My Ocean Front Property

Being in Galveston for Thanksgiving has reminded me how much I like being next to the ocean (the gulf in this instance).

I know that this is a pipe dream, but I need to end up somewhere that is close to the water. Ideally, Hawaii or Mexico would be the place I end up, but I'm not picky.

There's just something about being in a beach community that's appealing to me. Maybe it's the people, or the vibe, or the atmosphere that does it for me. Regardless, this is when I feel the most at home.

My New Goal Revisited

Last August, I made a goal for myself that I would be back in the Pacific Northwest in a year's time. Obviously that time has come and gone, and I'm still here in Texas, so that didn't end up happening, but I have been giving it more thought over the last couple of weeks.

The original plan was for me to end up Seattle since I had already experienced Portland, but in all reality I'd be happy with either. Heck, anywhere on the West Coast would be nice at this point (well, almost. Don't know about L.A.). I just feel like being on that side of the country would match up with who I am better than my current location even though I'm a Texan born and raised.

Honestly, I think I'm just nostalgic for what I had in Portland, and I'd like to have it back. The thing is, I don't want to give up what I have here in Texas either. While being back home, I've realized how much I need to be around my family, and I've been spoiled by being so close to them over the past two years. I don't know if I can go back to living half-way across the country and only getting to come home once or twice a year.

If I was a smart man, I'd compromise and settle down in Austin which has similar sensibilities as Seattle and Portland  but is still close to those I love. I just don't want to feel like I missed out on something by not living in Seattle for a spell. Plus, I've always gotten by on my looks and not on my brain ;)

My Return to the Darkside

This Tuesday, Apple should be sharing information about the next generation of the iPhone and with all of the buzz going around, I have to admit that I'm thinking about going back to the darkside known as Apple.

Prior to the iPhone 4 launch, I was in the market for a new phone but I became disenfranchised due to antenna gate and Steve Jobs half-assed approach to the debacle. I ended up jumping ship to Android and bought the HTC Aria.

Now, I've been happy with my Aria, but it could not replace my original iPhone. Sure, being able to root my phone and have more control over what I could do with it was a nice change, but I missed the bells and whistles that came with the iPhone. In the end, the Aria just couldn't compare.

Sure, I could upgrade to another Android handset, and I've been tempted by the Droid Incredible and other similar devices, but the sirens song coming from Cupertino may be too strong. I'll have to see what the new iPhone is all about first, and more than likely I will probably end up going with the iPhone 4 if the price is right, but going back feels kinda dirty.

There is another option which is to be happy with what I have, but for some reason that's not my style. Regardless of which route I take, I'm definitely interested to see what Apple has to say this Tuesday.

My Getaways: Back East

Over the last couple of months, I've made it a point to actually use my vacation time, and I've gone home every time I had some time off. While I love going back home, the last few times I've realized that I need a real vacation. I don't think I have the time or money to go on my dream vacation, but I would like to explore more of the country.

I'll fully admit that I'm a West Coast kinda guy. I've been missing the Pacific Northwest terribly, and I'd love to spend some extended time in San Francisco, but I think I need to check out the Eastern U.S. to see what it has to offer.

There are a few stops that would be mandatory, but I'd like to changes things up a bit too. New York City is a no-brainer mostly because I want to see why so many people heart NY. I don't think I could actually live in a city like NYC, but visiting every once in a while could be fun. Another stop that I'd have to make would be Boston, which for some reason is the only East Coast city that I could see myself living in despite never being there before.

I'd like to go back to Washington, D.C. since I was young when I visited last time, and I'd think I'd appreciate it a lot more a second time around. Another city that would be interesting to check out would be Philadelphia. Again, it's a place I don't think I could settle down in based on what I know about it, but I definitely want to experience it.

Other cities like Pittsburgh and Baltimore would make the expanded list, and since I'm a beach person I'd like to hit up some of the coastal getaways. Oh, and Miami. I'd even be up for visiting places in Connecticut, Maine, and the rest of New England. For an international flavor, I'd be willing to check out Toronto.

Seeing all of theses places is a lofty goal, but one I'm totally willing to strive for. Honestly though, if I'm able to get to a few of them, then I'd be happy. Now, I just need to start saving up...

My Same Song, My Same Dance

I keep telling myself that I'm due for a change, but it seems like life has been stuck in limbo and the only place I can share my thoughts is on this blog. The thing is I don't want this to become a broken record, which explains why I never write much anymore, yet here I am.

Back in January, I wrote about how I was tired of living a temporary life; in a perpetual state of having one foot in the now and the other out the door. The need for new experiences has always been a driving force for me, but it's been a lonely journey, and the need for permanency has started to creep in my brain. I tried to convince myself that settling down was the right answer, but now I'm not so sure.

I think most of it comes back to the fact that I'm just not as happy as I'd like to be. For some reason, I have this thought in my head that the key to my happiness is just around the corner, and I just need to catch up to it, but once I make that final turn I'm left stranded and alone. Then I see it off in the distance...

What's funny is that this picture of happiness has always been blurry. I can never quite make it out, but I know it exists, and my life has been a non-stop journey to find it. The crazy thing is, I don't know what I'd do once I got it because so much time has been spent on the chase. What's even crazier is I have no one to blame for my current state of melancholia but myself. I could try to be happy with what I've got, but I've convinced myself that it's just out of reach and it always will be.

Honestly, I'm starting to think that there something might be off inside of me. The constant need to question my life, my happiness, my purpose, my hopes and dreams cannot be normal, but the thought of being normal is just as unnerving. Maybe I'm destined to always feel this way; my happiness comes from being unhappy. But that cannot be right. I'm tired of feeling this way, but then why am I here writing the same stuff over and over again.

All I know is that I'm ready for a change, whether it be personally, professionally, or both. And here's to hoping that it will be one step closer to that elusive beast known as true happiness. At least I can hope, right?

My New Toy: Apple iPad vs. Samsung Galaxy Tab vs. Motorola Xoom

While on vacation back home, I came to the realization that I really want a tablet because I wanted to play around on the Net but my phone was too small and I didn't want to lug out my laptop. The perfect scenario for a tablet.

On paper, the iPad (Gen 1) still seems like the logical choice since it's more established and essentially created the market. I still think the device is handcuffed because it doesn't provide essential features, and is already obsolete. Plus, I'm trying to break my dependence on Apple and their smug attitudes (still not happy how they handled the iPhone 4 debacle). The bright side is the first gen version is cheaper now that the wholly unnecessary iPad 2 officially hit the streets, and would still address the basic needs I'm having.

The two Android tablets that have become the frontrunners to be the iPad killer, the Galaxy Tab and Motorola Xoom, are tempting but also riddled with drawbacks. While I like my Android phone, I still don't know enough about the operating system to be dazzled by these new devices. I still don't see how Android is better than iOS. While they do have the bells and whistles that I'm looking for (dual cameras, Flash), I haven't heard many positive reviews about them. From what I can tell, the Galaxy Tab uses an version of Android that doesn't translate well to the tablet format, and the Xoom is too glitchy. But they're not Apple tabs, which is a plus (sorta).

The thing is, I don't NEED a tablet. The combination of my smartphone and my computer is sufficient, although not necessarily the most convenient pairing. I also cannot fathom dropping the money required to actually purchase one of these devices, but that's not going to stop me from thinking about buying one.

My 30th Year

My 30th birthday has come and gone, and while I still haven't accomplished the goals that I wanted to have done by this pivotal milestone, I want to try to remain positive about my life.

While I cannot say that I've lived the most exciting life, I can say that I've been very fortunate these past 30 years. I have a wonderful family that loves me and supports me. I've been consistently employed (with a few minor breaks) since my sophomore year of college. I can pay my rent, bills, and buy food. Sure, I have some bad days, but I cannot complain.

Yes, there are so many things I sill want to accomplish and I've made some missteps along the way. I still have time to reach my goals, and I have the chance to keep learning from my mistakes because I'll have a support system to hold me up if needed. Things may not be perfect, but I couldn't be luckier.

My Re-Commitment

Where did 2010 go? It seems like not too long ago I was making my move to San Marcos, and here we are a little over a year later. Crazy. While the year has changed, unfortunately some things have stayed the same like my life.

This time last year, I wrote about how I continued to live the same old life even though I changed locations. My resolution for 2010 was to change things up and make things interesting. Here I am vowing to do the same thing in 2011. Things in San Marcos weren't bad, just uneventful. Of course I have no one to blame but myself.

I was too content on standing by and letting life just happen rather than being proactive, and I can't help but feel like I wasted too much time. What's frustrating is the fact that I felt this way last year, but here I am. You'd think I'd figure something out by now.

Honestly, I think part of it has to do with my need to move around. When ever I end up some place, I start thinking about my next move, so why establish roots. I've only recently realized how unfulfilling that kind of life can be. Yes, there's the adventure of new things, but the novelty wears off and you're not left with much. At least that's what I'm figuring out.

While part of me still longs for a transient lifestyle, there's also a piece of me that wants to stay put once and for all. Being back in Texas has had some benefits, like being closer to family, and I've enjoyed the chance to see them more often. This ability to reconnect with my family is convincing me to stay home for good, but I'm sure this need will pass.

Regardless if I stay in Texas or move somewhere new, I'm re-committing myself to breaking free of the doldrums and stop living a temporary life. Might as well start in 2011.