Hello everybody!
April 28 marks the two-month mark til our departure for the West Coast! it will be a strangely uncomplicated journey, since our house in South Bend, Indiana is just a few miles south of the entrance onto what we call “The Toll Road,” aka Interstate 80/90, which later on turns into I-90 and leads right into downtown Seattle. When I-90 ends, all we need to do is jog south on I-5 for a few miles, get on the West Seattle Bridge, and minutes later we’ll be at our new house! It’s straight northwest of here, from 41.6764° N, 86.2520° W, to 47.6062° N, 122.3321° W.
“Why so long?” you might ask. “It is only 2,160 miles or 32 hours of driving. One could make the trip in two days.”
“Ah, yes,” I would reply, “but don’t forget Honey Girl! When you have a big heart and travel with a big dog, it is like traveling with a small child. You have to stop for potty breaks and snacks, and turn in early for the evening so we can go on our daily walks. (Not to mention that I plan to continue doing the morning routine every day too, which may delay departures a bit.) What’s the rush, anyway? Maybe Dickinson, North Dakota is worth a few hours to visit!”
So how to get ready!?
I’m starting at the top–with my head. The other details are already underway–the house sale is chugging along toward closure, the moving company quotes will soon be known and discussed, and my work obligations are dwindling down too. The more important preparations involve one’s perception of reality, thus the study of Zen is helpful, as are music and journey myths. For today, I’ll stick with music. (Haven’t yet received my copy of Joseph Campbell! More to come on that.)
MUSIC! I’m compiling a list of “Songs of Freedom” to celebrate this transition, and I plan to sing them all the way there. (We’re taking two cars, fyi ^_^).
So far, I’ve got 30 (I posted some videos of lesser-known favorites) .
Submit your favorites! We’ve got four days to fill, so the more the better.
SONGS OF FREEDOM
- “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley
- “I’m Free” by The WHO from Tommy
- “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley
- “The Little Stream of Whiskey” by Doc Watson & Son
- “Age of Aquarius” by The Fifth Dimension
- “Stone Free” by Jimmy Hendrix
- “Me and Bobby McGee” by Janis Joplin
- “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson
- “Take this Job and Shove It!” by Johnny Paycheck
- “The Seattle Song” by Perry Como
- “Saturday in the Park” by Chicago
- “The Happy Song” by Pharrell Williams
- “This Land is My Land, This Land is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie
- “To Beat the Devil” by Kris Kristofferson
- “Carey” by Joni Mitchell
- “Free Man in Paris” by Joni Mitchell
- “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland
- “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole
- “Liberté” by Carla Bruni
- “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bob Marley
- “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” by Bob Marley
- “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper
- “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty
- “Freedom! ’90” by George Michael
- “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles
- “I’ll Fly Away” by Johnny Cash
- “I’m Like a Bird” by Nelly Furtado
- “Stand Up for Love” by Carl Douglas
- “Parting Glass” by The High Kings
- “RESPECT” by Aretha Franklin
Daily Joy with Honey Girl 