The Goodwill Bridge

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Before I took my trip to Brisbane Australia, I had heard about footbridge called the Goodwill Bridge located on the south side of the Brisbane River. Back in October 2001, Brisbane held the Goodwill games, which is what the bridge was named after. It connects part of the Queensland University of technology campus to the South Bank parklands. It was made for pedestrians and cyclists to use. Supposedly, around 3 million people use the bridge every year. Well, now I’m one of those 3 million I guess.

I have got to say, the bridge is a bit of a marvel to me. Some concrete builder like Concreting Brisbane Northside assesses that it cost over $20 million to build this bridge that is over 1500 feet long and almost 20 feet wide. It was an interesting walking bridge, with a pavilion overlooking the river on one side and a huge arch closer to the other side. I walked over the bridge several times on my way to and from different areas in the city while I was there. I enjoy the scenery, but I must say it seems like a lot of money was spent to construct this bridge just for pedestrian use when their other routes that could be taken. I’m sure the city had a lot of extra money, though, after the Goodwill games were held there with all the tourists spending their money in the city. This bridge is certainly unlike anything I’ve seen in my hometown of Cimmaron. Of course, I don’t think the residents in my small town whatever build something so costly. The unique design of the bridge was interesting, though, and I’m glad I the time to check it out while I was there. Plus, it was a great way for me to get to the botanical gardens from the city. I’m sure next time I go back, I will visit the Goodwill Bridge again. In fact, I want to go when the firework display is going on because I hear that is the best time to visit bridge.…

Posted in Brisbane

Why do we travel?

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In my last post, we talked about upping and moving to a whole new part of the world, China. Why do we desire to travel? For the young and restless, we leave our familiar surroundings in search of greener, foreign pastures in the name of adventure. Adventure brings us new experiences and perspective. That’s how we get the generations of us budget and millennial travellers who roam the world from hostel to hostel, coming home refreshed, renewed and ready for the real world ahead of us. In this globalized world where geographic boundaries are blurred, the world truly is our oyster. As a result, generations of us have shifted our mindsets, from being afraid and apprehensive of the strange things out there, to an insatiable sense of curiosity and thirst for the unknown. The hero or the traveler has evaded us for decades, returning as some kind of enigma for the things and insights they must have gotten from their exotic journeys and destinations.

 

Image result for china

Traveling for leisure is fun, especially when you get to see things you wouldn’t normally see at home. That’s why you travel anyway. In an increasingly stressful and urbanised world where we are connected all the time and are “always on”, we often seek otherworldly experiences to disconnect and detach from the stresses of the urban life.

In today’s world, there are more types of travelers than we can count on our fingers. Some go on luxury travel, where accommodation, food and destinations are of high standards and fit for the king. Save for business and corporate travelers, there are also eco/cultural-travelers, who travel adhering to ecological standards of the destination, in order to either minimise their ecological footprint or further their knowledge and cause of ecology. Through it all, however, I can only say that travel is a beneficial thing – we leave a fresh novice, and return a knowledgeable hero, with insights and experience to share.

Placed in a new environment, we are left to our own devices to find our way around and relate to the locals. That isn’t always easy on first look. Even if they speak the same language as we do, it won’t mean we can identify or relate to them easily. There will always be different ways of saying or doing things in order to obtain something. For example, social networking platforms used in South Korea for communication differs greatly to that of the US, Europe and the rest of the world. The same logic applies for Japan and China and so on. Being in a new country demands that we use creative devices to relate to them, if we are too make friends. Otherwise, we might find ourselves isolated and lost for the better part of our travels.

Returning home from a long journey ensures we are aware of different backgrounds and cultures. As a result, we have a greater culture sensitivity to different types of people from all walks of life, which is essential when we consider that our world is increasingly globalized.

I know feel recharged and I’ve now found home in Brisbane again for awhile. My friend Josh has hooked me up with a job with his company. It’s tough work having your hands above your head so much, but there is some quality of it that is very zen, which is ironic based on my return from China and it being the home of Zen.

Until next time.…

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Leaving! Well Going on an Adventure

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Leaving!

It is a wordthat makes me nostalgic. As I write this I think of all the times I have left somewhere I felt at home. The feeling of looking back and wishing I could stay. Wishing that life didnt keep evolving. But I know that moving is like growing, it gives you something much better, but it is hard to let go of the past.

I’ll be leaving soon. Going on to a new place and a new job. I need to go but that does not get rid of the nostalgia. Part of me knows I am ready and I know this is what is best for my future. But sometime, sometime soon I need ot go back to my roots, to refocus on who I am and become reinspired for the future.

It has been a while since I have moved. This place has been great. I love the friends I have made, but it is time.

Ill be packing up my room and my life of the last year in boxes. And I’ll be off on the most adventurous trip of my life. Having said that, I am still scared, because a new place means change, and that can be scary.

I anticipate the day where my room is empty and the boxes are full. I’m off to China. What will I see? Im not sure yet. But I already miss my family and friends.

What Can I expect as an explorer?

I dont really know. Will it be better than my life here? I guess that is the crux of the matter. That is the question I continually ask myself.

I finally got a cool job though! I am going to be teaching English. Yeah I know! Me right?

Well a friend went and he says he is making a nice nest egg. It’s not that they pay more than they do here. The point is that in China the cost of living expenses are much lower. That means I can save and travel some more.

 

What About My Girlfriend?

I’m glad you asked. She is actually coming with me. Well, really it was her idea. She did all the research, and asked my friend to help us find jobs. It is amazing how easy it was.

 

What About The House?

Well, we needed to do some remodeling anyway. So I am going to have my sister oversee a few door replacements and a glass door installation I want. Thankfully I dont need to touch the windows as my mate Jamie owns a company so he can take care of that for me. 

 

How Long Will I Be Gone

We have made a commitment to teach for a year. That seems a long time for me but maybe it is just the thing I need. I will miss all my friends but knowing that it is only for  a year helps. At least I know we can come back then.

 

Anyway, I will let you know how things go. …

Posted in Travel

20 Things That Are Important to Me

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It’s a lazy Monday, and I am just getting into the groove after a weekend of sitting around and watching morning misty rains.  I want to embrace that relaxed, cozy calm feeling by doing some self reflection writing.

I am inspired by many things today, and one particular phrase I read about stands out for me: “You are what you love.”

 

So I have decided to reflect on the things that I love:

Why talk about this? I don’t know maybe I need validation, just as many of you need that Facebook “Like” or the “Retweet.” And I do have to say that the positive virtual praise can be addictive. So a little online love is a positive thing for me.

I made a list of the things that I love. These are things that my virtual friends probably don’t know, and they are the little things that show me how beautiful the world really is.

I believe that:

You are what you love and not what loves you.

So guys — here is my list. You might want to try this yourself. It is a great way to put things in perspective again.

  1. My girlfriend
  2. My friends
  3. My dog
  4. My family (all of them, even those that are far away) 
  5. The gym
  6. Smoothies
  7. A good hamburger
  8. A big breakfast with waffles or pancakes
  9. Travel
  10. Camping. (OK! I’m not so good at it, but I do love it)
  11. Guacamole. I can eat a ton of it
  12. California
  13. New Mexico
  14. New York
  15. Australia was great
  16. Being on the farm
  17. Listening to AMAZING and I mean really amazing music
  18. Disneyland
  19. Peace. This is the thing that I love most, I think.

Wow! What an amazing thing to do. Sitting down and taking 15 minutes just to write down a few of the things you love can give you a lot of insight into who you are and into the life you want to lead. It can give you that feeling of peace and tranquility. Cause even when you don’t have a lot of money, you quickly realize that the things you love in life are not all that expensive. Nope, they’re not. In fact, most of the stuff you really love are free. And you often don’t get to enjoy them all that frequently because you are always worried about the things that don’t matter: what others think, your place in life, the money you make, etc. …

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Hiking the Trails….. all the fails.

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A couple weeks ago, I went out on a blind date with a girl named Lauren. One of my friends to her from work and thought we would make a great couple. We had fun on our first night, so we decided to plan another time to get together. Being the manly man I try to be, I decided we should consider some outdoor adventures. That way, I would have the chance to show her just how manly I am.

She and I decided to take a little hike down the Clear Creek hiking trail. It’s not too far from where I live and, hey, I’ve been hiking before so it couldn’t be too difficult, right? At least that’s what I’ve always thought.

I did a little research before our trip and saw that the trail was just a little over 2 miles long. This was encouraging to me since I don’t do much hiking. What I didn’t realize, though, was that the difficulty level of the trail was considered moderate to strenuous. I didn’t figure that out until we arrived at the park and was looking at the information board. There was no backing out at that point, though. Didn’t want Lauren to think I couldn’t handle it. Besides, I had worked with Tree Removal Alexandra Hills years before, so I knew how to rough it somewhat.

Shortly into the hike, trail went into a thick forested area. I’m not a fan of snakes, so I became a little nervous at this point. I picked up a walking stick and forged my way through the woods with Lauren leading the way. Come to find out, she is quite the expert of hiking. This was a bit of relief to me on one hand, but threatened my manhood on the other. Don’t worry, I was able to suck it up and not look near as nervous as I felt.

We did pass several waterfalls and had to hold hands while crossing the water, so I can’t complain too much about the day. And, lucky for me, we both made it out unscathed and with my manhood intact.

Next time, though, we may just visit the museum.…

Posted in Relationships

The Dirty Cakes Band

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So yesterday I was riding around listening to Dirty Cakes Band, I’d Luv to See You Nakid. I really enjoy their music. Someday, I hope to make it to one of their concerts. They tend to draw in many female fans which works for me! They mostly play in their hometown of Los Angeles, California, but sometimes go elsewhere to perform. I enjoy keeping up with their twitter page and seeing all the fans talk about going to one of their live concerts. Yeah, one day that will be me. For now, I’ll just turn it up really loud and enjoy this up and coming Hard Rock band.

 

 

I find Dirty Cakes to be a pretty raw band. They dabble in several different Rock genres, but bring it all together nicely and end up creating their own musical statement that is both unique and refreshing. You don’t find that very much in the world of Desert Rock.
The Dirty Cakes Band has been able to create music that is wonderful and memorable by uniting their own brand of sound with the more relevant sounds of Classic Rock. I am really looking forward to hearing a lot more from this band. To get where they need to be, they need to work on making more songs that are great, increase the number of tours, and continue marketing themselves on social media. Of course, I seriously want them to tour closer to me. Hey, I’m willing to drive a couple hours to see them. I think the marketing part is what will really get them to grow, though. They certainly need to have the passion, hunger, and drive when marketing on social media. These days, that’s where the power to reach the multitudes lives!
I must say, though, that Dirty Cakes Band is off to an awesome start already. They certainly caught my attention!…

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My Dad and Guns

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Living out here in Colfax County, New Mexico, it is important that we know how to use a gun. One of the best places out this way to learn more about guns, gun safety, and the ends and outs of shooting is at the NRA Whittington Center here in Colfax County.

 

The first time I went to the Whittington Center was with my dad when I was 14 years old. Before then, I had my own pellet gun I would use to shoot rodents. My dad was ready for me to move up to a rifle, though, because we began having problems with coyotes on our property. He was tired of being the only one to sit up at night to take care of the coyotes and figured I was old enough to help.

Going to the shooting range was one of my favorite memories with my dad. I learned a lot and enjoy the hands-on instruction I was given. Though I love my dad, he wasn’t the best teacher, so I was glad he took me to the Whittington Center to learn.

After taking the classes, my dad and I spent many nights out hunting coyotes. I feel like that’s when I learned how to be a man, as I spent that one-on-one time with him. We even shot a few coyotes along the way.

My dad passed away five years ago, so on days like today when I miss him, I tend to find myself back at the NRA Whittington Center. The smell of gunpowder brings back a flood of memories of the time that I spent with my dad here and out in the field hunting coyotes.

Someday, when I find the right girl to settle down with and have children, I want to be able to teach my children about guns the same way my dad did with me. Of course, I’ve got to find that right girl first. Out here in Colfax County the options are a little limited, but I’m sure that right girl is out there somewhere waiting to meet me as well.…

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A Visit to the Gabba

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So, while I was in Brisbane, Australia, I decided to check out the game of Cricket. I found there were two sporting complexes in the area that weren’t too far away from where I was staying, so I went to the one named Gabba, also known as the Brisbane Cricket Ground. Cricket is the only sport played there. You can also watch the soccer and rugby union play or enjoy a game of Australian rules football. In fact, the Brisbane Lions AFL team and the Queensland Bulls both play at the Gabba.

Before the game, I talk a little bit of a history tour of the Gabba. The land was originally designated as a site for cricket back in 1895. In fact, the first cricket match ever played there was between the press and the parliament in December 1896. Up until 1931, though, no official teams played regularly here. These days, though, the Gabba is one of the few premier venues in Australia for cricket. Surprisingly, the Gabba is also used occasionally for other sports such as Greyhound racing and cycling. This place actually seats around 42,000 people and is quite the interesting concrete Colosseum.

I was pretty stoked about being able to attend my first cricket game in Australia. Unfortunately, the day was a bit overcast and, thanks to intermittent rain showers, the game had to stop a few times. The Sri Lankans team was playing rather slow that day, and the rain made the game even less enjoyable. The drinks were nice, though, and I enjoyed learning more about the area and the game of cricket. The Australians won the game in the end, so the mood of the crowd picked up pretty nicely.

All in all, I enjoyed my time watching my first cricket game at the Gabba. It’s not something I want to do regularly when I visit, but at least now I can say I have went to a cricket game.…

Posted in Brisbane, Travel

Brisbane and the Blazing Heat

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So I haven’t updated this for awhile as I have been over in Brisbane Australia on one of my many spur of the moment trips.

My mum has told me for years I should put my impulsive behaviour when it comes to travel to good use. So decided awhile ago I would try my hand at travel writing. Here goes, but I’m sure its more for my amusement then anything else.

Brisbane Australia is the capital of Queensland and is the third largest city of Australia. With its scenic beauty, friendly atmosphere and fine temperate climate, Brisbane Australia draws many tourists both from Australia and around the world. I couldn’t resist a trip to Brisbane. The beautiful Australian city is a cosmopolitan place with superb food and a vibrant, lively arts scene. In Brisbane, although there are modern high-rise buildings with steel structures and glass components, traditional wooden cottages as well as historical buildings can still be found in the city. Due to the city’s beginning as a port, most of the historic buildings are found near the river. Brisbane Australia has some world-class galleries, museums, theatres and art centers. Besides lovely gardens and parks, there are also plenty of open-air spaces for eating and drinking. Tables and chairs are commonly seen spilling onto the sidewalks. Some fine restaurants and classy cafes are located there too.

The Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary are also places anyone wouldn’t want to miss visiting. The Brisbane Botanic Gardens is located at the foothills of Mount Coot-tha Forest Park, which is about 8km from the city center. The Botanic Gardens has more than 20,000 specimens from 5,000 species of herbs, shrubs and trees. Popular attractions include a Japanese Garden, a Tropical Display Dome, a Lagoon and Bamboo Grove, Fern House, National Freedom Wall and eucalypt groves. The Aboriginal name of Mount Coot-tha Forest Park means “place of wild honey”. This name is given to it because of the tiny bees found in the area. The park has remarkable views of the surroundings and it offers good walking trails and wonderful picnic areas for strollers and picnickers.

I also had the opportunity to stay and work with my friend Ben in his Gold Coast Building Rectification Business. The experience was tough work, especially in the summer heat. His business is thriving in the area due to Brisbane’s high number of tropical storms and heat in the area that has been erratic over the last 10 years. Especially with the floods that happened during the summer of 2010-2011 . Working with my friend for just a day there made me realized that, building rectification is a highly technical, yet delicate task and requires a lot of knowledge. Trying to not only fix something; especially with water damage and also have to solve the issue so it doesn’t happen again is tricky business.

Successfully solving building issues requires knowledge of physics, biology, dangerous tools, advanced techniques, and more. They are exposed to different kind of risks, like: Working near power lines; Gravity, working on sites that have had water and fire damage can undermine structural integrity and can make moving around a little difficult and you really need to think. It was really a cool thing to experience as I learnt a lot from just a day working with him. Prior to this I didn’t even know what building rectification was.

 

As you can see from the above, Brisbane Australia is lively city with marvelous historic buildings, lovely gardens and a fantastic hub of arts and cultural activities. Also, there are couple of businesses thriving there due to the city’s characteristics and nature. By visiting some well-known art galleries, museums and performing arts centers there, you can gain wonderful insights on the art scene there. Besides, Brisbane offers wonderful food served by some superb restaurants located there. My trip to Brisbane was a relaxing and enriching one!

 

Thanks once again to Ben for letting me crash with him and also my mates Paul and Mick.

 …

Posted in Brisbane, Travel

The Water

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I can’t believe it’s come to this.
A life in chains or a raised fist.
The chains, that you thought were imposed on you by society, expectations from friends, family, partners, lovers, your upbringing, your own ego and self-belief that everyone is watching, that idea that you are so important. These chains weren’t cast on you by external entities trying to destroy you. They were slung over your shoulders, across your back by yourself. These burdens are yours and your choice.
The names you gave to your self-imposed oppression, your struggle, your fight against them, they were just labels; badges, an identity in order to give you the belief that you are deeper and more interesting than you actually are. You are a label with a rule book you have to adhere to, out of fear you will be outed as a fraud or a traitor to your imaginary cause.
The pursuit to say “I’m an individual” through means of identification with a particular way of life, an ideology, a false truth, a lie. You identify as the brand, a character, an actor on a stage that is not yours, you are not the person.
You stop being the individual, the entity that is eternal, evolving and infinite. You’ve forgotten you were born into a sea chaos and you will die in it. Drowning, struggling or otherwise.
Your search for truth and identity has you fighting against the waves, the rips, the tide, the moon, the universe in order to feel justified by your own truth of yourself.
There is no truth, there is only chaos. You can either embrace it, learn to live with it or die.
You can fight against the tide, the undertow, the waves in the pursuit of a truth that will never be realised and a struggle that will never see an end.
Or you can relax and swim in the ocean, let the waves take you, bask in the sun, but knowing you won’t drown.
Let the liquid of uncertainty wash over you in the comforting realization. You don’t know shit.
You are who you are.
You are eternal.
…
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