I am off work today for the three day Valentine's day holiday. Tomorrow I go back to work for two weeks and then it's all over. 22 years on the job and I'm done with it.
The plan as it currently stands is to take a couple of months, get rid of most of my stuff and hit the road for a while. The big plan, more or less, is to cross Canada, head to St. John's and finally see Newfoundland, where my father was born. After that, I'm thinking I want to head down the east coast and look up some friends in the New York/ New Jersey area. After that I have no idea what I'll do. I'll have my passport with me.
Any invites, especially for a free place to sleep, will be welcome.
To tell you the God's honest truth, I'm kind of scared. I've never had this kind of freedom in my life. Actually, I'm trying to scare myself. 22 years is a long time to be plugged into a routine. I'm hoping to break some habits, find some new ways of thinking about things.
I've got a fancy telephone. I can send emails from most everywhere on earth. I can even squint at the internet on a little screen. I'll be bringing along a ukulele. Something is bound to happen.
Juimonos (Let's went)- Little Richard Elizondo Combo (Buy)
18 comments:
I can see why you're excited and scared. How are you getting across Canada? Have you done that before?
Would be great to see you here on the other coast.
open door here, my friend.
Deep South, 1930's style accommodations and excellent food... anytime.
Rancho Apocalypto is at your disposal.
Mike, The ukulele is on Jere Canote's build list. A tiny maple banjo job. I hope to pick it up from him, in Seattle, in mid May. You've been on my list from the start.
Ian, After Newfoundland, Brooklyn is also the land of my ancestors. I'd love to come visit.
@eloh, the fact that Anniston has an Amtrak station has not escaped me.
I like the plan. I'm so happy for you! (I can't believe I actually might see you after so many years.)
I hope the weather is perfect when you get to Northern NJ. You know you have a standing invitation here at the lake.
Looking forward to some uke and guitar collaboration. Maybe some gourmet adventures too.
So there is hope after all....
wowee jon,
this sounds amazing....
scary, but amazing...well, a bit scary, but fun!
todd
Todd, yeah scary. I was just out running errands and thinking, but... I won't have this car to define me. I won't have the trailer to define me, I won't have the bus company to define me. It'll just be me and God. Well, me and God and the big world and the Friends of Bill. Still, I have allowed myself to be defined as a person who works at a certain job, lives in a certain place, drives a certain car and so on. It'll be weird, cool, scary and sometimes lonely, I'm sure, but I think it's a great opportunity and I should take it.
Jon you have done the domestic stuff for long enough go wild. I would imagine without the definitions you mention it will indeed involve some fear. Travel can just be scenery allbeit mind blowing at times, all the answers or none are inside you right now. Maybe travel will shake em into focus. Take care. Joe
(sometimes during your holiday or when you retire things catch up with you, need time to balance out. so good you looking for a month or three before setting out might be a plan to see if anythings crawls out of the woodwork.Then you can go get the world.)
Sounds like a genuinely habit breaking plan, Jon.
I'd be anxious too. Anxious and a little elated.
If you get hungry enough to even think of taking that passport to Europe somewhere down the road, there's always room at the inn here in Scotland. Providing you don't mind pretending to be a sardine.
good luck and happy travels from a reader you've never met! I hope you'll be able to update from time to time as I really enjoy your blog!
Go n-éirí an bothar leat!
If I make across the Atlantic, Glasgow is definitely on my list. I wasn't counting on you as a host though. You've mentioned the fact that there are five of you in a former two person household. Five's company. Six is a crowd. I'd love to see you in person.
As to being scared, it comes and goes. Right now, I'm dying to get underway. Can't wait to see the world. Yesterday, I was really frightened at the thought of being alone in unfamiliar circumstances. I figure I'll keep cycling back and forth until I hit the road. Then I'll have the combined stress and boredom of travel to occupy me. Couldn't be any worse than the stress and boredom of work.
Hi Nancy, I'll be dragging the computer along. Glad you like the blog.
that sounds absolutly *amazing* jon--you should totally be like those people who travel around to all the national parks--only travel around to all the community acupuncture clinics!!!! LOL--now THAT is something I can be TOTALLY jealous of!!!! :p
anyway--I'm really looking forward to your updates--be sure to take your camera along too, I want pictures!!!!
HOORAY FOR NEW LIFE!
~bfp
I recently heard a physicist remark that "whenever you have nothing, something happens." This was in the context of explaining the Big Bang, but it might just as well have been about life's vicissitudes.
Shedding possessions is liberating, but I'll admit that my first thought was selfish and acquisitive(what do I get?)
I hope to see you before you go, but here's wishing you Happy Trails, nonetheless!
Butch, come by and loot the place. Seriously. I have tons of stuff that I don't know what to do with. Books galore. Pay what you can if you want, but you'll be doing me a favor even if you just take stuff.
BFP, A huge pleasure to hear from you. I hadn't thought of touring acupuncture clinics, but it's not a bad idea. So far I've been to two of them here in California.
As Aerosmith says: "life's the journey...not the destination- (it ain't Rush at least).
or as Bilbo Baggins said "I think i'm ready for another adventure"
or, as I say: Safe travels, my friend.
Jon, these pictures will help you find your way here for a night or three if you do land in scotland. in return for your music I can give you malt whisky. Regads, Joe
Joe, There was a time when I had a keen taste for Malt whisky. I might have traveled across continents and oceans for it. I was finally forced to chose between life and whisky and, by the grace of God, I chose life. I will still however travel the wide world for the pleasure of good company.
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