The title was penned by one of the last century’s most prolific philosophers, Bono of U2. It made me think of how we use the word “baggage”; it doesn’t evoke images of elegant adventurism, but something more like a boat anchor we are bound to. The things we have to bring with us are either necessary, wanted, or are so intimately part of us we can’t leave them behind. The airlines have decreed that 50 pounds per bag shall be the limit of what we can carry, and in our lives there is only room for so many thoughts, desires, regrets, and dreams. My mom would say that three moves equals a house fire when it comes to losing things, and it is a good thing to occasionally prioritize all of the things we accumulate in our lives. When I arrive at my destination, what will I have spent so much effort dragging behind me?
My new position is an intersection of two independent bureaucratic organizations. Don’t imagine a busy, bustling urban intersection though. Instead, think of several freight trains sitting idly by a large cargo ship, with all of the engineers and dock workers either taking a union break or speaking a different language. This has given me a little extra time to enjoy the unemployed life, so I shouldn’t complain. I’m adopting a diet of mostly pork and fermented grain liquids, which I refer to as the anti-Halal or “Hey Ya’ll” diet. This will be followed by 3 months of living in a sauna, so I should be able to sweat off any extra pounds. I’m also going to try combining this with Rosetta Stone; this confluence of activities seems perfectly suited for an infomercial targeting ophthalmologists of a certain age. I’m hoping to bring this new lifestyle system to market while I’m not bound by a university intellectual property gestapo. Operators are standing by, accepting cash or Bratwurst. Until then, “As-salamu alaykum”- peace be upon you.
A blog about travel and other random events, hoping to bring clarity to the chaos
Stones in the Road 