We’re blazing trails, approaching umpteen uncharted horizons. It’s important to know our next moves and to, well, get movin’. Here’s James with some weekend a.m. thoughts with a side o’ steamin’ Joe and a word (or two) of gratitude for helping us regain and sustain forward momentum to propel us into whatever’s next.
As I sit here sippin’ before the sun blazes on a misty Saturday morning, a sultry saxophone oozes from the Spotify speaker. As she melts into a gritty, steely guitar, I’m afloat in emotions that both lift and threaten to drown me a little bit. The world that shut down to the tune of “muh-muh-muh-myyyyyyy CORONA” is beginning to open again. Slowly, carefully, we’ve started to peek out from our hidey-holes to see what’s next on the horizon. Great question.
Humble Beginnings
When Andrew and I started The Adventure Dudes, I had no idea what was in store. I didn’t realize there’d be so much ahead of us. Planning, executing, budgeting, marketing, trial, error, success, fai…”learning experiences.”
I didn’t know we’d have to deal with attorneys and designers, catfish and even some haters. I just thought we were gonna see the world, attempt to be awesome at every turn, share it with anybody who wanted to watch, listen, and follow along, call ‘er a day. But then things started to warm up a li’l bit. They began to grow, evolve, to blend into so many other aspects of my life it was becoming…MORE. And I just hadn’t expected it. Love it, but it’s one of those things we couldn’t have anticipated.
Readers make it that much better
One of the best parts about all this is the conversations we get to have with so many of you, our readers and contributors, that let us know where you see us on on our path and how exciting it is to do this with folks like all of you. I’ve heard a few “we’re finally planning the trip we’ve wanted to take for twenty years!” from more than a few of you. I’ve heard earnest promises from people who thought they’d need to wait until X was accomplished before they could go after their dreams of seeing the world because “travel is what other people do.”
Seeing two broke-ass actors jetset and globetrot because one plans like a MONSTER and the other stashes pennies from every paycheck? Goes to show that it doesn’t have to be the finances or the time holding you back. It could be a question of where travel lies in your list of priorities. And as the world starts to reopen, many of us are going to see those plans and questions gain some clarity and hopefully come to fruition.
Where are we going? And why are we in this handbasket?
I want to share this because there may be more than a few of you out there feeling like I am, have, and will probably again, and it’s important to me to address it so any others that might be going through it don’t have to do it alone.
This is a FASCINATING time in world history.
I changed that adjective SEVERAL times during this edit.
“Terrible.” “Trying.” “Insane.” “Confusing.” “Maddening.” The list goes on. We’ve dealt with more than we probably ever thought we’d have to in an impressively brief amount of time. Truth be told, it’s been really telling for many of us. Some of us have been frustrated to the point of or past breakdown, desperation, distress; others have endured trials by fire and though you came through it with crispy edges, you MADE it.
Y’ALL HAVE HELPED ME THROUGH THIS.
I’ve used a phrase an awful lot here lately, one my sweet li’l Granny Bullard, lived to be 101, LOVED the taste of Jack Daniels (but only used it for cough medicine), buried on my 33rd birthday, used to say: “I don’t love it.” It was never “like” or “meh” or whatever else with her. Things were either to be loved…or they weren’t. This whole situation situation? Definitely belongs in the “weren’ts.”
I’ve stared at the ceiling while lying in the floor, hoping, PRAYING for something different to just “happen.” When you’re used to moving and shaking as much as The Adventure Dudes do, well, to be held in place for an extended period of time is…daunting. Nah. That’s too kind a word. It’s soul crushing. It’s frustration to the Nth degree. OK, now I’m being a little dramatic. It has been the opposite of enjoyable and/or fun. And it’s worn on me. On several different levels. And it’s a wear that isn’t fixed by eating feelings or taking a trip. It’s one of those things that must be outgrown, left behind. Consciously departed, separated, DISMISSED.
And don’t even get me started with staring at the same four walls for the last six months. Add my hugger status to that!?! Social distancing SUCKS.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
I love seeing your kids in their finery on social media to start the new year. It looked very different to what I’ve enjoyed in the past. Dimples and snaggle-toothed grins were hidden by masks. Thank the Lord I could still see those li’l eyes sparkle, but without the whole picture, well, it loses something.
Some got some new duds for school, but I worry about what kinds of challenges those kids and their families face if/when they go back to school if they’re not there already. Kudos to the parents who’ve had to flip on a dime to get everything ready for progeny to learn at home. I know that’s been a helluva task. Love and awesome to parents who sent their kids to school with their hearts aflutter as they face a new kind of unknown. Great work, y’all. I know it wasn’t easy, but you did it. I’ma hug your neck for it when I can.
Next steps
We’ve had a bright light shone on who we are, what we can do together, and where we can improve in order to become something better, stronger, more as a community. Even though the face of “normal” is still coming into focus, there’s still just as much promise, just as much thrill out there waiting for us to find once we’re in a place to do that again.
One foot in front of the other
Until then, it’s up to us and our creative resources to make sure we don’t lose our minds staring at the same four walls day in and day out. ROAD TRIP! Trekking to a new neighborhood 17 minutes farther down the road. Or pack a bag and grab a mask to fly cross-country to tick a national park off your bucket list. Home improvement (if you have any of those items left on your list—we’ve been at this a MINUTE). Or, if you didn’t jump on this wagon train, hell…why not try baking some bread? Maybe now yeast will be back on the shelves.
We’ve heard a lot. We’ve learned even more. And some of it may be shocking, perhaps hard to digest, maybe difficult to admit. But acknowledging ways to improve is the first effective step in achievement in those areas. You can continue to build a strength or you can train a weakness into a new forte. My screen time is OFF THE CHARTS. With a li’l help from Google and YouTube? SHOOOOOT. Richard Dean Anderson better watch his BACK. For you young ‘uns, that’s MacGyver. You can Google that too. Or click HERE.
A slap on the butt and a wave from the window
In conclusion, we’re pulling on the bow string to launch our collective lives’ arrow. The more you do to prepare for what’s next, the stronger your draw to launch that sucker into the stratosphere. So get after it, champions. You are a ghost driving a meat-covered skeleton made from stardust riding a rock floating through space. FEAR NOTHING.
Love y’all.
