Monday, April 22, 2013

Cuba.

The plan is simple.

Kick ass.
Take names.
Get an A in 301.
Go to Cuba.

A new adventure has been placed before me, where I would be able to travel to Cuba as a part of a class writing about border issues in Latin American countries. This is more than a dream come true. It is a prayer answered. It is my motivation for JMC 301. My first big break. My shining moment, when I finally get to do something big with Journalism.

I just need energy and courage. Energy and courage.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Planning Party

Alrighty. I know I only have a few weeks left of school, but I am so ready for summer to get here. I spent an hour last night planning our family vacation to Colorado all by myself (I've never really adventured in Colorado before!) when I should have been doing homework, and now I just can't wait!
I'm not going to Lake Tahoe after all, but I have a slew of other vacation ideas in mind to distract me from that:
  • Camping trip in Sedona/Flagstaff with Becca.
  • Disneyland trip with Hannah and Mitchel.
  • Colorado and Utah with the family and Becca.
  • A trip to Pinetop at the end of school.
  • Bro-Am in Encinitas (provided it isn't the same time as Colorado).
  • Beach Cottages with parents and Hannah.
Granted, there is no possible way I am going to take all these trips. I have two online classes, limited funds, and one house to move out of and another to move in to. If I get to take three of these trips, I'll be happy. Which is good, because I've already pretty much committed to going to Colorado (it's a family vacation, how can I not go?), I'm definitely going to try to go to Pinetop with Brenna and Ben and maybe Raquel after my finals week. And, fingers crossed, Becca and I will get to take a weekend camping trip up to Flagstaff for fun.

So, yes. Summer adventures.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

How to get to Tucson, Arizona.

Sometimes, you just have to jump in your car and go for a drive. Being spontaneous feels good.

After you get your low tire filled, of course.

After you haphazardly throw a bag with enough undergarments for the weekend, a toothbrush and deodorant in your car.

After you find you're halfway to Tucson (option #2, Flagstaff, but driving south sounded nice), and the tire that was low on air before starts to vibrate, you swear you smell burning rubber. So you pull off at the now vacant Outlets at Casa Grande (which you thought still had stores...shopping would have been fun) and decide "Am I turning around and going home, or just going to Tucson?"

And you decide you're definitely going to Tucson, because why the hell not. You're halfway to Tucson, anyway. You're equally far from a Discount Tire shop in Phoenix as you are from one in Tucson. You have a AAA card, and you know what to do if your tire blows.

And you keep on driving, at 5 to 15 miles per hour under the speed limit, in the slow lane, behind a massive manufactured home on a trailer, and you keep driving. And praying you make it in one piece. And call your dad and say you might need him to transfer money to your checking from your savings (or his savings, if he is so inclined) so you can buy a new tire. And praying some more. And call your friends in Tucson to see if they want to let you spend the night after this stressful drive.

And finally, you exit on Speedway, and you're in Tucson, where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour, and you finally feel safe driving.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up in Tucson.

I almost pulled over and cried on the side of the highway though. This is the last time I drive somewhere so far, alone, on a tire I think may problems. I did end up taking my car to Discount and finding out that I had a screw in my tire for the past few months, and that's why I've had to fill it with air on a nearly monthly basis.

Now that my tire is patched, and I ended up spending the night at my friend Sarah's (there are SO many people I know down here who wouldn't mind me crashing a couch or extra bed) and now I think I'm going to hang around, do some homework, lay in the sun, and learn how to play poker.

I have nothing to do (besides homework), nowhere to be, and I learned that a tire with a screw in it will be okay as long as you drive 55-60 miles per hour the whole way to Tucson.

Adventure of the month.