trade-offs and choices

I woke up on the floor of a ferry this morning at 5:15am feeling like a bag of smashed a**holes.

Hot eh?

I know, and I feel so classy for using that term too, but it's the first thing I thought this morning after opening my eyes. The boys back home used to say that after a crazy night out drinking. I'm not hungover, I'm just sick. I started sniffling and coughing and sneezing a couple days ago. As usual, I tried not to take anything and will the sickness away, but it didn't work.

Ferries are a must to get you around AK. They're pricey, but pretty much like a small cruise ship. They show movies, have comfy observation decks, free nature talks, full cafe's with all kinds of eats, cocktail lounges, free showers and even a heated outside top deck. The biggest difference from a regular cruise liner is that you don't get a room. I'm certainly not going to pay extra for a bed to sleep on when there's a free warm floor, even if it is hard, uncomfortable, and probably not the cleanest thing in the world. It's a pretty easy choice when you think about it; Pay an extra bill, more gas $, or a few bucks for something chocolate when I can fully taste again and sleeping on the floor in a public boat, or renting a room? I'm in non-heel wearing, shower whenever and Frugal Franny mode right now so it's all good. I've even sworn off regular shaving until I get back to "the lower 48." (Wow, I'm sounding hotter by the minute!) I did have to laugh this morning though when I woke up feeling like I was 92, not 32. Good thing is, you know when you can wake up on the floor of a public ship with no pillow or sleeping bag, after maybe being able to actually sleep for 3 hours, hacking your brains out and reaching for the nearest tissue because if you so much as move, your nose will run all over the place- but still smile, shake it off and look forward to starting your day at 6am, you are in the right place for the time being. Saying that leads me nicely into this news link I got from a reader this morning.

Last night I met several less is more and do what you love fellow travelers. In line for the ferry I met a gentleman named Ron originally from Germany, now lives in Montana. Engineer by trade and daughters my age. He came to AK to spend time with one of his daughters and has traveled around the world. Later in the night I met a couple originally from Chile, in their 60's, now RV full time, have been for 3.5 years and lived for years in L.A. (kids my age again and family there.) Lastly a worker on the ship in his 50's from Maine, x-corporate guy with yet again, kids my age and now loving life early retired and bartending. What was the theme of every conversation I had with them? Do it. Do the things that make you happy. The "If I could go back in time" came up so many times I lost count. We didn't have conversations of regret, as they were all positive people, just more of a don't let it take you your whole life to start doing what you love, your health and soul will suffer. We talked for hours. (Not that I needed any more encouragement to keep traveling.)

I relish the time I get to spend with anyone who has lived longer on this earth than me. Especially with people who've lived significantly longer. In any conversation I've ever had, including last nights, I can't remember one of them being; Boy I wish I stayed at that job I hated, I wish I never tried X kind of food, or man it's a bummer I never ended up marrying that jerk. Nope. They are always just the opposite. Kerry, the Chilean gent (Came to the U.S and worked his a** off for years and years as a painter) was talking about how you can lose everything/"They" can take everything; Your house, car, boat, furniture- all of it, but no one can take your experiences and what's in your heart and head. So right on Kerry.

I like expensive jeans, nice hotels and I usually can't stand going more than 5 weeks without a haircut. I'm a total type A perfectionist and you'd never find me caught dead driving my car in the filthy condition that it currently is in on a regular day. For right now though, I choose dirty clothes, car, bad hair and floor sleeping as a trade off to get to do what I'm doing and it's really not hard at all. It's so worth it to me. Even though my head is a bit groggy today and I'm feeling far from 100%, I'm happy. From where I was crying hysterically to my sister on the phone just a few short months ago trying to figure out how to get out of a life I had created that I didn't want. I'll take 1,000 sleepless, snotty floor nights that aren't as torturous as they sound. My hair probably doesn't actually look nearly as awful as I'm imagining it does either.

Lets listen to our elders my peers! Why are so many of us waiting so long to start the ball rolling on doing what we love?

Cheers to my new friends from last night. Thanks for the great conversation and perspective. I hope to run into you again somewhere down the road.

a little birdie told me...

...the story of Blue Lollipo Road is out in Skirt! Magazine- YAY!

Before I left Virginia I spent an afternoon with Constance and Agata (Editor and Photographer) telling them about my Alaska or bust trip and BLR. We had a great lunch and fun photo shoot in the sweltering heat. I don't have a web link to share about the story yet, but if you're in the Richmond, VA area- pick up a paper copy of Skirt! in one of those bright lime green boxes and check it out. I will share the link when I have it soon. I can't wait to see it myself!

Thank you so much to Skirt!, Constance and Agata. I am honored to be one of the ladies featured in such a fabulous publication!

took the words right out of my mouth

My favorite thing about the NY Times is the travel section. The feature travel spot on the front, 36 hours and why we travel are the perfect things to check out with a coffee on a Sunday morning. I daydream of somehow hitting up each place I read about in one lifetime. I love the photo from yesterday of Timothy Williams traveling in Crete and a part of his quote:

"Travel is freedom, and the smallest things become and adventure. It's a departure from the everyday that reminds you that there is a huge world out there worth exploring."

Hmmm, I wonder where I can find this guy and if he's single...

laugh a little, smile a little

I love it when friends and followers send me links to cool stuff I can post about here. My friend Julie sent me a link to The Levity Project this week. Watch this video when you're having a bad day and see if it doesn't make you feel better. Not all of life is butterflies and rainbows, but boy does it feel good to choose to be as happy as possible and share a laugh with a stranger.

Thanks Julie!

making a push for my, well...

"friends" Ian and Sean. I haven't met them yet, but we'll just call them friends anyway! They have 24 days left to raise the final funds they need to finish up the One Week Job Documentary.

Me? I have about the same amount of time until I have no pennies left. It'll really be a bummer if lack of funds made me give up my chocolate habit. I'm working on a potential job at a bait shop in Seward, AK that I'll be able to work during the 2010 Salmon Derby 8/14-8/22. Now how fun would it be to make a few bucks working during that event?

Go One Week Job fundraising! Go bait shop job!

New Boss Every 7 Days

I've been following Sean Aiken and his One Week Job Project for a while now. He's finishing up his documentary that will feature him working a job a week for 52 weeks. It will be available later this year. Sean promotes and has the desire to encourage us all to match our skill sets with our personalities, values and passions to make our careers. I couldn't agree with him more. His documentary will be a brilliant thing for young people (or all ages for that matter) to be able to watch and learn from.

Thanks to Sean and everyone who has and is participating in this project. Yours is one of the many insightful ones that we'll be able follow and draw inspiration from. It will keep us all confident knowing that whatever is out there that we want, we can go get it at any time.

Bonus; I've been in touch with Sean, and he and I are going to get together when I'm in Vancouver soon during my own project. How fun! Stay tuned for stories about our visit...

Local Dirt Tastes Delicious

Got an excuse as to why you can't find or don't buy from farms close to your home? Here's a solution! I recently found Local Dirt. Whether you're a farmer trying to sell your wares or a hungry for fresh deliciousness consumer- ready to buy, here's your hub. Poke around the site and find all the local food to fill your belly you'd ever need. 

Why buy local? Here's a couple interesting facts, in case for some reason we actually still have to convince you that it's the best idea ever:

*A typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table. 

(Um, that's like clear across the flipping country. Absurd. Lets not promote that.)

*Farmers' markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer. 

(Incredible! Up and atem with your coffee in your travel mug this Saturday morning and head on down to your local market. Stock up and throw a bunch of stuff in a crock pot for a yummy get together with your family and friends.)

See? It's so easy!

13,957 White Gloves

I heard about this last month but didn't look at the links until today. Wouldn't the King of Pop be proud. Talk about some serious coordination!

And of course- the original video that we all just can't seem to get enough of.

This Is One Of Those...

..."I shouldn't laugh at this picture but I so did."

Hilarious.

My friend Greg sent me this link. He and I are considering living in this van together. Down by the river. We could hand out candy to little kids and just be fun and homeless, not gross and creepy. It might be fun. 

It sure beats the endless apartment and house hunt. HA!