I've always managed to squeeze in time for fun in what has been a very busy schedule for me the past several years. Working in St. Louis, despite 12 to 15 hours at the office on some days, I found time for a workout every day, the occasional St. Louis Cardinals baseball game or sightseeing in downtown St. Louis. Back in Mississippi, despite working full time at Southern Miss as well as staying in the restaurant business, I still find time for the occasional trip to casinos, New Orleans Saints games and a daily (usually) workout. Yet, there is one aspect of my traveling that I miss dearly, the random drive to anywhere.
After finishing coursework for my Master's Degree, I began my thesis research and writing full time. It was not the best idea in the world to not start my thesis work until finishing course requirements, but it was the path I chose. 12 hours a semester of graduate work was enough. Anyways, when I started doing the research, I had no other academic obligations and on days when I did not work at the restaurant, the entire day was mine to conquer. Most of the time, I would park myself in the library doing research. I loved what I was writing about and therefore it didn't feel like work. But occasionally, I would say to hell with it and just take off. When I say occasionally, I may be understating it a little. I did this a lot. If I had met my goals for the week and had a free day, I took it. I would just go.
Where would I go? Honestly, it didn't matter. I had gone to Southern Miss for both my B.S and my M.A degrees, yet I felt like I had never properly explored MS. Being from a big city, there is an interesting appeal that small Southern towns have. One day I drove to Roxie, MS, the childhood home of one of my best friends from college. This small town, literally in the middle of the woods, was interesting to me. Seeing a City Hall no bigger than a McDonalds, or the town's newspaper which had a smaller office than our Student Printz office on campus was a bit of a culture shock for a man from a big city, but also fascinating in its own way. I ate lunch at a local place nearby. I forget the name of the place, just a Mom and Pop type of cafe. The food was marvelous. I visited a crafts store, then headed onto Natchez, only about 40 minutes up the road.
Another time, another day trip, I went to Vicksburg. Just said screw it, jumped in the car and off I went. Long drive, indeed a very boring drive. Hwy 49 and I-59 are two of the dullest roads one can ever drive. But Vicksburg, a "Southern" town if ever there was one, was a great destination. I had been to the battlefield several times, so I passed on that. Instead I drove through the neighborhoods checking out some of the best looking homes i had ever seen. Many were antebellum homes, some famous, others their stories lost to history. As always, the food in Vicksburg was fantastic. After a great day of sight-seeing, I headed back home.
I miss the freedom to be able to do that now. Working two jobs, approximately 65-70 hours a week between the two, it is much harder to get a day just for yourself. There is a great feeling of freedom when you are driving, the day is yours, and you have absolutely no plan or expectations except to fill the day. That's one thing I will look forward to most when I no longer have to work the second job and I have my weekends back! Not all the time, for that defeats the purpose. But just sometimes, waking up with no obligations and no plan....and just take off somewhere just to see what there is to see. Maybe nothing, but maybe a new restaurant, a museum or park that you didn't know was there. Who knows what one can discover if we just take the time to notice our surroundings and explore our communities? Where I live, we are close to New Orleans, LA, Jackson, MS, Mobile, AL and the MS/AL/FL Gulf Coast. Beaches and casinos are easily accessible.
However, we are also close to the Natchez Trace Pkwy, a major Civil War Battlefield, Honey Island Swamp, and many state parks, National Forests, countless restaurants, museums, monuments and places to take in. It's a neat feeling when you realize that you don't have to travel far to find fun things to do. They are all around us. We just have to take the time, when we have it, to look!!
"There's magic in fighting battles beyond endurance. It's the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you." - Million Dollar Baby
