‘Season Pilot”
I never really watched a lot of TV throughout my adult life. I’d turn on the occasional Criminal Minds episode and then there was football season, which as a Miami Dolphins fan, was more of a screaming at the TV season. Enter: Corona 19. Suddenly, I found myself literally glued to my couch clicking between the endless streaming subscriptions I had recently acquired. I watched Netflix; all of it. Prime became my new best friend and seriously, where had this fire stick been all my life? My world had now become centered around the next Dutton family blowout and inventing possible scenarios of how flight 828 disappeared for five years. Can you relate? I mean in our defense, we were in lockdown and quarantine. What originally was a temporary measure to flatten the curve became our new normal. What else could we do except stay inside and entertain ourselves with endless hours of binge watching?
Why am I telling you all this? Well let me start by telling you a little about myself and my journey into a new chapter of my life. Most of you don’t know me…that’s ok. You will. Some of you may know me as the mom who booted the system in 2020 by renting the rooftop of a hotel so the high school seniors could have a prom. Or maybe you know me as the creator of the Adopt a Flagler County Senior and Volusia/Flagler Standing together for Community pages on Facebook that I created during what I call “life in the time of Covid.” Nevertheless, here I am about to embark on a new journey. A journey with you. A journey outside the four walls of your living room and away from the remote control.
If you would have told me a year ago that I would be writing this column I would have thought you were nuts. Why in the world would anyone want to hear about my crazy stories? So here’s the deal. I’m a recent empty nester, single, and only weeks away from that number that so lovingly describes midlife. Oh, “bless her heart,” you are probably thinking. Nothing like a triple whammy of unfortunate circumstances. To be honest, it’s not exactly what I envisioned for myself but it is what it is. Don’t worry I’m not looking for a pity party. Actually, I’m looking for exactly the opposite. If I am taking this trip over the hill you can bet I’ll be wearing some red bottom shoes and sporting a Gucci suitcase. I’m giving my couch the eviction notice and grabbing my passport! I mean, who says I can’t take the scenic route? I don’t want the highlight of my day to be The Squid Game or Tiger King or Bird Box (which I am still trying to figure out how to get those wasted hours back). What about you? Don’t you think it’s time to take our lives back? It is time to play the lead in my story and the casting director. I want adventure, romance, action and comedy! I want my chapter 2 to be binge-worthy!
Now this is where YOU come in. I don’t want to participate in this live-streaming series alone! I invite you all to join me as I venture on this road of self discovery. Along the way we will find new adventures together, places to see, things to do and people to meet. Join me on this biweekly exploration of what lies over the hill. Now get heck off the couch and live your best life!
Melodye Lewis is a Friday columnist for Flagler News Weekly giving you something to talk about over lunch.
