Things We're Willing to Lose

We are three best friends on a mission and journey to find out what other people would be willing to lose, while learning how to conquer the things we want off our own shoulders. People usually only think about the things they never want to lose, now flip your perspective? During the end of July the three of us will be going on a road trip out west, and along the way figuring out healthy ways to let go of the things we want to lose, anywhere from certain feelings, to poetry we despise. We will document our trip here. Thank you and smooth sailing, MJT

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Met this kindred spirit Claudia, on the plane to Chicago. She said physically said she would lose her hair because it's not apart of who she is, although it is apart of her appearance, it isn't apart of who she is inside. And also that she would lose the ability to feel annoyed. And then she told me she would rather have me take a selfie of us together. Thanks for making the plane ride awesome! -t #thingswerewillingtolose #loneadventure #claudiarules

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This is Brooklyn. He had a know awesome bike and said he wants to lose his social anxieties #chitown #thingswerewillingtolose

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Hello from Canada! From left to right, names and what their willing to lose: Ashley-her hand, Ashton-his eyes, Maddy-her ears, Becca-her computer, Meagan- her naïveté. The nice people you meet when you share a picnic table 😘 -j

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Meet the rain gang at Bombay Bicycle Club. Claudia (middle) would be willing to lose her comfort. Alexa or Alexis (to the right) is willing to lose her sanity. Ally (far right) is willing to lose her pinky. I suppose they don't do much anyhow. -j

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Adam from the band Temples said he would be willing to lose his mind. Thanks for the great answer! @_radiognome

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Evan and Eddie. Eddie said he would lose his shoes, and Evan said he would lose his eyes -t #thingswerewillingtolose #lolla

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MichiganAvenue, Chicago. Sammy the artist. "I can't lose anything because all the things that make me miserable and fuck up my life, they're what drives me." #thingswerewillingtolose

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San fermin I'm so excited -t #lala

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Whoever owns this bike I could love and cherish it for you -t #madisonwibikes #olive

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Meet Ron and Christy. Ron said he would like to lose his car, and Christy said, "my insecurities." #UW #thingswerewillingtolose

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Blue moon, made by UW students, and the cows the cows live on campus too -t #UW #roadtrip

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Downtown Madison, Wisconsin Record Shop. -M #thingswerewillingtolose

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Inspiration

My Opa (Grandpa) James R. Nyland and a lot of other humans too, but this ones about Opa.

There are journal entries from when you were in seventh grade about Wall Drug, and South Dakota. How you purchased fire crackers for eight dollars and how you bought a gnome, only later to have a gnome graveyard in the storage area above your garage. That’s where all the bent and broken gnomes get thrown to the side to be pieced together later. You used to pull into our driveway with gnomes strapped into the front seat with circus peanuts for us. A gnome cookie jar was a present one time and my sister and I snuck mini marshmallows into the shopping cart, and when we got home up to the room. We ate them every night and got to them with Liv’s bunk bed ladder. The next time we went to the dentist they gave us the nickname of “The marshmallow ladies.” My mom still thinks it’s the funniest thing.

I read you a story I wrote when I was probably only eleven and I remember you saying, “You’re such a good writer Taylor.” That’s what even still encourages me to be a writer to this day. But I know in whatever field I go into your spirit will be right alongside me encouraging me to do whatever it may be that makes me happy. You sold type writers too at one point in your life much earlier than selling gnomes. I like to think that someday I will be sitting in my house with a nice desk somewhere in a corner, next to a big window, with gnomes about, and a type writer there, and maybe even some fire crackers too. All of these things inspire me in a strange way, but don’t we all get inspired by strange things, moments and people? 

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All I can think about is getting a hoop for my nose, how we are six hundred and thirty seven miles away and how I want to be back in the mountains. That is all I can think about right now. -t

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Love #southdakota

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OLD FARMHOUSE THAT MATTERS STILL. I wrote something about something I lost on this trip and it means a lot check it out on the blog! Link in the bio! -M