It occured to me recently that I am not the "spring chicken" I once was. I'm constantly reminded of this from my roommate of nine years. Despite this I find myself pushing the envelope or "burning the midnight oil" in an effort to maximize certain fun activities. But it all seems very planned out. What I've realized is this: I am no longer spontanious. Or at least I haven't been in years.
I was asked at lunch today what my most memorable date was. I instantly remembered a trip I took when I lived in Victoria ten years ago. It was a Tuesday night at 1:19 in the morning. There was no plan. But there was a woman. We organized a roadtrip within minutes and by 1:30 we were on the road. Our destination took us three hours west to Long Beach near Tofino. It was November and the clouds were low and there was slight rain. But it didn't matter. We stopped at the gas station on the way out of town. She bought bags of candy while I grabbed an extra large coffee.
We had breakfast in Tofino and joked about that being the name of a movie. We drove back exhausted after spending only two hours in town. It wasn't the destination of course. It was the music. It was the conversation. It was the silent moments we endured as we snaked through the mountain pass on the Pacific Rim Highway.
Somehow, somewhere that spontaneity got lost. The reality is I would love to take off to Portland on a whim on a Tuesday night. But that's just not going to happen. I am, however, willing to explore new opportunities, even if it is within the comforts of my own city... perhaps an all night coffee session at 2 am? Or maybe it will be an extended weekend spent on a dark desert highway with just the right song to tie it all together. Either way, songs are important. Almost as important as the adventure they serve.
I don't know if it's her sparkling personality or her subpar lyrics, but Selena Gomez' hit "Love You Like a Lovesong" is truly a treat for the ears. I first heard this tune on a 44 foot sailboat in early September. It was a nautical affair and we gorged ourselves with fancy cheeses, cured meat, and lots of sunshine. A friend of mine was obsessed with Selena Gomez. And so we listened to this song on repeat peat peat peat peat. The truth is, this song is hot. And if you are planning to take a trip, spontanious or not, you would be wise to turn this shit up and start your adventure on the right note.
