This weekend I was given the privilege of going to Gainesville, FL, the home of the University of Florida Gators, with my two great friends Alicia and Nicole. It was a pretty intense road trip. We left around 3pm (after getting Alicia’s flat tire patched) and got to Gainesville around 11:30. We made INCREDIBLE time and we weren’t even speeding that much. We got to where we were staying, put our stuff up, got ready and went out to a club called “X’s”. They played a lot of 80’s/90’s music which was fairly good except about 1/3 of it you couldn’t actually dance to. We were there til last call at 1:30am. The next morning we got up at 9:30 and headed out around 10. We had to make a couple stops but along the way they showed me around campus. Its a really nice campus. I think I would have liked going there. It pulls enough green with a city feel that it would keep me entertained. Also, the night life is much better than UNC. They have a really nice Union and dining area with a lot more good restaurants. We ate at Subway, bought shirts (yes, even I bought a shirt but I will not be wearing it in Texas or on the day of a Texas game) and then headed to the game. Florida stadium is pretty awesome. Its really pretty and quite large. They were playing FIU and of course the game was a slaughter but still fun to watch. We left immediately after the game. We got back around 2:30am on Sunday. The time spent in Gainesville was less than 24 hrs but it felt like more which is a good thing. I want to do trips like that more often.

It’s Christmas in Nashville. Join us at the Nashville KOA for an exciting quite winter retreat. Stay in one of our country setting lodges or bring your RV to the Music City Capital- Nashville.

Radio City Rockettes Nashville
Take in the world famous Rockettes as they host their Christmas special in Nashville, TN. You’ll experience high-precision dance accompanied by themes including “12 Days of Christmas,” “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” and “Living Nativity.” Hurry to book your tickets for this very limited engagement.

Carriage Rides at Opryland
Experience a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Gaylord Opryland™. hotel to enjoy the decorations and lights around Gaylord Opryland™. This magical ride is sure to delight young and old!

A Civil War Christmas
Held at the Sam Davis Home and Museum, 1399 Sam Davis Road, Smyrna. Visit the Sam Davis Home during this holiday season to learn about Christmas in the midst of the raging Civil War. Regular hours and admission rates apply. Contact: Sam Davis Home, (615) 459-2341

21st Annual Dickens of a Christmas
Franklin 615-595-1239
This annual Victorian holiday festival is the signature event for Williamson County’s holiday season. It features characters from Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” as well as carriage rides, ‘living window’ crafters, strolling minstrels, great food and fun. The festival takes place outdoors along Main Street and the public square.
Radio City Rockettes Nashville
Take in the world famous Rockettes as they host their Christmas special in Nashville, TN. You’ll experience high-precision dance accompanied by themes including “12 Days of Christmas,” “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” and “Living Nativity.” Hurry to book your tickets for this very limited engagement. Find us online at www.VacationsMadeEasy.com or call (toll free) 1-800-987-9852.

RiverView Mounds Christmas celebration
‘A Country Christmas’
1715 BOYD RINEHART RD CLARKSVILLE TN 37043 (931) 362-3832
Experience Clarksville’s Newest and Most Exciting Holiday Tradition. The magic and wonder of Christmas awaits you…down on the farm!
Get your picture made with Santa, cozy up to one of our campfires, delight in the beautifully lit scenery…visit with Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer…Choose from a variety of fresh pre-cut trees..Sing a long with continuous Christmas Music and take SL’hayride with Santa’s Elves as they read you a Christmas Story. Make this your family tradition.

Victorian Masquerade Christmas
November 7, 2009 – December 31, 2009
BELLE MEADE PLANTATION 5025 HARDING ROAD NASHVILLE 615-356-0501
All mansion tours will take place in this lovely Christmas atmosphere! Wear a masquerade mask as you tour the beautifully decorated 1853 mansion and learn Victorian Christmas traditions. Hear period music, practice a period dance in the parlor, and participate in Victorian parlor games. What a Christmas treat!

A Country Christmas
GAYLORD OPRYLAND RESORT 2800 OPRYLAND DRIVE NASHVILLE 615-889-1000
Enjoy a multitude of holiday family fun at the Gaylord Opryland Resort with any of the shows and activities offered during the holiday season. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the world-famous Rockettes is back this year by popular demand.

Plantation Holidays
TRAVELLERS REST PLANATION & MUSEUM 636 FARRELL PARKWAY NASHVILLE 615-832-8197
Experience an 1830’s Christmas with costumed docents.

Christmas at Belmont
BELMONT MANSION 1900 BELMONT BOULEVARD NASHVILLE 615-460-5459
It’s a Victorian fantasyland with yards of garland, fruit and dried flowers and traditional tussie-mussies. It’s a beautiful time of the year to take a tour!

Nashville Ballet presents Nutcracker
Tennessee Performing Arts Center

This ballet tradition is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. Nashville Ballet and a youth cast of more than 150 dancers bring to life the tale of Clara and her magical Nutcracker doll. For the third year, surprise guest stars will appear in the lively role of Mother Ginger. Larger-than-life characters, beautiful sets and costumes, bright lights and a bold dragon operated by nine dancers take the audience on a magical adventure. They journey through the Land of Sweets and the Snow Kingdom, with suspenseful battle scenes and engaging dancing along the way. Tchaikovsky’s classic score, performed live by The Nashville Symphony, sets the mood for the ideal holiday evening.

Radio City Rockettes Nashville
Customer Rating: 4.9 of 5
Based on 30 reviews
Rate and review this activity
Radio City Rockettes Nashville

Radio City Rockettes Nashville The Radio City Rockettes are once again returning to Nashville for a limited engagement during the Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas. Held at the legendary Grand Ole Opry House, the Rockettes will showcase their famed precision dance numbers while surrounded by scenes of the season. From the always popular “12 Days of Christmas” to acts including the “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the “Living Nativity,” the Radio City Rockettes will offer an entertaining look at the traditional holiday motifs while spending your winter vacation in Nashville, TN.

Und wir sind in der naechten Stadt angekommen. Und man kann es auch wirklich mal ausnahmsweise Stadt nennen, Geraldton hat immerhin 30 000 Einwohner. Ich glaube sogar, dass es die groesste Stadt seit Darwin ist. Irgendwie habe ich das GEfuehl, dass wir einen Schock bekommen werden, wenn wir nach Perth kommen…und dann erst Sydney. Perth hat 1.5 Mio EInwohner und in Sydney leben immerhin ueber 4 Mio Menschen.

Aber jetzt erst mal zu diesem Abschnitt der Reise. Nach Exmouth sind wir weiter Richtung Sueden gefahren und haben in Carnavon gestoppt und dann ging es weiter nach Shark Bay. In Shark Bay haben wir uns einen Teil der immer noch existierenden Stromatholiten angeschaut, die “Schuld” daran sind, dass es genug Sauerstoff gab, um das erste LEben auf der Erde zu ermoeglichen. Dann ging es weiter zu Shell BEach, ein Strand der nur aus Muscheln besteht, dann zu diversen Aussichtspunkten und dann nach Monkey Mia, wo wir zugeguckt haben, wie wilde Delphine an den Strand kommen.

Weiter suedlich haben wir dann im Kalbarri National Park gestoppt, wo wir uns ein bisschen koerperlich betaetigt  (8 km gewandert sind) und viele Fotos von Aussichtspunkten geschossen haben. Der Ort Kalbarri ist eher klein und wir sind eigentlich eher durchgefahren um uns die Costal Cliffs des Kalbarri NP anzugucken.

Jetzt sind wir hier in Geraldton und geniessen die Zivilisation wieder ein bisschen bevor wir uns auf den letzten Abschnitt unserer gemeinsamen Reise nach Perth aufmachen. Von Perth geht es fuer mich dann weiter mit dem Zug nach Sydney und Anna hat ein Vorstellungsgespraech. Sie will dann wieder als Ingenieur fuer – hmmmm…- ich glaube es war fuer neue Engerien arbeiten und hofft, dadurch ein Sponsorship zu gekommen, wodurch sie 4 Jahre in Australien arbeiten darf.

Das Wetter hat sich eher stark veraendert, seit wir die Tropen verlassen haben. Hier an der WEstkueste ist es die ganze Zeit windig und dadurch auch nicht mehr so warm. ICh habe vor einer Woche das erste Mal wieder eine lange Hose getragen, weil es Abends zu kalt wird. Wahrscheinlich immer noch um 20 Grad, aber wir haben grad angefangen uns an die Hitze des Nordens zu gewoehnen. Naja, jetzt heisst es wieder umgewoehnen, weil es auf jeden Fall nicht waermer wird, zumindest erst mal nicht.

Das wars schon wieder von mir. ICh werde mich spaetestens wieder melden, wenn ich in Sydney angekommen bin.

Where: Normandy, France

When: 16 – 18 October 2009

Who: Dodo, Michela

Type:  roadtrip

How long: 3 Days

Fotos,

Tour,

I have a list of places I want to visit in Europe, and Normandy was one of those. I can say that expectations were well deserved and I was just expecting a little bit more rough cliffs. But the weekend, weather and places were absolutely beautiful, and I took a few pictures of which I am extremely proud.

We started from Paris and headed to Rouen were we spent the night in a very nice hotel in the city center. The weather was not great and the city did not result especially interesting to us and we headed to the coast. The best part of travelling in typically touristy places in months like October is that you have entires beaches and small fishermen villages for yourself. On Friday we had our first “moules frites” in a charming small restaurant in front of the beach, and in the afternoon we headed to the highlight #1: Etretat. Absolutely wonderful places were pictures speak for themselves. From there we continued along the coast and we stopped in Honfleur: that is the highlight #2 of the weekend. The village is like a fairy tale and walking through the cobble stone streets of the port there is every few meters an enchanting corner to stop and admire the warm life that roles on in a quite fishermen village.

From Honfleur we drove in direction Mont St Michel, and the ride that approaches the island offers one stunning view after the other, with a continuing changing landscape marked by the Mont that appears front the blurry waters of the ocean. The best spot that we found was from one side of the bay where people could walk far in to the ocean thanks to the low tide. A combination of the tide, the clouds and sun, and the colors of the Autumn season offered us one of the most fascinating views that we have ever seen. This is the highlight #3 of the weekend and when you take a look at the pictures you’ll understand what I am referring to…

We drove all the way to Mont Saint Michel, and we  found a hotel with a great view of the island. From there we went to Saint Malo, and on the way back to Paris we stopped by Giverny, which was probably not giving its best due to the season but gave us anyway some very nice feelings, especially the house and the pond.

View Larger Map

Many TV and film graduates from the East Coast save up money and road trip to California after graduation in hopes of finding production jobs. Rowan University in Southern New Jersey is a prime example of a college with many TV and Film grads pursuing this dream. Therefore, the trip I will present will start in Glassboro, NJ although anyone from anywhere in the world can take advantage of this map. After exploring this cross country map, I hope everyone learns something they didn’t know before, whether if it is about a travel destination or a route from NJ to CA. Keep in mind however, that this map I made consists of just two ways you can go to/from New Jersey to California. There are many possible routes someone may take. Enjoy!

(If the map is currently displayed on one location, zoom out or click on larger image.)
Brought to you by Google maps.

Headed north for a nostalgic jaunt to Swarthmore, Pa. Stay tuned for a report on their yarn shop (back in MY day, you had to go back HOME to buy yarn…).

Meanwhile, here’s a scarf in progress, on the road.

As I previously stated, many TV and film majors from New Jersey or the East coast flock to California after graduation in search of jobs. I started wondering, “What jobs are available in California right now?” I checked mandy.com and here’s what I found…

North California:
San Francisco

Fully Paid:

Editor at Singularity University, Immediately

TV/Marketing Research Analyst at Ultimate Fighting Championship, ASAP or regular full-time employment

Paid + Lo/No/Deferred:

Commercial Sales Rep at Sway Productions, Now/Ongoing, Low or No Pay

Freelance Video Producers at Howcast.com, Immediately/Ongoing for Low or No Pay

Film Archivist Internship at Oddball Film and Video for 4 months, Low or No pay

Camera Operator at BASEnet, LP. Open Ended position for Low or No Pay

CG Particle Expert at The Velvet Abstract for Max. one month for Low or No Pay

South California:
Los Angeles, Hollywood

243 Results!!!!

Check it out!!!

Jobs include director of photography, stage and operating manager, production designer, paparazzi producer, costume designer, Make-up/special effects, publicity intern, editor, producer, writer, key grip and much much more!!!

If that doesn’t motivate you to want to go to California, I don’t know what will.

november 14th was dorinda’s wedding.  now they are mr. and mrs. greg and dorinda beeley.

i took most of these with film, in my 35mm slr.

waiting for greg!

peeking in at them between the partition and the wall.

^dorinda and sharlena

dorinda’s bridesmaids were her sisters, charlessa, susan, and lucinda.

bridezilla!

the ideal version of this picture would include greg and dorinda kissing by the sign.

during the reception we all pinned clothespins on the single men.  and sam won with 36.  he got the garter.

we threw wheat on them as they ran out.

…

      The cultures of old knew one truth that transcended them all, a good story can change the world, a mediocre story can change no one and a bad story can change the author.

      What follows shall change someone.

      Once upon a time I headed south from Denver. Denver was cold. Working construction in Denver was insane. I had a 1964 Rambler American, it was nearly paid off. I still owed $25 on it and I had every intention of forwarding the remainder after I gained employment but right now I needed to head south in a hurry. The cops were harassing me, my job was about to fall apart and I was living in a tar paper hovel of WW2 vintage that was disgusting. I had never been so lonely and depressed in all my life. It was time to head south before I threw myself off a mountain.

    I left in a bit of a hurry, I kept hearing weather reports of worsening conditions on the interstate headed south. Finally I was packed and ready to go but it was late, past 7 in the evening. I had no choice. I had about $150 to travel some 1500 miles. Not a minute to waste. South I went.

      Everything was fine, traffic was light and I whipped through Denver, next stop Corpus Christi, Texan. I once worked for an oil company out of there and besides if you drew a line straight south from Denver to the Gulf of Mexico, you hit Corpus Cristi.  By the time I reached the outer suburbs, traffic had thinned to nothing, nothing at all, not one single car from either direction and the road was becoming very slick. Eventually I had to ride directly in the middle of the crown on my side of the interstate as the surface was now completely covered in thick ice. I found this a bit disturbing since the road was not closed but it wasn’t really passable. I really began to worry when the power line that paralleled  the road was drooped from pole to ground to pole from the weight of ice. Not only did this mean that the road was a mess, it also meant that the electricity was knocked out. A bit of panic began to sink in. I was the only soul on this road, nothing was open along this road since there was no power and I was in farm country. It was often miles and miles between humans. If I went off the road, I was on my own and it was no hovering around O’ outside my car. One slip and I would be a popsicle.

      I had two choices, turn around or keep going. I tested the road for maneuvering , hopeless, I thought of testing a ramp, worse than hopeless, I would never make the first turn. I must go on. I had no map so I had no idea how long I would have to travel to warmth and more important to gas. I began to imagine that I was the only person in the whole world. My mind began to drift back to the events that had brought me to this frozen hell. The break up of my marriage, the unjust child support warrant, the night in jail in Denver. Enough to distract an elephant, yet if I lost my concentration for 2 seconds I would surely crash and parish. The road had no ruts, it was as slick as a frozen lake and riding of the crown was my only choice. I considered my fuel situation and with no way of knowing how long I would have to go to get gas, I decided that my best chance was to cruise a speed that would maximize my fuel consumption. I let the engine find its own pace since it was a six cylinder that ran on 5, I had but to try different speeds until I found one that caused the least vibration. This turned out to be about 55 mph.

       I was now a roller skate on ice at 55. I  decided that this was a normal situation, one that I performed everyday, in fact this was how I always drove. How else was I to deal with this nonstop suicide attempt. To worry would have worn me down within minutes and I suspected that I had many hours to go, I did.

       The night was like a dream. Utter concentration mixed with sheer terror. Somehow I had survived. Lights on the horizon. I’ve been running on fumes forever but the end is in site. The ice had been getting noticeably thinner and the electric lines no longer drooped to the ground between poles. Finally I came to a truck stop that was lit up like a christmas tree, empty but lit. I had travelled nearly 300 miles on one rollerskate down a frozen road

      I pulled up to the pump and saw someone inside, went in to pay and the clerk seemed shocked to see me “Where did you come from?” he says. “Denver” I reply. “You couldn’t have, the road has been closed for days.” he says. “No one told me.” was all I could think to reply.

       I arrived in Corpus a couple of days latter. I was tired, broke and smelled bad. I needed a place to recharge before seeking work, the beach was the obvious choice. I followed the signs that said beach until suddenly the road dumped me right on the sandy beach.The next hour was to change my life forever. Continued to another day………………….

So, I’m up and running…again.

Here.  Hmmm.

Not as I planned, but planning is so 1980 and not like cool 1980 fashion, but like dorky 1980 computer technology.  I’ll explain.  So, I closed the doors on my crazy summer of travel to “concentrate” on my classes and my internship at the Philadelphia Daily News.  Then I met Sammy.

Now we are planning a roadtrip, a book tour and a mutual love affair with the world and so…I’m blogging again (Uncle Jack, aren’t you proud?).  When you are (1) as all over the map as I am with (2) enough positive energy to wipe out a city block it is really frickin’ nice to meet someone who accomplishes both of those tasks with even more vigor.

I have also been in the process of converting my wordpress blog to a big girl blog (no offense wordpress, but you have gotten me this far and now I kind need to upgrade – you understand, right?) and I was going to cease all this here writing on the world wide web until after the upgrade, but I can’t wait.  We’re planning and rhyming and scheming and well, you need to be a part of this dammit.

Here’s Sammy’s recent explanation of our…our…well, just read on will you?

In April, I will taking a road trip with Darla Synnestvedt, darlas.wordpress.com, to create a media campaign around my cross country venture and search for vintage clothing.

We will be heading south — learning, collaborating, and seeking new experiences that we can’t predict until they actually happen.

The project will be blogged, recorded, photographed, and promoted. Social media outlets, other blogs, maybe even the NYT or Discovery Channel? The pitches are endless, the opportunities … boundless.

Our working title is “Vegan Gravy & Tapered Jeans.” Darla will be in pursuit of food. I will be in pursuit of fashion.

And, in September, I will be running the Philadelphia Marathon. All 26.2 miles of it

Wait, Sammy…you’re running the marathon?  I want to run it too!

Fekk ein lengre epost i dag fra ein kamerat som eg skal på tur med til England. Dette gjorde meg voldsomt reisesjuk. For jævlig å tenka på at den aktuelle turen ikkje finn stad før i april neste år. Men det er no kjekt å ha noko å gleda seg til. Det er ein tredje person som også skal vere med på moroa og me planlegger ein liten roadtrip der me skal innom Leeds, Gillingham og tilslutt Torquay. Så no er me godt i gang med planlegging av hotell og tog. London og Torquay er i boks, men å finna eit skappeleg hotell i råtne Leeds er ikkje fullt så enkelt. Det blir vel ei ordnings på det også.

Dagens middag henta eg fra www.matprat.no, Biffsalat. Har hatt planar om å lage dette ei stund no og i dag fant eg ut at dagen var den rette. Resultatet vart strålande. Dette var fantastisk godt.

Klarte sjølvsagt å gløyma feta osten, som var heile hovedgrunnen til å lage denna salaten. Men eg savna den faktisk ikkje. Så da kan ein berre tenka seg kor god den er når eg hugsar den. Gledar meg allereie til neste gang. Feta ost er fantastisk.

Da går ein ny dag mot slutten og sofaen er innteken for godt. Ingen større planar i kveld. Kanskje snurra ein film om eg orkar. Er småtrøytt her eg ligge, så sjansane for at det skjer er vel ikkje dei største.

Und ein weiterer Abschnitt unseres Roadtrip nach Perth…

Der erste Stop unserer Reise von Broome war Eighty Mile Beach, ein Strand der -wie der Name schon sagt- 80 Meilen lang ist. Der Sand ist unglaublich weiss und das Wasser unglaublich hellblau gewesen. Leider sind wir gekommen als Ebbe war, deshalb war es nicht ganz so schoen, aber immer noch umwerfend.

Der naechste Halt war dann Port Hedland, wo wir eingekauft haben und dann ging es in Richtung Karijini National Park weiter. Der Park war wunderschoen mit Schluchten, Wasserfaellen und natuerlichen Pools. Wir haben dort zwei Naechte verbracht und hatten am zweiten Tag einen platten Reifen. Und das nur, weil wir eine Schotterpiste ein bisschen zu schnell entlanggefahren sind. Natuerlich war aber ein Ersatzreifen und Werkzeug im Van, sodass wir den Reifen wechseln konnten. Dummerweise waren wir nicht stark genug, um die Schrauben zu loesen, aber Hilfe kam schon nach 45min. Ein aelteres deutsches Ehepaar hat uns geholfen und nach insgesamt 2 Stunden konnten wir dann weiterfahren

Weiter ging es nach Tom Price, wo wir uns einen neuen Reifen angelegt haben und dann in Richtung Exmouth, wo wir im Moment sind. Wir sind Freitag hier angekommen und direkt weiter in den Cape Range National Park gefahren, wo wir im Ningaloo Reef schnorcheln waren. Es war meine erste Schnorchelerfahrung und es war wunderbar!!! Ich habe mehr bunte Fische und Korallen gesehen als im Great Barrier Reef und wir waren an insgesamt 6 verschieden Stellen im Wasser. Da ich leider keine Unterwasserkamera habe (Anna hat eine und hat die ganzen Fotos gemacht) kann ich heute noch keine Bilder online stellen. Hoffentlich klappt das naechstes Mal…

So, leider nur ein kurzer Bericht, aber ihr wisst ich bin noch am Leben und es geht mir super. Bis bald

We went to Rancho Cordova this weekend to visit our sex-slave cousins for a day and a half. Jimmy was borrowing lights from school so I took advantage of them and took portraits.

But first, here’s a picture from Old Sacramento.

Bonus: Connie recorded behind the scenes for a little portion of the shoot which can be viewed here.

(Preview of what’s below the cut)

(Click to show larger version)

Dee

——–

Kevin

——–

Jimmy

——–

Connie

——–

I will end this post with a picture of myself picking my nose.

We celebrated Thanksgiving today with Paul’s extended family.  We went to one of Paul’s aunt’s houses outside Keithsburg, IL.  Paul’s dad is one of 10 siblings, of which 9 are still living.  All of the siblings were together today.  It was a great day with lots of aunts, uncles and cousins celebrating.  We ate lots of good food!  Thanks to Aunt Missy and Uncle Evan for hosting all the family at their farm!

One really exciting part of the day for Palmer was right when we arrived.  Uncle Evan is a farmer and was working in the fields today harvesting corn.  When we arrived, he was unloading corn and Palmer was extremely interested in what was happening.  Uncle Evan was telling him what was going on and invited Palmer to ride in the tractor with him to pick up the next load of corn.  Palmer didn’t even hesitate and climbed right up into the tractor.  Boy, what a way to start the day!  Palmer was in heaven and I think Uncle Evan probably learned more than he bargained for.  Thanks again to Uncle Evan for making Palmer’s day!!!!

Palmer's first tractor ride!

Off to the field for more corn.

After eating, Palmer, Zach and Alison went outside to play football.  Alison thought she was as big as the boys and was trying to tackle the boys when she had the chance.

Before everyone started to leave, we corralled the brothers, sisters and mom into one room for a picture.  They felt like celebs with all the cameras going off.

Front Row – Missy, Peggy, Thelma (Mom) and Josie

Back Row – PeeWee, Dodie, Viola, Debbie, Kathy and Melvin

One more picture before PeeWee headed home, a 4-generation picture.

Palmer, Grandpa Robbins, Paul and Grandma-Great Robbins

Again, thanks to Missy and Evan for letting us all invade!  We appreciate being able to get together!

Jodi

I was reading a friends blog the other day about www.shuttercal.com it’s a great idea of taking a photo each day and upload it into your own calendar.

I signed up today, I am not going to upload any of my professional photos, not even any that are from my studio unless its from the event that is happening in the studio and not the set up.

It will be fun to upload stuff when we are tripping about, or on holidays.

The better half laughed when I told him, all he could say is that our life is so documented that it’s not funny LoL.  What he is talking about is that I not only have this blog, but my facebook, plus a big things site and I make a coffee table book each year of our travels for the past year.

I love it, there will always be a history of us.  I do this for a few reasons, I had a client come into the studio last year who had lost an adult child and had hardly any photos of her, she was trying to restore a few that had been found in her place after her death.  The other reason is that I lost my mum nearly 20 years ago, I have never forgotten her but I am forgetting the little things.  I found a video of her awhile back and had forgotten what her voice sounded like, it’s sad as it’s not like I don’t think of her most days.

I want my memory to stay going forever LoL.  You could say that I want to leave my footprint so everyone knows that I was here!!!

Check out the site and maybe you might start one for yourself.  Let me know if you do so I can follow your day as well.

Ree

xxx

Part 1: Friday began as a bad cliched joke. All the BS Friday the 13th crap you always hear about? Yeah, that actually came true for once.

The roadtrip “begins” at about 1. Our driver has us all load up and the car but when he goes to look for his wallet, it’s nowhere to be found. Awesome. So now for the next half hour about we try to find his wallet to no avail. Nevermind that we decide, we’ll just get him a new driver’s license in Starke. Loaded back into the truck we attempt to get underway again. The engine makes some pathetic noises like that of a dying baby before it finally cuts off. Dead battery.

At this point my agitation has risen too much so I crack open the bottle of Maker’s Mark I bought for the trip and pour myself my first drink. The rest of our crew (all in all about 12 of us in two cars) follows suit with beers, whiskey, screwdrivers and other assorted vodka drinks as we attempt to jump the truck. On the road to Starke finally, drinking, listening to music, things are going fine. Then the car starts slowing down, and continuing to slow down. Our driver slowly looks back to us to say, “we just ran out of gas.”

“Bullshit,” the girl sitting next to me says. But no. It was not bullshit. We ran out of gas about half a mile from the gas station. The driver from the other car went and picked us up a five-gallon while we came to the conclusion that a group shotgun of beers was needed to help us through these difficult times.

Gas obtained. Extra ice obtained. We rolled into the DMV and waited outside, red solo cups in hand, as our driver went inside to get a new license. Despite Starke’s reputation for cops with hardons to fuck over college kids, not a single one that walked past us said anything about our drinks. We figured God was giving us this one for all the trouble that had been caused thus far. After this short affair, the trip was finally underway.

Part 2: Fast forward to Saturday night. After our spectacular win I met up with some friends at a bar called Chubby’s. (Sidenote: The Chubby’s in Tallahassee is better). Gators had already begun to takeover this bar, just as we had the night before. We easily outnumbered SC fans 2-1 and the ratio was probably even greater than that. This bar was fantastic though because it was damn near impossible to spend too much money. I was able to get $2 drinks and a grilled cheese for $2. Even after an hour I felt like I had barely spent any money.

Around 11 I received a text from my friend saying she and abunch of her friends were over at Pour House and that I should mosey my way over there. Luckily Pour House was only a short walk from Chubby’s. Once there is where my night starts to get hazy and most of what follows has been relayed to me through a series of friends I saw/was hanging out with that night.

I opened my tab and ordered two double Wild Turkey’s and coke. The purpose of getting two drinks was not because I am goodhearted and intended to provide someone else with a drunk. I was just looking to get extra drunk that night. I struck up a conversation with a kid of one of my favorite classes for about 20 minutes before beginning to mingle around the bar. I found my one friend and talked to her for a bit before she went outside to smoke a cigarette. (For the record, I am not a fan of girls that smoke) It was time to go meet some people. My other friend was playing beer pong and grinding up on some guy. We’ll call her Lacey. Lacey was way too drunk at this point to be doing much of anything with her life so our conversation was short lived.

At this point I needed some more double Wild Turkey’s and coke. My big brother and two of my fraternity brothers entered the scene at this point which only made matters worse/better. We began drinking harder and faster while taking more shots. Somehow during this I began talking to two UF sorostitutes (specfic sorority will not be disclosed) and taking drinks with them. Eventually me and the one girl began hooking up but I could not for the life of me remember her name at this point. She gave me her number and entered her into my phone as “Baq girl.” Once hammered my texting/typing on my phone is not the best so trying to enter her in my phone as “Bar girl” did not appropriately work out.

I went to the bar to close out my tab and received a bill indicating that I had drank mannnyyy double Bourbon and cokes. The bartender then went and showed me the bottle and informed me that I was the only one who had been drinking Wild Turkey that night and had killed over half the bottle singlehandedly. I felt extremely accomplished.

I began walking at this point and found myself in the middle of some random park. Panicking, I went to the nearest street and told the cab driver that I needed to be taken to I-77 immediately. Once there he let me out, confused, and I proceeded to walk on the side of I-77. Luckily I called one of my friends at this point and she was capable of convincing me that this was a horrible idea so I got another cab and made it to downtown Columbia.

Fate intervened again. Right where I was let off I saw my big brother and two friends. They said they were going back to the Courtyard Marriot so I figured that I could go with them. (This is not where I was staying this weekend. My actual hotel was the Econo Lodge. Not. Anywhere. Close)

After getting back there I saw my friend Lacey and told the guys to go ahead because I wanted to chill with her. We ended up chilling in the middle of the 3rd floor hallway and talking until 5 in the morning. Her roomates called at this point though to make sure she wasn’t dead somewhere so she went back to my room.

This left me in a conundrum considering I had no place to stay. I decided to move and find my friends. I tried calling them but no one was answering their phones. (I don’t understand why, it was only about 5:15 in the goddamn morning.) I vaguely remembered what floor they told me they were on so I went to that floor and just started knocking on doors hoping someone would answer. After doing this for about 5 minutes someone finally answered and it was none other than Bar Girl. I told her my tale and her and the other girl she was staying with, who had also been at the bar, let me stay with them.

Before any thoughts creep into your head, no, there was no spectacular threesome to end the story. I didn’t even had sex or do anything with the girl that I had hooked up with at the bar. I didn’t care at this point though. I was just happy that I had a place to sleep.

Around 10 in the morning we woke up and I finally got a hold of the other guys staying at the Marriot and they were able to take me back to the Econo Lodge. The people I came up with were happy to see me because that meant we were finally able to head back home to Gainesville.

Another roadtrip has brought me great stories, and I am still alive.

- Jack

Moving is tough.  Moving cross country is REALLY tough but driving cross country was so worth it.  I was used to flying cross country so seeing our beautiful states by road was very cool.

We took the I40 route, traveling from Florida to Georgia to Alabama to Mississippi to Tennessee to Arkansas to Oklahoma to Texas to New Mexico to Arizona to Nevada to Utah….PHEW…and we did it all in about 54 hours, allowing for a 4 hr snooze in New Mexico due to frozen rain.  I look forward to doing it again one day for fun much more slowly.

Here are a few bits from the road…

Florida orchids

Upgrade to the Escalade after the Tahoe would not go

New Mexico - entering Big Sky Country

Are we there yet? Gracie on the dash in the Arizona sun

Sun Setting behind the mountains on Nevada border