Wanderlust...On Top of the World-Happy New Year!Music Pedagogy has been my whole world since 1998. However, it has ebbed and flowed as far as business goes and there have been slower times than others. This as well as the quietness of an empty house during the day after my youngest went off school has made me consider exploring other vocations-perhaps maybe becoming a flight attendant. I was actually brave enough to send off an application to an airline called ExpressJet and astonishment far surpassed my bravery when I received an invitation to interview (a blog for another day).
Since God pulls my strings, he tugged pretty hard when I was to be sent either to Detroit or Dallas. Though I had opportunity for endless travel, I declined and my pedagogy business has since taken off. It has now grown to the point to where I am working on Saturdays and my weekend wanders are not as possible as they used to be.
Throughout my work week, many interactions that I often hear
among the people I am in contact with are "We'll be out of town this week." That can mean more than one thing: I either get a little break from the music lesson that week or it is simply time for me to become flat out jealous. Though I have had my share of travels this year, not all of which I have written about, they were are all of great value (for me, even something as menial as a trip to Walmart can be an experience worth writing about. Therefore, I seize adventure any chance I get). Though sometimes travel plans are made on my behalf, there are just times when the decision has to be made on my own.
My luck turned when I realized that New Years Eve was on a Saturday this year. I had a reason not to work and the decision to travel was a must. Not only did I get to travel, I didn't have to drive.
While I was taking care of money matters that day I would leave as I did not want to be troubled with this after I left, my mom and my three youngest kids were already in the car waiting. My mom has a bigger and newer car and Hilton points to offer. Dad was thrilled that we were leaving a more quiet house behind.
Time and time again I have always been fortunate to leave the driveway under clear skies. It was a mad rush to the car as I was ready to get lost. There are times when you just have to let yourself be spoiled rotten and not feel guilty about it.
Hilton points were built up enough to cover us for two room. I would take which ever one had the wine and tried to persuade at least one of the kids to sleep with grandma. The first night traveling with kids is usually the hardest. They are out of their element and don't go to sleep very quickly. The room is crowded, hair is tangled, mom is frazzled and everyone is just out of place. All would be forgotten the next day.
I am very fortunate to have been brought up in a family that was never really concerned about how soon we have to make it from point A to point B in X amount of time during our travels. When I was a kid we would be on our way home from one of these weekend excursions before my parents would take a last minute detour to the outlet mall or the Corvette museum. Though I was just a kid then and all I wanted to do was go home, that sense of spontaneity was passed down to me. We had absolutely no plans for the day what so ever.
That next morning, we drove about 26 miles from our hotel and did nothing more than just followed signs to points of interest. Some led to high rent districts and some to places that often attract attention with trendy boutiques and overpriced eateries. These are places I typically avoid. Then there were other places with more of a different sort of appeal. Those with rustic industrial buildings turned into art studios as the mountains with homes imbedded in them stood in the background. I like houses inbedded in mountains behind the view of rustic industrial buildings. I want a house inbedded in a mountain behind the view of rustic industrial buildings. We discovered that this town was an artist's reverie. As we went further into the community, we saw brick walls embellished with art deko, stray cats that were fed by the locals, and people with backpacks walking around that made you wonder what their story was.
Old industrial buildings had been transformed into art galleries where local artist had not only displayed and sold their work but also housed their workshops.
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| Praying Mantis made of scrap metal. Appears as thought it is comprised of a propane tank as well as iron rods. It was located in the "square" of the art studios. |
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| I'm not really a cat person but my daughter is and this piece made by a local artist will never be used to serve coffee or placed in the dishwasher. |
As I marveled at all these things my mom said "Sam, you are a hippie!" "I replied "Yes I guess I am."
It was indeed that time again. My worst fear is that we would be stuck with only places like Applebee's or Steak N Shake and I would never find that best kept secret dive.
I found a club sandwich to be comforting that day. The surrounding mountain views on a cool, brisk, overcast day was visible through the window by our table.
My lunch was also my dinner that night. The sandwich was so huge I had to eat it as though it were a kabob (since my photograhy sucks and I don't typically take pictures of food on my plate, I'm afraid you'll have to use your imagination for this one). It was so good. It was New Years Eve. I drank wine.
Fog draped the mountain pass the next morning on our way home. The car was filled with conversation, sticky faces and the noise from the DVD. It was after Christmas and very little money was spent but as I said goodbye to North Carolina and 2016 I knew I had started the new year having gained the actual truth about how I live that of a superior life.
Places visited: Ashville, North Carolina (Stayed in Hendersonville, NC)
Provision: Cornerstone Cafe, Ashville NC
"On Top of the World"-Imagination Dragons
