Jonathan Field - Maker of Random Stuff

Even though I was very tired, it took me a while to get to sleep last night. I probably didn’t go under until 3:30 AM. But once I did fall asleep I slept well. I woke up at 8:00 sharp as Donna and Alan began preparing some breakfast. I had some of Alan’s super healthy breakfast paste… a blend of oats, wheat bran, and pumpkin seeds. Mixed with a touch of jam I actually liked it. Also had some yogurt and toast.

I take a shower in the modest facilities; there isn’t that much water pressure since the hot water comes “on demand” through a small heater and so it can’t be turned up. But it works well enough and I feel a little refreshed.

We loaded up the car with a few machines and parts and headed out.

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So for the first several days, I didn’t post because I didn’t have an internet connection. I wrote a lot, though. Now that I’ve got a connection, I wonder how much I should post. See, the problem at this point is that everything is novel, so I write an average of 4000 words per night (yes, this takes a long time). It’s just a brain dump; not well written, unfiltered. But at the suggestion of a friend I am going to try posting the first day anyways. Here it is:

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(Update: This post was originally dated March 15. I’ve redated the Africa posts so that the posting date coincides with the day described by the text, not the day I posted it. Confusing? Don’t worry about it. Just know that I post about a week after the day described, to give me some wiggle room for delays in writing. Okay, we’re good now. Carry on.)

I apologize for the lack of posting during this exciting time, but I don’t really have internet access at the moment. Right now I’m using a neighbor’s computer through dial-up! All is well, and I plan to have my own connetion soon…

It’s another world over here. And I am alive and well.

(written en route from Atlanta to Dakar)

The last week before I took off I must admit that my efforts at the office were minimal. It wasn’t intended as a slight, and I hope it isn’t viewed as slacking off on the way out. It was mainly because I compressed my departure schedule too much and had to cram so much in.

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(written en route from Boston to Atlanta)

In the past few weeks, I left behind an excellent job, sold off the vast majority of my possessions, and flew immediately away. I am technically homeless and unemployed now, sitting on a plane from Boston to Atlanta, my last stop before leaving the country for two months. I am just now getting a moment to consider what I’m doing and adjust. It will take a while to adjust. I think writing it down will help.

First: the job…

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I just arrived in Johannesburg after about 30 hours of transit, bed to bed. Yes, I’m posting from bed… I’ve got wireless in a rather nice little motel just outside the airport. In Kempton Park, actually, not in Johannesburg proper.

It’s dark here already and I think I’ll sleep one good night before driving 200 miles on the left side of the road through unfamiliar countryside. This post is short on content and impressions, but I just wanted everyone to know I’m well. I’ve got several long posts looking back at the past few weeks stored up that I’m going to post now…

Oh, and I reposted a song I recorded in the middle of February. Not sure why I took it down the first time.

Wow… what a crazy ass couple weeks it has been since I last posted! I managed, with much help from Sophie, her mom, and several friends from Zappos, to actually get the house all cleared out. When I left (after a 36 hour no-sleep moving/cleaning fest) the only thing left was a small pile of shoes and tools in the garage. Sophie’s mom said she’d take care of that as she dropped me off at the airport. So I think it all ends up as a success.

Now I’m here in Boston… hanging with my sister and Erik. I haven’t actually adjusted yet… it’s only been a weekend since I took off, so I feel just as connected to everything as I did last week. I don’t know how long it’ll be until I feel like I’m actually in a new chapter.

Lots I’d like to post about, but I’ll do that later…