Ah Bugger

Ecuador taught me ten things.

2011-06-15T17:21:00.000-04:00

I went to Ecuador for three weeks earlier this summer. I went as a teaching assistant for a class that covers foreign policy, natural science, and communications. The students were there to make films about a specific topic like recycling, or shark finning. I was there to eat things, and hang out on the gorgeous water wearing too many clothes and a ton of sunscreen. (Yeah, I know how to live it up!)

Here are ten things I learned about myself in Ecuador.

I'm wicked attached to my mom. She's cool. What can I say?
I could actually live with roommates. No seriously. I could. When we got to Quito, I had to share a hostel room with 5 others. It was fun. I had a raging headache on day 1, so I went back to the room, hid under the blankets and went to sleep. Life went on around me and it was fine. I liked having people to talk to and do stuff with. It totally did not interfere with my independence. When I wanted to go wander on my own, I did. But how awesome it was to have someone to explore with. And it was really gogogogo, the whole time we were there. The only time having a roommate was questionable was in Santa Cruz, Galapagos, where I spent 12 hours with Montezuma's revenge. It didn't suck as bad for me as it was nice to have someone that checked to make sure I was okay. But my poor roommate Natalie was forced to cover her ears and look green when she heard me puking in the bathroom. Poor girl.
My Spanish sucks, but I have a good accent. This is troublesome. This is troublesome because when I say the few words I can say, apparently I say them well enough to invite a cascade of fast and multi-syllabic words that I cannot begin to comprehend. Then I stand there looking blankly while I get pickpocketed. (Kidding.. Sorta... Quito is dangerous. But no one got me.) However, I did learned that when you want to know the cost of something, you should not ask "cuanto queso?".
Spiders are cool. There were spiders EVERYWHERE. For serious! We saw scorpion spiders and tarantulas, jumping spiders and hunting spiders, social spiders, wolf spiders, and banana spiders. They were huge and small and hairy and smooth. In Jatun Sacha, there was an audience of spiders when you'd brush your teeth or go potty. So now, the wimpy spiders in my house are adorable.
Deet and sunscreen work. I wore deet every day in the rain forest and got only one bug bite. Let me show you someone else's legs who did not use deet. I wore sunscreen every day and only got burned once on the tops of my knees because I felt it was vital for me to sit on top of the boat for hours in the direct sunlight and never reapply sunscreen. Because I am smart like that. Because it's fine! We're only on the equator. Though I have to admit that I wore so much sunscreen my skin could not absorb any more and it sat as a over-protective white layer on top of my skin. I came back to the States as white as ever, though my hands were tannish and just looked dirty. That's right! I'm starting a new trend. Glove-free gloves.
I can actually get up early in the morning and go to bed early and be okay with it. It's true. We always had someplace to go and things to do. It was kind of awesome. I want that all the time.
This goes hand in hand with #5. I don't need the TV. WHAT? I KNOW! It's just crazy talk. Didn't miss it at all. I would much rather be barreling down a volcano on a bicycle than on a couch watching ANTM. Canoeing across a river in the Amazon is far superior to watching a show about an office. Even risking the rise of vomit to eat fresh fruit from a market in Otavalo is substantially more exciting than seeing Oprah leave. So, yeah. Get me out of my house.
I can get used to anything, but it doesn't mean I will love it. Like throwing toilet paper into a bin next to the toilet. Or applying sunscreen/deet all the time. Or travelling in a car/bus/canoe/plane to get places. There comes a point when you just want to BE THERE ALREADY! But the cold showers, and the blind leap into water became second nature really quickly.
I'm not a water bug. I'd like to be. But it is not my first instinct to jump into the water. I'm not a strong swimmer and so I am a little scared of the water. But snorkeling was amazing, and I could swim forever with my head under water. I'm not really scared of anything in the water, as long as I can see it. Well, except for jellyfish and this crazy scary worm that was in the ocean near Kicker Rock in San Cristobal that was three feet long, and about a foot in diameter. He was translucent and had a spiky head. I dunno what that was, but grody to the max. I leapt 40 feet out of the water to steer clear of him. (Also, I'm magic).
You can't have fear! While we were riding bikes down Cotapaxi in the snow, I learned that if you want to fly, you have to let go of your fear. Big rocks and ditches would be coming, and I had to learn to just go. If you veer or falter at all, you are going to fall and get hurt. What a life lesson this is.

It was an amazing trip, and just makes me want to see more of the world. I also lost 5 pounds while there and that is pretty cool.

Dude, I'm a chick!

2011-06-13T22:32:00.000-04:00

I found a website that does a gender analysis on blogs. So I plugged in the Television Bug site, and it correctly predicted that it is written by a female. Which, yay, is me!

Then I entered in this blog...

It REALLY believes that Bug E. Bugger is a guy. Why? Do I write like a dude? Do I look like a dude? No. Ha. That's just silly (right?).

Twitter

2011-03-12T19:07:00.000-05:00

I'm addicted. What happened? I was so not into it. I signed up and surveyed and announced that NO, this is NOT for me. A year goes by. I check in again. Nope. Still stoopid.

I go see Kathy Griffin at DAR Constitution Hall with Angel and am entertained by her calling the messaging on this social networking device "twatting". But I'm still not in.

My friends are on it. Clussy was making comments and having conversations with our friends that I was missing and Marci can't access FB at work, so Twitter is her line to the outside world. Well, we were missing each other. What to do? So, about a year ago, I started checking. I hate missing out on crap. Then I realized I could stalk my favorite celebrities and pretend that they are my pals. THEN I realized the glories of the hashtag subtext. It's like getting to whisper like Brick on "The Middle".

Suddenly I am checking Twitter compulsively. I am writing to people I have never met like we are besties and I am sharing all the very important details of my very important life with the people who follow me so that they can pretend that we are pals (Okay, so most of them are pals. Details...).

Does this make me a modern woman? Yes, lets say that. Yep.

The Math Lab

2011-03-03T12:51:00.002-05:00

I have a story idea:

Jon is addicted to math. He has been holed up in a little cabin he built for himself in his parents’ backyard, working on a proof that is seemingly unsolvable. The walls are covered in math problems. He can do nothing but math. His friends and family stage an intervention, taking his calculators away, but he uses an abacus. He goes to elementary schools to tutor kids, only to fill out their entire math workbooks. To help him kick his math habit, his friends introduce him to literature. This backfires as he becomes a heroine addict.

Random thoughts

2011-02-16T20:39:00.000-05:00

1. After naming her "Carnie", did they expect Carnie Wilson to be anything but fat?

2. Sixlets are basically just candy coated chocolate lard balls. But they are delicious.

3. If I am chewing Sangria flavored gum while driving, can I get in trouble?

4. Sidewalks in California are a waste of money since it is illegal to walk there.

5. What would happen if I stole something from the Alcatraz souvenir shop?

6. Wine coolers look and taste the same coming up as they did going down. So, if you are trying to save some money, you could just rebottle it and put it in the fridge for later.

Drunk mouth?

2011-02-16T20:26:00.000-05:00

So Orbitz is making all of these alcohol gum flavors, like mohito and pina colada. I see what you are doing! But you're getting a whole bunch of us chewing gum.

Well played.

America, heal thyself

2010-09-25T11:58:00.000-04:00

I think it is sad that the world has gotten so fed up with our inability to punish our starlets for their illegal misdeeds that Japan has taken it upon itself to bring a firm hand to Paris Hilton.

That's like my kid breaking every single rule and never getting in trouble with me for it, but then being banned from the babysitter.

I am embarrassed to be American on days like this. (Also when I watch Maury Povich)

5 things I need to do now or soonly.

2010-09-24T12:29:00.000-04:00

1. Clean my house. It actually kind of stinks in here. I am reminded of my childhood when I had to walk through my room not picking up my feet because I would step on things. I think my place is just simply too small for all of my crap.

1A. On that note, I should watch Hoarders, so my friend says. She watched and then tossed half of her belongings.

1B. Or I could watch the BBC cleaning show with Aggie and the other lady who go to the most scandalously dirty houses in Britain and show the people that the germs they are festering will kill them, or render them stoopid. (Oh, in some cases it's too late).

2. Learn about the legal system. I am writing a screenplay that has am Asst. US Attorney as the main character and I know nothing! (God bless my legal advisor Law-rah, the legal books at the library, and transcripts online. Amen).

3. Get ready for school. Instead I am typing to you, while sitting with wet hair. (Hey, I managed to shower. Wee!) I still have to get to the library, pick up a film for one class, get that film to the projectionist, print out copies of my script, email said script to professor... Ack!

4. Drink some coffee. In fact, I think I will do that now. Yum. BRB.

4A. I even got myself some breakfast which I put into the bowl I so lovingly painted for myself on an exquisite girlie day with Clussy. Check it:

Yeah, I painted a bug. Clever, no?

5. Win the lottery. (And yeah, I actually do play). I am tired of bartending, albeit once a week. And I am not making money in filmmaking yet. Hopefully someday, but not yet. And tuition is PRICEY. AND I have two years to go.

So it begins... I hope

2010-09-23T12:02:00.000-04:00

What up? Guess what? I am officially a TV show creator. I am taking a class on Television Studio Production and we had to pitch 2 minute TV show ideas to NBC. I decided to pitch a show called DC Free! which shows a couple of events that you can do for free in DC. (I guess the title kind of already clarifies that). Well, they liked my pitch and so along with three other groups, we shot my pilot. It was great. We went to the Penn Quarter in DC and got footage for the Arts on Foot festival, then we went to Meridian Hill Park to capture the drum circle that happens there weekly.

We showed our pilot to the class and they loved it. NBC loved it. Now the whole class is producing the show. MY show. Yay.

It's the posh posh travelling life, the travelling life for me.

2010-05-30T14:14:00.003-04:00

I am on my way home from New York City. Second weekend in a row. Why, you ask? Because I was responsible for getting the hotel room for the girl's weekend in NY. Which I did...for the wrong weekend. So rather than tossing $270 to the wind, I tossed a hundred more and came back to the city.

It is convenient to get to NYC from DC these days. There are a multitude of busses that range from awesomely fancy to downright scary. Let me tell you about the scary. That was the bus line I took yesterday. While I am at it, I will tell you why I spent a hundred+ bucks to travel to and fro.

I bought my ticket to leave from Dupont circle at 9:15am yesterday. I think I was going to take the Washington Deluxe Bus. For some bizarre reason, I decided to drive and then leave the car in a lot overnight. I figured it could not be more expensive than taking a cab. Boy, was I wrong. I couldn't find parking! I drove and drove and found only one open lot which was closed on both Sunday and Monday. So I commenced to looking for valet parking at a hotel. I mean, c'mon! It's Dupont. There has to be something. Nothing. Frack. So time is ticking away and I am freaking out. I parked at my church (which is way uncool as we have something like six spaces). I ran, hoping a cab would come by. One did and just waved at me, his backseat filled with lucky tourists. I gave up. Never would have made it. Stopped into the lamest Starbucks in the world, (Marci knows which one I am talking about) and got myself a pity latte. It only took them half an hour to take my order, make my drink, let me pay, and give me my drink.

I went home, booked a ticket for the noon Chinatown bus. I then had some breakfast and called a cab when it was time. Actually I called a cab before it was time and they dispatched it right away forcing me to call and cancel the cab which then got me lectured by the dispatcher. I still love RedTop, though. So, now I have paid $21 for the missed bus, $30 for the Chinatown bus, and $20 for the cab.

My driver is awesome. His name is Rafiq and he is from Afghanistan. He also owns a framing store which may be the location I finally get my super cute drawing of a bunch of birds that I got in Oregon framed. He is going to Afghanistan to help out. I thought he was cool.

I get to the bus locale and see a bus. So, even though it is 11:15 am, I figure I will see if I can get on an earlier bus. There is a guy who is yelling because he has been there for three hours and has just watched all of the full busses leave without him. The guy yells at him to get out of line. I am nervous because I too bought my ticket on line. But the guy stamps my receipt and we both sign it. That bus I saw is the 10 am bus that has not left yet. Yikes. Everyone is stressed out. I go and get in line. The guy who had been told to get out of line is now in line in front of me. Some Asian guy walks by and tells us to get on the bus. So the guy tries and is yelled at so hard by the Asian girl on the bus. I am scared to say anything. But I get on without any drama directed at me. Dunno what happens to that guy, but now I am sitting with all these people who are so grateful to be on this expensive and decrepit bus. I get on my iPhone to rebook my trip for Sunday because I had booked my return on the Chinatown bus which I have no plans to ever be found on again. So original home ticket $30 and new ticket on DC2NY bus $25. Gah!

Until we get to Philly, I am sitting next to a young Asian girl who is sound asleep before we leave. Her head rolls as if on a swivel and I am afraid it might break off. We get to Philly and she gets out and I am forced to sit next to this young black girl who is chatting with her friend across the aisle and she keeps elbowing me. Grr. Then the bus randomly stops when the driver sees three Asian people standing on a corner (not a usual stop, I'm sure) and gets them. Weird. This happened somewhere on our way out of Philly, back to the NJ turnpike. Then I am dumped out in Chinatown. Crap. I hail a cab and $20 later I am at my hotel.

There are two St. Giles next to one another on 39th. I tried to check into the wrong one. Sheesh. I move over to the right one. The hotel room I booked had two beds, which I told them I didn't need. They upgraded me to an awesome king suite. Rock on! Finally something goes right. So I put some makeup on and head to the Gerschwin Theatre with Defying Gravity playing on repeat in my head. Alas, they are sold out. I wander about, but no one else has tickets for me either, so I return. I wait in the extra tickets line. I wait...and wait. Nope. Nothing for me. But the ticket guy gave me the box office number and his name, so I can call and get tickets.

Sauntering around outside, I must look desperate because a fortune teller seeks me out. I must BE desperate because I actually pay her to tell me my fortune. Which basically turns out to be that I am creative (Yay) and lonely. I don't sleep well and she sees numbers. Sigh. I blame this turn of events on my old company that gave me tickets to see Marvin Hamlisch who introduced me to Kristin Chenoweth at a NSO Concert at the Kennedy Center, who then turned out to be awesome and star in Wicked! which I could not see.

I went to a shoe store to buy pity shoes. As I stood in line to buy them, this Russian girl kept hitting me with the body bag she was carrying. Seriously, the thing was huge, but not so huge as to justify hitting me when we where the only people in the store and I was a good ten feet behind her. Then her credit card did not work and they had to call it in and I was ready to walk out, sexy pity shoes be damned. But I was so sad, I needed them. So I just snarled in silence. I was ready to punch her though.

I went and had myself some dinner (yum) while eavesdropping on a couple who were married either to each other, or others. Did not quite get it straight. The woman was haranguing the guy in a massive way, but whenever I looked up at her, she had a pleasant look on her face.

I then moved on to the hotel and had a beverage at the bar while chatting to some boys from Ottawa. (That place!). They asked me to come along and I said thanks but no thanks. I went to my room and crashed while watching Maxim's hottest 100 on E!

This morning I had breakfast at some random place. Then I stopped into Pink Berry and had a mango/original fro-yo cone and it was delicious. Now I am on a fancy bus that left on time and is showing 500 Days of Summer. I don't even have a seat mate! Yay. And I have internet. It's madness!

Last week the bus we were on just suddenly stopped on the highway. We were concerned, but the driver said nothing. He just looked repeatedly into the rearview mirror. We were sure that we were gonna be robbed, or sold into slavery. We were all too chicken to ask what was up. After 10 minutes, someone finally yelled about it. The driver, in his best pissy voice, said, "for those of you who HAVE to know why we stopped, I am resetting the bus's computer". Seriously? He couldn't have just said that?

Naptime. (Or maybe I will watch Up! I won it at the Oscar party and brought it along).

Menzelatious

2010-05-27T12:35:00.004-04:00

I had watched a documentary about a season of Broadway and in it they showed the making of "Wicked". I remember being rather underwhelmed with Idina Menzel in the film. Next to Kristin Chenoweth's huge voice, she just came out rather muted. I think I read somewhere that she was not the greatest actress. So I subscribed to the idea that she was not that great and I vocalized this opinion to my friend.
After this past episode of Glee, the Gaga episode, with Idina finally getting a solo (she sings Funny Girl), I am in love with her. I owe her an apology for dismissing her talents without ever truly investigating them. She has such a gorgeous voice with this fantastic range. But what I love most is her vibrato. Fabulous. I wish I could sing a tenth as good.

Dear Ms. Menzel, you are truly awesome. Please forgive me for being a jerk.
Love,
Bug

Obligation fulfilled

2010-05-18T23:11:00.002-04:00

I have nothing to say. Okay, we all know that is not true. I just have nothing I wanna talk about. That list of junk I procrastinated on is just getting bigger, but my house is still a mess and I still have a ton of editing to do that I simply don't want to do. I did, however, clean out the litter box. Small victory! Woo.

The Goethe Institute

2010-05-17T22:50:00.002-04:00

I spent the evening at the Goethe Institute in Washington, DC. I have been there before, last year. My mother and I attended the German film "Stolpersteine" (Stumbling Stones). I would like to talk to the director, because they mention my great-uncle in the film but misspelled his name in the subtitles. In any case, the Institute hosted a blogger happy hour today in order to get the word out on the cool things they offer.

It was fun. I met all sorts of local bloggers.

This one is a job blog. Then I met a girl who writes about free events in DC. This one is about public transit in DC. This writes about planning events. Two people write this promising green blog. And this fella and I decided we are the only ones who were in attendance who had no major theme, that we just shoot from the hip.

They gave us booze and good food and we chatted for a while prior to watching a short presentation on the Institute. They gave a brief German lesson, but I was not allowed to attend. My guess is that they spoke to my High School German teacher who allowed me to spend most of my time in the hallway.

Go check it out. The Goethe Institute is located on 812 Seventh Street, NW, near the Verizon Center. They have films, great events, and language courses. The films are shown every Monday night and cost a cheap $6. Go learn German so we can hang out and make fun of others together.

My list

2010-05-16T21:03:00.002-04:00

This was my list of things to do today:

1. Have coffee with Marci and Harms.

2. See Harm's new home.

3. Go to IKEA and get the ice cream cone Marci bribed me with to go to IKEA with her.

4. Put laundry away.

5. Clean the house.

6. Do some editing.

7. Other very important stuff.

What I got done:

1. Have coffee with Marci and Harms.

2. See Harm's new home.

3. Go to IKEA and get the ice cream cone Marci bribed me with to go to IKEA with her.

4. Nap on sofa.

Geez! The list is pushed to tomorrow. Which sucks because there is new stuff on that list. Being a grown up is hard.

Almost forgot...

2010-05-16T01:02:00.002-04:00

I almost forgot about my promise to write something every day. How quickly good intentions float away into the atmosphere. But I grasped onto the string of that balloon and firmly yanked it back down to earth and am writing to you now. I worked a 13.5 hour shift at my bar today. I am tired. However, I have a little story about getting old for you.

A few days ago, I got a coffee. I held it in my left hand and my left hand started to shake like crazy. I could not control it at all. It was freaky and exhausting. I thought holy cow, I am getting Parkinsons. So scary. I held the coffee in my right hand and it was still, but the left hand had a little coffee dance to do. I went and did some work and tried to not think about it.

Later than evening, I realized my forearm muscle was on fire. Then I thought back about how I had hit golfballs the day before. Then I thought about how I have not really exercised much lately. Then I thought about my Parkinsons. Then I realized I need to work out more. I don't have Parkinsons, I have an arm muscle that is shaking in confusion as to what the heck happened to it.

Here's something... sorta

2010-05-14T15:46:00.002-04:00

Well, hello there. I've missed you. I have decided to write every day. Even if it is just a word, something every day. I have promised this before, and I know you have no reason to believe me. I am going to try to regain your trust and your love.

I have ideas that I need you to consider and tell me if they are worth fleshing out. Well, I don't have any ideas at this moment, and that is why you are being subjected to my verbal diarrhea, but I want you ready when I am.

Okay, talk to you tomorrow.

Making TV

2010-05-04T20:25:00.004-04:00

I like watching TV. This should not come as a surprise to anyone. It is amazing how much time can easily be wasted watching things on a screen. The images are accepted without question even though in the span of 30 seconds we will have seen the two characters we are watching converse from every which angle. Honestly, how often do you run behind your friend to see the back of their head, then run back to catch their profile, then squat to see them from below when you are having a conversation with them? Yet we accept, nay we demand! these erratic changes in angle from our televised pals. Otherwise we get bored.

What's crazy to me, as I learn this about filmmaking, is how much work goes into a 22 or 44 minute show. Next time you watch your favorite sitcom, watch to see how many camera angles they use. Most comedies use what is known as a single camera setup. Each angle is at least one take, though most get at least 3 takes. Then there is the editing. They have to take all of that footage and craft that seamless story for the viewer. Hopefully the lighting and the sound is consistent as well as the actor's movements. Editing takes time, my friends. Lots of time. Tedious time. Then, if you are anything like me, you tweak each little thing over and over again. Then you add in music, and sound effects (known as foley). You add in special effects and dissolves and in the case of shows like Ugly Betty, you add in some wacky transitions.

There are a bazillion people involved, too. First you have the writers. There is a team that gets together and pitches ideas. Then one writer takes the story home and creates the first script which will then be revisited by the team until it is perfect for shooting. There is a table read with the actors, then they shoot it. There is a director, assistant directors, director of photography, producers, gaffers, camera operators, grips, and my favorite people, the craft service people (they provide the eats). Prior to filming, the director draws out each scene with a storyboard. The camera angles are decided on. The lighting scheme is created. There is a person on hand just to make sure that there is continuity, meaning that if "Bob" picks the coffee cup up in his left hand, that he keeps it in his left hand for the following scene.

There are makeup and hair and costume people. There are production assistants who make sure to take the chewed gum out of an actor's mouth. In addition to key actors, there are extras. Please watch the background actors next time you watch a show. They are fantastic. These are comprised of various types of people: they are friends of people on the show, or people who want to become key actors. In any case, they are always fun to watch because they get bored and they want to be seen. They are also not allowed to make any noise, so while they may look like they are talking or carrying on in a mad way, they are actually mouthing their words. Usually they are overacting in an immense way. No one throws their head back that far. Watch them. I swear it is worth your time.

Speaking of actors, watch the actor who does not have the lines. It's fascinating.

Now you know. Watching a show is easy, but making it is hard. Appreciate the work that goes into it.

Grad school updates...

2010-02-22T13:15:00.002-05:00

Holy smokes, it has been a really long time since I have updated. Honestly, I am writing so much in grad school that I feel like I have updated. But no.

So what's up? How are ya'll doing?

...........

Okay, now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, let's get down to business. I am in semester two of school. I was really sad to see the first one end because most of the people I met were in all three of my classes. We really got an opportunity to get to know each other. This lent itself to freedom of expression in our classes because everyone was supportive. This is so important in this field. We spend so much time together and we have to constantly be culling our brains for ideas. It is so vital to know that you have people who will listen without prejudice (thank you, George Michael) and help streamline stories. Most importantly, you have to have people that you genuinely like. I love this program.

Now, it's semester two. I still have tons of friends in my classes, and I get to know new people all of the time. I miss some, as I went from three classes with them to none. I am in a class with undergrads, too, which is a different kind of environment. Who would have thought? But there is a definitive difference in the mentality of people who continue school after the first four years.

I have really been doing a lot of writing and I love it. How cool is it to be able to create characters and situations?!? I have a ton to learn, and I am wildly cocky/insecure about my style, but I really love it.

I do watch films and television differently, now. AND with all the documentaries we are watching, I am afraid that I will not be able to eat anything soon. (Thank you Food, Inc., End of the Line, etc.)

The Academy Awards are coming soon, and I am already prepared to be mad. Seriously, Avatar? Best picture? Best visual effects, sure. But not best picture.

I am procrastinating doing my homework. I gotta go. Hope to see you around!

Day Two, Class two

2009-08-25T14:56:00.002-04:00

I got to school this morning and bought myself a coffee, in a {gasp} paper cup! Contraband at this school. I have already been reprimanded twice. So, note to self, bring a reusable coffee cup.

I already feel more at home amongst the wee littles and my fellow grad students. I can even say hi to some people by name. It helps that most of us first year film students are in all the same classes. They also make us put name cards up so that they know our names.

Today was my writing class. I have to write a five page silent film treatment by next class. Instead I am sitting here writing a blog to you. (You're welcome).

Today is my mentor's birthday and I brought him a little cupcake on which I wrote, with blue frosting, "Happy Birthday". I made it all through class with it intact and then while speaking to a classmate, I spazzed out and randomly shook the Gladware. Now it says _~() @~thday. Grr...

I am chilling out here in the lounge (literally. It's freezing in here). I should be doing my homework. Lord knows we've got plenty to do. I tried reading while eating what was called a taco salad, but was more like fancy nachos, but the reading was so boring that I believe I need to be in a prone position on the big yellow couch in order to engage in it. I could be working on my five page treatment, but I reading emails instead. Jeepers. Where does this procrastination gene come from? Mama?

I just looked up and some girl was staring at me. She did that thing where you pretend you were looking at something else when she saw me look up. It makes me wonder what else I am doing while I type. I am fairly certain my face reacts to what I read or write. I'd be embarrassed, but I kind of don't have that particular self consciousness.

Day one, class one.

2009-08-24T16:54:00.004-04:00

First day of Graduate school. (Should that be capitalized?)

I was so nervous this morning. I took a shower and tried to pretty myself up. First impressions... But then the realization of sitting and listening to someone for 5+ hours made me dress in my most comfy jeans and my well worn blue Chucks. Topped the whole thing off with a bright orange t-shirt advertising the BC Lions. Yup, wanna be seen as I scurry across the busy road that keeps the parking lot away from my new school. I look like I am dressed with the intention of looking young. Not my intention at all. I am merely inept at dressing cute and comfortable at the same time.

Walking to my building, I looked around at all the prostrate bodies on the quad. It is really hot today and I am afraid that someone should check to make sure that they did not just melt on their way back to their dorms. They are all so young. SO YOUNG. I feel a little old. Speaking of, my niece's first day in college is today, too. Ack. I am running around with people my little bitty tiny niece's age.

I got here early and am hanging around in my classroom with no one else around. I really hope I am in the right room. I also hope no one catches me writing this. Oops. Too late. My classmates are slowly trickling in. Our professor popped his head in and was rather surprised to see a couple of us already in here. What can we say? We are eager to learn.

It is intimidating walking into a new situation. I feel totally awkward and don't know anyone. Still, I like that I feel this way. I know it is going to get to a point where I do know people, and my way around and I won't feel so invisible/obvious at the same time.

Well, here we go! Class number one. More later!

Bon Appetit?

2009-08-23T21:03:00.004-04:00

So Marci, Crispy C and I saw "Julie and Julia" today. It was a cute movie, especially the Julia story arc. Meryl Streep is beyond amazing and I will never have enough of Stanley Tucci.

Marci and I have been contemplating our kitchens and what lies hidden in the cabinets behind the cans of tuna and beans, and in the fridge under the Greek yogurt and berries. So, inspired by the film, we decided to challenge ourselves to forage in our kitchens for food for the next two weeks and see what happens. I am certain I can feed myself for even longer with what I have in there, but lets not go crazy here.

For me, the interesting part lies in what kind of dishes we will come up with based on random ingredients we have on hand instead of heading to the store to pick things up. Marci wants to see how little money she can spend.

Stayed tuned.

Late night ramblings.

2009-08-11T02:12:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness. I am so bored. I am doing the same thing day in and day out and I don't know how to extract myself from the jaws of boredom.

How do people do it? I know there are people who never stray from their routine. They don't have ants for whom they must devise a plan to eradicate. (My plan was to spray their path with ant killer, wipe it up, and then mop the area with clorox. But I see MORE! What the ...? Not the excitement I am looking for).

I want some excitement. I want grown up excitement. An exciting new friend. An interesting new hobby for which I may or may not have great talent . A man who is man enough to handle my independence.

What is wrong with me that I can't seem to find my own excitement? Blah. Can't we go out and rock this world? At least the DC area?

I was out with a friend recently and we spoke about the Twilight books and the film "Wanted". We decided that guys fantasize about being an average schmo until someone comes and gets them and trains them to be an assassin. They (guys) want to believe they have the capacity to be impressive, they just have not had the opportunity to show their inclinations. The hot chick who demonstrates the guy's innate hotness to the evil ex-girlfriend does not hurt either. The movie is basically is male fantasy come to film and my friend was not impressed by it.

Then we talked about how much girls like the Twilight series and why. Every girl seems to want a date spectacular guy who really wants to be with her and not for sex, but rather for HER. Just for her being her.

I had to laugh because I really hated the Twilight books. I don't need some whiny boy who sparkles in sunlight. But hell if I didn't like Wanted. I feel like I would make a great spy. I am great at accents. I feel like I could make a bullet bend and if a hot guy wanted to make my ex feel like crap, I would be super cool with that.

So, I wanna be a spy... but the kind that does not wind up in jail for treason.

What's up?

2009-08-10T16:05:00.002-04:00

Oh, there are so many things I could be doing instead of what I am doing which is watching crappy television whilst screwing around on my new Mac which is so very awesome that I don't even stop to notice how very out of breath this run-on sentence is making me.

I also have wee little tiny ants that have some sort of vacation resort somewhere under my desk. These beasts are seeing me as a buffet, I think. Did you know sugar ants bite? I have a vast reservoir of curse words that leak out of me like a water through a sieve every time I find one dangling from me by his (teeth?) mouth. But where are they coming from? I have wiped the whole area down and even put highly toxic traps out that my cat was wildly intrigued by, which then left me to check on his breathing every 22.2 seconds because while I hide the traps in areas that the cat should not be able to reach, I am neurotic and have become a crazy cat lady. This, a combination that leads to extraordinary craziness. At least in me... But at least I am extraordinary in some manner, right?

I have been scouring the internet looking for baptism gifts for my cousins two little girls. I have no idea what to get them.(ANT!*). I was thinking little sterling silver ladybug bracelets. Are bracelets stupid for people under the age of three?

School starts for me in a couple of weeks. I am fired up, but at the same time Homework! Tests! Classrooms! Argh! Yet, I am excited because it will give me some structure in addition to the fact that I am learning to make movies. MOVIES! Fun! I was in our bookstore looking for some sweet apparel to don while proudly advertising the school, with clothing I paid full price for, to which I will be fully indebted to ($40K each year) for the next three years. Alas, nothing appealed to me. Maybe I am becoming more frugal. I certainly hope so. I make something like $4 a month.

I dreamed that Heidi Klum and I were buddies the other night. She was all pretty and pregnant and selling sweatshirts at some fair. I have been dreaming in German a lot lately. I think I need to practice the language more because I ordered my mother's birthday present online yesterday and had to call the shop in Germany. I kept forgetting words, which totally sucks when speaking to a German in Germany because they are no where as lenient with the random inclusions of English words into the dialogue. But I got it done.

Well, now I am hungry.

*killed an ant. One down 2,027,826,292 to go.

Random thought

2009-08-07T10:47:00.002-04:00

How can we be expected to trust in a man with a comb-over when he is lying to himself? Cut it off and face the facts. You are better looking bald.

One time (at band camp) I saw a Senator with a comb-over (names withheld in case I need him to do something for me someday). His comb-over got caught in the wind and was flailing mightily a solid foot above his head. Impressive.

Dave Yaden

2009-07-28T16:06:00.004-04:00

A friend of mine just released his first video. Please click the link to watch it. When he gets all famous and stuff, I want to say that I had something to do with it.

Sometimes I get a free meal, too

2009-07-08T17:45:00.002-04:00

I do Meals on Wheels every week or so and get to spend a little bit of time with some really neat people. It is true that most of them just want their food, but other seem to relish a chance to chat with someone, especially someone who (looks) is a bit younger. So I bounce in and deliver a hot meal and look to see if there is anything I can help them out with.

Today I went to see one of my favorite ladies, Mrs. L. who is over 90 and from a Spanish speaking country. I have not gotten to ask her where she originated from yet. She fell down earlier this week and hurt her hand. She was struggling with a scarf she was attempting to assign duties as sling to. She asked for my help and I did my best to strangle her with it. Just kidding, but that was the outcome, sort of. So we contemplated other solutions. How about the actual sling she received from the hospital? It was too complicated for her to do alone. But together we got her arm to rest comfortably in a blue velcroed embrace and she was happy. SOO happy.

Every time I see Mrs. L. she tells me that helping people now is setting the stage for my future. The pay it forward kind of thing. Honestly, I feel like I am paying back for all the blessings I have already received.

Goodbye 35. You were a good year.

2009-07-07T15:55:00.001-04:00

Dear 35,
You were a pretty good year. I met you in Chicago. While one of your first experiences with me was to deal with some serious arseholes at Stanley’s, we had an otherwise fun day. I spent much of the first part of you traipsing around the country. I finally got to meet some of my cousins and truly get to know my aunt. I don’t need to bring up the glory that was the road trip. It is documented on this here blog for all to see. Boy, I would like to do it again.

This year, I finally painted the apartment, though I have some reparations to make due to an unseemingly large orange monster who unceremoniously jumped onto shelves I had adhered to a wall with careful measuring and drilling. They came down, along with the cat and a bunch of ceramic mice that I have collected over the years, with what I can only assume was a bang as I was not home at the time of the crime. As I came upon the scene, it was carnage. Wall pieces were strewn about and dead (ceramic) mice lay scattered all over the place. Even my precious Tiffany frame, given to me by my old boss, framed only broken glass.

I took the GRE’s. While studying, I learned that I have been very confidently using impressive words incorrectly. Swell! But I did okay on the test, even though I showed up late and had to bribe my way in. I sweated over yet another entrance essay, but it was all apparently enough because I found myself accepted into American University’s Film program.

After sitting home watching TV (research!) for far too long, I begged my way into a waitressing position at a local restaurant where I now get to suffer the indignities of being hit on by the guys at my tables. I believe I was even approached to be the third in a threesome. (They left a note for me to come to their home). I foresee a book in my future. “Don’t hit on your server: and other great pieces of advice”. (That’s copyrighted, so don’t get any ideas).

My niece graduated high school. She will officially be half my age soon. Gag.

I bought myself a sweet scooter which now lives on my neighbors back patio because my association won’t let me put it anywhere because they suck and so do my neighbors. Seriously, you guys need to get some hobbies so you can do things other than complain all the time. (Okay, so it is in the condo’s bylaws that I can’t tie a scooter to a sign, but geez). Now the scooter won’t run because it has been sitting for so long. Awesome use of $1000.

Now that I am 36, I feel so mature. (Heh). But I am curious how this year will pan out for me. I am officially a student again and will be learning something I am super interested in. I will be broker than broke. (Back to listening to the ATM, hoping for the money sound). In December, I will be older than my brother ever got to be. That’s just weird.

Welcoming in 36 included oatmeal, frozen yogurt, and fondue and silliness and my family and my best friend. The night shift included sister, Laura, Marci, and a bunch of wildly drunk and rather annoying early 20 something year olds. Turns out I AM too old for the Ballroom. But laughing with my girls will never grow old!

Photobugrapher

2009-06-08T23:59:00.003-04:00

I was messing with my new camera and took some pictures. I am taking a photo class and so I am being forced to get creative. So these are a couple of the photos I took recently. What do you think?

Sylvia

2009-05-15T17:31:00.002-04:00

I was in my shower last week (yep, I shower once a month whether I need it or not!) and noticed a spider on my wall, inching closer and perilously closer to the shampoo bottle I was intending on using. I leaned in to check her out and contemplate if she was the type of arachnid to go on the attack. She was all sharp points, not rounded at all. But she seemed benign enough and I am not one that enjoys killing spiders. I left her be and reached for another bottle. The next day, I saw her coming to join my shower from the other wall. She was even closer to my exposed and very sensitive skin. I decided it was time for a talk. She told me her name was Sylvia and that she liked living in my bathroom. I told her that she was welcome to stay as long as she followed a couple of my rules.

1. Always be where I can see you.
2. Don't bite me or touch me and I won't bite or touch you.
3. No babies. This room is being rented as a single, only.

Well, the next day, she was hanging out on a bottle in a hanging basket in the shower. I greeted her and went about my day. The next day, she was gone. I was concerned. What happened? Where did she go? Another day went by and no Sylvia. I was brushing my teeth (dental health care is in your hands!) and felt something. I looked and rule three had been broken. Baby spider on my hand. Baby spider sent down the drain. Next day? Still no Sylv, but a dangling baby from the wall. Dangling baby down the drain.

Sylvia broke two of my rules. But I still worry about her. Mostly because I am concerned about rule number two!

Why I eat processed foods

2009-04-28T23:33:00.003-04:00

I am finally embracing the notion that I need to stop eating a box of Krispy Kremes for dinner and perhaps find some foods with nutrients, aka not foodstuffs. I headed over to Trader Joe’s and bought blackberries. Delicious, antioxidant laden blackberries. Yum. I washed them in my haphazard way and set to eating them while perched upon the yellow couch. Four berries in, I look at the fruit and notice a wee little white speck. What could that be? Squinting, and holding the berry close to my face, I see it wiggle and flip the frak out.

I ran into the kitchen to throw the offending blackberry away. I gathered the rest and faced a dilemma. I just spent four bucks on these treats. Am I going to be undone by a little worm? I hemmed and hawed and bit and finally opted to soak the berries in water. Perhaps I could drown those little bastards and then resume my enjoyment. I looked into the water and a single worm wiggled its way to the surface. I watched as it squirmed, wishing it a horrible death. I let the berries soak for hours. When I returned home from my improv class, I reinvestigated. No new worms, and the floating worm seemed to have passed from this world into the next. I went to bed, leaving the berries free to release any other prisoners they may be harboring.

This morning, I went to parole the worms (into the garbage disposal) and I realized that my willpower is not enough to overcome a long standing phobia of worms. Discovering that wee little worm, after eating a couple of blackberries, was enough to make me itchy and imaginative all afternoon. I could see the worms growing in my body, until they finally grew to the point at which they needed to come out. They would surface through my skin anywhere they happened to be and I would become the freak worm faced girl. No thanks.

Kripsy Kremes don’t have worms.

Theatre sports make me a better sport

2009-04-21T00:51:00.002-04:00

I want to get back into acting. It was a passion of my youth that I allowed to get away. Truth be told, I simply was not prepared to be successful back then. Don't honestly know if I am prepared now. But I want to give it a whirl. As I say to my friends, if I fail, I want to fail spectacularly. That way I won't wonder what could have been in my future days.

Tonight I joined an awesome group for improv games. It was my first time, and they have been practicing for a while. I had so much fun, though I recognized a couple of my own short comings. We did a game that involves singing songs. I didn't realize before how much my fear of singing in front of people affects me. Apparently I get so blocked that I can't even think of lyrics to nursery rhymes. To get through the game I had to be fed the lyrics to Mary Had A Little Lamb. (It's true).

By the end of the evening, I felt comfortable with the group. What a great place to try out new material. I am so excited to see where my involvement with this group leads!

Afterwards, two of my group mates and I went for drinks and spoke about our hopeful career path trajectory. Just in that brief time, the idea I have for a sitcom was elevated immensely. It is so vital to have a group of like-minded people around you that help you fully realize your dream (and you theirs). I am wildly grateful.

Buggie... you need to write more

2009-04-13T22:38:00.006-04:00

I love Britney. I know that may not be kosher, but I don't care. I love her. I do not love having a ten year old singing "womanizer, womanizer. You're a womanizer" etc... to me. It's weird.

I also love Pink and it is the best news in the world to me that she and Carey Hart are back together.

I watch Chelsea Lately, The Soup and Best Week Ever. I do not watch the news. I am very versed in pop culture. I have no idea what is going on with the Taliban, the national deficit, or Somalian pirates. I do know that Lindsay and Sam broke up.

You know, I get all caught up in myself with this blog sometimes. I want to write with substance. Truth be told. I am not completely substantive. (Is that a word?)

My mother complains that I do not update enough. Well. She is right (write). I am updating, but in a completely self-indulgent way. This post is entirely for me. It is to remind me that this is MY blog and I can write whatever I want to. So if I am hung up on Britney and I wanna write about her, I can. MY BLOG. Mine!

I have no point here. I suppose I am just writing to remind myself of the reason I started this whole thing. It began as an outlet for my random thoughts. Every now and again I get caught up in the idea that my random thoughts should be meaningful. Truth is... most of my thoughts revolve around the most simple and goofy things, and there is nothing wrong with that.

The end... for now....

Octomom, bringing the world together

2009-04-01T17:25:00.000-04:00

I was buying ice cream at the grocery store the other day and watching an extremely slow woman placing her goods on the conveyor belt before me. She was talking on the phone to someone who no doubt was very exciting and important, about things that would definitely eventually come to light as the very steps we need to follow in order to procure world peace.

Her daughter was reaching over the grocery cart, not to help unload it, but rather to grab a tabloid with a blurb about the Octo-mom. She gasped in pleasure and yanked the glossy from its place amongst Jennifer Aniston/John Mayer stories and waved it at her mother. The headline blared that some babies may be taken away from the Octo-mom. The two quietly high fived each other (so as not to disturb mom’s important phone call) and the child spent the rest of her time in line examining the cover picture and caption with delight.

Really? I mean, yes I get caught up in pop culture references too, but high fiving? What do their conversations sound like over the dinner table? And does that mom ever get off the phone?

Aw, Bugger!

2009-03-21T12:51:00.003-04:00

The other day I was cleaning my bathroom when a humongous bug scurried past me. I shrieked in horror, as I am apparently very apt to do when I see a bug large enough to carry me away. Then I started yelling for Bill to come save me. Bill did not come. So I went and physically carried him into the bathroom where he was told to take care of the problem.
He sat on the floor and looked at me. I showed him the bug and he examined it, but then wanted to go back to staring out the living room window. So I locked him into the bathroom with strict instructions to dispose of the intruder.
15 minutes later, he is still sitting where I left him, and the bug is no where to be found. Now, Bill tends to destroy bugs, not eat them. This means that there is always a carcass. No carcass. What is the point of a cat if not to protect me from scary bugs? I was mad at him for days... Until today. I found the remains. He hid them to save me from the horror.

I'd rather see Dr. Pepper*

2009-02-19T13:58:00.005-05:00

I went to the dermatologist today for the skin cancer scan. While I was there, I asked her about this wonky spot I have on my arm from what had been a weirdo flesh eating virus and is now just a spot that looks like eczema, which I have never had in my life.

She did a cursory glance and then gave me a prescription for a cream. I tried to ask her questions, which she blew off. Then she left, never giving me an opportunity to pose any questions or explaining to me what she saw. Looking over my form, I see that she diagnosed me with a chronic dermatitis. Really? No mention of this. I don't have a chronic dermatitis. The cream is for eczema, which again, I do not have.

Grr. This is a big problem in my opinion. I feel like doctors rush in and rush out without ever spending any time with the patient, leaving the patient unsure and confused about their actual diagnosis and what they can do about it. This doctor had no interest in what I had to say. She came into the room with her preconceptions, and worked from those rather than what was being presented before her.

It's hard to say what a patient can do. A doctor rushes in and out so quickly, it feels like an imposition to ask questions. I have also found that a doctor is often dismissive of a patient's ideas. Look, I get that it may be irritating to a trained professional when a person who has webmd'd their symptoms attempts to diagnose themselves, but a person knows their own body and if they care enough about their own health to try to figure out their problems on their own and then go and seek actual professional help, the least that "professional" could do is listen.

*and I dislike Dr. Pepper. I am a ginger ale girl all the way! Yay!

Amateurs

2009-02-13T16:21:00.002-05:00

I read in the paper (big news) that Joanna Pacitti of American Idol was booted for having connections to 2 producers that are involved with the show. I got to thinking about the Joanna I have on my iPod and realized, hold on. They are one and the same. I have that girl's album. I actually downloaded it from iTunes one day after it was recommended to me by some magazine (Self, maybe?).

I dislike that people who have worked their way through the system get to be on AI. I think it should be a show for amateurs. However, like the Olympic Games, somehow these professionals are finding a way into the whole process. I think it is a bit unfair.

She needs to go on a reality show like Surreal Life to reclaim her ticket, like the rest of cast out celebrities do. Let American Idol present us with delightful new acts for us disregard in a year or two. (Who can then go on to populate the next cast of "Sober House" after AI alum Nikki McKibben evacuates it).

Judging a magazine by its cover

2009-02-07T19:12:00.003-05:00

I got my issue of the Washington Post's "Parade" today. The cover asked who the world's most wanted are. On the cover, with the expected Osama Bin Laden, is a Burundi ex-finance minister who made off with $6.5 million from her government. I expect we will see her popping up on the Hill or maybe being nominated into some Secretary position within the new administration.

Another face that is wanted is a MS-13 gang leader who is charged with attempted murder and escaped from jail. The dude has MS-13 tattooed across his face. I'm thinking that he is probably pretty easy to id. I can't quite tell, but his lips look tattooed, too. Can't cover THAT up with a bandanna. So everyone, be on the look out for a bandanna'd lipstick wearing fella.

Another most wanted is a former babysitter who was convicted of a sex-crime against a child. Seriously? He is most wanted in the world? The whole wide world? When they catch him, he will spend less time in prison than some kid who got busted buying some pot with grand plans to smoke it in his room and then eat all of his roommates Cool Ranch Doritos. (Though I personally believe that anyone who harms a kid in any manner should just simply be shot and save us all the hassle).

Dear Washington Post,
That was a strange group of people to put on your cover declaring "The World's Most Wanted". I have to believe there are people who have done worse things than the Cambodian police officer wanted for participating in an acid attack on a woman. Not to say that all people pictured on the magazine are not awful people. They probably are. However, "most wanted" is a strong term and I would expect these people to be wayyyy out of the league of the DC guys who attack their ex-girlfriends with flammable liquids and set them on fire.

Off to actually read the magazine now. Cheerio!

Slow news day...

2009-01-30T01:49:00.006-05:00

Omigosh you guys!!111!11! Elisabeth Hasselbeck is PREGNANT with the third baby!!!1!1!1 She announced on the must see show "The View"! The estrogen levels must have been through the roof with the excitement of another little right wing baby. This news trumps all other stories. Elisabeth Hasselbeck!!!!!1!1!!!! Another Baby!!!1!!!!
Who cares?

In other news, fark.com has a synopsis of a news story about ~~Gov.~~ Blagojevich that I wish I had written for it is simply hairific, er... mane-nificent! Well, I guess it is obvious that I could never write a gem like this, but I can parade around with it like a middle aged man does with an 18 year old girl.

"Fearing he may have toupee for his blunders, Blago now wants to combover and clear the hair in trial's closing statements. Fail tag waits in the wings, bangs at door. Bouffant"

How is this for transparency?

2009-01-26T22:51:00.006-05:00

Timothy Geithner must have some pretty damning blackmail material to have been voted into the role of Treasury Secretary 60-34. Oh sure, it was merely a mistake that he forgot to pay his taxes. No biggie. He paid them eventually right? So much for holding our new cabinet to a higher standard.

C'mon. We can do better than this.

FCPS. No more grade deflating.

2009-01-26T22:45:00.005-05:00

Fairfax County schools decided to adopt the 10 point grading scale. Before this was passed, they graded on a 94-100=A scale. This is crap! I want them to adjust my school transcripts and give me the grades that everyone else in the country earned while I was being given A~~'s,~~ er, B's. (But would have been A's. Trust me).

(People who knew me in high school, do not rat me out).

What's your pledge?

2009-01-21T22:03:00.003-05:00

My day started early on the 19th, as in 5am early. EARLY! Of course the alarms blared and I frantically, blindly hit three different snooze buttons and managed to eke out a couple of extra minutes of sleep before getting my heinie out to SE DC for the ServiceNation breakfast at Ballou High School.

The highlight of the morning was a speech given by Georgia Rep. John Lewis whose wit and wisdom was so very wonderful during this exciting time, and in light of the experiences of his lifetime. A panel including California First Lady Maria Shriver, CA reps. Doris Matsui and George Miller, moderated by Time managing editor Richard Stengel brought many issues to light as well as some interesting plans to help solve them. Bringing volunteer service to the nation was obviously on the forefront of the agenda and Maria Shriver’s comments on promoting volunteerism as a major piece of legislation was insightful. Her point was that volunteers help the economy and make for an all around better society, which in all truth is something we desperately need.

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore presented a video they made with their “pledge to action”. You can watch it here. This was a great event and now I ask you to make a pledge to help our country. You can go here to find volunteer opportunities in your area.

I pledge to be not get so stressed out in traffic; to not waste so much water; to be available to help out my fellow man. Oh, and volunteer, too.

What's your pledge?

Milk

2009-01-14T00:36:00.002-05:00

Oh, the seventies. What a crazy time: love-ins, protests against war, long hair, hippies, free love. Crazy time. We were just decrying the free love aspect of the era because a friend of mine, who would like to know who her dad is, is having a hard time finding him because, well, who was not loving whom at the time? Besides, it was free love. Therefore, last names not needed, right? It was a time for loving. I was born in the seventies. Though while my mom did want to see “Hair”, my dad was not thrilled about his wife seeing a bunch of youngsters with long hair and no clothes on. (He had short hair and generally donned clothing). So, needless to say, I was not the result of “free love”. I did try to convince my parents I was adopted (for sake of drama which I felt was severely lacking in my young life), but that is a story for another time. Besides, they kept telling me that I was the result of them wanting me, which is ridiculously boring. I was certain that I came from Gypsies (as is obvious from my fair skin).

This is a long and wildly spiraling intro to the fact that I saw the movie “Milk”. This is a fantastic film. I have been feeling wildly adrift for a while, with nothing to focus my attentions on. I have always wondered if I would be a better, more interesting person if I had had some serious issues to deal with growing up. My mother had to grow up having nothing in Germany in WWII. She is by far the deepest, most interesting person I have ever met. Me? I throw bread away when it has past its expiry date. Yup. Don’t tell my mother. I believe she might disown me for that.

Harvey Milk actively engages the residents of his little corner of San Francisco to act in creating awareness/rights for gay citizens. He makes it his life to establish equality for gays, not only in SF, but all over the US. On his fortieth birthday, he complains to his lover that he has lived all these years without having done anything. Then he spends the next eight promoting the greatest gay rights movement. It is almost unfathomable to learn that people were being arrested for being a “homosexual in a bar”. One Senator states that gays will be found and arrested. This brought to mind images of nose measuring Nazi’s. The size of your nose does not make you Jewish. How on Earth were they going to measure gayness?

I also really liked James Franco in his role as Scott. While not a huge role, he truly gave the character a lot of depth and warmth. I feel like it’s his first real “grown up” role, which is probably not true, but I feel like I only ever see him playing a silly stoner. (No need to tell me which roles he did not play a stoner in. I am merely too lazy to IMDB him right now).

I wish I could find the something to have such passion about. Imagine the changes that have occurred in this world because Harvey Milk was not afraid to stand up and fight for what he believed in. I have a very big place in my heart for people like him. It warms my spirit to know that such people exist and not only exist but are truly loved for what they do. Every now and then I get overwhelmed by the people who live to destroy. It crushes some very vital part of me when I hear about a zealot whose own fears cause him/her to violently lash out. The levels of violence some people go to terrifies me, so when I see someone like Milk who didn't allow fear to prevent him from moving forward with his cause, I become revitalized.

I hope I learned something.

American Idol is back

2009-01-14T00:27:00.003-05:00

And I am writing about it where a write up belongs. Go to my other blog to read my cheeky review.

Bah. b Ha BAH...

2009-01-11T22:38:00.002-05:00

One thing that makes me grit my teeth in frustration is bloggers who don't update their dang blog (see JT). No, see ME! It's awful. I just don't write when I don't feel like I have something that interests me to write about. But as Harmony says, free thought writing can turn into interesting reading. I like that girl, so I am opting to take her comments to heart.

Truth is that I am floundering a bit. I don't know which direction to head. I haven't gone searching for a job because I left my last job due to absolute boredom. I don't want to take on another position in which 90% of my time is spent trying to look like I have something to do. I am a "wear my emotions on my sleeve" kind of person and faking looking busy is not on my resume. I also don't want to work in a place where upward mobility is severely limited. C'mon! Give me a chance to work my way up!

People are constantly asking me what I want to do. Which is nice, because they honestly care, but the fact is that I just don't know. I can tell you what I don't want, but I have no idea what I do want. The last 8 or so years have merely fed into my negativity towards employment versus inspiring my drive to be an exemplary employee.

So I have thought harder. I want to be fired up! I want to have ideas. I want to be inspired. However, in the past few years, any of this kind of thinking on my part has been shot down. Unless of course it was an inspired idea of how to get my boss to be able to fly first class versus business for no additional cost.

Ack. I am whining. Now you understand why I am not writing more often?

Wheels on the car go round and round...

2008-12-19T14:39:00.002-05:00

My mom is contemplating getting a subcompact car after years of driving around in a station wagon that allowed her the luxury of easy transportation of a variety of big/bulky things. I looked around and it seems that the top choices are the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and the Smart. We are going to test drive them tomorrow. Today's plans to do so were sidetracked by rain. Rain makes me melt because I am just soo darn sweet.

I am curious about these wee little cars. Anyone out there drive one? Any recommendations? She wants a very small, fairly inexpensive car. I see a man driving around Bethesda in some poison apple green one seater electric car. Where did you get that car, dude?

Oh Britney.

2008-12-02T16:57:00.004-05:00

I actually watched Britney's Circus thingy on Good Morning America this morning because, well, I still love her. I do. I am such a teeny bopper.

Things started off well, with Britney's newly tightened body astride a circus wagon. The lip syncing was fairly obvious, but honestly, do we expect anything else? Things kind of went downhill for me after the initial glimpse of the {insert moniker of some combination of "pop" and "princess" here}. I mean, she looks great, but wasn't she a dancer? Wasn't that her thing?

This performance included her walking around a lot and waving her arms around a bit. She looked unpracticed and uncertain in her moves (except for the arms part. That looked crisp). I felt like she was counting. One: step left; two: swing arms in air; three: swing hips to right. I am confused. Dancers know their stage; their bodies, right? She seemed to look down for her mark, or to make sure she did not fall. Maybe the new body has a different center of gravity? Maybe her choreographer does not have legs and can only choreograph her upper body? In any case, it looked like she was just going through the motions. Like if we saw her and asked her to just quickly show us her new dance routine and she said sure and then did a half-assed version to just give us the idea of it. Geez, if we had really done that with this routine, would she have just meandered randomly about?

Her belly looked good though.

BOYS

2008-12-02T00:35:00.002-05:00

What is wrong with the DC metropolitan area boys? (Men? No, because men should be honorable and respectable and reliable. So, boys..BOYS. Grr)

I met a cute boy. He owns a local shop and I was in there at one point. I noticed his cuteness and his geniality, which I truly appreciate. I went in to his shop one day, (note: I was makeup free and generally as uncute as uncute can be) and hung out for several hours. (HOURS!)

That evening, he contacted me and we met to enjoy beers together. Of course I polished myself up a bit, which he noticed with a sweet "you look all fluffed up". Everything he said to me was slightly tugging at my skin, but all the while super sweet. I know I talk too much. He mentioned that I seemed to have a lot to say. Yet, the way he said it came across in the best manner possible. I felt comfortable and glad to know him.

Our second date involved a town far from here (30 miles!). He invited me to invite friends to join him and his buddies out on the town. I collected Marci and we headed to the 'burbs. I saw him, and he greeted me sweetly, but did not introduce me to his friends and then suddenly took a call on his cellphone. Nonplussed, Marci and I went to the bar for beer. There we were hijacked by an Englishman claiming to be from Wisconsin. I looked to my date who was not paying any attention to me, and Marci and I went to join the Englishman and his pals.

Seriously, why invite someone you don't want to be a part of your group? I dated that guy already. I don't want to just stand there and look pretty while the guy I am with does whatever he wants.

Is it really that impossible to find the one you can be attracted to as a mate and like as a friend as well?

Smeh.

How patriotic I felt, until they actually called me in!

2008-11-20T23:14:00.002-05:00

I voted for the President and came home to find a jury summons, my first jury summons, in my mail. Woo, I thought, as I opened the envelope. Alexandria is home to the federal court that tried the likes of terrorist Moussaoui and sniper Mohammed. I am gonna get myself on the jury of a REAL trial! I glanced at the form. Nope, I am a little juror, or in their words: Petit Jury. Bah. But I was still excited. I have never been on a jury before. What will my peers look like? How do I demonstrate how very bribe-able I am. (You want him to be found not guilty? Pay up?) Kidding, of course!

So I dutifully called in on the first night, only to find they did not need my services. I called every night to find the same. So tonight, Thursday night, I forgot to call until late. Oh, what does it matter? They don't need me, I thought. So I called. And they need me. Dang it. They need me. On a Friday. What the heck? I was feeling patriotic, until they let me get away with being patriotic without having to do anything. Now I am not even feeling bribe-able anymore. I have to be at court at 8:30 am. A.M. As in in the morning. I can't believe I have to go.

It better be a good case. And they better pay me. And I had better wake up in time. And what does "appropriate dress" mean to me... (tee hee).

More than words?*

2008-11-20T16:50:00.002-05:00

I have never like Penelope Cruz. I don’t think she is all that pretty and I never like her in the roles she plays in American cinema. People have always made her out to be this great big star, but I have simply never seen it. Until I watched Volver. (Well, started watching Volver. I am only ½ hour into it. I’m a busy girl. I will get to the rest. Also, the film has not truly grabbed my attention, so it takes me longer to watch).

Suddenly I see what everyone else is talking about when it comes to P. Cruz. She seems so strong in her role. Her voice is deeper in Spanish. She is beautiful. Weird how I can’t see this when she is speaking English.

It makes me wonder how I am when I am speaking German, or when I am in Germany. Am I more interesting, or less? I know I am a heck of a lot smarter in English than in German, but how does that make me come across? Would people who don’t like me in one language LOVE ME if they saw me in the other?

*that is honestly the best title I could come up with. I am sleepy. Maybe I should try to come up with a German title. Lemme think... Nope, got nothing.

What's sexy mean these days?

2008-11-20T13:10:00.006-05:00

Marci’s blog alerted me to the fact that People Magazine released their annual list of sexiest men. Is People Magazine even relevant anymore? Is this list the only thing that makes us realize that they are still in publication? Well, in any case, I am on their site checking to see if I agree with their choices, because after hearing about a couple of them on the radio this morning, I think that maybe I need to understand what People’s parameters regarding “sexy” are.

Number one: Hugh Jackman. (Whom I keep renaming through my excellent typing skills as Hugh Jackson). LO-OVE him. Have from first sighting when I though he was a hairy, short little man. Apparently I thought he was Robin Williams. Turns out he is 6’2” and a sexy man beast who is not only happily married, but dad to two adopted kids that he frolics in the ocean with. What’s not to love? He is the perfect man. I love that he can go from titanium claw wielding mutant to a fey Broadway dandy and still be manly as all heck. Yes please!

Now, I must check out the others. Be right back.

2. Daniel Craig. The new James Bond. I just don’t get the attraction. Not to say he is ugly, but just not my type. He looks like he can’t speak and he has eyes that make him look like I do after Marci and I blog together. Not good. Disagree with this choice.

3. Jon Hamm. Men Behaving Badly star. He looks like a high school teacher. In the real world this guy would be hot, but in TV world, I am not sold on him either. (High standards, ladies and gentlemen. Deal with it).

4. Zac Efron. I am not allowed to say bad things about him or Harms kids will hunt me down and hurt me. (Though he looks like an elf, much like another young whippersnapper down the list. Is this what the youngsters find attractive these days?)

5. Robert Buckley. Who? Must be British, based on his teeth. Oh, wait. I know who this kid is. He was on some morning talk show once and was adorable.

I don't feel like linking anymore. You wanna see these guys, just go to the People Magazine link at the top.

6. Blair Underwood. When he was on The New Adventures of Old Christine, I was totally on board. He IS good looking, but again, my crushes stem from the characters they play in addition to their looks and he seems to play not so nice characters a lot. Though my favorite EVER episode of Old Christine involved her stumbling over herself when she tried to introduce her friends to him. HILARIOUS! Watched it over and over and over.

7. Ed Westwick. Gossip Girl lothario. EW. EW. EW. EW. This is one ugly child. And he always looks like he ate a piece of chocolate that went bad. (Slight smile, because it is chocolate; turned down mouth because it is gross chocolate). NONONO. He is not sexy.

8. Michael Phelps. No. Maybe he is sexy underwater?

9. Blake Shelton. Country singer? I don’t know who he is, but based on his photo, I veto him from the sexy list.

10. Lang Lang. Virtuoso. Uncreative parents. I believe that nerdy can be sexy. I don’t know about this nerd.

11. Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Zach? Do his friends call him Mark-Paul? It sounds like when my mom calls me by all of childrens’ names before she lands on the right one. If he cut his hair, maybe I would let him stay on the list.

12. Javier Bardem. You know, he rocked the page boy haircut in No Country for Old Men. He reminds a bit of Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who played Denny on Grey’s Anatomy. Yeah, Javier has a certain Je ne sais quoi.

13. Robert Pattinson. The vampire in the upcoming film Twighlight. Looks like an elf from the Lord of the Rings series. I dunno. He is too young for me to be looking at lasciviously. (HA! I jest! However, you got me with this choice. He is adorable, but sexy????)

14. Joshua Jackson. He has changed since his Mighty Duck days. I don’t know what to say. He does not strike me as sexy. He seems stern. Maybe it is just his photo. I dunno. These boys are all kind of boring. I am not inspired. Where are the guys that I would knock my chair over to run towards? Oh who am I kidding? I have far too much couth to ever act in such an unladylike way. HA!

15. David Beckham. Yes, until he opens his mouth to speak.

These are the men I would like to have seen. (In no particular order, and while this is already so long, with no explanation. If you need some, lemme know.)

Jason Statham
Ryan Reynolds
Jenson Ackles
Jeffrey Dean Morgan
John Krasinski
(Oh, and if I could go back in time, James Garner!)

That’s all I can come up with right now. Hmm, I seem to think the letter J is sexy, with just a little R thrown in for texture.

Ten years. I still miss you.

2008-11-19T17:27:00.003-05:00

People always want to know how many siblings you have. I always say that I have two brothers and a sister. Then they want to know where they are and what they are up to and I can answer honestly about two of them, but the third… who knows what hijinx he is up to.
It has been ten years since I last saw him and he left with the sweetest smile on his face, no doubt trained from the kindness of his personality. He could start some trouble though. When I was little, he built me a tree house. It was more of an elevated platform than an enclosure. We climbed up and I sat in my big brother’s lap, when suddenly the whole thing came down. I was fine. He suffered the wounds of the fall with a 60 pound kid on his lap in addition to the wounding of ego. However, his ego was resilient like none other.

He took me hang gliding at Kitty Hawk. Our group was a bunch of girls from a local all-girls college. His desire to look good sent him on a gliding journey that ventured past the sand dune and over the highway, leaving me and the girls to gape in horror that he might go down and get hit by a car, or even to keep going and wind up over the ocean. Luckily he came down safely and then had to drag the glider all the way back up to the top. But he did this easily, fired up from his ride. (I did not fare quite as well. For me it was hang-crashing).

My brother maintained his youthful enthusiasm for everything. He had a zip-line in his backyard which eventually brought down a tree and part of his deck. His basement had an Eyes (sort of like Pac-Man) video game, the ones like in arcades, that he could whoop anyone on. He decorated the basement with random paraphernalia, like Coke bottles from across the world, and painted the walls with glow in the dark stars.

He made an effort with everyone in our family and was definitely the cool uncle, supplying my sister’s kids with the awesomest toys ever. Now those kids are ten years older and only the oldest remembers him, her God-father. Meanwhile, she is an honor roll student headed off to college next year. The middle one is a killer basketball player and the baby, the one whose sweet face kept everyone’s spirits up on this day 10 years ago, well, he is still the sweet face who brightens everyone’s day.

How much has changed! What would he think? Would he like my apartment? Could I have tricked him into helping me paint? (Considering how much I painted at his house… I think so). Would he have liked my ex? (probably). Would he be singing Karaoke with me at Jen’s house? (Definitely, and the boy had a lovely voice).

I am so thankful that I got to have 25 years with the boy/man who took me roller skating when he was 15 and I was 4; for riding me around town on the handlebars of his bike; for letting me be his roommate and not getting horribly mad (though he did get mad) that I opted to be useless when it came to helping around the house; for being kind and generous to a fault; for being my best friend.

I have no idea what he is up to these days, but if they let him decorate his part of heaven, I can guarantee it has a trampoline and a bunch of good looking broads. And maybe a zip-line that works.

Late night writing ramblings.

2008-11-18T01:43:00.004-05:00

In my last post I mentioned that I did not quite grasp the importance of electing a black President. In the meantime, I got to spend some time with two 14 year old girls who not only knew that Obama was elected, were elated to know this. A birthday gift they received was one of MLK and Obama stating one had the dream, and the other was it. Their mother told me that they dissolved into happy tears at his election because now they truly believe that they CAN do anything, be anything. How remarkable. How sad for us that they did not feel that way before. This country should be beyond the notion that some people are not as good as others. It is incomprehensible to me that the caste system is still quietly (not always quietly) running.

Of course now I have to temper this by saying that I do believe some people are more talented, or more intelligent, or simply more capable at some things and we should allow everyone to succeed at what they would excel at (not ending sentence with prepositions is not something I excel at). We should also allow people to be the best they can be without falsely inflating their actual accomplishments (that one's for you, Harvard). We should also allow them to be excellent at jobs that don't require an IQ of 150 or a inclination towards understanding astrophysics.

Now that it is on the table that everyone should be free to attempt to thrive in any situation, can we please stop coddling our children so that they are incapable of accomplishing anything on their own? No more doing their homework.

This post did not pan out the way I had initial planned for it. But well, Harmony tells me that is simply what happens when writing blog posts sometimes. Lord knows, looking back on previous entries, that I often veer into the next lane. It is why you all love me. Either that or you are too afraid to let go. Both ways work for me! Kisses!!

Americans... still believe in an America where anything's possible...

2008-11-05T10:22:00.003-05:00

- they just don't think their leaders do. - Barack Obama

I have never given much credence to the whole electoral process. I am completely guilty of taking our freedoms for granted. I know I am not the only one and during the 2008 election the masses demonstrated their understanding that in order for us to carry on in the manner to which we are accustomed we need to not just make our voices heard, but actually stand up and say something.

So we spoke. We got involved. I have never been prouder of us.

Part of me does not quite grasp the importance of this election. What is the big deal about electing a black president? I voted for the person I thought would most capably do the job. I am interested in how the enormity of the 2008 election will one day strike me.

Never before has ~~the country~~ the world looked at a US Presidential election with such interest. Never before have I looked at a US Presidential election with such interest. I hope that he lives up to our expectations. I am glad we surpassed my expectations.
I am proud to be American today.

I have a navigator and everything.

2008-10-03T00:13:00.003-04:00

Today I visited my old office to say hello and left at 4pm. It's only been a couple of months since I left the place I drove to daily for one and a half years. I took the wrong way home and ended up being on the road for two and a half hours. Seriously?

Rest in peace, Gini.

2008-09-30T01:27:00.002-04:00

I don’t think that I ever misunderstood death. How do I qualify that statement? I guess I always understood that it is part of the life cycle. We are born, we live, we die. The first person close to me to die was my grandfather. He died when I was eight and I felt like he came to me in dreams. I probably just dreamed about him. I think he was ready to go. He’d had enough of this world and wanted to see the next one. He was a pastor, after all and maybe his connection to God was just ready to be made in person.

We lost a lot of kids in school. My friend Aera Shin was hanged by her mother, along with her sister. Their father had left their mother and it denoted unquestionable loss of respect. They were immigrant Korean. So she hanged her daughters and she hanged herself. We, me and Aera, were just twelve years old. I remember looking at her in her coffin. She had pimples I had never seen in life. I learned later that the marks were petechiae caused by blood vessels that had burst in her face. She had Barbie dolls in her coffin. She was just a little girl.

My friend Barry Stunson was killed in a car accident. He was in high school and already had NBA scouts looking at him. This boy was smart and sweet. He used to help me chase down my dog Fred when he ran away (which occurred way too often and we never caught him). He had the world ahead of him.

My dad died a few years ago. He had Multiple Sclerosis and was fighting pneumonia for a couple of years. My whole family was together with him. He was so peaceful. I think he was actually looking forward to getting together with his twin brother who had died a few years before. I think he was excited about being freed of this prison his body had become. When he died it was okay. It was okay because he was a good man and he lived a good life and finally, FINALLY he could be free.

My point is that death is not something I don’t comprehend. I may not comprehend the timing, or the victim, but I understand the realities of the fact that people will die. I understand that it is not always in a manner that is acceptable or even comprehendible (which is a sort of double talk I am engaging in that I am simply going to ignore).

What I don’t understand is someone actively taking a life. I don’t understand this. Just a few days ago a coworker of a friend was murdered. She was a sweet, ditzy girl we all enjoyed teasing, occasionally. She was young and pretty, with long blonde hair and a strong affiliation to the church. I did not know her well, but we have shared plenty of happy hours and office events.

Murder has always been a plotline to me, or something that happened to people I did not know personally. Now I can’t help but worry who and how and why could something like this happen to someone like her?

What a world we live in. How can it ever be understandable to take someone’s life? How can it ever be justifiable? How dare these criminals walk the street amongst us? How is it possible for one person to decide to end the life of another.

Rest in peace, Gini.

Back home and finally posting again.

2008-09-22T23:40:00.002-04:00

Hoo boy. Hello.

Gosh, you know when you have meant to do something and then you don't, for whatever reason, and it just gets harder and harder to do? That could be my life paraphrased.

I had all sorts of things to still tell you. In Myrtle Beach, after talking to you all day (seriously, I sat in the lobby of my Motel for hours, typing away), I decided to try the ocean one more time. I walked along the sand and met a woman who was fishing for a shark tooth in the sand. She was not having any luck. She and her husband were there from Indiana and as everyone else was, were wondering if they should stick it out for the hurricane, or go home. I ventured back into the water where I met two people in MB for a convention and we played in the waves for hours, until the sun went down. Some redneck kid from Pittsburgh came through, marked by a jellyfish attack on his upper arm. It was time to head in. But, the ocean redeemed itself and was fully enjoyable on my second go round that day. Though its stripping me of my clothes did not end AND I received two thorough brain washings thanks to some wicked waves shooting up my nose.

The next day I paid a million dollars to rent a jet ski and fly down the inter coastal waterway at 80 mph. You should have seen my face aflapping in the wind. The jet ski rental owner met me on my way back and took me to lunch. Then it was time to head to Raleigh, NC to visit another friend. I hate NC. I hit a deer there once; I saw a kid walking down the street in Fayettenam carrying a handgun; and I got a speeding ticket. (The speeding ticket was on this glorious day of jet skiing. Yep. Frack. That's two on this trip).

My friend and I went to Asheville to see the Vanderbilt home "Biltmore". Unbelievable. We rented headphones to get the audio tour. What a great plan for the museum. This way they can have tons of people milling about, but no one says a word. They just all turn their heads to look at the same thing at the same time. Unnerving.

I made my friend go see "House Bunny" with me. I love Anna Faris. I just recently watched "Smiley Face" with her in it. She is hilarious! After watching House Bunny, I thought, hmm, maybe I will work out 8 hours a day and never eat again. Her body is ridiculous.

Staying in Raleigh was fun because my pal's friends rock! But soon it was time to go. I wanted to visit Melissa, but she was out of town.

So yes, I am back home. I got back about two weeks ago and popped in on my friend Jen instead of going straight home.

Walking into my house was wild. I did not recognize the place. It was spotless. I forgot the extend to which I cleaned it. The amount of mail was outrageous. There in the midst was that damn ticket from California which I have paid for in the meantime. The NC was dropped due to faulty machinery or something.

So, I am sure you are chomping at the bit to know what I have been up to since my return. Well, a lot of sleeping in. Pathetic. I also had lunch with a friend, a day of margaritas with Laura, studying for the GRE's, visited with my brother and my cat, had an interview, and mostly, I painted my apartment. Good Lord that takes forever!!! I had to tape and tarp and spackle and sand and prime and paint. Gah. It is done as of three hours ago. I love the way it looks. I painted the walls a very soft yellow and the dining room got a splash of color. (As did I. I was scrubbing paint off of my entire body every night for a week!). I don't need to see the inside of a Home Depot again for a while.

So, I am home and still unemployed. So if ya'll wanna hang out, gimme a call. Oh, and if you know a place where I can get a great bookshelf/entertainment center in a medium-light wood. (Not pine or oak) (not Ikea, West Elm or Pottery Barn) Please let me know.

Thanks again to everyone I got to spend some time with along the way. I truly enjoyed myself. Thanks!!

News Talk Bug style

2008-09-02T17:08:00.004-04:00

I listen to the news as I am driving down the street and there are only 3 things on people's minds these days. Casey Anthony; Hurricane(s) Gustav (Hanna, Ike and Josephine); and the 2008 Presidential election. I'm bored with it all. (sort of)

Casey Anthony is obviously guilty of killing her child. However she did it, be it an accident or not, she did it. The issue with her and the public is that she seems to be a sociopath and therefore does not react the way that a normal person would. People reporting on this case seem to be looking for a reaction, but sociopaths don't have the same moral code that regular people do.

The Hurricane is messing with my beach trip and I am bored with the political ramifications the storm and its' affect on New Orleans has. Besides, they never discuss the outlying destruction that Biloxi and Gulfport suffered during Katrina and Baton Rouge through Gustav. But most of all, the HURRICANE IS MESSING WITH MY BEACH TRIP!

This whole brouhaha with the Republican Vice Presidential candidate is dumb and boring. This is why I think that the President and VP should be voted for separately. I think also that it should not matter if the President is a Democrat and the VP a Republican (or whatever). They would keep each other in line. But keeping the two seats on individual tickets would keep us from ever having another VP like the one we have right now. (Cheney, right? Is he even still alive or are they pulling a "Weekend at Bernie's" thing on us?*).

* I stole this bit from some comedian I heard on XM

You must have seen her dancing in the sand.

2008-09-02T16:04:00.004-04:00

I am a beach bunny.

That is all.

Just kidding. I am at the beach, but I am sitting inside the lobby of my Motel and typing to you guys because I am afeared of the beach. Okay, I have to admit that I have never been one that is super excited about the beach. Too many experiences with feet cut on shells, jellyfish stings, and wicked undertows that challenged my already challenged swimming abilities. This sends me off on a tangent (who me? on a tangent?). I was in the water with my brother and my friend Mark, when I felt something brush past my legs. We were at Nags Head and had seen shark pods earlier that morning. (Probably the eggs of a nurse shark or something). We were floating about on our rafts and I suddenly grabbed my raft and headed rapidly for shore. Once safely on dry land, I hollered to my companions "SHARK". Nice, huh? I am a save my own butt person first. Keep that in mind.

I loved being in the water when I was but a buglet. They used to have to physically remove me from the water when I was little. I had an indicator, much like the poking out device that is found on butterball turkeys - er...though nothing poked out of me. That would just be weird. My lips turned blue when I was in the cold water too long. This sends me off on another tangent about when I was teeny and my belly button turned blue. Seems my mother left me alone for a split second and the next thing she saw was an empty blue marker and a wee li'l girl with a bright blue belly button. Hmm, not much of story here, but when my mother tells it, it is rather hilarious. Unfortunately, she has many such stories about me and I would prefer that you all just stay away from her.

I got to Myrtle Beach yesterday and slathered myself in SPF 1,000,000 and put on my bikini. I had stopped by one of the ubiquitous beach stores to pay $6.99 for an already inflated raft. Yay! I also got some bright blue bahama shorts. I am now wearing them and looking rather fine (in the South Carolina/beach vacation/unwashed kind of way). Which leads me to yet another tangent when Marci , Angel and I went to Rehobeth and Marci and I decided it would be a great weekend to do no grooming at all, while Angel sat and primped for 4 hours straight. Again, guess you had to be there. It struck us (me and Marci) as ridiculously funny, while Angel was highly displeased with her consorts.

I got out the water yesterday and struggled against an extreme undertow. I tried bringing my raft out there, but the waves were breaking so far out that by the time I got the raft into the water after recovering from the previous wave, I would be pulled under and get tangled up in the raft's cords. Bah. So I deposited it on the beach and just attempted to hop the waves. That was fun.

Today, I got up and reslathered. I contemplated my bikinis because honestly, the ocean is a friend to the Girl's Gone Wild guy and keeps trying to tear my top off! Ocean Gone Wild! I hit the water newly ambitious, raft dragging behind me. Smack! Bikini up... raft gone... me on my bottom fumbling for everything at once. Oh, who am I kidding? When I noticed the assault, I righted my clothing and slapped the water for being fresh. Then as I attempted to regain my footing the ocean came right back at me, tugged me down, and slapped me in the face. EXCUSE ME! So I got out. I grabbed the raft and sat on the sand for a bit. After a few minutes, I gathered my resolve (once again) and entered the ocean alone (without the raft). The sand is gone! Gone! Replaced with rough pieces of broken shell. What the..? It seems that the hurricane is not only making the waves choppier and the ocean sassier, but all the shells of the entire ocean have been placed at my feet. Is it a gift? Is it a punishment? Is the ocean telling me to be nice or it will cut me? (I'll cut you!) I dunno, but I gave up. That's why I am sitting here talking to you.

Ew

2008-08-31T20:05:00.002-04:00

Last night I had a really difficult time finding my fancy hotel. I should have considered that an omen. I got into my room and it had that funny aura of not being completely clean, but I had already brought all my crap into the room which meant that I had no real interest in repacking and complaining and having to move. Perhaps if I had a crew, or the hotel did in case of such emergencies... Not even when I noticed something floating around in the toilet did I pack up and leave. (I have lost my shimmer). I spent some time pondering the floater. It looked like a cigarette but without a filter. It was so curious. Only about 1/2 an inch long, it was burnt at one end and looking like a new cigarette tip on the other. Weed? Were people smoking weed in my non smoking room, while they were cleaning it for my messing up pleasure? Then I got to thinking that smoking weed while cleaning would probably be more fun than not smoking weed while cleaning which then made me come to the realization that the reason I don't clean is because I don't smoke weed.
I looked closer, and it did not make sense that the burnt end was twisted. What the heck was that thing? I flushed him to hell and HE STAYED IN THE BOWL! Get away from me, I screamed. Then I took all the towels (were they clean!?!??!!?) and placed them all over the floor in my walking path. I took saniwipes and rubbed down the remote control. They came away cruddy. (I was going to say smeary, but that was too gross even for me!). But I needed to watch TV so I went and washed my hands (again!) and wrapped the remote in a saniwipe.
I watched TV and found I could not sleep in my (is it clean!?!?!??!?) bed. Besides, there were constantly shadows outside my door and it scared me.
This morning I awoke to find that I could not take a shower. The water would turn on, but that's it. No temperature manipulation there. Grr. By this point every towel has been used to keep from touching any surface. I went to get my free breakfast and I missed it. So I sat in my room and ate food from my cooler.

Tonight is no better. I feel dirty just sitting in this room. (And not dirrty either). I am finding wee little dead bugs everywhere. But I am again too lazy to deal with it which means another room with towels covering everything and my inability to sleep because I am afraid the living bugs will come and exact revenge on my for what my cat does to their friends. But I am BUG! I am your leader.

Oh NO

2008-08-30T10:56:00.007-04:00

I waltzed into The Big Easy in the afternoon on Thursday and found a hotel in the middle of the French Quarter to reside in. I decided (and this was huge because for most of this trip I have been confusing people with my hobo-like appearance) to dress up and see what the French Quarter had to offer. I went to the lobby to ask the concierge for advice on a fine dining establishment, hoping against hope that his idea of fine dining was not the Hustler restaurant on Bourbon Street. His idea was for me to join him in going to the Saint's pre-season game, which I did. The game was pretty full with everyone wearing Saint's paraphernalia, but they still lost the game. Dan and I decided to hit Bourbon street. He used to be a drummer and played with the likes of Chaka Khan. He was appalled when I told him about her hissy fit in Boca, Marci.

In New Orleans, some bars will give you three drinks for the price of one and then you get to walk around town with said drinks. Well, I was not up to drinking all those beers, so while I carried them around for a while, I saw some street musician and gave him one. But he is not pictured below. These guys were great. So I danced while they sang. I got rhythm. (As evidenced from my hula dancing to their "sitting on the dock of the bay").

Friday was the anniversary of hurricane Katrina and people were preparing for the hit of Gustav. It was a really interesting time to be in the city. People seemed laid back about the whole thing, yet many were planning to leave by Sunday. One girl at my hotel hoped for a bad hurricane, so she could leave New Orleans for good. I told her to just do it, but her mother seems to have a rather strong hold on her. If there is one thing I have learned on this trip, it is that you cannot wait for other's to be okay with what you are doing. Sometimes you just have to go do what is best for you. I hope she does. She seemed like a really sweet girl.

I decided to take a tour of the city. We saw the beautiful traditional homes of early New Orleans...

And the ugly new traditions of the Big Easy. Three years later and still living in FEMA trailers. We went to one house in the lower ninth ward that the tour guide referred to as the Wizard of Oz house based on how it seemed to have just landed on the lot. Everything was askew and absolutely destroyed by the hurricane. There were still clothes hanging from a hook on the door and dishes in the sink. This was the destruction to the house. Someone painted band-aids filled with love on the side of the house. What struck me most was this doll who seems to epitomize the whole disaster. She seems to be waiting for someone to save her. Broke my heart to think of the little girl who had to leave her behind. A lot of the houses still bear their markings from the rescue teams that came through. Usually there would be an X with a date, the group that searched (DEA, ASPCA), how many people found inside and their status (alive, dead), and finally any info for others coming through (missing stairwell, etc). This house, amongst many others, had "TFW" spray painted on it. This means toxic flood waters. The toxicity of the water was a big issue that remained long after the floods had receded. The symbols on this house mean that they came by on Sept. 12. They did not enter, probably due to the tfw, and they found no bodies. I can't decipher who searched it. It looks like "ME" to me.

Katrina was of course just the first part of a one-two punch. Rita came in and flooded them all over again. Below you can see the watermarks of the flooding from both hurricanes.Of course, not all of NO is based on what happened 3 years ago. People were dying for all sorts of reasons before Katrina came in with her fury. Yellow fever seemed to be a big killer. AND NO IS currently the murder capital. (C'mon DC, we can't let them have our title!) As everyone knows, the cemeteries are above ground due to the fact that when you were to bury your loved one, you were forced to place them into filthy water. So they opted for crypts, which goes against the beliefs of many of the Catholic residents. The caskets rest on shelves in the crypt for one year and then the bones are placed in the "basement" of the tomb and the shelves are free for the next dead person in your family. It's these swamps that make the land very unstable. Weird how people always want to build on inappropriate land. I mean, Chicago is built on sand. Didn't anyone read the biblical verse about the house built on sand and yadda yadda yadda?But these live oaks are so beautiful and they grow so crazily. This one is 300-400 years old and named after some Scotsman, I am too lazy to look up, who had donated this land and also a ton of money for schools to be built all over the city. (I think it was McDonogh). See how they placed telephone poles to keep the tree from splitting apart?There is plenty of Gustav preparation going on. Sandbags were placed.All the windows were being boarded up. (I was thinking that this would be a great time to get to NO and offer to board the windows at $10 a pane?)After the tour, I wandered about and had a $7 lime slushy. Basically a margarita without booze. But $7! Jeepers, had I known that it would cost that much, I would have gotten the tequila. At least then I may not have cared. I love these frozen drink shops.

I ate a Muffalatta which was created in New Orleans and is so tasty. It is like an Italian sub but with an Italian dressing. Mine had olives on it. Delish.

It was sooo hot that I drank a gallon of water and it never came out again. (You are welcome for my subtlety there). I went to Cafe Beignet where I spoke to a couple from Calgary about the Stampede and also the firm conviction that all Canadians seem to have that the US shot the September 11 plane that crashed in PA down. Why don't we (Americans) have this notion? It seems reasonable to me. We also talked about the impending storm and whether or not it will truly hit New Orleans, and if it will be a hurricane at all. I am fascinated at the preparation this time around, though I bet plenty of people will just be hunkering down again, even with the mandated evacuation.

I stopped by Cafe Du Monde, but I hate chicory and I am still not sufficiently recovered from the beignet incident in Chicago, so I meandered over to the flea market where I bought two cds of New Orleans jazz.

As I was leaving NO, I was stuck in a fair amount of traffic. A lot of cars were packed and heading northeast. I am curious how everything will pan out. The skies were blue and everything seemed so peaceful while I was in town.

I really loved the city. The people are friendly and happy. The diversity is great and there is so much to do. I believe this was my favorite city so far.

Off to the beach along with the rest of ya'll. I did not plan my visit to the Atlantic well. Stinking 3 day weekend. (Ha! Never thought I would say that!)

Arizona is Artsy

2008-08-22T11:51:00.003-04:00

At least I am attempting to take artsy photos. The twist? I am driving really fast while taking them....

The last one is a little blurry, but I like the way it looks. Off to Texas!

Long and Linky. That's Los Angeles for ya.

2008-08-21T23:41:00.004-04:00

Okay, so leaving Los Angeles was really hard. However, staying there was really expensive. I felt like I was back home for a second when I got to my car and found a $70 parking ticket on it. Woo! That’s money well spent. When I saw that, I just turned on my heel and kept up my shopping spree in Beverly Hills. Yeah, so $70 turned into $300. Well played, LA. Well played.
Los Angeles was a lot of fun. I can’t remember what I have already told you, so if I am repeating myself, please forgive me. I am currently in Yuma, Arizona at a Mazda dealership getting a wickedly overdue oil change in the Gray Steed. The mechanics are all at lunch so, as usual, my timing is impeccable.

I am headed to see my friend Clussy in Austin and I cannot wait. I told her I would be there on Sunday and I really hope that’s true. I do have 1100 miles to cover in that time and there is the whole matter of finding out whether or not there is a basement in the Alamo. (I guess I missed that part in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure – please don’t ruin it for me).

I think the last time we spoke, I told you about seeing the taping for “’Til Death”. On Saturday, Cary and I went to Runyan Canyon and hiked about.

I was, of course, wearing the flip flops. The view there is remarkable and as we stood on the peak, the sun set and we could see all the lights of the city. The smog was lovely, too. Then Cary and I went and had dinner at Chateau Marmont. The food there is good! I had pickled vegetables, which is unusual but really yummy. Our waitress was utterly adorable and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing her in the films before too long.

I planned to leave LA on Sunday and after having the most delicious scone ever at the Newsroom Café, I drove into the biggest traffic nightmare of my last 5 days. I was meeting my friend Michael in Marina Del Ray. I finally found a space to park in and Mike and I met for the first time since he and I went to a play together in DC in 1997. (A play in which his friend was starring and had nudity of which he did not warn me. Sitting that close to the stage made for a rather shocking experience. I am apparently still not over it). Seeing Mike was soooo much fun and it is wild to me that so much time can pass and some friendships just have something that holds strong. His wife is a writer on the new Jay Mohr show and after finagling tickets to see it, I opted to stay in LA for a couple of more days. We parted, he to get a manicure (such a girl) and I headed to Manhattan Beach where I got to chase waves with my new friend Ellen’s 2 little girls.
I checked back into my hotel which is in Korea-town, not Chinatown as I had originally thought. I met Cary at the Saddle Ranch, where we befriended two lovelies. Saddle Ranch is hysterical. There is a bull on which you may ride. One girl, wearing a dress, had to hold on to her talent because it was threatening to bust free. (See what I did there? Bust? Haha). The controller of the bull did all he could to titillate (Again! I am on fire) the men in the crowd. After a few beverages and plenty of cajoling from my table, I was somehow convinced to ride the bull. I am smart enough to address the bull controller so that I was not a skanky cowgirl. See? Saucy! Thanks, Casey.

On Monday, I went to Beverly Hillsand bought a couple of magazines to read. Psychology Today, Vanity Fair and In Touch. (I like to see the celeb's kids. I know it’s weird, and I hate how exploited they are, but aw, they are so cute!!). I sat down and had veggie juice and Gazpacho at Urth Coffee. (I am so very Hollywood! Are you curious which magazine I read?*). Afterwards I went to a nail salon and had my wretchedly hideous feet attended to. The woman who was dealing with my feet had an interesting story. When she first came to the States from Mexico, she could speak barely any English. She had to go to immigration a lot, which was next to a medical school. She thought that she’d be a good nurse, but the lack of English was a huge barrier. She busted her tail and became a nurse. (Her actually story was a lot more detailed and interesting. I swear). In any case, she was an interesting woman who seemed to never let anything get in her way and I was really impressed an inspired by her. And my scandalous feet were preeeeettttttyyyyy again.

After my pedicure is when I looked at my car and figured that the ticket is already there, so I might as well go find some cute LA type stuff. I bought a cute top and I highly recommend a store called Crème on Charleville Blvd in Beverly Hills. The items range from cheap ($9 for silver earrings - which I did buy) to pricey ($295 for a hand bedazzled IPhone case - which I did not buy). The owner is adorable and helpful and super sweet. I would shop at her store every day.

Afterwards I met with Cary to go to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. We saw the X-Files movie there. Traffic was bad (can you believe it? In LA? I hear you saying that’s implausible). We missed the first 10 minutes. That was a dumb movie. It was not even an X-File. And at the end, if you stay through the credits, Scully and Mulder are in a row boat with the camera directly about them, and they look up at us and wave goodbye. What the..? That movie was dumb. I hear that it was written quickly before the Writer’s Strike so they could get it filmed quickly, and that’s why it sucks, but why waste time making a beyond sub-par film just to make it? I mean, I know I got through college writing papers that way, but this is professional. PROFESSIONAL!!! I did find Julie Andrews' star on Hollywood Blvd, though. That soothed the burn a little.

We left Grauman’s to drown our sorrow and confusion in cholesterol at In-N-Out Burger on Sunset. I have been told that this is the greatest burger ever and while, yes, it was good, I would not say great. The fries were not that interesting. I am no expert on fast food, and so I guess in the realm of the fast food burger world, it was pretty good. I left Cary at the burger joint and headed to the Cat and the Fiddle to meet Mike for some beers. We had a blast laughing about our high school days (he was two years under me).

On Tuesday, I finally took it upon myself to experience Korea Town. I needed new face cream, so I found a beauty supply store in which I was introduced to a Korean cosmetic line and now am somehow the proud owner of. I have never heard of this line, but the girls inside swore by it and so I am going to trust them. I have gone from Shiseido (Japanese), Clarins (French) to Ossion (Korean) in a year. They gave me a ton of free goodies and so I loved them even more. They tried to give me a suitcase as a special bonus, but where am I going to put that? So I said no thanks and got a bunch of free samples instead. Woo.

I called Cary and we met at the Studio where “Gary Unmarried” is being filmed. We went to an art studio in Studio City whose curator is Angela Cartwright, of “Lost in Space” and more importantly (at least to me) “The Sound of Music”. We were welcomed by Mardjie who allowed us to view all the work while telling of its’ history and that of the artist’s. The work is B&W photography which they print there from the negative. I cannot wait to finally repaint my place and get to pick out some works. I really loved Angela Cartwright’s mission photos and there were some great old Hollywood prints of Groucho Marx as an old man, and the like.

We got to the studio to watch the taping of the new CBS show. A woman, whose child was an actress, was there in line with us. She kept pulling out her kids headshot and she somehow managed to get herself into the VIP line. (And then into the front row! Well done). She seemed like she wanted to somehow pass off the headshot to someone on the set, but I think she was shuffled out before she had the opportunity. She should have just dropped it onto the floor. Maybe someone would have found it and thought "Jinkies! This is the girl we have searched for and now she will be a huge star and she and her mother will not have to fly all the way back to South Dakota and start another boring year of being a second grader and a mother to a second grader". Props for being aggressive.

The show was great. The cast were consummate professionals, capable of taking any scene back to whichever line the director asked for. They were also a ton of fun and filled with energy. Paula Marshall is sooo pretty in person. Skinny as a rail. Geez. Of course, the script was the best part.
After we left, we went to the Brass Monkey where people of all shapes and sizes could ~~brutalize~~ sing their favorite karaoke songs. Jonah Hill was there and sang Waterfalls with his buddies. I managed to stay off the stage.

On Tuesday morning, I met Cary for the last brunch at the Newsroom Cafe again. I had oatmeal for yum's sake!

Afterwards I drove up to the Hollywood sign and then my time in LA was over.

* I read Vanity Fair

Loopy in LaLaLand

2008-08-16T14:19:00.006-04:00

I have been in LA for a few days. I met up with my friend Cary in Malibu and we wandered along the beach where we happened upon some surfers and a naked dude who was sunning himself on a little towel. I averted my eyes, but then looked back to make sure that he was indeedly nekkid. Then I came around a big rock and ANOTHER naked dude was there to be found. I averted my eyes and kept on walking. (Because I am a lady).
We went to the Dresden Room where we found this couple, who apparently have been performing there for centuries. I think what keeps them together is their hair dye. I want to be like them when I am a little bit older. Who will be my hair dye love connection? Afterwards we went to the Joy Luck Club? The Good Luck Club? I don't recall. But it was a cute place and I spied Ryan Gosling hanging out. I did not tell him about the paper I wrote for college citing his film Lars and the Real Girl. Yesterday, Cary and I talked with French film director Pitof. That's my BC Lions t-shirt! I look a little crazy, but it was late and I am a little crazy. We also went to the Sony studios where we wandered around, having a chance to peek at the Angels and Demons set. We wandered through an airlock, but I can't remember the book well enough to know what part of the story the airlock is in. But when I see the film, I can holler, Hey! That's the airlock I wandered through! Yay! We watched the filming of 'Til Death. I took this photo with my phone, and I am not certain how legal that was, so I hope no one gets mad at me... Watching a filming was fun. I had no idea that soo many people were on set. I almost got run over by Tom Hanks on a bicycle(R)*. I was pulled to safety in the nick of time by Cary. Phew.
I got to meet some of Cary's friends, Ellen and Mark. They are both awesome.
I also went back to Burbank, where I lived for a few seconds 14 years ago. (Yipes). I almost could not find my way around. Everything is different. I don't think I could live in the Valley again. (Princess is back!)

(Insert Debbie Downer music here)

2008-08-13T02:08:00.004-04:00

Today sucked.

I was thinking of leaving the post with simply that, but you, my intrepid reader, would be saddened. I simply cannot think of a fate worse than that (except for maybe my day).

Two days ago, while in San Jose, I noticed that finally a rock had gotten to my precious (new) windshield and gave it a nice hole which the windshield then decided to share with the rest of itself. The crack went halfway across. As the day shuffled off its mortal (immortal?) coil to pass into the next, the crack carried on with its journey (much as I am) across the windshield.

I then decided it would behoove me to call in the guards to replace this detriment to my driving safety. The cavalry arrived at noon, which meant I got to hang out at my motel (yes, Motel. How far the mighty have fallen) until close to 2:00pm. I liked the guy who installed my second in two months windshield, so chatting with him was fun.
I proceeded on my way, new windshield intact and grande latte in hand. Speeding happily down the highway, I got busted. By a motorcycle cop. He asked what color my eyes were, and I batted the lashes and said "blue, and yours?" He answered by asking how much I weigh. Well, Mr. So-and-so, I am a lady! So he asked me again. And I responded by accidentally closing the window. So, I got myself a ticket. Though he was nice and reduced my wild infraction and attempted to send me on my way. As I turned the key in the ignition, I realized that maybe my battery was in love with the old windshield and did not want to go on without him, so I got nothing. I tried and tried, but to no avail. I waved to the cop. He waved back. I shook my keys at him. He gave me a thumbs up. I gave him the come here, and he finally did. He called the highway patrol for me and AAA before zooming down the street. I then gave me key another twist and it turned out that the battery simply did not want to perform while the cop was watching. Don't know what the battery was afraid of. Maybe because I have a packet of salt on my gear shift, the fear was of "a salt and battery". I feel bad for not waiting around for the rescuers, but my need was over and I had a castle to see.

I headed off to Santa Cruz, home of the University of Dr. Becky. I drove around, but the restaurants were closed between 3-5 and it was 3:30. So I headed to the Mystery Spot, which took me on windy gravelly roads and honking cars. Well, honking at me, because I decided to go slowly around a sharp turn, and dammit! That was too slow! They wanted $5 for the tour and $5 for parking. So I, being slightly grumpy, turned around and left. Seriously, $10 for some optical illusions and a bunch of kids. Bah! So, I missed Santa Cruz, Becks. Arg. Next time we will go together.

So I drove into Carmel so I could have lunner at the Cypress Inn, which is owned by Doris Day and her son. Well, I drove all the way into Carmel, all the while being passed by Lamborghinis and Ferraris. I thought wow, the people here are RICH! But it was a car show and so all the streets were packed and there was noooo parking anywhere. Again, I was forced to move along.

I was driving down Hwy 1, and the views should have been beautiful, save for this bloody fog. See it? That is no wave, that's fog and it kept touching me and my precious car. So, I was forced to drive 1.4 mph down a windy, fog ridden road for 100 miles. Finally, I got to San Simeon where W.R. Hearst built his crazy palace. I have been so excited about seeing this place. I watched Citizen Kane, which is loosely based on Hearst. I used to read Cosmopolitan, which is a Hearst publication. I watched the TV movie The Hearst and Davies Affair. So, basically, I am an expert. (Rosebud). I finally got there, and walked into the visitor's center, right as they are closing up. AWESOME. So, this is what I got to see of the crazy Castle:
Sweet. It's not even in focus.

So, today was an exercise in futility. Tomorrow, I am headed in La La Land. Yay! Friends! As for tonight? I will attempt to sleep well in my bed in this motel in a town where no one I saw was less than 30 pounds overweight. G'night!

Clang Clang Clang goes the Trolley

2008-08-12T02:27:00.005-04:00

San Francisco!

Today I wandered about San Francisco. I opted to stay near the airport which saved me about $400! I figure, hell, if I lived here, I probably would have to drive into SF, so why should it be any different while I am visiting, right?

My first stop was to Haight-Ashbury where I found the smell of patchouli wafting through the air. It was cold, and I wore my jacket (the temperature is interesting in SF). I found all sorts of head shops and a neat store in which one could find pleather pants in every ~~colour~~ (oops, not in Canada anymore) color and pattern. They were also over $100! But it was a neat store and I would love to be rich so that I could have bought a bunch of cool things for Halloween. (I was thinking I could buy patent leather yellow pants and go as a New York taxi cab or silver pieces to go as a disco ball).

I then headed over to Pier 39 where I wandered about. I went to the Alcatraz pier (45? 41? 31?) to see about tickets for a tour to the Prison. Alas, sold out until Thursday! So I had to make due with a photo from the pier. I noticed then that a bunch of sea lions decided to chill out by the pier. They were noisy and raucous like college kids on spring break. Funny. It was soo hot at this point that my t-shirt was sticking to me. My jacket was long forgotten in my car.

I started to walk to Ghirardelli Square, but I only had two hours on my meter, so after about 10 blocks, I returned to my car and drove there. I bought myself a cone of the mocha chip (same as what I had for my birthday at Ghirardelli's in Chicago with Marci).

I wandered over to the Golden Gate bridge and walked over half of it. (Proud of me? I hate bridges, especially suspension bridges). Well, the fog was so low and so insane that you could see nothing! Seriously! Look!I do not know whose disembodied head that is. But see how the bridge just disappears into the fog? It was crazy.

I stopped for Pizza and noticed this very creative spelling of Canadian Bacon.

At 7:00PM I went back to Haight-Ashbury for a ghost tour. I joined three others and followed a tour guide around. It was soo cold that we were all shivering. I was wearing a thick sweatshirt AND a jacket. The weather here is crazy.

The tour was cool because our guide is not only a ghost hunter, he is a historian. I got a great lesson on the architecture of the Haight area, along with a history of the residents. We passed by Janis Joplin's home (well, two of them. She moved around a bit?). A 19 year old kid was shot to death in front of the one house and now people hear running there, like how it must have sounded as he was running from the crazy dude that shot him.

I am super skeptical about ghosts. I want to believe, but I simply don't. The tour was neat, though, and after we bade the tour guide adieu, the four of us settled into Trax for a brew. This place is apparently haunted by some feller that got himself shot. The staff found a photo from the origins of the bar (1940) and in it is a the guy who many of them had seen haunting the place. I, however, saw no one. Not even a server. We had to go to the bar (which was fine, the bartender was adorable. I asked him about the ghost and he said he did not want to see him. I personally think the bartender would scream like a cheerleader and run out of the room*). It was fun talking to the group I was with. The one guy was local, married and expecting his first kid in February (Shh, don't tell anyone. He said he had not yet told anyone). He is also an author: freelance and books. The other two were from Houston and were attorneys. They had twin sons and were married. They seem to be connoisseurs of ghost tours. Me, this was my first. It was neat.

I DO know the way to San Jose

2008-08-12T01:45:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was an exciting day. I met with a classmate from BU at a great little Italian restaurant in San Jose. He brought his gorgeous wife and their three year old son who was nearly kidnapped by me, especially after he waved goodbye to me from his car seat as they drove away. But honestly, I can only run so fast in these flip-flops. It was fun getting to hear a current BU student's take on the program. Thanks for lunch, Paul!

Lucky for me, the Winchester House of Mystery was right next to the restaurant.I walked over and paid a million bucks to see this crazy house that Sarah Winchester, recipient of the Winchester Firearms gazillions ($20M in addition to $1000 a day), designed and had built (The photo only shows a portion of the enormous house). Apparently, she was haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Winchester weapons and was told by a medium (in Boston) that she needed to move out here and build a house on which the building never stopped. She renovated and built onto her home for 36 years. The work went on 24/7. The building grew to 7 stories. Then the earthquake of 1906 struck and destroyed parts of the house. It caused the fireplace in the room that Sarah used as her bedroom to collapse and trap her inside. She was convinced that the earthquake happened because the spirits were furious that she had completed parts of the house and so she boarded up the 30 front rooms so that the house would never be complete. You can still see the damage caused by the quake in those rooms.

It was important to her to confuse the spirits (so goes the reigning theory) which explains cupboards that are only an inch deep, doors that head nowhere, and the stairs that lead directly into the ceiling.

She was also fixated on the number 13 (thirteen holes in the drains, thirteen panes of glass, thirteen windows) and on spiderwebs. This window was in the bathroom that contained a shower which was unbelievably high tech for those days. When Sarah Winchester died, she left the insides of the mansion to her niece, but the house was left to no one. So while it cost several million to build, it was sold for about $100,000+ to a farmer who wanted the land.

They say it's haunted, but I would never be able to find my way through the house in a way to be able to find out for sure.

After I left the mansion, I headed into San Francisco to watch a Giants game. I was about a block from the stadium at 4:45 (the game started at 4:05) when I noticed a ton of people in orange shirts coming towards me. What the...? 4:05 start time was in EST. GRRR. No baseball for me. But the Giants won. And I went to see The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and it was great.

Trees are red on the inside, like you and me.

2008-08-10T13:12:00.004-04:00

I went through the Redwood Forest yesterday. I thought these were the huge red ones. Nope, they are the tall ones. And they are gray on the outside. Perplexing. It is the sequoias that are the huge ones. I planned to go the Sequoia Forest, but it is on the east side of California and that is way out of my way, so I am going to have to miss out on it for the sake of seeing Carmel.

I do not know why I look like an eight year old in all of my pictures.

The coast is beautiful and really rocky. Oh, and I think I may have seen a herd of elk, but truthfully I was driving too fast to see for sure and I did not feel like turning around. That is the problem with traveling alone, you notice things too late, or not at all.

Well, I am off to meet a classmate for brunch. Then it's off to the Winchester House. Woo!

Buggy has gone dune buggy

2008-08-10T12:38:00.004-04:00

Boy, they sure scare the crap out of you when you want to rent a dune buggy, but I guess it is for the best. Still, after the instructions, I thought for sure I would return (if I returned) with at least a broken arm. Nothing like that happened, though, and I was riding high on adrenaline for an hour. Because I was going out on my own, I went with the suggestion of a bigger engined vehicle. I am a badass!

See? Badass. (They made me wear a camouflage helmet which helped in the badass department, but not in the pretty, pretty princess one). I got a ton of instruction, which was a tad overwhelming during its delivery, but once I got out on the sand, was very helpful.

Boy, you have to gun it up hills and then watch out because that hill may suddenly just drop off and there you are, airborne.

I played it safe to get used to the buggy (or because I am a nerdy chicken), and then I started gunning it and flying all over the place. My true colors showed themselves on one hill as I noticed the drop off and got scared. I stopped and tried to turn around. Oops, now I am stuck in the sand. 2 gentlemen came and rescued me, but I had to go down this hill with a massive drop. Scary! So I squared my shoulders and went for it. Gah, my stomach sank, but I made it and then felt proud, powerful and a little embarrassed all at once.

I kept going for an hour. My abs were killing me. The way the dunes roll throws you all around and I had to fight to keep my seat much of the time. The day after, my body was killing me. (Shoulders, belly, wrists)!

It was so much fun!

I did not get to try to sand board because I was too lazy to get the board, walk up a hill, fall down a lot, get back up the hill and try again.

Dear Dairy Queen

2008-08-08T23:08:00.002-04:00

Thank you for placing your restrooms right by the entrance in an area that is unpopulated by enjoyers of your brazier treats. The fact that it is also an area that is our of sight of your staff is great, too. I appreciate this for I have found myself designating your establishment as my bathroom of choice on this road trip of mine. Not only are you located on every main street in North America, your facilities are fairly clean.
Please know that when I come hobbling in, due to the fact that I wait until the absolute last minute to stop, I do have intentions of rewarding myself with a delicious frozen treat. However, once I have taken care of business, I find that I just want to leave and hit the road again. I do not know what you could do to change this.
Today I stood in line, but the girl behind the counter was really quite slow and there was a twisting queue of anxious pre-pubescents hovering behind me and which made me start to feel like a caged animal. There is not much you can do about that.
I do have one request, and it does have to do with your products, and not your restroom. I would like kiddie size versions of the Blizzard. At home, when I used to get these trough sized delights, I would freeze the leftover and live off of it for a month. Unfortunately, while staying the C'mon Inn's and the like, I do not have a freezer. I do not want to be a wasteful traveler.
I also understand the issues with a small size and the machine that whips the Blizzard together. Still, I plead of you, a 4 ounce serving would be splendid and I would be far more apt to buy it once I have washed my hands.

Very respectfully yours,
Bug E. Bugger

Catching up

2008-08-08T11:51:00.004-04:00

Before I got to my aunt's house in Portland, I went to the Wolf Haven in Washington State. There I got to admire wolves who had been given to the haven because of closed zoos and people who opted to get them as pets until the animals turned on them. I was there by myself with a family of a boyfriend/girlfriend and their two children. This tattoed man would not shut up. He kept talking about his shepherd and asking questions about who people get wolves and which dog breeds get bred to make wolf hybrids. I foresee a new wolf in the haven in a few years.

After leaving, I was driving on the highway by the haven and had to slam on my ~~breaks~~ brakes (sigh. Why am I becoming dumber on this trip?). There was a black wolf on the street. Hmm. Aren't they supposed to be preserving the lives of wolves? Or maybe that wolf was just there to visit?

Yesterday I drove along the Oregon coast. It sure is cold out here. I have had to wear a jacket for a good portion of my trip. (Even so, my arms are brown and the rest of me is whiiiiite. I am going to look weird in a swimsuit). I went up to a lighthouse (my second of the trip. The first was at Navy Pier in Chicago) and met a couple from Vancouver. They were so great that I forced them to let me tag along with them. They told me they would be dune buggying and then I wanted to do that too. The coast has a ton of dunes and so I am going to attempt to go dune buggying and sand surfing today. Wooooooooo!

I also went to the Sea Lion Caves. Stinky.

To truly appreciate this picture, grab a dirty, wet dog and rub some fertilizer on him. Hold him under your nose while sitting in the freezer. Have all the neighborhood dogs growl and bark at you and then you can get a feeling for being by the sea lions.

I will be in California tonight, unless of course my natural talent for sand surfing comes to light and I am signed to a national contract and have to quickly get to China to represent my country.

Happy 8/08/08! It should be a lucky day! Are you feeling lucky? Well, are ya, punk?

My week in the City of Roses

2008-08-07T01:18:00.004-04:00

Well, it is hard to believe it was a week ago that I arrived on my aunt's doorstep. I suppose it is time to move along. I will be leaving this wonderful company tomorrow morning. In the meantime, this is what I was doing while you were all slaving away at your desks, earning money (can you send me some? Kidding...sort of...)

I went to my uncle's ranch. He has a bazillion acres of land and 2000 cattle (while I was there, though he sold some in the meantime). He has a bunch of beautiful ponds, most of which he established himself, (that is Mt. Hood in the background) on his property along with a gorgeous canyon that I think was made by God.

I tried my first huckleberry pie. Good mamba jamba. That is one good pie!
I picked blueberries (4.5 pounds) and probably only ate .5 lbs while doing so.
I got to meet and get to know two of my cousins and their families. Boy, I fit right in, here. They look just like me. (Or I like them? Whatever, they are simply stunning ladies.)
I went to see my Godfather and my aunt. I learned a new trick of making little slices into steak and stuffing garlic into the pockets made, then grilling the meat. Delish!
While at their house, I got to see another cousin I have not seen since I was 8. She looks like me a bit, too. They all stared at me for a while, though, because apparently the resemblance between me and my cousin Marci (Yes, her name is Marci. Hey, Baby Bananas: is my trip with all my new people with "Marci/a" names freaking you out or what??? It's crazy, ain't it?) is remarkable. Neat, I think. I look nothing like my mom's side of the family. My sister and my brother do. I like finding a place where my face fits in.

I went to the Oregon coast and shopping in Portland. (How come the Oregonians go to the coast and we go to the beach?)

I had dinner at one cousin's house and blueberry pie at my dopplegaengers. (Both super yummy and their kids are beyond fantastic.)

When I was little, people always told me I am similar to my aunt. After spending this week with her, the commonalities are overwhelming. We say the same things at the same time. We like the same things. We react the same way and even choose the same meals, the same gifts. It's weird, but oh so great and I am so very grateful to have gotten to spend this time getting to know her (and all the others I met this week). It has been wonderful and it will be hard driving away.

Still...

California or bust!

Heaven? Or Portland...

2008-08-01T21:49:00.002-04:00

Hi folks. I am at my aunt's house and it is great. I got a glass of wine when I walked in and dinner served to me. This morning, I got a fresh fruit smoothie for breakfast. I am just saying that I might not leave. Plus, her house! Oh, it is sooo cute. She has so much space and it is so clean and uncluttered. Ecstacy! I want to pick up this place and drop in No. Va. and live there. My place is so cluttered and well, not like this one at all!
We are headed to the Oregon Coast tomorrow, but not before we watch "The Bucket List" movie tonight. AND She is making me dinner right now. Hog heaven.
See ya.

'spose I'll have to come back to Seattle sometime...

2008-07-30T21:44:00.003-04:00

I was so excited to see Seattle. I got up fairly early (read: alarm went off at 7:30 and I got up at 9) and had some breakfast. I went to the Tacoma Glass Museum. It was really cool, the various works of art there. I would have loved to have bought a piece, but the average price was several hundred dollars. Instead I bought two little glass bugs. They were a buck each.

I headed into Seattle and found a place to park on the marina. I wanted to go to the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center which is a hands on kind of museum (my favorite!), but they were closed due to some Microsoft event. Grr. So I went to the Seattle aquarium. I was in and out in 12.2 seconds. There was nothing to see except a wolf eel which looked like an old man chomping on his dentures, a wee little octopus who was squished so tightly into a corner that I nearly missed him, and a bunch of starfish. Wow. Worth the $15. Nope.

So then I wandered up to Pike's Market where, apparently, a mood had set in and I was not appreciative of this place I have been aching to go to forever. I pushed my way through lackadaisical crowds who languished at the stands piled high with clams and whole pike. I scoffed at the magic store and turned my nose up at the sterling silver jewelry. Uh oh, I thought. I am not feeling this.

History: Every time Marci and I take a trip, there is a day where we hang out in the hotel room and do nothing. We eat candy, stay in bed all day and watch bad television (usually some girly film that ends super happily). I think that moment in time hit me today. But what about Seattle? I was determined to see and do stuff. I drove to the Space Needle and looked up at it . I contemplated going up into it, but the crowd waiting to go up made me grumpy (er) and I turned on my snotty little heel and went to the monorail. I paid $2 to go to a mall. Once in the mall, I wandered about and then paid $2 to go back to where I started. In the monorail, I noticed that the flagship Macy's was right where I just left. Dang. If the Macy's was there, then the Nordstrom ought to be nearby. But I was headed back to the Space Needle. I got into my car and drove over to that area. While doing so, I contemplated the name Nordstrom. Loosely translated from German it means northern electricity. So then I thought, well Nordstrom must be Swedish (like Ikea). Truly, the amount of thought I gave it was unbearable. Then I suddenly could not go there anymore. (Plus, I just had to look Nordstrom up because I have thought about it so much that it no longer seems to be the right name, but it is.)

I drove on. Well, best I could considering the traffic. For a second I thought I was back in DC. ACK! I just kept going.

I am missing out on the tour of the Seattle underground. I am missing out on the Orcas. I am missing out on Seattle, but I don't care! Am I burnt out? I don't think so. I just think I was not ready for a city on my own after having been in so many national parks and then with friends. Plus, there is just always that one hotel/bed/tv day.

Washington and more National Parks

2008-07-30T02:05:00.003-04:00

Okay, I am getting sleepy, but I guess I should get you all up to date while I can. I will be heading to visit family soon and that will leave you entry free for a little while.

I am currently near Seattle, WA. I am beyond thrilled to get to witness this city. Back in the day, I applied to the University of Washington. They did not accept me. But I could have possibly lived here. I have always wanted to go to Pikes Market, etc. Tomorrow I will start by seeing the glass museum in Tacoma.

Today I drove some random path into Olympic National Park. Several miles in (to the nothing... I just drove up a steep mountainous path into nothing), my gas light went on. Uh oh. I kept driving because the Tomtom said there was a gas station in a few miles. (Where, on the top of the mountain?) I was freaking out. There was no sign of life and I had not encountered anyone in a long time so I finally wised up and turned (carefully. It was a narrow road) around. The road was super windy and the edge dropped off terrifyingly. I put the car in neutral and coasted down the mountain at breakneck speeds. I coasted for 25 miles. I wanted to not have to walk and get gas and my plan let me go an additional 40 miles on empty. Ack. Never will I go below 1/4 tank again!!!This could have been one of the last things I ever saw...

Then I took a different path into the same park. I stopped and had lunch at the lodge. Fresh halibut. Yum. Plus there was a painting on the wall there I really liked. I wrote down the artist's name and maybe I can order a piece.

This was the view of Lake Crescent from the lodge. After lunch I hiked the Moments in Time trail. I saw a couple of deer who showed no fear of me, whatsoever. I kept walking and got scared that I may be eaten by a bear. I actually turned around to head back to my car, but then ran into a couple from Nebraska and forced them to let me walk the trail with them. After we parted ways, I found my way up to Marymere Falls. The path was steep that I was panting a bit. (Shameful). I was apparently rather gleeful in having gotten to the top! Like the hair? I flipped my head over and fluffed it up. Trust me, this picture is way better that the one right before it. This tree was big and so I set up my camera to take my picture. I want to compare this picture to ones I will take at Sequoia National Park.

I left the park and found myself at a blackjack table somewhere on my route towards Seattle. I chatted up the old men sitting there (connected to an oxygen tank) before losing my $20 and heading back into my dark gray chariot.

That's all for now!

xoxoxoxoi (the i is for Clussy)

Victoria.

2008-07-30T01:28:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I spent the day in Victoria. I remember my dad saying that it was one of the most beautiful places he'd been. I think I have looked forward to checking it out my whole life.

I drove to Butchart Gardens (which I had a really hard time finding and thusly spent an inordinate amount of time driving through the 'burbs of Victoria). The garden was packed to the brim with people, but check out these beautiful flowers and you shall understand.

Then I drove into Victoria and shopped a bit. I bought a t-shirt at Roots with "1973" on the front. Great year, that was. I still had some time to kill prior to getting on my ferry to Washington State and so I went to see the film "Journey to the Center of the Earth". It was in 3-D and it was pretty good. I liked it, anyway. Some of it was a little cheesy, but it is a kids movie and some of the cheesiness was due to the 3-D factor. Therefore do not watch it unless you can do so in 3-D. Plus, there is a scene where the kid is leaping onto these rocks that hover over an unending abyss. This made me feel sickly because I envisioned him falling off. Gah.
This is Victoria, as viewed from my ferry. Two violinists were playing music on the ferry. They were passengers and simply did so to terrify me and two German tourists whom I bugged during the ride over. It terrified us because the Coast Guard rode next to the ferry with a huge weapon manned by a man on the helm. Uh... We had visions of the Titanic and the violin music was played there, too.

I got into Port Angeles late and stayed at a wee little hotel. Back in the States. Thanks for the entertainment and the coffee, BC.

Wait, there's more! Vancouver Island

2008-07-30T00:40:00.004-04:00

MarciA came over on the ferry with me to go to Vancouver Island. There were seals that were swimming alongside the ferry, but we could only see their wee little black heads bobbing in the surprisingly calm waters. We met up with two friends who then took us to Nanaimo to witness the annual bathtub races. Yeah, you read me right. Bathtub races. Apparently, in 1967, the mayor of Nanaimo, Frank Ney,(who dressed like a pirate) thought that racing bathtubs across from Nanaimo to Vancouver would be a great way to celebrate the centennial. The tradition has stuck and now people create these bathtub boats they have to race across the straight of Georgia. They kneel in these crafts for an hour and half (or so) in supremely choppy waters. When they arrive at the finish line, they are to jump out and run up the beach to a bell they must ring. Unfortunately, their legs are often numb and they tend to collapse instead. It is rather hilarious, though one guy bit it pretty badly and ripped his leg open. That was not hilarious at all.

This guy had trouble with his motor at the beginning of the race but managed to finish pretty quickly. He had a rather exciting (for me anyway) trip to the finish line. His legs were like rubber and buckled several times, bringing him to the same repeatedly. But he rang the bell.

This is how they look on the water, racing along. It was all very exciting. I am estimating, because I can't remember the details, that 43 boats entered the race and 8 sank. Oops. Each bathtub boat has to be escorted by a bigger motor boat just in case of issues.

After the races, we milled about Nanaimo where MarciA tried to feed some WLM. They seemed a liiittle too comfortable.

We went to the house of one of the local friends whose parents fed us a great dinner. Really great people. I like Nanaimo. I even found a house I could live in, though I did not photograph it. I also found another rainbow. They seem to be following me around.

What happens in Vancouver... is shared here

2008-07-29T23:35:00.007-04:00

Oh my goodness, I have so much to tell you. I was staying with my friend MarciA* and her husband just outside of Vancouver, BC which is why you have not heard from me in a while. But while you were feverishly refreshing my page, I was having a ball being a tourist with MarciA.

We went out to White Rock and wandered the beach. That's where I realized that Vancouverites really enjoy the colour orange. Seriously, it's every where! Check out this house.

This person is a true Vancouverite. The picture does not do it justice.

Then we went to a CFL game. The BC Lions were playing the Montreal Alouettes. The game started off really boring, but then the Lions started to realize they were actually at a real game and started to play properly and won by a very narrow margin in the last seconds of the game. I had a great time at the game, though AND MarciA and I met the mascot, Leo. Guess what colour the Lions wear...

That's right! Orange.

The next day MarciA and I went to Stanley Park where we found a couple of fellas who drove up in a DeLorean. I started smacking MarciA because we had to go get a picture. We headed over to see that not only did they arrive in a DeLorean, but one was dressed to the hilt in a Darth Vader costume (to attend a wedding. No, it was not a theme wedding). I think I love Vancouver.

Not quite certain why I am standing like an 8 year old, though.

Stanley Park is lovely though a lot of trees were taken out by a rather wicked storm a few years ago. We tried to go to the aquarium to see their baby beluga whale. Unfortunately the line wrapped around the building, so we walked on. Soon we found ourselves at the Capilano Suspension Bridge (where finally my student id got me a discount. Yay) and MarciA made me walk on a very long bridge that wobbled and shook. I am surprised at how much it freaked me out to walk on it. I was holding on for dear life and I could feel the fear build up in the bottom of my throat.

That's me hamming it up a bit for you, but I never let go of the railing. Seriously, it was a long way down. See?

Besides, MarciA was telling me about how a woman dropped her baby off the bridge and that made me envision that act which only made my knees more wobbly. (The baby survived and was taken from the woman). The other side of the bridge had more stable bridges to climb about on to get to various little treetop platforms. We gallivanted around there and when we finally had to go back over the suspension bridge, I was not quite as freaked out anymore.

I had a great time in Vancouver. MarciA cooked me breakfast every morning and we had beers and friendly conversation every evening. Her friends are awesome, as is her husband. It is so great to meet someone that just instantly becomes a friend for life. Two peas in a pod, we are.

Thanks a ton, you guys!!!

*I add the capital A to Marcia's name so that you know not to confuse her with the one and only Marci.

Montana on Tuesday, driving on Wednesday

2008-07-23T21:49:00.005-04:00

I drove through Kalispell, Montana yesterday. Some congressman or senator has an event there that a former boss used to go to. Kalispell seemed out in the middle of nowhere to me and now that I have driven through it I see that it is indeed, in the middle of nowhere. But what a beautiful nowhere it is. I drove for a while behind a car that was from...Virginia! I was so excited, but they did not seem to be. I contemplated nudging their bumper to say hi, but I guess that would not excite me much if someone did that to me. So I sped away and wound up in Glacier National Park in Montana.

I think this would be a great place to camp and go boating or kayaking. I am willing to come back here in case any of you think a camping trip may be a great plan. (Harms?)

The trees enclosed the streets. It was much different than Yellowstone. At Glacier Lake, the trees were rich and bountiful. No toothpicks stuck into a mountain here. It is remarkable to see what a fire will do.
"Climb ev'ry mountain. Ford ev'ry stream. Follow ev'ry rainbow. 'Til you find your dream."

I am going through (yet another) fixation on Julie Andrews. It is never ending, my crush on her, but this time it is because I am reading her autobiography and also due to the fact that youtube.com has everything that I used to have to physically go to the Museum of Radio and Television in New York City (where I went in the early 90's to borrow "Cinderella" starring Julie Andrews and then sat in a little cubicle and watched it in all it's grainy black and white glory) for. I found this trailer for Mary Poppins that someone put together. Hilarious. Watch it here.

So, after leaving Glacier National Park, I wanted to get a hotel room early and checked out a Super 8. Sold out. Then I drove back through Kalispell and they were sold out. Everything all the way to Libby, MT was sold out. I was forced to drive until 10:30 PM to find a place to sleep. (Over 500 miles!) During this drive I was lucky enough to be trapped behind a pickup truck driving 30 mph all the while with the left turn signal blinking away (Liar! You had no intentions of turning). Then I kept seeing deer every where. Luckily they stayed off the road. Oh, and the rain. The ever present rain. Sigh. I had to wear my glasses and everything! (I know! You can't believe that I am not perfect, but it is just a little bit of issue with the far away stuff... I am still practically perfect in every way).

I found a motel where I had to ring a bell and some kids opened the door. Then a man in a red bathrobe came out and gave me a key. I wandered to my new home and noticed it looked out over an alley. I walked in and it was the perfect set for a scary movie. I blockaded my door and showered with my flip flops on. (1. ew, grody shower and 2. so I could run away faster!). I kept seeing shadows of people who were out to get me, but in the end I slept well and even dreamed of having an acting class with two tall handsome blond boys, one of whom I think was supposed to be my boyfriend. I think I was younger in my dream.

This morning I hit the snooze a mazillion times and then finally got up and let the lady, who must be married to the red bathrobe guy, make me a latte and it was good. Then I posted to you guys and hit the road. I got into Canada and drove through some serious mountains. I really hate passing vehicles when there is only one lane going each way. I am terrified I am going to time it wrong and become like the bugs on my windshield, only I will be the Bug on someone else's windshield. I am getting good at it though because the people were driving 20 mph. Grr. Move it or lose it, honey. I saw a deer on the road, and he looked at me and licked his lips. I am not sure what that was supposed to mean.

Driving up the hills was horrendous. I put the pedal to the metal and nothing would happen. The roads were steep and the altitude is high. I could not hear for about 5 hours. Then when I drove into a valley, my ears popped and I was granted the gift of sound! Oh, and on the whole drive today, it rained. I know! Can you believe it? I am the Rain King (Move over, Adam Duritz). Yet, because of the rain, my head was in the clouds.

I stoppped in a town called Osoyoos, BC. This is a touristy area with a lake. I wanted to stay there, but they wanted $150 for a room. !!! So I kept driving and found a room for $60. Much better. It looks like someone's apartment and smells like an old folks home. I stopped early tonight so that I could write properly. I hope you all appreciate it. Everything I do, I do it for you.

Oh, and JT, I found the Sasquatch. He lives in BC. I talked to him and he said he was indeed on vacation in Montreal five years ago. He said to say hi.

Hi.

Monday Grand Teton, Yellowstone park

2008-07-22T12:16:00.008-04:00

This is mostly a photo entry because I simply have not had any time to write. Even now I am skirting my hotel's rule of being out by 11 because I just wanna finish something! In order to appease you, here are some pretty photos. -Bug

I wrote this while sitting in my car early on Monday:

I am finally learning what the phrase “breathtaking” means. The mountains in Grand Teton National Park are met by the calm waters of Jackson Lake. Still covered in snow, the mountains rise up along the horizon and create an atmosphere of strength and serenity. I could stay here forever. As I was driving up (searching for bears to no avail), my stomach started to ache. It was weird, like the beauty of this landscape is painful. The Grand Tetons are the youngest mountain peaks in the Rockies. This area is very popular amongst Ansel Adams students. The name les Grand Tetons translates to “the big breasts”, so I know a couple of you who will want to visit. Must be time for me to move on. I am sitting here at Jackson Lake with my door open, typing away and a bee keeps visiting me and having a hard time finding his way out of the car. I guess he thinks I should move along. I didn’t know park rangers came in such small sizes. How do they fit them for the uniform? There he is again. Okay sir! I am going!

Grand Teton

Jackson Lake, Wyoming

Then I drove into Yellowstone where I got to witness beautiful rapids.

But Yellowstone is still affected by the wildfire of 1988. It is sad, really. It looks like (quoting my mother) toothpicks stuck into a hill. You would think it would have regenerated by now. That was 20 years ago.
On my way out of the park, it started to rain. (Seriously, I have seen rain practically every day I have been driving in my car. Enough already.) The fire warnings were high, so I am sure the rangers were grateful, but the ground could not absorb it, and we drove through some seriously high rapids that formed on the street. It was a little scary. I don't know if you can see it in the following photo, but look at the lower left hand corner. Plus, there's me! Adorable me!

What's this traffic jam for?
Someone saw some elk.
And a bison
I found a bison skeleton. I asked the ranger about it and he said that the bison had died of starvation in the winter. I asked where it's head was and he shrugged, saying he did not know. I said a bear probably took it for a late night treat. And he said, have a good day.
This is a pool by Old Faithful. I decided to walk to the morning glory pool and found this on my way. See it is boiling.

This is the morning glory pool. Isn't it pretty? Doesn't smell pretty. Sulfurous odor that washed over you with a slap of heat. That baby is boiling, too.

It is just sad that people need to throw coins into bodies of water. I wish they would address why people throw things into fountains.

Here is a video of Old Faithful erupting. I was a little slow in filming, but you get the tail end. Enjoy!

Dings and smashes and no bears, dammit!

2008-07-22T00:06:00.004-04:00

I am too sleepy to be coherent tonight. Also, the wind here is insane and when I got out of my car, the wind ripped the door out of my hand and smashed it into the U-Haul trailer next to me which then energetically dented my door which I then made worse by attempting to open the rear door which caught on the front door dent and created a new chip in the paint. Then I opened my emergency car kit which has a pair of pliers in it and worked on undenting the dent which sort of worked, but I am still mad. I also ran over something that made an intensive and unfortunate clanging sound on the bottom side of my vehicle which may or may not be bad. Hoping for not bad.

In any case: where the heck are the bears and mooses*? I saw not one though I did see this sign everywhere which made me think that I should not be able to turn without running into a bear, yet... no bears. Grr.
More about my day tomorrow.

*I was just being silly. I know the plural for Moose is Meese

Why? Oh, ming.

2008-07-20T23:37:00.005-04:00

I started out the day in CO where I passed the Budweiser brewery. I veered off of my path when I saw a sign for a Natural Rock Bridge. I drove into the nothing for several miles until I found a bunch of families picnicking (think Hain's Point). The bridge was pretty, though. It was naturally formed and some of the pioneers on the Oregon Trail (were they adventurous) would go through this area, though it was treacherous terrain.

I opted to hike up to the top of the bridge...in my flip flops. They say I am brilliant! Now, I am just about an hour away from Yellowstone National Park. I was closer for a while, but my gas tank was getting precariously low and there were no gas stations in sight, so I had to turn around and drive back 30 miles. In the meantime I saw a moose, a deer and a rainbow. I bet this house has a pot o'gold in it.

These are some of the mountains that are around me. Pretty, huh?

Finally, I stopped and enjoyed some Moose Drool while eating a cheese Quesadilla.

Now I am tired and can't think straight. I bought a cool cowgirly shirt in Cheyenne that I may wear tomorrow and then find someone to photograph me. We'll see how persuasive I can be.

Still not moving...

2008-07-20T00:13:00.002-04:00

Hmmm, I am still in Colorado. I was not kidding when I said it was hard to leave my sister. Add to that the virus in my computer and the fact that my brother-in-law works for a big software company, I stayed today to allow my computer to be refreshed completely. And now I have a computer like new. Who creates viruses? Those people should be forced to ingest salmonella infested chicken.
I did drive south to the mountains, Evergreen, CO. I visited with my friend John and had an opportunity to really see the mountains for where my sister lives, the area is rather flat. I took pictures at Red Rocks which I will post tomorrow, maybe.
I am leaving for Cheyenne in the morning to be a part of Frontier Days. I have never been to a rodeo before. I am looking forward to it even though I saw some booty shorts for sale on the website as souvenirs and I am afraid I might witness them in person. Gah.
I have 1400 miles until I get to Vancouver. I am looking forward to getting there, but I am going to take my time getting there. I'd like to see what's in between.
Sorry to post so infrequently, but that will change once I hit the road.

Excitement

2008-07-15T13:23:00.004-04:00

I have been attached to my computer like it was my full time job because I got a little cocky and looked at a movie download site that then went on to gleefully infest my computer with viruses and adware and spyware. Delightful. I have been cleaning and decontaminating and raging. So, I may have a future in IT, as my old company seemed to think I had. (Our IT guy had quit and I, along with the rest of my office, got an email from our HR lady that I would be the new IT person. Really? Me? What possibly made her think that I would be the one to take on that responsibility? Forward thinking? Did she know I had mad skills? Or was it more that she hoped it would all come crashing down on me and I would suffer...? Just wondering).

I am still in Colorado. It is great being with my sister. I just love it. I get to sink back to my youth and let her guide me all around town. She cooks for me and entertains me and takes me to Starbucks for treats. I am going to have to leave her soon because I have places to get to and I don't want to spend this entire journey in a car merely trying to get someplace I won't have time to spend in.

But it is great here. See some of my grand adventures...

Yesterday I watched my niece shoot her .22 rifle for 4H. She's pretty good and totally looks like a badass when she's shooting. Check it out:

She shot a cherry tomato out of a hole. Yikes!

Then we saw a polka dot lipped calf:

Here is my sister's ginormous dog being "more cuter" though she looks a little unstable and a bit like a vampire bat.

Oh, and my older niece got her first car.

It is green...

It was nibbled on by a bear. Oh, the travails of living in the mountains.

Hello again

2008-07-12T01:55:00.002-04:00

I got to Colorado on the 8th. I have been busily helping my sister and her family live their lives and have been thusly ignoring you, though I can hear your cries through the airwaves and other magical ways. It's been hectic!

So far I have celebrated a birthday with homemade ice cream cake that was quite delicious, as evidenced from my ingesting 6 slices...I got attacked by a dog. (And bared my glowing legs for all the world to see. Jeepers. But pale is the new tan, right?)

I turned the violence around and attacked some vicious deer that were sent by the WLM to get me.
I had a latte with a leaf in the milk made just for me.
I saw lard. Lots of lard...in big blue tubs... gross.
I roasted marshmallows over a fire while basking in a beautiful sunset (that I won't show here because you've already gotten two of them...though if you want it, just have to ask), under the protective gaze of the Rocky Mountains.
My sister volunteers for both Meals on Wheels and a pregnancy crisis center. I went along to the center and helped sort baby clothes for a couple of hours. Then today I went along on the MOW route. I really ought to volunteer more. MOW is really neat because the people you deliver meals to are very interesting. One lady we visited lived in a home that was piled high with junk. She had several cats with extra toes (somehow I managed to pull poly dactyl out of my rear) and we got to talking. She seemed so with it and pretty cool. It made me so sad to think she had to live in that kind of squalor. Another man we visited is 83 years old and he still tools all around the country, visiting his family. He was great to talk to.

Later we went to the sculpture garden and met a lady who takes her two cockatiels with her every where she goes. Weird.

My bedroom is my nephews room. I have to climb a ladder to get into bed because his bed is a top bunk with a desk underneath. Last night I dreamed I was trapped in a black box and I woke up sitting straight up in bed, full of panic. I am glad I have not yet fallen out. I dream weird stuff at my sister's house every night.

It's going to be hard to leave here.

The children of the corn did not get me (yet).

2008-07-08T10:41:00.004-04:00

I did not leave South Dakota until after 5:00pm yesterday, so I did not have the energy to tell my stories last night. Besides, I learned so much that I really need time to sit down and tell you all about it.

I went to the home of another of my mother's friend's yesterday at 10am and they could not get rid of me until I left again after 5PM.
First, when I drove into South Dakota, I have to admit to a bit of a sense of superiority. After all, I am from the Nation's Capital and I am sooo great. Better than you. Chatting with friend #1 on Sunday, then with the couple from yesterday, I realized how woefully off-base I am. These people have their fingers firmly on the pulse of the nation. Probably more so than me because they are not in the midst of it and can see the big picture.

We went for lunch at a place called Papa's where everyone knew everyone elses name and the fact that some stranger was sitting at the table caused a few people's eyes to wander over. I was treated to something called Chislik. This is mutton on a stick. It was rather tasty and apparently only available in Freeman. (Or thereabouts). I looked it up on line and the only mentions I could find were in people's blogs. Then I got to try what is called Grave Witching. We went out into the yard and I held two metal rods straight out in front of me. If you walk over water or a grave, the rods will cross. I was skeptical (can you imagine?) and wanted to see it demonstrated first. He walked and at one point the rods began to cross. They stayed crossed for about 2 meters and the uncrossed. I tried it and the same thing happened at the same spots. So I turned around and walked back and it happened again! Cool. Here's a video of someone doing it.

Then I learned that to make marbles prettier, people used to fry them. I think I may try this with my nephew. It cracks the glass within the marble, making a beautiful prism.

Then I got a lesson on the Hutterites. The people who live in Freeman are mostly Hutterites or Mennonites. The history is fascinating, yet too in depth for me to merely briefly touch upon, so I will post on that separately.

I had a great time in Freeman. I always wanted to live in a small town, and that was reinforced strongly this trip. I am so grateful for the generosity of my mother's friends.

The drive from SD to NE was boring and slow. I managed to get behind every single Semi on the road. The worst part is that the roads were single lane. It is rather scary to pass when you don't know if someone is going to come barrelling over the hill at 90 mph which would mean we would collide at 150-180 mph. Scary. (more maybe? I don't have a strong grasp of physics). But it seems like everyone was out baling hay. This was so pretty, the row of baled hay.

This is a Nebraska sunset. It was so beautiful.

Now I am in Kearney, NE. There is a fort museum here filled with ridiculous things like the first license plate issued in NE; bottle of wine purchased the day before prohibition, unopened (well, that may be interesting, though it would not remain unopened and who would get me out of jail?); prehistoric elephant teeth extracted from the lake behind the museum... I am sad I will miss it.

Time warp into my mother's youth.

2008-07-06T22:47:00.005-04:00

I hate to admit it, but the homesickness faded quickly. Once I was safely ensconced in my room, I had time to write and finally enter in all the receipts that had piled up in Ottawa and Chicago. I think I was feeling disorganized and it was bringing me down, man. Also, dropping people off at the airport has a terrible effect on me.

Today I woke up and went to have breakfast. I invited two people to sit with me as the breakfast nook was packed. (The hotel was host to two kiddie baseball championship teams and two weddings). We chatted for a while. The woman was from the area and the fella from N. Carolina. Apparently they are dating and have been for years and years. I wonder why he was staying in a hotel. She told me she did not want to leave her job. But what about him? These are questions that are not truly appropriate to ask, though they burned. However, I did comment that it was cool that they stayed friends through such a distance and over this span of time. They giggled and said they were more than friends. (Ew). So, maybe the questions were not inappropriate.

I drove through Minnesota (at high speeds. Don't tell). I called a college friend of my mother's and he met me in Sioux Falls for lunner (Lunch/dinner). Then I followed him back to the farm he grew up on and now runs. I had been there before when I was seven. He has a llama and 50 sheep. We drove to Freeman, SD where he and my mother had gone to school. It's so different now. We talked for a long time and it was really great to get to hear stories about my grandparents and relatives, all of whom had passed through this area, or had been visited on one of this friend's many trips through Germany. (Please to notice the irremovable Canada Day Tattoo on me. I have been branded by the Canadians!)
He showed me the Studebaker he had bought new back in 1957 (I think). This is an alleged date mobile that had once carted my mummy around. He is going to rebuild it next summer.

Tomorrow I will meet with several others of my mother's friends. I hope they have some good stories. I am sure they won't disappoint. While making plans with one lady, I got to hear about how her husband had a crush on my mum in school and though this woman was then in high school, she approached my mother and told her to back off of her man. Apparently my mother was absolutely flabbergasted at her nerve! And, she also admitted, that my mother was probably not as interested in him as he was in her. She was adorable in the telling of that story. There have got to be more. After all, a beautiful German girl is going to make some waves when she comes to a new school.

This is where I am now. How beautiful the sunset is.

Chicago Architecture tour

2008-07-05T23:28:00.004-04:00

I am currently in Wisconsin in a town near the U. of Wisc. called Osalaska or something like that. I dropped Marci off at the airport this afternoon and began my journey alone for the first time. (You know, save for the 800 miles I drove the other day. But I was headed to Marci, so I was okay). My car is doing something a little weird that started on the 2nd with the crazy thunderstorm and subsequent traffic jam I got stuck in. I had turned my engine off because we were just sitting and when I started up again, the indicators all went a little loopy and the engine would not turn. It did that again this morning. I am going for an oil change (already!) soon and will get it checked out. Thanks goodness for AAA.

I have spent my whole evening checking emails and talking to friends and family (Hi Laura! Hi Mama!). Turns out that I may be feeling a little homesick. I am sure it will pass once I am not just driving to get places and can actually turn wherever I want to. However, I need to be in Colorado soon, so I am still attempting to get miles under my belt.

Chicago was wonderful and I found a pair of jeans that fit today! Yay.

Thanks, Marci. Would not be a birthday without you.

Oh, and yes I will be celebrating my birthday every day until I get home again.

I need a good exit phrase like "Good night and good luck" or "That's news to me".

I will try out this one:

May the road rise up to meet you

What do you think?

Birthday photos-no explanation needed, right?

2008-07-05T23:22:00.002-04:00

Don't they know it's my birthday??

2008-07-04T12:48:00.004-04:00

Hi there! Yesterday Marci and I woke up early and fed the meter were my car was parked on the street so we could leave it an additional 2 hours. We then had breakfast and got ready. When we got back to the car, there was exactly one minute left on the meter which ran out right as I unlocked the car. I don't know about how exciting that is to you, but Marci and I were flipping out! We parked the car in Marci's friend's office garage and went to the Taste of Chicago where we enjoyed gazpacho and pierogies and corn and did not enjoy BBQ rib bits. We were also approached by a girl who, along with 16 other local artists, had put together a compilation CD of music. So we bought one each for $5.
Then we tried shopping, but the shoes are ugly right now. We decided to have lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe. (YUM!) We enjoyed some beignets and took the leftovers home. As we wandered to Marshall Fields (now Macy's) some guy in a business suit, carrying a briefcase, asked to buy my leftovers. I said "you want my beignets???" and he was dead serious. So I gave them to him. Then felt weird. He walked away and Marci and I hid behind a pillar to stare at this strange man. Then he talked to some woman for a moment and showed her the bag, so i though maybe I was being Punk'd. But then he knelt down and ate them. Biggest insult? He did not dip them in the deeee-licious raspberry sauce. Weirdo.
Then we napped for two hours.
Then we got ready and went out to Zed 451 where we got to watch people in their glorious plumage and curious behaviors. Some guy who talked to us is opening a pizza store in Arlington called Homemade. That is if that was not just lame-o line.
Then we went to Stanley's Kitchen in Lincoln Park where the people are even more special than most. We had an extra chair that some fella who was telling jokes occasionally used. (What do you call a deer with no eyes? No Eye deer. Get it? No idear? ha!) It happened to be empty and some girl sat her fat behind into it. They were talking so loud and I looked at them a couple of times, baffled by the audacity they had to simply commandeer our chair without even bothering to inquire about its' availability. Marci noticed that the short one was looking for trouble and I looked as she said don't look. Sure enough, she short one piped up with "do you have an issue?" And I just started to laugh. She kept trying to pick a fight and I could not stop laughing. Marci just frowned at this child and eventually she went away. Crazy.
Then people kept dumping their empty glasses on our table. No words, just placing them down and leaving. It was making me mad so I handed a glass back to a girl when she did it and said no thank you. She got soo mad. Apparently she worked there. Then she should really know better. The party then sent us to the Lodge where we got people outside the bar in trouble for talking to us through the window inside the bar. Then we went home and Marci wrote a post and I went to sleep. The end.

Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes! It's hard to believe I am 35. I should be a grown up now, right? Alas....

Drove 800 miles today

2008-07-03T00:32:00.000-04:00

Must sleep. Talk to you all tomorrow. I am safe with Marci in Chicago.

Pre-Canada Day

2008-07-01T09:55:00.005-04:00

I dropped my mom off at the airport yesterday, so she could fly home and leave me all by myself in Ottawa. (Sniff). I then drove to my friend Chris' house so he could ply me with home brewed beer and bbq. All his friends came by and we had a glorious evening. It's weird to think these people are not Americans. (And they are happy about it!)

I woke up at 8am and it's now 10am and everyone is still sleeping. This does not bode well for my future, because we will be in Ottawa partaying with the rest of the red wearing public.

My mother and I were in Quebec and then drove to Ottawa. It rained the entire time we were in Quebec. See? Rain? This is the Menage Militaire that burned down in April.

We took a bus tour that let us out to view the Rue petit-Champlain and we took too long and were left behind. Oops. So we took the funiculaire up to the main part of the city and walked back to the hotel. At least it was not like the day before when we were caught in an immense dowpour AND had to climb a hill that would have rivaled any in San Francisco.

Now I am in Ottawa, and my friends are finally up which means time for coffee. Yay!

Quebec - 400 ans! We share a birthday (July 3), but Quebec will always be 365 years older than me! HA!

2008-06-28T21:48:00.004-04:00

Bonsoir, mes Amis! Je suis au Quebec (a Quebec?).

It has been pouring and it sucks! But we enjoyed Crepes at the Creperie Marci, Jen and I stood in line for almost exactly five years ago today. We also are spending a gazillion dollars in order to stay at a fancy hotel (Chateau Laurier) because all the hotels were really expensive. Now that we've walked about, we see all sorts of hotels inside Old Quebec that are under $100 and have vacancies. Le sigh.

We are both exhausted. The night at the Super 8 left us tossing and turning and generally suffering from malaise. Tomorrow should be a good touristy day. We are taking a bus tour of old Quebec. Then we will drive to Trois Rivieres. On Monday we head to Ottawa where I will bring my travelling partner to the airport. I think then the vacation part of this journey will be over and the self reflection part begins. Merde, that sounds like work! Though I do get to have a Canadian BBQ with Chris and his crew and spend Canada Day in style. Then I get to hang out with Marci in Chicago. I guess the holiday ain't quite over yet.

I have already spent $500! And my mommy covered the pricey hotel tonight. What will I do when I cannot split the costs anymore? And the hotels seemed to get pricier and pricier. If you guys see me on 20/20 or Dateline, judge ye not!

Don't be a Couche-tard and not leave me any comments!!

A final note: Can someone tell me what these things are? (Oh Canada, you are so old fashioned...)

Day three- Whos and Shakers and money and cows

2008-06-28T08:52:00.003-04:00

BLOGGER JUST BLITZED OUT ON ME! Grr, now I have to re-write everything. Mad.

The Ivy League tour continued yesterday at Dartmouth where Theodore Geisel went. He might be better known as Dr. Suess. They have a Dr. Suess study room and everything. My kind of school. We wandered about and I bought a pair of Dartmouth socks. I needed something, but since I graduated from BU, I have this strange loyalty to it and feel like I can no longer wear other school's apparel without misrepresenting myself. A few years ago this would not have affected me at all. So, hence the socks.

We went on to Enfield, NH to see the Shaker village. Our tour guide, Arthur, was this cool old man in blue Converse Chucks (the same ones I have), who gladly told us about the nefarious doings of the Shaker people who could not follow the faith as well as they should have. He told of one man who ran off with a female reporter and how she was accused of kidnapping him. The accuser was then told by the men of the village that he went happily along with her. She did not need to tie him to her car roof.

On the road, we saw a sign for Vermont Maple Syrup. So we stopped and knocked on the accompanying house door and made this woman who lived there sell us her syrup.

We went to Bretton Woods, NH to see where the IMF signed a big treaty in 1944. That is one huge resort!

On the drive towards the Canadian border, we saw a deer and I nearly lost my head. The adrenaline rush made my skin burn. Damn WLM. They are everywhere.

Finally, we had dinner at the Cow Palace. Could not resist that. We drank margaritas and toasted Harmony's birth. Happy birthday, sweetie!

Day two: Mansions and camels and Bears, Oh my!

2008-06-26T22:35:00.004-04:00

We actually made it through 8 states yesterday. I forgot to count MA. (VA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA). Not too shabby. Today, only 4 (MA, RI, NH, VT). We would not have even made it to Vermont had the hotels in Concord not all been sold out due to some Nascar race. We looked for a town called Keene in New Hampshire, took the correct exit and everything, and wound up...no where... No, seriously. It was spooky. The AAA book said the town was a good sized one. I think that maybe it is a town only people who live there can find, or better, it is only inhabited by ghosts and allows itself living visitors only once a year in order to feast on their souls! We are lucky it did not open itself up to us!!

Today we hopped around Newport and Providence, RI. Both are very pretty towns. We drove around and looked at what too much money brings:This is the Mansion called The Breakers, built by the Vanderbilts in 1895 for lots of cash. It has 70 rooms. Yeah, 'cause that is what you need in a house you only use 10 weeks of the year. But, staring at the myriad of such places is how my mother and I spent out morning. Then we drove to Providence to look at Brown University. I truly believe that we are gaining intelligence by visiting all these Ivy League schools. We saw Harvard in May and now Yale and Brown. Tomorrow we visit Dartmouth. You thought I was smart before (right?).

We had to drive until 9pm to find a hotel which we did, finally, in Vermont. But now it is 10:45. We ate high style from Subway sandwich shop and I have to go to bed. We did drive over 300 miles today, but mostly back and forth. (Damn Keene).

But I did see the Brown Bear and some camels!

Day one: Made it through 7 states!

2008-06-25T21:37:00.003-04:00

Yale: There was a lot of driving today. 436.10 miles, to be exact. There was also free iced coffee and good company (my mother is along for the ride, until I get to Ottawa, anyway). We did not get a chance to sightsee much, though we did stop into New Haven and see where Jenny got her PhD. Yale is a beautiful school, though some parts of New Haven did not seem as pretty. We meandered about for a bit, looking for the bulldog statue, then headed off to Rhode Island to enjoy dinner at a restaurant my former boss recommended. The place was packed! It was also delicious. Now I am sitting in a room somewhere in Massachussets, trying to keep my eyes open so I can type this to all of you. I am hoping for more pictures tomorrow, and maybe more interesting tales to tell?
Right now I am waiting to see if Priceline.com will allow me to have room in Canada. Let me check..."We're sorry, but we can't accept your offer of $40 for a hotel room". Darn. (What? I'm cheap). Back to the drawing board for rooms.

I know how Tom Cruise feels... Not that being short is a bad thing.

2008-06-21T20:01:00.003-04:00

Part of the reason I want to go on this road trip of mine is to figure out some things about myself. While packing today, I realized that there is one thing I am going to have to quickly come to grips with while I am traveling along. That thing is that I am only 5'5", which is not even short, really. As a matter of fact, the average American female is 5'4". So...I lean towards the taller side of the spectrum, right? (And even though I did believe I was growing a few years ago, which made Marci not even pretend to hide the giggles that exploded out of her when I shared this discovery with her which forced me to measure myself against the wall where I learned that alas, no growth had come from these limbs).

No more wearing these (with long hemmed pants so I look like I am 5'8"):

Because what I packed were these:

Bloods and Crips ain't got nothing on the Woodland Mafia!

2008-06-19T08:30:00.005-04:00

I am having all sorts of irrational fears that someone is going to hit my car, or a tree will fall on it during these crazy storms. The other night I was driving down MacArthur Blvd. and had slowed down for some reason. I was glad because up ahead was a gang of deer. NW's branch of the Woodland Mafia. As they stared me down, daring me to do something stupid so they could justify getting me, I trembled in fear and brought the car to a complete stop. They shook their heads as they muttered something like "we thought so". Then they shot me one last glare to keep me terrified as they meandered off to wreak havoc elsewhere. I swear that I am on the hit list!
Is it not enough that I have already been their target 3 times?

1. I was in the back seat of my mother's station wagon with my uncle driving. We had already taken out what I believe was the WL (Woodland) Mafia's sentry (a small furry critter I can only assume may have been an opossum or a raccoon). Then, out of the blue, jumped a deer into the hood of the car and was smashed. Totalled the car. I could see the rest of the WL Mafia high-hoofing each other as their suicide runner completed her mission.

2. I was driving in a rental Cavalier down I95 to visit some friends in NC. I was travelling along at a fair clip as the speed limits are higher there. Suddenly I plowed into a deer. The airbag smashed me in the face and I thought the deer had come through the windshield. I felt for the grassy median under my tires and sputtered to a stop. While I choked through the cornstarch that the airbags release, I hunted down my phone, which had gone flying during the incident. Someone finally stopped and checked on me. I decided that I needed to make sure the gang banger was dead. The front leg was sheared off. I went to look for it (the leg). Need I mention that I was in shock? I stepped on a stick and the terrifying thought that I had indeed found the leg prompted me to stop looking and return to the car. Meanwhile, some boys in a pickem-up truck came by to retrieve the deer for dinner. (Seriously). The tow truck came later to retrieve the dead Cavalier.

3. I was leaving Front Royal and noticed a WLM congregation ahead. I slammed on my brakes, and gently nudged one out of the way. I could see his little deer lips moving, saying "You're a marked woman, Bug. We are gonna git you!"

I really don't want to be gotten by a deer. But you understand my fears, right?

Trip planning books

2008-06-16T11:31:00.005-04:00

Travel plans

2008-06-12T10:08:00.001-04:00

In two weeks I will be on the road in New England somewhere, sightseeing with my mum who has agreed to join me for the first week of my road trip. After that, I will be joining the Canada Day festivities in the capital of the Great White North. (Though probably not wearing the “Canada: America’s hat” t-shirt I have, for fear of a beat down).

July 2 will see me traversing much roadway as I attempt, in haste, to get to Chicago by noon on July 3. 800 miles, baby! There is some sort of surprise awaiting me at 1pm on July 5, but I don’t know what it is. Can’t wait, though!

After Chicago, I will make my way to Colorado to visit my sister and a myriad of friends I have in that state. My niece’s birthday is in early July, I want to be there for it. After some time in Colorado, I will no longer have a timeline for my visits and can languidly relish the various sights our immense country has to offer.

Some stops along the way:
Victoria, BC. – My dad used to say that this is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. He ought to know. He traveled a bunch!

Puget Sound: I want to see Orcas.

Pike Place market: I wonder if they will let me throw fish for a couple of ducats?

Visiting family in Oregon, friends in CA, TX, FL, NC and VA.

There is a place in San Antonio where some kids in a school bus were hit by a train and the legend is that if you leave your car in neutral in the intersection where the train tracks used to lie, the ghosts of the kids will push your car to safety. I HAVE to check this out!

If I can, I would like to get to a couple of MLB games. I have to, after all, fulfill one of my “Things to do before I die” list items which is to see a ballgame in every baseball stadium.

I am hoping to find an opportunity to volunteer in New Orleans. The area is still so destroyed and I would like to know how bad it really is. I don’t want to give money, because from the looks of things, the money is not going to the right places. I want to actually DO something.

Then I plan on following my philanthropy up by being a beach bum for a couple of days. I think maybe I will be one in Miami, though my tendency to reflect sunlight like a mirror might have a negative affect on the natives.

I’ll come home, eventually. I bet the time will go by way too fast.

My summer plans

2008-06-10T14:35:00.003-04:00

Watch out, America! You are about to be infested by a Bug.