Field Notes is where I post short, observational pieces about the week behind me—work, home, heritage, and whatever else insists on being noticed.
Since spring has arrived, it’s felt like a homecoming for me and my bicycle on the Martin Goodman Trail. Riding that open stretch along the lake feels like the kind of therapy I’ve been missing—though not an ideal replacement for psychotherapy. There’s something about the steady breeze past my ears that slows time just enough for me to notice it.
Ironically, as much as stillness can feel like a barrier to the constant growth I chase—a frequent topic with my therapist—there’s a lot to uncover in that quiet. It was recently pointed out to me that living our best lives may actually happen in those moments when we allow ourselves to absorb stillness. Otherwise, how would we recognize that we’re truly living?
My approach to life tends to come in bursts: either taking everything in or sprinting toward something I’ve decided I want. Either way, it’s always full tilt. That’s why the change of seasons can feel like a reset after a stretch of time that seemed static. I struggle with stagnation, and I’m hoping this time in motion—pedaling along the waterfront—will give me space to reflect and recalibrate before finding the drive to push forward again.
All of this to say: I need to keep writing, and I need to find a way to do it for gains that allow me to benefit from the effort I keep putting in. Financial freedom is the obvious goal, but if that’s not the outcome, I need to decide whether I’m doing this with the intention of earning or for vanity; simply for myself, with an audience. That’s something I’ll bring back to my next session.
In the meantime, as I sit with this stillness, I’ve made some progress editing footage from Portugal and have posted a few videos on YouTube. It reminded me that I was once pretty capable behind the camera back in film school—and the act of returning to it may have sparked something worth exploring. Either way, writing this down always helps me make sense of where I’m at.
Looking at my calendar, in the next week I’ll be reading at the Tertulia event at Casa De Alentejo on May 15 and hope to interact with some of my readers. There will be a strong list of writers in attendance and many books to pick up including some of my own. I will also be a featured guest on the Momma Braga podcast that will be released soon. So please check that out and give them a follow while you visit their page!
Photos From the Field.
Field Notes.
Fragments from a Portuguese descendant learning where he stands
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