Tag: philosophy

Quick Update (practically July 2016)

I haven’t disappeared.  Still working on writing out my experiences earlier this year — a sort of catch up.

That said, there have been some changes in my life — notably that:

  • After eight years of working at a national not-for-profit organization, I’ve moved on to a new job.  Don’t worry, still exploring life and data.
     
  • I no longer have the flexibility and the resources to tackle the remainder of the Bruce Trail at this time — so my friends are going to continue it with out me.  Part of me is saddened by this reality as I really wanted to finish it but there’s no way around this for now.  I hope to continue and finish it in the future.
     
  • With the change in resources and budget, I’m now directing more attention to exploring with the bicycle — I haven’t decided yet how to integrate that into this website yet so it currently sits on a separate website here.

Some upcoming stuff or longer-term goals:

  • I’ll be taking a few fun road trips locally and through the north-eastern US.  One of my goals is to do some hiking in Acadia National Park in August.  I know, it is tourist season but I had planned the trip when I was in my old job.
     
  • The cycling is tied to my goal of tackling the 500km Greenbelt Route here in Ontario next year.  Probably around the summer or autumn of 2017.
     
  • I really am enjoying cloudspotting so I’m probably going to delve further into that at some point but I’m not sure what to do as of yet.

Thanks again for visiting and stay tuned for more — feel free to reach out on Instagram where I’m probably the most active.

If you have questions for me, feel free to ask.

Where does discontent start?

Where does discontent start?  You are warm enough, but you shiver.  You are fed, yet hunger gnaws you.  You have been loved but your yearning wanders in new fields.  And to prod all these there’s time, the bastard Time.  The end of life is now not so terribly far away–you can see it the way you see the finish line when you come into the stretch–and your mind says, “Have I worked enough? Have I eaten enough? Have I loved enough?"  All of these, of course, are the foundation of man’s greatest curse, and perhaps his greatest glory.  "What has my life meant so far, and what can it mean in the time left to me?"  And now we’re coming to the wicked, poisoned dart: "What have I contributed in the Great Ledger? What am I worth?” And this isn’t vanity or ambition.  Men seemed to be born with a debt they can never pay no matter how hard they try.  It piles up ahead of them.  Man owes something to man.  If he ignores the debt it poisons him, and if he tries to make payments the debt only increases, and the quality of his gift is the measure of the man.

Doc, Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck

Review: Packing Light by Alison Vesterfelt

Back in November I had the opportunity to download the audiobook for Alison Vesterfelt’s Packing Light.  It was by chance that I came across it on NoiseTrade where I often am scouring around for my music addiction.  Interestingly enough this was also my real first audiobook that I had tried out. I’ve written before about travelling light and minimalism but it was always a philosophy and concept that I have been experimenting with and continue to do so today.  Having the opportunity to listen to the perspective of someone else — in this case, Alison Vesterfelt’s journey and thought process — was quite refreshing.

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In Packing Light, Vesterfelt is taking the reader along on her personal cross-country road trip experience, which actually leads to a mindful discussion on not just the literal decision towards travelling with less but also towards a spiritual and philosophical thought process.  The act of travelling for me has always somewhat represented a spiritual and philosophical journey and I appreciated the dilemmas and challenges that Vesterfelt found herself confronted with.  I found myself fascinated and moved while following Vesterfelt’s exploration and search towards figuring out the right path for her to take.

There is often a lot of discussion on minimalist lifestyles when you search online.  It isn’t necessarily something for everyone but at the same time it is something that I feel each individual should read and think about for themselves.  We are often bombarded with a lot of information and ideas; so much so that we often forget to allow us (and thus lose) the time to figure out for ourselves what is right for us, and what may be better for us.

One good outcome from reading (or in this case … listening) to Packing Light is that Vesterfelt’s story takes us on that journey and through the vivid tales and observations that Alison makes;  you may find yourself asking important questions … and maybe stumbling upon an answer.