"I mean, look where we are!"

No where. That's where we were, but we were glad to be there. I spent the past few months trying to plan a road trip. My roomie from LA, Shayna, helped me plan it and we just kind of forced my other friend, Justin, into the car. Men aren’t very good planners.  Fact.  The first day we decided to just jam and get out about 14 hours of driving, because we figured that we wouldn’t want to see anything; probably the best choice we could have made. I don’t know if any of you have ever driven through the back roads of California, Arizona or New Mexico, but imagine  the place where all the boring and awful things are born….and then add like, a bajillion degrees. That’s what that drive is like. Flagstaff, AZ offered some much needed relief. Flagstaff was beautiful; trees, green, big , blue open skies, everything we needed! We met some sweet people, drank some gross, gross coffee and left. Theeeeeeen it was back to looking like the inside of an old crack pipe. We made it to Albuquerque, which is seriously where they make all the meth heads in the US; we didn't think we were gonna make it, we thought the storm that was brewing would kill us...uh. No. that happened in another state, on another day...anyways. The show Breaking Bad makes that place looks way better than it actually is. We got to our super swanky Motel 6 where we were greeted by stoned neighbors, LOUD neighbors, rain, probably a foot fungus lurking in the shower and bugs in our bed. Not bed bugs, just, ya know, BUGS. We left first thing in the morning, and were told a cheery “Good morning!” By the neighbors who had kept us up all night….Uh…WHY ARE YOU AWAKE? When I left that sad, sad town and thought, man. How blessed am I to have grown up in a place (and be heading to a place) that is so beautiful and isn’t the place where all good things go to die? 

This day wasn't very exciting. Mostly Justin drumming in the car and saying, "This is so cool!" And Shayna and I rolling our eyes. So, a typical day. 

 

Started from the Bottom now we...here?

T'was the night before moving, and all through the hotel all the creatures were stirring...because we're not going to sleep yet. 

Poetry's not my jam. Anywhoooo. I've taken a week long road trip across the US with two of my dearest friends in hopes that we would end up in Chicago alive and with all of my things (mainly just alive.) We survived!! I'm not sure how the trip back will look for that, but I mean, keep an eye on CNN for any breaking stories. Tomorrow, I leave St. Louis, Missouri, the last stop on this epic road trip (which I will definitely post more on a little bit later), and head to Chicago, Illinois...I won't be leaving that city. I will be there for weeks on end...because I will live there. THAT IS INSANE. I love being new in cities. There's something awesome about being that idiot that can't work the public transportation or thinks the most generic, lame coffee shop is awesome because it's in whatever new city you're in, but I also love when the city you're in becomes normal. When you stop finding that generic, lame coffee shop to be awesome and you can laugh at people who don't know how to jump on a moving bus, because that means you're home. My writing partner and friend, who for the sake of this story we'll call Tamara**, already lives there and she and I have already made these incredible plans and a list of all the awesome things we'll do...I'm just waiting for the city to be mine. I'm ready to be an Illinoisian and complain about the snow and how bad the Cubs are. I hope you're resting well tonight, Chicago, because after tomorrow, you'll never be the same and I hope I won't either.

**I didn't change her name, because that makes no sense. She's not in the witness protection program. 

The Genie's Liberation.

"Oh my gosh, you're leaving?!? Who is going to make my coffee? :("
Uhm...how can I put this delicately...I DON'T CARE. I'M FREE. Today marks the end of my three year run with Starbucks. I'm leaving a job at a Fortune 500 company that gives me benefits, stock options, vacation time and a steady salary to go into debt and write jokes. Maybe my parents gave me too high a self image. Eh. I digress. To all the cranky middle aged women, creepy old men, ridiculously entitled people with orders that make no sense and the people who come in and ask for the $5 foot long: GOOD RIDDANCE. To all the sweet, thoughtful, patient customers who listened, brought breakfast burritos, wine, presents and were just good friends, I thank you. You have made my three years of 3:45AM wake up calls worth it. This is the ending of an era for me and the beginning of a crazy adventure. Potentially being paid to WRITE? This is where life gets real; when you can stay up til 3:45AM writing and talking with friends and not smell like sugar free cinnamon dolce and espresso...all. the. time. This is life in color.