Field Notes, Monday August 15th

Arrival at Mount Desert Island was yesterday afternoon, and having successfully made the trek I drew two conclusions already about Maine:

1. They know how to take care of highways in this state.  I've never driven on such pot-hole free roadways in all my life.  Oh, and they do get some snow here.
2. This place is beautiful, but I say this fully noting that it's summer outside and not winter.

The environmental vibe here is interesting:  while it smells like "da shore", that's where the similarities end.  This is NOT the shore as folks from NEPA would recognize it.  The water is calm at the the bay were I sit and type this, and there are boats-a-plenty bobbing up and down on the waves.  Another difference:  I actually hear more from crows than I do seagulls.  

Speaking of critters, I was greeted by a Maine Coon as I got up this morning and headed over the official blogging patio.  It's tail looked like something you find on the duster sold by one of the TV "miracle inventions to save you time and money cleaning" shows.  You know the one...the show that is hosted by the little guy with the British accent.  Anyway, the cat must be a permanent resident that makes the rounds between visitors, scarfing up that odd bit of attention from passers by that have soft spots for fluffy cats.

So here I sit, contemplating Maine, the week ahead, and devising my best possible strategy to actually relax during the week.  That's in part what this vacation is designed for I think:  to re-set the circuit, if you will, after what has been an "interesting" 2011 so far.  I'm utterly convinced that I need to, after 47 years of life, reset certain aspects of my life.  One of those things is my ability to actually relax, not over-think, not over-feel, just relax.  Given the calm salty air, the light breeze, the moderate temperatures and the basic notion that here I am on vacation and for once I don't have to be "in charge".  

"In charge" is more or less synonymous with "control", which is at the heart of many issues for me in and around my life.  I have been learning that sometimes you have to surrender yourself to what happening in your life.  I've noted this kind of revelation before:  sometimes in life you don't get what you want, but you do get what you need.  Now I am at the stage where I know this to be true, but actually appreciating it?  Well that's what I continue to evolve towards.

End Note:

As I'm typing this I reminded that the small number of people that read this spew fall into two categories...those that like the political stuff and those that like the more introspective stuff.  Sadly, much of this will probably be more of the introspective variety, as politics doesn't seem to jive well with Zen/personal enlightenment of my vacation time.  One never knows though...