Greetings from the executive floor of the Chicago Hilton. It's possible this hotel might make up for the last hotel that I was in a couple of weeks ago. Almost.
After discovering some old road trip journals from trips long past, I have decided to resume my road trip journals...and have decided to share today's with you. I will add, it's a little difficult to write as much as I'd like when I'm by myself...but you still will hopefully get the idea...
10:44am - Start packing
10:54am - Finish packing
You may be wondering why it took me so long, as this is well over my average packing time. Well, I had to re-pack all of my toiletries from carry on version to normal. And it's also possible I was dancing the entire time, which may have slowed me down a bit.
11:10am - Realized that I forgot to pack underwear. Immediately corrected the situation
12:57pm - Load up suitcase, cooler etc. Do last minute double check to ensure that nothing has been left behind. Like my backpack (computer). Not that I ever forget things. Or start driving without them. Ok...so it was just that once...
12:58pm - On the road.
12:59pm - Regret eating black beans for both breakfast and lunch.
1:02pm - Call the mom and sing "On The Road Again."
1:13pm - Pass a tractor pulling some type of unfamiliar farm equipment
1:18pm - Stop for gas. 38.5mpg. That seems off. Betty normally gets good gas mileage, but this seems excessive.
1:20pm - On the road again. The first episode for the day of Dragnet is on the radio.
2:50pm - Stop at Target in Champaign to stretch, and necessities. And by necessities I mean Diet Coke.
3:15pm - After getting a lot of attitude from a Target employee about the cost of my allergy medicine, I had to check myself before I wrecked myself. I thanked the nice employee who was helpful, and then cracked open a new Diet Coke. I'm once again on the road.
3:58pm - While listening to an episode of Dragnet, Joe Friday walked into the squad room, room 27A, at 3:58pm. I look at the clock to find that it is also 3:58pm right now. WEIRD.
5:09pm - Stuck in traffic, and I need to pee.
5:11pm - The Focus in front of me has their right blinker on, when clearly there is no opportunity to turn right, or move a lane to the right. Curious.
5:12pm - Still stuck in traffic. Still need to pee.
5:23pm - STILL STUCK IN TRAFFIC!! Perhaps I should consider adult diapers in the future. Really, it could be dual purpose. One obvious reason. The other would add to the padding of my less than padded posterior.
5:36pm - Arrive at the hotel. Finally.
Now it's time to find some dinner, and take a shower. The sun was shining on me the entire trip, making Betty feel like an oven, no matter how high I turned the AC. Perhaps I need to get some tinting for Betty and make her look a little more gangsta.
And the fact that Firefox didn't pull out "gangsta" as misspelled is slightly disconcerting.
PS - I listened to an episode of This American Life on today's trip, and it was all about Black Jack. The first half was about counting cards, which is intriguing, and sounds a little fun. The second half was all about gambling addiction...which frankly sounds a little scary. I'm so conflicted!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I Just Can't Wait Until Thursday 13
1) Cedric is coming home today!! Cedric is coming home today!! Robby at Bike and Hike told me that every once in a while he'll hear Cedric calling my name. I can't wait to go for a "long" bike ride!!
2) There has been a whole lot of dancing going on around my house lately. I blame it on the coffee.
3) Oh Coffee. Dear Coffee. My love. There is absolutely nothing like a good, strong cup of coffee in the morning. I miss it so when I travel.
4) I believe the dancing I've been doing lately is the reason I'm currently sitting at my desk, with an ice pack wrapped around my knee. That, and the fact that I haven't been stretching like I should lately.
5) I did stretch today though. After I ran 5 miles. In honor of National Running Day. And, you know, just because I could.
6) Quote from me to the dad from last Sunday, during Sunday School: "If I have this many aches and pains now, what is it going to be like when I get old???" I know I do a lot of crazy things. And I'm pretty much the biggest klutz in the entire world. But ouch!
7) In addition to my knee, my feet also hate me.
8) Hmm...I think it's time to go shoe shopping.
9) Gardening is teaching me patience. Ok, during my lifetime, I have had a lot of opportunities to become a more patient person. But gardening is such a wonderful example of how a little time can pay off. I've never really gardened...at all...before. Unless you count killing a hanging basket every year when I lived in my apartment a few years ago. But it's been an amazing process for me since I moved home. To see the things that I planted a few weeks ago, blossoming into something so beautiful all around me. I feel so blessed to have this experience. I wait all this time. Seeing the once beautiful petals fall to the ground. And I prune the plants back to what seems like nothing. Then all of a sudden, almost over night, they once again blossom into something so beautiful. It's amazing.
10) I would much rather grow flowers than ever buy them from a florist.
11) Knee high by the 4th of July. It's the old standby saying for corn growth. If corn is to a person's knee (though, I see a challenge in this because it may depend on whose knee you're measuring by. There's quite a difference, for example, between the height of my knee from the ground compared to my mother. Me = tall. Mom = short) farmer's are going to have a good crop. Well, this year, I don't think it matters whose knee you measure by. I was driving home last night, late, and even in the dark, I could see that in the couple of days that I was gone, the corn all around my house had proverbially exploded. Holy guacamole!! It's huge!! I'd say this year, it's shoulder high by the 4th of July or bust!!
12) I think it's about time I write down an official bucket list. I've, without trying, created a list in my head. But it's time to put things on paper. Stay tuned.
13) I truly hope that no one pays close attention to me when I travel. Never mind the embarrassing in flight napping. I'm referring specifically to rental cars. Should anyone care to do so, I'm certain they would immediately call the local mental facility, because surely a patient has escaped. I hate rental cars. I always lose them when I'm in a parking lot, because I never remember exactly what the car looks like. And putting gas in the car is always a challenge, because every car is different. A couple of days ago, I spent 10 minutes just trying to get the cap back on the gas tank, because the Passat is so "special." This, after inadvertently popping the hood, instead of the gas cover, because IT WASN'T MARKED. By the way...VW Passat: Worst car ever!
2) There has been a whole lot of dancing going on around my house lately. I blame it on the coffee.
3) Oh Coffee. Dear Coffee. My love. There is absolutely nothing like a good, strong cup of coffee in the morning. I miss it so when I travel.
4) I believe the dancing I've been doing lately is the reason I'm currently sitting at my desk, with an ice pack wrapped around my knee. That, and the fact that I haven't been stretching like I should lately.
5) I did stretch today though. After I ran 5 miles. In honor of National Running Day. And, you know, just because I could.
6) Quote from me to the dad from last Sunday, during Sunday School: "If I have this many aches and pains now, what is it going to be like when I get old???" I know I do a lot of crazy things. And I'm pretty much the biggest klutz in the entire world. But ouch!
7) In addition to my knee, my feet also hate me.
8) Hmm...I think it's time to go shoe shopping.
9) Gardening is teaching me patience. Ok, during my lifetime, I have had a lot of opportunities to become a more patient person. But gardening is such a wonderful example of how a little time can pay off. I've never really gardened...at all...before. Unless you count killing a hanging basket every year when I lived in my apartment a few years ago. But it's been an amazing process for me since I moved home. To see the things that I planted a few weeks ago, blossoming into something so beautiful all around me. I feel so blessed to have this experience. I wait all this time. Seeing the once beautiful petals fall to the ground. And I prune the plants back to what seems like nothing. Then all of a sudden, almost over night, they once again blossom into something so beautiful. It's amazing.
10) I would much rather grow flowers than ever buy them from a florist.
11) Knee high by the 4th of July. It's the old standby saying for corn growth. If corn is to a person's knee (though, I see a challenge in this because it may depend on whose knee you're measuring by. There's quite a difference, for example, between the height of my knee from the ground compared to my mother. Me = tall. Mom = short) farmer's are going to have a good crop. Well, this year, I don't think it matters whose knee you measure by. I was driving home last night, late, and even in the dark, I could see that in the couple of days that I was gone, the corn all around my house had proverbially exploded. Holy guacamole!! It's huge!! I'd say this year, it's shoulder high by the 4th of July or bust!!
12) I think it's about time I write down an official bucket list. I've, without trying, created a list in my head. But it's time to put things on paper. Stay tuned.
13) I truly hope that no one pays close attention to me when I travel. Never mind the embarrassing in flight napping. I'm referring specifically to rental cars. Should anyone care to do so, I'm certain they would immediately call the local mental facility, because surely a patient has escaped. I hate rental cars. I always lose them when I'm in a parking lot, because I never remember exactly what the car looks like. And putting gas in the car is always a challenge, because every car is different. A couple of days ago, I spent 10 minutes just trying to get the cap back on the gas tank, because the Passat is so "special." This, after inadvertently popping the hood, instead of the gas cover, because IT WASN'T MARKED. By the way...VW Passat: Worst car ever!
Monday, June 4, 2012
Road Trippin'
I hate driving.
And I'm making up for not having owned a car for 3 and a half years. In 3 and a half weeks.
Ok, so let me re-phrase. I'm really, really, REALLY tired of driving. And God did not see fit to bless me with enough padding to make long road trips comfortable...so I'm investigating getting a cushion for Betty.
One would think that I would be accustomed to long road trips by now. Growing up, we drove EVERYWHERE. Repeated trips to Florida and back. My earliest experiences there I missed half of, because my parents were smart enough to leave in the middle of the night, so my brother and I would sleep through most of it. But apparently that was only half successful, considering I woke up every 30 minutes (Love you mom and dad!). But beyond Florida, there were epic adventures like our two week road trip to Yellowstone and back in my parents Astro Van. My brother refused to get out of the back seat, and would put up a blanket as a partition and would refuse to talk to anyone. I was always cranky because I had to share a bed with my Grandma. And where we visited every Presidential Library we passed, except one (it was pouring rain, and it was on the way home, and no one felt like it). Sorry Mr. Grant.
And then as I got older, the road trips continued. After my first year of college, my parents suggested (forced) my brother and I to spend 8 days together in my Neon. It was supposed to be a nice, relaxing vacation after a stressful year of college. It was really more stress than all 4 years of college put together, and it resulted in my nearly throwing my brother out of the car. While he was driving. Did I mention that, though we're siblings, we don't actually like each other THAT much. But I did buy him an awesome garish orange floppy hat. So I suppose it was mildly successful.
But now I've been doing these long distance trips by myself. And even if my brother refused to talk to someone, there were still, you know, other people around. Every road trip growing up, we would do somewhat cheesy things to pass the time. Like playing the license plate game. And by "game" I really mean, we kept track of all the different state plates we passed, in an attempt to collect all 50 states. And though we came close a few times, I don't remember ever getting all 50 in one shot. But I suppose there is still time. And we'd keep a road trip journal, and record any time we'd pass anything special. Like a cow crossing sign.
So what does one do for 8 hours by yourself...while you're driving? I, fortunately, had a last minute suggestion of downloading episodes of This American Life. So I did, and somehow, that led me to find old radio episodes of Dragnet. And if you haven't listened to one yet, you definitely should. I've never really been a big fan of talk radio, but my opinion has definitely changed. It helps pass the time. And it can be more entertaining that just listening to music all the time. I was even able to figure out that Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter for all you M*A*S*H fans) is not only a character in the old TV episodes of Dragnet, he also appeared on the radio show.
Yes, I am fully aware of my nerdiness.
And even though I'm not really raring to go for another 16 hours solo in my car...I actually think I could get pretty good at this road trip thing. I mean, I'd actually spent more hours in one day biking than I had driving a car, until recently. Granted, my road trip didn't involve tears like my bike ride did. But you try riding a bike for 8 hours pain free.
Anyway you look at it, and whether I want to or not, it seems that I'm going to have plenty of opportunity to practice.
And I'm making up for not having owned a car for 3 and a half years. In 3 and a half weeks.
Ok, so let me re-phrase. I'm really, really, REALLY tired of driving. And God did not see fit to bless me with enough padding to make long road trips comfortable...so I'm investigating getting a cushion for Betty.
One would think that I would be accustomed to long road trips by now. Growing up, we drove EVERYWHERE. Repeated trips to Florida and back. My earliest experiences there I missed half of, because my parents were smart enough to leave in the middle of the night, so my brother and I would sleep through most of it. But apparently that was only half successful, considering I woke up every 30 minutes (Love you mom and dad!). But beyond Florida, there were epic adventures like our two week road trip to Yellowstone and back in my parents Astro Van. My brother refused to get out of the back seat, and would put up a blanket as a partition and would refuse to talk to anyone. I was always cranky because I had to share a bed with my Grandma. And where we visited every Presidential Library we passed, except one (it was pouring rain, and it was on the way home, and no one felt like it). Sorry Mr. Grant.
And then as I got older, the road trips continued. After my first year of college, my parents suggested (forced) my brother and I to spend 8 days together in my Neon. It was supposed to be a nice, relaxing vacation after a stressful year of college. It was really more stress than all 4 years of college put together, and it resulted in my nearly throwing my brother out of the car. While he was driving. Did I mention that, though we're siblings, we don't actually like each other THAT much. But I did buy him an awesome garish orange floppy hat. So I suppose it was mildly successful.
But now I've been doing these long distance trips by myself. And even if my brother refused to talk to someone, there were still, you know, other people around. Every road trip growing up, we would do somewhat cheesy things to pass the time. Like playing the license plate game. And by "game" I really mean, we kept track of all the different state plates we passed, in an attempt to collect all 50 states. And though we came close a few times, I don't remember ever getting all 50 in one shot. But I suppose there is still time. And we'd keep a road trip journal, and record any time we'd pass anything special. Like a cow crossing sign.
So what does one do for 8 hours by yourself...while you're driving? I, fortunately, had a last minute suggestion of downloading episodes of This American Life. So I did, and somehow, that led me to find old radio episodes of Dragnet. And if you haven't listened to one yet, you definitely should. I've never really been a big fan of talk radio, but my opinion has definitely changed. It helps pass the time. And it can be more entertaining that just listening to music all the time. I was even able to figure out that Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter for all you M*A*S*H fans) is not only a character in the old TV episodes of Dragnet, he also appeared on the radio show.
Yes, I am fully aware of my nerdiness.
And even though I'm not really raring to go for another 16 hours solo in my car...I actually think I could get pretty good at this road trip thing. I mean, I'd actually spent more hours in one day biking than I had driving a car, until recently. Granted, my road trip didn't involve tears like my bike ride did. But you try riding a bike for 8 hours pain free.
Anyway you look at it, and whether I want to or not, it seems that I'm going to have plenty of opportunity to practice.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
On The Road Again
I've had a nice reprieve from traveling...a whole 7 weeks. Longer if you don't count moving as a trip.
But now I've been gone for the past couple of weeks, and will leave again tomorrow. But it's ok, because I have a pretty sweet gig. This whole work when you want to, not when you don't want to is definitely the way to go. It helps that I love what I do, love it more, in fact, than I have ever before. Perhaps it's the fact that now I only have this one job to do, instead of 3.
For those of you that have no clue what I do other than the fact that I travel about the country, and people watch in airports, and drink bad hotel coffee...let me give you a brief overview. I teach Preschool Teachers.
It's one of the most rewarding things I have done. It's also, on occasion, a source of great sadness. I figured that out a couple of weeks ago, just how said it can be. I was working with a group of teachers from a small, rural community in Southern Georgia...and they tried so hard to understand what I was giving them. But some of them just couldn't. I felt like I was teaching a group of Grade School age children, but it was more sad, because they were adults.
But at least I figured out why it made me sad. And it's because I care so much about what I do. I want these women to be successful. And I worry for their future, and the future of the children they teach.
Fortunately, not every group is like that. This past week, I was in Wisconsin. And as I predicted, I had the exact opposite experience than I had the previous week. The women I worked with were awesome, and so grateful that I was able to be there, and answer their questions. And it went so well, they've already invited me back next year :)
I don't think I'll mind going back.
The session was in Green Bay.
GREEN BAY!!!
Home of the Packers.
Now, most of the time, at the end of the day, after I've spent 7 hours bouncing off the walls, delivering a session (I'm pure entertainment, with a little knowledge mixed in) I fall onto the bed in the evening, and veg out.
But I was in Green Bay. So, of course, I had to do some sight seeing. And by sight seeing, I mean, I went to Lambeau Field. And took pictures. And called my mother from the parking lot saying "guess where I am!!!" as I bounced around my car.
It was awesome.
In fact, I realized as I was sitting in the parking lot that I have a bucket list. I've never formally put one together before. But I realize I do have one.
Towards the top of the list: Go to a Packers game at Lambeau Field.
It's possible that someone might need to restrain me, because I will literally be bouncing off the walls, the floor, and myself. And that would be without caffeine. But, of course, this is me we're talking about, so of course I would have caffeine. Probably more than I normally do.
Good luck to whoever is fortunate enough to go to that game with me.
Any volunteers?
Anyway, Preschool Teachers are pretty much the nicest people alive. They work with children. Young children. And they don't get paid much. They have to love what they do.
During the middle of my session, which, by the way, was teaching these women, not many who were comfortable with computers, how to use a web-based system. Yup, me, the woman who frequently wants to throw my computer out the window, teaches other people how to use technology. One woman, who had several questions throughout the day, and who I patiently answered each and every time, with a smile on my face no less, had one last question for me: "How many drugs do you take to be able to do this job?" My answer, "none, I just drink a lot of coffee."
That's possibly the best question I've ever been asked during a session.
Speaking of which...I've probably had too much for today. So I'm going to go bounce. Literally.
But now I've been gone for the past couple of weeks, and will leave again tomorrow. But it's ok, because I have a pretty sweet gig. This whole work when you want to, not when you don't want to is definitely the way to go. It helps that I love what I do, love it more, in fact, than I have ever before. Perhaps it's the fact that now I only have this one job to do, instead of 3.
For those of you that have no clue what I do other than the fact that I travel about the country, and people watch in airports, and drink bad hotel coffee...let me give you a brief overview. I teach Preschool Teachers.
It's one of the most rewarding things I have done. It's also, on occasion, a source of great sadness. I figured that out a couple of weeks ago, just how said it can be. I was working with a group of teachers from a small, rural community in Southern Georgia...and they tried so hard to understand what I was giving them. But some of them just couldn't. I felt like I was teaching a group of Grade School age children, but it was more sad, because they were adults.
But at least I figured out why it made me sad. And it's because I care so much about what I do. I want these women to be successful. And I worry for their future, and the future of the children they teach.
Fortunately, not every group is like that. This past week, I was in Wisconsin. And as I predicted, I had the exact opposite experience than I had the previous week. The women I worked with were awesome, and so grateful that I was able to be there, and answer their questions. And it went so well, they've already invited me back next year :)
I don't think I'll mind going back.
The session was in Green Bay.
GREEN BAY!!!
Home of the Packers.
Now, most of the time, at the end of the day, after I've spent 7 hours bouncing off the walls, delivering a session (I'm pure entertainment, with a little knowledge mixed in) I fall onto the bed in the evening, and veg out.
But I was in Green Bay. So, of course, I had to do some sight seeing. And by sight seeing, I mean, I went to Lambeau Field. And took pictures. And called my mother from the parking lot saying "guess where I am!!!" as I bounced around my car.
It was awesome.
In fact, I realized as I was sitting in the parking lot that I have a bucket list. I've never formally put one together before. But I realize I do have one.
Towards the top of the list: Go to a Packers game at Lambeau Field.
It's possible that someone might need to restrain me, because I will literally be bouncing off the walls, the floor, and myself. And that would be without caffeine. But, of course, this is me we're talking about, so of course I would have caffeine. Probably more than I normally do.
Good luck to whoever is fortunate enough to go to that game with me.
Any volunteers?
Anyway, Preschool Teachers are pretty much the nicest people alive. They work with children. Young children. And they don't get paid much. They have to love what they do.
During the middle of my session, which, by the way, was teaching these women, not many who were comfortable with computers, how to use a web-based system. Yup, me, the woman who frequently wants to throw my computer out the window, teaches other people how to use technology. One woman, who had several questions throughout the day, and who I patiently answered each and every time, with a smile on my face no less, had one last question for me: "How many drugs do you take to be able to do this job?" My answer, "none, I just drink a lot of coffee."
That's possibly the best question I've ever been asked during a session.
Speaking of which...I've probably had too much for today. So I'm going to go bounce. Literally.
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