Unstoppable

...Meaning things like Death and Taxes.

In regard to the latter, I just finished filing my 2011 taxes, and I have been rewarded with over fifteen hundred dollars between federal and state refunds.

Sweet.

Fantastic

I had today off, and it couldn't have been more perfect for having had no plan:

•  Kristin Cifelli responded happily to my WPMF3 e-mail and will consider joining us.
• I watched the Patriots squeak by the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game (on a missed field goal!) to get into the Superbowl, while eating great Chinese food.
• At halftime I ran out to my local comic shop to buy a pile of them from my subscription box (lots of #4 and #5 issues of the DCU 52, and a couple of Vertigos), as well as a cool Uncanny X-Men pint glass.
• The Celtics and Bruins both won today too.
• I got laundry done, read all of the comics (13), had coffee (freshly-ground Starbucks 'Dark Sumatra'), and then watched new episodes of "Pan Am" and "Downton Abbey".

A great day of self-indulgence (with a smattering of productivity).

WPMF3 Notes - 1

I sent out invites to Almanac Mountain, Elizabeth Lorrey and Vanessa Kafka for this year's Wyman's Pond Music Fest. They are the acts that have performed both years to date, and I hope to keep them on the Musicians' Roster (as 'permanent' guest artists) for as long as they are willing to set aside the last Saturday each July. I also sent 'repeat' invitations to Abbie Barrett and The Rafters, and I extended one to potential newcomers Brooklyn duo Barnaby Bright and Boston's own Kristin Cifelli.

Elizabeth replied almost immediately, and is in!
Alas, Vanessa is otherwise occupied, and will most likely not be able to perform.

Amazonia

I got two Amazon gift cards for Christmas, and this is how I recently spent the $30 one:

• "Sorcerers of Majipoor" - Robert Silverberg
• "Lord Prestimion" - Robert Silverberg
• "The King of Dreams" - Robert Silverberg
• "The New Teen Titans: Games" - Wolfman & Perez
• The 'MAXIM' 2012 calendar

Snow Reason...

While the rest of Massachusetts got rain today, there was 4 inches on the ground here in north central Worcester County before the big, fluffy, wet snow ended around noon. Good old Mount Wachusett, stripping the snow from the clouds before it could reach New Hampshire!

Ten Resolutions for 2012

I have decided to make a list of ten resolutions for the new year (in no particular order):

• Produce Wyman's Pond Music Fest III.
• Climb at least 30 mountains in at least 6 states ("Mountain Quest 2012").
• Spend at least one night on each of three different islands.
• Lose another 20 pounds ( I dropped 20 two years ago and have kept them off).
• Get paid for my artwork.
• Visit another country.
• See at least ten live shows besides WPMF III.
• Be able to play five songs extremely well on my guitar.
• Put at least $2,000 into a Roth IRA.
• Put at least $2,500 into an emergency fund.

I'll update this post in the 'comments' section and change the color of the print from black as I complete each item. Wish me luck, and if you wander past here, feel free to let me know if you've achieved any of your 2012 goals.

Mountain Quest 2012 No.1

At precisely 1:20 pm today I began my "Mountain Quest" series for 2012 with a hike up the Wapack and Kidder Mountain trails to the summit of Kidder Mountain.

I parked my car at the Wapack Trail head on Nashua Road in Sharon, NH, and before I even had my pack on my back, three mountain joggers and their dog preceded me onto the trail, and they were soon out of my sight. I set out on a sunny clear day, with the temperature around 50 degrees. The first part of the trail was a steady incline, very muddy but easy to navigate. A lot of the route was a frozen mountain stream, with various bypasses to get around the wettest spots, and lots of views through the trees. My shoes had been on their last legs for some time, and I expected to get soggy anyway, so I just enjoyed the walk down the woody trail full of icy patches (but no snow) and across several streams.

The directions I'd jotted down indicated that after spending some time on the Wapack Trail that I should turn left to follow the Kidder Mountain Trail to the summit. Well, at a point where it was well-marked to turn right on the Wapack (see above), I turned left as I thought I should. After a half mile up an old cart track I came to a vista, with a huge house on the right and no obvious route to the top of the mountain. I should have known it wasn't the right path to take, because there were no blue triangle blazes, and my assumption led me astray. Oh well... Thankfully the view was worth the backtracking, which I did after a few moments.

Once I was back on the Wapack I continued for awhile until I realized that the sun was in my face, and not on my left where it should have been since I was headed to the summit. So I backtracked once again to where some electrical towers ran up the hill, and found a poorly-situated marker sign to point me the right way (it can only be seen from the opposite direction). Then it was smooth sailing up a frequently-blazed trail, with a more challenging incline, random sweeping views and lots of switchbacks. The actual climbing part of the day had finally arrived after a lot of up and down wandering. I passed a pair of older women on their way down, exchanged pleasantries ("It's beautiful up there!" "Oh good, thank you!"), and with anticipation, trudged (can one 'trudge' merrily?) to the summit.

The view atop Kidder Mountain was amazing. There was nearly a full 360-degrees of unobstructed vision. I could see Watatic, Monadnock, Barrett, Temple, and a ton of other mountains and hills. I could see the ski trails on Mount Wachusett. I could even see Boston way off on the horizon. Who'd have thought the view would be such a perfect a payoff on January first? The bracing 30-something-degrees temperature on the summit didn't even bother me. The sun was out, I had my first climb of the year in the books, and the sights were incredible. I spent 15 minutes or so taking a few photos and then eating my customary almonds and apple (don't apples always taste better when they are eaten outdoors?) before choosing some songs to play on my way back down. Kristin Cifelli, Mojave 3, Abbie Barrett & The Last Date, and Barnaby Bright all took turns on my iPod. The trip up (with the two unplanned, yet welcome, detours) took me an hour and forty minutes, and the descent took only an hour. I was in my car at four, with muddy shoes (soon to be retired) and a happy spirit, and I drove home content...

2012 Firsts

Here is a list of my random "firsts" for the new year:

• First music: Echodrone's "The Sun Rose in a Different Place".
• First coffee: First Colony Coffee - French Roast (yuck).
• First meal: A tangerine, coffee (see above), and a creme horn.
• First hike: Kidder Mountain - 01/01
• First book finished: "FLIGHT" #4
• First movie: "S1m0ne" (2002 - Al Pacino, Catherine Keener, Rachel Roberts)
• First beer: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA - 01/06
• First beer with friends: Erik @ T's Pub (Dum Dum Girls concert) 02/08