You've got to live life!

Me on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean

Me scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef

Bat Fish on the Great Barrier Reef (About 2 feet/1 meter long)

Hello Everyone,

I haven’t had much time to type this week. I’ve been spending time trying to adjust to being back in the United States. I came back and my body wasn’t used to the “American Germs” I hadn’t been around in 6 weeks, so I’ve been beating back a cold. I’ve had to readjust to being back at work. And finally I’ve had to get used to sleeping in the same bed for over 4 days in a row. Including home, Australia and multiple airplanes; I’ve slept in about 16 different places in the last 6 weeks. That’s a new place about every 2.6 days. That might explain why I’ve woken up several mornings this week and wondered “where am I?”

The trip to Australia was great! In many ways, it was life changing. I learned a lot about myself and I also met lots of great people. Many of them I told me when I return to Australia, I have stop and visit them again. I plan on doing that. Many of my friends feel like family and I feel like I’ve added some new family members in Australia. I plan on seeing them again. If anyone gets the chance to visit Australia, you have to do GO!

Some of the things I’ve taken back with me are the following:

#1 I met an amazing couple (Colleen and Bernie). We were talking and they talked to me about how life is about experiences and relationships. I believed that comment before I got to Australia, but the trip further established that feeling. Great experiences and establishing a lot of great relationships is the best way to describe my trip. I can’t possibly tell all the stories about the people I met and what I experienced. I was only in the country for a little over 5 weeks, but I squeezed in a years worth of “life.”

That brings me to the pictures you see above. I had the great experience to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef. I was going to just snorkel, but one of the people on the boat came over to me and said, "Would you like to scuba dive?" I didn't think I would be allowed too, because I'm not certified, but how could I pass up the experience or opportunity? Yes the dive cost me money, and I could have worried about that. But you have to ask the question? How many people have the opportunity and experience of swimming with Sea Turtles? I swam/chased down 3 of them, one the size of me!

By going on this trip, I truly feel I was “Living Life!” Life is so much more than just working yourself to death. So many of us say our work is our life. I believe and learned on this trip that you can use your work to live life or achieve things you want to get out of life. We have to do things we enjoy versus just “work!” I had long hours on this trip, but I enjoyed what I did, I learned a lot, I grew personally and I enjoyed it!

I was exposed to a lot different and new things while in Australia. I also realized there are a lot of talents and hobbies I have; I’ve put a lot of these interests on the side over the years. I had a lot I wanted to do before the trip, but now I have even more things on my “lifetime” to do list. Some of the things I plan to pursue are: being more of “me,” learning more about food, cooking and wine; traveling more; reading more; pursuing more photography opportunities; learning and playing more golf; spending more time with family and friends; and learning and enjoying life as much as possible.

Thank you everyone for reading. I’ll be sure to post my best pics up on this site over the next week. I took over 1500 pictures and over 40 videos on my camera.