New Year

Friday, January 15, 2021: It’s a new year, so hello world!

I know, I know…that first phrase seems like a test post. While allwildlike.com has been up and running now for a number of months, in many ways this is a test post. This is the first post of its kind. An original that I never thought about starting.

Let me explain through resolutions:

New Year Updates

I get it…a very high percentage of people make them and a drastically lower percentage of people actually keep them, blah, blah, blah.

This resolution, however, is doable: post a weekly update on what I’m doing and what’s in the works with the site. Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that off-the-cuff writing is easy for me. It’s a skill that made college a whole hell of a lot easier, and it was the major reason why I ended up swapping majors. I’m sure it frustrated some of my friends.

Anyway, this will serve two major functions: keeping folks informed (I don’t have a mailing list yet) and keeping myself on-task.

Granted, we’re already 2 weeks into 2021, so technically I’ve already broken my first resolution, but I think it’s for a good reason. That has to due with my other resolutions, which I will get to shortly. Cut me some slack, will ya?

Look for these on Fridays.

New Year Job

The second resolution is why I haven’t kept to the first or third resolutions.

With what happened over the last half year for me (if you don’t know, check out my about page), I have had time to examine where I am and what I want to do. With all of the uncertainty, I found myself with time to start new things, work on things, and get moving on others. One of those things was this site, and another was my career path. With at-home school for my son, the end-of-2020, early-2021 search left just enough time to piece together a couple of mostly-completed articles.

Anyway, like with doing allwildlike.com, I’ve found career direction (rather than just another job). I narrowed my search and (thanks to Michelle) found something exactly right for me. Provided nothing unexpected happens in the next 10 days, I begin this year as the Penn State Master Watershed Steward Coordinator of the PA Wilds (Elk, Cameron, McKean, and Potter Counties in Pennsylvania).

This is a fledgling conservation education program for the watersheds in these 4 counties. If you’re interested in working with me- or you’re looking to help out a PA county closer to your home- check out the program! Signups have already begun for the 2021 Master Watershed Steward program, and spaces are limited.

It’ll be a bit of a balancing act at first, but one I’m super excited about.

Hello world indeed!

New Year Hikes

…which brings me to my third resolution: Hike at least once a week.

I didn’t do it. Honestly, I haven’t even hiked once this year. I’ve maintained gear, I’ve gone on walks, I’ve read about it, and I’ve written about it. But I haven’t actually loaded up and hit the trail.

Blasphemy!

I hope you forgive me. There has been a lot going on the last month and I needed to do the boring at-the-desk focus thing. Despite what many folks may think, finding work is a full-time job. It’s exhausting and (for me, at least) one that doles out a whole lot of murder-hornets-in-the-stomach anxiety.

If I had the time, hiking would have helped. It is what it is…there was an article in the works about making outdoor-based New Years Resolutions. That ship may have already sailed, though I’m not discounting the idea. What is more likely is an article about taking ownership of your resolutions and making peace with your own missteps.

Look for that article sometime near the end of January/beginning of February.

New Year Reading

I did not meet my goal of reading 40 books last year. I only reached 28, with an average length of 264 pages and a solid mix of fiction, non-fiction, and genres. Not too bad, but it could have been better.

For my fourth resolution, I lowered my bar to read 30 books. I’m already on the third book. This book has already inspired me: Walking with Spring by Earl Shaffer.

If you don’t know about The Crazy One (his trail name), he’s the first person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail (AT). The book is about his experiences. This book is especially important to me because I bought it from Earl when he visited my hiking and backpacking classes ’round about 1999- a year after he completed his third thru-hike of the AT (at the age of 79!). He passed away 3 years later.

What hit me are memories of his words, which I’m leaving out right now. That’s material for another article- one about that experience and the book. Look for that sometime soon (I want to get in a solid re-reading of the book).

Other Resolutions and Upcoming Week

Beyond the fifth resolution (putting my office space in order), the rest of my resolutions are a bit all-over the place and not directly related to allwildlike.com. They’re also not necessarily you must do these every day resolutions, so I have some leeway.

I’m sure these resolutions will all affect it in some way, shape, or form, though (all things connected as they are). If they do, I’ll let you know.

As for the week, these are my projections:

• Get in a hike either this weekend or early on in the week, weather permitting. Normally I’d just go, but if I’m taking the boys with me, I don’t want to expose them to anything too harsh.
• Do some work on resolution #5. This involves junking stuff, selling stuff, donating stuff, and a whole hell of a lot of gear organization.
• Watch some football this weekend. My Steelers are out, but that’s okay.
• Start doing stuff for my new work. I don’t actually start until the 25th, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get my end in order.
• Get a new article up early next week. I have a few mostly done…just have to figure out which one I want to finish.
• Read, read, read. Write, write, write.