If there's one thing about me that I don't hide it's this, I LOVE to travel. I usually try to get out of the country at least once a year but haven't gone anywhere in the past 11 months. Now that the year is closing, my feet are itching, itching to touch international grounds.

So, to cure this itch, I'll be heading to Mexico!!! I'll be sipping pina colada, working on my tan, and even learn some spanish words in the process. Maybe the next time I speak to my friend Juanita I'll be able to say more than 'Hola'.

Other than traveling to Cancun, what I'm really looking forward to these next couple of days is seeing my family in Connecticut. Living 1100 miles away from them makes me appreciate them more than ever. We have our quirks and different perspertive on things but when it boils down to it, we still tend to stick together. This year, more than ever, we stuck together.

To add the icing on the cake, I'll also be hanging out with my old college buddies from UCONN. Oh, how much we've changed and yet stayed the same. Who would have thought we'll be where were at.

This Thanksgiving holiday, I'm thankful for my family and friends in Connecticut and Wisconsin, old and new, young and old. You make my life quite an adventure and my travels meaningful. God Bless.

Lately I've been finding myself in a reflective mode. It could be because 'things' are changing or maybe it's just a sign of getting old-er. Either way, I've been thinking a lot about the my life and what it will become.

Where I'm at, I really don't know how it will turn out. I'm stepping into a new adventure where I don't know where it will lead, all I know is that it's something that I must take. Most of the time I don't even know what the next step will be until I get there then it just presents itself. Honestly, this is somewhat an unusual place for me, I used to always have a plan, not this time. A scary place to be, yet freeing.

There is so much uncertainty, but I am confident that this is where I need to be.

Remember when you were young and thought about what you'd like to be when you grew up? Now that you've grown up is it what you wanted it to be? Would you rather take hold of your life or give it back to the one who has created it? Could it be that life is just 'like a perfect piece of art displayed for all to see'?

Ten years ago I came across a song that I always go back to when I'm in this mood. This is how it goes...

A shapeless piece of steel, that's all I claim to be
This hammer pounds to give me form, this flame, it melts my dreams
I glow with fire and fury, as I'm twisted like a vine
My final shape, my final form I'm sure I'm bound to find

So dream a little, dream for me in hopes that I'll remain
And cry a little, cry for me so I can bear the flames
And hurt a little, hurt for me my future is untold
But my dreams are not the issue here, for thee, the hammer holds

And the water, it cools me gray, and the hurt's subdued somehow
I have my shape, this sharpened point, what is my purpose now?
And the question still remains, what am I to be?
Perhaps some perfect piece of art displayed for all to see

So dream a little, dream for me in hopes that I'll remain
And cry a little, cry for me so I can bear the flames
And hurt a little, hurt for me my future is untold
But my dreams are not the issue here, for thee, the hammer holds

The hammer pounds again, but flames I do not feel
This force that drives me, helplessly, through flesh, and wood reveals
A burn that burns much deeper, it's more than I can stand
The reason for my life was to take the life of a guiltless man

So dream a little, dream for me in hopes that I'll remain
And cry a little, cry for me so I can bear the pain
And hurt a little, hurt for me, my future is so bold
But my dreams are not the issue here, for thee, the hammer holds

This task before me may seem unclear
But it, my maker holds

The Hammer Holds by Bebo Norman

Noticed the new template that I'm using?! I had too much time on my hand today because I'm sick and stuck in the house so I thought I'd be more productive and play with beta Blogger.

Beta-ing is actually something I don't get to do very often. As a software engineer I tend to be the one sending away beta products for testing. Being on the other side of the equation is quite refreshing. I've crashed my web browser at least 3 times but I haven't gotten to the point of giving up. I'm excited for the developers that created this, seeing your work being used is priceless - but I'm also feeling the pain of testers that are getting stuck. As an engineer my first reaction would be 'user error' but since I didn't create this program I say 'it's definitely a bug!'.

So far I'm liking the new Blogger. I think I'll stick with it.

How does your community look like?

Here's mine.

Click on the picture and check it out!