a road trip.

I decided to take a leisurely trip across the country instead of hurrying from Virginia to Utah. If I'd had a little more money and a little less crap in my car I would have taken an even more circuitous route. As it was I spent nearly 9 days wandering mostly from one friend's home to another, breaking up the drive and doing a bit of sightseeing around this great nation.

First stop was Hodgenville, Kentucky where I visited the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln.   Back in 1915 (the 50 year anniversary of his assassination) the public was invited to donate money and all the funds were used to build a memorial on the grounds. Fifty-six steps (one for each year of his life) lead up to a building housing a replica of a log cabin similar to the one where he was born. The cabin itself is a bit of a let-down but the grounds are beautiful and they hold a special sort of feeling, similar to the memorials in DC. It was a beautiful way to start my day and journey.

After leaving Hodgenville I drove a little over an hour north to Louisville where I took the opportunity to visit the historic Brown Hotel for lunch. The hotel had its hey day in the 20s and through the aftermath of WWII before it closed down. City revitalization efforts in the 80s paid off and the building is now on the National Historic Register, has been used in movies, hosted film and political dignitaries, and does a brisk business during Derby week. I treated myself to an amazing hot brown sandwich; an open-faced turkey, bacon, and tomato sandwich drenched in a rich Mornay cheese sauce.  Take my advice, it's worth the trip but share it with a friend!

Next up was a visit to a great friend in St. Louis. We spent many hours catching up, antiquing and eating delicious food (a killer kale salad, a hot pastrami sandwich, local frozen custard and a fresh pastry breakfast among my faves.)  We visited Forest Park, a huge park in the center of the city, larger than Central Park and originally the site of the Louisiana Purchase Expedition. It's now home to running trails, the zoo, a municipal theater, the St Louis Art museum, and a history museum. M and I spent one afternoon in the modern art wing of the art museum and I wandered through the history museum the morning before I hit the road. They're both free and both have pretty great collections. We also took a mandatory trip to the famous arch. It was fun to see the sights through the eyes of a local, to move beyond the traditional list of tourist attractions and venture off the beaten path. And to do it all with a gracious hostess and friend made it all the better.

Forest Park fountain

Andy Goldsworthy piece at the art museum

Part two coming soon. I know you can't wait!

a fresh start.

I've just been through one of the longest weeks of my life. After a little over a week of driving across the country (travelogue to come) I arrived at my parent's house in Salt Lake City, a way station between my past life and the adventure in Thailand. I spent time on the journey visiting friends and sites and with all the distractions I held up rather well emotionally. But as I left the last stop Monday morning and made my way across the barren landscape of Wyoming the only thing with any discernible peaks and valleys was my emotions. I cried as a serendipitous John Denver song ushered me across the state line; tears for what I'd left behind, joy at seeing the mountains welcoming me home and more than a little fear for what I might face in the future.

Dressed in a subliminally protective armor of my former life (a Redskins t-shirt) I was welcomed home by most of my family. I kissed the niece I'd never met and then stepped back into a pattern of existence almost as if I'd never left.

While my family is amazing and I know I've made the right choice I suddenly feel like a child alone in a rudderless boat. I'm unsure and unsettled. I have no immediate purpose, no place to call my own, adrift with little direction and less support. I know my steps are going in the right direction but right now it feels as if I've taken a giant step backwards, settling into a stereotypical middle-aged, loner stupor in my parent's basement.

I've got loads to keep me busy and this stage is only a couple of weeks long and I'm truly looking forward to what is on the horizon but I'm going to have to make a conscious effort to stay motivated between now and then. I just have to keep reminding myself that the fresh start to come is going to be worth the current state of discombobulation. I think a steady diet of super thick Arctic Circle shakes is in order! Maybe this won't be so bad after all. :)

taking the next step.

I'm sitting in a Kentucky hotel room trying to come to terms with my new reality. I've been prepping to take this step for the last couple of months and now that I'm on my way I'm not quite sure what to do. I've been so busy and over scheduled (which was on purpose) that I haven't had more than a few minutes of quiet and alone time since the beginning of June. Every moment has been jam packed with road trips and dinners and parties and to do list items and it's been wonderful. This past weekend I finished up with a nighttime walk around the monuments, dinner on the Potomac River, the Frank Turner concert, breakfast at Eastern Market, a soggy viewing of Singing in the Rain at Wolf Trap and at least a million and a half hugs, tears and goodbyes.

I've decided a person should be required a daily diet of no less than a dozen hugs every day. We don't hug enough in our culture and  I think we need to remedy that, stat. If I were on top of things I'd find you quotes and studies that prove that touch and hugging is good for boosting endorphins and releasing stress and lowering cholesterol and burning calories and bringing about world peace. But I'll let my non-scientific ramblings suffice. Hugs are great and we need more of them. 'Nuff said.

I was humbled by all the kind words and outpourings of love and appreciation among the people I worked with and my friends and others I've had a chance to interact with throughout my time in DC. Amazingly enough I was able to hold my emotions mostly in check as I closed the book on this chapter of my life.  I was afraid I'd lose it as I drove away but I think the view of the Shenandoahs out my car window helped calm my soul.

I was treated to mountain vistas, fields of wildflowers (and by fields I mean swaths of median on the highway), some delicious blueberry lavender ice cream at this strategic pit stop, and a fiery sunset.  I took them as heavenly signs that I am on the right path and I'm trying to convince myself that it's all still true as I find myself alone with my thoughts and trying not to burst into hysterical tears.

Change is always hard and I have several stages of grand change to go through in the next year. The hole in my heart will be filled with new people and memories. The tears will dry. New doors will open and all kinds of exciting things will happen. But for the next week I'll be on the road visiting old friends and being introduced to their current lives and adventures. I'll check back in when I make it to the parentals!

a list.

Some of the highlights of a weekend trip to NYC a few days ago before vacating the East Coast.

1. Naked people in Times Square
2. Men putting on makeup in the middle of church services
3. The smell of chocolate thick on your skin
4. Walking with the masses across the Brooklyn Bridge
5. Maple, cream cheese, and bacon macarons
6. Laughing uproariously in this play
7. Making new friends
8. Thick hot chocolate and a summer fruits tart for breakfast
9. Singing along with the tunes in this show
10. Breakfast eaten while strolling along the Highline
11. Banjo/spoons performances in the subway
12. Random street art
13. Finding out who is buried in Grant's Tomb

a ridiculous movie.

I love movies. I love watching them from the cozy cocoon of my own couch with the ability to pause, rewind and fast forward at will, to laugh and talk without fear of disturbing the people around me.  I love to watch them in the cool, dark cave of a theater surrounded by strangers all sharing the same visual/emotional experience. I love movies that make me think and movies that require no thinking whatsoever. I'm not very discriminating.

This past week I've had the pleasure of watching two uber redonkulous movies and I haven't laughed so hard in I don't know how long. The first has been making waves via Twitter and word of mouth for the last couple of weeks. Sharknado is a disaster movie...on so many levels! Unexplained waterspouts and west coast hurricanes suck thousands of sharks from the ocean and send them raining down on the unsuspecting residents of LA. But never you fear, Ian Ziering is here to save the day with propane bombs, chainsaws and brute force. If you can get past the beyond unbelievable premise the acting is horrendous, the plot is so riddled with holes it could pass for a net, and the effects are far from high quality.  And yet, I enjoyed every minute of it! The ending though was by far my favorite moment. I confess I may have watched it a few times and each time I said brilliant things along the lines "oh, no he did NOT just do that!" (but he did, every time!)  I'd love to tell you all about it but you really should see it for yourselves to fully appreciate it. *

The second wasn't quite as ridiculous but mostly because it had a bigger budget. If Transformers, Godzilla, and Armageddon had a baby it would be Pacific Rim. I watched this one after I'd seen Sharknado but with some of the same company and we found ourselves leaning over in the middle of the movie theater comparing the two. Several scenes were nearly identical! Over-the-top acting, a crazy premise, super cheesy moments; it was great fun! And if you're planning to watch it stick around until after the credits. Trust me. Those last 15 seconds will make you laugh hysterically, especially if you've seen Sharknado.

If you like to stage your own home versions of Mystery Science Theater 3000 I highly recommend a viewing of either/both of these fine cinematic features. You can thank me later.



*Ok, ok. If you want some sneak peaks you can go here and here. But I'm telling you, you'll probably want to just watch the whole thing! :)

a good book.

Knit Your Bit: A World War I Story
Author: Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrator: Stephen Guarnaccia
Pages: 32
Age Range: 6-12
Published: 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG

When the nation calls for knitters to send goods to the troops fighting in WWI a young boy can't see the importance of it all. But when a knitting bee is proposed and the girls taunt the boys saying they're chicken to even try the boys decide to learn and not only participate in the bee but learn some valuable lessons on the way. Great large illustrations and simple text make it a perfect introduction to war for young readers. An author's note at the back explains about the actual events the story was based on and there are photos in the end pages. Another lovely historical fiction picture book on a slightly obscure event.




 

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
Author: Liesl Shurtliff
Pages: 264
Age Range: 9-12
Published: 2013
Genre: Fantasy
Cover Score: ***
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG


Rump is born in a land where your name foretells your destiny, and with a name like Rump things won't ever be good. His mother died just after giving birth and he's convinced she only spoke part of his name before she passed, adding to his troubles. So he sets out to figure out the rest of his name and escape his fate. He ends up finding the truth about both and it's more than he'd bargained for. This is a great re-imagining/re-telling of the fairy tale filled with magic, humor, heart and self-discovery sure to appeal to both boys and girls.

 

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen
Author: Susan Nilsen
Pages: 243
Age Range: 13+
Published: 2012
Genre: Realistic Fiction/YA
Cover Score: ****
Overall Score: ****
Rating: PG-13


Henry and his father have just moved to Vancouver, BC in an effort to start over after a murky event Henry calls 'It'. His mother is in another city with his grandparents, his older brother is dead and Henry has anger and coping issues and is forced to talk to his school counselor who encourages him to write his feelings in a journal. Each entry exposes a bit more of the past (which I won't disclose here because it's a huge plot point), his day-to-day life trying to cope with it all, his weight gain, lack of friends, trust issues, new life with his dad etc. An unlikely set of friends prove to be the support system he needs and when a similar incident rears its head with his new friends Henry is able to take a bit of ownership in dealing with it which leads him to being able to deal with the other event and begin to forgive his brother. This is a harsh and disturbing story with dark elements and a heavy tone but it's also one of those stories that needs to be told and the details aren't overly graphic or as grim as they could be. Bullying and school violence will continue to be timely topics and this book does a fabulous job of showing one of the lesser highlighted points of view.

a busy week

The past week has been a blur of doctor's visits, the aftermath of immunizations (it's amazing how crappy you can feel when you've got the spawn of 6 various diseases coursing through your body), a day spent in DC, mid-week matinees, a trip to the beach (and its aftermath--fly bites and a killer sunburn), last minute changes at work, a visit to this fabulous club, and preparations for a whirlwind trip to NYC this weekend. My list of final goodbyes has increased but I still have dozens more to go and my list of things to do continues to increase despite all the time I spend doing things on said list.  I've narrowed my stack of books at work down to 3, I ate the last of the Holland cheese and Belgian chocolate, and I've made the reservations for the hotel stay on the first leg of the journey across the country. This is real folks. It's actually happening and it's starting to freak me out a bit. This time next week I'll be staring down the barrel of the last day of work.
 

Also on tap for next week? I need to finish re-packing, work on my TESOLS class, and create an amazing cross-country road trip playlist (suggestions welcome!!) in between final goodbye dinners, wrapping up things at work, Frank Turner in concert, and one last performance at Wolf Trap just to name a few. Deep breaths, I can do this!  What are you up to?

The Natural History Museum

The National Archives Building

The Holocaust Museum with the gussied up Washington Monument in the background

Inside the American History Museum

Ponies frolicking in the waves at Assateague National Seashore