And a one, two, three, four....

So here we are, the eve of the departure. The night before we roll out of here.

Soon, many nights will be the night before we roll out of here..

Wherever here happens to be that night...

I'm sitting in the tiny house. The guitar is on my left, along with a fan and a small-window a/c unit to beat the tremendous heat out here. The night is beautiful with a cool breeze coming from the east. On my right, a long, frugal/stately looking desk we built. My clothes for the trip are piled on the south side of the desk. Well, south south-west according to the wonderful compass/bike bell my friend gave me as a gift. Tumbleweed the Cat and Momo are perched up in the loft. She's reading aloud the Arundhati Roy novel Walking With The Comrades; He's not all bitey for a change. We spent the day packing, sharing time with friends, “donating” a few final things, and watching the fireworks explode around the valley from on top of the roof of the house.

It's the perfect evening. 

There are reasons we are leaving, though... 

We're leaving tomorrow. With a sudden lack of compelled responsibility (As of July 4^th, we are both jobless and houseless), it occurred to us that there was no reason not to travel, but a lot of reasons to saddle up and ride out into the sunrise. We'll head out on our respective steeds in the morning as soon as all provisions are made. Destinations? Santa Fe, Denver, Omaha, Chicago, Ann Arbor, and all points of interest in between.

We have no idea where we go from there.

This is the kind of excitement that keeps me up at night.

I think it would be most important now, because this is the first post you are likely to see and because it seems like the time for it, to add a page of acknowledgments and thanks. No one does anything alone. Every individual depends on half the world before breakfast, and I know I have a lot of individuals to thank for a lot of different reasons. Here's a partial list:

My mother and father, my creators, the rents. You have been with me the absolute longest it is possible to have been with me, regardless of where our society or legal system decides when life begins. What a fantastic fact! You have always, always, always, always been my biggest supporters. Thank you for everything. I would literally be nothing without you.

My life partner, comrade, muse, caretaker, one-time warden, and very best friend in the world.

There. There is where we go... Away... That way... After swim, we go.

Oma and Opa, my cousins, my aunts, and the rest of the family spread all over the country and the world.

Andy, the Mister Man Mechanic that keeps everything moving.

Tumbleweed the Cat, who teaches people how to love.

fig 1. This cat is teaching you how to love.

EDIT: 7/14/13 - I had originally written a lengthy list of thank you's naming everyone I could, but I have decided against publishing that for a number of reasons. I have removed it.

I declare today, July 5^th, 2013, the day after Independence Day, to be known as Solidarity Day. To be a day to remember all the people who've stood by you over the years, who fought with you, who cried with you, who helped you try to build the world you'd like to live in. To think about how our struggles are all interconnected and to hold the duality of Yes, I am an individual, I have individual rights and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on one hand with An injury to one is an injury to all, we rise or fall together on the other hand. To evaluate how you have treated and stood with others, did you help them build a piece of their world? On what streets will you be holding hands tomorrow, and with whom?

Plus, the world could use more May Days. 
 

I have no way to conclude this article so here is an allegorical picture.

Here is your life in jelly beans.

Do Something.

~Us