100 and Done! (Countries that is...)

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We are back! This last trip brought the total countries visited to 100! It is a crazy milestone. It is difficult, time-consuming and can be (IS) expensive. After I got back from Antarctica in 2007, I started thinking about it. After 2010 I was thinking about it more (as I moved from NY to Georgia) and in 2014 it had become a real goal. Between Angie and I we have been to 109 Countries. We are tied at 100 countries each. We have 9 countries different in our lists. For example, I have been to San Marino. She has not. She has been to Israel. I have not, yet. There has been some fun competition in this area. That's why we had to establish rules. 1.) Must be listed (as a country) with the US State Department 2.) Being in an airport doesn't count. You have to get through immigration somehow and not in a DMZ or a no-mans-land 3.) A passport stamp is not required. I have been to Canada, Paraguay, and Uruguay without getting my passport stamped. There are friendly borders in many places...
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Things are going great. I have an offer in on a house on Lake Lanier. I may get the deal going (picture follows) for the future Winter place, but I am looking at another one on the Lake Saturday after my flying lesson.

Although I am a bit lonely, there are all sorts of connections I can count on. My Sister came up from FL for a visit.

I joined a fitness center today (even though work and the apt complex have fitness centers). It was only 10 bucks a month. I was paying 40 a month in Greene NY. It is nice to have an exercise place that is not work and not home.

I gave myself a busy schedule for the next couple of weeks. Sunday I am off to Finland, second half of the week in England. The week after it is Brazil. One of the interesting things about my travel is that I get out into the non-metropolitan areas. I should have some great pics and stories. I am looking forward to some Scandinavian fish and especially some Brazilian steak house food. It has been a long time! Most of all I am looking to getting some meaningful work done.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't see where things now are so much better than they were at The Raymond Corporation. I am challenged, have a great boss and spend my time in a growing and non-decaying enterprise.

Five indications that it is a good time to look for a new job.

5. The bosses frequently say “I don’t care.”

4. The bosses are replaced with people from a totally different industry.

3. Sales are down 50% and the number of executives is up 50%.

2. Your new boss whines and has less management experience than you do.

1. Executives use the word “fuck” as punctuation in providing direction and its use seems to make them feel better about themselves.

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100 and Done! (Countries that is...)

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Image
We are back! This last trip brought the total countries visited to 100! It is a crazy milestone. It is difficult, time-consuming and can be (IS) expensive. After I got back from Antarctica in 2007, I started thinking about it. After 2010 I was thinking about it more (as I moved from NY to Georgia) and in 2014 it had become a real goal. Between Angie and I we have been to 109 Countries. We are tied at 100 countries each. We have 9 countries different in our lists. For example, I have been to San Marino. She has not. She has been to Israel. I have not, yet. There has been some fun competition in this area. That's why we had to establish rules. 1.) Must be listed (as a country) with the US State Department 2.) Being in an airport doesn't count. You have to get through immigration somehow and not in a DMZ or a no-mans-land 3.) A passport stamp is not required. I have been to Canada, Paraguay, and Uruguay without getting my passport stamped. There are friendly borders in many places...
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