#GoingAlone

top of page

Search

untitled image

4 days ago
2 min

The Good Life - 01/28/2023 - Preparing myself for fun

There’s a little anxiety now as we prepare to go to Japan, as we are just days from leaving and a few important details remain undone. But that’s how things go, right? As life sweeps over us always with the demands of our jobs, and chores, and family and all the other sweet necessities of living; leaving no time for what is extra and new—like booking someplace to stay in Atami for the last three nights of our stay there. But, we’ve also strong resolve at our ready, and

1 view0 comments

A young woman into the sea

6 days ago
2 min

A young woman into the sea

There’s someone new at the beach… A young woman began coming here alone a few weeks back. She sits by herself a hundred yards up the sand, barefoot, wrapped in a towel and watching the sea; always alone—on cold days and nice, there she is—with Angela, the attorney in her little blue tent a ways down the beach the other way, and Dal Weatherford, the widowed rocket scientist, incessantly walking—there’s four of us here now: the Lifeguard Tower 18 Regulars. Yesterday, the

0 views0 comments

untitled image

6 days ago
2 min

The Good Life - 01/27/2023 - Pendulum swing *

It’s funny how I’m not anticipating this upcoming trip to Japan. What I mean by that is that I’m not expecting anything of the trip than whatever happens. In fact, I’m not even expecting the trip to happen, as one of us could still catch COVID before we go and then the trip is off. Whatever happens is fine. It’s really alright any way things go—which fact clears the way to a fine two weeks of living come whatever may. That’s a way to live: come whatever may. #GoingAlone

1 view0 comments

untitled image

6 days ago
2 min

Day 55 ocean swim

My holiday has begun, and my mind is unspooling the thoughts of work to instead dwell on thoughts of time—and the good use of time—and how I might best utilize these precious weeks of freedom better than liesure, or mere pleasure, or—heaven forbid!—any worldly gain. I’ve a tumor growing within me (probably benign) after all. Isn’t that sufficient motive to improve the nick of time? I do think it is. So then, it’s virtue by golly! That’s a way to live! #GoingAlone #TheGo

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 26
3 min

The Good Life - 01/26/2023 - A wake of virtue *

It’s my final day of work before vacation. This day feels much more final than it seemingly is—like I’m saying goodbye to the teams at work and leaving everything in their quite capable hands. Yumiko and I will be back here before we know it. However, this trip feels different, as it’s not merely a holiday, but also a scouting mission for an utter and absolutely new life for us both. Our mission being to pick somewhere else to live in place of here—that’s maybe why this

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 26
2 min

Day 54 ocean swim

One more day of work before vacation. I think the teams have everything under control. I noticed positive Teams chatter after I’d logged off and went to the beach. They’ve got it. The need for me is merely a consequence of me being around. After I’m gone, or simply the anticipation of my being gone, and the world closes quickly over the loss and carries on. Japan awaits next month and another huge adventure a few years later after that—leaving everything behind to thos

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 25
2 min

The Good Life - 01/25/2023 - Tumor *

My doctor called yesterday to tell me he was a little concerned about a growing tumor in my abdomen which we tested last week, telling me I need more tests. He called back an hour later saying “let’s get that thing out of you” which is what we’ll do—after I get back from Japan. In this video, I share my thoughts and reaction to such news, as well as my plan going forward. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #BeingAlwaysReadyToDie The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and

1 view0 comments

untitled image

Jan 24
2 min

The Good Life - 01/24/2023 - Traveling after children *

Yumiko and I have begun wearing masks again when we’re in public in order to lessen our chances of getting sick ahead of our trip, and to prepare ourselves again for the regimen of mask wearing still in place in Japan. Otherwise, I think we’re nearly ready to go. Luggage ready, gifts bought, paperwork all in order. Traveling after the active parenting years are done turns out to be pretty simple and easy. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #Adventure The Good Life Meditation is my

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 24
2 min

Running across the bottom of the sea

The tide is very low tonight... I feel like I’m running over and across the bottom of the sea. Miles glide by like sailing. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #GoodUseOfTime The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a purposeful life in spite of a universe of seeming indifference. Learn more about The Good Life at my website GoingAlone.org or by reading my book Going Alone. And visit our Discord at: https://lnk

0 views0 comments

The Good Life - 01/23/2023 - Can’t reach for tomorrow *

Jan 23
2 min

The Good Life - 01/23/2023 - Can’t reach for tomorrow *

Lots on my mind as I wrap up work this week and finish our preparation for Japan. Travel seems both easier and more challenging with age; as I never worried much about the life and responsibilities being left behind when I was younger and didn’t have much grounding. Conversely, experience informs me such things usually work themselves out, and I need only make sure I don’t leave the kettle boiling in the kitchen before we go. I just need to stop going to the kitchen eve

0 views0 comments

The Good Life - 01/22/2023 - The color of virtue *

Jan 22
2 min

The Good Life - 01/22/2023 - The color of virtue *

Just four work days left before a two week vacation. I was up last night thinking about work, planning how things will go while I’m away. Yumiko was doing the same. We both need to let our jobs go for a bit. We work with good people, who know what they are doing and who in the end, don’t really need us. In fact, in some ways they’ll do better without us, and it’s good practice for us to get out of the way and watch them fill the space we now occupy with their own improv

0 views0 comments

Day 52 ocean swim

Jan 21
2 min

Day 52 ocean swim

I barely beat nightfall tonight. Just a few seconds of direct, warm, sunlight before the day is gone. That’s alright. I’ll take whatever I can get—and be happy with that. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #PrincipleOfFun The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a purposeful life in spite of a universe of seeming indifference. Learn more about The Good Life at my website GoingAlone.org or by reading my book

0 views0 comments

The Good Life - 01/20/2023- Done, if not finished *

Jan 20
2 min

The Good Life - 01/20/2023- Done, if not finished *

It’s a Friday on and I’ve a plan to make very good use of the dawning day of work. Meetings, status reports and mapping out the logistics of team activities for the coming two weeks. Nothing satisfies quite like a job well done, and I’m eager to get started and make of today a quite satisfying Friday. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #PrincipleOfPurpose The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a purposef

1 view0 comments

Day 51 ocean swim

Jan 20
2 min

Day 51 ocean swim

It feels like we’re really rounding the corner into the new year now. I will therefore allow myself no excuses for not working and living hard and well—every day with punishingly strong effort. It’s funny how the young me never had such resolve, but was always living with the promise of a better tomorrow. It seems I’m all outta promises anymore. Good riddance then to best intent. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #AlwaysReadyToDie The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation a

1 view0 comments

The Good Life - 01/19/2023- Gaijin yakuza *

Jan 19
2 min

The Good Life - 01/19/2023- Gaijin yakuza *

I’ve sighted opportunity on the horizon though I think I’m gonna pass. It’s too late now at this stage of my life. Not too late in terms of capability, as I think I could do it well, but too late in terms of desire. I guess it’s good to know where the inner road is headed—to follow a path more true than straight. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #TrueOpportunity The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a

1 view0 comments

Day 49 ocean swim

Jan 19
2 min

Day 49 ocean swim

The storms have passed and our winter beach has returned to it’s familiar attitude and ways. It’s good to run again down and into the surf. But not now without first running hard for two miles to warm things up! Next: home, a walk with my wife and the dogs, a YouTube live to sign and illustrate a book for Lance before dinner, our show to watch on TV and then bed. Life is going back to what it was before the storm—because storms and lives are sometimes just things to get

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 18
2 min

The Good Life - 01/18/2023- Angela’s story *

Yesterday, I met Angela. She’s my age, and she’s at the beach every afternoon just like me. Angela sits in a tiny blue tent with her laptop and the front flap of the little tent open to the sea. I see Angela every day and we usually wave hi across the sand. Yesterday, Angela introduced herself and told me her story. She’s a trial attorney. She does her court work in the mornings and then comes to sit and work on her laptop at the beach each day after lunch and until the

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 18
2 min

Day 48 ocean swim

Today I limbered up and ran two miles before my swim. Add to that the fact that I’ve only eaten a piece of bread and a small bowl of my own homemade soup in the last 24 hours and I’m feeling pretty lean and mighty. I don’t think I’d live like this anywhere else or at any time prior in my life. Age, gratitude to be alive, excitement about what life there is yet to live are together quite powerful forces to harness all at once and in the direction of not wasting a single

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 17
2 min

The Good Life - 01/17/2023- And sunny days too *

I did another live on-line book signing last night. It was hard understanding and balancing the technology used to support the event, and I made one serious mistake which cut a channel of audio from the Internet stream, making for an awkward and very one-sided conversation with my three guests from Discord. But I’ve figured out the problem and will not likely make this same error again. But it’s always like that with whatever is new—like when Yumiko and I first moved to

0 views0 comments

untitled image

Jan 17
2 min

Day 47: Running to the Huntington Beach Pier

This morning I did something new. I ran along the surf-zone all the way to the Huntington Beach Pier and back—two miles total, a new record for me! It was great fun coursing up, down and along the frothing wet sands, feeling my bare feet splash softly into the sandy waves. I was the only person on the beach the entire way—the only man on Earth for a brief bit of this early Sunday morn. #GoingAlone #TheGoodLife #Adventure The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation an

0 views0 comments

bottom of page