Thanksgiving in Austin

Well it's been a whirl wind of a time, but it seems like Freelance Adventure Traveling is taking a pause. After some time in Houston visiting family, I took a bus over to Austin. By the end of the first day I had decided I was home.

In the past week and a half I've gotten a haircut, bought a new shirt, shaved the travel beard, made business cards and a website for Freelance. Adventure. Consulting., acquired a bike, and found a place to live. I've also met tons of people and have fallen in love with this town more and more every day. Each moment brings a new adventure and a new oppurtunity to meet exciting and interesting people.

Right now I'm spending Thanksgiving with a friend from high school and three of his college buddies, who have become some of my closest friends here in Austin. We're making a bacon covered turkey, so that should go amazingly well.

I've never truly appreciated Thanksgiving as I do at this moment. In the past all of my Thanksgivings have been at home, safe and guaranteed. But I approached this holiday after months of removing myself from all the guarantees that have been provided throughout my life. The beauty of doing so is that it revealed a path I never knew possible, but was there for me to take. On that path I've made wonderful friendships, had eye opening experiences, and allowed myself to fully appreciate the things I have in life.

More importantly, I found a home.

It may have taken an adventure to get there, but the result is a life that I can call my own.

And for that, and whatever happens next, I'm thankful.

New Orleans the Carnival

Long time no update!

Since I last posted, I found a ride from St. Louis to Chicago, visited Northwestern for homecoming, flew down to New Orleans, partied it up in that city with friends, and traveled to my birthplace of Houston.

Visiting Chicago was a pleasure, both a mix of seeing friends and checking out their Occupation. I was in attendance on the Saturday 136(ish) people were arrested, though chose to refrain from the act of civil disobedience myself given that I was planning on leaving the city in a couple days. I then occupied Chicago anyway and camped out with several other Occupiers under the Chicago Picasso at Daly Plaza. One of the persons leading us to the statue said that the space under the artwork was actually designed as a refuge for those who needed one. Not sure if that's true, but I'm gonna go ahead and believe it.

Having said goodbye to the Windy City for a second time, and to it's frigid winters, I hopped on a plane to New Orleans.

That is one crazy city.

Similar to Burning Man, it's an adult playground where costumes range from elaborate to downright fantasy. This was probably helped by the fact that I was there Halloween weekend, but from my understanding Bourbon Street always has a fair share of people playing dress up. Several friends from high school were also visiting the city and three of us had arranged to be Power Rangers, an excellent choice on our part. We had a great time walking up and down Bourbon Street and wandering the French Quarter. Away from the touristy chaos of Bourbon is the Frenchman area, where I enjoyed moving blues/rock fusion (and much cheaper drinks.)

As for the food...The food was amazing. Po Boys were stuffed with the freshest shrimp I've ever tasted. Oysters were chargrilled and seasoned with romano cheese. The fried chicken was simply superb, tender and tasty all the way through. And Beignets...oh Beignets, how I will miss you and your fried doughy goodness, all covered in powdered sugar. That city really knows how to eat. I can't say they have much variety, but the things they do, they do them like no one else. Which I guess you could say for just about the whole city. It has its own distinct culture and is extraordinarily proud of that fact. As it should be.

I've now flown to Houston and am staying with my mother and brother. Next stop Austin!

Introducing Occupy St. Louis

I spent 2 weeks in St. Louis and 9 days with the Occupy movement located there. It was my first introduction to the sentiments sweeping the country and I couldn't have found a better introduction.

As is consistent with the beauty of this movement, it's hard to identify who put forth the first call to action for Occupy St. Louis. A Facebook page was set-up proposing an occupation and within a few days a somewhat concrete plan was in motion. Ten people showed up to an initial meeting to see each other face to face before taking their bold steps forward. They included professional organizers, disenfranchised citizens, former members of the military community, and internet activists. That first meeting was described as chaos and many of the participants had doubts as to whether their efforts could be successful. 

On October 1st around 200 people gathered in front of the Federal Reserve Building, intending on staging their occupation there. The police interceded and led them to the nearby Kiener Plaza, a public amphitheater in the middle of downtown St. Louis. The recessed park is overlooked by tall buildings belonging to a number of corporate entities currently under the scrutiny of the Occupy movement and the magnificent St. Louis arch; the perfect location to reclaim a lost democracy.

During the initial weekend, more than 50 people camped at the Plaza with no further word from city authorities. On the third day, the police returned and issued 6 citations for violations of curfew and warned the Occupiers that arrests would follow if they didn't vacate the premise. But of course the Occupiers had no intention of leaving nor forgoing their right to peacefully assemble. The next day the police returned as promised and 10 people were arrested. They were held overnight and released with citations the next morning. A compromise was reached that the Occupiers could camp on the outer perimeters of the Plaza and relations with the police have remained peaceful ever since.

I joined the St. Louis Occupy on its 13th day of existence. It is an amazing story of human cooperation. Complete strangers have come together and joined in a struggle for both basic survival and the rebuilding of American society. Every day donations of food, tents, clothing, first-aid and money pour in from supporters. It can be hard to get things done because of the number of passer-bys constantly stopping in to see for themselves what's happening. For many, it's the most pure form of human interaction they've experienced in a long time, possibly ever. 

Their most common words, "I appreciate what you're doing. Thank you."

I received a ride to Chicago, where I've had a couple days to check out the Occupy movement. But more on that later...

I'm here for the revolution

Let there be no question about that; or this. The next chapter is a revolution. What's happening next isn't a predetermined event. What's happening next is an actual revolution of everything you have believed possible.

In order to proceed, you need to accept this.

In more than 140 American cities and 71 countries people are gathering together in public spaces and talking. Just talking. As an important side note, this is how the Civil Rights movement started, this is how Women's suffrage started, this is how the American revolution started; people gathering in public spaces and sharing their stories with each other.

I have great faith in humanity. I believe that we live at extraordinary times. I am not alone in these beliefs. In the next few decades, some of the most important decisions of humanity will be made. Technology has a great power to provide, but only if we take action now so that the economic forces driving technological change turn their attention toward the value of individual human beings. The decisions that build our future can either be made by those currently in power, or they can be made by a voice that is rising in hundreds of cities across the world. As we face the challenges of 21st century, can we rise to the occasion and create a future sustainable for all of humanity? Or will we create a world where there is unlimited potential to create through the wonders of technology, but all wasted on only a few people. I hope we can, but I know that with the current system, with Citizens United allowing a few corporations to control the political system through unlimited donations, we cannot. Citizens United is a Supreme Court ruling. Its overthrow is only possible through a constitutional amendment, perhaps through constitutional conventions in 2/3 the state legislatures... 

This blog began as a way to keep in touch with friends, family and the people I met along the way. It remains that, but I met a revolution along the way. The evening after my last post I set up camp in Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. The past few days I have met the extraordinary people that will lead our society to a new level. They are young, old, employed, unemployed, wanderers and family members. If you haven't seen them in person, then you have no idea who they are. This is not something you can see on the television or read in the newspaper. This is people having conversations with each other, all the time and around the world, about what they can do to make a better world. Do not be fooled by what you may be told, judge only for yourself.

Do not be afraid. You are a part of this and it is the awakening of our body-politic. If you don't believe me, visit your local Occupy and see for yourself.

This is no longer about my revolution. 

This is about our revolution.

Chapters

I've been in St. Louis for six days now and it has been a wonderful time. I've been trying to figure out when the next chapter of this adventure should be, and fortunately it has presented itself.

A quick recap, however, of what I've been doing the past six days. I arrived at St. Louis on Friday night and met up with two friends from Potomac, MD. One still lives out there and the other recently moved to St. Louis, the latter being my hospitable host for a few days. Nothing like the good company of friends to start off a journey. Saturday we all visited the Budweiser Brewery, which is a St. Louis classic. I learned that I absolutely love the smell of heated wort, which is the mashed barley mix before yeast is added for fermentation. It has a very unique scent, which I can only describe as heated earth.

After the brewery tour, and freshly brewed beer, we went to the St. Louis Oktoberfest where beer was sold in Liters. This city certainly enjoys its beer, and that's just fine because they brew it well.

After the weekend ended my friend had to return to the life of the laboring man and I was left to explore the city on my own. The first thing I did was take a run through Forest Park, which is a block away from his apartment. It is a huge park, larger than central park, and quite beautiful. There's a couple museums inside of it and a free zoo. At this point I was quickly beginning to realize that St. Louis has far more to offer than I originally imagined. I had only planned on staying here a couple days, but almost a week later I still haven't planned my travel out of the city. Though small, the city has a lot of rich culture and history.

Yesterday I took a visit down to the Occupy St. Louis at Kiener Plaza, a nice auditorium public space. I was astounded by what I saw. There is a serious movement building, one of the likes this country hasn't seen for several decades, but is as filled with potential as the many that have driven our nation's history. I'm packing my bags now to go visit this community and learn more for myself what is being built. There's more I can say about this already, but I'll leave that for the next post.

And so I arrive at the next chapter, one filled with ever more potential than the previous.

Choosing a Path

My life so far has consisted of an infinite number of crossroads. I've stood at the intersection of multiple possibilities, equally able to believe each as a reality. This was possible because these crossroads all existed in the future and I was granted with the blessing of opportunity. But I am no longer a child and I can't dream of following every one.

One month ago I returned from an event called Burning Man in the middle of the Black Rock Desert. I found a freedom on that dry, cracked earth, a freedom that I was just realizing was mine to keep. For my entire life the next step has always been obvious, neatly laid out before me. A hundred voices, of my parents, of my peers, of my teachers, and of the world around me, guided me on a single path. I appreciate this guidance. It has given me an education, a desire to learn, and the ability to follow my curiosities (of which I have many). But now I seek only one voice...

My own.

The freedom I found on that dusted ground was the freedom to be myself. The freedom to reach for consciousness of who I am and the reality I am a part of. It is a freedom that I believe is only granted through challenge, through painful separation of everything one has believed, and the willingness to pursue truth no matter the consequences. Only in this abyss, absent of previous prejudices, can the ringing bells that threaten to silence the individual be stilled.

I was born at infinite crossroads, but only one can truly be mine. Many of the possible paths are apparent, well treaded, worn and comfortable by the footprints of others. These are not my mine.

Others are hidden, only to be revealed by fresh steps. I have held on to a saying revealed to me by the cracking of a fortune cookie: "Those who walk in other's tracks leave no footprints." It is these hidden tracks that are mine to take. Maybe there were no infinite crossroads. Maybe there's always been one path, simply waiting for me to step onto it.

I welcome you to join me in this journey, and to see where we can go. I'm not sure what I'll find or where it'll end or if it even will. I only hope that it brings fresh challenges, ones that will define who I am and the person that I have become. Above all though, I hope to face uncertainty and find meaning where there was previously none.

And to guide me is a whisper I once heard on a desert wind...

Do not be afraid.

Travels to begin soon...

October 7th to be specific...