Not All Who Wander Are Lost

Everything we own -- minus the important stuff, of course: too many clothes, two cars and a camper, the family itself -- now resides indefinitely in a 10 x 20 storage unit. And it only took two grueling days of packing and cleaning and heavy lifting; three trips in the U-Haul; hard sleep in the camper last night and again tonight: it's a miracle my back works at all.

We'll be bringing the short-term stuff with us, mostly. It's hard to wander light when you're living the life nomadic with two small children.

But we'll have to pack the remaining bring-along fast, for the last day has come and gone. Tomorrow brings official homelessness as our little band of four becomes true wanderers. We start our journey at the in-laws. They have dial-up.

Driving through the campus tonight on my usual late-night trip to the info commons, it occurs to me that this is my last night here after seven years on-campus. Funny how it feels like home. Goodbye, NMH. I'll miss your carefully manicured rolling hills. See pretty much every blogentry from January on for more moving and poignant farewell fodder; after 48 hours of muscle movement, I just don't have the pith in me tonight.

Sorry, by the way, for what appears to be a straight week of self-centered three-paragraphers. What else can I say but moving is tiring, moving from somewhere to nowhere kills the soul, spending day after day preparing to move leaves little room for the usual web and culture surfing that produces infoglut gem passalongs and medialit culture rants. Dial-up or no, I hope to be back on my blogfeet pretty soon.

Comments:

Safe travels and happy adventures, Josh; we'll be waiting for your updates.

BTW, your boyhowdy.com email address doesn't work! I've been getting bounce messages. Is there a way we can keep in touch with you?

# posted by

Alex : 12:39 PM, June 24, 2005

So the truth is, I have been lurking about your site for more months than I should even admit. It was wrong of me to remain silent. Though I only have because I have been ultra busy which has somehow or another translated into quietly voyeuristic. I quite enjoy your blog.

I wanted to out myself now to let you know I have been thinking about you and your family. Reading as much as I have about your (and so many other's) job/career/life plights leaves me feeling angsty and frustrated. There is so much talent and good out there that is simply squandered!

I have faith that you and your's will find yourselves on the up path soon. In the meantime, try to enjoy this time you have (and please don't take that as annoyingly as it probably sounds)...

All the best!

Tricia from M.C.

# posted by

Tricia : 1:11 AM, June 25, 2005

1. New email address should actually be boyhowdy@gmail.com . Apologies to all who tried sending to no account (yes, a pun).

2. Thanks, again, to all those watching and reading and supporting and sending along happy vibes. But don't worry about wandering ol' us. This exhilarating life? Can't beat it, wouldn't want to.

# posted by

boyhowdy : 1:13 PM, June 25, 2005