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Three years, 6,000+ miles from just the trip alone and many stories later, I'm back in Florida. 

I arrived yesterday afternoon and I'm getting settled in. The trip will require some re-telling, but for now, I have a ton of things to get done as I sort through all the stuff I've brought with me.  

Here's a little clip from the late and great George Carlin talking about stuff. Enjoy.

Dream I hope doesn't come true

I don't use drugs, my dreams are frightening enough.

M. C. Escher

In the dream, I was somewhere (you know how dreams are-you find yourself somewhere that in real life you have no clue but in the dream it's totally normal that you find yourself in this strange place) and I got out of the car to go and look around. I walked on this little path and came to a beachy area. I saw a photographer doing some testing and measuring. It wasn't a big production, he might have been a student fulfilling an assignment, working alone. Smiling to myself, remembering what that was like, I kept walking.

As I got closer to the water, I looked around. We were at a flat beachy area, but further down, there was almost a cliff-like area and there, I saw people practicing yoga. The sun was shining on them but the black storm clouds behind them really made the scene-contrasting with the sun and their colorful clothes. I ran back to my car to grab my camera and tripod-could't find my camera, or the battery was dead or something weird like that. AAAACK!! Eventually, I got a camera (don't ask, I have no idea how but somehow I got a camera) and grabbed the tripod and ran back to the spot.

That's when I noticed the tripod head was missing. ARGH!! (why I didn't just shoot it hand-held, I don't know, but apparently that wasn't the point of the dream, was it?)

When eventually I got set up to take the picture, I set it all up and the sun was overpowering those storm clouds-my contrast was gone. Sigh. Let down. As soon as I put my camera away, the light changed again and it was what it needed to be. oh, frustrating. It was almost as if it were teasing me (bastard.)

I don't remember whether I ever got the shot or not, what really stuck with me was everything going wrong and that feeling of losing the moment. Grrrr. Who knows, maybe it's a warning for my road trip-make sure everything is ready!

Well, I am done!

I graduated. What a great day. Really, I don't think I've been so....giddy in quite a while. I know there is so much more to come, so much hard work, but at least it's a move forward from where I am now.

Next step-pack up and move. Oh boy. I have shipped my books back and I have a load of things yet to be shipped. sigh. Well, at least I have a few days to get it done, even though I look at the calendar and think, What?? It's the 24th already? Yikes!

tick tock

The countdown continues and I'm starting to feel a slight panic at how much needs to get done. I'm not one to live sparsely (even though it is a sort of fantasy for me)-I dragged a bunch of crapola with me to California, and I've managed to accumulate a lot more in my three years here even with the "try to get rid of things" phases.

Damn. 

I have a lot of crap. And less than three weeks to get most of it eliminated, shipped or ready to go. I'm going to try and travel lightly this time (excuse me while I choke the laughter back! Oh, that's a good one!) Seriously, my plan is to travel with cat, camera equipment and clothes.  Oh, the three c's. Can I do it? Oh, yes! and some camping equipment-I will camp if possible. So, those are my 4 Cs of travel. However, I do plan on drugging the cat this time-just a mild sedative to keep her calm. 

Now, I'm sure some people would be a bit against that, and I myself am not a big fan of doing that to my cat, but have you ever had to travel with a cat that gets motion sickness? I mean, really. Can you imagine--you've been on the road for an hour with a cat bitching in the backseat because she's really not happy to be there. Meeeeooooow! Meow. Meeoow. meow? Meow. Meow.Meow MEEEEooooOOOw.  meow? MEOW!

For an hour.

Non-stop.  

And then, all of a sudden, the tone changes to a low repetition...mrooow. mrooow. mrooooow. The tone is different. You know something's not right. Very soon, you either hear it or smell it. And let me tell you, I think I'd rather get skunked than have to be around the smell of a cat that's been sick. 

And the poor cat! She has nowhere to go. She's stuck in her carrier (even though I made sure to get her a roomy carrier, it's still a box in which she's stuck. No escape.) And if you're really unlucky, she gets it all over herself. So, comes the next part. You pull to some gas station or rest stop to try and clean up the cat and her carrier because you know that there is no.way.in.hell that you are driving for days having to smell that nasty rotten odor. 

So, you're inside the bathroom, trying to wrangle this miserable pukey/shitty kitty to the faucet that won't stay on-you know the kind, you push it and it runs for 5 seconds so you have to try and push it again so it can run for another 5 seconds. And you're doing this while the cat is trying to get away and you're trying to get rid of as much crud as you can and the stupid faucet keep stopping just you finally get the cat managed. The crud is caked all over her normally soft fur and no matter how hard you try not to,  you end up getting it all over yourself as well. Ah, the joys. So now both you and the cat reek to high heaven. 

And you will reek. Believe you me, they could make secret weapons out of what comes out of that cat. 

So, you clean up as best as you can and then, you go to dry off and either the hand towel dispenser is empty, or it has those nasty brown, scratchy, don't-absorb-worth-a-crap ones that you wonder who came up with that idea..."yeah, let's use paper like tree bark for the bathrooms. I mean, trees absorb water, right? Right! So these must of course absorb water as well!" Never mind that tree is dead and bark doesn't really absorb much water at all.

Sounds like a fun trip, doesn't it? Yeah, I think so as well, which the whole point of my drugging my cat for the road trip. I've never done it to her, but I'd like to imagine...(cue the harps...)

I load kitty in the car. She looks up at me, blinks a couple of time, then proceeds to ignore me in all her cat-titude. She yawns and snuggles down for a nice nap.  And I drive and drive, with the kitty just nice and calm in the back. No bitching. No puking. No shit! Wow. Could it really happen? I'd love to see that.  I think both her and I would be happier in this situation. 

Can you believe it's been three years? I started this blog when I moved out here. Now it's time to go back. Part of me is already wistful about the things that I know I'll miss, like the farmer's market. (I went today. Ah, the smells and sights. It's great. And pretty much non-existent where I live back in Florida.) Mountains. Driving on the 101 and seeing the ocean right there. The easy access to all things photographic that we have here. The cool people I have met.  I'll miss the smaller roads and cute houses. The flowers and the smell of fields that you get when you drive outside the city. The different marine life that exists here. Yes, lots of things and there is so much more I have not explored.

But, at the same time, I'm also ready to go home. I'm tired, and I need a break. I look forward to spending time with my family and my friends. I think a mango daquiri night is very much called for.  I look forward to the warm beaches and blue waters. Good Cuban food. Warm nights with the smell of the ocean permeating the air. Hearing the calypso music and steel drums from casino cruise ship when it returns every night (yes, it's totally kitschy and tacky, but it's very Florida.) 

Three more weeks. Dayum!

Of wheels and such

So, I've had my car for nearly three years now. I drove it cross-country; I've made it carry loads of equipment, made it take me to Sedona, LA, here and there around town. I've even gotten "tapped" by a big-rig, and have two small indentations in my bumper from it (good thing he was going only 5 miles an hour!) And recently, I've subjected it to a windy dirt road to get to the top of the mountain. In the nearly three years, I've put about 45,000 miles on it-not as much as some people, but still a bit more than is considered average (even though I suppose that average really depends on where you live. Example-New York-even if you own a car, I'd say you probably drive it a fraction of someone living in LA where everything is miles apart and the highway system is one of clotted arteries because everybody drives everywhere.) 

In return, I've taken it in for regular services, getting the oil changed and following the dealerships recommended services when needed. It hasn't been too bad. Until now. At my last oil change, I was informed that it's time I consider getting new tires and new brakes.  Mmmm. 

That's a lot of money.  The tires will cost more than the brakes. But both are needed and not something to skimp on, especially before I head back to Florida. I've started to shop prices and so far, it actually looks like the dealership has the best deal for me on the brakes. But tires? There are so many different places to get tires and so many different brands. 

Now, of course, when I go to talk to people about my tires, the guys are usually surprised that I have a clue about maintaining my air pressure (because of course I'm a girl and I figure the tires stay inflated magically!) I check it regularly. I make sure it's where it's supposed to be. Why? Because I know that low air pressure can wear my tires out faster and also decreases my MPG (and I'd much rather get as much out of a tank of gas as I can!) I've been doing that since I was about 16 or 17.  

I do realize that there are a ton of things I don't know about cars, but tire pressure is one thing I've gotten a handle on. However, when it came to my tires,  I've been scratching my head a bit trying to figure out why I need new tires before 50k. That's a first for me.  I've never had to replace my tires so quickly.  It didn't make much sense to me, but I figured it was one of those things. I thought hmm, maybe the cross country drive in the middle of the summer put more wear on them than usual, or something like that-one of those things of which I wasn't aware but has worn my tires away a bit faster than normal. 

Well, yesterday, I finally got my answer!! Who knew!  You see, I finally saw where Costco has their tire service. I wandered in to find out whether they had my tires or not. The guy told me about the tires that they do have and was able to rattle off my tire size from the top of his head. Wow! Leave me impressed.  (and no, I'm not being sarcastic there-I am seriously impressed that he knew the size tire my car takes without having to look it up.) But when I told him the brand I have on there, he shook his head and looked at with that sad look (the "oh-you-have-no-clue" look.) So, of course, I proceeded to pick his brain for that knowledge. 

He actually said the tires on my car are softer and softer means a softer ride and faster wearing away. You see the dealership wants the best possible ride for the car when they try to sell it-so the tires are a bit softer. He told me to look on my tires and find the treadwear number. 

Treadwear number? Huh? Basically it's a number used to indicate how fast the tires will wear-the higher the number, the longer they last. (I did a bit of research when I got home and the treadwear is based on 100 being the average. So, if a tire is rated at 200-it should last twice as long as the average. However, the disclaimer was that treadwear is determined by the manufacturer so different brands have different systems of rating etc. The conclusion was that treadwear isn't a reliable factor because it does differ from brand to brand. But as far as I'm concerned,  it's still something to take into consideration. I doubt that it varies enough to really eliminate it as a factor. Moving on....)

The tires he showed me had a treadwear number of 500 and 600 respectively (two different brands.) The one with the 500 treadwear is more in my price range and has a 60,000 mile warranty-and costs about the same as the tires I currently have. He showed me where to find this number on my own tires. When I went back to the car, I was appalled! My current treadwear # was only 320. And they cost just as much as the ones with a 500 treadwear.  

Dude. That sucks. 

However, now I know I can get better tires for about the same price. And I learned something new. That makes me happy.  

Wow

In less than a month I graduate. One of the tasks we're given for graduation is to compile a few images that will be shown during the actual ceremony. We have to pick two images and then a self-portrait for this. Then, we have to select five more images for the commencement reception. 

I'm finding this a difficult task-summing up three years' work in a few select images. I have shots that I did back when I started that I love. I would say I've compiled a nice amount of work-I hadn't even realized it until I started searching for images. 

And now I have to choose. 

Hm.

Conundrum. I have different pieces that are different styles that I love. It's difficult to narrow it down. I realize now though, how much I do have! Wow. And I realize I need to put it all together in one folder so I can actually see how much I have done!! Right now, they are broken up into this folder and that one, some here, some there. It's quite confusing. Yet, I still have to pick. hm.  The nice thing is that I can look back and see everything I have done!

Enough

While I can honestly say that I didn't do much today, that nothing has left me mentally exhausted and angry.  I've been around someone that seems to love to tell me how I do things wrong-someone who goes on about how she did all the work because the others in the group didn't-someone who seems to want to do it all herself while letting me sit around nothing, but when I complain about it responds, "I don't know why you feel that way."  And when I insist on doing something, hovers over my shoulder telling me what to do and how to do it. Then tells me I messed it up and proceeds to redo it all. 

No, I didn't do much except for get mentally beat up. Exhausting. 

I am done with it.