Ambassadors Log: Stardate 2026.81

Captain Amy ordered Chief Science Officer Reason to take command of the GMS Coastal Voyager’s bridge, while she and a group of ensigns assisted Ambassador Genome with what he described as “mitigating circumstances” created by a series of “emergency errands” to appease the mysterious Ms. Wonder.

The Bridge: Pre-Flight Jitters

The mission profile sounded deceptively simple: navigate the Wilmington Sector, withdraw cash from the Harris Teeter ATM, secure lemon balm tea at Lovey’s, and acquire no-waste birdseed at the Wild Birds nebula.

“We still have time to film some B-roll, Cowboy,” Captain Amy said, adjusting her uniform as we boarded the Ambassador’s personal shuttle, Wind Horse. “The production crew is filming near Flaming Amy’s, and I’m the queen of distraction. I’ll distract security while you sneak onto the set.”

The plan jolted me into remembering that another film project was already underway in Wilmawood—and I hadn’t made a single attempt to document it. I sighed and asked the replicator for a double cappuccino. As I looked around the docking bay, it struck me that the junior officers all looked younger and happier than I did.

“My life sucks, Amy.”

“What are you complaining about, Cowboy? Your life could be a prime-time sitcom," Amy replied. "There's nothing more entertaining." 

The Transit: Cool Change Turbulence

Once aboard, we jumped to warp, at least that's the lingo we use. In truth, we just rolled down the windows of Wind Horse and turned up Little River Band’s “Cool Change” until the fillings in my teeth vibrated like they were on the verge of structural failure.

As we followed Ocean Highway toward the Memorial Bridge, Ensign Doubt asked, “Ambassador, are you sure about this route? What if the bridge is up? What if the empty port and lack of cargo ships mean a localized vacuum collapse?”

“Ignore her,” Amy said. “By the time we reach Drift Coffee, you’ll be ecstatic. It’s Federation law.”

The Intercept: Wild Birds and Pillow Lips

Outside the Wild Birds nebula, a departing lifeform warned us about a species inside, describing them as having “enormous, puffy, red-smeared pillow lips.” He summed it up with, “I thought they might explode.”

That color description put us on immediate alert; in the Federation, that particular red was reserved exclusively as a warning of imminent danger. Amy hailed Major Reason aboard the Coastal Voyager and ordered a scan of the establishment for any signs of radiation, then advised that we keep our distance, just in case.

Once inside, I fell into conversation with an employee who had a biology degree. Our nerdy back-and-forth conversation outlasted the average Romulan ceasefire.

“You talk too much,” Amy said as we drove to our next destination. “And you’re getting us lost again.”

“Me? You’re the one giving directions!”

“My directions are correct,” Amy replied. “You’re just executing them with ‘mitigating circumstances.’”

The Cantina Incident: Crystal Cove Surfaces 

We finally reached Drift Cafe, and when my coffee was ready, the barista called my name. As I stepped up to the counter, a local lingered nearby, waiting to order. “Genome?” he asked, his voice tilting with curiosity. “I’ve heard of you. Didn’t you once live in Crystal Cove?”

“I never actually lived there,” I said diplomatically. “The Cove is the ancestral home of the Genome clan, and I often visited family there.”

“So you really do talk like that,” he chuckled. “Now I remember...there was something about a fire…”

“If it’s about the fire,” Genome said, “it wasn’t my fault. It’s a complicated story; there were wheels within wheels. And I seldom start Branigans, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Branigans?”

“Bar fights,” I explained. “You see, I like buzzing just to see what happens, and sometimes the excitement escalates, and things get a little out of hand. You never really know what to expect of people.”

Ensign Nostalgia chimed in over subspace. “Ah, the Great Branigans of the 1980s! Back when fires could actually burn things to the ground instead of being snuffed out by internal suppression fields. Those were the days. So tactile!”

The Wrap Up: The Toll of the Journey

Comm Officer Joy’s voice crackled over her personal subspace communicator. “Has anyone seen my sparkly boot laces? I’ve searched everywhere and still can’t find them.”

“Relax, Joy,” said Chief Engineer Anxiety. “They’re probably in the conduit tubes. Cadet Reginal, our new ferret cadet, stashes all the shiny, sparkly booty in there.”

By the time we reached Independence Avenue, sunset had painted the sky like one of Ms. Wonder's photographs, and Amy’s “positive karma stockpile” was overflowing.

“When you were a kid, you read Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge comics,” Amy said as I navigated the residential outskirts, wondering how this topic would morph into some fresh hell. “Uncle Scrooge was rich and kept getting richer. Why didn’t you follow his example when you reached adulthood?”

“I do my best, Amy,” I said. I’d asked myself that question often enough, but I resented her bringing it up.

“Oh, don’t blame yourself, Durango. It’s not your fault; you were just born that way. But I must say, living with you takes its toll on a girl. I’m going to need a mental health day soon. Why don’t we detour to Carolina Beach and play the claw machine?”

“You don’t fool me, Amy. You just want to watch me act like an idiot trying to win you a teddy bear.”

I could sense she’d taken offense at my rebuttal; I could almost see the consternation on her face.

“I’m under-realized in this Earth-centric role,” Amy declared. “My horoscope said I should expand my horizons, and today I helped two lost souls. That’s got to be good for my horizon.”

Dr. Downer’s voice crackled over the final log entry. “Ambassador, Captain… your personal elevators don’t quite go all the way to the penthouse anymore, do they? It’s fascinating. Like salt cake—a big surprise, and generally hard to swallow.”

Ambassador's Note:

Even when the mission parameters call for nothing more than birdseed and B-roll, the universe conspires to make it an epic adventure whenever Amy is involved—Princess or Captain, it doesn’t matter.

Maybe our elevator doesn’t quite reach the top floor, but I still rely on Amy to steer me through the circular journey of life. I have no choice in the matter, it seems. It may be true that people can be total surprises; like salt cake, they can surprise and sometimes a bit much to swallow all at once. But they keep your stardates from ever being dull—and isn’t that the real Prime Directive?

My Blog, My Life

I love my life, and why not? Not that I haven’t had my share of disappointment, heartache, and trauma. But hold on, I’m veering off track; I’ve crossed the yellow line, haven’t I? I must remember what Dolly Parton said: "If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."  

From where I sit now, sitting on a sunbeam with a rainbow wrapped 'round my shoulder, it’s easy to see my life as a magical, fantastical mystery tour.

My blog is a celebration of that life. Sure, it has other purposes, but the big megillah is this: when I write these posts, I remember the fun, the joy, and the simple reasons to get out of bed every morning. After all, Princess Amy is always there at dawn, even before my feet hit the floor, murmuring her usual, “Why bother, Genome? The day will only end like yesterday.”

I have to do something to ward off her negativity. The secret to my success? A willingness to take risks and a stubborn refusal to give up on my dreams. Or, as I like to say, “I will not eat pine needles!” Seriously, Google it. I did, and this is what returned as the Number 1 hit; the top of the list:

Am I being self-indulgent? Of course, I am; I've been writing this blog since 2008.

That’s why I started a blog in 2008. Amy said, “Why bother, Genome? Everyone and his aunt’s uncle has a blog. You’ll just get lost in the noise.” At first, it seemed she was spot on with her prediction. But no matter, I wasn’t writing for the masses. I was writing for me, and since I was the target audience, my “reach” was massive, with total retention and 100% engagement.

By now, you’re probably wondering, “So how’s that working out for you now, Genome?” It’s a fair question, and one I’m more than happy to answer.

In recent years, you and your friends have found The Circular Journey, and my posts have steadily grown in popularity. Over just the past year, we’ve even gone viral (When I say we've gone viral, I mean you and me.) Readership has doubled in the last six months, with several thousand of you and your closest friends reading my posts. According to Google Analytics, you even have friends in roughly 80 different countries.

In the closing weeks of 2025, it seems you’ve been clamoring for TCJ and even competing for access. It takes me back to the Cabbage Patch doll and My Little Pony kerfuffles of the ’80s. Weren’t those great times? And just to be clear, by great times I mean the ’80s themselves, not the Cabbage Patch–Little Pony rumbles. Those are better remembered as the “recent unpleasantness.”

In closing, I want to say how deeply I appreciate you. Your support, your encouragement, and your steady inspiration have catapulted The Circular Journey into the rare atmosphere of recognition as a blog of substance. Just before the holidays last year, a friend suggested I submit posts to the Tadpole Press writing contests. That friend, of course, was Ms. Wonder. She believes in me to the brim, pressed down and running over.

Because of that nudge (and because of you), The Circular Journey was recognized as a blog delivering "Writing Excellence." I’m honored—and I’m grateful we’re on this journey together.

Bird Feeder Diplomacy

When I announced my intention to install a "squirrel-proof" bird feeder, Ms. Wonder, ever the documentarian, readied her camera with the enthusiasm of a National Geographic wildlife photographer. Her objective was to get images for my planned articles on 'attracting birds to a feeding station,' 'keeping squirrels out of bird feeders,' and 'interspecies interaction at bird feeders.'

Mimi the Mockingbird arrived first, perching on the fence post with the air of a seasoned diplomat. Her posture suggested she had been elected—or perhaps had elected herself—as the official ambassador for the avian community. I imagined tiny diplomatic credentials tucked beneath her wing.

The negotiations began precisely at 3:15 PM, Eastern Daylight Time. Mutter and his nephews Twizzler and Ziggy observed from the sidelines, their expressions a mixture of challenge and curiosity. The squirrel contingent clearly viewed the new bird feeder as a personal affront to their gastronomic rights.

"This," Mimi seemed to announce to no one and everyone, "is a matter of international—or perhaps inter-nations (animal nations)—importance."

The first breach came not from the expected squirrel suspects, but from Chester, a chipmunk who had apparently been taking notes during advanced engineering classes. While the birds and squirrels engaged in heated debate, Chester performed a series of acrobatic maneuvers that would have made a Cirque du Soleil performer weep with professional jealousy.

With a combination of precision climbing, strategic leaping, and what could only be described as pure rodent ingenuity, Chester accessed the supposedly impregnable bird feeder. But here's where diplomacy took an unexpected turn: instead of hoarding his discovery, he began sharing seeds with his fellow creatures by scattering them on the ground.

The Cardinal family watched with regal interest. Mr. Woodrow, the Red-bellied Woodpecker, ever the curmudgeon, looked on with what I can only describe as a mixture of derision and grudging respect. The doves from the Order of Sisters of Brunswick exchanged meaningful glances that suggested volumes about cooperative problem-solving.

Ms. Wonder, meanwhile, captured every moment. Her camera clicked with the urgency of a photojournalist whose editor emphasized the need to meet a short deadline.

Mutter, the HOA representative for the squirrel community, seemed both impressed and slightly annoyed. Chester's diplomatic approach undermined his planned objections. Twizzler, Mutter's nephew, fell off the fence with a mix of laughter and admiration on his face. Ziggy, his sister, chased him underneath the fence and out of sight.

As the afternoon progressed, what had begun as a potential territorial dispute transformed into a remarkable demonstration of community problem-solving. Birds and squirrels shared the feeder with the help of Chester and a degree of cooperation that would make human diplomats blush.

I was reminded of a quote I once heard: Some solve problems. Some create problems. And some, like Chester, redefine the entire concept of problem-solving. An example of inter-nations diplomacy at its best.

By noon, the backyard looked less like quantum chaos and more like a model of interspecies harmony. Chester, the unlikely hero, continued his seed distribution with the calm efficiency of a UN peacekeeping mission.

Just another morning in our little corner of the world, where diplomacy and good news come in the most unexpected packages—and sometimes, with very fuzzy ears.

Coming Soon: Back on the Road

Many of our followers have been with us long enough to know Ms. Wonder and I didn’t land here by accident. Don’t roll your eyes; I’m getting to the point. Before I started documenting the film and television industry in our fair city, and shortly after Wonder became a certified documentary photographer, we worked as freelance travel journalists, published in magazines and newspapers along the eastern seaboard from New York to South Carolina.

For nearly two decades, we worked the Atlantic coast and beyond—she with her camera, I with my notebooks, and together we published nearly one hundred travel articles showcasing more than six hundred of her photographs. 

We wrote about Charleston and Savannah, the Outer Banks, and the small towns and back roads that never make the guidebooks but stay with you long after the trip ends. It was the best kind of work, the kind you can’t quite believe you’re getting paid to do.

Eventually, as it reliably does, life moved us in other directions. Travel journalism gave way to other adventures. Carolina Roads Magazine, our travel blog and the original home of our companion documentary pieces, settled into a quieter pace.

That brings me to why I'm writing this post; all that's about to change.

A Road Trip, Properly Considered

In the coming weeks, Ms. Wonder and I will head south, down along the Atlantic coast through Georgia and Florida, all the way to Miami, then back up the Gulf coast. It’s a route we’ve traveled before, and that’s exactly the point. We’re going back to familiar ground on purpose: to places that hold thirty years of shared memories, to coasts we photographed and wrote about when we were younger and, frankly, better rested.

When I say “better rested,” I really mean we’ll slow our pace, just enough to move more deliberately and give each place the time it deserves. As Wonder often reminds me, Georgia O’Keeffe believed that to truly “see” requires slowing down and taking one’s time. That’s exactly what we plan to do.

This trip takes us back to our roots as travel journalists and signals the reinvigoration of our blog, Carolina Roads Magazine. We plan to bring the same attention and affection to the road as always: Ms. Wonder with her camera, finding beauty in the places I’d otherwise walk past, and me with my notebooks, capturing what the journey feels like from the inside.

I’ll also be scouting film and television production locations along the way, because the Southeast has provide a backdrop for more TV and movies than I can count, and that thread runs through everything I write. If there’s a film location anywhere within a reasonable distance of our route, I intend to find it—or at least have a very interesting time trying.

The Usual Suspects

Regular readers of The Circular Journey will not be surprised to hear that Princess Amy has already inserted herself into the planning. She has opinions about the route, strong feelings about certain destinations, and a shortlist of non-negotiable stops she describes as culturally essential. I'm sure she has plenty of surprises in store for us in whatever she has in mind.

Ms. Wonder will, as always, be the steady hand keeping the whole enterprise from drifting into absurdity, and she will mostly succeed; she always does.

I will be doing my best, but we all know about best laid plans.

Watch This Space

The series will launch a few weeks before we leave for Savannah and continue with two to three posts each week for the length of the trip. If you’ve followed us for a while, consider this the journey we’ve all been heading toward. If you’re new here, welcome—you’ve joined us at a good moment.

Carolina Roads Magazine started as a record of what the southeast coast looks like. This series will be a record of what it means to us, after all these years and everything that has happened in between.

We’ll see you on the road.

Hidden Canvases: The Maritime Musical

"I owe you an apology," she said. "I thought the reason you were having trouble reviewing my promotional letters was self-sabotage."

"What do you mean, self-sabotage?" I said with a good bit of theatrical indignation.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said. “I’ve walked away from business deals before. I once left a hunting trip in South Texas because my client sat there with a tub of popcorn, and when he wasn’t stuffing his face, he pointed and laughed at the other hunters. But that’s another story. Did they have everything I asked for?”

If that dialogue seems confusing, imagine how my brain did Olympic gymnastics trying to keep up. I was sure this otherwise brilliant woman had lost a few pages of script between her thoughts and her mouth. Then, in that peculiar way it happens, a memory surfaced and let me catch up with her runaway train of thought.

The previous day, Ms. Wonder had asked me to review letters she’d written to six different maritime museums. The letters proposed an exhibit of her abstract photography—mesmerizing images that transform marine cargo vessels into floating geometric poetry. They were part of her plan to introduce her work to a larger audience.

"Oh, I found everything," I told her, "but what I'd like to know is what I'm supposed to do with all this junk?"

“First,” she said, as confidently as if she were explaining how to breathe, “you write the proposal letter for my new exhibit on a puzzle, break it up, and mail the pieces. When the curators open it, they may think it’s from a psycho—until they see my name and credentials, put the puzzle together, and realize the proposal is from an unusually creative artist.”

"I don't know, Poopsie, it all sounds very high school to me."

"That's why it works. It makes them feel they're back in high school, receiving a Valentine from a secret admirer. Of course, you probably never got valentines from secret admirers, so you can't appreciate what I'm saying."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding," she said with a smile that suggested she wasn't entirely kidding. "And I have another idea."

"I can't wait," I said, managing to contain my enthusiasm to homeopathic levels.

"You'll love this one. Remember that online service that does business cards?"

"I don't use business cards," I said.

"You'll use these business cards. Order a box of cards with nothing on them but my photograph of the S.S. United States on them. Then when you hand out the cards..."

"Me! Why me? I'm not planning on running around the East Coast handing out business cards. I have a full-time job, disappointing you right here in Carolina."

“I know you didn’t plan on it, but you’ll do it for your Poopsie Wonder, won’t you, sweetie?” She patted my hand. “The museum curator will say, ‘But your contact information isn’t on here.’ Then you add my number and website to the card. That shows her we don’t work with just anyone—only people who meet our standards. And she’s one of them.”

"A lot of people prefer to I-gram," I said, desperately seeking solid ground in this quicksand of marketing concepts.

"Too chatty," she said, "Besides, staying low-tech will set me apart."

"Ecaterina," I said, resorting to the formal address that means I'm about to put my foot down. "No offense, but just what am I supposed to do with this Magic 8-Ball?" 

"I haven't figured that out yet," she said, "I just thought it couldn't hurt to have one."

The next few moments were filled with silence. Finally, I said, "Oh, I almost forgot. Your agent phoned a moment ago."

"Oh, what did she want?"

"She asked about our progress on the New York project."

"But it's only in the planning stages; it isn't really a project."

"She suggested we sell the rights to dramatize the exhibit to a theatrical consortium."

"She thinks we should turn the photography exhibit into a musical?" she said, eyebrows reaching for the ceiling. "It doesn't seem to be the kind of thing that lends itself to becoming a play. '

"That's what I told her, but she insisted that we change the tone of our promitions to make them sound more like musical theater..."

"Despite my better judgment, I've got to hear more of this hairbrained scheme."

"Her suggestion was that we write something to catch the curator's attention, like, "Dear Maritime Museum," and I imagined it would use a bold font, "PREPARE TO BE BOARDED! By abstract art, that is!"

"Oh, yes?" said the Wonder, but not with any real zip.

"Yeah, and she thought the heading could be followed by a promotional ad that could be sung to the tune of a popular show tune."

"Can you imagine a musical comedy about abstract marine photography making the rounds off-Broadway?" Wonder asked?

"Not really," I said.

"Neither can I, though, in fairness, the subject of domestic cats is responsible for half of all internet traffic, and I suspect the other half is devoted to people trying to figure out what the government will do next. So who knows?"

We were quiet for the next few moments. I was unsure of what I should say, and she seemed deep in contemplation, forehead wrinkled and chewing her lower lip.

I don't know how I did it with so little notice, but I had one of those surprising ideas that make the Genomes the kind of men we are.

“Poopsie,” I said, “the Cape Fear River photography collection might not be the stuff of theater legend, but in abstract art it’s what Tiger Woods is to golf, and Taylor Swift is to pop music: not strictly necessary, but absolutely essential.”

She beamed at me with unexpected approval. Perhaps I was finally getting the hang of being her promotional partner.

“Here’s my suggestion—brace yourself, this idea may cause swooning. You have an exhibit scheduled for June in the Arts District. We can make it the premiere of your off-Broadway, Maritime Musical, so to speak. It happens all the time; just yesterday I heard that the John Cougar Mellencamp musical will debut in Whatsapocket, Maine.”

She looked at me in silence, and I took it as proof that my suggestion had left her speechless. Clearly, I thought, wooing maritime museum curators would be easier than I’d imagined, and I’d done it without even consulting the Magic 8-Ball.

Continue following The Circular Journey for updates on the premiere of Hidden Canvases: The Musical, coming soon to a thespian hall near you.