Speeding Tickets and Life

So now that the holiday's are over and I've managed to avoid an arrest warrant being issued...life is starting to return to a normalized state. It wasn't anything to exciting, but when I was driving home an Ohio cop ticketed me for speeding...those of you know me probably aren't surprised. If I didn't pay my $140 ticket, there would have been an arrest warrant issued for me...so I decided that even if I really didn't want to pay that much money, I didn't want to end up in deeper trouble...although I must say that I think he gave me a break. He told me that he clocked me at 86 when the speed limit was 70, he wrote 84 on my ticket. I'm thinking that 85 and higher would put me in another price bracket and I'd be even poorer...although, I think the state of Ohio likes my money!!

The tally: 
Michigan pulled over 2 times - 
1)  for speeding (warning)
2)  for broken headlight (no ticket for that - just get it fixed)  

Ohio pulled over twice - tickets both times!

Pennsylvania pulled over twice:
1) ticketed for speeding
2) warning for speeding

I know that I have a speeding habit, but I like to go fast! This is probably why my dad always said no when I talked about driving semi-trucks across the country for my job, or becoming a NASCAR driver. 

Sometimes I think that I approach life like I drive...full speed ahead, what's the point in holding back because you only live once. I don't want to have regrets at the end of my life because I didn't pursue my dreams. 

Is slowing down an option? Is it something that I can afford in my life? 

One thing I have never understood is when people push back achieving their dreams until they are older, retired and have time...really, I don't know how long I'm going to live, what's going to happen to me, so why not take advantage of the opportunities that I have now. 

Living this way can also have it's challenges...I know the things I want to do, but in what order? Do I go hear first? Will that work out? When will I find that place I want to settle down? Will I ever find it? Or will continue to move around? I feel like I'm coming to an intersection in my life...and I need to decide which direction to go, how will I know that it's the right road? Will I regret it later? 
I've come to these intersections before and because of the choices I made then, I am where I'm at now. I wouldn't change it but often wonder where I'd be if I choose another path. 

I'm at the intersection...which way should I turn? Where do I want to go? What do I want to accomplish with my life?  If I can't do everything, what is the most import for me to do? What if I regret the choice I made? 

Life isn't simple and straight forward...there are intersections, blind corners, and many twists and turns 

I have to go to the left or the right...two very different options in very different directions...

The more I think about life what it is, what it means, the more confused I get...and so I wonder if trying to live my life to the fullest is my way of searching for life's answers. 

I trusted God would lead me then, and I need to do that again. He's never failed me...although there were some hard times and I was scared I've become a stronger person. 

I don't know what challenges this road will lead to, but  what's the point of looking back once your moving forward...

It's going to be a White Christmas in Michigan...

I was able to get the week before Christmas off work which is exciting! It meant that I was able to come home and see my family, which I haven't seen since May. 

Monday evening I had to work from 3p-3a. Once I left work, I went home and loaded up my car and started the 11 hour drive. I stopped a couple times, to get some sleep. My goal was to make it home in time for the Christmas Concert that my two sister were in and surprise my family by coming home a day earlier than they expected. 

I pulled into town an hour early, so I called my uncle and his wife to see if I could come over to their house for a little bit...I went there until it was time for the concert. It was great, I slipped in and surprised them. 

The one thing that I was hoping for was lots of snow...it just isn't the same in Pennsylvania. Thursday it started snowing...and it snowed a lot...all the way into Friday. It was great, at one point the snow was perfect for making snowballs and so my brother and I made a snowman on the top of my sisters car. We named him "Peanut."

building "Peanut"

Peanut''s almost finished

Peanut

we also started throwing snow and each other, although my brother was using a shovel

it was cold...

the snow was so heavy that it bent the trees over

or  broke them

Just as I thought life was getting boring...

I'm not sure why I thought life was getting boring and mundane...maybe because I'm not flying around the world and going to work everyday. Just a thought. 

Last night after work, as I was driving home (down Duke st) something seemed a little off...then I realized what it was...headlights where coming in my direction. Now that may not seem strange, except Duke st is a one way street...and I was going the right direction...

After passing the car going the wrong direction, I made it home safely and the cleaned my room before going to bed. Really, that part wasn't exciting, but that morning (before my alarm clock) I heard a knock on my bedroom door. Finally, I make myself roll out of bed to see what my roommate needs. She asked for our landlords number because we had a squirrel that somehow made it into our living room and was climbing around in out Christmas tree and then trying to get out the window. 

I don't think I was awake enough to fully comprehend what was going on or I would have taken a picture... :-) but instead, we got all the windows opened and after chasing it around the living room for a few minutes trying to corner it by the open window, my roommate and finally succeeded. 

Once the squirrel was out I decided that it wasn't worth going back to bed for 20 minutes...so I made my coffee and watched some YouTube videos before getting ready for work. Such an interesting life...never know what will happen next!!!

Restless Agitation...

I've been in the random state of what I would call a "restless agitation." I'm stressed, irritated  and in general not happy with work, with my life, with anything. That's not where I want to be. It's a very rough place to be, because I'm trying fill that emptiness with stuff. Stuff that doesn't matter, and won't bring me the peace and happiness that I'm looking for. 

Thanksgiving night I decided to head out and see was Black Friday was all about. I had been sitting in my apartment, alone and just wanted to get out. What do I do, I go and buy stuff...stuff that I can use and will use, but it wasn't stuff that I had to get. It was fun to go shopping, but that lasted while I was out shopping. After I came home, nothing really changed...other than I had new clothes to hang in my closet. 

Maybe life has become to mundane and complacent here...but do I really want to change it? Am I just stressed and things will improve? or am I going to look back and regret not changing something now and wish that I did in the future? What should I do with my life? Be the responsible working adult, who is in restless agitation...or pursuing my dreams, living life to the fullest, and happy? Personally, I like the second option...now just to figure out where that takes me... 

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy just came through a couple days ago...and it really didn't effect me at all. It just seemed like a really windy storm. Although, being stuck inside for 2 days made me want to take another trip. Actually, I just started thinking more about one of my dream trips and wondering if it will actually happen. For me to do it I would have to quit my job and then find job when I come back...how ambitious am I?  

I've been home for almost a week now, nothing really exciting happened on the journey home except in San Francisco. After arriving at the airport I had to go through customs before heading to Philadelphia. While waiting in line I standing next to a mom with her baby. Now I'm guess the little girl to be 8-10 months old and she was adorable.  The fun part was she just keep watching me...so I started playing with her and talking to her mom. It helped to pass the time. 

After making it through customs I had to drop off my bag and go through security to get to my gate...well because the line at customs was on the longer side, I was clearing security 15 minutes before my flight. Once I was through I ran to my gate...apparently I wasn't the only person with a tight connection...I saw multiple people running and to different gates. Needless to say, I actually made it there in time and so I made it home...no missed flights for this trip and only one was delayed!!!! I don't think that's bad for as many stops/connections as I had to make. 

this is a Luwak...

just one of the many rice fields we passed on our bike ride in Bali

another rice field

an elephant and trainer at the elephant park

they have stuff so you can feed the elephants if you want :-)

and then sometimes they give you flowers...

one of the many butterflies in the Singapore airports butterfly garden

Bali

The "magical trees" that I walked a straight line through on my second try

at the white sand beach...where we were almost stranded

coming home

another butterfly at the butterfly garden

Back in Singapore...

I'm back in the Singapore airport with another 2.5 hours to hang out...last time I was here it was 3am, now it's 2pm and this place has more activity. I think I may go check out the movie theater and see whats playing...I really do like this airport...if I ever have to book a long layover in an international airport I'm going to try and make it in Singapore! They have a hotel on the third floor so you can get a room or just take a nap with a rooftop pool...and you don't even have to leave the airport/go through security and immigration. It's a great idea!!!