I just came back from spending a few days in Dallas, Texas, for a work trip, and although I didn’t get to see much of the city, I’m certainly glad I went.
Over the course of my professional career as a journalist and a consultant, and also for other personal trips and such, I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of America. Over the past decade I’ve been to the West Coast several times, including Seattle, L.A. (twice), San Diego (four times) and San Francisco (three times).
I’ve also been I just came back from spending a few days in Dallas, Texas, for a work trip, and although I didn’t get to see much of the city, I’m certainly glad I went.
Over the course of my professional career as a journalist and a consultant, and also for other personal trips and such, I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of America. Over the past decade I’ve been to the West Coast several times, including Seattle, L.A. (twice), San Diego (four times) and San Francisco (three times).
I’ve also been to Las Vegas a few times, Salt Lake City and Denver. I lived in Tempe, Arizona for about six months, so I’ve been to Phoenix many times, as well as taken multiple trips to Flagstaff, Sedona, Tucson and the Grand Canyon. I’ve been to Hawaii, and Chicago (twice), passed through Albuquerque a few times, as well as Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Tera Houte, Indiana. I’ve made stops in Toledo, Ohio, as well as Columbus, and then further south to Dallas and Houston.
Up and down the East Coast I’ve been to Vermont, Boston and Philly, and taken many, many trips to Washington, DC, and Baltimore. I’ve also been to Atlanta, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, and went to school in Buffalo, NY, so I passed a few times through Albany, Binghamton and Syracuse.
I’ve never been to Alaska, but I’d like to. Never made it to Cleveland, Cincinnati or Pittsburgh. I’ve also never spent time in St. Louis or San Antonio, Austin or Santa Fe, and not Portland, Oregon either, but I sure hope to get there. Never been to Louisville or Memphis, Charlotte or Mertyle Beach. Not Jacksonville or Orlando. Not Key West or Tampa. Missed New Orleans before it got wrecked, haven’t seen Mt. Rushmore or Montana, or been to Minneapolis or Indianapolis.
The reason I go through this list is that, the more places in America I visit, the more places I want to visit. And I find that it inspires me both as a writer and as a person. From a writer’s perspective, traveling not only gives me more experience to draw upon, but also reminds me of the connective tissue that links us all together, helping me to create characters that could exist anywhere, and bring them to life.
America is a great and vast place, and I hope I get to see as much of it as I can before I kick off this crazy planet.
Seeing more of America, touching the ground there, meeting the people … it helps make me feel more whole, because when I look at a map and point to the places I’ve been and all the places I’d like to go, it helps me feel like I’m a part of it. That my spirit, that my … energy, is soaked into the fabric of it all.
So now I’ve been to Dallas and maybe I’ll go back some day. But even if I don’t, there’s a part of me out there, and little part of it in me.
It isn’t always glamorous and it isn’t always easy or fun, but it sure makes an impression if you let it.
There’s a lot of good stuff out there. And I want to see it all.
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