Good Times.

    Last summer, Travis and I went to the Bonnaroo Music Festival and, believe it or not, I worked as a security guard! Who know little me could cut somebody if she needed to? We drove down to NYC to catch a bus the last week of June and barely made it. Just one wrong turn made us almost miss the bus. Luckily, they waited and we were the last two to board. We even had to ask two girls to switch so we could sit together. What else would I have done if he wasn't there next to me during the shitty film after shitty film the bus drivers insisted on showing. Something tells me they bought these flicks at the $5 and Under bin at WalMart. One of the more memorable shouts from the back of the bus was when a boy with a barely perceptible feminine side, shouted "Babe City!" when Orlando Bloom came on the screen for the first time in, what I think is a major candidate for worst movie ever, Elizabethtown.

Some of the other candidates, interestingly enough, were also showed on this bus trip:

1- Bewitched - with Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman. Also, this DVD must have gotten roughed up pretty bad somewhere along the rode, my guess is by someone who also hated this movie. The voices were slightly off the entire movie and I couldn't help but feel a motion sickness in addition to the motion sickness I already had for riding in a bus for 30 hours, sleeping for most of them.

2- Harold and Maude - I've actually heard recently that this movie is pretty good, but I have to say, I really didn't have a clue as to what was going on. My cousin even got this movie for me for Christmas, but haven't watched it yet. Maybe I should try it out soon.

3- New York Minute - Yes, it's true. And get this ---some kids on the bus brought it so they could watch it! And since it was a movie, it was obviously over the allotted half hour slot we usually had to put up with watching Full House back in the day.

I mentioned that I slept for 28 of the 30 hours it took to get back to NYC after Bonnaroo was over. That was because Travis and I worked 12 hour night shifts there, 3 out of the 5 nights we were there. We worked 8 to 8, and when we finished a shift, a golf cart would come pick us up and drive us back to the staff tent area where we'd grab a quick breakfast and hurry to bed before it got too hot to sleep, around noon. We were fortunate enough to pitch our tent in another large air-conditioned tent, but it still got to be about 90 in there in the day.

The one night we didn't work, we were supposed to. They scheduled us even though we requested it off when they hired us. Beck and Radiohead were playing that night, and we couldn't miss it, so we missed out on a nights' pay instead. Even though both were still pretty new to me, I knew I'd appreciate them more after this, and I definitely do. Also, this was night 4 and by that time, I was undoubtedly beginning to smell a little ripe as I had not had access to what I consider a "showerable shower." On one of our many meanderings around the campgrounds, Travis and I came across this giant mushroom that served as a public shower for all the other sweaty hippies. So right before the Beck concert, I stood under the mushroom in my bathing suit and washed my hair.

Bonnaroo definitely left a lasting impression on me, so that's why me and Travis decided to go back. They just announced the bands and The Flaming Lips and White Stripes will be there. Not to mention The Police and Martha Wainwright.  Well, here's the link.
We're not going to work this year, because Utica College decided not to take advantage of me for once after I walked through the door today. Excess loan money is on the way in check form with my name on it! And it's going to help fund our travels this summer.

Other than Bonnaroo, which was just decided today that we were going to go, we had already planned a cross-country road trip for this summer and every last dime we could put aside, we did and still are. Our plans are to head Northwest after we hopefully make a stop in Vermont to visit Amee', into Canada then down into the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana and possibly Oregon. After going on my first camping trip this past August, I've become a big fan of it, so that's what we're planning to do most of the way with a few exceptions of staying with friends or friends of friends along the way, and a motel every now and then for a "showerable shower." With camping, we have the option of sleeping in a tent or my car if we need to. We're used to it, being that we slept in it many a night, sleeping under the soft orange glow and dull buzzing of the Home Depot sign, in a few different locations.
And the other day, Brian invited us to visit him in Washington DC over Spring Break. Travis's sister lives there too so we're going to be in the company of awesome people in a place other than here. It'll help my wintertime blues, I think.

Travis's dad is going to show us how to fish before we go, and I'm looking forward to the experience. Travis and Erin can't believe that I've grown up without ever fishing before, or having a bonfire or hearing coyotes howl after sunset. I'm happy to be experiencing these things. Being surrounded by nature makes me happy. Did I mention what a clear sky is like out here? I've never seen so many stars. I also enjoy having a huge yard with flowers and little gardens everywhere. Charles and Christy are our downstairs neighbors, and she's into gardening and let me pick flowers for the apartment anytime I wanted. We're thinking about putting in a vegetable garden as soon as all of this freakin' snow melts!

This entry is reminding me of so many good times I've had in the last year...

Like my birthday. It lasted a week! And barbecues almost every night! Charles and Christy had a big party with a chili cookoff, which is just what the three hungover ladies needed after a night of steady drinking and dancing at Space26! 
Or the first time I hung out with Charles and Christy. They were sitting outside at their little tiki bar thing and were about to have a little chat with Ben and they invited me to join them. I took an instant liking to both of them, some of the greatest people I've ever met.
I've also met some great people over the past year as well, many of who hung out with us in our abode. Like Greg and Erin and Travis and I playing Twister and drinking heavily. Or Jared and his cousin stopping by for my birthday and a little star-gazing and bug-burning.

More recently, Travis and I have had many memorable days here in the apartment, being snowed in for 3 days. Our road was closed, because it's a big open highway with unbelievable wind drifts that impair your ability to see anything other than sheer white. It's eerie, transcendental almost.  We braved the storm and went and picked Erin up one day, along with a bottle of Bacardi Rose (ping!) and some movies we picked up at the library. Also while snowed in, I discovered an enjoyment for the game Grand Theft Auto, I tried out new recipes, and read my book. It was nice not to have school or work for 3 days on the account of the snow.

I'm equally excited for the times ahead as I am for the ones that have passed.