How is Jim Pickett healthy?

I have the good fortune to be able to travel - one of the greatest joys of my life. Chicago is my home and my favorite place in the world - but it is always a treat to leave and explore new places, food, cultures, people.

The act of getting away - out of my normal, harried routine and surroundings - allows me to toss my day-to-day responsibilities, re-charge, reflect and ultimately remember who I am.

Oh yeah, I am not just a cog in the machine that spits out work product every day - talking and emailing incessantly - I actually have interests that extend beyond my professional obsessions and obligations. WOW! Nice to recall. It's the act of travel that brings me back to myself and keeps me healthy.

Where I can improve - NOT checking email or the CrackBerry while on holiday. I still find myself doing too much of that. And the worrying and the fretting that goes along with it. Perhaps its the narcissistic belief that the world may just stop revolving if I don't weigh in on something or the other. And/or the Type A on steroids personality. Am making progress, however, which is really all you can ask for, isn't it.

Luckily my partner is wonderful to travel with - we are both easy going, relatively adventurous and like to do the same things (eating and drinking for two) and each of us tends to take turns having the occasional meltdown while the other keeps the boat from capsizing. For instance - last year, when we were trying to depart from the Seven Rings of Hell that is the New Delhi airport - he remained calm as I was about to be arrested for getting sssssuper ssssssnarky with an armed guard. For my part, I maintained my cool - even giggling a little - as he insanely chased various airport staff around the mayhem DEMANDING ANSWERS... that never materialized, natch. If we had both been in crazed lunatic mode at the same time, we'd likely never have made it out of that awful, awful place. A nice little set-up we have.

I have had some challenges with my mental and emotional health over the last few years - part of it no doubt comes with the territory of living with HIV for 14 years. And being nuts. So, hopping on that jet plane and zipping off to Cape Cod or Cape Town is often just the ticket - with a Lexapro chaser... and Ambien for those long-hauls.

-- Jim Pickett
Chicago


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