A roof over my head

I love being a vagabond, the gypsy lifestyle, floating from couch to couch, but sometimes you just need your own bed. So, to that end I have moved into a little duplex in South Austin. It is a great little place, ugly on the outside, clean on the inside, and there is just enough room for little dinner parties. I have a place to keep my things and park my car, lay down at night and cook in the morning. It is nice.

A lot has been said about the value of a home, a base for operations, a place to hang your hat, so I won't go into it here but to say that having that grounding place really helps me figure out what I am doing right now. Since my return to the US I have floated and my mind has floated with me, it has been a valuable time of growth and questions. Right now, at this moment, I have the opportunity to sit still and my mind has the opportunity to focus.

I am currently expanding my client base for private climbing lessons, trying to expand into other outdoor pursuits, working with a friend on a climbing shoe resoling company, and researching the feasibility of a brewpub in College Station. Along with those humble projects I am scheduling a Wilderness First Responder refresher course, looking into a American Mountain Guide Association course, and an American Alpine Institute avalanche course. I am also still pedicabbing on the weekends for income and entertainment.

I have gotten to see lots of friends over the summer and had even more time with family than I could have ever hoped for. My roommate and I are having dinner gatherings regularly, and looking forward to more. Little sister came into town today, and my parents were in a few weeks ago. Lola, my car, has been parked since June because of a wheel bearing but I am enjoying not paying for gas so I haven't rushed out to get her fixed. I feel guilty but my pocketbook is happy for now... besides have you seen my cycling calves lately? But seriously I love my bike.

I hope you all are sharing time with good people, eating good food, and learning about your passions.

Peace and Love

Mike

Irie

Irie: to be at total peace with your current state of being. The way you feel when you have no worries. (urbandictionary.com)


I regularly stop in at the Irie Bean Coffee Shop on South Lamar to get coffee, use the internet, and hook into the south Austin community. I found the Irie bean when I first moved down here and it has become my coffee shop and I really dig the community that has developed here. As a matter of fact I am here right now.


A lot has been going on recently and it is hard to get it all in order to convey through a few paragraphs on the web, but here is a short synopsis; I am focusing outdoor education right now teaching private lessons and camps at the gym, I went up to Colorado for a week and taught mountain biking and mountaineering, I have started working on feasibility studies and market analysis with two different friends on two different business ideas, and I am training (in fits and starts) for the Austin Triathlon in September (if anyone wants to sponsor me please shoot me an email or leave a comment.) It is all very exciting and I will flesh this out more as more becomes apparent.

A note: I love teaching, I have gotten back into outdoor ed. over the last month and I am looking to start doing outdoor tutoring in Austin. There are people all over the place that would like to learn more about paddling, hiking, camping, biking, and climbing, and I would like to help them. Over the next few weeks I will be rolling out a small outdoor tutoring service in Austin. I am excited about this and hope you are too, I will keep you posted.

Peace Love and good food,


Mike