Homer's Travels: The Rest ... I Want To Be A Surprise

Monday, January 03, 2011

The Rest ... I Want To Be A Surprise

2010 left in just about the same way that 2009 did, quiet and calmly at home in front of the television.  We didn't feel like fighting the crowds and cold to see the fireworks, something we skipped last year as well.

The first weekend of 2011 was filled with football for the Wife and some crappy Kongregate.com adventure game, one I played an embarrassingly large number of hours, for me (thank you GeekHiker for introducing me to that time suck).  Between games we managed to put away all the Christmas decorations.  Once again we were amazed how bright our family room is without the tree.

So, what's up for 2011?  Last year I set goals and this is what I said::
"I don't make resolutions. I do make plans that I often stray from though.
  • I plan to read more.
  • I plan to try to watch less day-time television.
  • I plan to push my hiking/walking out past the twenty mile point.
  • I plan on walking the Steamboat Trace.
  • I plan to walk the Cowboy Trace if other things work out.
  • I plan to finally convince myself that I can do the Pilgrimage in Spain.
  • I plan to enjoy our Jordan vacation."
Looking back I was not totally successful.  I read less, not more.  I did try to watch less day-time TV but I utterly failed.  I did not walk the Cowboy Trace.  But I did push my hiking/walking out past twenty miles (21.22 miles in October).  I did complete the Steamboat Trace from one end to the other - twice.  Despite camera issues, I enjoyed our Jordan vacation.  Most importantly, I am confident enough to have booked an airline ticket to Spain for my pilgrimage.  Four out of seven isn't half bad ... well, it sort of is, but it could have been worse.

I don't think I'll set many goals this year.  Two goals will be enough:
  • Finish the Camino de Santiago.  A really big one for me.  The hardest physical challenge I've every attempted.
  • Drive Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica and visit our friends in California.  We have this planned for after I get back from Spain.  It will be our most ambitious roadtrips ever.  On the way out I hope to visit the town where I grew up before my family moved to Guatemala (haven't been there since college).  On the way home we will visit San Francisco to make a third attempt to visit Alcatraz (we have failed twice before).

The rest ... I want to be a surprise.

P.S. Happy Anniversary to Just A Girl and the Boy!  One down, a lifetime to go.

3 comments:

  1. My nephew always tells us a couple things he wants for Christmas and then smiles and says "And surprises!" He's always delighted by all the surprises he gets.

    This post reminds me of that. :) I hope you have lots of great surprises!

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  2. You are so, so very welcome for the Kongregate link. Now, which game was it you were playing, hm?

    You hit better than 50% of your goals, and that's a lot more than most people can say!

    Hope we'll get a chance to say hello when you finish the Rte 66 drive (which I've always wanted to do myself - in a convertible. :) )

    Can't wait to see what surprises are in store!

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  3. MMC: Thank you. I hope we all are pleasantly surprised.

    GH: I hope we can get together this summer as well. Maybe do that hike we never managed to do before I left.

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