How Do You Do It?

It’s quite the question, I know.  And I have not written on this blog in a while and am unsure how to use this open form of expression anymore. How should I do it? Many will say it’s too open and I need to be careful about how much I share about myself, let alone others I encounter. Yet, I still want to use my writing as a form of expression and be able to put it out there into the world… with the intentions of no shame or blame of any form brought upon myself or others. So, I continue…

What the _____?

All I can say is WTF has happened in the last three years? A year long sabbatical and travel to India & SE Asia, my father’s decline into dementia, a global pandemic… and now, currently, a new job at the college, traveling in a van for the rest of the summer and in Asheville, NC for a few days. Phew, how does life unfold for you and how might you push a project or direction to attempt to steer life’s unfolding? I imagine it’s a combination of both.

Post Sabbatical…

I fell in love with India and S.E. Asia. With the culture, with the people, with their religion and spirituality and with their family values. When I came home, I realized the way this country’s values (capitalism, consumerism) that I grew up in and completely prospered from was not the place that represented my personal values anymore. I came home from Asia and lived in an empty apartment for months. And when I finally got the courage up to unpack and settle back in, I didn’t have the attachment to my physical belongings anymore. It’s just “stuff” and after living for a year without “stuff” it was wonderful for me. You like your stuff, don’t you? Of course, you do! I do too!

International Travel…

My travel to South America was halted by the pandemic. As were many travel plans for everyone. Stay at home orders were issued… fear ensued. In March 2020 as I was coming home from Colorado visiting my father, the pandemic began and the college closed. In August 2020, I began in person teaching while the pandemic surged through the winter and just finished out the 2020/2021 academic year. I realized there most likely wouldn’t be international travel for a while. I’ve been itching to get out.

I found a good deal on small van in January 2021, a 2017 Ford Transit Connect and began to build it into a camper so I could travel this summer. I wanted to travel to the places in this country that have been calling to me and spend some time in others that I’ve been. This was a project that I took on and feared that I would give up on it for some reason or another. Whallah! Mission completed and I’m on the road.

A New Job !?!?!

Lastly, I was offered a new job at the college that I will be taking. Removing me from the kitchen and into some online teaching and working on some college wide initiatives. How this all unfolded is a bit of a long story that I will not get into here. I get to keep seniority and my official faculty position while responsibilities are revealed. While I have been asking for a change and it’s welcome, I remain a little ambivalent even after I accepted the position. A natural place to be, I guess.

On The Road Again…

Now I’m on the road. With a different kind of freedom. I don’t need a destination nor a reservation for anything. The accommodations aren’t perfect, yet super cool! Had a good night sleep last night in a well-lit parking lot I shouldn’t have been in. Will be making my way towards Arizona, Utah and Colorado through some less traveled roads and visiting my father.

This is how I am doing it. Taking the time to write and putting it out there. I hope you take the time for yourself and feeding your soul. How do you do it?

More to come….