Agave Azul

New restaurants come and go, but occasionally one comes along that you really wish could stay.  Agave Azul had a brief mention in a recent edition of the Oregonian and the "healthy selections" part caught my eye.

I can only speak for the chicken fajitas - that's what Margaret and I each ordered.  (Of course there was a margarita and a glass of wine involved.)

Our new friend, Maria brought the fajitas to the table with the requisite sizzling pan, but when we dug in, we were both surprised - no grease.  When I pointed that out, Maria said simply, "we use wine instead!"

If you can't read the graphic, they are in Gresham (of course) just off Powell on Vista, near 242nd.  Treat yourself to a friendly atmosphere and wonderfully light fajitas!

Dave

The Cruise!

Yes, you eagle-eyed readers are right - it has been some time since I've blogged. Mea culpa! Won't bore you with the details, other than a pledge to get back at it.

What has caused me to get off the dime is a commitment I made to some new friends while on our Caribbean Cruise. After trying to determine how I was going to email videos of our Zip Line tour of the jungle in Belize, I realized this may be the easiest. Since the file sizes are much larger than most email systems can handle, it's merely sending a link to this post.

First, my new friend Les. We had to do some quick planning to make sure we had the camera on the "receiving" platform to get each of us landing. Here's my videography of his "zipography:"

Next, is someone who I am sorry to say, I don't know her name. However, her landing was one we shall all remember. It looks pretty "contained" in this video, but I assure you, it was a bit more "exciting" as she was coming to a stop. Enjoy your movie role!

Last, but not least: me. Les and I were quick enough to swap the camera to that we could get each other in our starring roles. And I mean quick! As you've seen, it didn't take long to get hooked in, zip, unhooked, and off to the next platform. We had to do some creative sequencing with some of our fellow zippers to buy some time between zips, but as Larry the Cable Guy might say, we "got 'er done!"

Les and I decided that when we retire and take over the tourist trade in Belize, we would keep the long bus ride, keep the lunch (not bad, actually), keep Mel (Melanie) as the tour guide, but we would absolutely do the Zipline loop 20 or 30 times (well, maybe 2 or 3) before the long ride back.

Feel free to check back for photos and more commentary.

Dave

727 - Two Years and Counting

After blowing past the "two years left until my retirement-eligible target" of August 1, I'm realizing just how fast time is traveling. It seems that in spite of frequent attention being paid to the remaining time, the pace is indeed accelerating. I'm thinking this is both good and bad.

A quickened pace leading to retirement gets to that emotional "nirvana" more quickly, alleviating the "can't wait 'til Christmas" feeling that we all had (have!) as kids. I'm excited to get there and want the waiting time to be short.

But there are drawbacks to the quick pace I'm beginning to experience.

First, there's the very real need to transform the old 201(k) back into a 401(k) to put the retirement funding back on track. You're saying, "time doesn't really go faster or slower, it's just a perception; you really have two years left, no matter how fast it 'seems' to be going."

Agreed.

But with the perception that time is actually going faster, I must be on guard to fight the urge to "catch up" the investment funds too quickly through poor decisions. Stay the course. Make careful choices.

There's another, more deeply emotional aspect of time going quickly: relationships. If I choose to retire on Day 0 (remember, at that point in time I may "choose" to work, as opposed to being "required" to do so), I will be leaving a career-long connection to my professional family. I don't take this concept lightly. My employer of now nearly 31 years has in it a unique and cherished family feel that is quite unusual in what would be a Fortune 600 or 700 company. Large organizations don't always foster that type of close-knit feeling.

I won't even get into the impact I will have on my wife when I retire. Reduced stress for me, but heightened stress for her. Having me around every day won't necessarily be a cake walk. This could be the basis for a whole series of posts by itself!

For now, I will continue to enjoy the Retirement Countdown experience due to (or in spite of) the seemingly quickened pace. Have you experienced these feelings? How did you deal with it? If you're still a long way away from retirement, how do my perspectives affect yours?

Dave

Casual Friday Inflation

What is it with "Casual" Fridays any more? Don't people have pride in their appearance, their roles in their organization, or even the organization itself? As with most other aspects of our economy, inflation seems to have affected the way many people dress on the last day of the work week. What used to be grubby is now considered casual and what was casual is now business casual - at least through the eyes of some.

I remember when Casual Friday in most companies meant, "lose the tie." At my employer, that wasn't actually the case because we didn't have Casual Friday. It was "tie day" every day. However, in June of 2001, my employer changed to "casual business attire" which meant losing the tie completely, unless of course if there was an event or visitor that warranted a knot. The quote from our CEO's email announcement:

"As another step toward making our company a more open and congenial place in which to work, I would like to announce a change in the dress code -- to casual business attire (which of course, does not mean sneakers, jeans and shorts.)"

Now, I have not seen shorts (unless you include women's Capri pants), but I have seen my share of sneakers and jeans, many of which have seen their own share of miles traveled. I just don't get it. We (and I use the collective "we") strive to be treated like professionals. We complain when we are not respected as valued members of the organization. Then on Fridays, instead of tastefully dressing down to "casual business attire," we act as if we are about to change the oil in our cars.

If this is what people wear to work on Fridays, what do they put on to become more casual at home? If the proportions hold true, that level of "casual" would allow them a second job of standing on the freeway off-ramp with a cardboard sign, indicating, "will work for good clothes."

I'm sorry, but keep the slacks, keep the dress shoes and keep the collared shirts. Lose the jeans.

Dave

Philadelphians Group Tours

It is always a pleasure to learn something new about a friend. I've been playing tennis with Grant Beldin for several years and never really knew about his company, Philadelphians Group Tours. I'd always heard bits and pieces, but never actually put two and two together. Until just recently.

Grant and his wife, Marilyn own and operate Philadelphians Group Tours, Inc. They have been creating and hosting non-smoking Christian tours since 1980 and here I am just finding out! Their tours are selected with seniors in mind and delivered in a caring and comfortable way.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have not enjoyed one of their tours myself. But I have a different perspective. A perspective most clients don't get to see. I see in Grant a caring, humorous, family-oriented gentleman. If just half of the personality I've known for years comes through in his tours, you're in for a treat.

The conversation I had with him recently that educated me about PGTI painted the picture of detail-oriented planning, the utmost concern for the guests' comfort and safety, and an overall feeling of him truly being a part of ever group he hosts. Not a bad way to travel.

Check out Philadelphians Group Tours, Inc. If you have the need for caring and comfortable travel, where all the details are handled for you, they are indeed your choice.

Dave