Let me step back and give a little backstory for those of you who don’t know us.
First, I hope you have all heard of Jeanne Robertson. If not, I’m truly sorry—you have missed out on one of life’s great gifts. Jeanne always referred to her husband as “Left Brain,” while she proudly identified as “Right Brain.” That concept alone should tell you exactly where this story is going.
Trust me when I say this: I am 100% left brain. There is no doubt. No debate. No peer review needed. And it drives Dawn crazy approximately 100% of the time. You would think after 34 years she would know better. But here we are.
For those unfamiliar, left-brain people are logical, detail-oriented, structured, and firmly believe emotions have no business being involved in decision-making. We prefer facts, numbers, rules, timelines, and contingency plans. I am also an ENTJ according to Myers-Briggs, which basically means “project manager with opinions.”
Dawn, on the other hand, is perfectly happy to wake up on a random Saturday morning and say something completely reasonable like, “Let’s go to St. Louis today.”
My response, of course, is equally reasonable:
“What? That’s a two-hour drive. We didn’t discuss this. Where are we eating? What stores are you going to? I haven’t checked the tire pressure. What’s the weather forecast? Have you looked at traffic? Parking? A plan? An alternate plan?”
That sound you hear is nails on a chalkboard to a left-brain person.
I suppose you can blame the Marines. Or over 30 years in computer security and cyber crimes—22 of those years teaching—where one small mistake had major repercussions. When your entire career is built around “What could go wrong?” you stop believing in spontaneous road trips.
Now back to camping.
On January 1st, many of the campgrounds we like open reservations for the entire year. Naturally, this is a major event. I spent—no exaggeration—three full days reviewing dates. Also, many holidays fall on Saturdays and Sundays this year, which is critical information. See? Looking ahead pays off.
I had four separate three- to four-day vacation windows mapped out. Because of this meticulous planning, I was able to jump online and book our favorite campsites quickly and efficiently.
And yes—before anyone asks—Dawn was involved in approving the dates. I am left-brain, not suicidal.
Some of you may have noticed that I’m hosting a meet-and-greet for the group September 16–20 at Shawnee Forest Campground. This was not a casual decision. It is nine months away, which is basically tomorrow in left-brain time.
I have checked the campground page and the events tab at least 100 times to see if anyone has questions or comments. Dawn, meanwhile, says, “Settle down. If people have questions, they’ll ask.”
How do people go through life so carefree?
So if you see way too many posts about the meet-and-greet—at any hour of the day or night—just know it’s not anxiety.
It’s simply my left brain. Or my ENTJ. Or both working overtime while Dawn sleeps peacefully, knowing it will all work out.
And after 34 years… she’s probably right.
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