My daughter has a nice big globe sitting on her desk. When I venture in her room, I frequently sit on her desk and spin the globe. Over the weekend, I was sitting on her desk chatting and unconsciously spinning the globe. I stopped the spin near my home town in Texas. I jabbed my finger there and had a good look.

I grew up in a place where you spend most of your childhood thinking of ways to get the hell outta there. Well, here I am sitting on a desk on the opposite side of the globe. On the side of a mountain near Melbourne, Australia. Saying “G’day Mate” and driving on the wrong side of the road.

I now find myself often thinking of the family and friends back in my hometown. I think that it wouldn’t be so bad to be back in that little town again. I think that I’d love for my children to grow up with their cousins, aunts, uncles, second cousins, and … hell, basically everyone in the town, close to them.

But, we’re still here. On the other side. What keeps us in the land of parrots and animals with pouches? It’s hard to describe. I think it’s lifestyle, career, my wife’s parents in Sydney and … money. It’d take a wad of cash to move and re-establish back home. And … there’s something about living in the land of Oz. Something magical that I just can’t describe. Maybe it’s a a real fantasy land for a fella from a small town in Texas. I dunno. One day, I’ll go back home. Until then … I’ll be Down Under.