Guns are bad, mmmkay?
Stop the presses – I’ve had a revelation. I realised I should make the most of my time away. And whilst holed up in Stamford, not getting very far with actually figuring out anything to do with that time away – length, future plans, places to go and all that kind of malarkey – I found I really wasn’t making the most of anything. Apart from the well stocked off-license right across the street. Ahem.
So rather than sit on my tush the whole time, I got out of the house for a day and took a jaunt up to Bear Mountain in Northwestern Connecticut. I found out about the “mountain” by doing a search for “things to do in Connecticut” and goshdarnit if the very first hit didn’t prescribe to tell me everything there was to do in this wonderful state. Well, after a solid two to three minutes extra research, it turns out that perhaps there wasn’t a great deal to do in this wonderful state*, but the powers that be did seem very proud of their Bear Mountain, boasting the highest peak** in the whole state. So it seemed like a worthy cause, in spite of the 160 mile round trip to get there.
Once there, it was about a 7 mile circular hike with sections along the Appalachian Trail. It was hardly K2 (at 2300ft / 700m it wasn’t even Scafell Pike) but it was a pleasant enough escapade out in to the fresh air, even if I had ever so slightly underestimated how thick the snow was still going to be and foolishly dismissed the idea that clambering up steep slopes, across icy rocks, in the thick snow, whilst holding on to a leash with a psychotic dog at the other end wasn’t sensible.
The interesting thing about the day was the reminder that you don’t necessarily have to travel thousands of miles to see some spectacular sights. Indeed, amazing, beautiful, inspiring and challenging things sit right on our doorstep. For example, the views from parts of the Michoacan State in Mexico were arguably more beautiful than those from the top of Bear Mountain. But I often wonder if people instinctively look to further afield for the inspiration or getaway that they hanker after, convinced that it can’t possibly be right where they already are. I’m guilty of it – I know I am – and I’m pleasantly surprised to find myself appreciating beauty in so many more, different things and places, every day.
I will always encourage anyone and everyone to get out there and see the world. The revelation is that you can see it thousands of miles away in the middle of Africa or a couple of miles up the road.
Both are equally valid, in my book.
* For a 27 year old male. And a dog.
** But NOT the highest land OH NO! Intrigued? The highest land in Connecticut is on the slopes of Mt. Frissell which has its peak in neighbouring Massachusetts. So now you know.
*** The wind did a good job of drowning out my commentary. I believe I say: “This is Matt, at the top of Bear Mountain. 2300 ft… or thereabouts. It’s a little bit chilly.”
I use AdiumX for all my instant messaging needs. It does moreorless everything you want it to do – connects to every chat service under the sun, endless customisation (skins, sounds, displays), supports Growl and more. And it’s slick, too. I love it.
But the only thing it won’t do is video chat. Which is a real shame as my new MBP has an iSight built-in. But if I want to use it, then I have to use iChat, but unfortunately I simply don’t know enough cool kids who actually use a Mac + iChat, so it’s pointless.
I’m not blaming the Adium guys – it’s not their fault, and they’re certainly doing their best to get something sorted out – but if anyone knows of a chat client which will enable me to use my iSight on the MSN chat service, then I’d love to know about it.
UPDATE:
Turns out I should STFW a bit more. aMSN has been around for a while and does video chat on MSN on the Mac. I’m a dumbass.
Go figure. I actually missed having a decent forum for being able to rant about stuff. Freedom to say what I wanted; when I wanted. Then I realised – “oooh I know where people do that nowadays! On a blog!”. Then I remembered – I have a blog! Whoop-de-doo for me, and I can release some anger.
Well actually, my anger is pretty limited at the moment. I mean, I’ve spent the last 5 months travelling, and it’s even longer than that I haven’t been at work, moreorless. So when you find yourself in a situation where you can literally do anything you want any time any day, well I guess you don’t have much right to be pissed off about too much stuff.
One of those things that I wanted to do – buy a new computer. And not just any computer, a brand spanking new Apple Macbook Pro. I felt I deserved it, after all, I’ve been working hard these past few months. [Er, hang on.] Long story short, I negotiated a good price with (the) Apple Store (i.e., the online sales people) but because of the way they work, they couldn’t accept my UK-registered credit card. However, the local store (Stamford) has the machine. I phoned them to check if they would pricematch the deal, and they said of course. So I trundle all the way in to the store – and lo and behold – they won’t pricematch. We figure out how the Apple Store has got such a good price and it’s through a mechanism that the Apple Retail (store) [following this?] couldn’t match. Besides giving me some bullshit about why they couldn’t, I wasn’t too bothered about it all. I mean, they’d told me they would match, and when I get there they can’t, well, I’d normally be upset at even that. But this new Zen state of mind of mine has obviously miraculous calming effects on me. In fact I was doing really well about the whole situation, was even prepared to just buy the new ‘pooter at full whack right there and then, until the sorry operator muttered a sentence which, boils my blood every time I hear it:
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Crossroads. The title of one of Eric Clapton’s (well, Cream*) greatest tracks and an awful chick-flick starring Britney “bury me in a Y-shaped coffin**” Spears. But both (presumably***) discuss the same topic – being at a juncture in life with various paths ahead of you.
A little perspective: I have left Mexico and returned to the US for a brief repose from the whole travelling thing. It was reasonably easy to leave Mexico, 7 weeks in moreorless the same place (Puerto Escondido) was enough. The surf had dropped off and I had had my fill of beautiful beaches, perfect weather and an endless supply of cocktails. It was about 10 minutes in to the flight out, that I began to wonder if any of that was actually true. How, exactly, had I had my fill of the beautiful beaches, perfect weather and endless supply of cocktails? Why was I trading it all for cold weather, city life and American people?
Well I don’t have an answer for that. But for now I remain in Connecticut, considering my options. And making silly videos.
And onwards. Where should I go next? Answers in the comments please.
-MT
P.S. Apologies for taking so long to update
P.P.S. Double apologies for using a Phil Collins video in the previous post
* Well, Robert Johnson actually
** Definition, made popular by Blackadder
*** I wouldn’t know, I spent most of the film asleep (or wondering if Britney was likely to get her kit off)