to be a choice, to involve sacrifice, and to give of ourselves so that we might have the privilege as a body of reaching out to others.  Most Danes probably don't think twice about it and don't often choose to give out of choice.  As part of God's plan, helping others involves a choice and a sacrifice that we might impact as well as be impacted by our actions.

For many who believe in the socialist system, helping people meet their needs is the end in itself.  If meeting the physical or financial needs is all that we need to do, then we miss out on the other part of God's plan in giving to others.  When the Danes have their money taken from them in the form of taxes, a government program is set up to provide health care and programs to help people.  Their needs are met.  Take the example of someone who lost their job.  That person could go stand in line at unemployment, fill out some forms, and get some of the money they need.  On the other hand, that same person may have a financial need and have an anonymous donor place a check in their mailbox with a note saying "Felt like you needed this and I wanted to give" or have friends take up a collection that meets their need.  In these scenarios, which person has had the greater impact on their lives by their need being met - the government check or the friends meeting the need? 

And that's the other part of the equation - community.  God didn't ask us to take care of the poor and widows so that they have food, clothing, shelter (and health care), etc.  He did it so that there may be relationship in community, in love, as we reach out to one another.  A Dane may give of his taxes but may never meet a homeless person, serve a meal, come alongside, help out at a shelter, or reach out to someone struggling with drugs because all of that may have been done for him.  God's call to take care of others wasn't given to a politician, government, or political system.  It was given to his people.  Why?  Because it was going to take more than finances to meet the needs.  It was going to take love.  And that is something government can never give.  Meeting the needs of others involves more than just the money for the government to take care of people.  It involves choice, sacrifice, love, and community.  If we miss out on all that God is requiring of us, then socialism will be a second hand gospel in which we rely on someone else to do what he called us to do.

We are very individualistic here in America.  It's about me, my dream, my needs.  I am very guilty of this.  To be fair, Europe does community much better in their daily lives.  And despite our lack of socialist policies to help others, we may actually be more caring and giving than those in Denmark because we give out of choice, sacrifice, and compassion (is it really compassion if there is no sacrifice?).  However, we need to do a better job as Christians.  Where we have failed, government has stepped in and taken over.  As we move towards socialism in this country, may it stir us to be more of a community to those around us and reach out in love to meet others where they are.  I am very uncomfortable in doing this and admit this is a huge challenge to me.  But pass or fail, government meeting the needs of others will always be a failure if love, choice, sacrifice, and community are not part of it.

Travel as a Political Act

I just started reading a book called Travel as a Political Act.  The book is about traveling to broaden your horizons about other cultures and people so that the way we view life can be seen through the eyes of others and not just the cultural ideology of America.  Such things like Bulgarians and Moroccans have their own dream and it's different than the American dream.  Minimum wage is is more than many people make an entire day in many parts of the world.  And many countries are ok with higher taxes to help others with health care and homelessness.

While I don't always agree with the viewpoints in the book, I read it with an open mind and with a desire to at least understand a different perspective.  I say this as someone who is very opinionated, believes I am often right in my view, and comes across as very serious and maybe even obnoxious.  There is something more than just that side of me.  I also say this as someone who enjoys experiences and learning in my travels as opposed to just seeing all the sights.  From my trips to Europe, my most vivid memories are of adventures, lessons learned, and people I have met.  I've seen the Eiffel Tower, the Prado, Anne Frank's house, various castles, museums, and monuments.  I don't have many memories of those places though I do have many pictures. 

However, I can tell you stories of wandering upon a nude beach in Portugal, a Lebanese girl I met at McDonald's in Paris, hanging out with new friends and a local Italian at a small beach village in Italy, getting locked out of my hotel after going to a night club in Florence and how I managed to find a place to sleep for the night, spending the day with a translator named Dema, a Russian kid, and an Estonian kid in Estonia and what I learned from that experience.  I can tell you what I learned about myself while trying to find our hotel in Madrid, how two different people can see the same museum and each take away something different from the experience, what taking the Metro to Notre Dame taught be about communication.  It's from these experiences and people that my view of the world and how I see myself have been forever changed.

I remember my first trip to Estonia in 1995.  I had never been out of the country until then.  When I got there, I was fascinated with the people and the language.  I spent 3 hours on a bus trip trying to learn some words and phrases.  I ordered food from a vendor on the street with my basic Estonian.  I loved getting to know our translators.  I wanted to learn about Estonian history, culture, and food.  I don't know where all of that came from.  I am a quiet, shy kid but that trip helped me discover a passion I never knew I had.  Year later, I still have that passion and believe that is has helped shape and changed me.

While I don't agree with the politics and perspectives of everyone I meet, I admit that I am a different person because of it.  Sometimes I think I have no passion or dreams.  And then I remember my experiences and adventures from traveling and know that these are gifts God gave to me.  I believe everyone should be open to new experiences and people when they travel.  It will make us better citizens of the world as a result. 

Is being happy what we should strive for?

I recently read something where someone else asked this question and referenced an article examining why Denmark has been one of the happiest nations on earth for many years.  There are many reasons for their happiness but a key ingredient to this is that they have low expectations.  They don't seem to want a lot.  They don't expect much and have very little expectations for the future, only contentment for the moment. 

http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/lowered-expectations/?ref=europe

Is this what we should strive for - to be happy?  It's a tragedy when a child dies or a family member dies unexpectedly.  It's unfair when someone is the random victim of a crime or is in a horrible accident due to being one second too slow or too late.  These are legitimate reasons for not being happy.  However, are lowered expectations a reason to be happy?

Christians are told they will suffer because of Jesus' name.  They are told to look for their reward in heaven and not here on earth.  So naturally, there is going to be disappointment and hurt.  We are told to have hope but know that our hope is not in anything here on earth.  However, should we lower our expectations in the process?  What about those with big dreams?  They are bound to fail at some point and with that, there will be disappointment.  Should we not dream at all?  Should we not live out our passions?

I just finished watching a PBS special called Excuses Be Gone!  In it, the approach was about taking those excuses, turning them into positives, and believing that you can fulfill your passion and purpose by being connected to God who gives you this life and purpose.  Honestly, I really struggle with this.  I look at the negative and all the things I shouldn't do.  I desperately want safety and security for my family but still have passion inside of me to do things. 

Where is the balance between contentment, security, and happiness and living life to the fullest?  Reading the article about Denmark and lowered expectations doesn't seem right.  However, I seek to be content and safe in life as well.  Yet there is something inside of me that wants more, wants to live out my passion.  What do we choose and can we have all of the above?

It's been a LONG time!!!

This is my first post in 5 months and a lot has gone on.  Not going to post a lot but just notes, odds and ends, and what has been happening the last few months.

Finished the semester in May and got all A's.  Moved into a new house in early June.  Doing some projects around the house on weekends.  And now we have found out that we will have another baby in January. 

Found a podcast that I was a part of last year.  It's a travel episode with Rick Steves about the country of Estonia.  Estonia was the first country I ever visited outside of the United States.  So I talked about my experiences and impressions of the religion, people, and culture that I met in Tartu.  If interested, I am on at about the 38 min 58 sec mark.

http://www.ricksteves.com/radio/streaming/program163.asx

I desperately miss traveling but may be a long time before I get to go somewhere again.

Also learned some things about myself regarding how I behave as a husband and dad, control, and my feelings/actions on past friendships and relationships.

School starts back in about 6 weeks and I am taking 11 hours.  College football starts Sept 3.  The summer is flying by and life has been crazy and busy!