Whirlwind!

Ok fans of Sidetracked, things have been happening so quickly, I'm feeling a bit of whiplash, vertigo and exhaustion all at once. In early September, my plan was to put the house on the market for a few months, work toward getting things packed up, and do a job search. We put our house on the market on a Monday in early September, had a young couple walk through on Tuesday, and had an offer on the table from said couple by Wednesday! We accepted the offer on Friday! Well, they really needed to be in by early October...Needless to say, the time frame placed a measure of stress on me (and Rusty, albeit long distance). Rusty flew back to assist in house packing and we managed to vacate by October 3rd.

This is a good time to provide a shout-out to a few saints without whom we would not have accomplished this ridiculous task. David Stratton is a packing master and managed to help us with a calm demeanor and a positive attitude, even when neither Rusty nor I could manage a smile. Wayne Wilson was there as well and sympathized with Rusty's need to keep everything we have ever owned. Med showed up to help just about the time all of us were at an impasse and assisted for the final hurdle. So, to these guys I pay homage and offer my official appreciation.

Selling the house so quickly left me homeless and with absolutely no plan. In came two more saints. The Thirupuvanam's offered me a place to stay through the month of October so I could get my bearings. Debbie and Thiru have been terrific hosts (although I think I'm supposed to tell everyone how terrible it is living there so they don't have to take in every homeless person in the area). The Thirupuvanam estate sits very close to my school in North Raleigh. I've been enjoying the luxury of a very short commute to Green elementary and a few extra pounds as Debbie is an awesome cook.
Right now, all of our 'stuff' is in storage. I've had to determine a room's worth of possessions to fit in the Thirupavanum guest bedroom. Honestly, it is the most freeing feeling in the world. Not only am I currently not responsible for maintenance and upkeep of a home, but I could also throw everything I might need into the back of a car and move in a day. How truly nomadic can one get?

A friend (Lloyd) said that there was only one time in his adult life where he didn't own any keys. What an amazing accomplishment and a time of which he spoke reminiscently. I understand the attraction of simplifying. Although my independent nature and sense of obligation will not allow me to fully enjoy temporary homelessness, I'm hesitant to begin complicating my life with the burdens of 'stuff' and places to store 'stuff'. I may never be in a situation to be devoid of keys, as that type of Nirvana is for the truly courageous. But owning a few less keys is a start. Other steps may include a concerted effort to reduce the amount of passwords I have to remember, to focus my efforts on fewer tasks, and to get rid of even more stuff! This sounds vaguely like new year's resolutions or a hint of a mid-life crisis, but transition brings opportunity for change, and I'm in a hell-of-a transition.

Although Debbie and Thiru are gracious hosts, I only feel comfortable disrupting their home for the month of October. I'll move in a few weekends to another friend, even closer to school. Ann has opened up her home to me until some of the many things up in the air are resolved. I'm certain to be with Ann through November and ma even be there through December. After that, who knows? That phrase sounds so unlike me, as we all know, I have always had a plan but currently am finding myself a captive of many unknowns. Disconcerting? Yes! A little exciting? Definitely.
OK, enough of the "Where's Waldo?" type narrative. In other news, yesterday a friend (Julie) and I hiked to the top of Hanging Rock and enjoyed breathtaking views. The best part of the trip was spending a few hours with Julie in the car participating in the typical roadtrip conversation of solving the world's problems, all of our friend's problems and tactfully avoiding solving our own problems. Thanks Jules!Hanging Rock was like a day at Disney for hikers. Practically every yuppie parent in North Carolina was toting diaper bags, dragging miserable over-fed dogs, and pulling mini-versions of themselves to the top of that mountain. Let us not forget the ever present, Nascar loving redneck parent. I'm sure my asthma was not aided by the constant stream of second hand smoke eminating from the smoker rest benches on the way to the top.

I'm painting a bleak picture of what was almost a perfect day. The sky was Carolina blue, the trees were a mosaic of autumn colors and the company was beyond compare. Sitting at the top of the world and looking as far as the eye could see was good for my soul, for my psyche and for my over all mental well-being. I've been too long from the trees and from the sky and from the land. Enough of waxing poetically. I truly hope, friends, you have a chance to sit on a rock for an afternoon, enjoy crisp fall air, and watch hawks fly over a carpet of vibrant trees. Really, not much better in my book.Thanks for indulging me as I work out a transition. Feel free to post.



Another i-pod favorite: Third Eye Blind, "Motorcycle Drive By"