The Bohemian Betty Project
Day One.
The days leading up to the relocation of my life into a storage unit, the back of my car and a PO box, with a few things making a temporary stay at my friends John and Andrea's place, were hectic, frenzied and overwhelming. At best, any move is stressful. But contemplating what to put in storage, what to take with me, what to toss, what to keep and where to leave my motorcycle was exhausting, emotionally and physically.
On my last night, when all the furniture and boxes had been moved out I found myself surrounded by piles of clothes, hair products, jewelry, unread magazines, cleaning supplies, food, make-up, sunglasses, ski gear, shoes and a dozen chargers for toothbrushes, cameras, Garmins, cel phones, Bluetooths and my wireless router. Walking around drinking wine I roamed helplessly from one pile to the next at a loss as to where or how to start. When I finally collapsed at 2am (in a sleeping bag on my floor on top of a pile of clothes which I'd envisioned as much more fun and adventurous) I was emotionally drained.
Up at 6am the next morning, it took me another 8 hours to keep finding ways to package my belongings (by destination: Tahoe/Utah, storage, Goodwill; by necessity: now, next week, early January, spring; by activity: work, running, skiing, Crossfit; by accessory: sunglasses, scarves, purses, jewlery), clean the apartment, remember that I had to return my cable modem, forget the food in my freezer, pack my car, drive to storage, pack my car, drive to Goodwill, pack my car, drop off the keys, move my motorcycle and get out on the road to Tahoe before the Friday night traffic. Naturally, things got muddled as my brain and body were low on energy, common sense and a shower, and I arrived in Tahoe with some errant possessions - a bag meant for Goodwill, a bag to return to Sports Basement, my recycling, bike cleats, half a dozen flip flops and the cable modem/box I'd forgotten to return.
But I was out and I was off, with no permanent address for the near future - another unconventional chapter in my life. The next 2 weeks will take me from Tahoe to Utah and back again. Arriving on the cusp of a huge storm rolling across California, I had a momentary burst of snow-inspired"Yahoooo!" before exhaustion took over as I unloaded bag after bag from my car. I slept long and hard that first night. I know things will sort out as time goes by. Day One was transition. And to be honest, segued right into Day Two as I had a near fit that I'd mispacked my birth control and phone charger. But I've also spent a day helping John paint his house in Tahoe, a night under rainfall in a hot tub with friends, a morning skiing at Squaw. This is the unbridled romantic part. Come January I'll be back in the office stringing temporary housing together trying to create simple routines in ever-shifting environments.
But I believe in myself and the challenge of jumping off the treadmill, even if I still have the safety net of my corporate gig, a house in Tahoe to escape to on weekends, and a great network of friends. It's not like I'm going all Wilderness Family or Into The Wild. I'm excited, exhausted, anxious and vulnerable. But again, it's only Day Two.
The days leading up to the relocation of my life into a storage unit, the back of my car and a PO box, with a few things making a temporary stay at my friends John and Andrea's place, were hectic, frenzied and overwhelming. At best, any move is stressful. But contemplating what to put in storage, what to take with me, what to toss, what to keep and where to leave my motorcycle was exhausting, emotionally and physically.
On my last night, when all the furniture and boxes had been moved out I found myself surrounded by piles of clothes, hair products, jewelry, unread magazines, cleaning supplies, food, make-up, sunglasses, ski gear, shoes and a dozen chargers for toothbrushes, cameras, Garmins, cel phones, Bluetooths and my wireless router. Walking around drinking wine I roamed helplessly from one pile to the next at a loss as to where or how to start. When I finally collapsed at 2am (in a sleeping bag on my floor on top of a pile of clothes which I'd envisioned as much more fun and adventurous) I was emotionally drained.
Up at 6am the next morning, it took me another 8 hours to keep finding ways to package my belongings (by destination: Tahoe/Utah, storage, Goodwill; by necessity: now, next week, early January, spring; by activity: work, running, skiing, Crossfit; by accessory: sunglasses, scarves, purses, jewlery), clean the apartment, remember that I had to return my cable modem, forget the food in my freezer, pack my car, drive to storage, pack my car, drive to Goodwill, pack my car, drop off the keys, move my motorcycle and get out on the road to Tahoe before the Friday night traffic. Naturally, things got muddled as my brain and body were low on energy, common sense and a shower, and I arrived in Tahoe with some errant possessions - a bag meant for Goodwill, a bag to return to Sports Basement, my recycling, bike cleats, half a dozen flip flops and the cable modem/box I'd forgotten to return.
But I was out and I was off, with no permanent address for the near future - another unconventional chapter in my life. The next 2 weeks will take me from Tahoe to Utah and back again. Arriving on the cusp of a huge storm rolling across California, I had a momentary burst of snow-inspired"Yahoooo!" before exhaustion took over as I unloaded bag after bag from my car. I slept long and hard that first night. I know things will sort out as time goes by. Day One was transition. And to be honest, segued right into Day Two as I had a near fit that I'd mispacked my birth control and phone charger. But I've also spent a day helping John paint his house in Tahoe, a night under rainfall in a hot tub with friends, a morning skiing at Squaw. This is the unbridled romantic part. Come January I'll be back in the office stringing temporary housing together trying to create simple routines in ever-shifting environments.
But I believe in myself and the challenge of jumping off the treadmill, even if I still have the safety net of my corporate gig, a house in Tahoe to escape to on weekends, and a great network of friends. It's not like I'm going all Wilderness Family or Into The Wild. I'm excited, exhausted, anxious and vulnerable. But again, it's only Day Two.
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