Being out on a road trip inevitably means that you travel in a bit of a bubble. Text messages from friends and loved ones force allow you to keep in touch. If free WiFi is available, one can choose to glance through an alarming number of e-mail accumulated by the absence from a routine. Were it not for my doing the latter, I might not have noticed a notification from American Express alerting me to a payment that was due in 24 hours. My credit rating thanks me.
But in the main, one is mostly unaware of the goings on in the world.
I had initially heard about the tragic events at the nightclub in Orlando from glancing at a CNN crawl while at a rest stop in Tennessee. For 24 hours I thought it was a minor example of America’s impotence against an all-powerful gun lobby. Only by the time we reached Michigan did I understand the full gravity of what had transpired. This was, of course, followed by the absurdities that emanated from Mr. Trump’s mouth.
Not even the strong martinis at Ludington’s wonderful P.M. Steamers could undo the heartache I felt.
I am vaguely aware of Senator Sanders’ resistance to end his remarkable campaign, a boy being swallowed up by an alligator, and Her Majesty giving William a not-so subtle dig at royal balcony etiquette. Oh, and speaking of England, they too are grappling with a tragic act of gun violence taken out on a member of Parliament.
These are all stories I would normally be on top of were I at home, but my knowledge at the moment is mostly from glancing quickly at TV and Internet site headlines. Bloggers whom I faithfully follow are no doubt writing about these events, and in some ways I feel out of sorts by missing their distinctive and always compelling points of view.
We are here in Michigan for two more nights before we head back south to continue investigating the charms of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and northern Florida. I have so far met five members Gorgeous’ family for the first time, and she in turn has made the acquaintance of probably double that number of my family. So far everyone continues to speak to one another, which is a good thing.
Tomorrow we will return to the nostalgia of our hometown, revisit old haunts, see the place where our first kiss allegedly took place almost 40 years ago, and reunite with friends from our school days. Old stories will be re-told, gossip will be shared, and cell phone pictures will be passed around with abandon. At least for a short time, the world’s problems will take a backseat to the safety and security of friendship.
I can’t completely escape the omnipresent commotion and tumult of the times, but it is admittedly an emotional salve to unplug a bit.
Until next time…
Snakes in the Grass 
I’ve been a bit unplugged myself and loving it. Have a fabulous trip. All the sadness and drama will be there when you return.
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Craziness is all around and it’s a treat to retreat sometimes. Happy travels 🙂
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Thank you!
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we’ll be there when you return! one of the things I felt was so difficult when working as a silicon valley CIO was never really getting to unplug. email could contain something nasty at any time, and it demanded attention no matter where I was… now, I am between consulting assignments, and off in London to see Rick Wakeman redo his King Arthur album with orchestra/choir. yet, still writing to you….at least now, by choice given I woke at 5am!
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Wow, Doug. I read about that production of his. I can’t wait to read your review of it. Enjoy the show and please don’t unplug until you write about it!
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I hope the rest of your trip goes wonderfully. Yes, things happen whether you are plugged in or not. Sometimes it’s good to get away. When Prince died….I thought some prince had died…over in England or somewhere. It was hours before I understood that it was the artist who had died.
Unplug and enjoy….like douglas said….”we’ll be here when you return.” 🙂
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TY!
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The wonders of travel are two fold (at least as they pertain to this post) — you can revisit your old haunts, and secondly you can accomplish a disconnect with the rest of the world which doesn’t care if you are in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio or Michigan.
I always recall those kinder, gentler, and simpler days by asking a traveler – what did you do before you had smartphones, laptops, Wi-Fi in your hotel room, and tablets. The world did what it has always done – only you found out about it later than rather than instantly.
Have fun.
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I hope you two are still enjoying your travels. I’ve been thinking a lot over the past few months of my friends who died in the. 1980s and 1990s who did not live to see same sex marriage. Of course, they didn’t have to endure 9/11, the Shrub years or this awful reminder of hate and the ease of getting a weapon of mass death to take anywhere.
My martinis is only taking the edge off tonight. I think I have a lengthy journal entry to write (old school blogging).
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Keep remembering, keep writing, Eddie.
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If you don’t unplug on a road trip, you might just as well not go at all. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?
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Agreed!
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Was wondering how Family Vacation was coming along?
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We’re home! I’m writing a new post on it that will hopefully be up tomorrow (Saturday, 6/25).
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