Who am I? Why should you read anything I have to say?
I could bore you with an extensive standard bio about my past, but what fun is that? The only thing you would learn about is me. That is a pretty obnoxious attitude. It wouldn’t entice me to read further and probably you won’t either.
Let me preface all this with the fact that I wasn’t born rich, idle, nor have I won a lottery. I have just many times in my life, put experiencing some different aspects of living ahead of the mature, adult, rational thing to do.
I have a couple of hang-ups. I like to be happy and more than anything I love to laugh. And some may even say I kissed the Blarney Stone.
I’ll tell you a story that might give you some insight into who I am.
I stood in the door as it opened, not just any door. This was a door on an Air Force C141 military transport. In slow motion, I watched as the jet-blast shields slid over the engines. It was 1200-1500 feet to the landing zone below, standard paratrooper jump altitude. The Green-Go-Light flashed on; the jump-master yelled Go while instantaneously grabbing me–suddenly the light had turned Red-No Go. As the jet circled back to the drop zone, I stood in the door simultaneously staring at the jets, hearing their deafening roar and watching the fields pass below. I was scared! I asked myself, how and why, being a fairly intelligent person, did I get here? What desires had brought me to this point in time? Was it to test my masculinity? Was it to see how far I could really push my envelope of living? Was it to see where my waterloo of fear existed?
The ever observant jumpmaster, having seen that look in thousands of eyes, asked: “Sir, how you doing?” I answered: “Sergeant I am wondering what the hell I am doing here?” He laughed, “Sir, you’ll be fine,”
The Green Light came on. I heard the word “Go” and jumped. I survived what 100’s of thousands of previous paratroopers had, jumping out of a perfectly good plane. On landing, I had a self-realization moment that fear had not prevented me from jumping. I have battled and overcome fears, some real, some imagined, most of my life, but this one has forever stuck in my mind. Why? When fear is involved, it is always easier to talk yourself out of a potential experience than into it. It is easier to say “No, I am not going to do that.”
Hey, common sense tells us, sometimes we should back away. But many times fear is too paralyzing and holds us back from potential, great life experiences. Fear of the unknown can be overwhelming, especially for 50+adults used to a comfortable, habitual life. When I believe fear may be holding me back from something new, remembering that first jump triggers a self-analysis weighing a risk vs. reward scenario. Not facing one’s fears and analyzing them to make a rational decision can limit memorable experiences along the journey of life.
This site focuses on the journey of life and places it takes us. With that in mind let’s explore…
Am I an expert? Yes, in living my life, just as you are in yours. Life has taught me there is always somebody smarter; somebody is going farther; somebody is going to push the limits of living, traveling, adventure and risk beyond my abilities.
- Paladin, The Lone Ranger, Marshal Dillon, Annie Oakley, and Clint Eastwood taught me there is always a faster gun in the West.
- Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett, Lewis and Clark, Jim Bridger, Edmund Hillary and thousands of families in covered wagons showed me someone is always going further than you are.
- As an example: In 1973, on an extended motorcycle journey, I watched a ferry dock in Bergen, Norway. As the rider pushed his oil covered Triumph off the ramp, I was overwhelmed by jealousy. He had gone above the Arctic Circle to the North Cape. I hadn’t. It bothered me. Still does!
- John Glenn, Jackie Robinson, Veterans, John Lewis and oodles of others have shown me there are real people, who overcome unimaginable fear to accomplish amazing feats bettering humankind. It allows me to realistically evaluate my fears.
What makes me qualified to write about life, experiences, travel, and adventure?
Good Judgment: I have made some great judgment calls, and the Good Lord knows, I have made some rotten judgment calls. The Army taught me to make quick decisions, like “Right Now Candidate,” which isn’t always the best way, but I have learned from the experience. To quote Barry LePatner: “Good judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment.” Amen!
The subjects I share here are my own. The journeys, destinations, and thoughts featured here aren’t fiction—they happened. They are mine. The entirety of these experiences qualifies me to write about them. I lived them. I hope that readers will enjoy and learn from the stories shared here.
I possess knowledge readers can utilize in making their own choices. Readers can learn from my experiences, both good and bad, and apply them to their circumstances. Readers can visit places, vicariously or physically, using this shared knowledge to help them make rational, common sense decisions regarding their journeys.
I diligently research my travel itinerary. I get goose-bumps while planning a journey. It makes no difference to me if it is a history driven road trip with my wife; taking a plane to someplace I have never been; a wondrous, long distant motorcycling adventure with my son; an exciting excursion to chase “fish,” or attending a workshop in a historic city. I welcome my instantaneous head shake, accompanied by a monstrous grin and the simultaneous feeling of “Whoa it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Why do I Write?
I love to write. I love to write about what I care about. Is it ego? Some. Do I think I am brilliant? No. Is it for posterity? Maybe, as a record that I lived. I know I have some good “stuff” to share and writing about this “stuff” makes my life whole. Writing fuels my passions for living.
Writing allows me to share my experiences and journeys with readers, in the hopes they may pursue their passions. Hopefully, it allows readers to think of life and travel as an adventure—it can make life more enjoyable.
I write to raise reader’s awareness to the fact: “The Hardest Prison to Escape is your mind” It is always easier to talk yourself out of something new, tinged with fear of the unknown, then into it.
I write to share inspirational & relative quotes from History. Writing allows me to research, learn from and use what people, from all walks of life over the centuries, have had to say that is applicable to the situation. The quotes demonstrate others have taken similar journeys throughout time. That someone has been where we are. That we are not alone. That we aren’t usually in unchartered waters. Sharing pertinent quotes stimulates relevant thinking and reflection.
Writing helps me overcome my “fears.” Seeing something in print forces me to recognize previous-present fears, confront them head-on, analyze them and not become paralyzed by their presence.
Why Bother to Write and Share?
As I grow older, I bore easily, complacency sets in, “Law and Order” calls, the couch becomes home and depression follows as I continually ask: Is this all there is? Am I done? What does aging hold for me? Are my fears of doing something different going to control me?
Andy Dufrane’s chilling quote from the Shawshank Redemption: “Get busy living, or get busy dying,” is a constant kick in my butt–it’s motivational.
The majority of my life is behind me (Wow do I find that hard to believe). Someone recently wrote in AARP(us old peoples organization)–Being a Senior used to be cool like being a Senior in High School, now many conjure up images of old people, over the hill, and just living out their years.
I don’t buy into that. I fight against it daily. As you grow older, you discover things you can’t accomplish physically that you have taken for granted most in your life. If you don’t replace old passions with new passions, life can lose meaning.
I have always been a passionate person. I wear my heart and feelings on a sleeve, So I have to ask myself continually, now that my bones ache, and I am not as nimble as I once was: What do I care about? What gets my blood boiling? What makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning, and get going? New adventures, research, writing, history, and sharing thru storytelling do the job. Fishing, a mountain motorcycle ride or a journey always rev’s up my motor for action.
I recently spent a couple of months reevaluating my reasons for blogging, writing and operating this website. Asking-Do I really want to do this? I concluded I do. But it has to include more than rote descriptions of travel destinations. My passion is the journey and absorbing the context of a destination. When I limit myself solely to writing a chronological travel itinerary, the process becomes a job. I am not looking for a job I am looking for a continued passionate purpose(PP) in living. Sharing my experiences in life’s journey is that purpose. As the saying goes, “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.” I choose to do what I love!
This website chronicles travel to include the travels of life and the journey of living it. Its purpose is to share stories, opinions, and adventures in life. After all isn’t life one big traveling, adventure journey? And let’s face it I want to be a cool, kool senior. I want to be the guy in the “Dos Equis” beer commercial, how about you?
Let’s all get busy living. Join me on this adventure journey called Life.
T.Cong 1-26-2019