August 15, 2006
And people think I'm crazy.
Okay, so more than one person thinks I'm a little crazy for getting in the car, with no notice, and driving to Seattle.
I'm reading All I really Need to Know I learned In Kindergarden by Robert Fulghum. (who lives in Seattle..) In it there is the story of Larry Walters, a guy who lived in Los Angeles who one day decided to tie 45 helium filled weather ballons to a lawn chair and go flying.
No, I'm not making this up. So, forgive me when I'm confused that people think I'm a bit crazy for moving to Seattle. I mean I made the necessary preparations, namely getting a map, getting food, liquids, and kitty liter, ensuring that I had the financial resources to make it, and packing a bit of stuff. Compared to Larry I think I might've overkilled my planning a bit. Fulghum details Walter's preparations:Larry has a parachute on, a CB radio, a six-pack of beer, some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and a BB gun to pop some of the baloons to come down.
So yeah, I'm a little bit nuts, but I like it that way, and besides if you're not going to have some imagination and follow through on your dreams then what are you doing?
Walters put it best, when he was asked by the press why he did it, he said "You can't just sit there."
Oh, Nick, you are so delightful. I can't help loving you. Of course you realize some of the best minds of many generations have done just exactly what you are doing now. It isn't crazy at all. What's crazy is people who never test themselves or even think of reinventing themselves even once in their shallow little protected bubbles of lifetimes!
I do, however, hold you personally responsible for the fact that many of the bananas currently in the grocery stores here were obviously picked too green.
As for Mr Walters, it seems to me if he was in a lawn chair lifted by dozens of weather balloons, he really had very little choice in the matter but to "just sit there." For the time being, at least.
I am pulling for you and hope you build a wonderful life in Seattle.
Those who discourage the dreams of others have often abandoned their own. --Turkish proverb
So will your next move be via weather balloon & lawn chair? lol, just kidding. I saw the Myth Busters episode on Larry Walters (the MB team had a horrible time of it), and remember being a little jealous of him for actually doing something like that. I still envy you the courage to just up and move like this. lol, maybe some of it'll rub off and get me back on the writing track.