My Day Off

Do you ever take a day off and do nothing? Everyone needs to recharge every once in awhile. Here was my "wasted day". Early this morning I tossed my aluminum lounge chair in the trunk and headed for the Gulf. First stop was Indian Rocks Beach. I spent about an hour with my metal detector in the the low tide surf. Very peaceful walking along listening to the waves and watching all the sea birds. (The metal detector is about my only hobby.) The net result was about two dollars in change, a couple of cheap rings and three even cheaper chains. One decent bracelet which I gave to the neighbor's 8 year old. Next I got out my chair and sat by the high tide water mark and reread Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Poor Dad". Fairly easy reading, about 3 hours. Very good book on fundamentals. At noon I met a couple for lunch and bought a reasonable mobile home lot for $750 in Riverview, Florida. I had a deed prepared in advance because I was pretty sure I could make a deal. The Hotel supplied the notary. After lunch I called my office helper to meet me at the first exit on the Tampa side of the bay. Handed off the deed so she could get to the courthouse with it. Then I went to another beach community, Madeira Beach. An hour of metal detecting came up with another $3 in change and one heavy 14k class ring, Univ Of Kentucky, class of '99. (My personal rule is if I am able to locate the rightful owner then I'm obligated to do so. If I'm not able to ID the owner then its mine to keep (melt). I have my own little melting furnace. Then I sat by the water and read "The Millionaire Next Door". I'm not sure if I had ever read it before but someone in here suggested it in a thread and I got a like new copy from Amazon for $2. The tables and figures are dated but the basic information is there and I would recommend it to everyone. Dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse, a great sunset at the beach and back to the office. I have extensive locator software adjunct to one of my businesses and it didn't take long to track the initials on the inside of the ring to a guy in Richmond Va. Talked to his wife on the phone. She was astonished I'd found a ring lost for two years at the beach. I promised to mail it off this week. I refused her offer of a reward because its just plain bad karma, told her to donate to a local charity and was promised it would be done. Back home by 7:00 PM and listened to a webinar. I don't attend many anymore.
.My point to all of this. Even a wasted day can be productive. You don't have to keep your nose glued to a computer all day to accomplish things and move forward. I have had more good ideas sitting in my beat up old lounge chair by the surf than I have ever had cooped up in an office.

Thomas