So every once in awhile I get hit hard by wanderlust. It’s not so much a travel-bug-y feeling as it is a “I’m restless and want to go do something crazy!” feeling. It hangs around now and then but usually fades away before I get around to jumping out of a plane or anything.
This time, though, it really seems to be sticking around.
And for once, I’m pretty sure I’ve come up with the perfect response…a way to appease the wanderlust. It’s such a simple solution, really: BECOME A ROADIE!
And not just any roadie…but a roadie for my favorite band ever: NEEDTOBREATHE.
This is from a NEEDTOBREATHE concert last fall…when the first seeds of my roadie dream were planted…
You guys, their new album, Rivers in the Wasteland, is just the most perfect piece of musical wonderfulness ever. I love it more than I can say. And I just happen to have tickets to two of their shows NEXT WEEK! So really, this is all perfect timing.
But I can’t decide. Is this a reasonable life decision? I mean, clearly it’s crazy, but I happen to like crazy. And there’s no reason I can’t write books while traveling, right?
To help myself out, I did what any rational person considering becoming a roadie would do. I created pro and con lists.
Only problem: so far the lists are tied!!
So this is where you come in. Review the lists. Make my decision for me. To be a roadie? Or not to be a roadie? Please weigh-in in the comments.
What pros and cons am I missing? What should I do??
And do you ever get hit by wanderlust?
*****
p.s. Tomorrow night Bethany House Publishers is hosting their regular Book Banter event on Facebook, this time with me as the featured author. We’ll be chatting about writing and life as well as giving away copies of my latest release, Here to Stay. Plus, get a sneak peek at the cover for my next book! Book Banter details and RSVP here. Hope to see you there!
Comments 28
I think you should go for it! The pros outweigh the cons by far! Be a roadie! It could be inspiration for your next bestselling book! 🙂
Author
You make a good point! Totally inspiration for the next book… 🙂
Melissa!
We only live this life once! Too bad you can’t do a combo!
Hugs.
Alena
Author
I know! I just want to do too many things. 🙂 Hugs!
Hi Melissa, I think the travel part would be fun! Live your dream and go for it!
Author
I know, the travel would be amazing. I was mostly joking with this post, but when I think about it seriously, it sounds fabulously fun.
Hey, Kiddo, you’re already living your dream. lol. On the other hand…Go to the concert. Use your press credentials to get a pass backstage and see if they’ll take you on. No, wait. Go to the concert, but don’t go backstage. They would probably take you up on your offer and you’d be on the road in not time. See, you’re not the only indecisive one around here.
Author
LOL I love your indecisiveness. See, I think I could continue to live my writing dream while being a roadie. So maybe I should follow your advice and nab some press credentials. “Hey guys, I really have no idea how to set up stage equipment or help run sound or anything like that, but I’m nice. Can I join your crew?” 🙂
Pray first and discern God’s will. If you feel He gives you the green light, by all means— do it! Who knows, maybe the roadie thing is a test of faith. 🙂
Author
Well, I was mostly joking BUT really, prayer and discernment is smart when it comes to feelings of restlessness. It’s hard to know at times when feeling restless whether it’s just a passing phase or God saying, “Get ready, something new is coming…”
Con list #3- what do I do with my life when not on tour? Ummm… move to Waterloo and hang out with me! Obviously! Then that makes your con list one shorter and your pro list one longer- just make sure you can get me lots of tickets! See you when you move in across the street and when you are on tour!
Author
Haha we’ve had this Waterloo discussion SO many times. As much as I love you, I’ve just never had much desire to move to Waterloo. However, should I decide to throw all caution to the wind and just follow Needtobreathe around the country whenever they’re touring, and should this life choice NOT result in me going completely broke so that I could somehow afford the house across the street from you that you want me to buy, well, then I will consider it. 🙂
Okay, here’s some food for thought. Do your list in reverse.
If you stay home, will you regret this (probably) one chance in life when you could feasibly go on the road?
If you go on the road, will you regret not being home?
Which would you regret more? That may help you clarify.
Too, just to muddy the waters more, who says if you start on the road trip, you have to complete it? Just start and come back home if you need to. 🙂 Okay, I just gave my opinion…I didn’t mean to, but it sounds like fun!!
Author
You make good points, Mary. There generally comes a point in life when you can’t just take off on crazy road trips anymore. So it’s good to snag the opportunities when they come along. Now, mostly I am just joking about becoming a roadie, but I dunno…maybe I really should do this. Why not, right?
When it involves Needtobreathe the answer is always yes!! I will neither confirm or deny that I bought tickets for their Austin concert as well as the VIP package so I could meet them. 😉
Author
LOL I will neither confirm nor deny that I’m going to one concert next Tuesday night, then roadtripping to Chicago just a few days later to see them again. I feel like I will never adequately be able to express how much I adore their music. I’m a little jealous that you get to meet them…could you please tell them there’s a girl in Iowa who would make a really good addition to their crew?
We are kindred spirits for sure!! I’d totally see them more than once too, maybe I’ll make this happen! I’ll let them know for sure, but that’s if I’m able to make a coherent sentence in their presence.
Author
Good luck forming a coherent sentence! I can see where that’d be a wee bit challenging…lol!
I think the choice here is very clear. OF COURSE!!! You should definitely become a roadie for needtobreathe!!! And in so doing, you should help all of your friends (namely, me) get to meet them. 🙂 Because, really, your number 6 on the pros list could be three separate items. So it’s clear that that pro list FAR outweighs the cons. And you can add to the pros list that you’d get to see friends from across the country while on tour (like say, me). Plus, lugging round all that heavy equipment is way better and less boring than a gym workout. I think your decision is made. 🙂 (P.S. I’m super-jealous that you get to see them next week. They’re not coming to my neck of the woods until September, and my patience is waning. Enjoy the shows! I adore Rivers in the Wasteland. Lovely album! But The Outsiders might still be my favorite.)
Author
Oh my goodness, you are SO right about #6 technically counting as three separate items. Thus, the pros clearly win. And like you said, getting to see friends around the country is also a mega pro.
I love The Outsiders too. Rivers in the Wasteland is my new all-time favorite album of any album by any band ever (not even exaggerating), but I do love me some Outsiders. Girl Named Tennessee makes me so ridiculously happy.
Melissa, as much as this post is (probably?) hypothetical I had an opportunity to do something like this a loooong time ago when I was 21. I left my job, flew to the States from NZ and went on the road for 6 weeks. It was awesome! I’ll never forget it; God did some amazing things in my life. So, I’d say go for it! Besides, NTB are one of my favorite bands. Aside from the great songs you’ve mentioned, ‘Garden’ tugs at my heart strings every time.
Author
Haha yes it was mostly hypothetical and the result of restless wishful thinking (and probably the fact that I’ve listened to NTB constantly since their new album came out)…but why not see what possibilities could be out there, right? And wow, that NZ trip sounds amazing! While I know it’s true that God can work in our hearts in the most mundane, everyday stuff, it seems like getting outside our regular life and stepping into something new and adventurous opens us up more to seeing what he’s doing.
And oh yes, Garden…such a wonderful song.
My daughter recently got back from Andrea’s trip in reverse, 3 months in AU and NZ and she had the time of her life and is already talking about the next adventure. Or…will you end up like your characters in Here to Stay and discover that doing it on your own just isn’t where it’s at. Wait! Are you really Autumn?!
Author
Oh my goodness, that trip sounds amazing, Sandra!
I am, in very many ways, Autumn. But I’m also very much Blake. So those two characters sorta represent my own internal conflict of wanting to traipse around the country (or the world) while also wanting to settle down near the people I love.
You are hilarious! Looks like you’ll have to stay put for the sake of your plants!
Author
I know, those dumb plants, holding me back… lol!
But… we’d miss you. Because, let’s face it, if you did become a roadie, you’d not have as much time to blog about possibly becoming a roadie. 😉
Author
Haha, this is very possibly very true. OR I’d blog more than ever because I’d have such fun stuff to blog about!