Island Life

Things that do not get old living on an island: the views and that warm clear water.

Things that do get old living on an island: all the rest.

Our swimming spot.

Literally the moon.

Just looking out the window.

What exactly are these skies doing??

Come on, Nature.

Stop it.

Just stop it right now.

I know, I am a spoiled asshole. I have been my entire life. And I want to smack my own face. But I'm gonna say it: island life is hard.

Sure, being able to take your half finished drink with you when you're done eating is amazing. The smell of the rain is intoxicating. The afternoon dips to cool off are pure therapy. 

But the loneliness is achy. The struggle to find something interesting that makes you leave the house is real. The cost of groceries is staggering... $8 for Triscuits, guys... and the unreliability of them is frustrating. And even though I love Mack, not having a way to get out of each other's sight is maddening.

It's been a year since we made the move to island life. Given the fuck shit stack that was 2020-2021, living on an island whose temperature is always 82 was some quiet constant that my soul needed. Each day feels like a month, yet somehow we get half as much done. 

Which is good, because there is nothing to do so you gotta spread that stuff out.

The times we've had visitors has made this place perfection. But then they leave and it's just us and here and, well, I started therapy it's that bad. So is my hair. 

Good vibes only. Except Mala.

Pure medicine. Especially in her giggle.

My daughter-sister. 

A couple other Covid runaways.

The Queen of Open Water

The co-inventor of Rail Racing!

The Griswolds even made it, despite a flight cancellation and Covid test requirements!

Chungus loved drinking that salty water.

Tater probably would've swam home if we'd let him. 

I have been trying to get connected to this place so it feels like home, but even after a year together, there's friction between us. I can't figure it out. I hate myself for that, because it really is so amazing. The critters are everywhere, providing constant and delightful entertainment. But somehow, even though I've seen a damn octopus in the wild, it's not enough to fill the void.

I've met no fewer than 100 baby chicks. 

These guys do pushups on the balcony, and I'm like, guys, stop, I'm married.

Donkeys! Also there are goats!

Oh, this is my friend. We've hung out a couple times.

Another buddy. You can just see the annoyance on his face. 

Luckily he only likes to eat the stuff on the bottom.

Oh hi, you killed Steve. On accident. I get it. 

Another casual lunch with a dinosaur.

I have found a few awesome people to spend time with. Really, they found me and didn't give up on me after a few shy encounters. They live a couple doors down, cook curried lentils like pros, and are so generous that they let me cling to them like family. 

Afternoon cocktails on the porch with the mayor.

And drunch with this power couple.

I'm a person who needs to put down roots, to put energy into something and be rewarded by watching it grow over time. I can't seem to get anything to root to, to anchor myself. Maybe it's because we come and go a lot. Maybe it's because there's no dirt around my condo... it's all rocks and water. Being a tiny life nomad requires you to neglect things a lot, either due to time or space, which makes me feel like nothing that takes a personal investment is worth doing. In other news, it's also forced me to find clever band-aids. Like, now I know an embroidery hobby will fit in a gallon-size baggie. But I don't want to put things I enjoy in a baggie and leave them behind. I want them to surround me all the time and take up space and see how they change over time. 

Then these rainbows show up, and are you really whining about life on an island, you idiot? Look what time does to them. They appear out of nowhere, change, grow, disappear, reappear, double in size, and capture the attention of everyone who sees them, forcing us all to stand still and look up at them in amazement. If only they could hug me, make me laugh, and give me something to do... that's what I need more than anything.

Life on the sunny side

Home-ish sweet home-ish