So lately I've been residing, for the most part in Missoula Montana. I've been staying with this gal. Pictured below. :) One of my best friends, Hanna. And no matter what else I do on vacation... Chicago for a bit, with another best friend and a truly unique New Year in Michigan.

Me and Hanna

Somehow Montana always trumps everything. Maybe it's because I feel so at home here. It's my home away from home. I think that's one of the reasons that I want to live here so bad. It just feels so right to me. Not to mention I love having my car and the world at my fingertips. Durango was so isolated, which was great but frustrating at times. It was always at least 4 or 6 hours away from anyplace worth going. Here... a different story. Bozeman is 3 1/2 to 4 hours away. Spokane is like 5 hours away. Mental note: Drive to the coast one day just for kicks. It's only 7 hours to Seattle, where my friend Kylie is currently residing and working. I haven't been to Seattle in years. And Sophie is living and rocking the school teacher thing in Portland. Another place I haven't been and would like to go. I have a feeling that I'll be visiting both those places within a year! Knowing me and my spazzy I want to go on a road trip right now feelings that I can't seem to live without. Lol... But I'm getting ahead of myself. The biggest thing on my mind is getting into graduate school here at the University. I don't know why I'm freaking out about it so much, probably because it's out of my control. I hate things that I have no control over. Hanna things I'm nuts for even worrying about it. She things I'm in like flint. But I wanna hold a little paper that says that. Anywho... Mom thinks I have a 75 percent chance of geting in and that's kind what I'm feeling as well.

Dallas and me

Stupid time, it moves too fast and too slow all at the same time. I guess life is just supposed to be filled with uncertainties. What's the fun in knowing everything? I certainly didn't know ahead of time that Warsaw was going to be playing in Missoula when I booked all my tickets for my marvelous vacation and it was a flipping awesome surprise! So I got here to Missoula in one fell swoop because the driving conditions were absolutely magnificent. Clear skies. I got up at 7:00 to optimize my daylight time and made it over the last pass just as the sun was setting, fog was rolling in, and I was in snow covered mountains just in awe of the radiance around me. Hanna couldn't wait for me to get here, so I made the extra push and just kept going. I picked her up from her friends place and then we pitted in for some bonding, beer, and talking. So good to just sit with her not in a moving vehicle. I don't know how many more times I want to do that drive solo and in one day. Even with perfect driving conditions like that. I just gets a bit much and your brain just slowly fries away as mile marker after mile marker tick by. Maybe with someone or in two days. Or we'll just see. I don't think I'll be driving it as much now that my car is here in Missoula and the only thing I'd have to drive it again with is a UHaul stuffed full of all my junky possessions sitting in Durango. Hanna had the next day off so we puttered about not doing a whole lot but enjoying ourselves none the less. Thurs, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday she had to work but she got off work at three so we managed to get some shenanigans and tomfoolery in. We went to Ross and tried on dresses for the hell of it, I went and saw a movie by myself... I'm kinda pulling a blank on what I saw, which is pretty damn rare for me to do. Huh... OHOH! The Day the Earth Stood still. Not too shabby. I was quite entertained by it or by looking at Keanu Reeves. Either way I had a good time. We hit the bars up a few nights and hung out with Prairie and had a girls night. Went out to Mama Rodli's for a football game and also another night for dinner and laundry time. It was really good to see her as well. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were Hanna's days off. I found a blockbuster selling 50 cent videos and went a little nuts, but I love my movies and that's a cheap way to get a fix. Chinese food has been eaten, meals have been cooked at home with extended movies nights on our blanket bed in the living room. Lots of conversations have been had. And I think my being here motivated Hanna to get registered for school and pull herself out of her vacation funk. :) She's sad to see me go tomorrow but knows that I'll be back. For all the times that she's held me together, I think I'm holding her together right now, merely by being myself and by showing up whenever and however possible. Onto fun...

Dallas

The Warsaw show. We got there early to get some visiting time in. Joey was the door guy and Hanna's friend so after getting us in two for one he chilled with us as the band set up and wandered around and such. The guys were a little surprised to see me out of my Durango box but a warm welcome was given. Dallas is the bass player pictured left and again above with me. Really cool guy, kinda sweet, you know the sort. Music started happening around... 10? 10:30? My time frame is slightly off I'm sure. And Hanna and I sat and listened for a few songs and then got our dancing shoes on and shook our groove things till the set break. New drinks were in order and Hanna wanted to smoke so I took care of the drink business and met her in the hallway where Joey, Dallas, and Hanna were smoking. Everyone chattered away having a great time till the next set. This is when we ran into Jojo, an absolutely hilarious and wild and fun guy that I'd met a year or two ago when Mom and I had come up for a weekend. Lovely surprise and it was quite wonderful because he remembered me and who doesn't love being remembered? :) More dancing ensued with a few breaks here and there. An older lady came and danced with us and sat with us on and off for the rest of the set and then we invited the band over to Hanna's to hang out after the bar closed down. They were all for it cause we're such fun chicks and I don't think they'd lined up a place to stay. So we sat around in Hanna's living room till oh 5, 6, 7 in the morning respectively. Hanna was one of the first ones down because she had work at 7. Trooper, that girl. I was one of the latest up because well... that's just how I roll. I turned all the lights off and distributed the blankets to myself, Dallas, Monkeybone and Aaron (pictured left). I think I started getting restless around 11 so I moved from the floor into Hanna's now vacated bed and slept in a little bit longer till 12:30 or so when Dallas and Monkeybone started stirring. Aaron just kept sleeping like a rock so we three decided to walk to the Oxford and get some tasty breakfast. We all chatted and ate and then met the rest of the guys at the Rhino. I was about ready for a nap afterwards so I wasn't overly energetic but it was nice none the less. I said goodbye a little before they were leaving and walked back to Hanna's for a nap and the Ellen Degeneres show. Hilarious and always kinda sweet. I think it might be becoming one of my new favorite shows. Nothing I can't live without but definitely entertaining. Relaxed the rest of the day and then bite the bridle and called Jeremy in Bozeman. I'd been saying for like the last 3 or 4 times that I was in Montana that I'd come and see him and hang out for a day or to. He was all about it and didn't have any plans for the weekend so the next morning I left in time to get there when he was getting out of his last class. We wanted to get some lunch and just had to wait for his roommates to finish whatever it was that they were doing so we went to his bar the Crystal and were having a few pints when guess who walks through the door? This guy pictured left, Mike, and the rest of the band. What are the odds. We visit for a few, they invite me and Jeremy to the show and J and I head off to the lunch restaurant we were going to. Then we go to a happy hour and then we head back downtown. This kid can drink a lot more than me. At this point he's probably had twice as many drinks as me and is still in fairly decent condition. We go back to the Crystal and he plays pool while I visit and after his friends leave there we head to the Zebra something or other which is where Warsaw was. We hang out, listen to music and eventually J goes to meet up with his friends upstairs because they're not into the 8 dollar cover than I got us out of. I stayed and hung out and ended up going to an after party type thing with the band while J decided to walk home in like 20 below weather. Not for me thanks, I'll get a ride in the Warsaw van warmth to another warm place. The next morning, got some coffee and then went and picked up J who was just pulling himself together. We went and met some of his friends at... who guessed? Another bar. :) This one served breakfast though so I totally ate and J started going all over again. Eventually we went and got sushi and then headed back to J's house and played some beerpong and asshole. Satisfactory evening that ended with pizza and Superbad. :) Not a bad weekend by anyones standards. I headed back here to Missoula the next morning fairly early because snow was just starting to build up in Bozeman and I figured the earlier the better when snow is concerned. Got back here in fine time with very little trouble on the roads and hung out with Hanna. Everything was going just marvelous. Laundry at Hanna's Mom's, boxes mailed to my Mom, and as I'm running errands my car starts massively overheating. :( Poop and guess what. It's Wednesday and my flight leaves at 4:55. And when I get my car towed to a shop they tell me that they can't get the part needed till Thursday morning. Aw.... SHIIIT! I end up paying an arm and leg to change my ticket to tomorrow and stay to take care of my baby. It was strange not having my car for less than a day, but the next morning, fairly early with the sun shining, I get a phone call saying my fella is all better and they'll come pick me up and give me my new and improved baby. So I what do I do, come park the car and Hanna's and walk around downtown a little. Hahaha... Oh man. Yesterday I mailed cake mixes and powdered sugar for my favorite Mom and then read part of a book. Then I decided to head to the bars for a beer or two, thinking to come home early. Hanna had to work so she was sleeping. And ended up running into this kid Jake that I used to go to school with in Durango. Wicked rad so I ended up staying out later than I thought, but I still got up early this morning and did the dishes and straightened up the house and then have basically been playing online all damn day. In my car, where I miraculously manage to pick up signals that work.

I head home and by home I mean Alaska, tomorrow and I'm really excited. I wish I could bypass Anchorage but there are some things that I'd like to get done and people I'd like to see so I have a feeling it's just going to cruise by and that'll be that. It'll be Wednesday before I know it and I'll finally be home, in my bed, with my Momma and doggie close by. And I'll be able to visit with Karis in person and hug my little man. I'm excited. Truly.

Aaron

Mike

Drago

Jesse

from Montana - about Durango

Genevieve, Aune Mieke and me

Aune Mieke, me and Matty

My first day in Durango was delightfully mellow filled with Chinese food and Bones. I drove into town and tried to stay awake and it seriously did not happen. Gretchen and Matt came home and found me asleep on their couch. :) I believe my Mom even called me and woke me up kinda and I mighta snapped at the poor lady. I'm really not someone that wakes up cheery at any time, morning or night. Wednesday was all about lazing and running some errands. I went to lunch with G and Matt and then went to Walmart where they had on sale transformers, a ipod connector radio thing for my car, new wipers for my car, and some new toothpaste. All amazing stuff I tell ya. Then I spent a few hours in my storage unit digging around for vitally important stuff... some socks, my printer, my button maker, my cooler, my sleeping back, some more hoodies, and of course my coffee mug for my car and my travels. I was most excited for my button maker. Then on my way up to Gretchen and Matt's out in D-West I almost crashed my lovely loving car. I was driving at like 50 or 55 around what was apparently (although not to me) and icy corner and started fish-tailing. I think I flipped and flopped about 4 or 5 times before I got control of my vehicle back. Kinda really maybe sorta definitely freaked me the hell out. I was extra super cautious (probably annoyingly so to other drivers) for like the whole week afterwards. Not a pleasant experience but I'm thinking it's make me a more cautious aware drive than even though the roads look fine they might not be. Eep

Pat and me at the Ranch, where else would I find him?

Davis - my favorite bartender

Coun

Fresh

The ranch is just awesome folks. I dig it.

So Thursday night I went out with Isaac and Nadia and we hung out at the Ranch, Steamworks, and of course the 8th Ave Tavern. Brian, Ryan, Gin, Chad, Joe, Steve, all my homies were there. I totally rocked singing Journey - Don't Stop Believin'. I mean who doesn't rock when singing karaoke, but I believe I was particularly amazing. :) Friday was spent finding some great deals at JC Penney for me and my favorite little man Kollin Duke. I found the most hideous pukey yellow sweater that's absolutely comfortable for me and some bitchin' transformer T's for Kollin. Speaking of... I need to get a box mailed that direction. Bride Wars came next with lovely buttery popcorn and ice water. Then Gretchen, Matt and I had dinner and watched I am Legend and Bones. Great stuff I say! G even stayed up till 10:15. It was a rager! Saturday was lunch with my professors, whom I absolutely love and adore, at Carver's. It was nice catching up a little with them and just small talk visiting with them. :) They're really just awesome for taking the time to see me. Then I hung out with Sarah, after a bit had dinner at No Way Jose's, and ended my evening at the Ranch on Saturday night running into all kinds of fabulous people. That's what the pictures are above. Lol... Just about the only pictures I took when I was in Durango, unless you count funny pictures of Gretchen and Matt's cats.

Sunday was spent sleeping in and watching Bones up at the house. I packed up and kind of reorganized and got some early sleep in. Monday was spent running errands all around Durango and getting myself and my car ready for the drive to Montana. I ate lunch and then drove to Cortez to hang out with TK for the night. We watched Pineapple Express, which was fucking hilarious, went and got some dinner and sodas, then watched The Dark Knight. Flipping awesome as well. Went to sleep fairly early because the sun was up at 7:38 and down just after 5:30 so I wanted to optimize my daylight drive time. The drive was perfect as far as a long drive goes. The weather was sunny the whole way, the roads were dry, I never hit any major traffic while driving through cities and I had an amazing sunsetting, fog moving in, purple sky, pink snow in the mountains situation just as I was driving over my last mountain pass. Uh-mazing. I got here to Missoula at a little before 9 pm. One of my best times and I rocked between the speed limit and five over. It was effing great to see Hanna and get a big old hug from her then Luke. We had a few beers at her place and then went to the Rhino for a few drinks and met some hilarious really wasted people and then put a movie in and curled up and passed out. Quality stuff I tell ya. And now I'll leave you on the note that I'm sitting in Blockbuster's parking lot and I have to pee.

Currently in Durango

I miss my Mom's (and my) dog. This is him. Mister Blue.

Continued...

So the New Year started out just about as perfectly as possible. I slept in, later than Aune of course, and then we went and got Chinese food. The place we went to is Aune's favorite and the lovely lady that either owns or runs it remembered me from three or four years ago! How amazingly cool is that? It made me feel quite special. We paused for a bit at her Aunt's and then watched Marley & Me. It was really cute and really sweet, kinda sad and kinda feel good. No good guys. No bad guys. No desperate attempt to save the world. Just a movie. Great start to 2009.

Aune, Trix and I drove back to the city on the 3rd and I had my first taste of Chicago's own deep dish pizza. Lou Mahnati is the deep dish that we decided to go with and I believe I spelled it correctly. It was really good with it's garlic, cheese, tomato, onion, mushroom goodness. Officially became a fan. I dozed when we got back to Aune Mieke's, got up, watched Bridge to Terabithia, and then began a new obsession I thinks. Heroes. I wanted something more upbeat after the sadness of Bridge so I went with Season I: Espisode I. Totally has the cutie from Gilmore Girls in it and I'm in love with the hilarity and passion of Hiro, the japanese time/space bender. Anywho... that first night with Heroes I had myself a mini marathon and watched the first 5 or 6 episodes. Uh-mazing. I can't wait til I can watch a lot more of it.

On the fourth Aune Mieke and I went to meet up with Genevieve for a drink. As we were looking for a place to go Aune spotted some fellows with strings in the front window of a place call the Grafton. So we meandered on in and there was a booth waiting for us just at the front. Genevieve thrilled Mieke and I with her adventures and adventurous spirit. We were definately enthralled with all of it and with a fellow that was sitting at the bar reading. He kept glancing our way. :) But the silly guy never came over and said hi.

My last day in Chicago was mellow with some Heroes, packing, and walking around umm... Belmont I beleive. Then Matt came and picked me up and we stuffed our faces with sushi. Oh man. I'm officially in love with all you can eat sushi places. Probably a bad thing. :) I had Miso soup, Edamame, a Rainbow roll, a Palatine roll, a Rock N roll, and Salmon, Squid, Tuna, and Eel Sushi. It was fabulous. Oh! And desert was Green Tea and Mango Monchi balls. Matty was somewhat conned/asked to giving us a ride to the airport so we took him out for a beer before he dropped us off. Where did we take him? The Hopleaf of course. I had to bracket my trip somehow. The bartender remembered me and the sweetheart gave me a Hopleaf pint glass! Aww.. I can really work my magic. It was the perfect end to the perfect trip. Aune Mieke and I went over highlights and Matty talked up beer (his profession).

The airport stuff was poop. We got there and no one was at the Kiosks then when I was able to check my bag in, no one was at the security check point, then we found a water fountain and the water was warm. :( However I was able to talk to someone at the gate and Aune Mieke and I were able to sit next to each other in an exit row with lots n lots of leg room. Pretty much rad. We hugged each other goodbye in Phoenix. Sniffle. I'll miss her but I'm exceptionally happy with my visit with her. I ate a sandwich and then slept hard for about an hour and a half on a bench. A lovely fellow woke me up and told me our flight was boarding (my phone alarm didn't go off.) Three seats were all for me, so I stretched out and slept for the hour long flight. After getting to my car and realizing the battery was dead again, I wanted to scream but instead called the parking service people and they came and gave me a jump. Worried about my car, I scuttled back to Durango and went straight to Wally World to talk to the mechanic guys. Both times my battery has been tested it's been good but it dies in a week. Sooo.... I'm trying to hold off getting a new battery until four months or six months from now when I come back to move stuff around. Hm... We'll see though.

It's definitely weird being back here but it feels good. :) I miss it here. I miss my friends here. But at the same time I know it's not the place for me, at least right now.

Vacation - Chicago

Mom and me

The Journey

Day 1: Leave Unalakleet on a delayed Hageland flight. Hug my Momma goodbye. Leave Anchorage on a delayed Delta flight and get stood up by my best friend Chelsea.

Day 2: Leave Salt Lake City on a delayed flight, which causes me to miss my on time flight out of Denver to Durango. Miraculously make it on the next overbooked flight to Durango and get big huge hugs from Gretchen and Matt. :)

Day 3: Shovel off and jump car with the help of a trusty shovel, Matt, and Gretchen. (After being fed homemade and very yummy raspberry coffee cake!) Mosey around Durango making a few crucial stops at Baskin Robbins, Wagon Wheel, and my storage unit. Ride off into the daylight on my way to Alburquerque. Get some food and promptly fall asleep in my fries. Classy.

Aune Mieke and me

Day 4: Get up late. Scuttle my butt into my car and off to the Airport Parking place. Flight out of Albuquerque is on time. After a slight delay and purchasing a shot glass from Atlanta, my flight to Chicago departs. I arrive on time and yet it takes a fricking hour for my bags to come out of the plane and onto the baggage claim. Yes, two flights came in after us and got their bags before us. I was thrilled. After rescueing my bags from the throes of neglection I scuttle outside and Aune Mieke pulls up and gives me a big old hug. :) Happy Sissy. Tired Sissy. Sissy would like a beer.

Chicago!

Aune and I decided to stay up late and catch up at the Hop Leaf. A very beery bar, just my size and scene. :) We got some very good tasting beers and chatted, catching up on those fun little things that don't always come out over phone calls. Amazing time. The bartender also gave me a shot, or rather took a shot with me. Mad skills, without even trying.

Matty

We slept in and lazed about in the morning drinking coffee and debating what to do. Eventually we decided to go to Lincoln Square and get some Thai food. Excellent idea and excellent food. We shared spring rolls as an appetizer and then killed our entrees. I had the seafood with noodles, and let me just say I have some love for oceanic creatures. Squid, shrimp, crab... all good. Then we walked around the area and met up with Aune's friend, Genevieve. Absolutely fun girl, very real and meeting her was definitely a highlight of Chicago time. That evening Matt came and picked Aune and I up and we ended up going to the Goose Island Brewery. It was quite busy but in a short amount of time we were able to procure a table in the bar area. More food, more beer, more conversation made me a happy girl.

Holland Memory

The next day Aune, Lisa, Dena and I made our way to Grand Rapids. I kitty napped in the car and when we got there Trix and I challenged our brains with a game of Holland Memory over dinner. I totally walked away the champion. As you can see it was by quite a bit. Effing rad and of course, a highlight. That evening was New Year's Eve and after being lazy Aune, Kevin (Aune's older brother) and I began our evening of well mannered frivolity. Our first stop was their cousin's, just a short, in, out, hello, goodbye. The second stop of the evening was downtown Grand Rapids, we parked and walked around for about an hour. There was line dancing with a DJ, some big beautiful trees, tons of people, and my very cold thighs. The third stop was our final stop. An engineer named Andy, for the second year in a row, blocked off half of his pool and then heated it up to between 103 and 107 degrees. Very much fun! Very much unique, and it turned out to be a very good New Year, a first for me. Throughout the course of the old year changing into the new year, I cheersed about 3 times. Lovely. :) Mellow evening with beer, really good people, a unique place and theme. Good stuff.

Okay enough for now.