As I previously mentioned, artists are flocking to New Orleans. My new artist friend, Skinny Chef (aka Mary Kate), likened the city to a blank slate, a place where great art is rising from the ashes of Katrina. We met Skinny Chef and her partner Flux Rostrum, down on the Bio Liberty compound in Slidell. They are moving to NOLA, to further her art, and expand Flux’s mobile broadcasting studio’s capabilities.

Meeting people like these two are what makes this journey so worthwhile. Back in our previous lives, when Jim and I were stuck in our cubicles and living the daily grind, venturing out and meeting new people was rare; life just got in the way. For example, Skinny Chef lived in San Francisco during the same timeframe that I did, and even worked for one branch of the same organization that I did, but we never once crossed paths.

It wasn’t until Jim and I hit the road, and opened ourselves up to the possibilities of what the universe can bring our way, did Skinny Chef and I finally meet in person.

I was sad to say goodbye to her, but she reassured me; “I know we’ll cross paths again,” she said. “We seem to be moving in the same circles.”