7.26.2009

Part of my excitement behind this trip across the U.S., is the opportunity to find and visit special small businesses and their owners. I have a pretty serious admiration for people who have that kind of passion.

Dana has her own growing photography business, dana hawley photography, and our lovely friend Matt Keen owns a fabulous record store in Wilmington, N.C., Gravity Records. This is, of course, not to mention all of the fantastic bar and restaurant owners we know, or are fans of there. As Dana and I both think that Wilmington is the rockinest place in the grand US of A be assured that we'll give you an enormous rundown when we get there.

In my jobless, waiting for Dana to arrive, state, I've been searching the internet like a maniac, trying to come up with a viable, fun as hell, not overly rigorous itinerary, I've found some fantastic businesses to check out.

Actually, last weekend, I had the fabulous opportunity to go to the San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair and met a few lovely ladies that you should check out, as well.

Signed and Numbered --- Salt Lake City, UT---She has a print of my favorite moment from the Big Lebowksi, when Julianne Moore's character says, "He's a good man...and thorough..." I think I must have walked up to her booth at the RCF, with my jaw agape and possibly drooling....

Ornamental Things--- Austin, TX---I met Natalie and started telling her about the upcoming road trip and that I would be stopping in Austin. She immediately stopped and wrote down several lovely things to do for me. She's just as cute as a button.


7.16.2009

Preparations...

I have officially packed all nonessential items that will be shipped to Charlotte.

I have 10 boxes to be shipped over the next 2 days to my new home. Everything else that I own will have to fit in the car. I might be deluding myself, but I'm pretty sure that I'm going to have plenty of room left in the trunk.

Whoa.

We're really going to do this!!!!!!!!!!! And whoa...I'm really moving to Charlotte.

It needs to be August 10th, already.

7.12.2009

Where the rubber meets the road: the most important point for something, the moment of truth.

I moved to the Bay Area last year from Wilmington, NC, after getting a job offer that I couldn't refuse. I was hoping that I'd love it, but I bartered with myself: if, after a year, I wanted to go home, I would---no guilt. Really, I thought it would take much longer than a year before I managed to get back, as opposed to the 10 months I've got counted now, but whatever. It is what it is.

My current situation: I've been laid off (!!!) and I'm withering away from homesickness. I venture to guess that I am more depressed now than I have ever have been. It sounds so awful! It's true, but I'm shocked at the truth of it, now that I see it in writing.

Here's the thing: I'm not walking around looking at my shoes, weeping and feeling sorry for myself. It's not that kind of situation. I'm optimistic; a glass half-full kind of person...I'm just having a pretty damn hard time taking everything in.

I could go on, ad nauseam, about the crazy details, but let's just leave it here for now: this is my own personal moment of truth and I'm going to take it and do something with it.

I'm going back to the South, as soon as I can; where there's dappled shade, spanish moss, drawls, tolerance (yes, that's what I said---it's different, but very there) and a smile for just about everyone you meet. They are my people and I'm running back to them, NASCAR and all.