This week - and the past 28 years.

It's amazing what you end up doing when you find yourself in between work while at work. 


After having spoken to a client about how much they are spending with us and what I thought would help them this year (More like, what quarter I need to sell them into), i decided to take a quick break and venture into SCUBA diving. 


Long story short, I've signed up for an open water scuba diving class. This means I will be, at the end of the program, dive in deep water up to a few dozen feet with a complete SCUBA equipment. 


I've always wanted to do this. Ever since I was a kid, I imagined myself diving into the depth of the deep sea and look at and see what the world has to offer down below. I can only begin to imagine the surreal colors that it has to offer. No amount of inches on a 1080p flat screen LED can rival the experience of it, I'm sure. 


So, I went down to the local Sports Chalet and picked up a few things. I bought a mask, some fins, a snorkel and some boots. I was so proud of myself. 


I'm actually going to do exactly what I said I would. Now if I can only be consisted with this, including sleeping early to wake up in the morning to go for a run or a swim. 


I had shared with a friend the good news and somewhat felt that I got shot down. Made me question what I did. The comment was "another expensive hobby". Validity to the comment is acceptable. But, don't I work hard enough to be able to do things that would make me happy? 


Is it improper to give yourself the experience that you would consider a life goal (among others) and make yourself feel good that you've accomplished something? Should I just disregard this and pursue it? Of course right? The great men of the past disregarded the warnings of their mothers and went on to scale the largest mountains and discover new land. Just to clarify, the friend I'm pertaining to is not my mom. 


My mom, however. That's another story. She tolerates my adventures. Even though she knows that climbing mountains, mountain biking and camping has a certain degree of danger to it, I've overheard her tell her friends one time that she is happy that I'm doing this rather than coming home drunk or smoking. 


I'm sure she can tell the difference in my mood too when I've done something I'm proud of. 


Reflecting on the past 28 years. I've observed that I've slowed down somehow on judging the world. I've added an extra step to my thinking. And that's thinking a bit more before saying something and/or reacting to something. 


Yes, I still fall trap to my own impulsiveness, but i find myself taking the high road more now than before and that's avoiding that road altogether. 


I've said once that I have the material things that I think I need right now. It will just be a matter of getting better versions of the existing one now. 


I'm proud of the fact that I'm saving more now (I'm making more too) and that I've become more flexible in being able to embark on certain things I've always wanted to do. 


People, friends, family are the physical conscience that help me take an extra step if I've found myself falling into the traps of my impulsiveness. People, friends and family are the also the driving force for my little and large success. They validate my existence and they are the ones who I go back to the end of the day and share my experience with. 


As a good friend had just said the other day, "God, I love living vicariously through you..."


Happy Birthday old man. Happy Birthday to me.