I AM SITTING AT MY GATE WITH MY NEWEST SET-UP:
AN IPHONE AIR WITH A MAGIC KEYBOARD.
I DO FEEL LIKE QUITE THE MAGICIAN RIGHT NOW. FINGERS TAPPING AWAY AT THESE LITTLE CHICLETS, STARING OUT TO THE ENDLESS HALLWAY OF LOGAN AIRPORT.
CLOSE TO THE WITCHING HOUR, DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS, I REALIZED THAT I COULD NOT BRING MY LAPTOP. AFTER A “DRESS REHEARSAL” AND MY BACKPACK WEIGHTING OVER 20 LBS, I KNEW THERE WAS NO WAY I WOUD SPEND 90 DAYS WITH A TANK LIKE A MACBOOK PRO ON MY SHOULDERS. I WOULD’VE EVENTUALLY FRISBEE’D IT INTO LAKE GENEVA. I AM LESS OF A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT THAN A MASTER OF PRODUCTIVITY, I SUPPOSE.
SO, THE PLAN IS NOW TO BE A MAGICIAN WITH 1080P VIDEO, BLOG POSTS, AND PHOTOS ON AN IPHONE AIR. MY BACKPACK IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 16 LBS NOW, AND I HAVE ONE LESS THING TO CHARGE (ALTHOUGH, I PROBABLY STILL HAVE ONE TOO MANY).
THESE PAST 48 HOURS HAVE BEEN FILLED OF REALIZATIONS.
FIRST, BECOMING SAD IS LIKE JUMPING INTO COLD WATER. IT HURTS GOOD. DEEP BREATHS ARE IMPORTANT. IT KINDA GOES AWAY. NOT BECAUSE IT STOPS HURTING, BUT YOU FINALLY JUST ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL IT. IT’S NOT SO BAD AFTERALL. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT EVEN FEELS GOOD.
SECOND, FREE WILL VS. DETERMINISM IS STILL VERY MUCH UP TO DEBATE. THERE IS A REAL, TANGIBLE FEELING THAT I AM “FALLING INTO THIS” IN THE SAME WAY A DROP OF WATER FINDS THE OCEAN. LIKE, IT’S ALL ALREADY DETERMINED, HOW I GET THERE IS A MATTER OF CHOICE.
THIRD, I’M A LUCKY GUY. LAST NIGHT, WITH MY CLOSEST FAMILY, I WAS PRESENTED WITH A CAKE; BON VOYAGE EE. MY NEPHEW, 4 YEARS OLD, WENT TO GET A CANDLE AND STARTED SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. PERPLEXED, THE REST OF THE FAMILY STARTING TO JOIN, CHANGING THE LYRICS TO “HAPPY TRIP TO EE…..”
I MEAN, THAT ALONE IS WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION.