Cynthetics

I have always had a somewhat wild spirit that wants to wander around and get lost. Like on Friday mornings I want to stop at estate sales on my way to work. If I see a new food truck at lunch, I’m drawn to try it out. Maybe it’s from all the vacations my parents took us on as kids where we hit the open road in the car and stopped at strange places for no apparent reason. Or maybe not, because I always got car sick and hated traveling long distances. But I do have fond memories of stopping in strange and weird places starting at a very tender age (around 3 or 4) when we went to the north pole. Mind you, it was not the REAL north pole, but it was close enough. I eventually learned it was some type of amusement park. A small petting zoo caught my eye like Giovanni shoes would catch my eye at a later stage in life. Once in, I remember a pole made of ice. That was really cool.

I am not sure if it was the North Pole or my A.D.D. that sent me on the path of discovery, but I now have this urge to stop at roadside attractions. Now that I’m older, my urge is more like a gravitational pull that causes me to immediately turn in and park at various sales on the sides of any road including flea markets, garage sales (masked as “estate” sales), any kind of zoo or animal conservatory, and wax museums, This is why it is important for other people to drive when on a lengthy trip anywhere with others.

Many, many, many years ago, I read Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins. Aside from the crazy twists and turns and bizarro nature of the book itself, what I remember is that it takes place at a roadside attraction. It was so outrageous, I decided roadside attractions of most kinds would have to be added to my bucket list (even though at the time I read the book, no one had ever uttered the words “bucket list” together).

Roadside attractions serve so many purposes. They give the traveler a break from the road, a leg stretch if you will. They provide income for those that purport to have something special and of interest. And last, they provide possibilities and hope to the treasure seeker. Everyone is different. Maybe you are looking for that long lost pet rock you sold for a quarter at your family’s garage sale; old license plates for conversion into a coffee table; or maybe you collect dead insects. (Roadside attraction in South Georgia)

If you see a lot of rubber on the road in front of the roadside attraction, don’t automatically assume it’s a good one and everyone slammed on their breaks to make the turn. It could be that something or someone made a speedy exit. On the other hand, if something catches your eye or you have an intuition, then stop! Currently, our kitchen table, antique pump organ, and various pieces of artwork all come from roadside attractions posing as antique malls, garage sales and flea markets. Lest we not forget the Christmas drive-through Wonderland, the wildcat conservatory, any circus that doesn’t advertise or sell tickets in advance, houses with front yards completely ravaged by junk that appear suddenly in the middle of nowhere, and objects that are the size of Godzilla. These all require a visit immediately.

Now I bet you are wondering how you get started. Step 1, Take a trip somewhere. Step 2. stop at an interesting looking roadside attraction. Step 3. Take pictures, buy something and leave. Step 4. Post your pictures so we can see them. If you have already completed Steps 1-3, post your pictures or email me and I will create a new blog with pictures. Make your next trip a little more enjoyable by stopping at a roadside attraction!

Carpe Diem

Some people find little moments of peace in life by making jokes, having a drink, getting a massage, or reading a trashy sex novel so that they can forget whatever it is they need to forget. This is a time in history where a lot of people need solace, comfort and peace. Imagine trying to find peace sitting on your couch watching television and your house explodes around you, or you are enjoying a beautiful day on a sidewalk when the earth is rocked and people are flying around you.

Over the last week and a half, alarming news and images glared at us every time we opened our laptops, used our smart phones, checked Facebook, or turned on the television. Horrible and vivid images of blood splatter on the streets of Boston, molten heaps of rubble in the small town of West, and hoards of shattered lives. All of this spewed out by the media whether the facts of the story were right or not. Either way, the images never lied.

Needing a little extra peace? You could do what many have done in the past, take a hiatus from the news. That would mean no Internet, no television, no Facebook, no Twitter and so much more. Not impossible, but very hard to do in our society, especially if you need to see how traffic is moving before you leave the house for work.

Of course, inner peace comes in many forms, and giving is always one of them. It feels good to give and to help someone else piece their life back together. Even if that person is forever going to miss a piece of their own life and we probably can never make them whole again, we can help. Amazingly, a lot of the people who need our help can help us find our inner peace. They are calm about their situation. They know things will improve, they will rebuild their lives. Most importantly, they have handed us an easy opportunity to help others. Here are some ideas:

1. For people in Boston, there is “The One Fund” found at https://secure.onefundboston.org/page/-/donate4.html. The money will be distributed to those persons and families of persons that sustained serious injuries and were killed in the bombings.

2. For people in West, Texas. At this point the people of West need money. Money for building materials, food, etc. If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you can drop off money or gift cards to The Ballpark in Arlington. They don’t want your stinky old sheets and blankets, they need money. You can also donate to the Red Cross www.redcross.com.