Sneaky Clouds

Often times I commute without turning on the radio. For most of my vehicles havn't had the commonplace luxury of a CD player or even the radio . This put me in a habit of driving to my own tune. One thats just as random as your iPOD on shuffle. Often I find myself thinking of obscure situations; a compilation of art, physcology, ethics and adventure. Sometimes I say to myself, "If I were driving a fancy car in a video game, I'd pass thig guy in a heartbeat." Too bad in all reality the only thing I'm drive is a poorche. None-the-less, my Focus does get me around and it starts on command, evertime.

Sometimes I think so hard when I drive I completely overshoot my destination or I'll arrive somewhere I didn't intend to go to. I think thats called destinesia. Yesterday, there was an enormous black storm cloud provoking all the tiny solar panels on the trees to turn away, to tuck under themselves - hanging on by a stem as the wind progressively got stronger. It was the same feeling in the air as a midwestern day before a tornado. Unusually warm where I was, but ugly outside. This cloud lingered from a distance, skirting around me and my little white pack of gum, like the atmosphere and I had an agreement that I wouldn't get rained on. It wasn't until this cloud literally snuck up from behind did I see any rain drops. One hit my windshield and five or six successive beads of water ran up the glass. I took inventory of these drops in my head, only the voice was the Count from Sesame Street: One raindrop, ah, ah, ah. Two raindrops, ah, ah, ah. Perhaps this is one of the only examples of water running uphill instead of down - thanks to the application of 60 mile per hour wind. Nine raindrops, ah, ah, ah. Then, too many to count.

DAMN technology

I wrote up my huge itinerary only for it to have been snatched out of my hands prior to clicking the ever-so-precious POST button. It was grand, colorful, and neatly designed....it will not be so fun to read this time.

Sunday, November 2:
Depart Fairbanks for Cancun, Mexico - Arrive at 5:00 PM

Tuesday, November 4:
Depart Cancun by bus to Belizean Border

Wednesday, November 5-Sundayish November 15:
Explore Western Belize by foot/bus and venture into Guatmalan Jungle to Tikal

Sundayish November 15-Sundayish November 23:
Explore Eastern Coastal Belize and Barrier Reef

Monday, November 24:
Leave Cancun Mexico for Pittsburgh (Visit Hollie's Family) - Arrive at 8:15 PM

Friday, November 28:
Leave Pittsburgh for Portland-Visit Grandparents and other family

Thursday, December 4:
Leave Portland for Hood River, Oregon - move in, start work - SKI!!!!

So there you have it - you can email me for details of the itinerary if you need more info. I don't want that stuff floating over the web though.

Tchuss!

You Can't Catch Me

I just finished a maiden voyage from Fairbanks to Chicago (ugh) then Chicago to Seattle...then Seattle to Home.

I found out a few key things:

1. Alaska Airlines is totally unAmerican for going cashless (think of all the kids traveling alone that won't be able to buy in-flight meals just because they don't have a credit card.)
2. I hate Chicago O'Hare with a passion.
3. Don't ever fly United in the coach class - fly coach plus at the least - Trying to cram a 3000 cu in backpack under the seat IS IMPOSSIBLE.
4. When traveling with small children, take the shuttle bus for a tour around the airport..it kills time and they are SO entertained.
5. Budget for ridicoulously overprices frozen salads and a few more lattes.

The trip returning Laurel was really a bummer. She was a doll and slept well on the planes. We had a fun time hanging out in airports and eating miniature marshmellows and m & m's. We found Mom and Darrell, had a quick bite to eat and then I was returned to The Airport. I spent the next ten hours in Chicago O'Hare flying standby on 3 other flights to Seattle, to no avail of course. I left that evening to meet Trevor in Seattle. That was a happy reunion and was nice to take my mind off of Miss LoLo being thousands of miles away.

The next day T and I went sailing in Seattle...I had never been on sailboat before - lots of fun and I'll be excited to do that again soon. That evening we met up with Trev's family for food, beers and a Mariners/Twins game. That was really fun- we got smashed and had a really interesting cab ride home. Mariners won Mon/Tues/Wednesday after a long running streak of defeat.

By Tuesday we were on the highway (excuse me, freeway) towards Portland. We stopped in on Trev's Uncle Bill and Aunt Joan. Quite possibly some of the nicest people I've ever met. Poor Joan was recently robbed of a non-essential organ and was having a slow time getting around, but she perked up well a few days later. Uncle Bill is riot! What a crafty and ingenious old dude. Ty and Trev asked me to take a good look at the 'ass progression' of the Oesters...Apparently it's all down hill from here. HA! Arriving in Portlanf, Grandma was excited to see us and I was able to see Grandpa too. Trev and I took his brohams dog Manny to the Tualitan River for a dip to escape the 90+ degree weather...well worth it, though we have been ridiculed since for exposing ourselves to such a stagnant muddy duckpond. Hey, you guys did it forty years ago.....

By Wednesday we were exploring the Riverview Cemetary for Trevors Father and Grandmother. We found them and came back with excellent maps for the rest of the fam. After that we buzzed right over to Idaho to pick up T's crap that has been abandoned at the start of the summer. We pawned most of it off onto Mike (who has the single busiest schedule I think I've ever seen-three kids, a job, and going to school)..we returned to Seattle on Thursday - cranky that our vacation was almost over.

Friday night was spent shopping and bar hopping....and contained a bit of heated debate. Sall good though because T and I were in agreeance.

Saturday was spent mostly traveling. I had a flight out of Anchorage that was a few late but poor Trev really got a BOHICA from Alaska Airlines...his flight from Seattle to Juneau was late, and his connecting flight was unable to land in Juneau...so there he stayed for an evening. At the ass-crack of dawn this morning he was supposed to fly to Ketchikan but there was some other hitch about an erupting volcano or such....he ended up on the milk run hopping respectively between Ketchikan, Wrangall, and Petersburg. He apprently made it and is currently busy attending to work business and managing his crazy impatient girlfriend awaiting the go-ahead for international travel reservations.

So there you have it, in a nutshell...the latest adventure i've had.