For anyone who's actually paying attention (Tracy), it's been a while since I posted, and I have much to share. But first I have to pay homage to a friend who died in early July. Erich Pohan was a great friend, an amazing photographer and a unique soul. I got to know Erich during the best year of my college days when I was living with 4 amazing people who are still my best friends in the world. Erich was one of the cast of semi-permanent house members who gave life and energy to the place. Between hiking the Appalachian trail and living out of his car, Erich would spend the day at our place, watching Training Day over and over (still one of my favorite movies) and spend the nights sleeping in the old armchair on our front porch. He was always good for an argument or a game of chess (which he always won). When Besha came to visit me that year, she noticed that Erich was the only of my friends who didn't hesitate to speak to her. He looked her right in the eye and engaged her in genuine conversation in a way that seemed beyond the rest of us stoners and is still beyond most of the population.
The photo below is from last time I really hung out with Erich was in the Summer of 2005 for the Live 8 concert in Philly. Me and Jackie drove up from DC to hang out and go to the show with Erich. We had a fantastic day, Jackie got lost, we laughed a lot and it was great to catch up. I'm really upset that I didn't get the chance to see him again more recently. I love you and miss you E-Rock, and I'm sorry if I didn't say that enough when you were around.
So my time here in the ATL has been interesting to say the least. When I started this blog I was talking about how I often find myself in these weird transitional periods before moving on to my next adventure. The last couple of months has certainly been one of those times, but as usual, I've found that it's so much more about the people you find yourself with than where you actually are. Australia is calling me home harder than ever, but the comfort and security of my sister's company and the beautiful family she's made are about as close to feeling at home as I can get in my madhouse of a life.
But before the longer transition began, there was a shorter, physical one in the form of a road-trip from Connecticut down to Atlanta. Me, Mama, Grace and Felix piled into Besha's station wagon with a large amount of my crap and about 14 pairs of Grace's shoes, 'cuz you just never know. It's a long ass drive. This was exacerbated by the fact that we had to stop in Long Island to get the last of my crap from Jackie's Parents' garage. We hit rush hour traffic trying to leave LI and get out into Pennsylvania so we could go West and South to Georgia. We were no where near half way by the time we had to stop for the night. Mama showed amazing grace and Zen under these conditions. Thanks, Ma.
Anyway, I figured I'd take some photos along the way to give people an idea of what you might see on a road trip from NY to Georgia. These first couple of shots are from Interstate 95 in New Jersey, also known as the New Jersey Turnpike. My mother refuses to drive on this road (the photos are from a separate trip). She has had so many bad experiences on it that she now proudly proclaims it "against my religion" to drive there at all.
Ahh, New Jersey. I can hear you asking yourself, "How does one state get so ugly?" Well, no one knows. I guess that's just what makes NJ special.
THIS POST IS OBVIOUSLY NOT FINISHED, BUT FOR NOW I MUST SKIP AHEAD TO INDIA!!!!
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