The "Truman Show" Escape!

On July 22, 2008 I wrote the following to myself.  I read it regularly as a reminder to follow what I want to do and go where I want to go.  Looking back, this has helped more then I'd ever imagined it would.

Enjoy!

A painting on an electrical box along the Road To Hana.  Maui, Hawaii

July 22, 2008

The “Truman Show” Escape

Last evening I was taking a short motorcycle ride to relax and think. On my way out of town I thought how nice it would be to keep going and explore. It was at that moment I thought of the movie “The Truman Show” and how life mimics the plot of the movie too well.

In the “The Truman Show”, Truman has grown up on a movie set without knowing it. His “friends”, “co-workers”, “neighbors”; even his “wife” are actors.  Their purpose is to make Truman feel “normal” while at the same time limit his movements and his advancement. If Truman tries to explore, the people around him respond and his exploration is limited or stopped abruptly.  Whenever Truman tries to leave town, all avenues of “escape” are blocked.  The only true way out, the water, holds a deep fear for Truman as is father “died” in that water. Over time, Truman discovers the truth about his environment at the expense of his friends, wife and work.  He finally mustered the courage to overcome his deepest fear, even when the “powers that be” were against him and he escaped his “world”. How did Truman accomplish this? It was a burning desire, passion if you will, to fine his first and true love who’s “father” told Truman years before that they were moving to Fiji when the director didn’t want Truman getting involved with that actress.  Truman was going to Fiji! He dreamed about Fiji, learned about Fiji and finally took action to go to Fiji.  Roadblocks, big ones, ere put in his way and he either went around them, dug through them (watch the movie) or blasted through them.

Life can be be the same, at least for me it is. I have dreams but I've let friends, family, obligations and habits keep me from breaking out. I find more and more I want to break free from my comfort zone and live!  I’m the one to blame as I've let people and situations control me instead of me controlling me. Today that will come to an end!  Today I choose to be the Truman who has the courage to face fear and ridicule in order to break out of the world that I’ve allowed others to create. I want my own world, thank you very much!

"Spontaneous"

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Read History Instead Of Reading About History

History was my least favorite subject in high school and college.  I found learning names, dates and other "facts" about people and events that occurred in the past very boring.  A close second on the boring scale was reading the opinions of the "experts" on what they thought took place and why.

The hill where Custer and the remaining members of the 7th Cavalry maid their final stand.

History has now become one of my favorite subjects thanks to a retired history teacher.  In 2011 three friends and I visited the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument in Montana as part of a 2 week motorcycle trip.  We were only going to spend a short time there as the monument itself is quite small.  One of the rangers, a retired history teacher, was going give a presentation on the battle and one of my friends wanted to hear it.  I'd read the "history" of the battle and planned on "zoning out" during the presentation, however this person made the events leading up to the battle and the major players on both sides come to life.  His rendition included back stories on the major players and an insight as to what it must have been like "back then".  After his presentation we hung around to talk with the ranger.  My friend, who is a history buff, asked him where he got his information from and his answer changed my view on learning history.  This former teacher said his information was based on reading the memoirs of the people who survived the battle and of those who didn't.  He also studied the diary entries of the people involved and read stories written during that time.  In other words he was reading history instead of reading about history.  What a concept!

Thanks to hanging around to listen to a retired history teacher, I've found a love of reading history.  Thanks to the "web" it's easy to find and read newspaper and magazine editorials and articles written in the past.  There are also thousands of books still in print that were written in the past and they provide an interesting "window" into the life and times of the era in which they were written.

Perhaps the most striking thing I've discovered is that the thoughts, dreams, fears and passions of people in the past are very similar, if not identical, to what we feel today.

A cannon overlooking one of the battlefields at Gettysburg, PA

Read the stories and articles that were written during this dark time in US history.  You may be surprised at how "complicated" things were leading up to the Civil War.

The real reason for writing this is because I see so many today referencing the past and how we've "lost our way" and need to return to the past.  I doubt those who are doing this have actually studied the life and times of the people and events they are referring to.  If they did, they would realize that life was not all sunshine and roses back in the day and that those who are admired today, were criticized and vilified as much, if not more then our leaders today are.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Everything Costs Something!

A number of years ago a young man I knew was complaining that he was unable to find steady work in his field and that he was working several places to make a go of it.  It so happened I had been looking for someone with his training to fill a position and I offered him the position.  His salary would be higher, his cost of living lower and he'd be able to do this working on less day a week.  The only "catch" was, he'd have to move to a small city that was 2 hours away from the metropolitan area he was currently living in.  In the end he was willing to pay the price of time and unsteady work to stay where he was then pay the price (not in money) of uprooting and moving to a new community.

Personally, I get asked all the time why I drive a 16 year old car that I payed all of $1,500.00 for.  My answer is simple, I'd rather spend my money and time traveling or on my motorcycles then on something that I use only when the weather is bad.

This is what I choose to pay for

And this...

Everything costs something.  Time, money, giving up something, moving for a job, learning a new skill or doing something that's difficult to get what you really want.

The average person is unwilling to pay the price for what they want while the exceptional person will.

Which person will you be?

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Do You Really Want It?

"If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way.  If you don't, you'll find an excuse."

This quite has been attributed to a few people, however I'll give credit to Jim Rohn, who is credited with saying this the most.

Before

After

In 2014 I made a trip to Peru where a friend and I spend 2 weeks riding and exploring the Andes Mountains.  By the end of the trip our riding boots were coated in dirt and dust from the ride and they needed cleaned before packing them up for the trip home.  We headed to one of the business districts near where we were staying as a "fleet" of shoe shiners spend the day cleaning an polishing the shoes of business people and tourists alike.  The gentleman that began working on mine did so with enthusiasm and detail.  

During the "cleaning" we had a talk about how long he had been working and what he typically made in a day.  I found out he'd been shining shoes for over 25 years and his annual income was higher then the average resident of Cusco, including many educated professionals.

This gentleman knew what he wanted in life and found a way that many would outright reject to get it.  He seemed to love what he did and was quite willing to talk about it.  He was meticulous in his work as my boots hadn't looked this good other then when they came out of the box for the first time.

So when it comes to adventure or anything, for that matter, how bad do you really want it?

Les Gold - How Bad Do You Want It?

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Self-Help Books Work, But There's A Catch

Year after year self-help books are one of the top selling book categories.  Some people are helped, while most read the book they've purchased and throw it in the bookshelf or throw it away.  Many of those who are not helped will buy another self-help book and likely another after that searching for "THE ANSWER".  That's why self-help books keep selling.

The ironic part to all of this is that most, if not all, self-help books work and give "THE ANSWER".  The reason many people keep buying these books is because they're looking for a different solution, one that doesn't exist, one that's easy.

"THE ANSWER" that's described in most, if not all, self-help books requires the reader to do three main things.

The first is to decide on what you want.  This sounds easy, however it's the most difficult part of the process and many people drop out here.

The second is to take action and move toward what you want.  This takes effort, risk and opens the person up to criticism.

The third is to be grateful for the things you have and grateful for those around you.  As easy as this sounds, it takes more thought then you realize and this is why it works.

There is no easy fix, however by working on the three things above, with the help of the information in any self-help book, the results will happen.  All it takes is effort and time.

My favorite self-help books are "How To Stop Worrying And Start Living" by Dale Carnegie, which was first published in 1944, and "The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield.  Both have helped and continue to help me.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Classical Music

I continue to find it "interesting" that music I enjoyed in my youth, which was not well liked by the adults of the day, is now considered "classic".

Sometimes the "ordinary" becomes a classic.

This is one of many examples of how things that are new, revolutionary and "radical" will either disappear into obscurity or become part of the "norm".

I had to hide my first Aerosmith album...

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Just For Today

Occasionally I run across something that simplifies and helps.  Something that will be placed where I can see it every day.  Today is one of those days.

This was written in 1925, by the way.

Just For Today

1. Just for today I will be happy.  this assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that "most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  Happiness is from within; it is not a matter of externals.
2. Just for today I will try to adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires.  I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come and fit myself to them.
3. Just for today I will take care of my body.  I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse it, not neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding.
4. Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind.  I will learn something useful.  I will not be a mental loafer.  I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
5. Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways.  I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out.  I will do at least two things I don't want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise.
6. Just for today I will be agreeable.  I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with praise, criticize not at all, nor find fault with anything and not try to regulate nor improve anyone.
7. Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problem at once.  I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.
8. Just for today I will have a program.  I will write down what I expect to do every hour.  I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it.  It will eliminate two pests, hurrying and indecision.
9. Just for today I will have a quiet half-hour all by myself and relax.  In this half-hour sometimes I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective into my life.
10. Just for today I will be unafraid, especially I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love, and to believe that those I love, love me.

Sibyl F. Partridge.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Ask Questions

“The questions you ask are more important than the things you could ever say.”

— Tom Freese

The best way to learn about something or someone is to ask a question and then actively listen.

Learning to ask someone a question and then actively listening is hard to do because most of us have been programmed from an early age to not ask questions and we like to talk about who we are instead of finding out about someone else.

However, by practicing the art of asking questions and actively listening you'll discover more then you could ever imagine.  In fact it can be a fun adventure that can be taken every day.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Some Days It's Hard To Be An Adult...

Today was one of those days where I didn't want to grow up and be an adult.  I was having too much fun playing cars and motorcycles with my grandson...  Adventures around the living room are the best!

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Play!

Play is important at any age.  It frees the mind the cares of the world and allows us to see what's truly important in life.  Play is also good for our health, both mental and physical.

Albert Einstein said that "Play is the highest form of research."

Play is also a form of adventure so take time to play each day.  It's worth it!

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker