Relaxing at the Marriott Residence Inn Fresno after a long day traveling. Two flights and a four hour drive from San Jose to Fresno, only in California does it take four hours to drive 150 miles!

I’m out here for a family wedding tomorrow, for some inspiration and to do some writing. Sunday I’m staying in Pacifica, where I’ll hike along the beach, reflecting and relaxing. Some people die in solitude while others thrive. I know that I am not the only one, who sometimes needs to walk alone, to be able to walk with a crowd.

I am using my spare time during this trip to work on the outline of my novel, to do some factual research and to ponder the ending. Now that’s tough, the ending and it’s usually the part of a fictional book that is the hardest to write and the easiest to mess up.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” ~ The Beatles

Time never stops, never slows down and I want to shout “wait for me!” So much to do and I only two hands, one brain and a single heart.

My entire life I’ve been servant, a helper, a volunteer. I had no hobbies and gave freely of my time. Still I managed to fail as a husband, I struggle as a father. I’m very good at my occupation although it no longer excites me. It’s time for some changes!

Is it selfish to want more “me time”? To wake up in the morning and instead of a crisis to manage, how about a cappuccino to enjoy, a friendly voice to share the road?

“If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” Frank Clark

We had a great Greek cuisine at Mykonos Cafe and I had my first post contest wine! Feels great to be able eat a bit more, that constant hunger that one has during contest prep is finally gone!

My new fitness goal is to get to an elite level of strength and conditioning for a 30 day visit to Poland, Croatia and Italy in 2020. Starting a six week powerlifting cycle as I continue my recovery diet and increasing my caloric intake, yet maintaining my contest weight at 155.

Today I’m doing some shopping, need to buy some new clothes as everything I have is way too large!

Live long and live well my friends!

We all should want a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue. How can anyone be satisfied with anything less? If you’re not headed anywhere, then any road will get you there. So chart your course, adventure is at hand!

I’ve had sometime this week to reflect on competing in a physique contest and where to go from here. At present, I’m feeling pretty good, eating about 200 more calories a day and as far as training, it’s been a light week. I am not reverse dieting because I have no intention of bulking up, instead I am hanging out around 156 and establishing that weight as my new fat settling point. I will spend about six weeks powerlifting before going back to a hypertrophy and mobility routine. I will then get down to about 150 pounds and that will be my year round weight.

Next week I hope to have my first meal out, I’m thinking Greek food and wine with a good friend who also appreciates fine dining! I seem to have totally lost my taste for junk food, I’m not sure that my body could even process that crap anymore!

My sister and her husband are doing a 14 Day Baltic cruise out of London next year and they want me to join them. It’s sounds fun but they are going with another couple and I would be the odd one by myself.

I am planning a full month in Europe in 2020, doing a few days in Krakow, Poland to see where my Grandfather grew up and visit Auschwitz as well. I hope to go through Croatia and spend a couple of days there before moving on to Italy where I’ll rent an AirB&B for three weeks. I’ve done my share of cruises but nowadays the thought of being on a floating shopping mall with 4,000 tourists is not my idea of fun.

I guess that my idea of fun is village life in Italy. Picking up fresh food from the local market and cooking it myself. Evening walks on the beach then popping into a local eatery for wine 🍷 and food. In the mornings, I’ll be working on my book and enjoying a cappuccino and scone.

Hurry up and get here 2020!