Ode to Sandals (Day 143)

Dear Sandals,

I don’t know where to start, our relationship has been an adventurous one. Your loyalty and steadfastness has taught me more than anyone or any book. You’re ability endure, to bend without breaking, to climb the highest of peaks and the lowest of valley’s without skipping a beat, has been an inspiration. I may have misplaced you from time to time, but I thank the universe that I’ve never lost you. One day it will happen, one day a glass shard may spear you through the soul or one of your leathery arms just might let go….regardless, I will know that it was never by choice and never your fault. I apologize for the times I’ve cursed you. When you’ve been unsturdy in the rain, or carried along tacky gum or dog poop, or when rocks have slipped in between you and I, jabbing me. I realize now that these obstacles that come between us are meant to teach; it only reminds me to appreciate that I’m alive and that I have you to support me through my ups and downs, thick and thin. You have matured with me on this journey and have been my witness as I have been yours. We are worn, but not withered, my friend.

Your partner in crime,

Myra

Footnote: Sandal, you couldn’t always keep my feet clean, but you always kept me grounded.

p.s. It’s the little things in life

December 31, 2018 0

Starving, but not Hungry (Day 140)

Existing starves the soul,

It decays bit by bit,

With every

“love you”, I held back/

Every broken promise/

Unapologetic lie/hateful word I didn’t…..

Every drink that I said would be my last/

Every excuse I’ve made/

Everything

You and I couldn’t say/

The enforced reality of fear–by him/her/I/you/the politics/the size of Kardashian’s ass.

Everything.

Living is

the stubbed toe/

the laugh that stole my breath/

the questions that kept me awake/

the tearful last goodbye/

The first thing I see…..and the last/

Everything

Above and below/

Everything

Between

you and I/

The loudest silence/

the space and lack thereof.

The gnawing voice in my head

Consuming me–Consume it!

Chew on its stringy, parasitic corpse.

Savor it.

The bitter blackness, the raw emptiness

Throw it up. Get all of the negativity out!

Savor every doubt you pick out of your teeth

step over it. don’t look back.

The moment never forgotten

The present not an open door, but an ocean

I’m shaking, I’m laughing

from the shore,

Running to the reflection

of possibilities that I’ve always feared.

RUN!

Don’t fucking look back.

(You don’t need to hold onto the memories/the pain to acknowledge the lesson and to move forward)

December 28, 2018 0

Day 139

Saw a bit of Freemantle, WA. A seaside town famous for it’s port and prison (no longer in service). A windy city with a youthful, affluent energy.

December 27, 2018 0

Day 138

Day in the Forest 2018. It’s a fundraiser for the local sports club and it was really fun. Great music and easy beer and drinks. I danced and had such a blast. If you’re ever around for this event, do it. It’s small and local, but it’s better that way.

December 27, 2018 0

Day 137

Drove out to Lake Ninan, a salt lake near Wongan Hills in the wheat belt of West Australia. A friend and I went down to the lake at night to catch a meteor shower. We ended up catching a lighting storm as well–it was amazing! Woke up in time to catch the sunrise. When I get a chance, I’ll download some edited versions.

December 26, 2018 0

Day 136

Planning and budgeting my trip around Australia and New Zealand.

This is a map of NZ- south island.

On the bottom right sheet, I’m going with option #1 where I fly from Perth to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne, and then Melbourne to Christchurch, NZ. Sounds backwards, but it’s the cheapest way to see the major Australian cities. Total: $391 + tax, food, + random so roughly $500-600. (I waited to buy my tickets till the next day. I got all three tickets for $300!! I could’ve gotten them for $285, but I wouldn’t had enough time in Sydney.) I plan on couch surfing so if that works out it’ll save my ass big time.

The bottom left sheet is my bus budget to get from Christchurch to Roxburgh where I can get random backpacker fruit picking jobs. If I work 40hrs/wk at an avg. Rate of $15-17/hr, I can plan to make $600-680NZD/wk. I can stay in one place and work or jump around, traveling between jobs. I plan on going down the island to the city of Bluff, closest city to Antarctica. Then up to Milford Sound where parts of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter were filmed. From there back through to Queenstown, the adrenaline city of the world. The Queenstown up to Greymouth where I take the Tranzalpine train, the most beautiful train ride in the world, to Christchurch where I take the Coastal Pacific train to Blenheim and Picton, the winery part of NZ, also more job opportunities. Then in Picton take the Interislander ferry to North Island where I plan to take the Northern Explorer train from Wellington to Auckland. From Auckland I fly back to SFO. Well that’s the tentative dream plan, could take a couple weeks could take a few months. Regardless, I have to have faith and confidence and with that anything is possible.

December 26, 2018 0

Day 134

Road on the back of a Triumph to Cunderdin, WA. On the way we stopped by the camera museum in Meckering. Went inside the Ettamagah bar, which is based on the Australian Sunday paper comic strip. Tried Victoria Bitter beer for the first time. The trip to Cunderdin goes through the wheat belt of West Australia so lots and lots of wheat and goats.

December 26, 2018 1

Day 132

Visited Point Walter. Beautiful! Walked out on the sand bar and it was relaxing to see the changing hues of blue in the water. Australia is a great place to see the difference in texture from the bush to the ocean.