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Published: September 29th 2006
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So before I planned to leave "home" I took 2 weeks before my flight to visit family and friends. It was quite strange having gone full blown for the last 2-3 years; A full load at school, including summers. Bartending 30-35 hours a week til late into the evening. To having a degree in my pocket and finishing a job I had worked at for nearly 3 years. Then walking out the door on September 28th with absolutly no responsibilities for the next 3 months but to get on a flight from LAX to Bangkok. What a feeling.
I moved out of my apartment on July 12th but didn't fly out til October 20th. Well I sure as hell wasn't going to sign another lease for a new place and move twice in 3 months; so i just lived out of my car. Not in the car, just all my stuff in the boot. I just bounced around for the next 3 months from one friends couch to another. It was quite strange "living off the land"; washing my clothes in local streams, begging for money outside a Krispy Kreme for 3 days straight, and even giving legal advice
to the bums around Woodruff park for a slice of baloney or toilet wine. Jokes on them, Im not even a lawyer. I did manage to only sleep in my car twice in the whole ordeal. I gotta thank my mate Seansy for being the most generous with his couch. I stayed there more often than not. Sometimes i would have to get ready for work in the apartment pools attached bathrooms at Seansy's apartment in Buckhead. Oh the times, oh the good times. I was literally a mobile Jar Hard Unit. Carrried everything with me, so at any given time I could be ready for an interview, snow ski, or be primed for a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at the local mental health facility. Double 00 Jar Hard. I even had my car modified with a grill in the boot, lawn chairs, and full cosmetics closet in the back for the ladies. Hard times i know. But I digress. It was all to save money on rent, and further lenghthen my travels with the extra money saved.
So I started with my two lovely boys Jace and Jasper. I visited my sister in Loganville Georgia and saw her and the
boys one last time before I left. It was hard for my sister and I trying to explain to them when they would ask, "Uncle Jared are you coming over tomorrow? Can we go to the park tomorrow? When are you coming back?" Broke my heart. I miss those little fellars so much. Im not going to recognize them when i go back i know it.
Next stop was Destin, Florida to visit Grandmother and Granddaddy. Granddaddy had heart surgery a few months before i visited and was seeming to finally start to show some improvements. He was the same old fire breathing Alvin Leblanc I had grown to love. The surgery took some out of him and he seemed a lot more tame, but still ready to tackle any hard core topic. I also made another trip to see Mom's grave in Destin. I think Ive been under 5 times in the last 15 years. Wanted to see her one more time. Weepy goodbyes with Granddaddy and Grandmother as I left them after a weeks visit to head back to Atlanta. Grandmother has been my rock after mom died in 1992 and always been a mother for us grandkids.
What a woman. Despite our difference in religious, political, social beliefs, and bingo strategies, I have so much love in my heart for her. *note: Polly Leblanc does not play bingo. It is gambling. And gambling is the devil's work.
So back to Atlanta and an attempt at wrangling my father away for a short weekend trip to Chattanooga for some much needed father and son time. It ended up only being a day and a half, but we had a good time all the same. I still can't figure the man out and don't know if i ever will. We seem to get along fine, but have little in common besides blood and we've both had our hearts broken by women. I don't know. I love the man, but don't feel like I know him. It sucks.
I also got to see my older Caleb and younger brother Levi before leaving too. It was nice, but really heartbreaking. A day or two before i took off I got to have lunch with Kathy my stepmother and Kelsey, Caleb's daughter. It was nice, but again heartbreaking.
So after all of that I flew out to San Fran to visit with
another friend and former roommate, Jaime Boatner. Also along for the ride in SF was Thorin Burke another amazing friend. 2 of my best friends in the world.
So any questions? Sorry it has taken so long to get caught up on some of these blogs. Finally at a point I can sit down and really dish it out and get them all posted. Cheers,
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