my last blog post! MD-Philly :-)

Well I spent two nights and a day in Maryland.. got there on Tuesday night from Savannah.. drove 10 hours and I still beat Emily, Bill, Jackie, and the rest of the Reese family back to the house. Pretty awesome. I'll tell you what I didn't want to leave MD today, but I'm back in Philly. I love those guys so flippin much.

I brought some goodies back for my friends from the road, including a bunch of sea shells for Jackie, the artist.. hoping she'll use them for some really cool art!

Check em out.. sea shells, art work, and knit beards and scarfs. LOVE!

North carolina traffic.

Bummin around town

Driving in Savannah is confusing! There are a lot of little loop parks, squares maybe? Tiny. and a whole bunch of them. I had breakfast this morning, and spent some time by Bay St. and walking around, but truthfully, I was exhausted. I went back to the hotel to chill and and get ready for a long tomorrow drive.

I did however spend a bit of time talking to this guy, Brett, who was Occupying Savannah. It was just him, which had me a bit uneasy in terms of the affect this occupation was having on the community, but apparently Savannah has been impacted by the occupiers going and doing in their community. This isn't over.. Savannah's given me hope of that for sure!

Savannah morning

Well here I am in Savannah, GA..my last stop on my adventures this time around..but getting back in the swing of things after a long emotional day yesterday.
First stop: gotta find some grub. I don't think I have had a good, full meal in at least 2 days..hard to find anywhere on the road to eat that's not chips and donuts on Christmas.
Stopped at J. Christopher's in the historic section of the city for some energy and motivation for the day!
Food is delicious..I may just sit here and have another cup of coffee while I digest. ;) love

journey back north

I am seriously about to pass out. I got to Savannah to my hotel maybe half hour ago.. I left Rori's house in Boca around 9:30 this morning. Took a few detours on my way up to Savannah.. drove 4 hours to Bradenton FL to see Raven for an hour.. which was really great to see someone from.. well not from Philly, but someone I know from Philly..

Then I drove another hour and a half up to the Florida National Cemetery. I brought some stones to leave by Grammy and I sat there and talked to her for a little while. When I got there, there was a family just kind of walking around and I waited until they left to start saying what I needed to say. Another woman came to visit her brother.. or her son, I can't remember, but we were talking and she really made me feel better, very sincere, and reminded me that there are still good people who understand the hurt of loss even after years. It was a trying visit and an even longer drive to Savannah.

I am now so beat, and ready to relax a day in Savannah before heading back up North. <3 love.

sadness of florida

It may be the movie I just got back from, but all of my feelings on Florida have kind of cultivated and I've come to a conclusion. Florida makes me sad. It could also be that tomorrow, I stop at Grammy's gravesite in Bushnell. I have a lot to say, and it all seems to have been building up in the last 4 days especially. Tomorrow will be a trying day.. but I will persevere.

If I've learned anything in the last week, the last 6 months, the last two and a half years, it is that you only have the moment, and to live for anything but that isn't truly living. Thinking of all that you've had and lost is alright, as long as it can help move you forward in your own life rather than letting it hinge you and keep you stuck in the past.

I love you all and am thankful everyday for each and every one of you in my life making it worth each day. My Grammy and I will have a chat.. well, I'll mostly talk, and cry, and I'll tell her how much I miss her every day, how much mom and Amanda and Hayley and Grandpa misses her, and how much we all love her very very much. Such a loss to the world, my world, but all we can do is bring her with us in everything that we do. Love. Love. Love. Love. Love. <3 I miss you every day and I think of you when the sun shines.

The last week has been tough.. but part three of the trip continues probably an hour after I leave the cemetery. Savannah adventure, Maryland, and then back to Philadelphia.. and then back to Maryland to start my new adventure.

<3

My Christmas tradition

Although a bit unorthodox going to the beach and collecting shells, which was what I did this morning, I am spending my evening at the movies. I'm at the Palace in Boca Raton waiting to see We Bought A Zoo. Happy Holidays to all.

I ship out in the morning..possibly stopping in Sarasota to see Raven before heading to the Florida National Cemetary in Bushnell and then up to Savannah for the next day. Love love and merry merry :)

oops

One more day in FL. Not 2. gotta shove 2 days into one. what a realization.

Florida pics

Happy Haunkkah!
This was the weather my first full day in Boca Raton. Sunny!
the beach!
more beach!
my little cousin beat the heck outa me in go carts
go karts
my little cousin Michael
Rori and Michael
Rori and Hannah. I tried to get a photo of all three but it was a major fail.
i went night fishing.. no bites that night!
it's a Florida style Santa Clause!
Cousin Dana and myself

slowing down

It's really hard to describe the feeling of moving really fast and then slowing down tremendously. My physical self has slowed down; I've been in FL around family for the last 3 days and I have 2 more full days here until I leave Monday morning. It doesn't help the difficulty that tomorrow and the next day are Christmas eve and Christmas day. I don't like the winter holidays. They make me depressed and send my mind all over the human existence. That might just be winter time in general.

But right now I'm in sunny FL and I should be enjoying my time in the sun, with my family, away from chaos. Inside my mind, however, I can't help but feel like time is spinning around in circles.

Future, past, present, past, future. future. future. past. right back to the moment, now.

Since I've started slowing down, I've been able to catch up with what's been racing around my mind. My Grammy. Time. My own family. My childhood, a lot of which has taken place down here in FL with my family when south FL was still full of my relatives.

I've been thinking about how although I would like to fully enjoy the rest of my two days here, I can't wait to be on the road again, heading to explore Savannah. And I think about how after Savannah I'm going to see my future; my Maryland family. I think about the future that is only so many days and weeks ahead of me and the responsibilities that will be waiting for me when I arrive.

I think about the state of our economy and that it isn't just kids in Philadelphia who are having a hard time; it's adults everywhere trying to find happiness working a shitty retail job 50 hours a week and are unhappy. I think about how I don't want to put myself in that kind of hold again when I move.

I still worry about money and am afraid that I will fall on my face. How can I be so cynical about life after proving to myself that I can do this? There is always always always more to prove to myself.

Tomorrow I'm going to get Carl's oil changed and spend the day at the beach. I'm going to spend the next two days living in the moment, letting the momentum be still for a few days before I hit the road and let it rip on Monday morning. Love. Love. Love. <3.

family ties

I'm calling this part 2 of 4 of my trip. I spent a week traveling all over, by myself, not knowing anyone around me and just in solo exploring adventure mode. Two days ago I got to my cousins' in Boca, and yesterday I drove to Stuart FL to see my cousin Bryan. It's not much to tell, we've been hanging out, talking about old times, talking about current times..

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about my past, my childhood, places and people I've lost.. and also thinking about my future in Maryland, the adventure I'm about to take in the next phase of my life. Although this is vacation, it definitely hasn't been easy weighing everything out. My next 2 days in FL before I leave for part 3 Savannah, will be lovely yet trying. There is something about seeing family that makes you stare harder at yourself.

I left Bryan's apartment and went straight to Ft Lauderdale to go night fishing. Not a single bite!

BTW yesterday I met up with Rori at Boomers with Michael and Hannah.. I got whooped by a 10 and 11 year old at Go-Karts and Laser Tag! Those kids make me feel so old! I'll post some pics tomorrow. The last few days of straight up family has wiped me out. Love. <3

Boca!

Well I made it to Boca last night, slept beautifully! Got some lunch with the cousins this morning, did a little shopping, and now enjoying the sun on the beach! Probably grab a few sea shells to bring back up North.. for now, I hope the rain isn't too freezing and I hope everyone is enjoying their Hannukah festivities and Christmas preparations. Love!

Tallahassee!

Turns out there's not much to do in Tallahassee FL. I wanted to find a really nice place to get lunch and just feel like a baller.. so I went to this place I found off one of the main roads.. not bad. I did want to check out the Museum of Florida History... I got bored. Time to leave Tallahassee and drive to Boca! So here I am, at Rori's house, passing out real soon on this water bed.. sleeping in tomorrow! can't beat that.

I've got some stuff planned for the next few days while I'm here, including a fishing trip. I'm excited. I'll keep ya'll posted.

For now...

WWII Museum

Ogden Museum of Southern Art!

I wanted to go to the Louisiana Civil War Museum
but they were closed
So I went to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art
I really liked that one.
glass
Ferris Bueller style
pull it back
I remembered this image from the Civil Rights Museum in New Orleans

hurricane
this was awesome


















Donkey in space

check it: my t-shirt from Sun Studio


This guy has an awesome exhibit