Hallo All-
I think one can be on many journeys at the same moment, both physically and emotionally. Some paths cross over each. Some are on their own separate trek to who knows where. Some are so hidden that one only finds them after stumbling upon them unexpectedly. The dictionary defines this word as:
journey
noun
1. an act or instance of traveling from one place to another
2. passage or progress from one stage to another
And what words/feelings are associated with this word? I can think of plenty:
- planning
- unexpected
- long
- fun
- fear
- new
- excitement
- self-reflection
- ever-changing
I can't help but think of my favorite song (and I am sure it is many other people's too) from the 1997 film Anastasia, "Journey to the Past," Liz Callaway's version, of course. (*Side note: Ramin Karimloo will be returning to Broadway in 2017 to be in the new and anticipated Anastasia the Musical.) How can one not say the music is so memorable- that's Stephen Flaherty for you...Ragtime anyone? And we can't forget about the lyricist, Lynn Ahrens. (Disclaimer: I do not own these words.)
Heart, don't fail me now!
Courage, don't desert me!
Don't turn back now that we're here.
People always say
Life is full of choices.
No one ever mentions fear!
... ... ...
One step at a time,
One hope, then another,
Who knows where this road may go?
Back to who I was,
On to find my future.
Things my heart still needs to know.
Yes, let this be a sign!
Let this road be mine!
Let it lead me to my past
And bring me home...
At last!
Even though I am no orphan like little Anya, knowing who and where you come from is very necessary. If you don't revisit the past, how will you know where to even start your own journey?
With my life and plans changing so much from where I wanted and thought they would be, I guess it is time to discover what journeys are in store for me.
Time to put on my rice hat, grab my walking stick, and journey to the past...
Much love,
Rog
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Tea Time and Cat Panic
Hallo All-
I need a time out.
I remember when a "time out" used to be a bad thing, a punishment for bad behavior. You know what I mean: back in primary school, if a student acted out of turn, a teacher would discipline said student with a "time out" in the corner. And for a long time I never really took a time out; as quite a few people told me over the years, I was burning the candle at both, and sometimes multiple, ends. Perhaps my aversion came from this influence long ago; of course I was NEVER one those said students- I was an angel (*ding halo). Well, duuuuuhhhhh...
However, I don't think it was just this reluctance to a break that made me not take time to rest. Sometimes when I get into a work mode mindset, I obliterate all thought except getting the job done (we don't need to mention the fact that sometimes I have to because I have procrastinated too much). I forget to eat. I neglect to rest my eyes (yeah yeah...they're smaller than your round eyes so they tire faster, at least that is what I tell myself). I ignore my sore muscles. I feel I don't need sleep. I lose track of time. This can be a good thing- I mean I don't think I could have done all that driving if I did not have this weird ability to just focus. I couldn't have finished the majority of my room if I just putzed around shifting things back and forth or waiting to put things up the next day (more on my room later). But sometimes it is just nice to sit back, relax, and find oneself again.
And there is just something calming and pleasant about brewing a pot of hot water, steeping mountain green tea leaves, putting on calming music (in this case, Japanese folk songs), and closing my eyes and breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
I was able to last almost eleven minutes before I decided to start doing other things...like writing this blog, and researching tea ceremonies, and working on my artwork for the room (the only thing I am missing), and planning how to reorganize other parts of the house. Ah well, at least I had that one brief moment.
Lord knows I needed it. Especially because I had a scare earlier today. Marmot somehow got all the way up to the top ledges of the house. He must have jumped from one side of the hallway to the other and walked along the path. These ledges are pretty high up, the lowest tier being about ten feet. Now I know how parents feel when their child does something dangerous. The first thing out of my mouth was a very loud admonishment. Aiyolah...I am totally a parent! And then of course I go to try to help him down and he is just NOT having it, refusing to come to my arms. He knows he is in trouble and he tries to come down himself, but there aren't steps. I briefly now understand the whole firefighter brigade coming to get the cat down from the treetops (a la the movie Pleasantville style). Ultimately, he decided to just try to walk down the vertical side of the wall. Thank goodness he was able to scramble a bit down the side (I didn't look for claw marks yet) and half-heartedly leap towards the back of the L-shaped couch monstrosity, before slipping down the back side of the couch; he must have been channeling Figaro's (cat belonging to Allison and Stephen) numerous cat lives. He popped back up and slunk away knowing I would be disciplining him momentarily. And of course, I gave him a time out in his carrier. Poor guy, he was meowing so much, which I assume was his apology, but I gave Marmot a solid ten minutes before I decided to let him out. He has been purring and being such the angel since then. I, of course, regret yelling at him, but I was scared. Hmmmm...another glimpse into parenting...
And I just realized...the cycle of "time out" continues. Hahaha...maybe there is a reason why it is a timeless disciplinary tool. Hahahaha...did you get that? "Timeless discipli..."
Sigh...I crack myself up.
Now I want to add a tea brewing space to my meditation area of the room, which happens to be in the skills and knowledge bagua section. If only I had a tea box tray like Z had... ^^ Hahaha, I refuse to be a beggar...sometimes. (Hint hint...)
I digress. Back to tea. There is definitely an art to brewing tea and serving it. Each country seems to have developed their own little ceremonies and processes, and being the nerd I am, I would LOVE to participate in some of them. But I don't need all that fancy and intricate protocol to satisfy my simple joy of drinking tea, at least not today.
More importantly, I believe I am so relaxed because my room is pretty much completed. I did take a few before and after photos and I even amazed myself. I just have to finish planning the artwork.
Hey, maybe yalls can help me! I am looking for a single picture/artwork/print of a single mountain or a mountain range. I haven't found the one that makes me think, "YES!" and nothing has grabbed me quite yet. If you can think of a viable candidate or find something you feel is wonderful, please let me know either via comment here or a message on FB (or email). I will be ever so grateful.
Okies, I really feel my time out is done. I have a few other things on my To-Do List I don't want to put off until tomorrow.
Much love,
Rog
I need a time out.
I remember when a "time out" used to be a bad thing, a punishment for bad behavior. You know what I mean: back in primary school, if a student acted out of turn, a teacher would discipline said student with a "time out" in the corner. And for a long time I never really took a time out; as quite a few people told me over the years, I was burning the candle at both, and sometimes multiple, ends. Perhaps my aversion came from this influence long ago; of course I was NEVER one those said students- I was an angel (*ding halo). Well, duuuuuhhhhh...
However, I don't think it was just this reluctance to a break that made me not take time to rest. Sometimes when I get into a work mode mindset, I obliterate all thought except getting the job done (we don't need to mention the fact that sometimes I have to because I have procrastinated too much). I forget to eat. I neglect to rest my eyes (yeah yeah...they're smaller than your round eyes so they tire faster, at least that is what I tell myself). I ignore my sore muscles. I feel I don't need sleep. I lose track of time. This can be a good thing- I mean I don't think I could have done all that driving if I did not have this weird ability to just focus. I couldn't have finished the majority of my room if I just putzed around shifting things back and forth or waiting to put things up the next day (more on my room later). But sometimes it is just nice to sit back, relax, and find oneself again.
And there is just something calming and pleasant about brewing a pot of hot water, steeping mountain green tea leaves, putting on calming music (in this case, Japanese folk songs), and closing my eyes and breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
I was able to last almost eleven minutes before I decided to start doing other things...like writing this blog, and researching tea ceremonies, and working on my artwork for the room (the only thing I am missing), and planning how to reorganize other parts of the house. Ah well, at least I had that one brief moment.
Lord knows I needed it. Especially because I had a scare earlier today. Marmot somehow got all the way up to the top ledges of the house. He must have jumped from one side of the hallway to the other and walked along the path. These ledges are pretty high up, the lowest tier being about ten feet. Now I know how parents feel when their child does something dangerous. The first thing out of my mouth was a very loud admonishment. Aiyolah...I am totally a parent! And then of course I go to try to help him down and he is just NOT having it, refusing to come to my arms. He knows he is in trouble and he tries to come down himself, but there aren't steps. I briefly now understand the whole firefighter brigade coming to get the cat down from the treetops (a la the movie Pleasantville style). Ultimately, he decided to just try to walk down the vertical side of the wall. Thank goodness he was able to scramble a bit down the side (I didn't look for claw marks yet) and half-heartedly leap towards the back of the L-shaped couch monstrosity, before slipping down the back side of the couch; he must have been channeling Figaro's (cat belonging to Allison and Stephen) numerous cat lives. He popped back up and slunk away knowing I would be disciplining him momentarily. And of course, I gave him a time out in his carrier. Poor guy, he was meowing so much, which I assume was his apology, but I gave Marmot a solid ten minutes before I decided to let him out. He has been purring and being such the angel since then. I, of course, regret yelling at him, but I was scared. Hmmmm...another glimpse into parenting...
And I just realized...the cycle of "time out" continues. Hahaha...maybe there is a reason why it is a timeless disciplinary tool. Hahahaha...did you get that? "Timeless discipli..."
Sigh...I crack myself up.
Now I want to add a tea brewing space to my meditation area of the room, which happens to be in the skills and knowledge bagua section. If only I had a tea box tray like Z had... ^^ Hahaha, I refuse to be a beggar...sometimes. (Hint hint...)
I digress. Back to tea. There is definitely an art to brewing tea and serving it. Each country seems to have developed their own little ceremonies and processes, and being the nerd I am, I would LOVE to participate in some of them. But I don't need all that fancy and intricate protocol to satisfy my simple joy of drinking tea, at least not today.
More importantly, I believe I am so relaxed because my room is pretty much completed. I did take a few before and after photos and I even amazed myself. I just have to finish planning the artwork.
Hey, maybe yalls can help me! I am looking for a single picture/artwork/print of a single mountain or a mountain range. I haven't found the one that makes me think, "YES!" and nothing has grabbed me quite yet. If you can think of a viable candidate or find something you feel is wonderful, please let me know either via comment here or a message on FB (or email). I will be ever so grateful.
Okies, I really feel my time out is done. I have a few other things on my To-Do List I don't want to put off until tomorrow.
Much love,
Rog
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Do-Re-Mi
Hallo All-
Let's start at the very beginning. And it is indeed a great place to start.
There is something rather refreshing about moving. True, the whole process of packing and purging takes time and is very much NOT enjoyable. And you have all been privy to all my lovely complaints. Then there is the drive itself; whether you are only driving within a day's time or over multiple days, finding gas stations for gas, trying to find food (or forgetting in my case), and dealing with a heavily loaded vehicle can be quite challenging.
However, it will all be worth it once you (safely) reach your destination. New place, new start.
My room is slowly coming together. I have now spent the better part of two days thinking and planning the layout of the space and moving many things around. And I have no shame in admitting that I am having vast amounts of pleasure in doing so. You should try it yourself. I think you will be surprised at the result.
Starting back in 2014, I began the process of implementing feng shui principles in my life and immediate surrounding. It was rather difficult at first because I had sooooooo much stuff that I "absolutely needed" in my life, or so I thought. I was stunned when, after finishing, I realized there simply was just not enough space for everything; I even spent a lot of time organizing and putting things where I believed they needed to be to fall in line with the rules of feng shui. I just had too much stuff. Not only was it clogging my space, it was clogging my mind, spirit, and not allowing any growth whatsoever. Thus, I had to find another solution. Enter the KonMari Method (here we go again...lol). With her help, I was able to reduce my "things" to all fit in my little Malibu, sans my library which I sent via Media Mail (as you read in previous posts). And after all of that...after arriving here in Nevada, I still find that I have way too much stuff. Stuff I thought I needed, but in reality I don't. Looks like I get to do another round of the KonMari Method; and I guess with no surprise, I look forward to it. It really does get easier to cleanse and let go with each new cycle.
I won't get so deep into explaining feng shui because everyone is somehow a master at the art already and has his/her own correct views and interpretations on the subject. And Lord knows I can go on and on about that subject with a fervor to match that of the KonMari Method. If you are interested, let me know and I will gladly sit down and have a chat and/or direct you to a few books and informational sites so you can also begin your own journey.
In any case, I have thrown myself into the whole process and hope to extend it to the rest of the house and my life over time. Plus, when you are thinking about chi flow, stagnant versus active space, poison arrows, cures, colors, elements, and on top of that, the bagua map guidelines, I found myself going through another process of "Do I really need this ________?" "Does this spark joy?" And just the simple knowledge that I will be letting more things go is filling my body with positive energy. Funny how that works, eh? The only thing I feel is missing in the room right now is appropriate and inspiring art work to hang on the walls. Perhaps you can help me on that part. :) I am very open to suggestions!
Looking ahead, the toughest challenge will be to start this whole process to the rest of the house. There is SO much potential for this house. I can see it. I can feel it. And my fingers itch to just begin. However, it will take some strong convincing on my part to get the ball rolling. My pack rat tendencies are definitely genetic and I know it will be difficult for my parents to release themselves from the chains of that hoarding mentality. But hey, I was able to reduce my materialistic elements from a two bedroom, one story plus finished basement house, to a single carload and four parcels. It can be done! It will take time and patience, not to mention the emotional drainage of letting things go, but I will persevere. And once that process is done, I can start opening the doors to my friends and other family members.
Another thing I want to do is begin each week with a new quote from my Quotable book (I've had it for years now, but never got a chance to really read it), chosen randomly, and try to live by those inspiring words for the whole week. Here is this week's quote:
"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware."
- Henry Miller
Let's see how this week goes!
Much love,
Rog
Let's start at the very beginning. And it is indeed a great place to start.
There is something rather refreshing about moving. True, the whole process of packing and purging takes time and is very much NOT enjoyable. And you have all been privy to all my lovely complaints. Then there is the drive itself; whether you are only driving within a day's time or over multiple days, finding gas stations for gas, trying to find food (or forgetting in my case), and dealing with a heavily loaded vehicle can be quite challenging.
However, it will all be worth it once you (safely) reach your destination. New place, new start.
My room is slowly coming together. I have now spent the better part of two days thinking and planning the layout of the space and moving many things around. And I have no shame in admitting that I am having vast amounts of pleasure in doing so. You should try it yourself. I think you will be surprised at the result.
Starting back in 2014, I began the process of implementing feng shui principles in my life and immediate surrounding. It was rather difficult at first because I had sooooooo much stuff that I "absolutely needed" in my life, or so I thought. I was stunned when, after finishing, I realized there simply was just not enough space for everything; I even spent a lot of time organizing and putting things where I believed they needed to be to fall in line with the rules of feng shui. I just had too much stuff. Not only was it clogging my space, it was clogging my mind, spirit, and not allowing any growth whatsoever. Thus, I had to find another solution. Enter the KonMari Method (here we go again...lol). With her help, I was able to reduce my "things" to all fit in my little Malibu, sans my library which I sent via Media Mail (as you read in previous posts). And after all of that...after arriving here in Nevada, I still find that I have way too much stuff. Stuff I thought I needed, but in reality I don't. Looks like I get to do another round of the KonMari Method; and I guess with no surprise, I look forward to it. It really does get easier to cleanse and let go with each new cycle.
I won't get so deep into explaining feng shui because everyone is somehow a master at the art already and has his/her own correct views and interpretations on the subject. And Lord knows I can go on and on about that subject with a fervor to match that of the KonMari Method. If you are interested, let me know and I will gladly sit down and have a chat and/or direct you to a few books and informational sites so you can also begin your own journey.
In any case, I have thrown myself into the whole process and hope to extend it to the rest of the house and my life over time. Plus, when you are thinking about chi flow, stagnant versus active space, poison arrows, cures, colors, elements, and on top of that, the bagua map guidelines, I found myself going through another process of "Do I really need this ________?" "Does this spark joy?" And just the simple knowledge that I will be letting more things go is filling my body with positive energy. Funny how that works, eh? The only thing I feel is missing in the room right now is appropriate and inspiring art work to hang on the walls. Perhaps you can help me on that part. :) I am very open to suggestions!
Looking ahead, the toughest challenge will be to start this whole process to the rest of the house. There is SO much potential for this house. I can see it. I can feel it. And my fingers itch to just begin. However, it will take some strong convincing on my part to get the ball rolling. My pack rat tendencies are definitely genetic and I know it will be difficult for my parents to release themselves from the chains of that hoarding mentality. But hey, I was able to reduce my materialistic elements from a two bedroom, one story plus finished basement house, to a single carload and four parcels. It can be done! It will take time and patience, not to mention the emotional drainage of letting things go, but I will persevere. And once that process is done, I can start opening the doors to my friends and other family members.
Another thing I want to do is begin each week with a new quote from my Quotable book (I've had it for years now, but never got a chance to really read it), chosen randomly, and try to live by those inspiring words for the whole week. Here is this week's quote:
"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware."
- Henry Miller
Let's see how this week goes!
Much love,
Rog
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Day 4: Annnd I Could Drive Five Hundred Miles...
Hallo All-
Let's just start with the statement that whatever thoughts I had about driving before, I really really dislike driving now. I even wrote a poem for yalls:
I don't like driving.
I really don't like driving.
Vroom vroom goes the car.
My bum hurts.
I won't hold my breath for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Neither should you.
Today was just filled with driving. And driving. And more driving. Amarillo, TX to Henderston, NV was going to be twelve hours+ long.
I left the hotel at 12:00 PM CST (the receptionist was the rude one from when I tried to book a room the day before. I won't even go into how terrible the experience was. Having worked in the hospitality business, I was appalled) and literally just headed west on I-40 for what seemed like forever. I only stopped for gas until I realized I was SOOOOO hungry in Flagstaff, AZ, that I had to stop and get food as well.
I took a few pictures along the way. But they just don't do it justice. Plus I couldn't hold the camera steady. I mean, I wasn't on my phone while driving... >.>
Thoughts on New Mexico
Gallup was a cute town. I must have visited or stopped by there before because I totally recognized the main touristy area on the old Route 66. I did have to drive a little bit more in town than expected (wasted about 25 extra minutes) trying to get to the Shell gas station. Apple's maps was wrong and so I had to reroute myself so out of my way almost out of town to get gas. There were so many hitchhikers to be seen. Even if I wanted to help them, I couldn't, with the bookshelf frame spanning the whole passenger side front to back. I also didn't realize how Albuquerque was nestled in the mountains. And, seeing a lightning storm from far away was amazing. The last time I saw one of those were in the Black Hills in South Dakota. You can just see a massive grey wall and sun right next to it. So cool. I passed by quite a few little towns, each with their own church (at least I think they were churches), scattered along the highway. Everyone in those communities must be super tight with one another.
Thoughts on Arizona
The first thing I saw when I drove into the state was this huge "Indian City" sign selling your standard Native American souvenirs and goods. Then there was "Indian Ruins" and then another one and then another one. Then I realized: I was driving by the Navajo Indian Reservation. Then I really looked around. I passed this grouping of buildings that resembled the discarded blocks left by a child; all were the same design of a one room with attached garage; one small dirt road leading away. It may not be the poorest Indian Reservation (I believe Pine Ridge in South Dakota has that title), but it still pained my heart at seeing the starkness and overall poverty. On a different note, I counted seven separate trains trudging along on their own paths. Made me think of Harry Potter again. I really should try and make it out to Harry Potter World.
Same trees. Same shrubs. No Shade. All sun. Why did I wear a black polo?!
I realized I didn't eat a real meal since lunch with Betsy yesterday, I mean you can't really count a bag of Fig Newtons as real food.
The drive down the mountain in Nevada were scary as crap. I had to put Marmot back into his carrier because I couldn't have him accidentally shift gears on me. Thank goodness I made the trip with my dad a couple of times so I was prepared to not slam on my brakes. But do you realize the speed limit is 75 mph and SO many trucks and cars went whizzing by. I am sure they were all annoyed by the small Michigan car going super slow, but I was not going to take any chances. I didn't smell any burning smells so that means my tires are okay! Hahaha
Pulled in at 11:10 PM PST. Nothing like thirteen hours of being on the road. And me...who I always thought I could only handle four hours at the most?
I apologize for all the typos. I am tired.
Okies. More adventures to come.
Much love,
Rog
Let's just start with the statement that whatever thoughts I had about driving before, I really really dislike driving now. I even wrote a poem for yalls:
I don't like driving.
I really don't like driving.
Vroom vroom goes the car.
My bum hurts.
I won't hold my breath for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Neither should you.
Today was just filled with driving. And driving. And more driving. Amarillo, TX to Henderston, NV was going to be twelve hours+ long.
I left the hotel at 12:00 PM CST (the receptionist was the rude one from when I tried to book a room the day before. I won't even go into how terrible the experience was. Having worked in the hospitality business, I was appalled) and literally just headed west on I-40 for what seemed like forever. I only stopped for gas until I realized I was SOOOOO hungry in Flagstaff, AZ, that I had to stop and get food as well.
I took a few pictures along the way. But they just don't do it justice. Plus I couldn't hold the camera steady. I mean, I wasn't on my phone while driving... >.>
Thoughts on New Mexico
Gallup was a cute town. I must have visited or stopped by there before because I totally recognized the main touristy area on the old Route 66. I did have to drive a little bit more in town than expected (wasted about 25 extra minutes) trying to get to the Shell gas station. Apple's maps was wrong and so I had to reroute myself so out of my way almost out of town to get gas. There were so many hitchhikers to be seen. Even if I wanted to help them, I couldn't, with the bookshelf frame spanning the whole passenger side front to back. I also didn't realize how Albuquerque was nestled in the mountains. And, seeing a lightning storm from far away was amazing. The last time I saw one of those were in the Black Hills in South Dakota. You can just see a massive grey wall and sun right next to it. So cool. I passed by quite a few little towns, each with their own church (at least I think they were churches), scattered along the highway. Everyone in those communities must be super tight with one another.
Thoughts on Arizona
The first thing I saw when I drove into the state was this huge "Indian City" sign selling your standard Native American souvenirs and goods. Then there was "Indian Ruins" and then another one and then another one. Then I realized: I was driving by the Navajo Indian Reservation. Then I really looked around. I passed this grouping of buildings that resembled the discarded blocks left by a child; all were the same design of a one room with attached garage; one small dirt road leading away. It may not be the poorest Indian Reservation (I believe Pine Ridge in South Dakota has that title), but it still pained my heart at seeing the starkness and overall poverty. On a different note, I counted seven separate trains trudging along on their own paths. Made me think of Harry Potter again. I really should try and make it out to Harry Potter World.
Same trees. Same shrubs. No Shade. All sun. Why did I wear a black polo?!
I realized I didn't eat a real meal since lunch with Betsy yesterday, I mean you can't really count a bag of Fig Newtons as real food.
The drive down the mountain in Nevada were scary as crap. I had to put Marmot back into his carrier because I couldn't have him accidentally shift gears on me. Thank goodness I made the trip with my dad a couple of times so I was prepared to not slam on my brakes. But do you realize the speed limit is 75 mph and SO many trucks and cars went whizzing by. I am sure they were all annoyed by the small Michigan car going super slow, but I was not going to take any chances. I didn't smell any burning smells so that means my tires are okay! Hahaha
Pulled in at 11:10 PM PST. Nothing like thirteen hours of being on the road. And me...who I always thought I could only handle four hours at the most?
I apologize for all the typos. I am tired.
Okies. More adventures to come.
Much love,
Rog
Day 3: Betsy
Hallo All-
Well I ended up not taking a nap. Looking back, it definitely would have been super smart, but I guess the body can do wondrous things when it needs or wants to. Bit more on that later.
I said goodbye to Z and Michael and Creature (*Side note: With time I think she and Marmot will get along. However, there was a lot of hissing and some swatting/pouncing on Creature’s part towards Marmot. Only time will tell) and left Chicago at 1:30 AM CST. Goodbyes are always so difficult, and especially saying goodbye to these two was…well, I don’t want to dwell on it. Lets move on, shall we?
Now, lets clarify something. Chicago was indeed where I thought I was going to make my home this year. However, sometimes what you plan doesn’t happen for whatever reason and so you make a new plan. It took me a while to be happy with the new decision, but I am trying to adopt a new optimistic view on life and not to always think about the past or what might have been. I look forward to the day when I do indeed move to Chicago. But that isn’t going to happen overnight, nor anytime soon. I certainly hope sooner rather than later, but I wont stress out about it.
The drive south to see Betsy was rather uneventful. I chose to drive at night again for multiple reasons, which you can read in a previous post. However, it was fascinating in terms of how open the sky was in southern Illinois, which btw, is such a LONG drive; I didn’t quire realize how long that state was. I drove through quite a lot of rain and was privy to a lightning show. Because there was virtually no light except car headlights, when the lightning flashed, it lit up the whole sky. Sometimes I couldn’t even see where the initial bolt was due to how bright the sky became. That was something I never saw living in my neighborhood back in Lansing. When it got on towards morning though, it became just a limbo-grey and I started to get tired. I decided to pull over around 7:30 AM is and grabbed a quick 45 minute nap before trying to hammer the rest of the way. I passed by Hannibal, MO on the way and it made me think of Clio Cast and Crews production of Damn Yankees back in 2001. Oh the fond memories…
I arrived at Betsy’s house around 11:30 AM. The plan was to grab coffee and/or an early lunch, snooze for a bit, and be off on the road again by 2:00 PM. But plans have a way of changing on you. Funny how that happens, eh? I will chalk it up to the excitement of finally seeing her after many years of promising to do so and never getting the chance. Her dog, Sulley, came along the adventure, the sweetest dog ever I swear, while Marmot stayed in her music room. We had to keep them separate.
We spent the whole afternoon together:
- crash scenic tour of downtown
- brief glimpse of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
- learned a bit about the culture
- lunch at The Westside Local, a farm-to-table establishment (We had poblano and spinach dip; and I got a sweet potato/quinoa burger with grilled veggies-YUM)
- PetSmart to get food for Marmot (Okay…this store had these hug pillars which literally blocked about 90% of the aisle. It was like the Harry Potter final task/maze in book 4, trying to navigate our way around)
- Starbucks to relax (Sulley was now rather comfortable with me, I guess, that he kept wanting to dive nose first into my crotch)
When we got back to her place, we sat around a bit to let me gather energy, and then her boyfriend Ian came home. I can’t even really explain what happened next. I’ve never been so stimulated to that degree in a while. Now before you get any weird ideas, nothing strange happened, you sillies…hahaha What DID happen was probably the most invigorating conversation I’ve had in a long time. The three of us covered numerous topics: Asian dynamics, Asian vs America culture, language, learning styles, politics, work, music…you name it, we talked about it. And the coolest thing was, though we had differing opinions, there was not a single bit of animosity. I just had a discussion that didn’t result in the degradation of human behavior. Needless to say, I left their house with renewed energy. Napping can restore energy, but I learned that a healthy debate can also achieve similar results. We said goodbye and I was off again at 5:30 PM (finally), driving towards Amarillo, TX as the next planned stop.
That drive wasn’t terrible. However, for any future travelers passing around Oklahoma City, be warned that ALL public restrooms are locked at 9:00 PM. It took me about four different stops at various gas stations, McDonald’s, and Kwik Marts to realize this. I almost decided to use Marmot’s litter box (I didn’t though…I mean I have some pride).
However, the moon was SO bright. No storm this time so there were no clouds. It was such a clear night. I was tired of listening to shows, both opera and musical theatre, so I randomly chose some choral music. I was astounded with the result. Here I was, driving after midnight along such a dark path. The first thing to come on was Morten Lauridsen’s Les chansons de roses. Perhaps it was the setting; perhaps it was the mood I was in; perhaps it was that majority of the songs are in D-flat major. Somehow I went to a different plane- it brought a certain mental clarity and calmness that I couldn’t achieve earlier in the drive. Then Rutter’s Reqiuem came on. Some people say it is a trivial and very flim-flamsy work and Lord knows how many times I have performed it, but something changes when you just sit and listen to it. That work definitely refreshed my mind and soul; even though I was tired of driving, I suddenly became not sleepy nor exhausted. And, it brought back pleasant memories of the Chamber Choir at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Grand Blanc. Here’s a shout out to yalls.
And this whole time, Marmot was just laying in his carrier. He only mewoed when he needed to come out to pee in his litter box. Such a great companion, Marmot is.
I did try and call ahead to book a room. The receptionist was terribly rude. I gave up and just prayed there would be a room at the inn when I got there. Marmot and I’s stable would have been the car and I was ready to get out of that car. Got there at 3:30 AM Thursday morning and thank goodness there was a nice person behind the counter when I arrived.
Okies, I definitely need sleep now and this post is ridiculously long. It is almost 4:45 AM.
Much love,
Rog
Well I ended up not taking a nap. Looking back, it definitely would have been super smart, but I guess the body can do wondrous things when it needs or wants to. Bit more on that later.
I said goodbye to Z and Michael and Creature (*Side note: With time I think she and Marmot will get along. However, there was a lot of hissing and some swatting/pouncing on Creature’s part towards Marmot. Only time will tell) and left Chicago at 1:30 AM CST. Goodbyes are always so difficult, and especially saying goodbye to these two was…well, I don’t want to dwell on it. Lets move on, shall we?
Now, lets clarify something. Chicago was indeed where I thought I was going to make my home this year. However, sometimes what you plan doesn’t happen for whatever reason and so you make a new plan. It took me a while to be happy with the new decision, but I am trying to adopt a new optimistic view on life and not to always think about the past or what might have been. I look forward to the day when I do indeed move to Chicago. But that isn’t going to happen overnight, nor anytime soon. I certainly hope sooner rather than later, but I wont stress out about it.
The drive south to see Betsy was rather uneventful. I chose to drive at night again for multiple reasons, which you can read in a previous post. However, it was fascinating in terms of how open the sky was in southern Illinois, which btw, is such a LONG drive; I didn’t quire realize how long that state was. I drove through quite a lot of rain and was privy to a lightning show. Because there was virtually no light except car headlights, when the lightning flashed, it lit up the whole sky. Sometimes I couldn’t even see where the initial bolt was due to how bright the sky became. That was something I never saw living in my neighborhood back in Lansing. When it got on towards morning though, it became just a limbo-grey and I started to get tired. I decided to pull over around 7:30 AM is and grabbed a quick 45 minute nap before trying to hammer the rest of the way. I passed by Hannibal, MO on the way and it made me think of Clio Cast and Crews production of Damn Yankees back in 2001. Oh the fond memories…
I arrived at Betsy’s house around 11:30 AM. The plan was to grab coffee and/or an early lunch, snooze for a bit, and be off on the road again by 2:00 PM. But plans have a way of changing on you. Funny how that happens, eh? I will chalk it up to the excitement of finally seeing her after many years of promising to do so and never getting the chance. Her dog, Sulley, came along the adventure, the sweetest dog ever I swear, while Marmot stayed in her music room. We had to keep them separate.
We spent the whole afternoon together:
- crash scenic tour of downtown
- brief glimpse of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
- learned a bit about the culture
- lunch at The Westside Local, a farm-to-table establishment (We had poblano and spinach dip; and I got a sweet potato/quinoa burger with grilled veggies-YUM)
- PetSmart to get food for Marmot (Okay…this store had these hug pillars which literally blocked about 90% of the aisle. It was like the Harry Potter final task/maze in book 4, trying to navigate our way around)
- Starbucks to relax (Sulley was now rather comfortable with me, I guess, that he kept wanting to dive nose first into my crotch)
When we got back to her place, we sat around a bit to let me gather energy, and then her boyfriend Ian came home. I can’t even really explain what happened next. I’ve never been so stimulated to that degree in a while. Now before you get any weird ideas, nothing strange happened, you sillies…hahaha What DID happen was probably the most invigorating conversation I’ve had in a long time. The three of us covered numerous topics: Asian dynamics, Asian vs America culture, language, learning styles, politics, work, music…you name it, we talked about it. And the coolest thing was, though we had differing opinions, there was not a single bit of animosity. I just had a discussion that didn’t result in the degradation of human behavior. Needless to say, I left their house with renewed energy. Napping can restore energy, but I learned that a healthy debate can also achieve similar results. We said goodbye and I was off again at 5:30 PM (finally), driving towards Amarillo, TX as the next planned stop.
That drive wasn’t terrible. However, for any future travelers passing around Oklahoma City, be warned that ALL public restrooms are locked at 9:00 PM. It took me about four different stops at various gas stations, McDonald’s, and Kwik Marts to realize this. I almost decided to use Marmot’s litter box (I didn’t though…I mean I have some pride).
However, the moon was SO bright. No storm this time so there were no clouds. It was such a clear night. I was tired of listening to shows, both opera and musical theatre, so I randomly chose some choral music. I was astounded with the result. Here I was, driving after midnight along such a dark path. The first thing to come on was Morten Lauridsen’s Les chansons de roses. Perhaps it was the setting; perhaps it was the mood I was in; perhaps it was that majority of the songs are in D-flat major. Somehow I went to a different plane- it brought a certain mental clarity and calmness that I couldn’t achieve earlier in the drive. Then Rutter’s Reqiuem came on. Some people say it is a trivial and very flim-flamsy work and Lord knows how many times I have performed it, but something changes when you just sit and listen to it. That work definitely refreshed my mind and soul; even though I was tired of driving, I suddenly became not sleepy nor exhausted. And, it brought back pleasant memories of the Chamber Choir at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Grand Blanc. Here’s a shout out to yalls.
And this whole time, Marmot was just laying in his carrier. He only mewoed when he needed to come out to pee in his litter box. Such a great companion, Marmot is.
I did try and call ahead to book a room. The receptionist was terribly rude. I gave up and just prayed there would be a room at the inn when I got there. Marmot and I’s stable would have been the car and I was ready to get out of that car. Got there at 3:30 AM Thursday morning and thank goodness there was a nice person behind the counter when I arrived.
Okies, I definitely need sleep now and this post is ridiculously long. It is almost 4:45 AM.
Much love,
Rog
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Day 2: Chi-Town and Rest
Hallo All-
Today I slept in until almost noon and woke up to a fantastic breakfast (well more like brunch, I guess) of grilled cheese sandwich and a scrumptious tuna salad a la Chef Miguel.
Today I slept in until almost noon and woke up to a fantastic breakfast (well more like brunch, I guess) of grilled cheese sandwich and a scrumptious tuna salad a la Chef Miguel.
Then we walked around the town. And Michael was the epitome
of the perfect tour guide. One of the places he introduced me to was Mariano’s.
Oh my goodness. I am in love. The cheese section alone was a glimpse into
heaven. When I come back to visit, a wine and cheese night is in order for sure.
The highlight of the afternoon was a walk along the water’s
edge. We had wonderful conversation while sipping our delicious concoctions
from Mariano’s. And then it hit me.
I am leaving this all behind.
No more blue, the inexplicable hue of a great lake that only
Michiganders can truly comprehend and appreciate. No more green grass, tall and
vibrant, swaying in the wind, spreading out for miles and miles. No more sweet
air, the same humid air I always complain about (and probably still will). I
will see lots of reds, various browns…nice enough colors, I guess. Oh, some
people will tell me, “You will see lots of colors on the strip.” And yes, they
are correct, but it won’t really be the same thing now, eh? What a pleasant
memory to hold on to for the future.
When Z finally came home from his seven hour rehearsal (he’s dedicated), we
went to del Seoul, a Korean/Mexican fusion restaurant. Kalbi tacos? Spicy pork
tacos? Kimchee fries?! So yummy. Ugh…my stomach was super happy; Marmot may not be so happy later in the carried. I mean, who
would have thought that kimchee, cheese, cream, potatoes, and chives would meld
so fantastically together. Topped it off with some refreshing frozen yogurt
(um…rocket pop flavor anyone?) to cool off from all the spiciness. Met an
offending drunkard. We will leave it at that. The screaming woman who was accosted by a perp who fled in his red SUV? Only in Chicago...(she is safe btw.)
We capped the evening off watching the Florence Foster
Jenkins movie. What an unusual talent indeed.
Well, off to take a nap so I can begin the next leg of the
journey!
Much love,
Rog
Much love,
Rog
Monday, September 12, 2016
Day 1: I Heart You, Mitten
Hallo All-
And we are off!
And we are off!
First stop is Chicago to see my best friends, Z and Michael.
I mean Marmot has to see his uncles before we trek to the other end of the
states, eh? Poor buddy has to stay in his little domed carrier for the
car rides and then stay in their closet because we are not sure how well he and
Creature will get along again. I am anticipating some hilarious scenarios of:
Marmot: “Play with meeeeeeee. Play with meeeeeee!”
Creature: MEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW /swat
Hahahaha…I shouldn’t laugh…but I do and will.
Leaving Lansing in the evening is the target time. This will
hopefully help me get used to driving with such a heavy carload without having
so much traffic to frighten lil’ ol Asian dude.
*** (time passes)
Um…there was so much construction! What the heck?! Majority of
the toll road was down one lane and no one was driving the labeled 45 MPH. Everyone is whizzing by me super fast. I
sincerely dislike driving in and into Chicago; and you know the police will pull ME over
because I have a Michigan plate.
Finally got to Chicago and Michael, bless his heart, came
outside to help me find a parking spot on their busy road with such limited
spaces. We will NOT mention that a certain Asian almost swiped a van attempting
to rush into a spot. >.> Meh…nothing like a nice bottle of carménère
won’t fix.
Shorter post today because I am so tired. Lucky you.
Much love,
Rog
Shorter post today because I am so tired. Lucky you.
Much love,
Rog
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Intro: Prelude To A Trip
Hallo All-
I started this blog when I first headed to Austria for TOP (Tyrolean Opera Program). Going across the ocean and staying in Maurach (high up the mountains) for close to a month was perhaps the longest span of time I’ve ever been away from Michigan.
I started this blog when I first headed to Austria for TOP (Tyrolean Opera Program). Going across the ocean and staying in Maurach (high up the mountains) for close to a month was perhaps the longest span of time I’ve ever been away from Michigan.
This time is different. I am leaving Michigan, my home for
thirty plus years. I am driving across the country to make my new home in Las
Vegas, NV. At least I have Marmot Maggpaw as my travelling companion. He is so
cutes.
Well, I tend to prattle on. So if you are interested, coolio,
keep reading. If not, /shrug
Time to begin a new adventure…
As I was making my final preparations to leave Michigan, I
knew it was going to be difficult. So many thoughts crossed my mind:
- Why didn’t I stop to take pictures with Sparty, Beal
Gardens, my favorite fountain on campus?
- How did I never make it to Uncle John’s Cider Mill all
these years?!
- FUDGE! Mackinaw Island fudge!! What I would do for some
right now.
- I would have liked to squeeze in one more Traverse City
Old Mission Peninsula wine tasting trip.
- My GB friends, my Detroit/AA crew, I didn’t get a chance
to see them.
- I wanted to do…
- I should have done…
Packing up my life was perhaps one of the most difficult activities
I’ve ever had to accomplish. This beats out: preparing recitals filled with the
music of say, Strauss, Ricky Ian Gordon, and Mozart (ugh, Mozart will always be the death of me. "Ach ich kill me now" anyone?); any VBS planning and execution
of sets; and perhaps my novel (oh, who am I kidding? That will be a lifelong
process).
I am telling you now: if any of my friends are planning on
moving within this year, START THE PROCESS NOW. Donate, toss, give away, or sell
things now. Trust me. Thank goodness I came across the KonMari Method, the
Japanese art of decluttering and organizing by Marie Kondo. If you don’t know
what I am talking about, look it up. If I start talking about it now, I will go on and on about
the process of “What sparks joy?” forever and next thing we know, it will be
snowing in December and yalls will be telling me, “Let it gooooo…let it
goooooooooo. Like seriously, let it go, dude.”
Ahhh…I digress.
But really though, this method helped me realize all the
materialistic items clogging up my life and spirit and whether I really needed
them or if I could indeed let them go (gosh darn it, Disney, there I go again).
If you are moving, definitely try to follow this method; if you just need a
reboot/cleanse, I highly suggest you try it. I cannot recommend it enough.
Switching gears (kind of), you learn many new things about
yourself when you need to pack up your life.
I learned that I am a hoarder (no surprise there). I still
had homework assignments from elementary and high schools, numerous
essays/papers from Humanities, lots and lots of letters/cards, sheet music
(real and copies), TAF mementos (I did keep most of those things though.
It was such a fantastic part of my past. Sorry, Bettina, I did toss our Big/Lil
Sib correspondence on how you didn’t eat much that day and not to tell your
sister, Anita...oops), and so much more. I threw a lot of those things away. Shifting
from having a tangible object one can touch to a memory was at first hard to do, but
got easier as it went along.
I learned about sending parcels via Media Mail with USPS. I
was able to send the majority of my library (after whittling it down via the
KonMari Method), thus relieving about 200 lbs of paper from an already burdened
Malibu. I learned that many things I thought I needed were things I actually
didn’t need, much less used. Yes, it is a simple idea, but a profound one once
employed.
I learned that packing up a car with your things makes your
realize you still have too much stuff. You need to purge more from your life.
And so you go through the whole winnowing process again. And then after
that, you require a Tetris master (Allison, I bow to you) to get everything
INTO said car. Thank goodness I have such short legs or else this journey would
be considerably more uncomfortable. I learned how important tread is on tires.
*Side note: there are some things in life you can go cheap and buy the off-brand:
cereals, phone cases, toilet paper. They get the job done. Well, maybe not off-brand toilet paper. Two-ply FTW. *Okies, back to tread, tires are NOT one of
these things you should go cheap. Spending close to $800 on new tires was a pain in the pocket, but
totally worth it. I can already feel the difference. It is smooth riding from
now on (knock on wood).
Oh, I could go on and on.
More importantly, I wouldn’t have even gotten this far
without my friends and family to help me and I haven’t even begun the journey.
You know who you are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Got my hat. Life is packed.
Got my cat. Music’s tracked.
Heart is heavy. Feeling some woe.
Come on Chevy. Ready set go.
Pardon the lame attempt at poetry. My mind is tired and I
have blabbed enough. Time to rest up so I can be refreshed and ready for a new
day.
Much love,
Rog
Much love,
Rog
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