Surely I Have Arrived

A friend of mine sent me a text last night. It read, "Adios WV, hello Midwest." I could not have imagined how true that text would ring for me today.

Have you ever had to stop for a cow crossing? On a bicycle? I hadn't either until today. A whole herd of Holstein casually crossing the road. I thought at first they must have gotten loose, but then I saw an actual cattle x-ing sign on the side of the road. Nobody back in West Virginia is going to believe this I thought, I need to get a picture. Unfortunately, by the time I fumbled my camera out out of my backpack, the last cow was being herded across the road by a little mule tractor and I missed my photographic opportunity. Curses.

At another point in on my bike ride, I found myself entirely surrounded by corn, horizon to horizon.



And it was at that point it finally sunk in that I have indeed moved back to the Midwest. But not just the Midwest... the RURAL Midwest. And it was at that point that I thought, "What the heck have I gotten myself into."

Back In Twin Cities

Just as I am returning to Wisconsin, so is my mother. Her flight lands in Minneapolis tonight, so I am spending the day in the Cities awaiting her arrival. I have been told I missed the equivalent of a midwestern monsoon while I have been down in West Virginia finishing up business. Today I have witnessed a bit of the aftermath.



Flood levels on the Mississippi are just cresting. This panorama of the mighty river's swollen banks was taken from the balcony of the Science Museum where I saw the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit today. For some reason, I went to the museum thinking Rosetta Stone and was looking forward to an exhibition about hieroglyphics and language translation. It wasn't until I actually walked into the exhibit that it dawned on me, "Oh... Dead SEA Scrolls... not Rosetta Stone." Not so much about language as the Torah, the Bible, the Koran and document preservation. And people say I'm fairly intelligent.

Other activities for the day; thrift stores, record shops, Scandinavian delis and check out this amazing octopus taco platter! I've always loved the Twin Cities, but in my more youthful days they always seemed a bit too close to home for comfort. My attitude on that seems to be changing.



Illness seems to be as prevalent here as the flooding and I am a bit disappointed I was not able to meet up with a new friend, but it was really great to catch up with one old. While helping my friend Craig hand out free PBR and Pabst swag at the Roma di Luna in-store performance at Electric Fetus tonight, we came to the somewhat distressing realization that we have known each other for twenty years now. Funny to think how far removed we both are now from the kids who met at Bible camp and served together on synod youth board.



Craig, you've got an awesome gig going. Thanks for letting me tag along for the night.

And welcome home Mom.
Enjoy your American coffee, the lefse and the herring.

(Photo borrowed from Zombie Lapdance)

Country Roads

Leaving West Virginia, I cannot help but think of the song "Country Roads" by John Denver. (Actually, first song to come that came to my mind was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by the Righteous Brothers, only I changed the lyrics to "I've Lost That Wheeling Feeling." )

The first verse of the song starts out, "Almost Heaven, West Virginia..." I have never understood this oft repeated slogan. Pleasant certainly, and many very beautiful sights to be seen, but West Virginia is often brutal, riddled by corruption and far from heavenly. So "Almost Heaven," John Denver? To quote my high school history teacher, "John Denver was high alright, but he didn't get that way from the Rocky Mountains."



No, the part of the song that really resonates for me is the chorus line: "Country Roads, take me home, to the place I belong." That line, in a nutshell, pretty much sums up this journey I find myself on. I am looking for the road that will take me to the place I belong. I wonder if I will know when I have found it.

Also, driving past a huge highway sign for Moline, IL, I can't help but belt out my own version of a very famous Dolly Parton song:



And having posted all of that, I cannot imagine what a horrible taste in music everyone reading this must think I have. Blame my upbringing for these dusty hits. It is just like being with my old co-workers again. I don't care what anybody says, Derrick and Luke, you still win for most horrible musical repertoire in the company.

That Mother Is Turned Out

Another late night and a very teary 4:30AM good-bye and I am ready to move for good this time. Leaving is a little more real this time and a bit harder than I imagined to leave behind the people who have come to mean so much to me. Thank you Yeta, Lisa, Driscoll and especially little Miss Amanda for all your help cleaning up the place.

It wasn't much, but it was a safe little sanctuary and exactly what I needed at the time and I will miss my little studio apartment.



Except for the hideous uphostery on that sofa bed. I will not miss that uphostery.

Two Down, One To Go

Ceiling medallion done? Check.
Faux touch-ups? Check.
Clean apartment and hand in keys to landlord? Not so much.

And in the busy rush of the day, I have neglected to take any photos of the finished projects. But I did find one in the vault of two of my three favorite people in Wheeling working on the ceiling in the room I installed the missing medallion pieces today.



Oh my gosh, how I am going to miss you Amanda and Jon.

Now time to get this apartment cleaned.

Ready to Cast

I had to stay up until 4:00AM to finish these last night, but the molds are done.



I am ready to start casting.

One Last Mess

Back in West Virginia to finish up two last projects. These molds need to be done tonight so I can start making castings for a ceiling medallion tomorrow.



Such a messy, time-consuming process.





And to get things off to a great start, I have botched the mix ratios on the resin for the first two and have to redo them. Going to be a late night tonight.

South, Then Eastward Bound

Traveling due east just after sunset, I had the most amazing view of the equinox full moon as it rose. Incredible. Sorry no pictures. Photos wouldn't have captured the moment anyway. These photos of the sunset in Southern Illinois are a consolation prize.

Metamorphosis Revisited

Hard to believe that from a dried up old shell hanging in a landscape of moldy milkweed...


...a creature this delicate and beautiful emerged.


Fifteen days ago, it looked like this:


Same creature, different body. Or same body, different creature?



Zen thinking would say it is neither one, nor the other, but both at the same time. Or perhaps not. Perhaps it would just say I am putting too much thought into it. Or too little thought. Or that thoughts cannot be too little or too large, but are both at once.

I may be confused, but I doubt this little butterfly is. Its instincts are telling it it needs to be somewhere else and soon it will be on it way south. I wonder if it is terribly freeing to have your destination mapped out in your genes.

When you think about it that way, it is no coincidence destiny and destination have the same root word. Tomorrow, I will travel south too. West Virginia is the destination of the moment, but certainly not the destiny. Or maybe it is destiny of the moment, but not the destination? Or maybe I am just thinking too much again.

The Closer You Observe...

... the more interesting life becomes.

Indonesian Proverb

“Different fields, different grasshoppers; different seas, different fish”

I have never been much good at reading into the deeper meanings in proverbs, but I think I am beginning to grasp the underlying message in this one.

Getting Back on the Bike

Two days back in the biking game and already skinned.
Had a wicked good time though, well worth every square inch of missing elbow.

Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud

I am a runner. Always have been. But for the last ten months I have been sidelined by injury. While low-impact work-outs keep me in shape physically, they do nothing for my spirit. I miss the freedom of getting outdoors and running terribly. I have not felt whole these last ten months.

Earlier this week I found my brother's old road bike. Today I put new tires and tubes on it and took it out of a "quick spin." Forty minutes later I forced myself to stop. I found an incredible sense of freedom once again speeding down a country road on that bike today. Granted, it's not running, but I still cannot run and if I still can't run, at least I can ride. And sorry Jack... consider your old bike stolen property.

Purging the Past

Over the past two years since I have been on my own, sparse minimalism and relative order have ruled my domicile. It has helped me focus and work toward bringing inward order and peace. I am not finding that here. So the process of sorting and purging has begun. It is a daunting task. There are twenty-five years worth of memories and possessions to sort through. Already several loads of clothes, toys and linens have made their way to charitable donation centers.

Tonight, I begin to burn the paper trail to my past.



I can't think of a better way to start than with this "badly written," "poorly organized" paper with "no clear thesis." The grader regretted to say "it is a not a good paper."



Yes, I remember this class very well. Many students were very keen to find out the name of the grader in order that they might be able to express their "thanks" for his kind words and gracious grading. I was one of the lucky ones who was fortunate enough to get a C on this particular paper. The real kick in the pants was that I took this class as an elective and since my previous paper had only warranted a B -- lower than any other history paper I had ever turned it -- I put extra effort in writing this one.

Good-bye bad papers. Good-bye unclear theses. Good-bye regrets. Time to make room for the future.

A Rainy Day and Night on the Homestead

A morning drizzle keeps the creatures grounded,

while nighttime storms have them climbing for higher ground.

Getting Reacquainted With the Lay of the Land

Surveying the eastern horizon.


Stopping for a rest beneath my tree and taking in the view to the north.


Heading back south.
Yep, it's a lot like how I remember it. Only more trees.

My Goodness... Now That's a Spider

Back To Reality

I have spent much time traveling, avoiding things that need to get done.


There is much contemplation to do.

And yardwork. We mustn't forget the yardwork.

Moving On

I dropped my mom off at the airport today. I asked her how she felt about flying out on September 11th. She was not in the least bothered by it. I think I learned an important lesson there... to let the past stay in the past and move forward.

In that spirit, I did not attend my 15th class reunion today and instead spent the day in Minneapolis doing something I have not done in nearly twelve years. And I have to say, moving forward has been a very good choice.

Pictured Rocks in Panorama

Pictured Rocks National Shoreline: Part 2

Pictured Rocks National Shoreline