Various Ramblings
Michael Nowak
Cha-cha-changes!
Cha-cha-changes!
Various Ramblings
Michael Nowak
Seeing can mean believing.
Seeing can mean believing.

#ForestFriday - Gifford Pinchot NF

I recently had the privilege of hiking with one of my besties from Texas up in the Gifford. We found the glorious trees and waterfalls that Washington (and the PNW) promised me years ago when I first visited. Enjoy a few photos and go on and get out there this weekend if you can! Happy hiking!

The calm noise of a flowing river. (Falls Creek)

The hike was worth it, for sure.

Around the rocks and ferns…

It’s bigger than it appears in photos.. Falls Creek Falls

The upper portion is as big as other waterfalls I saw earlier in the day

Majestic.

#MondayMotivation - Try anyway

I haven’t been as active as I need or want to be and thus I have become a little slower and out of shape. I was convinced (by my own brain) that I shouldn’t waste my time driving to trails until I did a little more cardio or whatever to get prepared. All of these thoughts went out the window yesterday when I met up with my dear, nonjudgmental friend in town from Texas. She’s been on a mission to see as much as she can while in WA and yesterday was no exception. We hiked to two waterfalls that I’ve wanted to see since moving up here in 2022, that happened to be on her list, and it was glorious. Was I a little slow and sweaty? Absolutely. DId it matter? NOPE. Go do the thing or go try the other thing, but don’t do what I did and wait or sit convinced it can’t happen. Enjoy a few photos of the adventure and get out there.

You can do it, and if you can’t, you tried and you’ll keep trying.

Panther Creek Falls

The drive between trailhead parking lots

Falls Creek Falls

MondayMotivation - Distract Yourself

Sometimes, just sometimes, you can’t seem to overcome the BS. You can’t get past the event or activity that has you messed up. When you can’t move past that thing, go somewhere distracting!

Yesterday started off in a gut wrenching, terrible-to-me way with my car being broken into. I cleaned up the mess, did all the reporting and claiming but it still left me angry and violated. After a morning of unexpected cleaning and my usual chores, I reluctantly set out with the some friends to the coast. The glorious Oregon Coast offered the distraction I needed from the events of the morning. I saw waves, wildlife, and the sunset all while laughing and smiling.

I’m back to reality today - working, waiting on the glass people to call, and hoping nothing else tragic happens. Deal with the crap, do something to be happy again, and keep going! You’ve got this!

What a mess, but, it is dealt with and life goes on. I’ll get a detail after the new moonroof is installed.


#ForestFriday - Through The Woods

I have a few specific memories of my grandmother (Gramma) that always comes to my brain when I think of her. Today is her birthday, so I’ve been thinking about her all morning. For this #ForestFriday I’m thinking of the times we would walk the dog through the Besser Natural Area (Bell Bay) and look for the old homesteads in the woods. We’d meander down the trails and walk past the lagoon and eventually out to Lake Huron. This little nature area was only a few minute drive from our family cottage, so we would go often in the summer season.

Enjoy some photos as I travel down memory lane in honor of one of my biggest supporters and favorite people in one of our favorite places (and then a few of her just for fun). Rest in peace and thanks for everything, always.

Way Back Wednesday - Ruby Beach

I have the beach on my brain as the temperatures look to be heating up again. Summer, please go away! Escape with me to the coast of Washington state at Ruby Beach. Take in the sunshine, knowing it’s only in the 60s out there! Enjoy and stay cool, friends!

The view from the trail down…

You can find some shade behind the big rock

Let the water come in and wash away those cares

Spend hours listening to the waves and looking through beach rocks

#MondayMotivation - Find something new

What do you do when things don’t feel right? I change something. I think this has been a theme of previous Mondays, but it’s a good one to keep revisiting. I keep feeling these pulls to the darkness and I have to keep adjusting and changing to make sure I’m not insanely doing the same things and expecting new results. For my weekends, I’m looking for cool things I want to see around Oregon. I need to embrace and immerse myself to feel at home and I haven’t been doing it enough while I’m here.

I’m changing what’s going on in my body, changing what goes in my body, and hopefully sleeping more so I can reconcile some negative feelings I have about myself and the way I look. I can’t expect to feel better about myself without making some changes to the way I am or the way I see myself.

I hope you find your way through the week with some positive energy and changes if necessary.

Way Back Wednesday - Crater Lake!

My friends are coming to town, so we’re going to drive down to Crater Lake this week. In honor of the beauty, enjoy some photos from the time I visited last fall.

I went early to watch the sunrise over Crater Lake - still as glass!

The lake remained still ast the sun continued up the sky

That water looks brilliantly blue!

As beautiful as the lake is, the forest surrounding the lake is also quite remarkable. No matter how you drive in, it’s spectacular.

Tuesday Truths - Summer Stinks!

I’m just living my truth about summer.

  • Summer is only good when you’re not in Texas. (I hate hot weather)

  • Sweet relish should be illegal (I’ve been tricked too many times)

  • Burgers without cheese have no place in my home

  • Hot dogs should have black on them

  • Sweet pickles should also be illegal

  • For hot dogs, yellow mustard is superior

  • Your fireworks look like shit

  • Marshmallows should not be burnt, just brown

  • It’s not a s’more without chocolate (Hershey’s plain chocolate)

  • Night swims are superior to day swims

  • Midnight walks or bike rides in the summer are the best

#MondayMotivation - Short Work Weeks

This week’s motivation is brought to you by a short working week for me. I have Thursday and Friday off because my friends are coming in from New Mexico. I’m so pumped to have visitors again and pumped to have a short work week. It’s these little things that keep me pushing forward. Making plans and having visitors keeps me moving. I’ve got visitors coming in August and I’m headed to the Great Lakes in September!

I find joy in planning and hosting, what brings you joy? What keeps you going? Find that thing and run with it. Have a good week!

#ForestFriday - Up North Minnesota

I’ve got Minnesota on the brain right now because I’m planning my trek there for Labor Day weekend. I am so excited to get up there for a while (I took several days off) and it’s going to be good to see my people. I’m excited to see the forests and the big lake (Lake Superior) as well as the small lakes. I’m hoping for good weather, but will take anything we get. I’m ready for Leinenkugel's and bonfires. Superior National Forest makes up most of the woods around where I’ll be, so I’m sharing some photos from previous trips for this Forest Friday. I hope you get to the forest and have a great weekend!

Way Back Wednesday - June 2019 "Up north" #WBW

It was the middle of June and I was heading up north with my dog and my kayak. Up north is a technical term for anywhere in Northern Michigan. I bounced between my grandparent’s house and the family cottage and enjoyed many sunrises and sunsets. Enjoy some photos from the lake where the family cottage is and some memories I hope to remake in the future. P.S. I miss my black Outback so much.

Tuesday Truths - Holiday Edition

Here are my hot takes on US holidays that no one asked for including my ranking:

  1. Christmas/Winter Solstice

  2. New Years

  3. My Birthday

  4. Halloween

  5. Thanksgiving

  6. Labor Day

  7. Memorial Day

  8. Independence Day

  • Thought I’m not a religious person, I love Christmas and I think many others do too because of the light and sparkle so maybe I really just like Winter Solstice? I think Xmas took all of the things about a Winter Solstice celebration anyway, so they go hand-in-hand.

  • Halloween/fall in general is nice because of the spooky factor, cooler weather, decor, and traditions. We love a reason to celebrate the onset of cooler weather and to tell scary stories around a campfire.

  • Thanksgiving ranks a little lower only because I think we should do this quarterly and not once a year and only for the food/friends/family, not the whole pilgrim thing. I should start implementing a quarterly Friendsgiving. I’m grateful all year.

  • My Birthday is actually more important than all summer buillshit holidays because summer holidays are not real. Celebrate accordingly.

  • Summer is either hell (in Texas, etc) or should be celebrated with gusto every day a person has off (places with nice summers).

  • I actually think the birthdays of friends and fall equinox are far more important than any bullshit summer holiday.

  • I didn’t include Easter because I don’t think it’s a paid holiday at work and I don’t celebrate it other than eating clearance candy (which I can do all year).

  • Fourth of July is the worst because of amateur fireworks and arrogant people who think they’re good at amateur fireworks. Between the jump factor and obnoxious smells alone, I’m over it two days before it even happens. Don’t even get me started on fireworks and forest fires… *head desk*

  • Memorial and Labor Days are fine, yay for a corporate day off, but why not just have 4-day work weeks all year instead of trying to recreate at the local lake with everyone and their brother one long weekend at a time?

  • I’ve worked for companies that have given me MLK Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, and the days after T-giving/Xmas off. I have no real opinion on these days.

  • Federal holidays are weird in general because we’re not supposed to be a Christian nation yet our recognized days are mostly Christian in nature. As a godless heathen, I don’t really care why we get days off, as long as I can enjoy them.

#MondayMotivation - Shake it Off

Sometimes you have to shake it off. Sometimes, things just don’t work out the way you want them to work out. Sometimes, you do a bad job even if you thought you did a good job. Some people are just not going to be easy to deal with and some people just won’t like you. It’s okay. Not everything is for you, and that’s also okay.

Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do, and that can suck. Sometimes, we think we’re doing well, and we aren’t. It’ll all be okay, just keep going.

Way Back Wednesday - Arkansas 2024

I recently spent 35 days in and around Arkansas for work. I was on location for M-F, but I took full advantage of my weekends. I visited local breweries, made some new friends, and visited my friends/family back in Texas. Heat and humidity aside, the area wasn’t so bad. I experienced some thunderstorms while there and remembered how much I missed those. There were rolling hills, trees, and lush green fields all over and fun back roads through them all. Here’s a few highlights from the trip:

Tuesday Truths

Here’s some more unsolicited opinions or facts, maybe both at the same time. I know, no one asked for this…

  • Arkansas (and surrounding areas) are absolutely not “it” in the summer months

  • Liking Dr. Pepper is not a personality.

  • Online training is superior to in-person training. (mostly because I don’t have to wear pants)

  • Pet rent should be illegal.

  • Wind chimes are either soothing/beautiful or absolutely the most annoying thing ever. There is no in between.

  • Every body is a summer or beach body.

  • Apartments in Texas do not need fireplaces. Period. What a waste of space.

  • Apartments and homes in the PNW should have central heating/cooling, it’s 2024.

  • I imagine skinny backpackers have lighter packs because I’ve seen some of the setups with their foldable foam sleeping mats. Y’all can have it. I’m way too heavy for that shit.

  • I only like DFW because it’s familiar and there are familiar things there. That’s it. I no longer fall victim to thinking I could live there again knowing how much I hated the summers and lack of anything interesting within 2-3 hours.

  • Once you start getting plants, it’s hard to stop. (Unless you kill them all)

#MondayMotivation - Shorter Days Ahead!

Today is the first Monday I’m home after 35 days away for work. I thought it was going to be a bit rough getting back into my regularly scheduled routine, but the central time zone changed my body clock and I’m quite enjoying my new sleep schedule. I’m in bed by 10-11 pm and I’m up by 5 am. I love the quiet mornings and I’ve been enjoying even being up at 4 to catch first light. All this to say, I was worried it was going to be difficult to jump back in and it wasn’t at all.

I normally hate summer, but I’m excited to take advantage of the rest of it here in the Pacific Northwest. I’d like the days to be 75 degrees instead of 100, so we’ll see how this all shakes out. I have visitors towards the end of the month and in August, so I’m hopeful we can find some fun adventures that aren’t involving Texas style heat. There’s always the coast!

My motivation this fine Monday is coming from wanting to cram as much as I can in because it feels like I already missed a month of the good weather. I’m not sure if that is healthy or not, but it is what it is. I’m on a new, great, sleep schedule and I’ll be able to take advantage of every day sunrise to sunset until fall. So here’s to enjoying the days as much as I(we) can and hopefully the temps going back to normal for a bit.

Shaved my head and I’m ready for summer!



Way Back Watery Wednesday

I have the Great Lakes on my brain, so I wanted to share some photos from around the glorious shorelines. When I lived in Michigan, I didn’t take advantage of the outdoors the way I would today. I can’t wait to get back and explore all of the things saved on my map. For now, enjoy some photos of the lakes that are unsalted and shark free!

Lake Superior

Lake Superior is pretty special. It’s large, moody, and definitely in charge. These photos are from Duluth throughout the years.

Lake Huron

Lake Huron is home, and the sky is often magical. Most of these are from the Rogers City area in Michigan.

Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan became home when I moved to the southwest corner of the state for college. Trips to the beach were memorable and fun. These photos are from all along that coast.

#MondayMotivation - Mondays?

Without Monday, Tuesday would just feel like Monday. Those weeks with Monday off for a holiday always make Tuesday feel like Monday. If we don’t power through the Mondays of life, we’ll be tainting the Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The lesson I’m taking away from this is to just kind of push through the bullshit and get to the good stuff. Look, if we can rebrand a Thursday to basically Friday Eve, we can push through Monday and make the rest of the week feel like Thursday through Saturday.

Also, make 4-day work weeks a things. Thanks. Have a good week folks.

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