Month: July 2022

The truck

6:00pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Wednesday evening, July 20, 2022. I listed my truck for sale this morning before taking it to a car wash for a deep clean and shine. There have been no responses to the ad yet, but I will sell it one way or the other before too long. That is a hard thing to say. I have owned the truck for over 12 years, the longest of any vehicle in my life. But I can’t keep it. I don’t want to insure it, nor do I want to take it back to California and re-register it. However, letting it go will be sorrowful. In many ways the truck has been a comforting touchstone of the past. Ten years ago we took a family vacation to South Dakota in it. At that time life was violently unstable. We were moving from Utah to California and had not settled in, nor were we sure we would stay together as a family. We were strained and stressed by many issues, mostly of my doing. The truck was a self-contained safe haven; inside the cab there was no sadness, frustration or anger, just our small family, driving around Wyoming and South Dakota, dodging thunderstorms, drinking coffee and enjoying being together. Alas, nothing lasts forever. After a week the vacation was over and life went on. To the point where now the truck is old and needs significant repairs (kind of like our marriage?) I guess eventually that is how everything goes; at some point you have to say good bye and realize, no matter what, all good things come to an end.

The truck, in Dana Point, California, 2021

Owe it

4:42pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Tuesday afternoon, July 19, 2022. Had a second interview this morning for the specialist position in California. It seemed to go really well. They are going to make a hiring decision at the end of this week. If I am chosen that gives me enough time to inform the Rancho Cucamonga group I changed my mind. I don’t like going back on my commitment but, the specialist job is better on many levels; financially, personally and professionally. I owe it to my family and myself to move forward if given the opportunity.

Ready

7:08pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Monday night, July 18, 2022. Spent time working on the article this morning. I like how it is going. It has brought clarity to many aspects of my life. Now the task will be to make it meaningful for a larger audience. This afternoon I bought some vitamins, then went grocery shopping. I believe I am ready to go back to work. The time off has been nice but, I need more structure, and things to do.

The future

5:22pm, pacific standard time, Salt Creek Beach, Dana Point, California, USA, Saturday afternoon, July 16, 2022. Drove to California this morning, had a good conversation with my daughter’s mom about work, living arrangements and the future. We will do what is best for us our daughter, whatever that takes. At the beach right now. Tried to connect with my best friend from high school who is in town this weekend but, he is at Disneyland . Might be too much for him, and me, to get together today.

Article

8:17pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Friday night, July 15, 2022. Worked on the article I mentioned a week (or so) ago. Have some good ideas and the direction is taking shape. I would like to finish it before I begin working full-time again.

Resin ghost with lantern

8:52pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Thursday night, July 14, 2022. Drove to north Phoenix twice today trying to locate a Halloween decoration for a friend. Apparently it is the hot item this year and almost completely sold out. Never mind the fact it is only July! Anyway, after a week of visiting multiple stores and calling countless others, my quest was successful.

The much sought after decoration
Resin ghost with lantern

Not much

6:57pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Wednesday evening, July 13, 2022. Not much happened today; ran some errands in the afternoon. Bought a sunshade for my car, tried to find a Halloween decoration for a friend, picked up a prescription.

Better?

7:09pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Tuesday evening, July 12, 2022. I was contacted by the group for the Executive Director specialist role in California. They seem urgent to move forward. I have a interview scheduled for Friday and another for next Tuesday. I will go through with them to see how things turn out. I don’t want to renege my commitment to the Rancho Cucamonga group but, I don’t want to make a wrong decision either. The executive director specialist role seems better in many ways. I don’t want to make a decision that can affect so many variables in my life without at least knowing more information.

Buzz cut

6:25pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Monday evening, July 11, 2022. Bought clippers this morning and gave myself a haircut. Actually, I gave myself a buzz cut. I didn’t have much choice; the front part of my scalp has been thinning lately and nothing I did looked good. It still doesn’t look very good but, at least it is better than it was. I guess I can’t complain, I had most of my hair up until age 50. Getting old is not very fun.