Still in the Real World!

Know it has been a while since I posted, Kristi reminded me.  Have a couple of ideas:  WiFi repeater, and the Generator are two.  But thought would talk a bit about the last few days instead.

See, I am still sort of in the Real World, meaning I have this contracting job.  Now, the last Monday and Tuesday I needed to be in San Jose for individual meetings as well as an overall stakeholders session the EPA conducted.  My new 'life style' came up a few times (and I promise, not always at my prompting!), and that got me to thinking about some to the differences with this new lifestyle when it came to travel.

Old Way:  (meaning, house, car, 8-5 job.)

• As Sunday ramped down, would begin to get into 'job mode'.  Normal Sunday activity as the long waited for weekend had arrived, and then quickly gone.
• Sunday evening, go to 'office' in the house and check Email, print boarding pass, and surf about 1hrs worth of unrelated web sites.
• Pack bag and laptop.  Place in front of door so I would not forget them Monday morning.
• Place keys and wallet on kitchen counter, next to coffee pot.

Oh, and of course I had filled the car gas tank over the weekend.  In fact, most of the weekend was spent doing chores that were not done while at work the prior week.

• Set alarm clock for 4:15am (7am flight).

Monday morning:  Wake, shower, coffee, goodbye to wife.  Easy drive to Airport parking, wait for bus, and off!


New Way: OK, here is how it went this time around:

• Sunday:  We realized we needed to move the boat to be near a MAX (light rail) line so I could take it to the airport Monday morning.  6 hour trip up river, but it did charge the batteries well!
• Had to keep track when Sunday was.  As Sunday is, well, like Saturday, and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... In fact, if it was not for some event we would not really (and at times do not) know what day of the week it is.

Did spend Saturday not at Chores, but at the annual Pirates Cruise for the kids!  GREAT FUN, and Kristi could join this time around.

• Sunday night, unpacked and booted computer.  Moved printer into place and got some paper from its storage place.  Checked Email, printed boarding pass, closed all down and put it away.
• Made sure we had hot water for a shower next morning (we did, from our long motoring trip).  Packed bags, placed them in front of the door so I would not forget them.  Ground coffee and prepped the old Italian maker.  
• Set alarm for 2:50am.

Monday morning:  Wake, shower, Coffee, GoodBye to Wife.  15 minute walk to MAX station, train stops at terminal so just walk through short line at security and off!

OK, so - lots seems the same.  The biggest change, to be honest, is we needed to plan a bit better.  When I booked my tickets, I needed to check the MAX schedule to make sure when the 1st train ran.  We needed to move the boat downtown in prep.  And I needed to finish installing all the locks on the doors before I left Kristi.  We were lucky in that we know most the folks on the docks already - even though some of them are a bit on the edge of society - we know them and had made friendly acquaintances with them over the Blues Fest.

And time:  It takes more time to do almost anything in this new way of life.  We can not just 'hop' into the car and be off. In this case, 6hrs in Sunday moving the boat, and getting up an hour eailer was the extra time investment.

Overall, this was the 1st time I had to travel when being 'free'.  We will continue to use the downtown Max location for shorter trips.  Longer ones we will rent a slip at our old marina for a week and get the car.  Perhaps biggest change was, as always, planning for hot water for the morning shower.  But other then that, it all seemed to work out well.