In Georgia? when did she go to Georgia?

Interesting has been the first months of 2005. Here I am approaching the middle of it and I'm taking a little mental stock check. I've not been myself, I've not been the "Old Maggi" as referred too by a buddy. Where did she go? When did she leave? Did she remember to turn the coffee maker off? She's been gone for a while more than just in 2005. I think what made me the saddest is that I didn't even notice she was gone. I didn't notice until I was at my wits end that she was gone. I missed her. No, I mourned her, I'd been in mourning for 8 months. I couldn't sit and mourn her anymore. I needed to find her/me. I was weighted down by under this coat I'd put on myself - a coat woven from tension and anger with a scratchy lining of bitter and worry. This coat didn't match any I owned, it didn't match me. But I had to go, i had to uncover my eyes and find that point on the path where I left her behind.

Tour de Georgia - I bailed out at least 10 times. Here was an invite to be present and work for an amazing event and I was nervous about going. It made me sick to think about it - so I knew I had to go. Went by myself, knew not a soul, bought the ticket and just went. That is something the Old Maggi would do and the Current Maggi would find something to bitch out.

*Note: the 'old' in Old Maggi does not refer to age thank you very much - I look good for 33 =) I get carded

It's Saturday, dad is taking me to the airport. "Ciao Pop, see you in 10 days" "Bye Maggi, have fun and be careful, huh?"
Airtran bumps me up to business for $35 and I'm seated by the window waiting for take off, which used to give me the shakes, but today, no shakes, I'm calm. No grumpy, no "this plane smells", no "how qualified is that pilot".
The Stewardess asks if I'd like a drink "Coffee, please"...

PING!

I have no real plan for this adventure, no set arrangements, i don't have to ride my bike for a billion miles, I don't have to wear a God awful taffeta dress, no meetings, no fundraising. I don't have any real control over what is about to happen to me.... I'm free... I'm not in charge... I'm not obsessing over an agenda... feels like the coat came off...


You know that feeling, the first Warm sunny day in March, you go outside and the sun washes over your skin. It's been hidden, protected, locked way, but now that warm warm wash. That tingly feeling...

"On second thought, vodka tonic, please - I'm on vacation." She smiled. Boy that was a tasty beverage - no Grey Goose but a girl's gotta adapt, you know?

The adventure begins and lo and behold, Old Maggi begins to appear and apparently she was in Georgia - how she got there? I don't know, I don't remember sending her there, she didn't even leave a note (how rude). But I found her, I found me- at a cycling race in some of the most beautiful mountains and sweetest towns and among the charming residents of the Great State of Georgia. I met so many people, I took chances, I spoke from my heart and mind, I learned so much, I had patience again, I had thirst again.

It's good to be back =)