Patrick Dowd

When I went to Asia, I had about forty pounds of gear including eleven pounds of photographic equipment. Now I am moving to Oregon and the moving company estimates my household goods at 15,000 pounds. For two months, I lived with gear weighing less than my body weight and really didn’t miss anything, yet I intend to move over seven tons.

I learned something packing for international trips. I can’t take everything I need out of the closet, stuff it all in my suitcase, take a few things out and hope it is lightweight. I needed a positive inventory, meaning a list of things I need to take. Before I even touch anything physically, I need to challenge myself if that item is absolutely necessary.

With the exception of fishing equipment, I have gone through every room in the house and found something to purge. I don’t intend to create a positive inventory for my entire household, (more…)

Time to move. I’m moving from West Virginia to Oregon. Or, if you prefer, I am moving back to Oregon. I now live in Charleston: I moved here from Portland. I am now moving to Eugene.

I’ve lived in a lot of places: New York, Colorado, North Carolina, Oregon and West Virginia. I didn’t have any choice about New York. I moved personally to Colorado. The other moves were corporate moves for my job. I’m now returning to Oregon for personal reasons.

For Dawn’s birthday, we took a break from moving and visited Babcock State Park, located in Fayette County in south central West Virginia. Babcock is famous for the Glade Creek Grist Mill. The mill is a built from the parts of several older mills. There were lots of photographers capturing the mill and the Fall foliage. Here’s a link:
http://www.babcocksp.com/