Remember how I mentioned that being a nomad is not fun…well, I forgot to mention that it can be fun to be a nomad if you pretend like you are a pioneer.
When I was applying to graduate schools and so many friends and colleagues suggested that I look at IU, I thought “Indiana?” I had never considered moving to Indiana before. I am not sure that I had ever even considered Indiana. But all good adventures that begin with mystery, suspense, and the unknown are likely to end in a fantastic surprise. I did fail to mention, until now of course, that I chose Indiana University sight unseen. But upon researching the MLIS programs and attributes, I dove right in and swam to the Indiana shores…er, by land. If you could see the field next to my new living space, you might believe that I could swim through the land [see the second image on this post to see if you can see it].
So, I packed up everything (including the things that I do want and more of those that I do not) and I forced family members (under pain of severe scowling) to help me move across many miles. During the move, all involved became ill due to my brother to helping us load up our covered wagon. You see, when he arrived to help, he had some illness similar to the plague, I believe.
In any case, all of the illness may have been for the better because I hardly remember the hardships that we may have incurred during the move. Okay, so the hardships were mostly due to gas prices and falling down at a rest stop, which resulted in a skinned knee, bumped head, and tearful wallet…but they were harsh.
I kept reminding my crew that things could be much worse. We had excellent weather, no pirates, no broken items (not including my smoking, flaming television), and we arrived before the floods. Yes, Indiana flooded all around us the week after we arrived, but we never saw anything larger than a huge puddle where we live. And I am ever so grateful! As I unpacked, I found many of those unneeded items, repacked them in my wagon and donated them to help those less fortunate than us. I never realized how much clothing, sheets, and barbies that I had! Did I not do this just a year ago? I thought I had given all of my unnecessary prized collections away already!
Remember that if you are going to be a nomad, adventurer, or pioneer, you must decrease your amount of accumulated items before you venture out into the wilderness.
Anyway, as we traveled many miles through fields, over hills of stone and confusing highways in large cities, I could not help but become lit with the flame of excitement. Even though I had to keep relighting my flame due to my battling the plague-like illness that was blowing the excitement out, it never went out for long.
Through Illinois, the yellow flowered fields brought us all into the rolling, flowered and forested hills of Indiana: the new place that I will call home until my nomadic feet take me elsewhere. And I must say that I am quite content to settle here until I am pulled elsewhere. The friendly people, tales of Abraham Lincoln, the amazing topography, the brilliant libraries, the great IU, the plethora of bicycle accommodations, the lake that looks like a dragon, 
and the state of ataraxia that I am in here are worth every penny, every hardship, and every mile I expended (and recommended others to expend) to get here.
I will never underestimate what seems like the middle of nowhere again. And I will forever be proud to attend a university that rhymes Indiana with Frangipana! That was NOT sarcasm; I swear!
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