“Season of the Vespa.” (Article written for CULTURE HOSUE via Medium.com)

 I’m still pretty new to this, so bear with me as I continue to fabricate an idea of mine. Almost immediately, in doing this kind of writing and this kind of thinking, it becomes apparent that something is a little off in our approach to some of the larger issues surrounding interconnectivity and the activation of shared spaces. Now, some might say that, given the state of the world, there is a “right” way and a “wrong” way to go about these sorts of things, and if not for the work that Culture House is doing, and their taking in a wayward soul like my self, I might be prone to believing the hype. 

(Original photos taken by the writer)

Most of our parents might even say it’s “irresponsible” to take your future into your own hands this way, especially when the smarter route to take is probably the more practical. I have some pretty strict parents, too, so I personally understand this sort of thinking, and can promise you that I have had this same conversation more time than I feel comfortable recounting. 

The price you pay though, for not accepting  your own personal freedoms lends more to keeping us unhappy during an unhappy time in the world, and maintaining an unsafe distance from the things that foundation-ally serve to keep any sort of ‘American ideal’ in tact.

Whoa - and let me say here that yes, the words “American” and “ideal” here are meant to mean exactly what they say. On a level that eludes us, more frequently at present than I think it maybe has in the past, the opinion on America and what we stand for seems to sit more substantially in the hard spun effort to “do or die” in a place we’re finally getting cool with calling “home.” Every walk of life varies, too, so don’t get me wrong when I say that at the heart of it, we are really just very lucky to be here. 

So, I’ve got an idea, and hear me out before you completely shut it down - what if we did something exciting with the time we’ve got left? Let’s give ourselves some room to breathe, room to grow, a firm pat on the back and a genuine smile - telling ourselves and the folks standing next to you that we know what we’re doing, and we’re going to pull through. 

Then, I guess I’m prepared instead to propose a different approach entirely: picture a road trip, if you can. What are some of the requirements for something like a road trip, and when was the last time you even thought to go on one? I feel like that thought should cross your mind all of the time, if not more often. Even if it doesn’t, there must’ve been a time when you’d’ve liked nothing more than to pick-up all of your belongings, hop in the back of your friends car and get out there - braving a world that has been lain out in front of you. “The world as your oyster”, for you and only you. How great would that be?

If it’s hard to say, I promise you it only gives validity to the ongoing battles the country and the world are facing when it comes to finding strategies and solutions against the coronavirus pandemic and the fluctuations of the global economy as we know it. There are already about a trillion articles, newscasts, podcasts and ongoing debates about the way these things are being handled by our leaders, so I won’t bore you with another mishandled approach to what seems to be an unresolvable pretense.

(Original photos taken by the writer)

Here’s another ‘why’ question for you: Why wonder and wait, when there is an entire world out there, very much disconnected from the World Wide Web we’re more privy to. Now, even if you can’t picture how you might get around to a full blown road trip with you, your dog and some of your closest friends and family, it’s not a terrible idea to think about quite simply trying something different, is it? We’re talking putting yourself first, here, so whether it’s starting a conversation with a stranger, or finding a reason to purchase some of that obscure peanut Thai sauce at the grocery store, or even doing something so far gone as buying a Vespa, filling up the gas tank and taking her for a spin around your neighborhood - there is nothing wrong with looking at that half empty glass and wondering just how much water you should be drinking.

Some things to take with you on this Culture House road trip of yours:

• Culture House must-haves for your next Home-Away-From-Home road trip. 

https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/travel/road-trip-essentials

https://www.asherfergusson.com/must-have-road-trip-packing-list-items/

https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/g27085708/road-trip-essentials/

Don’t worry. You get going, and we’ll be right behind you. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

Jesse