On the Road Again: Turning Back Time in Georgia

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So it has been a while since I've written from the road.  It's not that I haven't been traveling (I've been doing plenty of that).  In the past 3 weeks alone I've crisscrossed from D.C. to Ohio, to Annapolis (on Naval Academy Graduation Day no less), back to Ohio, and on to Georgia.

This morning I am writing from downtown Augusta, GA.  I arrived back in the South on Saturday after a heavy overdose of pseudophed for my clogged up ears.  I took so much of the stuff, in the hopes that my ears would adjust while flying, that I probably caused TSA to put out a call to the DEA, FBI, CIA, and some number of other three-lettered agencies.  Needless to say, today is the first day that I actually realized that I was indeed, in Augusta.

As for Augusta, there isn't much here, but it is where I come to find my serenity.  I telework from here about one to two times per month.  It is quiet, slow, and just what I need to clear out the mish-mash noise of the fast-paced life.  Of course, the fact that my other half lives here probably helps in that department too.

Speaking of slow and quiet, I'm currently having breakfast at one of my favorite spots, New Moon Cafe.  This place embodies what I love about Augusta.  It is an artsy-fartsy kind of place with whimsical art lining the walls and ceilings (everything from butterflies to belly casts).  You'll usually run into a couple of tattoo artists here, surrounded by med students who are cramming for their next final.

On top of the eclectic atmosphere, New Moon also practices the things that I love to preach:  Fair Trade Coffee, composting of food waste (which is given for free back to the public), and quirky cupcakes.  Yes, I said cupcakes.  God knows I love a good cup of Joe, but if I can get a great cupcake to go with it...all of the better.  This morning's specialty is the pork & beans cupcake (kind of like spice cake).

I happened to bypass cupcakes this morning for my regular breakfast here at New Moon (turkey, egg, and swiss with avocado on wheat).  I complimented that with a bold (and I mean put hair on your chest bold) cup of Fair Trade Costa Rican coffee.  The amazing breakfast is complimented by tiles on the floor that remind me of the local restaurant that I used to spend mornings in with my father over 23 years ago, and the sounds of Johnny Cash blaring over the speakers (a favorite of my Grandfather and I when riding in the Winnebago motorhome).  Indeed, it is a beautiful thing to rewind time.

So, with my creative powers reinvigorated, my morning cup of Joe, and what sounds like some bluegrass playing (getting back to my WV roots), I'll leave you with the encouragement to turn back time, find your roots, and marvel at time standing still for a while.