I was reading the DC City Paper a couple of days ago and had to tear out an ad that really spoke to my heart. It was a small black and white ad in the corner of the page for Madams Organ, a bar that I've been to only once, but liked quite a bit near our place in Adams Morgan. It caught my eye because I'd been there before and recognized the name. But it captured my heart when I read:
"Rolling Rocks 1/2 off for Redheads Everyday"
Thank you world, for understanding the plight of the American Redhead.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Not trying to jump on the anti-corporate/Supersize Me band-wagon but...
I think I have the short answer to America's weight problem: Let's start looking (with both eyes)at how much food we're eating! As a Registered Dietitian, I feel that it is necessary to stay up-to-date and current on availability of fast food at popular American franchises. So I went to Popeye's Chicken the other day for an evaluation. Which involved eating a three piece chicken strip meal...
Which enjoying my meal (which ironically, I didn't enjoy at all because, well, it was pretty gross- I honestly don't know why I went there, other than I remember that the biscuits were really tasty when I went there in New Orleans... which is about all I remember. Which should have told me something.) I was reading through the flyer on my tray and discovered that it contained 4 columns of coupons for use at future visits. What I'm about to tell you is not an exaggeration, I'm reading it as a type (yes, I took it home because I planned to mail it to Kelly, who I knew would appreciate the insanity of it).
column Number 1 "Snacks": 3 pieces and a biscuit
Does the world need a reminding that HALF of a chicken is a bit more than a snack? Maybe this is why people think that a dietitians mantra of "at least three meals and two snacks a day" sounds so impossible. At that rate, there would be no more chickens pecking this earth... A string cheese and some raisins... celery and some peanut butter people... THAT is a snack!
Column 2 "Meals for 1": Free 2 Piece Meal with the Purchase of 2-Piece Dinner.
I hope for the sake of our nation's total LDL levels that they're considering this for a total of 2 people, but I fear all 4 pieces will head toward the same mouth...
Column 3 "Meals for 2": 10 pieces, 1 Large Side and 5 biscuits $9.99
That's it, no buy one get one free, just 10 pieces of deep fried chicken, a large bucket of side dish, and 5 biscuits. Between 2 people though, I'd hate to see the fight about who gets a third biscuit, and who gets stuck with only two measly biscuits, (plus 5 pieces of chicken and about 2.5 cups of mac and cheese, baked beans or mashed potatoes...)
And yet, as a nation, how much do we spend on the diet industry???
Column 4 "meals for the family": Buy a bunch of chicken and then go hide the bones in the cracks of the sidewalk for the neighborhood dogs to choke on!
Alright, that's all for now. I'm going to go drink some water and maybe have an apple. And 15 pieces of chicken. Cause I'm trying to watch my portion sizes.
Which enjoying my meal (which ironically, I didn't enjoy at all because, well, it was pretty gross- I honestly don't know why I went there, other than I remember that the biscuits were really tasty when I went there in New Orleans... which is about all I remember. Which should have told me something.) I was reading through the flyer on my tray and discovered that it contained 4 columns of coupons for use at future visits. What I'm about to tell you is not an exaggeration, I'm reading it as a type (yes, I took it home because I planned to mail it to Kelly, who I knew would appreciate the insanity of it).
column Number 1 "Snacks": 3 pieces and a biscuit
Does the world need a reminding that HALF of a chicken is a bit more than a snack? Maybe this is why people think that a dietitians mantra of "at least three meals and two snacks a day" sounds so impossible. At that rate, there would be no more chickens pecking this earth... A string cheese and some raisins... celery and some peanut butter people... THAT is a snack!
Column 2 "Meals for 1": Free 2 Piece Meal with the Purchase of 2-Piece Dinner.
I hope for the sake of our nation's total LDL levels that they're considering this for a total of 2 people, but I fear all 4 pieces will head toward the same mouth...
Column 3 "Meals for 2": 10 pieces, 1 Large Side and 5 biscuits $9.99
That's it, no buy one get one free, just 10 pieces of deep fried chicken, a large bucket of side dish, and 5 biscuits. Between 2 people though, I'd hate to see the fight about who gets a third biscuit, and who gets stuck with only two measly biscuits, (plus 5 pieces of chicken and about 2.5 cups of mac and cheese, baked beans or mashed potatoes...)
And yet, as a nation, how much do we spend on the diet industry???
Column 4 "meals for the family": Buy a bunch of chicken and then go hide the bones in the cracks of the sidewalk for the neighborhood dogs to choke on!
Alright, that's all for now. I'm going to go drink some water and maybe have an apple. And 15 pieces of chicken. Cause I'm trying to watch my portion sizes.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
The things I like, the things I don't care for.
Because my mother always said that its more polite to say "I don't care for XYZ" than "I don't like XYZ". She was referring to food at the dinner table, but I'm hoping it’s still the case here.
So- it's been a week and two days, and here is what I have gathered so for about DC:
Top 3 Things I don't care for:
1) The unbelievable number of chicken bones that litter the sidewalks of this city. I can honestly say that not once in my life have I ever felt the urge to eat a piece of chicken while walking down, or sitting on the street. But if pressed, I suppose I can see a certain appeal in such a mobile snack. But when finished sucking all the meat off the bone what kind of person says to him/herself, "Self, I think I'll just drop this chicken bone right here on the street, after all, the rats are looking awfully skinny these days, I'm sure they could use a nice meal. Or may it will just biodegrade?!"
To and/all people who may assume the above: In reality, the fate of your chicken bones is a little different: Here's the real deal- the bones don’t just disappear, they get kicked aside and slough off into the cracks of the sidewalk, the medians, or the strips of dirt that run between the sidewalk and driveways, and share their new home with broken glass, dirty band-aids, and a plethora of other unsavory human waste items. Then, when people are walking down the street with their dogs, specifically, dogs with extra keen senses of smell...the hound group for instance... their dogs take great joy in finding the bones and stealthily snapping them up in the mouths. Unfortunately, cooked chicken bones splinter, and are a big safety no-no in the world of domestic dogs. Because of this, the owners have to pry open their dogs' vice-grip jaws, reach their hand into the dogs' mouths and fish around for the bone fragments, pull the dog-saliva coated hand/arm out of said mouths (all the while cursing and rumbling things like "son of a BITCH! Where the HELL are all these GOD DAMNED chicken bones coming from?!?!?"). Then the dog owners are sitting there with shards of dog and human chewed chicken bone in their hands, and wander around like that until they find a proper trash receptacle in which to toss the bones.
So my proposal to the world of chicken-bone-throwers is this: I'll continue to pick up and throw away my dog's poop, if you drop your bones in a trash can instead of the sidewalk. Deal? Great, thanks.
2) Customer Service Attitudes (or lack thereof)
Wow. I'm only basing this on my experiences at the DMV, the grocery store and the Vet's office, but g-wiz, the only thing I have in my memory bank to compare it to would have to be... Eastern Block Europe- in the early 90's.
Granted, DMV employees are typically not known for the outstanding personalities, but these folks were real peaches. But I suppose I did eventually get my car registered and get my license. But I did a lot of research online and got all my ducks in a row before stepping foot into their offices, (and I only got sent home once to get more documentation...) I felt really bad for the other people I saw there who needed some help figuring out how things worked, and they clearly were not going to get that help. Ever.
As for the grocery store and the vet's office, its just a general feeling of apathy toward long lines of waiting customers, and an "I'll get to you when I get to you" type of attitude that I -now that I think about it- rarely saw in Seattle.
3) Our downstairs neighbor that started pounding on her ceiling last night with a broom handle (in what I can only imagine was an aggressive attempt to tell us to be quiet) while J and I were quietly filing papers and organizing our book shelves. It was about 9:50 PM. We finally realized that it was Daphne. She was on the floor, chewing on her new bone that I got her at the pet store after her trip to the vet. Apparently the sound of her chewing was just too much for this lady to handle.
Am I a bad person if I am eagerly awaiting her next session of (what is routinely audible) sexual intercourse during which I plan to jump up and down on the floor?
Payback can be a bitch. And sometimes, so can I.
Things that I LIKE!
1) The Metro.
I just can't help it. I think its fun, exciting and just so damned great!
2) The insanely aggressive driving. I was toying with putting it on my things I don't care for list, but in all honesty, I think I'm growing to like it. At first, getting honked at for not driving like a total spaz make me nervous and defensive, now it just fuels the fire that is... me. Now that I have my DC plates, I feel more justified in honking at people with out of state plates when they say… need to get out of a turn lane and the last minute, or take more than 1/8 of a second to accelerate when the light turns green. Kind of like hazing...
3) The best things in this town are all free!
All the sights, museums etc- all free. America: Membership has its benefits.
4) This is where its ALL HAPPENING. And its not like I'm part of it, heck, I'm really not involved in any of it. But it feels more real. And I have a front row ticket.
5) I'm on the East coast, but I don't feel like an alien. Everyone is from somewhere, and there is a little bit of everywhere somewhere.
6) I can see the Capitol and the Washington Monument every time I take Daphne out for even the quickest walk.
So- for now at least, there are more things that I like than I don't. And you can't ask for much more than that. I'm off to dabble in the job hunt... which I admit, is still half-hearted, as there is so much to do here, that who really has time to work?
...until I run out of money...
So- it's been a week and two days, and here is what I have gathered so for about DC:
Top 3 Things I don't care for:
1) The unbelievable number of chicken bones that litter the sidewalks of this city. I can honestly say that not once in my life have I ever felt the urge to eat a piece of chicken while walking down, or sitting on the street. But if pressed, I suppose I can see a certain appeal in such a mobile snack. But when finished sucking all the meat off the bone what kind of person says to him/herself, "Self, I think I'll just drop this chicken bone right here on the street, after all, the rats are looking awfully skinny these days, I'm sure they could use a nice meal. Or may it will just biodegrade?!"
To and/all people who may assume the above: In reality, the fate of your chicken bones is a little different: Here's the real deal- the bones don’t just disappear, they get kicked aside and slough off into the cracks of the sidewalk, the medians, or the strips of dirt that run between the sidewalk and driveways, and share their new home with broken glass, dirty band-aids, and a plethora of other unsavory human waste items. Then, when people are walking down the street with their dogs, specifically, dogs with extra keen senses of smell...the hound group for instance... their dogs take great joy in finding the bones and stealthily snapping them up in the mouths. Unfortunately, cooked chicken bones splinter, and are a big safety no-no in the world of domestic dogs. Because of this, the owners have to pry open their dogs' vice-grip jaws, reach their hand into the dogs' mouths and fish around for the bone fragments, pull the dog-saliva coated hand/arm out of said mouths (all the while cursing and rumbling things like "son of a BITCH! Where the HELL are all these GOD DAMNED chicken bones coming from?!?!?"). Then the dog owners are sitting there with shards of dog and human chewed chicken bone in their hands, and wander around like that until they find a proper trash receptacle in which to toss the bones.
So my proposal to the world of chicken-bone-throwers is this: I'll continue to pick up and throw away my dog's poop, if you drop your bones in a trash can instead of the sidewalk. Deal? Great, thanks.
2) Customer Service Attitudes (or lack thereof)
Wow. I'm only basing this on my experiences at the DMV, the grocery store and the Vet's office, but g-wiz, the only thing I have in my memory bank to compare it to would have to be... Eastern Block Europe- in the early 90's.
Granted, DMV employees are typically not known for the outstanding personalities, but these folks were real peaches. But I suppose I did eventually get my car registered and get my license. But I did a lot of research online and got all my ducks in a row before stepping foot into their offices, (and I only got sent home once to get more documentation...) I felt really bad for the other people I saw there who needed some help figuring out how things worked, and they clearly were not going to get that help. Ever.
As for the grocery store and the vet's office, its just a general feeling of apathy toward long lines of waiting customers, and an "I'll get to you when I get to you" type of attitude that I -now that I think about it- rarely saw in Seattle.
3) Our downstairs neighbor that started pounding on her ceiling last night with a broom handle (in what I can only imagine was an aggressive attempt to tell us to be quiet) while J and I were quietly filing papers and organizing our book shelves. It was about 9:50 PM. We finally realized that it was Daphne. She was on the floor, chewing on her new bone that I got her at the pet store after her trip to the vet. Apparently the sound of her chewing was just too much for this lady to handle.
Am I a bad person if I am eagerly awaiting her next session of (what is routinely audible) sexual intercourse during which I plan to jump up and down on the floor?
Payback can be a bitch. And sometimes, so can I.
Things that I LIKE!
1) The Metro.
I just can't help it. I think its fun, exciting and just so damned great!
2) The insanely aggressive driving. I was toying with putting it on my things I don't care for list, but in all honesty, I think I'm growing to like it. At first, getting honked at for not driving like a total spaz make me nervous and defensive, now it just fuels the fire that is... me. Now that I have my DC plates, I feel more justified in honking at people with out of state plates when they say… need to get out of a turn lane and the last minute, or take more than 1/8 of a second to accelerate when the light turns green. Kind of like hazing...
3) The best things in this town are all free!
All the sights, museums etc- all free. America: Membership has its benefits.
4) This is where its ALL HAPPENING. And its not like I'm part of it, heck, I'm really not involved in any of it. But it feels more real. And I have a front row ticket.
5) I'm on the East coast, but I don't feel like an alien. Everyone is from somewhere, and there is a little bit of everywhere somewhere.
6) I can see the Capitol and the Washington Monument every time I take Daphne out for even the quickest walk.
So- for now at least, there are more things that I like than I don't. And you can't ask for much more than that. I'm off to dabble in the job hunt... which I admit, is still half-hearted, as there is so much to do here, that who really has time to work?
...until I run out of money...
Friday, January 20, 2006
Abrir la ventana
Or... "Open the window" to those of you who not in the Spanish-know.
It's something that I can do now. After living in a 420 square foot studio in Seattle for over two years with NO windows (which I really didn't realize until after I signed the lease- that's what happens when you find a place that allows big dogs, has a washer/dryer in the unit AND is in your price range- you just TAKE IT.) It had French doors that led out to a little patio, so I didn't feel boxed-in, but you can't exactly leave those all night. Well, okay, I did all the time. And I'll publicly admit that now, since I no longer live there and feel fairly confident that no one will come looking for me there anymore, but really- that was right up there with driving drunk as far as risky behaviors go.
Anyway...
Now we have more windows than I can shake a fist at. And we're on the 4th floor, so I can leave them open at night, during the day etc without worrying that someone is going to meander into my place unannounced.
So let me just say, after not being able to open a GD window for so long, I am loving fresh air... while I'm inside! Without fear of being stabbed to death by a night stalker!!
And as it were, its unseasonably warm in DC right now, so its just delightful. Until I start thinking that its due to the effects of global warming, and that my grandchildren will have to wear space-suits on the playground to avoid having skin cancer and growing tails by age 3 1/2 if we keep going at this rate...
But hell, for now, I'm a happy girl.
That's about it for now. On a side note, I'd like to throw this out there: I'm thinking about referring to Daphne as "My Bizo" from now on. Thoughts?
It's something that I can do now. After living in a 420 square foot studio in Seattle for over two years with NO windows (which I really didn't realize until after I signed the lease- that's what happens when you find a place that allows big dogs, has a washer/dryer in the unit AND is in your price range- you just TAKE IT.) It had French doors that led out to a little patio, so I didn't feel boxed-in, but you can't exactly leave those all night. Well, okay, I did all the time. And I'll publicly admit that now, since I no longer live there and feel fairly confident that no one will come looking for me there anymore, but really- that was right up there with driving drunk as far as risky behaviors go.
Anyway...
Now we have more windows than I can shake a fist at. And we're on the 4th floor, so I can leave them open at night, during the day etc without worrying that someone is going to meander into my place unannounced.
So let me just say, after not being able to open a GD window for so long, I am loving fresh air... while I'm inside! Without fear of being stabbed to death by a night stalker!!
And as it were, its unseasonably warm in DC right now, so its just delightful. Until I start thinking that its due to the effects of global warming, and that my grandchildren will have to wear space-suits on the playground to avoid having skin cancer and growing tails by age 3 1/2 if we keep going at this rate...
But hell, for now, I'm a happy girl.
That's about it for now. On a side note, I'd like to throw this out there: I'm thinking about referring to Daphne as "My Bizo" from now on. Thoughts?
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Ummm... Chili Mac for Breakfast...
Here is the scene. Its a little after 10:30AM, I've just woken up and have already done some preliminary e-mail checking etc, Daphne is still asleep in her bed in the other room. I've just pulled some re-heated left-overs out of the microwave and I'm trying my best to enjoy the "5-way Chili Mac" from last nights trip to Hard Times for Wing Night, and type at the same time. A challenge, but if anyone can do it, a Registered Dietitian can do it. After all, we ARE experts in food and nutrition...
We got into DC on Tuesday night, arriving from State College. The trip to Pee Ayyy was unplanned and somewhat last minute, but I think it turned out nicely. But lets start at the beginning.
Loyal readers know that I stopped in Ashland, OR on night one. This was somewhat uneventful, as I simply drove down I-5 all day until I got there. I did make one two stops in Oregon. 1) Barnes and Noble in Portland to pick up some books on CD, and 2) Burgerville for a Hazelnut shake, which was fabulous, though technically it was a "Smoothie" because it was made with frozen yoghurt instead of ice cream. All I wanted was a kid's size shake, but they only do those in boring flavors. A full-on Hazelnut shake while delicious, can be a bit much on a poor souls stomach if you know what I mean...
So the girl at the counter swore that the smoothies were easier to handle. The jury is still out on that one.
So I stayed at a Super 8 because they allow dogs for a small fee, and that was that.
Woke up early and made it to Mountainview, CA to stay with Beth and Tim that evening. It was great to see them, even if it was just for a short night. Beth and I took Daphne to a California Dog Park. Daphne felt hip and trendy. Beth felt normal, as she was finally at the dog park with a real live dog. And she make Sloppy Joes from a recipe that someone gave her at a Bridal Shower that were- no joke- out of this world. Pretty sure I've never used that term to describe any food item with the name "sloppy" in it before.
The next morning I was on my way to Nevada or Utah (whichever I could make it to) via Reno. I crossed over the Sierra Nevada Mts with little in the way of ice or snow, but as soon as the coast was really clear and you could actually start driving again, I got a speeding ticket. I was speeding. And it was in Truckee, CA, so I guess I just have to accept it. But now I can say I was pulled over by a CHiPs officer. Would have been a whole lot more fun if it were Ponch and/or John though.
After Reno I had a decision to make: stay on the slightly longer more northern route on the major interstate (which was advised by mapquest), or go in a straight line to Denver, on a state highway through Nevada...
I probably should have chosen the interstate, even if it was a little longer, but I didn't.
About 100 miles into it, having seen absolutely NO signs of life other than the white steaks across the sky from airplanes that let's face it- Could have been on military training missions about ready to drop dummy bombs on me- I started to panic, as I only had a 1/4 tank of gas, and the cell phone reception was spotty (at best).
A few broken/panicked calls to J (as we will now call my live-in life partner, since he has a super secret job and can't be tracked online...) which had me explaining that I was probably going to run out of gas out in the middle of NO WHERE and would then proceed to shrivel up and DIE, also helped me to learn that there was a town with gas about 50 miles away. He even called them and confirmed that they were open...
But would I make it 50 miles... No.
So by the grace of god, after about 20 miles a tiny little middle-of-no-where motel with a gas pump appears in my line of vision... And it was real!
I practically had to pump the gas manually, but I was happy to oblige, and happy to pay the $3.60 a gallon that they were charging. It was there that I learned that Highway 50 is also nicknamed, "The Loneliest Highway in America" and rightly so. Needless to say, I nearly learned the hard way that when driving in unknown places, fill up at every opportunity.
The gal at the motel/gas pump (it really wasn't a gas station, it was just a pump) gave me a map and tried her best to tell me about each bend and turn in the road that was coming up until the Utah border. Which was actually quite helpful later on when things got dark and icy and really curvy.
Her last words were, "And keep an eye out for cattle, because they're really out there!". The entire area was open range land, which gave me a better appreciation for the Old West, and make me understand that the "cow catchers" on old trains were not in fact, just for show.
I made it to Ely, Nevada that night, which I assumed from its bold type on the map was going to be a thriving metropolis. When I got there, it seemed to me more like a Ronald, WA. Only not conveniently neighboring the bustling Rosyln and CleElum.
But there were a few hotels, a some places to get food, and the next town over in Utah was over 100 miles further, so that was my stop for the night. I stayed at a small but clean/comfortable Best Western, and it was so late when I checked in that the gal at the counter didn't even charge me for Daphne. Gold Star for Ely Nevada!
From there I made it all the way to Denver, which was a great drive until the very end, which had me dealing with the Rocky Mountains at night (I had to pay so much attention to driving, that I couldn't even get my John Denver CD's out!) and navigating unexpected exact-change-only toll roads after I got into town.
It is here that I met up with J, we stayed at his sister and her husband's house and I met a large portion of his family. This was largely a blur, as I was really tired from driving, and trying my best to keep track of everyone. Also by the time, Daphne was starting to give me the "Do we live here now?" eyes every time she got out of the car. We stayed two nights in Denver which was a great rejuvenator, and were back on the road again to Kansas City, KS for the next night.
I ate a lot of beef in Kansas City. On recommendation, it was steaks the night we got into town, and a copious amount of BBQ the next day for lunch. Very tasty, but way too much of everything.
The next day, we were likely still in a Beef-Induced haze, as I had the hair-brained idea that maybe we should drive to Chicago after all! Visit Jennifer, have deep dish.... I wasn't noticing however, that it was already 2PM.
So we both agreed it would be fun, and set out toward Chicago. About 3 hours in, we realized that it was going to be another 9 hours of driving, which wouldn't put us into town until well after midnight, and Jennifer had to work the next day. So with great sadness, we aborted the Chicago mission and pressed on to Indianapolis where we found another Super 8.
J and I both agreed that this had to be the worst hotel either one of us had ever stayed in. Period.
It was a non-smoking room that smelled like an ashtray, with cigarette burns in the sheets, pillow cases and curtains. The sheets were threadbare and yellowish, and the towels were just as bad. If it weren't already 2AM, we likely would have had more energy to get our money back and move on, but at the time, it just seemed like too much work. No Gold Star for Indianapolis.
From there we probably could have made it to DC, but we'd already thought about going to visit Lisa in State College, PA as part-two of the "let's drive to Chicago to see Jennifer and get deep dish!" plan, so we continued toward PA, arriving that night just in time to catch the end of the Golden Globes, and get some cheese steaks. We stayed at Lisa's (yes, Daphne stayed there too- unbelievable!) and had breakfast at the Corner Room the next morning before Lisa had to get to work. There we met Lisa's friends and fellow bloggers Josh and Emily (in real life!) and then got back on the road.
We arrived in DC on Tuesday afternoon, hauled my things up to our place and cleaned out my car. So now here I am... Still surrounded by boxes, but making some headway. We bought some hangers last night, so I'll be able to unpack clothes today and hopefully feel a bit more settled in.
Okay- Daphne is officially awake and giving me "let's please go outside.... now!" nudges. So I'm of to walk around the block with her and get some fresh air.
One of these days I'm going to have to actually get a job and go to work everyday. Until then, I'm going to enjoy these lazy mornings :)
We got into DC on Tuesday night, arriving from State College. The trip to Pee Ayyy was unplanned and somewhat last minute, but I think it turned out nicely. But lets start at the beginning.
Loyal readers know that I stopped in Ashland, OR on night one. This was somewhat uneventful, as I simply drove down I-5 all day until I got there. I did make one two stops in Oregon. 1) Barnes and Noble in Portland to pick up some books on CD, and 2) Burgerville for a Hazelnut shake, which was fabulous, though technically it was a "Smoothie" because it was made with frozen yoghurt instead of ice cream. All I wanted was a kid's size shake, but they only do those in boring flavors. A full-on Hazelnut shake while delicious, can be a bit much on a poor souls stomach if you know what I mean...
So the girl at the counter swore that the smoothies were easier to handle. The jury is still out on that one.
So I stayed at a Super 8 because they allow dogs for a small fee, and that was that.
Woke up early and made it to Mountainview, CA to stay with Beth and Tim that evening. It was great to see them, even if it was just for a short night. Beth and I took Daphne to a California Dog Park. Daphne felt hip and trendy. Beth felt normal, as she was finally at the dog park with a real live dog. And she make Sloppy Joes from a recipe that someone gave her at a Bridal Shower that were- no joke- out of this world. Pretty sure I've never used that term to describe any food item with the name "sloppy" in it before.
The next morning I was on my way to Nevada or Utah (whichever I could make it to) via Reno. I crossed over the Sierra Nevada Mts with little in the way of ice or snow, but as soon as the coast was really clear and you could actually start driving again, I got a speeding ticket. I was speeding. And it was in Truckee, CA, so I guess I just have to accept it. But now I can say I was pulled over by a CHiPs officer. Would have been a whole lot more fun if it were Ponch and/or John though.
After Reno I had a decision to make: stay on the slightly longer more northern route on the major interstate (which was advised by mapquest), or go in a straight line to Denver, on a state highway through Nevada...
I probably should have chosen the interstate, even if it was a little longer, but I didn't.
About 100 miles into it, having seen absolutely NO signs of life other than the white steaks across the sky from airplanes that let's face it- Could have been on military training missions about ready to drop dummy bombs on me- I started to panic, as I only had a 1/4 tank of gas, and the cell phone reception was spotty (at best).
A few broken/panicked calls to J (as we will now call my live-in life partner, since he has a super secret job and can't be tracked online...) which had me explaining that I was probably going to run out of gas out in the middle of NO WHERE and would then proceed to shrivel up and DIE, also helped me to learn that there was a town with gas about 50 miles away. He even called them and confirmed that they were open...
But would I make it 50 miles... No.
So by the grace of god, after about 20 miles a tiny little middle-of-no-where motel with a gas pump appears in my line of vision... And it was real!
I practically had to pump the gas manually, but I was happy to oblige, and happy to pay the $3.60 a gallon that they were charging. It was there that I learned that Highway 50 is also nicknamed, "The Loneliest Highway in America" and rightly so. Needless to say, I nearly learned the hard way that when driving in unknown places, fill up at every opportunity.
The gal at the motel/gas pump (it really wasn't a gas station, it was just a pump) gave me a map and tried her best to tell me about each bend and turn in the road that was coming up until the Utah border. Which was actually quite helpful later on when things got dark and icy and really curvy.
Her last words were, "And keep an eye out for cattle, because they're really out there!". The entire area was open range land, which gave me a better appreciation for the Old West, and make me understand that the "cow catchers" on old trains were not in fact, just for show.
I made it to Ely, Nevada that night, which I assumed from its bold type on the map was going to be a thriving metropolis. When I got there, it seemed to me more like a Ronald, WA. Only not conveniently neighboring the bustling Rosyln and CleElum.
But there were a few hotels, a some places to get food, and the next town over in Utah was over 100 miles further, so that was my stop for the night. I stayed at a small but clean/comfortable Best Western, and it was so late when I checked in that the gal at the counter didn't even charge me for Daphne. Gold Star for Ely Nevada!
From there I made it all the way to Denver, which was a great drive until the very end, which had me dealing with the Rocky Mountains at night (I had to pay so much attention to driving, that I couldn't even get my John Denver CD's out!) and navigating unexpected exact-change-only toll roads after I got into town.
It is here that I met up with J, we stayed at his sister and her husband's house and I met a large portion of his family. This was largely a blur, as I was really tired from driving, and trying my best to keep track of everyone. Also by the time, Daphne was starting to give me the "Do we live here now?" eyes every time she got out of the car. We stayed two nights in Denver which was a great rejuvenator, and were back on the road again to Kansas City, KS for the next night.
I ate a lot of beef in Kansas City. On recommendation, it was steaks the night we got into town, and a copious amount of BBQ the next day for lunch. Very tasty, but way too much of everything.
The next day, we were likely still in a Beef-Induced haze, as I had the hair-brained idea that maybe we should drive to Chicago after all! Visit Jennifer, have deep dish.... I wasn't noticing however, that it was already 2PM.
So we both agreed it would be fun, and set out toward Chicago. About 3 hours in, we realized that it was going to be another 9 hours of driving, which wouldn't put us into town until well after midnight, and Jennifer had to work the next day. So with great sadness, we aborted the Chicago mission and pressed on to Indianapolis where we found another Super 8.
J and I both agreed that this had to be the worst hotel either one of us had ever stayed in. Period.
It was a non-smoking room that smelled like an ashtray, with cigarette burns in the sheets, pillow cases and curtains. The sheets were threadbare and yellowish, and the towels were just as bad. If it weren't already 2AM, we likely would have had more energy to get our money back and move on, but at the time, it just seemed like too much work. No Gold Star for Indianapolis.
From there we probably could have made it to DC, but we'd already thought about going to visit Lisa in State College, PA as part-two of the "let's drive to Chicago to see Jennifer and get deep dish!" plan, so we continued toward PA, arriving that night just in time to catch the end of the Golden Globes, and get some cheese steaks. We stayed at Lisa's (yes, Daphne stayed there too- unbelievable!) and had breakfast at the Corner Room the next morning before Lisa had to get to work. There we met Lisa's friends and fellow bloggers Josh and Emily (in real life!) and then got back on the road.
We arrived in DC on Tuesday afternoon, hauled my things up to our place and cleaned out my car. So now here I am... Still surrounded by boxes, but making some headway. We bought some hangers last night, so I'll be able to unpack clothes today and hopefully feel a bit more settled in.
Okay- Daphne is officially awake and giving me "let's please go outside.... now!" nudges. So I'm of to walk around the block with her and get some fresh air.
One of these days I'm going to have to actually get a job and go to work everyday. Until then, I'm going to enjoy these lazy mornings :)
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Landed... Finally!
I made it! I'm all the way on the other side, in the "Other Washington." I thought I'd be sprightly and full of vigor, ready to take on the world, but after a week of driving and far too many mediocre audio books, I'm just tired and need an actual night's sleep (free of the ash trayesque odors of the Super 8 rooms that claim to be "non-smoking" though they certainly were, at some point, rooms that housed many, many puffs.)
I've got my first load of integrated laundry (AKA "our laundry") going now, and lots of bags/boxes that await the unpacking process that I hope to tee off tomorrow morning at some reasonable hour.
Daphne is tucked-in to bed, sleeping like she's lived here for years and I am going to follow in her foot steps shortly.
Good night from the east coast, I'll write more soon about my first experiences with co-habitation!
I've got my first load of integrated laundry (AKA "our laundry") going now, and lots of bags/boxes that await the unpacking process that I hope to tee off tomorrow morning at some reasonable hour.
Daphne is tucked-in to bed, sleeping like she's lived here for years and I am going to follow in her foot steps shortly.
Good night from the east coast, I'll write more soon about my first experiences with co-habitation!
Monday, January 09, 2006
Alpen-G
That's from last weekend's quick trip to the Alps. Or Maybe it was Plain, WA? Regardless, the sledding was fantastic.
Just a little reminder that I'm still here, but I've been a little frazzled with packing/cleaning/trip planning in the last few weeks.
But I'm officially on the road now. Dialing in from the Ashland, OR Super 8 to be specific... They allow dogs, for a very fair price. What can I say, Daphne loves this chain.
Off to grab some take-out at an Applebees-like food establishment. My only obligation for the rest of the evening is to be back by 10PM for the premiere episode (and certainly the most dramatic premiere yet...) of this season's Bachelor....
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