Well it took me five days, but it's worth it because I've managed to travel three hours into the future. To all those back in Pacific Standard Time: I'm going to ruin all of your favorite TV shows. Bwahahaha.
I'm ready to not drive for a long time. The United States is big, and talking to a cat gets rather dull after a few days (the cat did most of the talking). Fortunately I was fueled by continental breakfasts, beef jerky (teriyaki), and various local feasts before bedtime. I don't know why, but it seems to me that beef jerky and driving across the US go hand in hand. Yee Haw.
I could bore you with all the details of how delicious catfish is in the Midwest, how inbred some people look in Tennessee, or how my cat likes to sit on the dash while I'm doing 90mph. But I know what you really wanna hear about... CARNAGE! Not all of the drive was sunny and carefree, and on the sides of the roads laid testaments to that. Every once in a while I would spot a cluster of flowers, small heart shaped decorations, or crosses dug into the ground. These memorials would often have a name written across them. Just today I saw a road sign commemorating the deaths of a busload of people on the edge of a small cliff in Kentucky.
I don't mean to come off as depressing, but I did spend most of the trip sitting in the car and that was something I found interesting. I wish I could have stopped to photograph the memorials. That series of interstates was my own personal "Oregon Trail" without the Oregon of course... or the Oxen. And I didn't ford any rivers, but you get the point. I'm manifesting my destiny and what not. I had a few high adrenaline moments during the drive. Things can get pretty intense when you have snow and ice covering your windshield and you're on a two lane road in the middle of a freakin' forest in Arkansas during a blizzard in the dark of night as semi-trucks pass right next to you because you're going so slow because you can hardly see the road in right in front of you while a cat wont stoP MEOWING AND WALKING ON THE DASH AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIMES AND I CAN'T REACH THE BEEF JERKY CAUSE IT FELL ONTO THE FLOOR AT THE PASSENGERS SIDE OFF TEH CAR AEUIHAERGOIAWEOIHDOIREGW!
I couldn't even see the trees on the sides of the road... I probably missed a few memorials too.
But I made it! I'm safe now, as long as I don't freeze to death. That's a different story.
2.03.2007
1.30.2007
My last day in San Diego
I'm going to keep this short cause I'm mentally and physically exhausted. The past week has been filled with preparation, packing, and saying goodbye to my best of friends and closest of family. Now the truck is gone, the house is mostly empty, and the driving starts tomorrow.
4 straight days of driving, 10+ hours a day. Right now the plan is to keep south and avoid the storms coming down from the north. We'll be heading through Arizona, New Mexico and a large portion of Texas before turning north. We'll be stopping in Tucson, Dallas, and Nashville before we finally get to the great city of Doylestown, Ohio.
Doylestown is where I'll briefly be living, so get ready for some killer blog material. Population 3,000; There's a high of 25°F on our arrival date and it's snowing.
I'm kind of worried about running into some snowy weather. Other than a few brief encounters with snow in the local mountains here I don't have any experience with flurries and icy driving. If this is my last post then please mourn for me in the comments area.
1.27.2007
An old vet (an old friend)
Living in San Diego for the past six months has brought up a lot of memories from my past. I've driven though the area I was raised in, driven past the high school I went to and places I would hang out, met with people I haven't seen in years, and indulged in many carne asada burritos. And now, after tonight, I'm ready to say I've relived enough.
Tonight was my last Friday night out in SD and I didn't really have anything special planned. My good friend Tessa visiting from LA al0ng with two of her friends and we all decided to go downtown. We parked and walked around looking for a nice place to pop in and have a drink when all the sudden I see a man who has forever engraved himself as part of my youth.
He calls himself "The Colonel," or at least that's what he did back when he spent all of his time telling bull shit war stories at The Living Room Cafe. The man would go on for hours, and he must've had a knack for storytelling because my friends and I would all stay and listen. The Colonel would often drink vodka while sitting in the middle of the cafe. It's kind of strange in retrospect but back then it all made sense. The missing leg, the green beret, the crazy stories and the a look in his eyes, as if he were in another world. I remember he would often have a cigarette in his mouth or hand but would rarely inhale. The ash would collect at the tip and fall onto his lap.
The Colonel rode up in his motorized wheelchair (I actually remember when he bought that thing) and I quickly asked Tessa to take a picture of us with her camera phone. I asked The Colonel if a pic was okay (he didn't recognize me of course). As you can see I was very excited.
After the picture he tried to sell me tootsie roll pops and gum.
Tonight was my last Friday night out in SD and I didn't really have anything special planned. My good friend Tessa visiting from LA al0ng with two of her friends and we all decided to go downtown. We parked and walked around looking for a nice place to pop in and have a drink when all the sudden I see a man who has forever engraved himself as part of my youth.
He calls himself "The Colonel," or at least that's what he did back when he spent all of his time telling bull shit war stories at The Living Room Cafe. The man would go on for hours, and he must've had a knack for storytelling because my friends and I would all stay and listen. The Colonel would often drink vodka while sitting in the middle of the cafe. It's kind of strange in retrospect but back then it all made sense. The missing leg, the green beret, the crazy stories and the a look in his eyes, as if he were in another world. I remember he would often have a cigarette in his mouth or hand but would rarely inhale. The ash would collect at the tip and fall onto his lap.
The Colonel rode up in his motorized wheelchair (I actually remember when he bought that thing) and I quickly asked Tessa to take a picture of us with her camera phone. I asked The Colonel if a pic was okay (he didn't recognize me of course). As you can see I was very excited.
After the picture he tried to sell me tootsie roll pops and gum.
1.23.2007
look me in the eyes
I took an eye exam today. The optometrist who conducted the exam seemed like a good guy, but there was something off about him. He moved slowly for a man his age, and he had kind of a creepy grin. You have to worry about guys who have the creepy grin. Yes I'm talking about the infamous "pervert/pedophile look".
It's not always a good idea to judge someone based on how they appear, but let's face it, it's safe & it can be fun! Of course I'm being sarcastic... or am I? I'll let you decide for yourself. Protect yourself. Protect the children. Please read this web page and take the short exam below titled How to spot a Pedophile, which I also believe pertains to spotting perverts in general.
It's not always a good idea to judge someone based on how they appear, but let's face it, it's safe & it can be fun! Of course I'm being sarcastic... or am I? I'll let you decide for yourself. Protect yourself. Protect the children. Please read this web page and take the short exam below titled How to spot a Pedophile, which I also believe pertains to spotting perverts in general.
1.22.2007
Seven days
I don't think its hit me yet. My brain relays a an array of thoughts and feelings, but the reality of my situation hasn't really sunk in yet. Although most of my recent activity somehow revolves around the fact that I'm moving, it almost seems as if it were temporary; It's like a vacation.
There are many moments throughout each day that remind me of the reality of my decision. Pictures, phone calls, and text messages from people I've known for a long time and seen regularly. Turning on the AC while I'm driving through familiar streets. A half empty house. Davids refrigerator.
I can't deny how excited I am, but I'm also sad and a bit nervous. Right now I've got a million things on my mind. Ya know when you're going away for a weekend and you keep reminding yourself to pack your toothbrush and a towel? I have a million toothbrushes to pack and at least 824 towels (don't forget your towel!).
7 days left. I leave California early on Tuesday, January 30th.
There are many moments throughout each day that remind me of the reality of my decision. Pictures, phone calls, and text messages from people I've known for a long time and seen regularly. Turning on the AC while I'm driving through familiar streets. A half empty house. Davids refrigerator.
I can't deny how excited I am, but I'm also sad and a bit nervous. Right now I've got a million things on my mind. Ya know when you're going away for a weekend and you keep reminding yourself to pack your toothbrush and a towel? I have a million toothbrushes to pack and at least 824 towels (don't forget your towel!).
7 days left. I leave California early on Tuesday, January 30th.
1.19.2007
The nicest & most inconsiderate person I've ever met
Yesterday I woke up and a refrigerator had been placed at the side of the house, just outside of my room. Why has a refrigerator been placed at the side of my house you may wonder? Well it's probably because the side of my house, as well as a substantial chunk of my backyard, has recently been adopted as a storage space by a man and his family. His name is David, and he is the nicest & most inconsiderate person I've ever met.
I first met David about a month ago at my front door. Actually I met his kids first, who blankly stared in my face and wondered around my lawn as I answered the doorbell. A figure who could best be described as what Carrot Top would look like if he were a 47 year old Jewish man walked up to the door and with a hardy "Hello!" introduced himself. Now I should have known better and shut the door right then and there, but it was Sunday morning and I was watching a rather dull football game and I had no idea what to expect so I listened to the guy. Turns out David was interested in renting the house after my parents and I move out. I don't really want to divulge much more about that particular encounter. Suffice it to say that me and my mom soon found out David is a very nice Christian man who seems to love one sided conversations and has no idea how to read kind visual cues translating into "get out of my house." You know the type, but David is extreme. After he left our house that day my mom had 20 Christian DVD's, phone numbers, and an invitation to his home and his church.
Somehow this guy manages to talk the owner into not only renting him the house, but also letting him bring over a couple truck loads of backyard supplies to store in the corner of our backyard (with our permission of coarse cause we're kind people). We let it go on too long, and so did the unresponsive owner of the home after we called her. Jewish Carrot Top had brought over at least 8 or 9 truck loads when I noticed the fridge outside of my room. You're probably thinking why didn't we stop this guy earlier. We didn't really check on how much stuff was in the backyard, and we figured eventually he would stop. We were thinking he was too nice to abuse our kindness. Eventually we told the home owner it needed to stop, but it was not David's intention to stop at 8 or 9 truck loads...
Yesterday afternoon I'm photographing my car out in the driveway (to sell it online) and who do I see? Here he comes driving down the street waving and smiling at me. As he drives by he shouts, "Hello William Jr." (my dads name is William so I guess I'm William Jr.). His truck was full of coarse, but at least it wasn't towing a trailer this time. Then I turn to look back down the street. There is a 28 foot U-Haul coming my way (28 footers are the biggest you can rent), and yes, it stops right in front of my home. David even brought his son, a friend, and two Mexican workers to help him unload it all into my backyard. I was speechless.
I first met David about a month ago at my front door. Actually I met his kids first, who blankly stared in my face and wondered around my lawn as I answered the doorbell. A figure who could best be described as what Carrot Top would look like if he were a 47 year old Jewish man walked up to the door and with a hardy "Hello!" introduced himself. Now I should have known better and shut the door right then and there, but it was Sunday morning and I was watching a rather dull football game and I had no idea what to expect so I listened to the guy. Turns out David was interested in renting the house after my parents and I move out. I don't really want to divulge much more about that particular encounter. Suffice it to say that me and my mom soon found out David is a very nice Christian man who seems to love one sided conversations and has no idea how to read kind visual cues translating into "get out of my house." You know the type, but David is extreme. After he left our house that day my mom had 20 Christian DVD's, phone numbers, and an invitation to his home and his church.
Somehow this guy manages to talk the owner into not only renting him the house, but also letting him bring over a couple truck loads of backyard supplies to store in the corner of our backyard (with our permission of coarse cause we're kind people). We let it go on too long, and so did the unresponsive owner of the home after we called her. Jewish Carrot Top had brought over at least 8 or 9 truck loads when I noticed the fridge outside of my room. You're probably thinking why didn't we stop this guy earlier. We didn't really check on how much stuff was in the backyard, and we figured eventually he would stop. We were thinking he was too nice to abuse our kindness. Eventually we told the home owner it needed to stop, but it was not David's intention to stop at 8 or 9 truck loads...
Yesterday afternoon I'm photographing my car out in the driveway (to sell it online) and who do I see? Here he comes driving down the street waving and smiling at me. As he drives by he shouts, "Hello William Jr." (my dads name is William so I guess I'm William Jr.). His truck was full of coarse, but at least it wasn't towing a trailer this time. Then I turn to look back down the street. There is a 28 foot U-Haul coming my way (28 footers are the biggest you can rent), and yes, it stops right in front of my home. David even brought his son, a friend, and two Mexican workers to help him unload it all into my backyard. I was speechless.
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