Lazy Days Archives - One Guy Outdoors

January 22, 2023January 22, 2023

Wither One Guy Outdoors?

Prologue

Nearly every day, both my OneDrive and my Facebook memories remind me how much I hiked last year. I talked with my new department head when one of the memories made me particularly embarrased at the amount that I hiked this year. That amount? Zero. So, wither One Guy Outdoors? I mean, my last post before this came in October and titled “AWOL“.

I mean, on this day last year alone, I discovered a pirate graveyard.

In A Word: No

If you read that last post, nothing changed. I tried to get back into Geocaching. I planned a way to get the final 300 caches I needed to get to 1000 for last year. Nothing inspired me to follow through with that plan. Work got way too busy, Christine took a job where she now commutes just as much as I did, and I stopped having time after school for my little hikes.

This year, I watched as all of the memories flooded my timelines. I also ignored them and dug deeper into my hibernation with indoor activities like Lego and miniature painting. So, why all of a sudden the change of heart and this post? First, I promise no actual change of heart. Second, it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want to. And, what exactly is it that I do do? Eh, I really wanted that joke to land. Poop jokes are always funny.

As I drove Quinn to drop him off for a friend’s birthday party, I he and I talked a little about my hiking habits last year versus this year. Then, as I drove home, I got an idea. It seems sustainable given my current energy level and commitment to Geocaching. I can find one geocache per month on a special day in those months. The following outlines the first 5 months of the year.

31 January – Birthday Cache

14 February – Valentine’s Day Cache

20 March – First Day of Spring Cache

9 April – Easter Cache

31 May – Memorial Day Cache

Epilogue

So, no. No to wither One Guy Outdoors. This year represents a reset of the page and my commitment to outdoor activities, geocaching included. One find per month gets me to 1073 by the end of the year. Add in souvenirs and bonus finds (most likely in Europe during our trip) and I can get to 1100 by 1 January 2024. The next major milestone is 2000. I doubt, with all of the finds near my house more or less gone and geocaching getting less popular around here, that I can ever consider 1000 finds in a year again. But, I have this entire year to come up with a plan and a theme for next year.

June 23, 2021June 23, 2021

No, Thank You (Banned Words)

Prologue

Today (Yesterday) was the first day of summer. It rained. So, first day of summer in the pool? No, thank you. Instead, I took a trip to Wal*Mart (yipee!) for some last minute essentials for the trip. Then, we discovered that our “fridge decided not to fridge” anymore, as I explained to a friend. I thought it might be something simple like the coils, but I tried everything I could do and a few YouTube suggestions, but none of them worked. So, now I have to call a repairman tomorrow (today).

So, not the most stellar of first days of summer. However, I more or less finished my PD work developing the new class for next year. Granted, a colleague helped, but I won’t have to worry about that during the trip. I can just “have my existential crisis on a Florida beach” as I’ve been telling people.

The Prompt

No, Thank You: If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?

Like yesterday’s joke prompt, this is a tough one. I suppose that they are supposed to be difficult and make you think. However, having just completed one of the longest and most emotionally taxing school years ever, I have little capacity to think right now. And, so, for these last few entries, you get minimal effort.

One of the reasons this is difficult is that I’m not one of those people who gets angry over language. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I realize that words have meaning and that we need to say what we mean to say. But, it only bothered me for a bit that literally became a contranym. Honestly, once I learned the word contranym, it no longer angered me.

So, I can’t think of one specific word that bothers me enough to ban it. As I’ve told my students and own kids more than once, it’s the intent of words that bother me. They can swear all they want around me (it bothers Christine, so different rules, which also teaches a time and place, hopefully) as long as their intent is not to hurt someone’s feelings. That’s where I draw the line.

The Adventure

I think I already regaled you of my lack of adventure today (yesterday). So, I won’t reiterate any of that here. Today (tomorrow) is already looking like a day to finish up some last minute things before we travel tomorrow (Thursday). As I write this, in about 24 hours, we will touch down at our destination in Florida. I got confirmation texts from both the airport and the hotel this morning. It’s real.

Epilogue

So, no, I can’t think of one specific word that makes me say no, thank you. I want to ban that word. Maybe at certain times in my life. I know it really bothered Christine when Aiden started saying “Yeet” all the time. I mostly just laughed and tried to kill it by using it in my lame Dad manner. Eventually, it either worked, or he got sick of the word himself. Either way, the problem solved itself. Usually, that’s what happens. If you give the word power, it abuses that power. If not, well, eventually it solves itself.

May 9, 2021May 9, 2021

Success

Prologue

Well, I fell off the wagon once again. No new entries in this page for 3 days on this page. The main page lies abandoned once again for over a week, maybe two? I never recorded to get the YouTube page for 2 Guys Gaming running again. This whole exercise, so far, is an exercise in failure. I feel even lower now because I was listening to Marc Maron yesterday and he gave his speech about how because there are no gatekeepers anymore that every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they can start a podcast and become famous. Well, then how do I define success in regards to this page?

I never claim that I want either page to bring me fame or riches. In fact, I often say that I don’t care one way or another if either happens. I won’t lie and say that I would turn either down if they do happen. However, I write because I like to write. If others find what I write and enjoy it, then great. Either way, I continue to write. Even if it doesn’t lead to eventual success.

The Journal

Before I consider success, let’s talk one more failure. No “outdoor adventure” today other than a trip to the dump and then one down to Honest Weight to pick up some beer. Okay, now to talk about success. Question: Tell us about a time where everything you’d hoped would happen actually did.

Now, I know that these questions are designed to spark thought and discussion. However, after the first few I answered, they became quite difficult to answer. This one makes me think of the time I was in counseling and the counselor said, “Tell me about one good thing that happened this week.”

I paused for a good 20 seconds and stammered a bit before saying, “My department head bought me a coffee when we took our trip to UMass. I guess that was pretty cool.” The counselor responded, “That’s pretty sad that it took you that long to simply come up with that example.” I’m sure they weren’t that abrupt and judgmental, but that’s how I remember it. So, I now struggle (after having come up with several examples of failure) to remember a time where everything went according to plan. Trust me when I say it isn’t because there are so many examples that I can’t narrow it down.

Instead, as part of my self deprecation and sabotage, thinking of times I failed is much easier than considering times that I’ve succeeded. I guess if I think of a recent example, I can talk about my Financial Algebra classes on Thursday. Admitted to the students (because of my stupid absolute honesty) that April went less than stellar. I lost the thread of the classes too often.

And, so, I took some time over break to put together Google Slides shows of two sections from the book. I also gave them homework. Now, you might say, that sounds exactly like how a traditional class should run. And, therein, is where the problem in April lie (or is it lay? Not sure and Grammarly didn’t help). Either way, I expected the plans to be met with some resistance. Naturally, some students ignored me as they always will. However, for the most part, I got compliance from all of them.

Epilogue

They tell us to celebrate the small successes. For most, my class actually acting like a class for one day surely counts as a small success. Even I can admit that it doesn’t inspire much confidence in my abilities as a teacher. But, it was an improvement over what happened in April and overall it was a success. I will see tomorrow if it was just a one time occurrence or I can build on the success to make the end of the year an overall success.

April 30, 2021April 30, 2021

Cringe Worthy

Prologue

To be honest, this will probably be the first entry that I genuinely have difficulty writing. Never mind the fact that of the top I despise the phrase “cringe worthy”. I don’t see the point to nor the benefit of answering the question posed today. Plus, it’s raining right now. Granted, that means little here in New England where the silly saying is, “If you don’t like the weather, wait a few minutes.” However, even if it stops raining, I’m not feeling terribly inspired nor motivated today.

Both the bigger boys started back to school this week. Our vacations don’t line up anymore because New Hampshire and Massachusetts stagger them. Quinn does remote school until about 1 and Christine stays at school until 5 o clock most nights now that she’s an assistant principal. Besides, I stayed up way too late/early in the morning (to yesterday’s post) watching 30 for 30 documentaries on Hulu. That always saps my motivation the next day. I can’t even find enough to work out and I look forward to that every day.

As a result, today’s entry may not be accompanied by any “outdoor adventure”, not even a walk around town with the Bups. I looked up the weather and it is supposed to break in the rain this afternoon into this evening, so maybe Christine and I will walk today. This page certainly hasn’t lived up to the adventure part just yet. I need to plan out some hikes, even if they are ones that I’ve done before. As I hold out hope that the rain clears and update my Strixhaven review on the main page, ponder today’s question with me.

Question: Do you feel uncomfortable when you see someone else being embarrassed? What’s most likely to make you squirm?

Journal

It never stopped raining. Unlike Liam, I decided not to brave the weather and stayed comfy and cozy in the house all day. And so, no outdoor adventure today, not even quick walk to the library like yesterday. Additionally, as mentioned, I have no interest in answering this question. And, so, I regret to inform that today’s entry will end with no conclusion.

Epilogue

I apologize for the half assed nature of this journal. Perhaps that, in and of itself is “cringe worthy”. I like to think that I’m not that meta, but perhaps I outsmarted even myself with this one. Probably not. It’s just one of those days. See you tomorrow.