Snap

La Quinta in Daphne, Alabama

A little over two years ago, something in me snapped.

When something or someone snaps, it is implied to be unfortunate and often inevitable.
For several reasons, my life unfolded and as terrifying and so indescribably painful as it was, it just needed to happen. Inevitable, yes. Unfortunate, no.

Think about the mechanics of a snap (on a shirt or with your fingers). A certain amount of force must be applied in order for it to work. Once the force is applied, it gives way to sound...to a connection.

So, that's it. I snapped.

Once this happened, everything changed. My self perception and really my entire worldview shifted. I discovered that most of my time was spent straddling The Present Fence by lamenting the past or wringing my hands over the future.

I am trying (very hard) to walk the line of Today. Keeping an ear to the past for wisdom and and eye on the future for context, but to be here, right now is a daily, ongoing practice.  For instance, in the middle of this sentence, I just thought, "should I take the blue bag to Dominica or the red bag? If I take the blue bag, then blah, blah, blah."

In terms of my physical journey, my mom, dog (Hugo) and I traveled through 15 states in 4 days. MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA (Sleep Inn), MD, WV, VA, NC, SC, GA (cousin's house), AL (La Quinta), MS, LA, TEXAS. 2,100 miles. I think we passed 52 Cracker Barrels along the way, dining at 2 of them. Oaks, maples, eastern white pines, bald cypress, magnolias, and many unnerving signs reading:
Speed limits monitored by aircraft.



The next day I hit the ground running and made a sweet potato casserole on Christmas Day. We celebrated with friends ranging in age from 3-91 years young and a LOT of meat. Back strap venison, beef tenderloin, turkey, and stuffed quail. Happy Holidays y'all.

What am I doing?

This is what I asked myself both before and after I gave my two weeks notice on November 30, 2011.

I just turned 35. I am leaving the New England Aquarium (AKA, Safe Haven) for a life (possibly) not as safe. I am selling most of my belongings. I am leaving Boston after 8 years, but I am ready despite any instinct to hold on to the railings.

I'm coming out of the sessile closet. (Even though I have always been walking in and out of it for years...)

I am a nomad. It isn't a disorder.
I'm like plankton, only a little more intentional.

I was born this way. I travel. I change. This is what I do. It's in my marrow.
If I were a superhero, I would call myself Nomadamorphose. My superpower would be to be anywhere in the world I wanted at any given time and be automatically fluent in every language and dialect.

My hope is that if you are reading this now, you will check in every now and again and read my stories. I have no idea what they will be about.  I can only promise that I will be somewhere in the world and share something worth writing about.

If I am somewhere in the world and you want to hear a story about something (anything) associated with that place, then let me know.  I'll see what I can drum up.