Sometimes its rainbows.
Sometimes its sunshine.
Really though, most of the time it isnt. By most definitions this is not paradise. Sunnier than NY, sure. What is paradise though? Certainly its different to everyone. Maine is not paradise, not to me. As far as I am concerned, paradise does not exist in any civilized area of this planet. Thus one could conclude that uncivilized areas paradise could be found. Could be. And maybe someday that is where I will go. Despite how far Ive distanced myself from the civilized world, I have plenty farther to go. Part of it is to see that I can do it, another part of it is I grow weary of day by day life.
There lies the road less (not) traveled. Where does it go? What is it like? Is there any one there? There is nothing to see at least from here. Perhaps a peek around the corner will suffice. No. It never does. Ill never stop searching, that is why it is not paradise here.
I dont want to find paradise. Thats the truth of the matter. The bugs are horrendous here. Black flies come out in swarms for a month. Ticks plague your daily existence. Mosquitos. Oh the mosquitos.
Its late summer. The sun sets. They come out. You hide indoors. You fall asleep to the hum of the hordes. I often drift asleep thinking about what if, what if I got stuck outside after sundown. Surely Id never stop running. But what if I was injured and stuck outside? With the thousands on my window screen next to my bed, I can only imagine the scenarios.
At least the screen stops the mosquitos. Biting midges (noseeums) pass through most screens, burrowing their way into your skin as you try to sleep. You rarely get a break. Deer flies lock onto you like a heat seeking missle during the daytime, often leaving a welt the size of a golf ball. I repeat, it is not paradise here.
You do what you can. I collected my daily ticks in a jar. On the summer solstice I put the jar in the bonfire and made the biggest fire Ive made yet, wishing for them to disappear.
As the summer heat comes on they do disappear eventually. Only to resurface next year, looking for my hairline, armpit, crotch and even my bellybutton.
The weather forecast is always wrong. More wrong than your average one. Summer time sees 50 degree swings daily. 40s in the morning 90s in the evening. Dress appropriately.
Its easy to glamorize, fantasize, focus on the positives. Maine is no paradise. Granted theres many different regions. I wholeheartedly believe that freedom, true freedom, only exists where people do not. There is always someone trying to tax you, impose their beliefs, annoy the shit out of you, and generally just be a bother. We are now experiencing what some call small town politics. Moving to a small population area has its benefits, however its easy (now) to see the racket the town has set up with its tax system and more people on payroll than in a town of ten times its size. And they are related...joy.
Dont mistake me, I do like it here. There are more pros than cons compared to where I come from. I cant go back to a life where the outdoors cant be my urinal, I cant shoot shit anytime I want and be so restricted by a set of laws that clearly only have one purpose. But its not enough. Its never enough.
Calvin sums it up best. Come visit! Theres bugs, incase I havent mentioned it.
