Travel Blog

Wednesday evening I came home to find a large envelope propped against the door. Opening it up, I found the October issue of the Smithsonian inside. Turning to page 76, I saw my article about walking the Kiso Road in Japan. I looked at it with joy, but also a little sadness.

I took the trip last November; the story had been assigned in June. It was my first success with a magazine my neighbors had heard of. So for over a year, when people asked how the freelancing was going, I mentioned the Smithsonian. And that invariably ended the questioning. The name carried so much weight that it satisfied all curiosity. Nobody asked what other work I was getting. Though people I saw regularly would sometimes inquire about the status of my National Geographic story.

Now I have only a month and a half - till the end of October - to continue citing the Smithsonian as the mark of my success. Though if nothing else impressive comes along, I guess I can always say, when people ask how it's going, "I had a piece in the Smithsonian." At least until Christmas.