The Final Edition
Who would have thought? I never did.
In 2020, I took the pandemic personally. Yes, I can be an absurd kind of person at times. But dammit, how dare the world’s midlife crisis interfere with my own? I worked hard for it! I earned it! I was eagerly awaiting the first flight to Poland that would then take me to Italy, Greece and beyond.
Then, there I was, in an empty house that was supposed to be sold, watching red dots of hot spots bloom across Europe and the world. Plan A was in the toilette.
As I was disconnecting from my old life, the world was disconcerting from everything.
I started writing again. Facebook posts at first and then columns. It was something I could do to help others, and myself. I also started reading. Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charley” inspired me, along with Into the Wild and Calvin & Hobbes.
I set off on a journey, an odyssey. I kept writing and posting, showing and talking about an America that will never be seen again. All 50 states, 152 days on the road, close to 40,000 miles and lots of coffee as I dived into America and myself.
I first self-published a collection of the columns, just as a “for friends and family” type thing. Then, other people got involved. A graphic designer, an editor and an English professor.
There were a few dozen rewrites, a hundred or so dives into design and layout, and now I have a book that chronicles 2020.
A reviewer on Amazon summed it best I think. No, it was not my mom.
“Beautifully written memoir takes us into a personal and cultural journey!
The author connects his personal struggle with depression to the broader Covid American landscape. It’s an inspiring journey and one many of us will relate to!”
The book and eBook are now available on Amazon.
An expanded Visual Odyssey, including more pictures and videos, are available on my website. I even made a few movies.
The book: https://a.co/d/0ggJM2S
The Expanded Visual Journey: https://thechrischronicles.com/a-visual-companion/
The movie! https://youtu.be/_C-EdgrZTys
The movie prologue: https://youtu.be/iXQdq02vpBc