Happy Thanksgiving

From Tanjariitta & Bruce

Christmas is Coming

There's a special scent in the air, nothing in particular, but the air is clearer, the feeling is crisp, the winds have shifted direction and the days are getting shorter. Our Mulberry tree tells the story of trees in other lands dropping their leaves for the season by dropping it's own as well. There's also been a shift around the house, warmer apparel appearing, an extra blanket on the bed, wool socks at our door welcoming any guest requiring extra cover for their toes. People all around eagerly anticipating a holiday season, sales in stores, packed roads and parking lots. It is certain and in sight now. Christmas IS coming!

I will be away next week celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday with my family. Hope you and yours have a great holiday!

Silent Pets

Home aquariums are a great addition to any room. Anytime someone approaches our house, the aquarium is the first thing visible through the front door. We always get great compliments on our tank. Lately though, we have been having difficulty keeping fish alive in our aquarium. Disease has been the secondary cause of death, the main cause was from owner ignorance.

I remember having aquariums when I was younger that were completely stree-free and easy to maintain. I had fish that lived long, healthy lives. So recently I decided, upon Feng Shuiing our home, that it would be most adventageous having an aquarium in our front room. I've never had a more difficult time keeping something alive.

I've learned a great deal now about fish, mostly fish diseases and causes. My wife doesn't want another tank because she doesn't want another euthanasia episode like we had earlier this week. Frankly, I hate to admit it but that was a bad scene for me too, but, I want to give it another try. This time I want to do it right. Start fresh armed with more knowledge. I miss having those little fish faces eager to greet me (more like be fed) every morning. Or seeing them swim towards me as I approach the aquarium. Our silent little pets. If we fail again, I'm converting the aquarium to a terrarium!

In tribute to the fish we have killed by our own ignorance, I post the composit photo of one of our first fish, Kwan. Hope you've moved on to be whatever comes next.

Looking up and seeing a blur...

Setting aside my logo design contract for a few minutes, looking up and seeing a large, bright blur in front of me from hours of focusing on fine lines and broad concepts, noticing that the air coming in from the window is quite a bit cooler than it was a few hours ago, noticing that there is no more light coming in from the same window, I now take a mental break to remain seated and write you a blog, my faithful followers, though scattered you may be, but not as much as me!

That was by far the longest sentence I've ever written!

I scanned the local internet news site just now because I wanted to find a photo of the event we participated in yesterday. My wife and I rode in the largest motorcycle event we have ever seen. It was the annual Teddy Bear run here in Sarasota. Perfect weather and about 2,000 motorcycles, mostly Harleys, all with fluffy teddy bears strapped somewhere on them. Riding our classic BMW motorcycles we were certainly the minority. It was so loud from the Hogs that I couldn't hear my bike running! The parade we were in was police escorted and must have been a steady flow of motorcycles for about 20 minutes. Onlookers watched, many trapped in their cars because the roads were shut down to let the bikers pass. All of the benefits, including the bears went to KIDS by the SEA, a non-profit service who gives the stuffed animals to children in need. I would go as far as to say that was the official start of the Holiday Season - even though many of the local retailers have already decked their halls! I say nothing before Thanksgiving! But I'll make an exception for a good cause!

If I can locate a photo, I'll update this blog! But for now, you'll just get this tease of the headlamp from my BMW...

Press Onward to the End

Photo: The Sky Really Is That Blue

There's a whole other side to all of this move issue that I haven't brought up before, and that's my family. I rarely get to see anyone outside of my mom and dad and only really talk to my sister on a regular basis. They're all up in Wisconsin, 1,400 miles away - might as well be the moon sometimes. I know I'm missed, and I know that some members of my family believed that I would return to Wisconsin some day. I suppose over the 10 years I've been in Florida, they have mostly come to terms with me being here and I'm not moving home any time soon. Now to announce that we're considering a move to Finland - 6,000 miles away - poses a few more challenges.

Over my time here, I've grown closer to my parents, learned to truly appreciate them and enjoy their company. When they're in Florida I see them only once every two weeks because they are two hours drive away. So out of five months, I see them a total of 14 to 21 days. Then they go back to Wisconsin and I don't see them at all until the next season. What I am hoping will happen when we move is that we will dedicate more time and money to traveling. Most Europeans will take two vacations a year and vacation time begins with 5 weeks time off, not to mention numerous holidays, much more than in the states. The point being is that I will probably see my parents - and my family - more often once I am in Finland.

Of the times when I have brought up a move, it has not been well received by my parents. My dad gets pretty upset. My sister is in full support of it, but I'm sure my brothers will not be happy about it. I am the last child in my family and by being so, was raised with the least controls on my life. I was left to my own devices, to come and go as I please, to discover all of life in my own world. It was a real blessing, but I also realize that I didn't have to be attached to any one place. I could be somewhere else. I harbored dreams of moving to Europe some day. I have a golden opportunity to do so and feel I should take that opportunity - even if it means giving up a dream home in Florida.

Spec in the Sky - Part III

Photo: "Cute House There"

It is my belief that who you are and what you create around you, you take with you wherever you go. As above, so below... cute house here, cute house there...

The (in)decision of whether or not we should give up our home here has been looming over us now for years. It keeps us from going, but at the same time, moves us closer and closer to going by making us prepare for the journey along the way. This time I've gone far enough to actually take quality photos of our house and build a website around a potential future sale. This is all fine, however seeing the photos has once again made us realize what we have here and what we would be giving up which makes us falter in our decision-making process.

After a lengthy conversation last night, I realize that this decision isn't about what would be better for us, but about two paths and two completely different ways of life. On one hand, we stay here, remain a two-person family, love this house, the yard, the people around us and eventually grow our own businesses and even retire here. On the other hand, we move, start up a family, surround ourselves with European culture, values and family, explore Europe and who knows where we end up. Either side offers something different, but deciding either way, forces us to lose something - with each decision there is a loss. I've never had to make a decision like this without some kind of extreaneous circumstance pushing me one way or the other. I am split down the middle. Being an Aries - driven and strong-willed - this process is very hard to live with.

My horoscope today speaks volumes. From bubble.com: Aries
Mars forms a harmonious alignment to Pluto now. The Moon, meanwhile, passes through the part of your chart that governs dreams. It is as if you are peering through a kaleidoscope. Each time you think you understand the picture you are seeing, everything changes. One factor remains important and essential. Focus on this and you will find a steady point of reference in the midst of a crazy cavalcade. Nothing now has to be pushed, forced, rushed or controlled. You just have to remember what matters, and why. Between now and December you can make many gains.

Binge Sleeping

Yes, she is asleep. This is what eventually happens when one is addicted to sleeping. If only I could sleep this well...

Spec in the Sky - Part II

Here's our spec of dust in the sky. As I work in the yard, I have a focus; to get our property prepared for a potential move - only the fifth or sixth version of this plan to escape the gravitational pull of Sarasota and this house. I've been able to deal with the thought of letting go rather well. Then I see photographs like this one and I wonder, when I'm sitting in a cold, dark northern country and I see this photo, how will it affect me?

A Spec in the Sky - Part I

A speck of dust to you, to us, it's everything. This is a photo of earth as seen from Mars, taken by the Mars Rover. Watched a great program on the National Geographic channel the other night. It's theme was how the earth was formed. Basically, according to their findings, we are all just charged particles of dust and gas that came together through the magic of static electricity. The earth in the photo looks like a tiny, insignificant piece of dust, just another dot on the horizon just like the billions of specks in our nighttime canopy. In my meditation today I had a perspective-altering thought that became my montra:

"Earth is a mere speck of dust to the universe. Our property is a mere speck of dust to the universe. I am a mere speck of dust to the universe. Who I am here, I am there. I am merely a reflection in the universe."

On the Road

A random photo from a random site? Not quite. It may look random and seemingly insignificant, but the location of this photo is the road to Forrsa, Finland. A road to distant family and a road I've been on many times. Hopefully a road I'll be traveling down soon.

Beautiful, Uncharacteristic Florida Morning

It was a perfectly beautiful morning to be outside. Just before sunrise, there was a thick layer of fog in the area. It's rare for Florida to see such a thick layer and it drove me to grab my camera and snap a few rounds. Yes, the digital age as truly revolutionized point and shoot photography. No more waiting, I am honestly spoiled by this!

Bad Halloween Karma

Halloween came and went last night, and we had one trick-or-treator. That was an improvement over last year. We didn't have any kids come to the house last year, or the year before so we stopped buying candy for the evening. (Only because we end up gorging ourselves on it for the next month-and-a-half!) So, naturally, when the doorbell rang last night, I was quite surprised to see a neighbor boy dressed as a ninja! When I told him I didn't have any candy at all, the appropriate ninja response might have been for him to kick down our door bust us up! Instead I found the only other "sweet" item in the house that MIGHT be appropriate for a trick-or-treat, a diet Sprite. Oh boy, what a thrill... Surprised our house wasn't covered with egg this morning. Bad Halloween karma if I ever saw! We don't even have a jack-o-lantern for our house this year. So here is a picture of an orange, the only item around our house that is appropriately colored for Halloween. And last night, instead of staying up late watching a scary movie, eating roasted pumpkin seeds and hiding out behind a pillow, I went to bed at 9. Think I'm getting old? eeks...