How to Have Your Own Yellowstone Adventure

If you have been following, you know that Grizzly son, the girlfriend and I leave for Yellowstone National Park in 8 days.

We're starting the big adventure.

Wagons ho!

Before I go, I want to have a heart to heart talk with you.  Are you on an adventure?  If not, why are you still sitting there?

I'm not suggesting that you give up your six figure job...are there any still out there?  You don't even have to leave home to have one. 

Sit down, take notes, because today's lecture is about creating your own adventure.

One thing you need to know about me.  I don't take a lot of physical risks when considering an adventure.  So you will NEVER see me doing...

THIS

or even THIS.  (Aunt Flo getting a tattoo)


If these are things you are considering, go for it.  Just don't expect me to look at the pictures.




My suggestions for an adventure will be a lot tamer and won't increase your insurance rates.




 Let's say that you do want to leave home for a few months.  Who doesn't?  Check out http://coolworks.com.  If you can't find a part of the world that calls to you, then maybe you should just stay home and sort your socks.

I can't do this, you say.  How would everyone survive without me?  Boy, you really need to have an adventure if you think you are the only one who can take out the trash. 

Everything else in your life can be taken care of long distance. You can pay bills online, your mail can be forwarded, a friend can watch your apartment, and the adult children can pay for a babysitter for a few months.

If you really, truly, and I know you wouldn't lie to me, cannot leave home, there are other adventure options. (You could go if you hadn't taken in 43 cats and a raccoon.  What were you thinking?)

"What can I do here in Dinkytown, USA?" you might ask.  "It's just so b-o-r-i-n-g here." 

Then it's your job to change that, my friend.  Here are a few ideas off the top of my head.

Start a ladies club.  Look how much fun these fine women are having.

Pick a topic...any topic.  Genealogy, bug identification, recycling, cycling...it doesn't matter.

Clubs always have snacks too.  That's a good thing.





Compile a cookbook.  Maybe you've been hoarding family recipes that you swore you would take to your grave.  Pass them on, for heavens sake.  And don't leave the important ingredients out.  That's not nice.

Along the same line....make a family cookbook.  Let everyone contribute.  Do a cookbook for your church.  Throw in some pictures and poems.  Go crazy!

A local printer can help you pull it together.  You can also find companies online that take you through the process and print the cookbooks.  Check out the prices carefully, since I haven't researched the financial commitment here.

Do you make wind chimes, sock puppets, aprons, anything?  Make heaps of them and sell them at a flea market or craft show.

You won't get rich but you will have a blast.

You'll make friends and the people watching is priceless. 


To wrap up, here are more suggestions in rapid fire.  Join Habitat for Humanity.   Help with a local theater production.  Take piano lessons.  Volunteer at the homeless shelter or food pantry.  Learn a foreign language.  Visit people at nursing homes who don't have family. 

Hey!  How about starting a blog?  This is a blog.  You can do a blog.  Anyone can do a blog.  It's free.  Does that help?

The lecture is ending in 30 seconds.  You can go back to playing online mahjong soon. 

My final point IS, not every adventure has to involve quitting your job or leaving the state. 

If the thought of doing any of the above things makes you nervous, then you should do it.

LIVE ON THE EDGE!  

You won't fall off.  I promise.