Moving is never fun. Even when the move is a happy occasion, the actual act of moving is something we all dislike. Sorting, cleaning, packing, loading and unloading boxes…it’s exhausting! Last year, I had the daunting task of packing up eight years’ worth of belongings to move across town. The house I left was the first house I had owned. It was also the longest time I had ever lived in one place. I had forgotten about how terrible moving was. Plus, I was downsizing. Therefore, I had to decide what to keep and what to discard, give away, sell, etc. This time around, I am moving across the country. I actually am moving all my belongings into storage for a month before I then load it up in the Uhaul to lug across state lines. Even then, I will first go to my daughter’s new apartment at her college, unload her half of the items, unpack her storage, and drop her off before I ultimately end up at my destination. Once there, I will then have to put my things back into a storage unit until I find a permanent residence. By the time this is all done and over with, I will have moved enough to last me for quite some time. Craziness. I know in the end this will all pay off, but right now, the sea of boxes and piles of belongings is just a little ridiculous. It also can be just a little stressful. That’s where the running and yoga take over. I have tried to maintain a consistent schedule with both, even through the chaos, because I know that if I don’t, I will probably spontaneously combust. Just today, I realized I was feeling slightly more agitated than usual. I also realized that I haven’t had a good long run for awhile. There have been short jaunts and (almost) daily yoga classes, but nothing long enough to work the kinks out. So, that has been added to the top of my to do list. I know I need to hit the road to release some of the pressure I am feeling. Out there, it’s just God and me. I pray, meditate, reflect, and just let myself be. That is why I agree with the words of John Bryant, “My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.”
Month: June 2013
So Much for the Updates
Hello, there! Well, we survived Bonnaroo…although as you can tell, I was not able to update you on our experiences while I was there. Connection was very limited, and electricity even more so. So allow me a few moments to fill you in now.
Bonnaroo is an experience you can’t truly appreciate or understand unless you have been there. It is filled with music, art, activities, comedy, and more. People representing every stereotype are present, yet within the confines of the farm, those stereotypes don’t exist. People assume the best about people instead of the worst. My daughter dropped her iPhone 5…. Twice….. And it was returned to her both times. I had a random individual hand me the sweetest card with butterflies and well wishes. Yes, on the farm people are still imperfect. But our imperfections are accepted, even embraced.
Of course, there would be no Bonnaroo without the universal language of music. Just like every type of person is represented at the ‘Roo, so is every genre of music. Rock and roll, alternative rock, indie rock, hip hop, rap, bluegrass, country, folk, and even Weird Al (he deserves his own category, don’t you think?). This year, the knighthood was even represented. Sir Paul McCartney performed Friday night and hit it out of the park. No words can express just how epic his performance was. The crowd was filled with people young and old, all singing along. Jack Johnson did an amazing job of stepping in for Mumford and Sons at the last minute and put together a fantastic show. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis had everyone dancing while Matt and Kim had so much infectious energy it was ridiculous. I personally watched all these shows, plus: Of Monsters and Men, Passion Pit, The XX, ZZ Top, Portugal. The Man, Bjork, The Lumineers, R. Kelly, Billy Idol, Weird Al, Delta Rae, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, The National, The Mowgli’s, and Tom Petty. Wow. And you wonder why I say there are no words.
Don’t get me wrong – going to Bonnaroo is a commitment. No electricity, weak phone signals, limited hot water in showers for which you have to pay, dust and mud, and those Port-a-potties…. Scary. However, if you are brave enough to venture out of your comfort zone, you will definitely be rewarded. Happy Bonaroo, everyone.
Time to ‘Roo!
Wow! I didn’t realize it had been such a long time since I last wrote. I think that’s because I started a post several times, but never quite finished any of them. Yet, in my mind, I believed I had. Either way, it has been a busy week and a half since I last wrote. I have been actively looking for jobs in Chicago, sending out resumes, and filling out applications. I have worked at my restaurant job almost every night so I can save up money for my move (yet another reason why I haven’t written). I have also been packing – packing my house for my move while at the same time packing up everything I need for my week on the farm. Yes, you read that right. My kids and I are headed to Manchester, Tennessee, to volunteer at the Bonnaroo music festival. Back when I was first introducing myself to you, I mentioned many words that could be used to describe me. One that I forgot was music lover. If you haven’t heard of it, Bonnaroo is a four day music and art festival with more music and activity than you can even imagine. We have never gone before, so we are extremely excited. Yet preparing to go has been exhausting. We have to plan to be completely self-sufficient for the entire festival. Plus, we are volunteering, so we have to be there a couple days earlier. That equals seven days’ worth of provisions! Needless to say, my poor Hyundai Sonata is filled to the brim. Technically it’s filled even more than that, since I also have a roof bag on the car. I am actually writing this post from a rest stop just off I-10. As we get closer to the festival site, we get more excited about what is in store. My plan is to post about my experiences while I am there, but I can’t promise how consistent those posts will be. It is 700 acres in the middle of nowhere with 80,000 people all trying to stay connected at the same time. So, I’ll see what I can do. Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy this experience vicariously through my posts. Until then…
Bonnaroo
Words from the Long Run 