Themes and Travels

One of the ideas I’ve been mulling over while I’ve been on hiatus is how to think about my travels as something other than one long string of moves around the continent. So for 2019, I’ve decided to devote a few months at a time to specific themes. Within each timeframe, I’ll explore the theme in whatever ways I choose. If this sounds rather vague, it is intentionally so. I don’t want to pressure myself into a fixed plan with committed outputs like 3-4 blog posts a week. I want to go with the flow and see where that takes me this year.

To probably no one’s surprise, the first theme for 2019 is Coastal Images. I’ll be heading to the Atlantic coast mid-January until the end of February. I want to explore light and color in my photography, and perhaps do an essay or two, if the spirit moves.

The second theme, Civil Rights in the South, will take me through March and April, with travels through Georgia and Alabama. I’ve spent a lot of time this winter reading history and current non-fiction books about the South and the long, sad, and bloody history of the fight for civil rights, in an effort to understand my country’s past and why we still struggle with civil rights and equality for all. I don’t know that I’ll find any answers, all I may end up with is more questions.

From there, I move to a fun theme, Social Time, for April and May. I’ll be meeting up with friends and hanging out, enjoying a well-deserved break from the serious and deep work of the first four months of 2019. And since I’ll be heading west by mid-year, this will be my last chance to see some friends for at least a year.

So there it is, the first five months of the year set up by themes, with travel stops supporting each theme in its timeframe. Stay tuned, and together we’ll see how it all plays out.

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Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans. It is lovely to be silly at the right moment.

Horace