Power Outage

Power Outage

By Kendall Beymer

Darkness descends in the snap of a finger,

No light remains to find my way,

All appliance have stopped their ceaseless droning;

The oven will not warm my burrito now.

My eyes adjust pulling ambient light from I know not where,

My ears bask in the silence,

My heart beat slows while my breathing follows suit;

I love this moment.

I close my computers as no emails will go,

I open the shades assured the world exists still,

I create a bed on the couch to lay in this perfect moment,

The lights flicker and die once again.

The outdoors beckon me from my cool quiet spot,

Stars so abundant seem to dance in their light,

Cool ocean breeze offering a kind hearted hug,

Oh how I am thankful for this powerless night.

I lay on my couch not a sound to be heard,

My brain turns on like never before,

Eyes viewing life clear as a bell,

Feeling alive in this darkened house.

My thoughts create verse,

My lips form a beat,

My hands tingle the desire to create,

My heart dances about for the freedom it’s found.

The hmm rises and rises,

Lights come to life,

The evening is killed,

My heart sadly returns to reality.

In this moment I've realized two truths;

This world stifles my being,

Opportunity to create suffocated by stimuli,

Light has a time as darkness does too,

I must find that balance to be the best me;

I must buy some candles to heat my burrito.

Star Lit Nights

It was a dark and stormy night...okay it was a warm morning as the sun peaked over the horizon, finally breaking the clouds as we were off.  The Ecologic Retreat was underway, and our sails were filled by 6:15 am.  No idea what it is about sailing that captures me so; the waves, wind, silence.  I can honestly say only a mountain peak can compete.  Either place I feel like I could sit until I simply faded from existence..an oddly comforting thing.  Don't read me wrong, I love existing!  However to feel small, know that you are ultimately inconsequential...humility is powerful and centering feeling.

Soldier's Caye

Our destination - Goff's Caye (pronounced "key" for you main land Americans), an island the size of Chili's - but without the yummy food; no power, no services, no people. A 4 hour sail away outside the reef, which would be our chosen path in the amazing weather ahead of us - though we would need to be quick as storms were forecast for the afternoon.  As we passed St. George's Caye we could see an enormous cruise ship in the hazy distance parked in Belize City - which equaled hordes of tourists on our quiet paradise.  We made the decision to chance the weather and stop on a postage stamp sized island known as Soldier's Caye. We spent a few hours snorkeling and a bit of nervous time watching three water spouts in the distance - basically tornadoes over the water.

Impromptu from Soldeir's Caye

WATER SPOUT!!  Much more pronounced in real life - look just over the island.

15 minute old sushi

As mid-afternoon approached we pulled anchor, threw our lines back in the water and continued the voyage to Goff's.  Afternoon snack was served up in the form of a tuna that decided to bite the lure - 15 minutes from ocean to sushi in the belly...yummy.  We pulled up to Goff's Caye well after the tourists had gone; only a couple vendors cleaning up and preparing for their trips home.  Enough time to get in some snorkeling and island sitting before dinner!\

The next days are a blurry mess of snorkeling, relaxing, and searching for treasure (I spent a lot of time combing the shallows for lost tourist loot - found none).  Some of the highlights - tons of rays (one horseshoe ray that was bigger than a Fiat), learning that in shallow water sand reflects sun like the snow on a ski slope (turned me 'kinda' red), taking three naps in one day on a tiny un-inhabited island, spotted eagle rays, flounder, stars...I can't describe the stars.  If you've never been far beyond the reach of light pollution, with nothing electric to hum, then you can't possibly imagine the soul feeding ecstasy that is a silent, clear, unspoiled star lit night. The boat holds you close, rocking you gently.  The waves kiss the hulls, whispering sweet nothingness as the pass.

Goff's Caye - from sand bar

One night we saw an amazing lightening show about 20 miles south.  One morning we got hit with a huge storm - we couldn't see more than 50 yards and given the water spouts the day prior we had a few nervous moments thinking about what may come out of the dark.  Nothing did.

The journey back was an all day affair.  We traveled inside the reef, and along the back side of the islands.  Stopping in Caye Caulker for a bit of lunch, catching two barracuda and two red snapper on the way home (those 'cuda can put up a fight - I got to reel them in!).  Dolphins did grace us every so briefly with their presence.  One jump, a lot of distant breaches - but we didn't get to ride one.

Video will be uploaded on my FB in the "near" future as a share from Ecologic Company's YouTube channel.  I know the photo quality is poor...thought the GoPro would be sufficient, but it really isn't a camera at all - and failed epically at night (thus no star shots...which my 41 MP beast would've rocked out...very sorry I didn't bring it, guess I'll have to go back).  I miss you all.

Dueling Paradise

Don't get me wrong; Belize is awesome.  I love the small, simple world I live in.  Doesn't mean I can't also long for the still quiet of a snowy night.

Dueling Paradise 
by Kendall Beymer

Surf always crashing,
Snow starts falling.

White capped waves,
White covered peaks.

One a reality,
Another a dream.

Hot humid sweat,
Cold dry chill.

Hustling bustling beaches,
Quiet calm forests.

Living one reality,
Dreaming of another.

Waving palm fronds,
Rustling pine needles.

Deep expansive oceans,
High stretching mountains.

Life in Belize,
Heart in Rockies. .

Invest in People

Being an entrepreneur that has failed more times than I've succeeded, I know the pain in loss and the joys in victory.  The craziness of of entrepreneurial victory is that it doesn't exist in the sense that ones usually considers a "victory", but it exists only in the ability to struggle toward your dream another day - and that is my victory.  Ever failure is a learning opportunity, every victory the same. So based on the Reflective Property of Mathematics - failure is victory.

The above is pretty accurate - but people need to know the mark of a true entrepreneur is that they are willing to hit the ground, and do it all over again, until the plane actually flies.  I fully believe the best investment you can make is an investment in people, and their dreams.

We have a notion that the world of investment works like Shark Tank - that TV show.  But to the vast majority of the world it is nothing like that.  In so many emerging markets $25 goes a long way and can start a person or family on a path to staining themselves and their families; and more importantly feeding their passion for creation, developing industry, and creating additional opportunities.

Kiva.org - check it out.  There are other organizations like this, Kick Starter is the popular one these days I suppose.  Charity is great and all; but it's the whole "feed a man a fish vs. teach a man to fish" in my mind.  I like to teach a man to fish, and help him build an opportunity to create life from it.

Ode to Newquists

This was written then performed for Jason and Becky Newquist during the cocktail hour at their wedding a year ago (9/11/13 I believe).  I actually wrote the lyrics in the parking lot before the wedding.  I have a limited number of songs I can perform on the banjo and this one (converted from Will the Circle) is far to depressing for a wedding reception!  So the lyrics had to go.  I do think I have a knack for poetry and song writing...I should indulge it more now that I strive to create as opposed to just thinking about creating.  I however have very limited ability to compose original music.

So yes, I ripped off another song - credit Johnny Cash, or whoever composed the music I used, before him (and yes I barely changed the chorus - just enough to adjust the tone and give a more powerful message to my central theme).  No, I have not made any money off this...so please don't sue me.  

I still hope to record it for you, Jason and Becky...just need a solid vocal.  

Ode to the NEWquists

by Short Bus to Know Where 

Oh that circle, shall stay unbroken

Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye

Till they're in that home a-waiting

In the sky Lord, in the sky.

Ja - son and Bex got Married 

Bout an ho - ur or so ago

Between them love shall flourish

We pray Lo - rd, make it so.

Oh that circle, shall stay unbroken

Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye

Till they're in that home a-waiting

In the sky Lord, in the sky.

Show - er them with Your blessings

Lo - rd hear our prayer

May they put forth every effort

Never forget You're there.

Oh that circle, shall stay unbroken

Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye

Till they're in that home a-waiting

In the sky Lord, in the sky.

Actual scribblings I made in the parking lot.  Verse Lyrics + chords

Lizards Don't Pay Rent

Wow...I knew things were different in Belize.  I knew things wouldn't be as easy as they are in the states, and that was made very clear today.  The work permit is a pretty major necessity so I can avoid a Belizean jail cell; but they are not easy to get.  Step one should've been easy.  It wasn't.  This does not bode well.

In the States, if you need a document, it can be printed from a website.  Not so much the case in Belize.  A work permit requires (among a stack of other things) a three page packet to be completed for submission.  This three page packet could easily reside on a government or immigration website...but no.  Too easy.  Finding it is 1/2 the battle.  No, 8/9ths of the battle.  I walked all over this little burg today in search of such.  I went to where the guy that took my photos told me to go, then where the immigration people told me to go.

Finally I found a place that sold them.  They were out, had been for weeks, no idea when they'd get more.  It rained on me...a lot (but I'm cool with it).  Eventually ended up back at the dive shop and reported my failure to Shelly, our GM.  One phone call later she lad located a stack at a local grocer...that was easy.

So off I strolled to Richie's Market (the closest to home of all the places I had been all day) and found a stack of permit apps.  For all the trouble I was expecting them to be under lock and key, individually numbered and protected with plastic.  This was hardly the case.  No numbers, no protection, just a stack of packets on the shelf right between the computer paper and wide ruled spiral notebooks.

So is the lesson that Shelly is awesome?  Or that the Asians that own Richie's Market are on top of everything?  Well the lesson I took from today - lizards don't pay rent.

Loving #BelizeanLife

Casa de Kendall

No excuses, doors are open, Casa de Kendall is open and ready to accept visitors.  I have two 'fold flat' sofa/futon things that seem fairly comfortable and a bunk bed in the bed room with a double on bottom and twin on top.  So the total immediate bedding is 7 persons; with plenty of room for an air bed or two...now I just hope some of you folks actually do come and visit.  I figure if all my friends come at once then we'll just squeeze that 8th person somewhere!

I've also got two bathrooms; so no worries about congestion in the mornings. One of which has a separate vanity, so people can be all doing their hair and stuff while other people shower...super duper convenient.  Don't pay for a hotel people...if you really want to waste your money then I'll let you pay for my food!

One major draw back to an otherwise excellent place - no windows on the ocean side!!  I love sleeping with open windows, and ocean breeze is far better than an AC unit.  It's a fully secured building so I was really thinking I'd have some operable windows.  I do have a door to a shared back balcony...but no window.  Even then the door hinges are corroded shut - added to the repair list.  Yes, work is right there out my door.

Another major advantage - roof top 'party' area.  Not that I'm a big party dude, but I can see relaxing to this view -----------------------> and and ice cold Belikin in my hand.  While on the subject, they've started allowing a wider variety of imports; I've found Heineken (sp?), Guinness, and Smirnoff Ice.  I'll likely do most of my work up there too...take a mifi and work away.  Which mean my office, yet again, has no windows!!  I haven't had windows since Las Vegas; what an office, 75% floor to ceiling windows.  Though I spent more time watching planes land than working.  Maybe its a good thing most of my offices don't have windows.  Case in point - I'm writing a long blog and not working right now (though the shop is closed, we're getting killed down here by rain...I'm loving it).