Proximity...

[prok-sim-i-tee] –noun nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation.Origin: 1475–85; < Latin proximitās  nearness, vicinity. See proximal, -ity

This is one of those deep thought moments that only comes to someone who has the liberty to sit around "stressing" most of their days about wether to go to the driving range or play XBox...

I was daydreaming yesterday about how much of our life is determined by proximity.  The thoughts stemmed from mentally admiring my neighborhood, currently Oliver Eakle, a few hundred yards from Washington Street and two blocks from Amarillo College.  I love the brick streets, the parks, the residents that have lived here since the 60's and the short distance to my favorite restaurants, coffee shop and grocery store...  This is the 3rd neighborhood I've lived in in Amarillo since 2004 when I moved back from Dallas, and it got me thinking... I was quite fond of my other neighborhoods as well, mostly for the same reasons...

In 2004, I bought my very first home... It was a two-story just off of 45th and Western in the Western Plateau neighborhood...  A number of restaurants, a good coffee shop and a grocery store were all within walking distance... My neighbors were pleasant and there were plenty of residential streets that were great for running, long boarding or riding bikes... From 2004 until I moved in 2008, that square mile of Amarillo was a great deal of my existence, with the exception of working and visiting friends...  I was content there, and didn't see any reason to venture other places to get coffee, do my dry-cleaning or shop for groceries.

In 2008, I bought a new house, this time in the Foxridge neighborhood of Amarillo.  From the day that I moved, I never went back to the grocery store, coffee shop or running route proximal to Western Plateau...  Though I loved them once, they had quickly been replaced by conveniences more proximal to my new location...

In 2010, circumstance forced me to a new home, where I now sit, on Van Buren Street... Which I stated my affection for earlier...

The point is, I realized that relationships are somewhat determined in the same way... I can remember friends from college that I was in-separable with, that is, until post-graduation, when I went one way, they the other and we were no longer proximal to one another...  So many people have come in and out of my life due to circumstance, convenience or proximity...

There are, however, exceptions to every rule... There are those shops, and eateries and friends that no matter how far away we are, we will always return to... It took me almost two years to stop going to the dry cleaners in my old neighborhood in Western Plateau... They just did such a great job and knew exactly how I liked my clothes...  The same is true with some friends... I've got one in England that I met in Austin in 1997, one in Austin that I met in Canyon in 1996, one in California that I met in New Jersey in 2006, one in Arizona that I met at Boys Ranch in 1992 and several more all over the world that I've met all over the world... No matter how far apart we get, we always come back together... Albeit via phone conversations, texting, Facebook, or face-to-face visits, we can pick up right where we left off as if our proximity to one another never changed...

Here's the challenge I'm presenting to myself and to you... This week, I am going to reach out to a former best friend that I haven't spoken to in years... The only reason he is "former" is because I moved away when I was young and our communication became spotty at best... I'm not sure, but my rough assumption is that we will pick up right where we left off, as if I never left the neighborhood...

I'm encouraging you to do the same thing, step outside your proximity and attempt to revisit and/or re-connect with that former favorite... You may be surprised what you find.  

-L

Where in the World Is???

My  schedule for the next few months...

05/24 - 05/31: Flagstaff, AZ for a camping trip with a bunch of dudes!
06/01 - 06/06: Vail, Colorado for the Teva Mountain Games
06/07 - 06/14: Amarillo, TX
06/14 - 08/03: European Union!  Countries visited will be... England, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy, France, Monaco and Spain! (so far)  I know, I know... Liechtenstein and Monaco are not technically countries (they're principalities)... But you get the point!

As for the Europe trip, my plans are fairly loose.  I'm going to be able to fit a lot in in two months, including visiting some friends in England, Germany and Italy, the Running of the Bulls at the Festival de San Fermin and the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France!!!  Wahooooo!!!  For twenty of the days I will be in Europe, I'm taking a tour with a company called Contiki.  They specialize in travel for 18-35 year olds (eeeek, I'm creeping up on that age limit).  It's a good, inexpensive way (only about $140/day) to see a lot of Europe in a short amount of time... Here is an itinerary, check out the map below.... The other 30 days I'm there, the plans are totally flexible!

Here's a map of the Contiki Tour:

I'm assuming that being away from my friends, family and puppy for two months may make me at least a little queasy in the home sickness department... The good news is, I just got an iPad 2 and since it has a camera, I can SKYPE!  So, if you're on there, send me your user ID so I can hear a Texas accent every few days!  I also bought a keyboard and SD card reader for the iPad so I'm hoping to spend some time keeping updates posted here about my progress!!

As for August the 4th, I've got no plans as of yet after the jet lag wears off...  So, if you've got any ideas, or you want to do something and all you need is a friend, let me know!

In Defense of Crocs...

Hello, my name is Larry, and I'm a Croc wearer... (in unison "hello, Larry")


When I bought my new house about a year ago, I was ecstatic to find that the original hardwood floors (circa 1940) were buried beneath the light bluish/cat urine stain colored carpet.  I hired a company to refinish them in an elegant, yet manly shade called "Gun Stock".  I could NOT wait to re-enact the scene from "Risky Business" in which Tom Cruise comes sliding across the floor in his socks and underwear lipsinking to "Old Time Rock 'n Roll" (except I would be wearing boxers, not those other things...).  It wasn't until a few "takes" later that I realized a some problems...


1. I weighed 245 lbs* at the time, and walking around barefoot and or in socks on a hard floor all day isn't good for the ol' dogs... It makes them hurt!
2. Wearing white socks on h.w. floors in a town where dust infiltrates everything makes said socks look like they were on the feet of a Vietnam Army soldier after a day in the bush.


Thus began my journey to locate my very first pair of house shoes...


I went everywhere I could think of... Dillard's, Gap, Wal-Mart, Target, American Eagle, JC Penny, etc.  I tried every brand of house shoe made of every material for +/- 50 square miles... During my journey, I passed by at least three racks of multi-colored (e.g. blue, black, camo., orange, etc.) Crocs.  You would of thought they had the plague.


However, I, like most people I'm assuming, had never tried on a single one of these for some reason socially un-acceptable, anti-lady getting clogs...  


Once I finally gave up my search for "real" house shoes, and during the exit from the mall, I passed by the rack of Crocs in Dillard's once more...  After taking a few 360 degree glances around the shoe department, and awkwardly roaming aimlessly, pretending to look for something else, I gave in to my desperation and grabbed the first pair of men's size 11 Crocs that I could find... 


What was this?!  Suddenly all the jokes I had heard, the social puns concerning what "type" of people wear Crocs, the fear of rejection by every person I knew, all completely disappeared...  Crocs were not just comfortable, they were light, my feet could breathe...  It was like walking on clouds!


Needless to say, they came home with me.  As I type, the same pair of size 11, khaki colored Crocs I awkwardly shoved onto my feet some twelve months ago, sit confidently in the open, right next to my bed, as they have since that fearful day in Dillard's.  I don't mind at all that I'm made fun of constantly, for those who bully the idea of Crocs have never experienced their amazing glory!

I say it proudly, one more time...

Hello, my name is Larry, and I'm a Croc wearer, and I would encourage you to slip a pair on before you consider giggling at you doctor the next time he squeaks away in his favorite work shoes.

For all you Croc wearers out there... Let us unite and break free from the social oppression cast upon us by those who do not only not wear Crocs, but have never even had the pleasure of putting a pair on!

Happy Croc-ing.

-L


*As of today, I have lost about 20 pounds since I started wearing Crocs (un-related).

Becoming a Blogger...

I know that "blogging" is becoming the cool thing to do these days and I have promised myself and will promise you as well that I'm not attempting to be a "band wagoner"... I've had this blog going for a month or so now, although I haven't told anyone about it... I wanted to make sure that 1. I would continue to update it, and 2. that I feel as though I had something interesting to write about.

As for the title, "Mr. Hutton's Lullaby", though it is not the manliest title in the world, it makes sense to me... It is an adaptation from the song "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" by The Counting Crows.

Take it or leave it, but if you know me, and you know the song, it will make sense to you too...

Well, in the time that I've been posting, several life changes have come to fruition, and as a result of the outcomes of those changes, I definitely think I will have some things to write about... Mostly my overall life situation, which at the moment includes not having a job, planning travel and contemplating when/where to move away from Amarillo. I'll do my best to explain later... I'm under no impression that people care enough about my personal career situation, but I will be going to some pretty interesting places and seeing some pretty amazing things over the coming months, and I feel it would be selfish to keep them to myself... I will also be doing a lot of traveling in a lot of foreign countries all alone... I think it will make me feel like I've got friends along with me if I update everyone via this blog...

Let me know what you think of what I'm writing about and if you have any suggestions or questions, let me know!

I will update the travel writing as it occurs. Now, however, I will explain the "no job" thing...

Since December 1, 2008, I have been working for Boston Scientific's Cardiac Rhythm Management Division selling pacemakers... On April the 12th, they laid off 300 U.S. employees and for whatever reason, I was one of them... For those who already, know about the loss of my job, I appreciate the condolences and encouragement... However, you all must know that I could not be more happy about the situation. I feel very lucky to have been given a severance package as part of my separation from the company, which will afford me the ability to take some time off before I re-join the workforce... And on that note, I'm not sure what I will do and when... I don't know if I will re-gain employment in the same field, or even sector for that matter... Funny thing is, I'm o.k. with it...

All I can say is, I'm finally following my heart for the first time in my adult life... I'm overjoyed about my journey and hopeful about the things I will see, the people I will meet and the situations I will experience.

I hope to see you all along the way.

-L