This blog is now live. I set up the web site a while ago and slowly added other pieces and content.

However, I also kept it hidden so that it wouldn’t inadvertently show up on a Google search, particularly before I had an approved finalized plan or had communicated to my team at work. However at this point my LOA is more officially in place and we’ve started communication with affected parties.

In addition to letting the blog go live, I’ve also worked to get a few things wrapped up:

• I have arranged with friends in the neighborhood to have my townhouse with a house sitter. This means I’ve moved things into storage and started getting everything cleaned and packed. There is still more to do, but made a dent to start everything. I expect this to be hectic until the departure day. I’ve also hired a company to do a more thorough “move out cleaning” than I would do.
• Temporarily forwarded my mail to a mail drop where I can read it while on the road. Service lets incoming mail be scanned. Also set up some sensitive mail areas to be online only. Otherwise also looked at what bills/services I can stop before I go.
• Donated a bunch of things to Goodwill that make more sense to donate than pay to store. Also a good chance at some downsizing. Do I really need those 50+ shirts I accumulated over the years or that box of things still in the box from my last trip.
• Got the annual hair cut. Once a year, whether I need it or not.
• Stopped by the Texas State Capitol, photo above and route below – just to get an initial capitol.
• Also created a facebook page that will include blog posts so someone can “follow” if Facebook is their normal medium

It will be hectic until the end but nice to get all this set up for departure.

While recently launched, this trip been in the planning for a while. I got the domain gone2look4america.com (which forwards here) in 2019, made my first post to this blog in 2020, finalized an idea of doing US capitols in later 2022 and picked a six month duration in March 2023. Nice to have it close to starting.

The Texas state capitol is pictured above in Austin. Haven’t quite figured when I’ll count it in my “capitols visited” list so won’t quite yet.