since I never stay home on vacation I am not sure if that is how it will be. it may be more like the Thursdays and Fridays of the last year- things to do but at my own pace and on my own schedule.
last night I went out for dinner- actually was taken out for dinner by the crew that worked for me in the last five to twenty years - great folks - excellent at their work and always supportive of each other. they were a first rate team and I sure they will continue to be. that gets me thinking about changes - as we know by law of nature nothing stays the same - so how will things change now that I am gone?
did my mother wonder that when she decided to leave? she told me "you'll be fine" and of course while I miss her dreadfully I am fine, as predicted. I said something not unlike that to my folks- getting a new boss- turning a page in their time at the company.
I guess the thing is - it is just different and I don't really know how it will be when the feeling of "different" passes.
next week a trip where I have no cares or worries about what is happening at the office - LOL- seriously- the joy just bubbled up right then... my Chairman wrote me Friday afternoon and he titled the email "FREE" LOL- no longer semifree but free. (I don't think I will change the name - Foodie at 15 didn't - he just retitled his blog Foodie at 15 (now 17) )
We have dinner with friends tonight- another celebration...
so what photos will show celebration and freedom? don't know right now- will have to post them later... when I am on my regular computer with lots of choices...
OK so when I went looking I had to clarify what represents freedom to me-
so let's start with this - what I want to be doing-
and let's go on from there- why is this what I want to be doing? well here are some old photos of us in China and Tibet:
a class room in Tibet- the kids were having the best time and so were we!
these folks in the Hutong in Beijing couldn't get over how tall I was- I couldn't help but find their stature equally amusing!
a bus ride somewhere in China- you can see it is quite crowded (a billion people will do that...)
this photo is marked Hong Kong Kowloon- so it would have been taken three weeks into the trip - clearly there is still enough to hold my attention....(and not just Phil's Dr. Zorba like hair- LOL)
and this one from a later trip to Bhutan- where they measure gross national happiness rather than GNP or GDP....
because I am the photographer I don't have all that many photos of myself but there was a woman on the trip to China that snapped a bunch of shots of us-
what I am struck by when looking at these photos is how happy I look.... some of these actually convey my sense of wonder, fun, excitement and adventure that is - I find- the true gift of traveling.
see you on the road....
