Nate Journeys America: January 2009

As usual, turn it up...

A little over a year ago I decided to veer off the blast of a path called the Journey America Tour 2007 to accomplish one goal for 2008 - pay off all my debt. I loved the path I was on, did not want to jump off for the life in me, but it was pulling at me like a dead weight that would not go away, keeping me from fully following my dreams. It was my master and I was its' slave. I did not want to spend my energies any way but whole-heartedly and, well this evil thing called debt kept me divided. As of Friday I killed this evil thing... for good.

2008 was a complete change of gears from 2007. In many ways I felt like I was going backwards by going back into this matrix called corporate America to teach tennis for a corporate-owned club. I felt many times that it was breaking me down, weakening me. Yet as it went on I realized it was actually strengthening me, strengthening my patience in goals, hopes, & dreams. Not to mention, every two weeks my goals were refreshed as I saw money magically appear into my bank account. I guess that is the hook that keeps most people in corporate America, along with those "bennies," but that's another subject.

So here I sit in my school bus at my fold-out desk with my Christmas lights on, candles burning, Bruce Springsteen on the record player singing I'm on Fire. I've got chilly fingers with both heaters going and a glass of cheap wine to my left. All is good, because I am debt free.

The question always goes: 'Where do I go from here?' The response right now... I say, "good question, good question." For now I will continue to hunker down and keep my job in this rough economy and save my money to build a surplus, which could go to a number of things, but I guarantee you this, it will not be wasted.

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Highlights of 2008

10. Got a good job
9. Kept a good job
8. Bonnaroo 2008
7. Played my pipes on 92.9 DaveFM all across Atlanta for Saint Patrick's Weekend.
6. Made a few good friends in Atlanta.
5. Bought a school bus converted Waste Veggie run RV which I have now lived in for 4 1/2 months.
4. Received a second chance in a very big way from God.
3. Got to see my family & friends on various trips to Ohio, Charlotte, & Arizona.
2. Continued to fight the good fight of faith in God & His ability to set us free.
1. Killed the Devil of debt and my spirit grew wings...

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So back in early December I took a trip out to northern Arizona to see my brother Luke and his family for a week. It was an awesome time with many highlights but one you all might actually care to read about is this: My brother happens to work with a famous rock climbing legend named Tony Yaniro (translated from French.) Luke planned a three day/two night camping trip to Joshua Tree for the three of us. Luke ended up getting pretty sick so he had to stay back in his tent while Tony & I hiked through about 18 miles of crazy boulders and cold flatland of Joshua Tree. Mind you he took me to areas that nobody goes in Joshua Tree, waaaaaaay off the beaten path. Felt like I could have died about a 1/2 dozen times, but all in all it was a blast. Luke, you missed out! Oh well, Luke is fitter than me so he would have done great had he been able to come. Let me tell you, after the end of that second day (the big hiking day!) all I could think about was food & sleep. I felt like a brainwashed rabbit with only those two things on my mind.

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What else, Christmas was an awesome time. I went to Ohio and saw my best Ohio friends & family. Yet my Mom went south this Christmas to see my brother Peter down in Florida so I had the house to myself and Teddy (my Mom's 4 pound maltese.) It was still a great and unique time though I did miss my Mom (and the rest of my family scattered across the U.S.) very much.

No more running... to stand still.

Signing off,

~ Nate

P.S. Below are a bunch of pictures from 2008...

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