New View

In my boss's office at my last job, he had taped to the wall an old sheet of paper with the title "Attitude is Everything". It was a lengthy note and it's been quite a while since I've read it, but I remember that it suggested we control much about our day with our attitude. If we decide that we will have a positive attitude about our work and commit to that, we can maintain a positive outlook despite the problems that arise.

I can also remember thinking that following through on keeping a positive attitude is much more difficult when the number of problems increase. I was more likely to fall into a poor frame of mind and have it pervade all of my day.

I've often thought of that note since we left for our trip. Mostly because it has been much easier to maintain a positive outlook these days. What I have found is that while attitude is important, it is built on perspective.

My perspective on how things are going feeds my attitude. What has struck me the most about the first part of our journey is how many times I have stopped to really observe the situation. To look at what I am doing at that moment and put it into the scope of my life.

Sometimes it's easy, other times not so much. Quiet talks on the beach, easy. Hours in Washington D.C. traffic, more difficult. However, I have found that the more often I take the time to do it, the easier it gets.

You don't have to be on an epic journey to see it. It can be as simple as the new perspective you have watching "It's a Wonderful Life" for the first time as a father. I think that movie can give you a new vision every time you watch it.

My daughter will occasionally stop me in a moment and toss me into a different line of sight. The most dramatic, when I get a chance to look at myself from her vantage point. I learn something profound each time.

Sitting with her each day now and doing the job of teacher has made me want to send out letters of apology to all of my former teachers. She is a model student by comparison. It gives me a new perspective.

Waking up in a parking lot is much better in an RV. A new perspective.

Going to places I went when I was a kid with my children, and seeing them enjoy it or not. A new perspective.

I've told Becky a few times since we left that I look at somethings differently now. I'm glad I'm able to recognize it.

If I ever go back to my old office and see that note on the wall, I know that it will mean something different to me, because I have a completely new perspective.

What are you so worried about?

Worries can control your life if you let them. No matter what your situation, if you focus on your worries they can consume you.

Before we left on this trip we spent a lot of time trying to address as many worries as we could. Months and months of planning and re-planning to account for all the difficulties that we might encounter along the way. Of course you can't plan for everything. There are always unexpected expenses and situations that arise along the journey.

When I was working at my last job, I worried about how effectively I was doing my job. Was I getting enough done each day or putting in enough time at the office? I had simultaneous personal worries. Was I spending enough time with my kids? Why can't I get all my work done at home that I want to finish? These were the things that filled my head as I went through my everyday life.

I had hoped that when we left for the trip I could leave many of my worries behind. It would be difficult to work on a house that was thousands of miles away. My concerns at the office would obviously be left at my old desk. So I should have little to worry about, my mind should be at rest. Funny thing about my mind though, it just replaced my old worries with different ones. Now instead of worrying about what items I was out of at work, I spent my time thinking about the tires, and the oil and the transmission. I listened to every sound my new home made as we drove. Every squeak and knock and bump made my mental list until I was able to discern the cause.

I spent weeks obsessing about the transmission. Was it strong enough to handle the load of the RV and the trailer? How much would it cost to repair if it did fail? Over and over I rolled it around in my brain as I drove.

So when the RV did break down on a quiet road in the NY state park all my worries were validated. Right?

It took this major engine failure to convince me that I could worry all day long about a hundred things and it wouldn't change the outcome.

My new plan is to be as prepared as possible. Check the oil, the transmission fluid and have regular checks preformed and accept that that is all I can do. Even with regular maintenance there will be breakdowns. It applies to RVs, marriages, work and life. Besides, filling the time between with worry and angst is no way to travel.

Dirty Laundry

There's nothing quite like fresh sheets. I've always felt that way, even before life on the road limited our opportunities for doing laundry to every couple of weeks. Laundry day always feels so fresh, so productive. But the last time I visited laundromats on a regular basis was in college. And judging from the last 13 states we've visited not much has changed in 10 years.

I've found quite a variety of laundromat arrangements in my travels. There are the strip mall facilities, the stand alone buildings or the campground laundry rooms. I've even made a mini photo project of it. "Laundromats Across America" or something like that. Maybe I'll get around to posting those photos on the website one of these days.

The big thing I've noticed about laundromats is this: I go there to get some pretty personal items (i.e. underwear and sheets) clean. So why are the facilities usually so dirty. I apologize right now to the handful of laundromat owners in America I'm offending with this comment. But this is a widespread problem. I frequently find gunk left in the washers. If something drops to the floor from the dryer, it's probably going to need re-washed or at least brushed off vigorously. And forget about using the bathroom.

The one great thing about laundromats though is that despite the paradox of trying to extract "clean from dirty" I can get this chore done in about two hours. Which means, maybe I've saved enough time to catch a midday nap on those fresh sheets.

~Becky