Life is not about finding yourself, but about creating yourself.

My friend Alex has been known to trace things back to 90210 episodes, it's a cute party trick. (Rest in peace, Aaron Spelling.) Today, I stumbled upon the episode when Brenda moves home after all of one week at the University of Minnesota. She doesn’t know what to do with herself, hence the above quote. BTW, did we ever believe they were college students? And the baby doll dresses and short overalls! Precious mid-90s fashion. So forgiving for those of us prone to Buddha belly.

In all my TV watching of late, I’m also catching up on my commercials. What is this Tab Energy drink? If I believe the commercial (and why wouldn’t I?) it is supposed to make me fabulous, fearless and able to walk in high heels. I should try it and then write a review.

So Dad and Donna have a cat. She’s named Daisy. You’re thinking cute, right? Well, you’d be wrong. They’ve had her for years now and I’ve never pet her. Never. The fact I’m allergic to her makes it all the more annoying that she’s not friendly. Yesterday, I was told all about her recent tendency to bring in mice, birds and even a baby rabbit. So there are a couple mousetraps set around the house since sometimes they don’t know about “the kill” until later. Then, last night, she brought me (and yes, it was to me and not my dad) not one, but two different mice. She’s obviously very glad to have me here. Awesome. Later, in the middle of the night, I got up to go to the bathroom and when I got back, I kept hearing this scratching noise. Turned on all the lights, the TV and looked in the closet, under the bed, etc. Nothing. But naturally, I couldn’t get back to sleep, as I’d totally freaked myself out. Ironically, I watched half of Sleepless in Seattle and eventually saw a small mouse trying to get out of the room between the space in the floor and the door. I opened it, but I never saw it get out.

And today my major accomplishment was laundry.

Big excitement here. Big.

Very long day of driving across West Texas. I'll report on the rest of what I did in Austin later. To say I loved it all is an understatement, but also a fact I can't process just yet.

At the moment, let me just share the following observations about today.

No new license plates collected. I have the complete list in the car, but I did get a lot in Houston and Austin I forgot to report on. Like anyone was waiting for this.

Best billboards of the day?

We Need to TALK. - God

or

NAKED HAREM.
BYOB (that's it. and details on how to get there)

West Texas was surprisingly cool. Average 82 degrees. I was expecting to pass out from heat, since the Gray Goose's AC is subpar and scares me. There's even been rain on and off. East coast readers, think sprinkle and then take that in half, that's what rain is here in the Southwest.

The iPod shuffle feature didn't work so well and kept picking songs I didn't know all the words too. Turns out singing along at the top of your lungs, complete with arm movements like you're performing is a good way to stay awake when it gets boring on the road. Thank you Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Elton John and Dave Matthews. God bless NPR and All Things Considered for showing up much further outside of El Paso than expected. Where I learned there have apparently been very bad storms in DC and a tree fell down near the White House. Hope everyone's okay.

I ate a lot of junk food to stay awake too. I enjoyed my lunch of Sonic (grilled cheese, taters and cherry limeade, naturally) at a park with a Davy Crockett Memorial. And then stopped at a Chili's west of El Paso because I knew I could get a decent salad. Chili's? I chose to eat at Chili's? Definitely a sign I was getting tired, so I have stopped here in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

I haven't slept through the night since sometime before I left VA. Not in a bad way, I think, maybe just more in the way you don't sleep well in new places. Here's hoping that changes here at the luxurious Comfort Inn.

I have forgotten to write about many strange things I have encountered in this great land. Least of which being the “who dey?” phenomenon in Cincinnati. Thanks to Jess for digging these links up. The really interesting thing was not the “who dey” bumper stickers or t-shirts. It wasn’t even the “who dey” sausage at the farmer’s market. No, the really interesting “who dey” spotting was the decorative rock at the end of someone’s driveway on this really nice street I went running on. Like across the street there is a gated community, a very nice private school and in the midst of this perfectly landscaped yard is a large boulder with a Bengal and “Who Dey?” underneath it. What? Keep Cincinnati Weird. (You'll understand that later.)

Ok, so to update on where I’ve been.

Friday in Houston, Susan and I slept in, made waffles for breakfast and eventually went and wandered around Rice Village. Did some shopping, I acquired a new tank top, as I’m sweating through everything I brought at a rapid pace. I also found a copy of The Bean Trees at a great used bookstore, which Suzanne had told me to read sometime this summer, as it’s all about a woman who goes on a road trip in a crappy car and ends up in Tucson. Thankfully, I haven’t yet found myself the keeper of a small toddler, so my adventure’s a little different. Anyhow, Susan and I weren’t really concerned with making sure I was seeing Houston, as I’ve actually lived there before. We were more concerned with hanging out and solving the problems of the world. Oh, and well, there's not that much to see. It's no Chicago (where Susan used to live).

Had a fantastic dinner at the Red Onion. I had a swirled frozen margarita/sangria drink and an amazing dinner. This place has pineapple salsa, which was really cool. Sidenote, I have to learn how to cook fried plantains. I could eat them everyday. Even better than dinner was the conversation, as Jamie is a kindred spirit when it comes to finding a career (she’s been to both dental school and law school for a short period) and has finally landed on PA school. I find comfort in other people’s stories of being lost. Jamie went home to study; Susan and I went home to bed. Because we’re old, true, but more because we were running 8 miles the next morning.

Susan is training for the Marine Corps Marathon and is part of this Houston running club where everyone is training for some fall marathon. Now I have not run much lately. Let me just be up front about that. Sure, I ran a personal record in March for a half marathon, but I am not at that level right now. And 8 miles is just enough to kick your ass when you haven’t been running much lately. I am also not adjusted to the humidity of Houston, which is dreadful. Okay, so all excuses aside, I decide to go, assured that there are runners at all levels.

Things start out well enough, as a woman recognizes my hat from the same half marathon and we compare notes on the race. Great. Feeling pretty comfortable. Definitely seeing some folks who look like they are “my people” – the back of the pack. So I start out strong with a woman named Carrie and we chat about all sorts of things. She thinks I’m crazy to be running on my vacation, but I admit the real reason is that I’ve also been eating my way across the country and my pants were tight at dinner the night before. She understands and relates completely. Somewhere around the loop that goes around Rice I find myself unable to keep up. Even with walk breaks I’m having a pretty tough time breathing and I can feel the majority of the blood in my body start to flow to my face and head. So I end up having to be with the coach whose job it is to bring up the rear. Coach Amy is the caboose and she assures me it’s fine if I need to walk and that she’s not annoyed or anything. I felt like a jackass, I should have known I wasn’t going to be able to keep up, but I wanted to try. Ugh. Luckily, Amy is a total sweetheart and we basically had a therapy session during the last couple miles. Turns out I’m not the only one who dated some winners in the last year.

Disgustingly sweaty, Susan and I make a big breakfast and then head to her apartment’s pool for some decadent relaxation. On the way there we run into a Tulane medical student who Susan knows and was moving back to New Orleans. She’s got her first rotation in the ER. The ER at Lord & Taylor, she says. I think, there’s a hospital named the same as the department store? Did it start in New Orleans maybe? Hmm. Then she explains, that’s right, Lord & Taylor is a makeshift ER. Susan, ever the optimist, says, well, you’ll get some great experience. Guess she’ll be set if she ever wants to practice medicine in the developing world. I think how much the focus of the country is NOT on what is still going on or not going on in New Orleans. Maybe it will get some attention later this summer as the one year anniversary approaches. How sad.

Later in the afternoon, I go with Susan to Mass. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the topic up for discussion was not something with deep connections to Biblical stories or references that would go over my head. It was all about global warming. And how God gave us free will and look what we’ve done to the Earth. That gave me a lot to think about. And the couple in front of us gave me enough to watch. Now, Susan’s in shorts and I’m in jeans and we’re fine, but this chick was in a strapless top with a visible tattoo between her shoulder blades and her boyfriend kept rubbing her back and grabbing her around the hips and ass during the parts when we’d be standing. It would have been too much if we had been at a concert or something, but it was really too much for Saturday afternoon Mass.

Speaking of Jesus, my blog crush of May is still doing the work of the people in Arlington sending them cabs, see what he had to deal with on June 21. And Carol, my outstanding Memphis tour guide, has been collecting a list of religious bumper stickers and is going to post them on her one year anniversary. Bookmark her blog to make sure you don’t miss it. My current favorite I've seen? God is SO Good. It reminds me of those annoying yogurt commercials, so it's kind of funny.

Sushi for dinner with Beth, delightful dessert at the Dessert Gallery (they specialize in cakes, not my first choice, but carrot cake was pretty freaking good). Susan was leaving for vacation on Sunday morning, so we went home to pack and do some more relaxing. We excel at this.

I drop Susan off at the airport after a stop to get a Kolache. I’ve never heard of these, and eager to always experience any new food item, I make Susan leave 20 minutes earlier to go get one. I ordered the Sausage and Cheese as it is supposed to be the most popular, however, I either got the wrong one or sausage is equal to a hot dog and cheese is velveeta. The bread itself was salty, which I enjoyed. Not to compete with Overheard in NY, but we did hear this gem as we walked into the shop:

Man: Do you want to go get it now?
Woman: No
Man: Is it because you hate me?
Woman: Yes

An uneventful and short ride through Central Texas and I find myself in Austin. Now I have firmly said many times before that I am not sure I am leaving DC when all is said and done, but I’ve definitely been thinking about it. I’m flirting with other cities, if you will, and at the moment I’ve had a crush on Austin for a long time, but this will be our first date. In an email from my friend Alli’s cousin who lives here, Austin has been described as being all about “music and food and physical activity.” Add in cute boys and I’ll pack my bags.

I hang out with my Austin host family, Julie’s friends Erin and Brad, and get some tips and directions and head out in late afternoon. My plan is to explore some and then end up at this free concert in a park. I make my way to the flagship Whole Foods which is possibly one of the coolest places for food dorks like me. Is it wrong to move for a grocery store? I also check out the fantastic Waterloo music store, where I buy a used Lucinda Williams CD thinking it might make a good soundtrack for West Texas. I was also motivated to buy it by all the Keep Austin Weird marketing I’m seeing everywhere. Even the Whole Foods highlights Texas products. People seem to take the supporting of local businesses very seriously, a cause I can certainly get behind as I find it harder and harder to see how places are different from the strip malls off the interstates. But apparently even the use of the Keep Austin Weird as a slogan has supposedly been co-opted. Point is, lots of fighting The Man spirit around these parts. Which I adore. We’re having a great first date, me and Austin. Again, there’s a lot I’m forgetting, but I’ve long finished my coffee here at Austin Java and there is more exploring to be done…

Later, y’all.

The civil rights museum is really interesting. Definitely recommend it. The beginning video talks about more than just civil rights as we think of them being about black and white and hints at the fight for rights by Native Americans, people with disabilities and barely hints at gay rights. However, in the museum itself they don't touch on these movements until the very end. At which point, even my dork ass was too tired and too full of information to really absorb any more. But it did get me thinking about how political I am NOT these days. I’m still full of opinions, but I haven't done anything about them in a long time.

Arkansas was really pretty, but kind of tough on me. I never quite found my road trip flow. You know, where you have to go to the bathroom at the same time as get gas or stop to eat, not an hour off each other. Got very excited about my first spotting of a Sonic and happily ordered a large cherry limeade and a grilled cheese. Kind of wished I’d made time to go to the Clinton library when I passed through Little Rock, but I just couldn’t handle any more exhibits.

In Shreveport I was staying with my friend Christy (aka Chicks) from my beach house back in Dewey. The town is really pretty and I swear Chicks knows everyone in town. We stayed at her parents’ place since they were out of town and that way my cat allergy wasn’t a problem. If my sister compared her place to a European hostel, I was now staying in a nice Southern B&B.

After some serious gossiping about people we know in common and catching up on all sorts of stuff, we met her boyfriend out at a Mexican place called Superior’s. They have a secret margarita recipe. “One makes you silly, two makes you stupid, three makes you forget.” I had one. And felt very relaxed after. Some might call that silly. Then we went to a bar called the Cub which Chicks compared to our beloved Lounge in DC. Again, she knew half the people there. Had a great time, learned more about Shreveport from a guy who works in local politics and felt really jealous of people who know they love where they live and never want to leave.

Slept like the dead that night. On Thursday, got a tour of Shreveport and lunch was a “shrimp buster” at the famous Herby K’s. Then I headed out for Houston. The drive through East Texas was fairly uneventful. Enjoyed yet another cherry limeade (the thrill of seeing the Sonic sign has faded but I’m still going to stock up while I can).

Will report on Houston later.

Current location: High Point Coffee, Memphis, TN
Am killing time/having my morning fix before the National Civil Rights Museum opens. Have a lot to recap for y’all. Let me start at the beginning.

Friday was a great day of driving.
Number of dead deer spotted: 4
License plates (yes, I’m playing this game): DC, VA, MD, PA, NY, NJ, MO, WV, FL, NC, SC, TN, GA, DE, CT, IN, OH, IL, CA, KY, TX, OK, MI, ME (truck only, does it count? Yes, until I see a car one)
Highlight of the trip: Best Fish Sandwich Ever
Stopped for lunch in Wheeling, WV, went directly to the Wheeling Visitor’s Center (not a busy place) and asked for lunch recommendations. (I’ve since been told this was very Rachael Ray of me) The very kind woman said, we have everything, Mexican and Chinese… and I said, um, ok, but where would YOU go for lunch today? Well, it’s Friday so I’d probably head down to the fish market. She pulled out a map, gave me directions down there and how to get back to the interstate when I was done. Gourmet magazine called it the best fish sandwich in the country back in 2001. I am not a comparative fish sandwich expert, but I have to say, it was amazing. As were all the people who I talked to while in line (um, if the fish deluxe comes with a bun what does the fish sandwich come on? Answer: white bread) and who I shared a table with. Whee for lunch in Wheeling!

Found my sister Jess’s apartment without incident. Found new sunglasses at a cute shop on her block. Met some of her friends for apps and drinks outside. Very little makes me happier than al fresco apps and drink. They serve entire pitchers of beer for $5 here. Not on happy hour special on a Monday. All the time. Even on a Friday night. At 9pm. What? I see the benefits to living in a smaller city already.

Saturday was very hot. The kind of day you’re just not ready for in June, but expect come August. We would do one thing, then have to come home and take a break. There was coffee at the cutest children’s bookstore, there was exploration at Ohio’s oldest market Findlay Market searching for melons, tomatoes and cherries, there was famous ice cream, there was trying on of $175 jeans at a cute boutique, there was a return to the grocery store where Jess once left groceries behind (That’s right. Just blatantly forgot items she purchased.) There was even a nap. Divine.

The nighttime adventure began simply enough with a barbeque. Hamburgers were eaten, Cornhole was played (it’s an Ohio thing. It’s not dirty.), a few rounds of Asshole (Ohio rules) were enjoyed. Thanks Jen and Eric!

Then we left to go to a place called Adonis. I hesitate to call Adonis a bar, as it was more like an old wedding reception hall. Adonis, as the name suggests, caters to gay men. Jess’s friend Susan and I met a fantastic young man named Jonathan who is 24, works as a dancer on a cruise ship as way to dance for a living and to see the world outside of Cincinnati. He told us we could do it and work running bingo and whatnot and work about 10 hours a week. I like that idea. The true depth of his preciousness is not easily translated. He’s a total sweetheart and he’ll live in my memory as one of my favorite best friends for five minutes in a bar.

Weeks ago, Jess emailed some guys off craigslist who were meeting in Cincinnati as a final weekend for a friend of theirs who was about to enter the priesthood. Sort of a bachelor party before you marry the Lord kind of thing. Cincinnati was somehow a central location and none of them knew anything about the city, hence the cry for help on CL. She had given them all sorts of tips about where to go out, as she is quite knowledgeable of such things. As a pleasant surprise, the priest party called to say thanks/invite us out earlier. So we knew we'd be leaving Adonis at some point. A risky hailing of a cab later (i.e. I walked out in front of it) we were at McFadden’s. So now we’re at a bar, nearing last call, looking for people we don’t know. “Hi, are you with the priest party?” We eventually find them, as well as many, many strange White Sox fans. Some of us make better friends with the White Sox fans than others (and no, it wasn’t me. or Jess.) We end the night with my first visit to Skyline for chili. Who knew chili was good at 3am and many beers? Now I do.

Sunday was a day of rest. And a day of appreciating electricity. Jess lives in an old building and her entire apartment is on one fuse, we speculate. It should be reasonable to have the TV, the AC and a light on at the same time, no? When the fuse is blown we can’t even fix it so we have to leave her apartment and take refuge at the local bar.

Monday was a day of reflection. A day of killing time at coffee shop and reading and impulse buying shoes I’d later return while Jess is at work. I love this vacation thing.

Tuesday I drive to Memphis where I will be staying with my sister’s friend Carol. Stop in Nashville for lunch at my favorite Calypso Cafe where the fruit tea and black beans are every bit as good as I remember them. I get the fabulous corn muffins to go, thinking how good they’ll be to enjoy later. I later leave the corn muffins in Carol’s fridge in Memphis. Classic. The drive has some very painful parts to it and I only collect a few new license plates: AR, IA, MS, AL, OR. There aren't even any good billboards about going to hell or reminding me God is watching me. Just a lot of trucks and a lot of nothing. Oh, and it's hot. Very hot. And every time I turn the AC on in the car I worry the car is going to overheat. So I sweat. A lot.

Carol is a fantastic host and tour guide. Thankfully, I have been to Graceland before so I don’t ask her to take me there for the millionth time (and she’s only lived here 10 months). We have dinner on Beale Street, where I get over my “I don’t like to eat meat off the bone” thing and order ribs. Because that’s what you eat here. And they were great. We wander around a little after dinner because apparently I’ve become an old person who needs to walk around after a big meal. I’m also old because I’m getting tired and everywhere with live blues are really, really loud and so we end up at Pat O’Brien’s piano bar instead. Yes, I know, the New Orleans landmark in Memphis. But it was the right thing to do.

And now, I am going to head out. Museum is open now, I’m finished with my coffee, it’s time to leave the sweet air conditioning and face the heat. Congrats if you actually read this whole thing. I'm babbling. Next update won't be so long in coming, I promise.

i am taking way too much stuff. i am comforted by some of it. i will use some of it. i will likely still need to purchase things or find there are things i wish i had brought.

i am also completely exhausted but energized. never going to be able to fall asleep!

next update will be posted from somewhere outside va. yay!!

all my boasting everywhere around town about the grey goose being a fully functional and very clean car....this morning the light came on that tells me a brake light is out. really? seriously?

i cannot let this slow me down. i must leave tomorrow morning. so if i can't get it fixed today (which i do not have time allocated for such an adventure) i will just have to do it on the road somewhere. i think getting a car repair done in cincinnati sounds like just another adventure.

grr.

For the last year, I've had two cars. Neither is fantastic, neither is worthless, neither had a car payment associated. Reducing to just one car would have been a practical thing to do months ago, I know. But sometimes in life there are things that I like to call The Things With Which I Cannot Deal. Sometimes it's laundry, or getting to the dry cleaners or making some sort of phone call and it becomes this thing that every single day you put on your list of things to do and you never, EVER get it done. For me, for a YEAR, it has been "Figure out what to do with cars" or something like that.

So, as part of my plan to head out of town, I finally tackled this problem. Without boring you with details, and oh, there are many, I have been to 3 different mechanics on a minimum of 7 occasions, have had strange rides to various metro stations from these mechanics, have used the towing function of AAA, have been nauseous while having a car inspected, have nearly broken down in tears 5 times, etc, etc. On Thursday night a man named Leon gave me $600 in cash for what had become the bane of my existence, my grandfather's old Buick. I heart Leon. Leon thinks he pulled one over on me since the car is worth more than that. But I don't care. There is no price for the removal of A Thing With Which I Cannot Deal. On Friday, I picked up the other car. Meaning I am pleased as punch to announce that I officially own only one car and nearly everything in it works perfectly (we'll see about that AC once I hit the south). Yesterday I spent 3 hours cleaning it, organizing essentials for the trip and testing my new iPod cassette adapter. Fantastic invention.

Barring no major disasters, the Grey Goose and I will be headed out on Friday morning bright and early!!

If all goes according to plan, in two weeks, I'll be on my way out of town. I'm not moving, so I don't have to pack, but at the same time, how does one pack for six (at least) weeks? Who knows what I'll want or need when I have no idea what I'm doing??