Enjoy Outdoor Living Better than a Billionaire before the Weather Turns Cold

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so. I know that I am!

Do you love the feel of the sun on your face?

Do you enjoy the breeze blowing gently through your hair?

Does the aroma of fresh pine needles invigorate your spirit?

Does your soul yearn to watch gentle ripples and sparkles upon the moving water?

If so, you should reorganize your priorities to spend more time outside before the weather turns cold.

There are two ways to tell a New Englander:

1. They will often remark, "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute."

2. If the sun comes out for a few minutes, they race outside with their sun glasses on whatever the temperature.

We have been blessed since mid-August with unusually warm and dry weather. Even today, it feels more like August 10 than September 30. The leaves are only beginning to show the mildest inclination to turn colors.

I was once struck during a visit to Hawaii by how much local conditions affect attitudes towards outdoor living. A long-time friend looked up at the sky and said we should skip playing golf that day because the temperature was under 75 and there were a few clouds in the sky. That same friend once braved a near-hurricane in Scotland to play in drenching rain when the wind chill was below 30 degrees.

In good climates, people go outdoors on only the best days. In not-so-good climates, people go outdoors whenever it's not awful.

Let me assume that you have some warm, dry and pleasant moments ahead of you in the next few weeks wherever you live. How should you spend them?

1. Enjoy an outdoor picnic next to a lake, river, pond or stream.

Even on cooler days, you can probably find a wind break to create a heat trap. Such a secluded spot will make it seem like two months earlier in the year.

2. Go roller blading next to a river.

Roller blading will cause you to feel warmer while taking you along at a pleasant clip to enjoy a variety of sights away from crowds and traffic. Most rivers in urban areas have paths appropriate for this activity. One of my sons is a major fan of this activity, and he strongly recommends the lower Charles River in Massachusetts between Watertown and Cambridge.

3. Take one last whale watch.

In New England, the whales stay in the area until the end of November. Usually, the best trips are at the end of the season. There are few people on board so you can actually see better. Boats always have an indoor area where you can warm up if the day is frosty. Stand on the sunny side out of the breeze whenever you're outside.

4. Have a drink at sundown on a protected terrace overlooking the horizon.

In the tropics, it's a daily ritual to gather for a little relaxation at sundown. Busy people in more northern and more southern climates often don't take the time to do the same. But the views are often just as spectacular, and a hint of chill in the air makes the experience all the more poignant.

5. Enjoy an outdoor sculpture garden at a museum.

The Museum of Modern Art reopened recently, and their wonderful sculpture garden again became available. Surrounded by high walls, this garden has wonderful sights and stays much warmer than the near-by areas in Manhattan.

6. Take a long, leisurely ride on a scenic bike path.

One of my favorite locations for doing this is in Provincetown, Massachusetts where you can roll up and down the sand dunes while enjoying the beautiful plants, birds and vistas. There are many books published that can help you find more bike paths. There is an excellent one in Massachusetts that you can buy used for $5.00 plus shipping on Amazon.com (see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0962799068/qid=1128103047/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-2177778-2482356?v=glance&s=books).

7. Take in an afternoon football game.

Being surrounded by all those fans helps make you feel warmer. Sit on the sunny side, and it will be quite pleasant. Don't forget to take a small barbecue along to help you feel cozy outside while you tail gate.

8. Go apple picking.

All that reaching and stretching will limber you up, and the aroma of the apples will make the work more pleasant. Be sure to save room for some hot apple cider after you're done!

9. Save your leaf raking for beautiful outdoor moments.

Let's face it. It's no fun raking and picking up leaves. But if you do it when the weather is gorgeous, the experience can be pretty nice. The leaves have to be done any way . . . so why not make it as pleasant as possible?

10. Keep a personal or vacation day for Indian summer.

When the weatherman tells you that it's going to be 78 degrees, with no wind and plenty of sun, just take the day off and enjoy every possible moment outdoors. When February's hoar frost is everywhere, you can reflect back on the day you basked in perfect conditions . . . and didn't have to work!

Can any billionaire do better? I don't think so!

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N.B. As you can tell, I'm experimenting with color. Let me know what you like and what I should change about my use of color. Many thanks to Linda Grace for her suggestions which I am following!

Please let me know what else you would like to learn, and I'll do my best to help in future blog entries.

Here are some upcoming subjects:

Tomorrow, join me to look at how you can create a collection better than a billionaire.

On Sunday, we will examine how you can enjoy your Bible reading more.

Monday, let's take a look at inexpensive ways to enjoy great cruises.

For Tuesday, you'll engage the world's finest experts to answer any question you have . . . free of charge!

Wednesday, let's join a great party with leading celebrities for a star-studded blast.

On Thursday, we will look at the exciting possibilities of enjoying historic hotels in Europe.

Friday, you will find out faster and better ways to publish your new book better than a billionaire!

If you are new to this blog, be sure to check out the updated table of contents entry that I posted on September 28. It will help you find earlier entries that may be of interest. I'll update this table of contents every week or so for your convenience.

August 31 was the most frequently read blog entry to date. Be sure to check it out!

Thanks so much for your support of this blog. I'm delighted that so many tens of thousands of people have made this blog part of their regular reading habit!

If you like this blog, please let others know who might also enjoy it. E-mailing your favorite post to them is a great idea.

Check out the latest index at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005/09/latest-table-of-contents-to-this-blogs_28.html to pick out your choice.

Thank you to my many friends, students, clients and blog readers who are spreading the good word about this blog.

If you are visiting today because someone invited you, I'm delighted to meet you! Let's stay in touch.

Remember to also check out

Live Spiritually Better than a Billionaire at http://livespirituallybetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Be More Successful than a Billionaire at http://bemoresuccessfulthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Enjoy Mansions Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoymansionsbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/,

Enjoy Football Better than a Billionaire at http://enjoyfootballbetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/ and

Be a World Hero Better than a Billionaire at http://beaworldherobetterthanabillionaire.blogspot.com/.

I offer individual on-line tutorials and in-person seminars on living better than a billionaire on five dollars extra a day, creating 2,000 percent solutions (20 times the results with the same effort), developing more profitable business models and designing strategies that work regardless of the business environment. For information, contact me at ultimatecompetitiveadvantage@yahoo.com.

I am available to you as a speaker on these subjects. You can find my background at http://livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars.blogspot.com/2005_08_30_livebetterthanabillionaireon5dollars_archive.html/.

May God bless you.

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell