They say that you can’t be courageous unless you know fear. Well, quitting my job and setting out on a journey to find something else definitely put fear into me. I picked a safe place for my first landing spot, in more than one way. They are family, but I can’t feel so comfortable that I will settle down here. My new life is still on the horizon, and this is just a safe place to stop and rest.

A corporate life is a cushy one, but not one for the faint of heart. You need to live in a cut-throat world, keep your head down, don’t call out any bullshit you may encounter… then you can go far. Hard work will bring you there, but if you can’t include the forementioned skills, all of them, you are going to find yourself having a hard time. As I’m getting older, it’s keeping quiet about the bullshit that I find the hardest.

My mother passed away just about a year ago and her cousin’s wife has been asking me when I was going to visit. Still being a part of the cut-throat corporate world, my answer was always “soon” without a given date. They live in The Sunshine State and have a beautiful home and property. I had never been here, so this was naturally my first stop. While they are very, very welcoming, telling me that I am more than welcome to stay as long as I need to, even hinting they wouldn’t mind me staying through hurricane season so they have someone to watch their house, their preparations to leave on a trip of their own are encouraging me to start making my arrangements. I would feel strange staying in their house without them, and I am not ready to accept the responsibility of protecting a home through Florida hurricanes that I have never dealt with before.

The route was looked at but not fully planned out, and I still have time to do that. There are legal things that have come up regarding the funds from my mother’s home. Nothing bad, just paperwork needing to be signed and notarized before mailing. I am a AAA member since 1997 and I remember them providing something called a “trip-tik”. It was a paper map and it would not only highlight the route you had to take to get where you were going, but the associates would also show all of the fun things to see and do along the way. I went onto the website and yes, the “trip-tik” was still available, but you had to fill in all the fun things along the way yourself. That was the service they used to provide! You need to tell me the fun things along the way! I have no idea!

There are different locations that I could make my goals. I could travel from Planet Fitness to Planet Fitness since I just joined that gym so I have a shower pretty much anywhere. I could make my stops state forests and BLM land so I have a spot to park for a few nights. I could just do low-cost campgrounds along the way to California and Oregon. It will most likely be a combination of the above. There’s one thing I need to get over: Doing things alone.

I do have Rex, who is an awesome co-pilot, companion and friend. He is a wonderful reason to get out and enjoy the trails I may encounter along the way. I’m going to have to be outgoing and sociable when I get out to Oregon, so I can find a job and a decent place to at least park, if not live right away. There is also the confidence that I will find a job that I need to keep a handle of. The bird trusts its wings, the bird trusts its wings…

My cousin’s neighbors have chickens, and the other morning I was on the patio having coffee when I caught a glimpse of him going out to feed them. He was carrying a big bag of what I could only assume was chicken feed because they were all running along with him, crowding his feet and following and it gave me an idea. One of many. Maybe I could get a small piece of land, get some chickens to start, and plant a garden. Grow what I need and sell the rest. Would I be able to pay my bills and taxes with that? I don’t even want to pay taxes anymore. Not that I mind paying taxes, no. What I mind is what they are using my tax money for. If they allocated the funds more reasonably, and if the Pentagon didn’t lose trillions of dollars, I would feel better about handing over my hard-earned money. Could chickens and other mini farm items support me?

All I know is I need to head out onto the road again soon. This has been a nice rest and retreat, but I need to start thinking about my future again.