Janney's February Transition Adventures

When I'm sitting here in the red chair by the wood stove at my home in Green Bank, it's hard to imagine that over a year ago I started this blog and began a string of crazy adventures that lead me here today. From an objective perspective, these adventures don't seem that weird. I mean, okay, so I've lived in three different states (one three separate times), been to two weddings, one baby shower, two music festivals, and Hawaii, in the past 13 months, but it doesn't feel like it's been that crazy (although I'm sure my family members would beg to differ - I'm sorry Lockman-Brown-Woodwards - this summer's for you). And while I could go on a rant about how much the past year has been filled with emotional-mental-social-spiritual-physical growth, that would be boring. Because that's sort of already what this blog is about. And it just so happens that most of my understanding of this growth comes when I'm in the mountains.

This weird break between Winter Term and Spring Semester has always been like a pause button between transitions. I come home, I sleep a lot, I eat a lot of chocolate, I take long walks in the cold, play guitar, and get rid of things.

And then I always go back to school, with a head full of things that I'm going or not going to do. And then I go back and do what I was going to do anyway. And somehow I come out at the end of the spring semester, stronger than ever before. I'm not predicting gloom and doom, a lot of really amazing and beautiful things have happened to me in the last couple springs. But it's not always easy.

I've started a record collection and am in the market for a record player. I have a fantasy of myself coming home after class, putting on a record and preparing dinner. We'll see how long the cooking lasts, but I'm excited to enter the world of people who listen to records. Most of my records have been given to me by friends or obtained through strange circumstances. The rest are from my parents' abandoned collection. My record player is my present to myself for going back to school. It's pretty silly that I should have to give myself a present for doing something that I am incredibly privileged to be able to do, but it's what I'm doing, it's how I'm feeling, and it's what's right for me at this point in my life.

I'll leave you all with two tidbits of wisdom.

1. From Meatloaf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NTDHjVKQyo

I'm trying to figure out what lessons can be learned from Meatloaf. I mean, it's pretty weird to be learning lessons from a formerly obese Republican musician. I think the main lesson is that you don't have to be skinny or beautiful to sing epically sexy songs.

2. From Leopold "Butters" Stotch, my favorite South Park character (in an episode where he falls in love with a waitress at "Raisins" only to find that she doesn't really want to be his girlfriend and is just trying to get tips by flirting with him):

"Well yeah, and I'm sad, but at the same time I'm really happy that something could make me feel that sad. It's like, it makes me feel alive, you know? It makes me feel human. And the only way I could feel this sad now is if I felt somethin' really good before."

Between Meatloaf and Buttters, I've been easing my way through this transition. I can't wait for the adventures that come next! Stay tuned for Janney's January (only not in January) Appalachian (only not in Appalachia) Adventures!