There’s good reason for the extended silence from the Bearded Mug camp: it picked up and moved over the last three months.
My family and I knew our former home was not going to be the forever one. Space was limited and there wasn’t room on the property to expand - previous owners had already done that. And while the neighborhood was lovely, as were most of the neighbors, the high traffic corner we lived on provided an endless stream of unsolicited sounds from strangers screeching through. While I refuse to be the ‘get off my lawn’ guy, I won’t hesitate to holler at some inconsiderate human disregarding the residential speed limit, however futile it was.
Regardless of all that, our plan was to hold out for another five to seven years before we started searching for a permanent residence. Until of course this place came to us in an odd sort of way. It was nearly three months of packing, prepping and stressing, but in the end it all worked out.
So here I am, typing away at my usual computer, on my familiar desk, looking out into a wooded scene in a dedicated office space. No more splitting a room 90/10 in favor of the kids’ play space. It’s still very surreal. And far from set up.
Yes, I have my bookshelves to the right of me and they’re still stuffed with unread magazines. And to my six sits my 6-drawer Ikea dresser packed with t-shirts and not much else. Atop it my barely used Xbox One I bought from an eBay sale just before my daughter was born - three years ago. I think I’ve fired that up more times in the last month than I had in the three years I’ve owned it. Oh, and my Playstation 2 is also up and running, with Gran Turismo spinning its disc like it’s 1998 again.
The basement houses my extensive diecast collection that is mostly in bins and boxes. As time permits, I’m going to be culling that down to a more manageable size, making sure to only sell the pieces that will be exchanged for cash and not regrets - I’ve done that once before and it still makes me sad. I’m having a bit of an existential collecting crisis that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
I’m looking forward to spring, not only because the car shows will hopefully return (I’m already booked for Amelia and making final plans for Cavallino), but because we’ll be able to play outside with the kids in a yard made for running long distances in straight lines, not circles. Even though my son isn’t walking yet, he’s really starting to interact more with my daughter and it’s just the best. If only we can bottle up those genuine giggles, the world would be a happier place.
And where does that leave Bearded Mug Media? Once I get settled, I’ll get back to posting on a more regular basis. I miss connecting with everyone and sharing the images I’ve taken over the years. I’m still looking for that balance between work, family and other work, but at least now I don’t have to worry about moving anytime soon. I’m never doing that again.