Road Trip... again

I drove out here originally with Zachary, and it was a blast. We stopped in Michigan for a few days which gave me adequate time to destress before I made it to Colorado. We left Michigan at about 6 in the evening and arrived in Colorado the next day at around noon because we drove through the night. Well, Zack did most of the night driving, thank you. It's not going to be quite the same this time around.

This time I'll be driving by myself across the country. (Make a long story short, the car needs to be inspected in PA every year, etc etc) I'll be leaving Vail Tuesday night after my double at work. I'll drive down to Littleton, get there at about 12:30am, and spend the night at Justin's. Wake up at around 6am, drive north to 80, and be on my way. It knocks about an hour an a half off the entire trip, which is worth it in the end.

From there, I'll probably stop in Chicago. According to Mapquest, it'll take me a little over 15 hours. 15 hours in one day doesn't seem too bad. Especially since State College is only an additional 600 miles or so from Chicago. Which makes the Thursday drive cake.

I'm burning about 20 CDs for the trip, and you can be sure to expect phone calls while I'm making the drive. If anyone else has any clever ideas for driving by yourself for 25 hours one way, and another 25 back, let me know. All suggestions are welcome. Til then, I'll see you, PA/NJ, in a few days. Vail, see ya in a couple weeks. (O, and please still have snow until then.... thanks)

Ranting and Raving

*Warning: post contains nothing but nonsense bitchings


So I don't like my new roomate. He's weird, uses my shit (the expensive stuff), and rearranges all my crap whenever he feels like. He yells on the phone in Spanish, which I don't find a very elegant language. Things have "magically" stopped working since he's been here. He holds weird hours since he works a graveyard shift 5 days a week, cooks all the time causing shit to be dirty all the time, and is just plain odd. I'm not even going to go into the Internet fiasco. Not amused.

My landlord is going to be the death of me. She's thrown out/taken crap of mine when she comes in here to "take what's hers." My beer pong table is sitting by the dumpster next to the condo, which is half mine, half Mike's. I don't appreciate the audacity she has in taking things that are mine when I don't know she's coming over and throwing it in the trash. She's supposedly selling this place and "doesn't think I'll have to be out before May 30." Which screws me in that I'm not going to find a place in Colorado to live for 2 months. Which makes my trip back East much closer than expected. I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. Reasoning with her is out of the question.

I've made no progress on any Grad applications for next year and thinking about it makes me want to throw up. And for that matter, people can stop asking me about it too. Or else I'll throw up on you.

I'm driving back East in about 2 weeks and have no driving partner. I've had a few promises fall through and I'm not happy about the situation. 26 hours one way and another 26 back by myself across the country doesn't sound like a stellar time. I have a feeling the trip home will be a bit awkward between not having really anywhere to belong, and seeing friends that have changed. (And I mean that in a good way, it's just not the same). I feel I've been replaced by both family and friends because I took the alternate route this year. I haven't seen anyone in months and everything has moved on without me. I'd spend less time in that week and half in NJ/PA if I could, but I can't drive 50 hours in a few days. This isn't a "screw you all" statement, just a frustrating realization.

All these issues are petty and I'm really just being a big baby about all of it. But you know how it is when all goes wrong all at the same time. I want to throw a temper-tantrum like a 2 year old. I want to scream as loud as I can and hope it helps to release a lot of my anxiety and stress. I'd ski it out, but I'm working double-time to make enough money to actually make this drive back East. So I have no more ski days, an odd roomate, a landlord that's the spawn of satan, no life next year, and a shitty week and half back East. Someone slap me and tell me to get over myself.

Vacation within a vacation

I sometimes forget that I live in a wonderful vacation resort, and then some friends visit.

James and Dan dropped by for the past week or so. Lots of drinking, skiing, eating, boozing, skiing, recreational activities, eating, and so much more. The skiing was intense, the eating was gourmet, and the boozing was a marathon. Beer pong was broken out for the last time on the infamous Olaf/Penn St table. An 80's power hour or two was taken on, and there was always room for apres. Daily achings and tight muscles only provided another excuse for alcohol.

Both boys kicked my ass on the slopes, but I held my own. I caught some air on a few mini jumps (like hell I'm doing the big ones kids) and I look a bit more graceful on moguls. And when I say graceful, I mean I can make about five turns before my ass gets cold again.

I realized this was my last real hoorah for the slopes this year. I may make a few more days. But between a drive home late March/early April, another trip home late April, and working doubletime to swing all this, I can kiss my powder days good-bye. I'm satisfied with my season, no regrets. I made lots of progress, beat up the skis real well, bent the shit out of my poles, and my head's still in tact. (Knock on wood - like I said, I still might get in a few more days)

Pictured are some of the activities that took place.