Money & Adventure

I know from experience that money can't buy happiness. I also know that money can buy adventure. Adventure makes me happy. Go figure.

I took a tandem skydive two weeks ago. These are my two favorite photos from the experience.

I had been skydiving before. I went when I was 18 or 19. I don't remember much about that first experience except that I CHOSE a tandem skydive over a solo one. Going solo was an option and I was gung ho about doing it. Then I took the mandatory 5-hour class and got a little scared. I didn't want my life to be my responsibility. I'd rather put it in the hands of a professional. When it was all over I thought about the prospect of becoming a certified skydiver. That idea quickly faded. Now it's resurfaced. This latest skydiving experience was pretty damn cool. It has given me yet another goal in my thirst for adventure. I'm determined to become certified.

I'm not an adrenaline junkie. I don't feel like I have the kind of extreme personality that goes along with such a person. But I like adventure. I like doing cool things. I see something "cool" on television or in a magazine and I think, "I want to do that."

More and more, I'm realizing a lot of the things I want to do cost money. Lots of money. I'm not a rich man so, needless to say, I get frustrated. Here's the rundown...estimated costs only.

Become a certified skydiver: $3,000 (plus another $3,000 to buy personal equipment)

Get a helicopter pilot's license: $40,000

Get a pilot's license: $10,000

Go to acting school in NYC: $80,000

Study Spanish in Chile: $10,000

Volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa: $5,000

Do some serious mountaineering: $10,000

Go to an acrobatic school: $4,000

I've done some cool things in life. I was a seasonal wanderer/worker for 4 years. I lived in New Zealand. I got to ride in a Blue Angels F-18. I'm currently a zip line tour guide.

But I want more. Sadly, I can't afford more. (Forget the issue of spare time. I'll address that if I ever get the money).

Sigh.

This one hurts

I do not have a good track record when it comes to marriage. My 4th TV wife finally had enough of me...and took off for Alabama. Here's the goodbye tribute we all put together for her.

Earlier in that same show, we revisited one of Michelle's greatest moments on the air. Take a look.

And with that...it's the end of an era. I've had four long-term co-anchors during my nearly 5 years in this business. I lucked out with all them. They will forever be close friends. But this divorce hurts...a lot. Michelle has been my best friend in Boise for the past 2.5 years. Sadly for her, she saw me more than she saw her real husband. Working the early morning shift will cause that to happen. Frankly, I'm heartbroken to see her go.

This is a summer of change for me...and Michelle's departure basically starts the dominoes falling. I'll soon have to focus on dealing with the unknowns ahead. For now, I'm just sad as my best Boise friend leaves town.

Good luck Starky. I'll miss you.

Remnants

I like to experience a little bit of nature on Independence Day. It seems appropriate. One of the greatest things about America is her natural beauty. Why not take it in on her birthday? So I took a little hike yesterday morning. I went to Bozeman for the weekend and hiked up to the "M" on the side of Baldy Mountain. It's a nice spot to look over the Gallatin Valley...or more specifically, Bozeman.

It was a good way to start the July 4th holiday. But I have to confess that I felt a strange uneasiness from the moment I drove in to the Bozeman area. It wasn't the place I knew. It wasn't the place I remembered. It wasn't the place I thought I loved so much. At first, I couldn't figure out why I felt so weird about being there. Besides a few new buildings, restaurants, and stores that have popped up...it looks pretty much the same. Not only that, I was there at what is arguably the most beautiful time of the year...when it's warm outside and everything is still green. But I still felt like a stranger in a place where I didn't think that was possible.

I thought things over on my drive home today. Here's my conclusion: there are very few remnants of my existence there. Here's my theory: without anything to tie you there...even a once familiar place can seem foreign.

I still know several people in Bozeman. But by the end of this summer, all of my closest friends will have left. Most of them are already gone. I only caught up with two people on this trip. There was no one else chat with. Just being there felt...lonely. I lived there for nearly 2.5 years. But now I realize my roots didn't run very deep. Outside of the TV news world, I didn't have any good friends. I'm not saying I regret things. I'm not sure it could have turned out any differently. Being in Bozeman was much more about learning the ropes of a new job and a new way of life. It wasn't about entrenching myself in the community. I think it was the same scenario for most of my TV friends. They were in the same boat as I was. Bozeman was simply a gathering place for all of us. It only provided a little context for the life we were all living. I don't think I love it any less. It is a beautiful town with amazing people. But before I go there again, I need to realize I'm going as nothing but a visitor.

I've wrote about a "sense of place" many times on this blog. Most of those writings involve Montana or Glacier National Park in some fashion. But it's taken me time to realize that my connection to a particular place is directly tied to the people I knew there. Going back to Glacier every year can still feel like "coming home." But that's only because many of my friends are still there. They are what made my experience so great.

People make the place. I found that out this weekend. Without the people...even a once loved place can seem...uncomfortable.