FA+
Shop
This is not the end...
12 years ago
General
So... 2013. It ended in an amazing way. Considering that is what is foremost on my mind that is where we will start; on the final days of 2013 which was spent in Arizona, a place I have been visiting once a year, with a few years I wasn't able to go for financial or other reasons, (such as the two years my Grandparents tried wintering in TX instead) to visit my Grandparents who wintered in Arizona and escape the winter wonderland of Minnesota.
It was also a place I could clear my head, and forget about my hectic at times life back in MN. Away from work, debt, volunteer activities, Conventions and the whole lot. It was solace. Its like looking into an alternate life where things were so much simpler. Just me, the majestic natural beauty the state holds, and a camera or a fly rod.
I even remember my early childhood trips here; two decades ago. Even if my freedom then was a lot more limited. I remember going to the Flea Markets with my grandparents and spending time at an outdoor pool when all the locals looked at me funny for swimming in 70 degree weather. I remembered when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time; well before I was pulled into the wonders of photography. I remember waiting for the Hummingbirds to return to the nest atop an old planter in my grandparent's garage.
I remember my Grandpa taking me fishing on one of the reservoirs that winded through the Canyons in the mountains and how overwhelming it was to be on a small boat in a lake 100 feet deep... with canyon walls that were twice that high looming overhead.
As I was at the hotel room on the way to the Grand Canyon, I debated with myself.
What if I never left? What if I had a chance to reset everything and move down here. And a part of me wanted to stay. I won't deny that. I have a LOT of memories in this state and I didn't want to think that this would be my final time. Why did this have to be the end for me?
It was the last time for my Grandparents down there; but this does not mean it has to be my last time. There are too many good memories down here to let it go.
This trip I spent a lot less time with my Grandparents and a lot more time with myself. Out in the Mountains, in Solace. Just myself. I felt bad about this, but then I remembered my grandparents would be moving into an assisted living home 35 mins away. I can visit them any time I like.
But not here. Arizona is a special place. In my head the debate continued. If I did move down here: would it become less special? It might. Would the other extreme of the brutal heat of the Arizona summer drive me just as insane and wanderlust as the extreme cold of Minnesota winters? It might. It was a tradeoff. Part of me wished I was 30-40 years older so I could live half of my year down here and half of it back in MN; like my Grandparents did for the last 20 or so years of my life.
Then it was over. I took around 1700 photos which I still need to sort out. I'll be going through my photos of AZ from past years as well.. and may put together a best of memory collage. Who knows.. I may even do a photo book or something from an online place. That would be a neat idea. While I've only done real photography of Arizona since 2009, there is still a lot of content there. And photos from a pocket camera that while crude, are still memories dating back to 2004.
I'm sure there are some photos of AZ taken on film cameras such as my old instamatic Poloroid camera I had floating somewhere around the house.
Now I'm back home. And while my trip to AZ was amazing, and I really am NOT looking forward to the Hell that is work tommorow... it is good to be home.
If I left I would miss my friends up here. If I moved the first month may be amazing... and then I'd become incredibly lonely. And would have to make friends all over again which is not impossible but is difficult. I don't take for granted my friends and the community I have in this place.
Nor should I take for granted how amazing Minnesota is during the summer. Spending a quiet night on a boat out in the middle of a lake watching the sunset. Arizona sunsets are amazing but a summer sunset on the water rivals that quite easily.
A part of me is back in AZ. A part of me will never leave that place. But Minnesota is home.
I will find myself back down there, this time of my own accord; to visit if not for long enough. And this will keep me coming back.
There are a lot of places in the United States I want to visit. I'd still like to get back to Seattle as now I have a camera worthy of capturing the beauty of the mist coming over the mountains. Same goes for Hawaii.
I want to see Alaska in the Summer. I want to see Yellowstone. Washington DC. Fly fish out in Colorado or Montana for Trophy Rainbow Trout. Maybe even give California a second chance someday.
Of course... this means I need to find a job that will ALLOW me to take trips like this. That is, right now New Years resolution #1. What good is money if you can only spend it on material possessions, and not on life experiences of travel? As of right now, I have NO vacation time because I was forced to burn it all during the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Which is lame. Most companies get this time off for free, but not me.
I made the best of it, but I really want to travel. There are a lot of places I would like to see atleast once. I'm not going to even add other countries to the list. While it would be fascinating to visit Europe... there are so many places in this great nation of the United States of America left unexplored to me. In spite of how our economy and government is in constant strife, the Diversity of this country is simply amazing. There are very few places in the world that can compare; and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Arizona I will be back; sooner then you may expect it. This I vow.
This is not the end my friend.
It was also a place I could clear my head, and forget about my hectic at times life back in MN. Away from work, debt, volunteer activities, Conventions and the whole lot. It was solace. Its like looking into an alternate life where things were so much simpler. Just me, the majestic natural beauty the state holds, and a camera or a fly rod.
I even remember my early childhood trips here; two decades ago. Even if my freedom then was a lot more limited. I remember going to the Flea Markets with my grandparents and spending time at an outdoor pool when all the locals looked at me funny for swimming in 70 degree weather. I remembered when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time; well before I was pulled into the wonders of photography. I remember waiting for the Hummingbirds to return to the nest atop an old planter in my grandparent's garage.
I remember my Grandpa taking me fishing on one of the reservoirs that winded through the Canyons in the mountains and how overwhelming it was to be on a small boat in a lake 100 feet deep... with canyon walls that were twice that high looming overhead.
As I was at the hotel room on the way to the Grand Canyon, I debated with myself.
What if I never left? What if I had a chance to reset everything and move down here. And a part of me wanted to stay. I won't deny that. I have a LOT of memories in this state and I didn't want to think that this would be my final time. Why did this have to be the end for me?
It was the last time for my Grandparents down there; but this does not mean it has to be my last time. There are too many good memories down here to let it go.
This trip I spent a lot less time with my Grandparents and a lot more time with myself. Out in the Mountains, in Solace. Just myself. I felt bad about this, but then I remembered my grandparents would be moving into an assisted living home 35 mins away. I can visit them any time I like.
But not here. Arizona is a special place. In my head the debate continued. If I did move down here: would it become less special? It might. Would the other extreme of the brutal heat of the Arizona summer drive me just as insane and wanderlust as the extreme cold of Minnesota winters? It might. It was a tradeoff. Part of me wished I was 30-40 years older so I could live half of my year down here and half of it back in MN; like my Grandparents did for the last 20 or so years of my life.
Then it was over. I took around 1700 photos which I still need to sort out. I'll be going through my photos of AZ from past years as well.. and may put together a best of memory collage. Who knows.. I may even do a photo book or something from an online place. That would be a neat idea. While I've only done real photography of Arizona since 2009, there is still a lot of content there. And photos from a pocket camera that while crude, are still memories dating back to 2004.
I'm sure there are some photos of AZ taken on film cameras such as my old instamatic Poloroid camera I had floating somewhere around the house.
Now I'm back home. And while my trip to AZ was amazing, and I really am NOT looking forward to the Hell that is work tommorow... it is good to be home.
If I left I would miss my friends up here. If I moved the first month may be amazing... and then I'd become incredibly lonely. And would have to make friends all over again which is not impossible but is difficult. I don't take for granted my friends and the community I have in this place.
Nor should I take for granted how amazing Minnesota is during the summer. Spending a quiet night on a boat out in the middle of a lake watching the sunset. Arizona sunsets are amazing but a summer sunset on the water rivals that quite easily.
A part of me is back in AZ. A part of me will never leave that place. But Minnesota is home.
I will find myself back down there, this time of my own accord; to visit if not for long enough. And this will keep me coming back.
There are a lot of places in the United States I want to visit. I'd still like to get back to Seattle as now I have a camera worthy of capturing the beauty of the mist coming over the mountains. Same goes for Hawaii.
I want to see Alaska in the Summer. I want to see Yellowstone. Washington DC. Fly fish out in Colorado or Montana for Trophy Rainbow Trout. Maybe even give California a second chance someday.
Of course... this means I need to find a job that will ALLOW me to take trips like this. That is, right now New Years resolution #1. What good is money if you can only spend it on material possessions, and not on life experiences of travel? As of right now, I have NO vacation time because I was forced to burn it all during the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Which is lame. Most companies get this time off for free, but not me.
I made the best of it, but I really want to travel. There are a lot of places I would like to see atleast once. I'm not going to even add other countries to the list. While it would be fascinating to visit Europe... there are so many places in this great nation of the United States of America left unexplored to me. In spite of how our economy and government is in constant strife, the Diversity of this country is simply amazing. There are very few places in the world that can compare; and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Arizona I will be back; sooner then you may expect it. This I vow.
This is not the end my friend.
I think for me I will just stay here in MN and live my life, maybe if I ever reach retirement age and have the money to do so I will do more travel and revisit YellowStone, I have fond memories of that park. I don't really have the wanderlust of others for travel but once in a while it is good to get out and see other places, part of the reason I go to MFF, it is close enough to drive to and it is a change of scenery along with meeting up with friends that I otherwise only get to chat with online in one form or another.
But yes if I moved on a permanent basis it would be tough as i too would miss my friends up here and as for Pennsylvania, I have a really tempting offer for there but I don't know that I would take it, life would be loads easier that's for sure as I wouldn't have to pay for much and vehicle repairs would be much cheaper, but still, I don't know if it would be worth the move in the end new areas and new weather conditions to deal with.conditions tro