emotions

Train Watching at Night for the First Time

After I watched Terminator Genisys which isn’t as bad as people say it is, I drove to my train watching spot since it was close by. This is the first time I’ve watched trains at this spot at night.

Train in The Distance

Train in The Distance

It was a little hazy which allowed me to see trains coming from miles away thanks to their bright lights. I managed to see several trains, including the Capital Limited which is an Amtrak train that travels to Washington DC.

This was a surreal experience. It was 2:30AM, breezy, muggy, and I was one of the only people in the parking lot. Occasionally, a car would pass by, usually a cop doing their runs. At one point, I noticed a late night biker who seemed to be overjoyed with having the entire road to himself. He stopped by a tree to watch a train go by, then went on his way.

Train is Coming

Train is Coming

I felt relaxed, at peace, and content knowing it was only a matter of time before the next one flew by. To be honest, I don’t know what it is about watching trains go by that makes me feel relaxed. If I were to guess, I’d say it’s because of a few reasons.

Trains are always coming and going. I wonder what it’s like to be on the train, hitching a free ride to somewheresville. Then I think about the millions of dollars of freight these trains pull across the country. Everything from chemicals, lumber, grain, sand, and sometimes passengers. Trains invoke a sense of wonder for so many reasons. I think it’s the primary reason I enjoy watching them so much. The What Ifs. They’re also big heavy canvasses of artwork.

I don’t think I’d go as far to say this activity gives me a natural high. Rather, it gives me peace of mind and an opportunity to think deeply about things with the only interruptions being the trains that go by. I can’t wait for the next opportunity on a warm summer night to watch trains come and go without me.

I wrote this post because I want to remember that night. One of the few where I felt happy, content, and inspired.

Everyone Has Their Demons

I don’t care who you are, the color of your skin, your gender, none of it matters. The fact of the matter is, that every human being has their demons. This could be alcoholism, addiction, violent tendencies, or anything else considered bad in human nature.

Maybe you think you don’t have any demons, you’re as pure as they come. Then, sometime, somewhere, you’re put into a position or situation where you don’t know how to act, yet the demon inside of you does.

It wakes up and it’s up to you to stop it before it ruins and controls your life. Everyone has at one point and time in their lives, realized, struggled with, and fought against a physical, emotional, or spiritual weakness, insecurity or trial.

As a distributed worker, you are responsible for your own actions. You’re also entitled to freedoms those in a cubicle can only dream of. Let me be one of the few to tell you that the struggles of some distributed workers are real.

The struggle to wake up at a decent time, the struggle not to take advantage of vices to get through the day, the struggle to fight through whatever obstacles are in front of you, the struggle not to give up, the struggle not to tell everyone to fuck off and push the power button on everything around you.

As a distributed worker, productivity, communication, everything required to get the job done is on your shoulders. For many, this is a welcome change of pace or perhaps is easy to adapt to. For others, it’s a painful transition even if it shouldn’t be.

If you struggle as a distributed or remote worker, I want you to know that you’re not alone. There are others fighting the same battle in different arenas all over the world. They’re trying to figure this shit out and make it work for their life style.

Don’t listen to your demons or fall into their desires. Continue to press forward to find a way to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Surround yourself with others who are fighting the same battle and give each other positive energy, encouragement, enlightenment, anything that will stop people from listening to their demons. It’s imperative that you don’t fall into the trap of following your demon’s ways as only bad things will result from it.