Puppy Love

I have to find a home for my dog.

This makes me sadder than you probably realize, considering I haven't seen him in well over two months.

Here's the story:

When I broke up with my ex, he laid claim to the dog. At the time I was feeling a little rebellious and considered saying no, since I was the one who paid for doggy daycare, training, etc (not to mention taking the dog to these things). On the other hand, my ex was the one who was more interested in activities like cross-country skiing and the like. Also, once I had a little while to think I realized that I would probably end up moving to Houston, traveling out of the country and generally live in upheaval. Well, I guess that I've got a pretty good sense of my path, since I have done all of those things. There were also the ex's kids to consider, thus, the dog stayed.

How can you say no to that face?

And now, the dog must go. As far as I know that is probably for the best. My former fiance isn't in a position to take care of the dog the way he deserves, and Jack is too sweet, social and active to be stuck in a kennel. He and I got along fine together cooped up in the house over the winter, but that was with a lot of love and a big yard. Now he isn't getting that, so my ex has decided that Jack needs a new home.

My heart is broken. On the one hand I've started trolling real estate websites for listings of small houses and apartments to rent in Houston where I can have a dog. On the other, I know that I wouldn't be doing Jack a service by bringing him down here. While I fantasize about taking him to Memorial Park, finding doggy play groups, going out to the farm and all that good stuff, I also know that I want to leave the country again for an extended period of time before the end of the year. Not to mention that round-the-world ticket I've got kicking around in the back of my mind.....

So, now Jack needs a home. My ex wants to send him to Mountain Mutts in Gunnison until they can find a suitable situation for him through them, but I hate that idea. I would really rather know where he was and who was taking care of him. Jack is one of the most affectionate and kind creatures I have ever known, I would hate to think that some perfect stranger had him. I thought that the situation with my ex was perfect because I knew Jack had a good life. But apparently that isn't possible any more.

All right. I should quit whining. But I feel really torn right now. I see other friends with dogs and I REALLY want to have Jack in my life. But I also know that it's not a good decision right now given my circumstances. Before I had a house, a fiance, a definite future in a place where the dog could thrive... now all I have is a bunch of clothing, a house that's going on the market soon, a room at my Dad's (thank you Daddy!!!), and a Rav4 I'll be collecting when I return to Gunni.

Ok. I'm done whining about that. More news:

I miss walking everywhere and have started walking places in Houston. Very liberating and enjoyable - though a short-lived endeavor given the rising temperatures.

I joined a gym today. Month-to-month, but I think it bespeaks a permanence in Houston. Woohoo!

I cooked again for the first time since I was engaged last night. It was liberating, though I still have yet to cook for myself when I'm alone. It usually takes someone else to cook for before I'll do so.

Well, that's about it. Here's this.

Cheers!

Jet Lag? Or Hell?

My jet lag is horrific at this point. Night before last I went to bed at one and woke at five thirty. Last night I went to bed at two and woke up at seven. What is wrong with me? I was full of bluster the first day I got back - 'Oh, all you need is a little sleep deprivation! Look at me, I feel great!' Well, now I feel like I'm moving through syrup... which sounds cooler than the sensation is. Not to mention I have about a ka-jillion things to do now that I'm back in the States... which makes my desire to curl up on the couch watching Downton Abbey (or going and buying Diablo III to fritter away my whole summer) unlikely to happen any time soon. Ugh... can I still be on vacation for awhile longer? It seems strange that I don't have a job, and yet I still have all these things I need to do. Wow, could I whine any more?

Overall though, Houston is treating me pretty well. It's nice to be back with my Dad and friends I made before I left. I'm definitely looking forward to spending my summer here, even though it's already starting to get pretty warm. August is gonna be a B.I.T.C.H. (Bit of Intense Temperature Causing Heatstroke - damn, I'm clever). C'est la vie, there's always pools available. Now I just need to work on that swimsuit body... Jordan definitely took a toll on my healthy eating habits.

Well, rather than having anything that's really profound to post today, I thought I would go ahead and just entertain you with some bits and pieces I found on the internetz this morning while I couldn't sleep. Since I watched LotR on the flight from Frankfurt (under the influence of Xanax - the melodrama was fabulous), I dug up these two gems from the youtube vaults for some giggles:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE-1RPDqJAY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihMMw0rnKz4

Also, I found this on verydemotivational.com.

THIS is so true.

Alrighty. That's about it for now. Hopefully I'll be less cracked out on sleep deprivation tomorrow and actually give you a decent post. I've decided that since I don't have any incredible trips planned in the foreseeable future, I should catch you up on other aspects of my life as well as my previous experiences/trips... but I'm too lazy right now.

Cheers!

Back in the USA

I'm back in America. Joy. Ecstasy. Excitement.

Can you feel the sarcasm?

The best things about being back in the States:

1) Seeing my dad (and the rest of my family).
2) Understanding conversations around me (not knowing what people are saying is like being on the outside of a really elaborate inside joke).
3) Long hot showers (Jordan is water-poor and I was in the green capital of Spain... thank God for Houston's abundance of H2O).
4) My own bathroom (for those long hot showers, as well as a prolonged eyebrow plucking session this morning).
5) Netflix (it doesn't work in Jordan, as I found out to my dismay a month ago).
6) Parking lots (Only applies to Jordan - Amman is short on 'traditional' parking lots).

...yeah. That's about it. There are other small things I'll discover as I go along I'm sure, but those are the ones that have really hit me since I've been back.

Well, last time I posted I was still in Spain. Guess I should catch you up a bit.

My last day in Spain I toured around Vitoria some more. I ended up checking out an armory museum that had weapons and armor from the Stone Age all the way until WWII - a very extensive collection. Sadly, the displays were only in Basque and Spanish, so I didn't understand all of it, but my nerdy medieval fantasy lit knowledge came in handy as I was able to fill in the blanks (thank you, Tamora Pierce). Other than the suits of armor and weaponry, they also had models of the battle in Vitoria between Napoleon and the British, which were pretty awesome. After that we went briefly to the playing card museum - apparently Vitoria produces the playing cards most often used in casinos (a 40 card deck, not a normal 52 card deck... though I have NO IDEA what games you play with a 40 card deck). There were all sorts of cards in the museum, some of my favorites included "La Cabaña del Tío Tom" playing cards - complete with racist depictions of African Americans. That evening Pablo had a wedding to attend, so I toured the Old Cathedral that is currently under re-construction. The cathedral was incredible, made even more so by the fact that it has no floor, has had the foundation half dug out, forcing us to walk around on scaffolding wearing safety helmets. The tour (conducted entirely in Spanish) was incomprehensible, but I'm really glad I did it, since I got an opportunity to walk around in the 'backstage' where the nuns and monks would usually walk - twisting spiral staircases and high balconies that looked over the entire space. What a treat!

The next day I took a bus back to Madrid and caught my flight to Amman, stopping briefly in the EXTREMELY overpriced airport in Cairo ($5 for a cup of regular coffee? You've gotta be kidding me!) and arriving back in Jordan at 2a.m. I had a day in Jordan, long enough to see my cousin's office, say goodbye to various family members and have a family lunch - then I was back on a plane by 2a.m. again to return to the States.

I have to say this at least once - I HATE the Frankfurt airport. It's not the airport so much (thus far I've had two of the greatest naps of my life on their relatively comfortable benches), it's the security. Is it just me, or are they awful to everyone else too? I got positively violated by a barrel-like fraulein who was a little too pleased with her metal detector. While I think that people in the States are a little too uptight about their 'rights being infringed on' with the new imaging tech (really, who cares if they can see your panties), I had this woman basically molest me in public trying to find out what was making the metal detector go off (in the region of my crotch). I was wearing SWEATPANTS for Pete's sake, and she kept waving the thing around like she was going to expelliarmus my lady bits. Then she dragged me into a tiny area with a flimsy curtain that she didn't shut completely before asking me to take off my pants. I was shocked (What, you're not even going to buy me a drink first?), but she insisted, so I slid my pants down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone (including the people that I'm sure could see me as they got their passports checked). She kept flailing the metal detector around and it KEPT FRIGGING BEEPING right around my privates. Now, believe me, I would be the first to admit if there was something to keep the detector going off (Whoops! Wore my metal panties to the airport again! Just call me Maid Marian.), but there was NOTHING there. I really don't think she knew how to use the thing... or if it was working properly. Finally she looked up at me and asked "Prezig?"

I looked at her like she was crazy. "What? Sorry I don't understand." ...all the while blushing so hard I thought I was going to pass out. I mean, I'm confident in my body, etc, but at 6:30 in the morning after my second long international flight in 24 hours without more than a couple hours of sleep - I was ready to keep my goddamn clothes ON, thank you very much.

"Peerzig!?" she said again, looking at me earnestly, her face about six inches away from mine. Then she made a jabbing gesture toward my nether regions (waaaaaay too close for comfort. I mean, this lady got further with me than my high school boyfriend).

Then, it clicked. "Oooooooh. Piercing?" She nodded sharply. "Uh, nope. No piercing." She took a long, hard look down there. Fearing that she would give me some sort of security pap-smear followed up by a cavity search, my stomach plummeted. The last thing in the world that I want is to be taken advantage of in the Frankfurt airport... well, by a tubby security woman, that is.

One of the other security people (the woman watching the proceedings and 'guarding' the curtain) pulled the fraulein off before she could rip my undies down. All of a sudden, I was free to go. I don't think I've ever snatched up my luggage and belongings so quickly. Within 15 seconds I was outta there.

So, suffice it to say, I was really excited that I had brought Xanax with me. Also that I was going back to the States where if they infringe on your rights, at least they do so out of the view of witnesses.

After a five hour wait in the airport, followed by an eleven hour flight, landing in Houston was positively delightful. My dad was waiting for me in the airport, and when I got home he had plenty of wine (and a delicious dinner) on hand. I could barely speak from exhaustion (and the wine/Xanax combination - remind me to avoid that one in the future), but it definitely made for an incredible night's sleep; I barely feel any jet lag today. There's something to be said about staying up on the entire flight when traveling internationally - that way at least you'll sleep like a mofo no matter what time it is when you arrive... though that may not be a good thing if you get there during the day. In that case, my advice is to have wine on hand. Wine heals many ills.

Well. Now I'm in Houston. I just had a lovely lunch at Mission Burritos (mmm, tortilla soup), and I'm currently doing laundry and attempting to find my ticket back to Colorado on the 25th... this merger between Continental and United is a pain in the arse. Though if I don't find it perhaps I'll extend my stay in Houston a little longer.....

Here's this. It fits.

Cheers!

Basque Country Day Two

'ello, readers! When I left you last night I was headed out for a promenade through Vitoria - and what a promenade it was! My friend Pablo had said, 'Eh, maybe thirty minute walk?' - which I knew was probably understating how late we would be out, but I went along with it. I'm here to experience new cultures, not new couches in random parts of the world! I assumed we'd walk around for a bit, maybe meet up with his friend that still lives in town, get a beer, be back by midnight.

Well, there was no beer. We didn't meet up with his friend. Instead, we walked all around the old part of the city... and we didn't get back until about 2a.m. It. Was. Fabulous.

One of the nice things about taking a walking tour at night was the fact that there were no cars driving. Like... at all. There were some parked on the street, but I think I saw three cars in motion the entire time we were in the old part of town. Vitoria is the green capital of Europe for 2012 for a reason - a lot of people walk, there are great bike paths, they have made a huge effort to protect the areas around the city from urban sprawl, etc. And, like Madrid, there are statues EVERYWHERE. It's so lovely, the old part town is like a museum of classical art, modern, history and architecture.

Vitoria has four main 'towers' from old cathedrals. There are also some 'newer' cathedrals and churches (Pablo kept telling me about the modern architecture... of like 1850), but the important ones are from anywhere between the 11th and 15th centuries. Historians said Vitoria was settled in around 1180A.D. or so, but recent discoveries of skeletons in one of the cathedrals proved to be from about 700A.D. Thus, historians are reluctant to make claims about the age of the city now. 

The culture of the area is almost overwhelming. Everywhere you look there is graffiti calling for Basque independence or for the return of the prisoners held in France and other parts of Spain. Basque separatism is a huge political issue, though I was told that they are still the minority. The culture of the Basque region is different than the rest of Spain; their language is the oldest in Europe, they have a different style of living, and they consider themselves to be autonomous from the rest of the country. While this has always been the case, under the regime of Franco, people in the region were forced to speak Spanish, and certain Basque speakers were jailed for continuing to speak in their native tongue. This sparked a lot of discontent among the people in the region, which is still a problem today. I had heard a little about the violence of the separatists (apparently they've been likened to the IRA, though the politics separatist movements are very different for the two factions) before my trip, but apparently there were plenty of terrible acts committed for the 'sake of independence.' Thankfully, the most radical Basque group (the one that is currently being held outside of the Basque region for the violent acts they've committed) has signed a permanent cease-fire. If you want to know more, I'm sure you can look it up, but it's just interesting to be in an area where the opinions are so strong. There is little violence now (maybe just some teenagers screwing around, nothing serious), but in the past it was a major concern. 

These were the subjects of my walk last night; art, history, politics, jazz... there's a big jazz festival every year in Vitoria - they even have a statue of Wynton Marsalis leaning against a park bench where they have the names of all the major jazz groups that have performed here over the years; Muddy Waters, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, etc. 

We ended up walking through the Vitoria train station, checking out the tracks. Pablo is a nut for trains; he's actually heading on a trip to take the Trans-Siberian Railway this summer with his brother. It's funny, he's so delighted by trains that I've been completely inspired to take more trains in the future. 

By the time I got to bed (next to the model train that Pablo's family has put together over the years) I was delirious with exhaustion... definitely forgot to say thank you and goodnight again. I'll have to work harder on that!

Today we toured around the countryside. Pablo's brother Miguel took us to a bunch of old towns and to see some reservoirs in the countryside. The region reminds me a lot of Colorado - it's ridiculously green, there are tons of pine trees (and other deciduous trees as well, though I'm not sure the names of them), and cows EVERYWHERE. Also, I saw a lot of very shaggy (and very fat) horses and ponies. So cute.

I'm in love. Everywhere you look there's another old church, or someone is road biking, or you pass by a quasi-modern statue. Did I mention it's beautiful? And the people are incredibly outdoors-y and active? And that all the signs are in Basque and Spanish?

Okay, I'm done gushing.

So, that's about all I have to report for the day. We're heading back out for some shopping, etc. this afternoon, then I believe it's beers and pintxos again tonight... we'll see. I'm just sort of going along with a huge grin on my face and no idea what's happening next. It's been pretty awesome.

All right. I'm off to find some coffee... and maybe some chocolate. We'll see what Vitoria has to offer in the way of mid-afternoon pick-me-ups!

Cheers!

Greetings From the Basque Country!

Remember when I said that I wanted to travel and decided to start saying yes to things rather than no?

Well, I'm in Spain.

I can blame this trip on that desire. Completely. But it's definitely a good thing...

I booked at ticket on the fifth, left on the eighth, and am now sitting in Vitoria, Spain with my head spinning.

Yesterday I flew into Madrid after a CRAZY early flight from Amman to Cairo. My friend met me at the airport (having flew in two hours before me) and we took the train into Madrid. Before I packed to come he warned me that I probably wanted a backpack, so I asked around my family members in Amman until I found one. It has a couple holes, but I did my best to patch it up before I came. I'm so happy I did - we ended up walking around Madrid for at least five hours, taking in all the sites. We hit the major places, the Plaza Mayor, Sol, the large park (I have no idea what it's called) - the entire time feeling like I was in some sort of movie. At one point we walked by a complete Egyptian temple that was given to Spain by Egypt after some sort of political assistance was given between the two. The irony of having been in Cairo for three hours that morning and walking by an Egyptian temple in Spain was mildly overwhelming. A last minute ticket combined with two hours of sleep and a complete change of scenery left me floored and prone to such comparisons.

Pablo (my friend) did an excellent job acting as a tour guide. He is from the Basque region of Spain, so he's very familiar with Madrid, though only as the capital. He has a bunch of friends living there, however, so after walking most of the city (it felt like), we went to his friend's apartment just long enough to put down our backpacks before we headed back out for pintxos (pronounced pinchos, similar to tapas) and beer. After a few bites I was tuckered out, so we headed back. I don't even think I said goodnight before I crawled into bed - next time I'll remember to be more polite before falling into a coma-like sleep.

Today we headed out of Madrid to Vitora, taking a bus. Pablo really likes trains and would have liked that better, but the new high-speed train from Madrid to Vitora is €50. The bus, however, was only about €25 - much more reasonable. Along the way he gave me a brief history of the Basque region (I'm too tired to explain it all here, just google Basque if you're interested). Something to note though is the fact that Vitoria was named Europe's greenest city for the year. Very cool.

His mom met us at the bus station, as I'll be staying with them for the next three days (four? I can't remember). She doesn't speak a lot of English, and my Spanish is rusty to say the least, but we were able to bond over the fact that we think Pablo should cut his dreadlocks (called rastas in Spain - so cool!). We walked through Vitora (once again, thank God for that backpack) and ended up in a lovely square where Pablo's parents (Ignacio y Yolanda) live. I totally feel like I'm intruding, but Pablo has assured me that they're used to hosting various friends. Honestly, I'm so lucky that I met someone who's willing to act a tour guide to Spain and find places for me to stay... There's a reason why I knew I should take advantage of the opportunity while I could!

Well, we just had dinner and I think I'm going to go on a 'promenade' (I love the English that they speak). I'm completely exhausted out of my mind (sorry if this blog post makes little or no sense... and for all the parentheses), but I don't want to miss out on anything!

Cheers!

The Spice Must Flow

Hello, all! Sorry there was no post yesterday, it was the Jordanian equivalent of a Saturday and the family was hanging out for most of the day. It was pretty nice.

Did you know that traditionally the Jordanian weekend was Thursday/Friday? It has been changed to Friday/Saturday due to the fact that they essentially were out of sync with the Western world for four days out of the week, making international business pretty hard to conduct. Thus, Thursday night is the big night out for most Jordanians, and Friday lunch is a big family affair. Also, lunch is the major meal of the day, not dinner. Typically it's a light breakfast, large lunch, and small dinner. I love the meal schedule... not to mention the INCREDIBLE food. The food here is absolutely amazing. Lots of cooked veggies, rice, delicious hummus and mutabel (baba ganoush), and there's always fruit for dessert. I could dedicate an entire blog post to just the fruit - it's unlike anything we get in grocery stores in the States. I'm wondering whether or not it would be worth a shot trying to bring some of the melon back with me...

Last post I talked about my desire to travel more... honestly, I'm looking at the months I'll be in the States as an extended period in which to run errands and make some money, then heading back out. It's strange. Even though I really want to travel around, I can also start to sense complacency creeping back in. I really want to get back to Houston to see my friends that I've made there, as well as my dad and his partner. I can't wait to get back to Poison Girl and to check out what crazy midnight showings are at the River Oaks theatre for the week and a half I'm there... but I have to fight the urge to just ease back into a life without really examining why I'm there. I got caught up in my life in Colorado that way, without realizing what I might be giving up without exploring before settling. Now I'm terrified of doing the same thing in a place that's cooler, but still may end up being a lovely trap where I realize in four years that I'm completely unhappy. So, with this in mind, I've devised of an escape plan.

I will force myself to leave in October for another extended stay in Jordan.

I'm planning on taking an internship with an organization here in October, then (fingers crossed), I'll be invited to be the social media maven for Jack Hanna's 'Into the Wild.' After that, back to the States. Then in January I hope to be off again! Regardless of how amazing life is in Houston (and I'm worried that it might end up being pretty awesome), I'm going to go... that is, if everything works out according to plan. Which it will........... I hope.

So, I'm on to Children of Dune now in the series. I have never gotten this far without being completely disappointed in Frank Herbert; I guess it's a sign of maturity? When I would read Dune before it was a nerd-gasm of delight and happiness. I LOVED the messiah story of Paul Atredies, not to mention the rise to power of the Fremen people. Then I would read Dune Messiah and freak out. Dune Messiah is such a buzz kill after Dune. ****Spoiler Alert**** The government is corrupt? Chani dies?!? Paul goes blind?!?!? HE WANDERS INTO THE DESERT TO DIE?!?!?!?!?!? What the heck. I've made it through the book before, but I always really resisted and hated it. After Dune Messiah I've read Children of Dune once. It's pretty sad. I've read Dune 15+ times, Dune Messiah three times, Children of Dune once. But this time, I've made it all the way through to Children of Dune without throwing any of the books in disgust - a first (and it's a good thing too, since I'm reading the books on my Kindle).

I have a confession to make about the books: Brian Herbert's introduction helped me get through them. It's not just maturity, it's also the intros that he wrote to each of the books, particularly the intro to Dune Messiah that helped me understand the method to Frank Herbert's madness. I know, I know! I'm fully aware that Brian Herbert is riding on his father's coattails and stealing his ideas to write more Dune books which completely ruins the canon and needlessly commercializes the success of Dune as his father is probably spinning in his grave! But, regardless, it was nice to hear that Frank Herbert had a different vision for the Dune saga than just a meteoric rise, even if it's hard to see your heroes as flawed creatures (particularly Paul Atredies and Stilgar).

Ok. I'm done being a nerd. Love Children of Dune, though. I love the whole series (finally!). Now that I have enough time to sit down and actually read something, it's been a lovely story to read as I'm in the land where the culture inspired the novel.

Here's my clip for the day: not the usual, but amusing.

Alright. Well, that's enough of my rambling.

Cheers!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Continuing with my desire to travel more - I'm now currently in the process of trying to book a ticket to Spain. I made a friend along the crazy JTBNA trip who is going to be in Spain for part of the summer who invited me to come join his adventures. Though I don't know him very well, he seems like he would be a good traveling companion... and he's from the Basque region of Spain. I've said it time and time again - it's always better to travel somewhere with someone who knows their way around. In that spirit, I've gotten the blessing of my mother, father and various family members, so I'm doing it...

...if I can figure out how to get there.

I have a ticket to Frankfurt that then connects on to Houston. My plan was to find a connecting flight from Frankfurt to Spain, which I assumed wouldn't be more than $200-300. Then I was told that the budget airlines fly in the area and it's easy to get a ticket somewhere between €20-80, but now I'm having a heckuva time trying to book the flight. All of the big companies have tickets that range from $575-800 (in which case it would be better to just fly from Amman), which is CRAZY. I've been able to find some of the smaller budget airlines with more competitive ticket pricing, but they have weird schedules that don't work with mine. I'm also looking at trains - it would be pretty cool to go through France on a train - but the tickets are expensive as well.

We'll see. I might have a lead on a ticket, but there are all the fees to consider too... airlines really don't like you screwing around with your ticket too much. I'm also battling with internet connection that keeps dropping out, so I can't call the airlines from my aunt's Magic Jack, and I certainly don't have the minutes on my Jordanian cell to duke it out with United for the appropriate length of time (not to mention, I don't know if they even have a local number to call....). Honestly, I don't even know if I'll be able to put up this blog post today, let alone book my international flights. How did people figure out how/when/where to go before the internet? Well, travel agencies I guess, but still.

Ugh. Craziness.

In other news I went and got my hair trimmed today (a very satisfactory job), as well as doing some shopping. I didn't buy much (as I'm anticipating spending some $$$ on this ticket), but it's always fun to look. In about an hour I'm off to get a mani/pedi with a new friend which should be fun.

So, that's about it for now. Here's a cute video to give you an idea of where I want to go.

Cheers!

YOLO

Hello, faithful readers! So: I'm not going to be posting about my crazy trip through Jordan that I took the last two weeks. Wait! Before you inundate me with emails and messages expressing outrage and dismay (can you sense the sarcasm here?), lemme 'splain.

I'm writing for the Jordan Tourism Board North America about the trip. Thus, I have been trying to edit out my more personal comments. Thus, it makes for some un-Hali-esque prose. Not bad, just not... me. I've also recently gotten some feedback from my writing group that what they like about my blog isn't the 'here's a list of where I've been' - it's been my personal experiences. Bizarre, right? I had a feeling that I was being too impersonal, but apparently it took them telling me for it to really click. Thus, I will continue my chronicles throughout Jordan on the JTBNA blog (which I will provide a link to because you really should read it - it's awesome), while continuing my personal journey through Jordan on here.

Now you know (and knowledge is power!). So, on to other news: I don't want to go home. I don't mean that in the 'I want to stay here forever!' kind of way. That's not the case. I mean, I adore it here and could see spending more time here (particularly to hang more with my family), but I mean more in the sense that I'm ready for more adventures. I don't want to go home and hang up my hat and hope for another trip sometime in the future. I want to go NOW. Thus, my dilemma. I have to return to the States for some loose ends that need to be tied up (no big deal, just a house that needs to be put on the market - cue maniacal laughter), but I'm feeling very ready to see the rest of the world. Well, not all of it, that would be a little impossible for one trip - but a good chunk. Honestly, I'm thinking that circumnavigation of the globe would be pretty sweet.

I'm not really sure why I have a drive to travel so badly right now. I have always loved traveling, but I've also had my reservations about traveling alone in the past. Safety always seemed like an issue, not to mention that I wouldn't have anyone to rely on or any clue as to where to go. But as I've gotten older (particularly at this stage in my life), I realize that that's just my insecurities. I have the ability to go anywhere and do what I like (to a certain extent), I don't need to rely on anyone else to help me. Why not go alone?

At this point, I'm not even really sure who I am any more. There was who I was in my previous relationship: about to be married, learning to climb, skiing, cooking every night, working on the house, messing around on the internet too much, being a step-mom and essentially, a wife. There's who I was in school: a bit of a know-it-all, diving into certain types of research, taking on new responsibilities because they were available, doing well in my classes without any huge effort. Who I was at work: rules minded, OCD, responsible. Family and friends I won't even get into. But I'm not really sure who I am as an individual. The last time I was truly alone, without influences, was at University of Puget Sound my first year of college. That time didn't work out so well, I went back to Crested Butte after a year. I have never been truly alone - and while I would never move anywhere where I didn't have a connection, even if just a friend or relative, I want some time to figure myself out. One of the major positives of taking a long trip around the world: I'll definitely figure out who I am... probably pretty quickly. I read a great article last night that inspired me even more than I was already, due to the complete practicality of the reasons they explain. I have no idea where I want to be or what I want to do with my life (going from about to be married with a house to single without even a town to call home is kind of a readjustment), I'm hoping that maybe this will give me an idea. I'm also a little concerned about clinging to the first thing that seems like a good option (*cough*Houston*cough*), which may end up being the best thing for me... but I won't know unless I explore my options first. As my gorgeous amazing well traveled cousin pointed out to me last night, if I don't go now, I might never go. It gets a lot harder when you have a job/relationship/place you actually care about...

I won't belabor the point any more without knowing what I'm actually doing. Just be aware that this is what's going on in the back of my mind at the moment - hopefully I can make it happen.

On another note, I went climbing for the first time yesterday at the climbing gym here (Climbat). It was a decent gym for someone spoiled by outdoor climbing/the gym in Boulder (Movement I think...?). I'm definitely sore today, I haven't been climbing since the last time I went with my ex. It was weird, I got super emotional when I was getting back in the car, I've never been climbing-tired with anyone else besides my former fiance. It might seem stupid, but I got pretty teary eyed just thinking of what I would have said to him when we got in the car together. The days of "Bear and Kitten" are gone... which I'm usually okay with. It had its run and it's over. But for some reason the climbing really got to me. Well, as Jad said, I need to have new positive experiences doing the things I love now.

Today I went back to the Royal Stables to meet with the Princess Alia Foundation. They're such incredible people, I leapt at the opportunity to return and check out the new babies that have been born in the last few days (Five new foals! The cuteness was overwhelming!!!). The visit was pretty quick, but I'm hoping to do some work with them while I'm here, since I don't want to just laze around and blog (cue more maniacal laughter).

Okay. Here's my closing thought/video. Sorry there's no actual video, it was the best quality recording I could find.

Cheers!

Oh! And to those of you who have no idea what the title of my blog post means, it stands for 'you only live once.'

Day One of the Recap

What is this thing... a blog? I have a blog? It seems like it's been ages since I've done that thing you call blogging...

Just kidding. Though it has been awhile since my last post. There's so much to catch you up on!!!

So, a lot has happened and I don't feel its fair to inundate you with the full experience in one or two posts. Also, I don't want to leave anything out (or kill myself by cramming every detail into one novel of a post).  Thus, I have devised of a solution. I will blog about the trip day by day so I don't leave anything out or jump around too much. I could go on and on about the RSCN for four posts, and the New Hope Center for three, but it's probably better to do everything chronologically. That way I don't get confused and leave things out or repeat myself.

So. I guess that means I start with day one? That's probably the best place...

Well, we met with everyone who helped put the trip together the night before we headed out. This was our first opportunity to shake hands with the guys we would spend the better part of the next two weeks with. Everyone got together at Wild Jordan, an amazing restaurant/cooperative/meeting place in downtown Amman. My cousin Malia Asfour (the director of the Jordan Tourism Board North America) and I met with Ehab Eid as well as a whole slew of other people who helped put the trip together, as well as Connor Eberhart and Rick Prebeg, the guys from Jack Hanna's 'Into the Wild.' Rick does the scouting trips for the show and Connor is a camera man who came along to shoot some footage that they might not be able to get in the fall (like grass, for example). It was nice to finally meet the people that I flew across the world to work with. Rick and Connor were both very nice that night, sitting through an epically long meeting on our itinerary for the trip without a peep, despite the fact that they had stepped off the plane two hours before! The meeting was important though, as it helped establish the two main organizations we would be working with - the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and the Princess Alia Foundation. These two groups essentially put together our itinerary and we would work with them almost exclusively looking for wild animals (and some not-so-wild-ones) in Jordan.

After the meeting we had dinner. Wild Jordan is a gorgeous restaurant. It looks out over the city from the side of a hill, with the Citadel right across the way. Once dinner was finished we made our move to leave (it was 11p.m. at this point) and headed home.

The next day we met up early to head to Ajloun Forest Reserve (under the purview of the RSCN). We picked up Rick and Connor in a van along with our guide Mohammed. Also tagging along with us were Ehab, the head of the conservation department of the RSCN, and Louay, the head ecologist for Dibeen. On the way we stopped by the Zarqa river which was beautiful. The Zarqa is called the Jabbok river in the Old Testament, apparently the site where Jacob wrestled an angel. Well, it's a little polluted now. Jordan has a problem with littering and pollution (a la Mexico now or the U.S. before our crying Indian campaigns), so it was a little depressing, but still gorgeous. We continued on our way to Ajloun, stopping by the site of a future school for eco-guides. We dropped off our stuff in the cabins (which are absolutely gorgeous) at the lodge, then headed back out. First we went to the Calligraphy House, which aims to continue the tradition of Arabic calligraphy. With the help of the RSCN and some grants they have sent people to school for calligraphy and are now giving demonstrations on the art form. It was awesome, I can't believe that the words that say the same thing could look so different!

Connor, Rick and I holding our names

Next we went to the soap house where we watched women make olive oil soaps. It was lovely to see, all they were using were natural ingredients from the area and caustic soda from the Dead Sea. Not to mention, the shop smelled AMAZING. Definitely a fan of the pomegranate hand soap. After that we stopped by the biscuit house where they make natural energy bars, fruit leather, and cookies. The shop was closed down as it was a weekend for them (Jordanian weekends are Friday/Saturday). Each of the shops employs all local women and were opened specifically to give women a profession in the area around Ajloun. Their products were incredible - I can't speak highly enough of them.

The view from the Biscuit House

After seeing these places we went back and had lunch. Then we took a hike to a hide where apparently you can see roe deer in the mornings. Roe deer were extinct in Jordan and have just been reintroduced to the area. There is a breeding population in Ajloun now, which is a great success for the RSCN. After that we took a ride over to Dibeen park, which was full of picnickers. The park is a recreation site for people from three different cities and receives very heavy traffic as a result. Despite this, apparently the Persian squirrel has taken refuge there. 

We're out hunting squirrels...

We did not see a squirrel, though we heard much made of them. My aunt couldn't believe that there were any squirrels there. She's been in Jordan since the 60's and wouldn't believe Ehab and Louay. Despite this, we had fun traipsing around in the woods.

Next we went looking for a bat that has taken up residence in old bunkers that served as field hospitals during the last war (which war I wasn't quite sure on). The bats didn't show that day, so we were 0/2 on squirrels and bats... though I did find some really cool seed pods!

Pretty seed pods!

We drove up to the top of Dibeen to look out over the vista which was incredible. What a gorgeous place; no wonder it is so heavily used.

Looking out over Dibeen

After all this we were definitely hungry and tired (most of us were still jet lagged on top of a crazy day), so we were grateful to be back in Ajloun at the lodge for dinner. After dinner we chatted for a bit then hit the hay. I read about two words of Dune before passing out and not moving until the next morning. 

So, that was day one of our trek. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to hear more about our crazy travels...

Well, right now my cousin is going to take me climbing at a gym here. I hope skin-tight running pants are acceptable, though I think climbing communities are going to be the same anywhere I go - at least in terms of what we wear.

Here's something random for you to enjoy this evening. I've been getting into a lot of music that I listened to before my ex and I got together (probably a safe bet at this point), and this is one song I keep coming back to.

Cheers!

I've Made Some Decisions...

The ladies chillin' in the shade.

So, I think I'm going to do this in stages. I obviously can't blog about my entire day every night because I'm either exhausted or I don't have any internet access. I have a TON of material and not enough time to write it in (I learned the hard way that writing in the van makes me carsick). Thus, I think I'm going to let go writing down the whole story daily, which I've been stressing out about, and write the full story after the fact. That way I can give full justice to each day. Though I do have to share a bit about my day today.

Today I went to the Royal Stables and the New Hope Center. The Royal Stables are an Arab horse breeding stable that focuses on maintaining the bloodlines of the foundation mares and stallions of the Jordanian stables. The horses are amazing and I'll post a ton of pictures of them (and I want to go live in one of the stalls just to hang around this incredible place, but I'd probably be arrested), though I don't have time to give them full justice. I will in the future, however.

The New Hope Center is an extension of the Princess Alia Foundation (which I'll go into more detail about in a later post) that gives refuge to animals that are confiscated or abandoned due to various factors. At the moment they have five lions, two crocodiles (that got there today!), two monkeys, five hyenas (striped, not spotted), various Arabian wolves, four dogs, a bunch of rabbits, and a wonderful Syrian brown bear named Baloo. The place was AMAZING and I took a BUNCH of pictures... but I'm to tired to post them now (I'm basically misspelling every other word). I will put up one or two though to give you an idea of what my day was like.

Hlayyil Ramadan, the champion stallion

All right. I'm exhausted (par for the course), so I'm heading to bed. Tomorrow is Petra, the next day is Wadi Rum, then Dana, Fenyan, the Mujib trail, then the Dead Sea. Don't worry... I'll keep you posted as to where I am when I have wifi.

Here's a funny little song for you to enjoy inspired by my forays into the desert; please ignore the ridiculous models.

Now I'm tucking myself into bed. Good night and...

Cheers!

On the Road

I bet you're wondering why I haven't been posting lately, given that there's been almost complete radio silence from my end for the last few days. Well, I've been on this trip with the Jack Hanna guys staying at ecolodges and touring various sites... Needless to say, I haven't had a lot of wireless access.

I return to Amman tonight so I will have wifi again for two nights before I head back out into the Jordanian wilderness (for a longer period of time, though there will be intermittent Internet access). I'll try to update you today or tomorrow on all my adventures I've been having, until then you'll just have to content yourself with this teaser!

Cheers!

Heading to Ajloun

Hello there, readers!

Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I was busy running around and seeing family as well as meeting with everyone that made this scouting trip that I'm going on happen.

Oh, didn't I mention that I'm going along with a scouting trip for Jack Hanna's Into the Wild? No? Well, that's why I'm here! I'll be tagging along with the group blogging and tweeting and facebooking the whole thing. It's going to be a whirlwind tour of Jordan, focusing mainly on wildlife and conservation efforts, though we'll also be hitting up the major stops like the Dead Sea and Petra. But along with those we'll be staying in an eco-lodge, checking out an ancient hunting lodge, going to different wildlife preserves... even to the Royal Stables (which has a lot more than just horses)!

I can't wait. I met most of the people that made this trip happen last night (including Princess Alia... yeah, I met royalty) as well as the two guys that are actually on the scouting mission for the show. They seem really nice, which is a good thing as we'll be spending the next week or so running around Jordan with them.

I'll be taking lots of pictures, etc, though I will warn you that my camera died last night. And I have no charger. So, like any good young American I'll be taking pictures on my iPhone (or, since the phone part is no longer useful with the international travel, my iTinyComputerThatI'mOnAllTheTimeForAlmostNoReasonExceptToSometimesTakePictures).

So. There's that.

I also went to the bars last night with my cousin. I got to meet a lot of his friends and they're all very hip (I think I slightly offended one by saying her studded leather jacket was very Gaga, since she thinks Gaga isn't very great - but only cause she sold out). Apparently they're headed to the Dead Sea to party today and were shocked that I was going to Ajloun instead of hitting up their crazy party. Well, I came here for a purpose, right? A party at the Dead Sea or the internship I was brought here for.........??? Of course I'm choosing the internship! Parties at the Dead Sea happen all the time for Americans that are in the country for a short period of time (Can you tell I'm having to rationalize this a bit?)...

All right. Well. I have to pack and we're leaving in an hour, so I'll be off. Pictures with my next post, I promise.

Cheers! 

Hello There, Amman!

It's the end of my first day in Jordan, and I'm pretty exhausted. I've been pumped full of all sorts of vitamins and minerals, so I'm hoping my cold will be kicked by tomorrow, but only time will tell. My cousin (the one who has offered me this internship/opportunity) gets in tonight and will be putting me to work (hopefully). I don't know how much time I'll have to blog the next couple of days, but I will do my best to post daily, if only to give a brief explanation of what I'm doing and where I'm going.

I figured out how to take pictures and upload them, so that won't be a problem when I'm actually out and about doing this press tour. I didn't take any today, I was sadly ill equipped (and half out of my mind from exhaustion and jet lag).

Today we went to pick up some pictures that my aunt had framed, as well as dropping off a suitcase to be mended. I don't really know how to describe Amman... it's unlike anywhere I've ever been. First off, Amman is built on seven hills (like Rome), so there's a lot of vertical loss and gain when you're driving around. It is also one of the oldest cities, so the streets and buildings are very narrow and winding in areas, definitely not streets that were created with cars in mind.

A picture of Amman I took last March.

It's a bizzarre city of confined spaces and random lots left alone. Not to mention the drivers... traffic here is crazy, though I have yet to see someone get into an accident (on this trip). I mean, the drivers aren't like Indian drivers, but it's still a lot different than the U.S.

There's also an interesting interaction between people here of different nationalities. There are a lot of Filipino women working as maids and nannies, similar to Mexican and Latin American women in the United States. There is a huge market for them to work in the Middle East, which may seem strange, but apparently there are little to no opportunities in the Philippines, particularly for women, and they make a decent wage here. I know things are different everywhere you go, but I love actually seeing the differences and similarities. Small things, like the nationality of immigrant workers, isn't something you necessarily think about unless you actually go to the country.

I did hear a somewhat disturbing story about a Filipino (Filipina?) woman who happened to get pregnant out of wedlock while she was working here in Jordan that was later legally charged for not being married and having a child. Apparently it is a very serious concern over here. Some hospitals won't give unmarried couples their children until they can prove that they have tied the knot. I'm loathe to judge other people and a culture in general, but hearing that made me uncomfortable. I'm a total lefty; women's rights, social equality, the whole she-bang. So even my most accepting of cultural filters went into code red hearing about this. What a shame. Just goes to show that even the most forward thinking and 'westernized' country can still have a lot of ignorance and shame about certain subjects (I use 'westernized' loosely because it's not as if the U.S. can brag. If certain wing nut Republicans get their way then we might be looking at a similar situation in the future).

But at least I know now, right? And knowledge is power.

Well, I'm going to call it a night there. Sorry to end things on a bit of low note, but hopefully I'll have more positive things to write about tomorrow... like the amazingness of the country in general!

Cheers!

Hooray Amman... and Vitamin C!

I figured out how to turn off the crazy backward Arabic blogger! Yay!!!

Sorry about the weird formatting of my post last night. Arabic reads from right to left, so the punctuation was all wonky and I didn't know how to change it. Jet lag and all...

So we took off from Gunnison day before yesterday at 12:49 p.m. and made it into Amman at 9:05 (local time). I did the math and figured that we traveled about 24 hours straight (Jordan is 9 hours ahead of Mountain Standard, 8 hours ahead of Houston). By the time we got to the house and sat down to have a beer (alcohol is certainly NOT illegal in Jordan...) we had been up for 32-33 hours, not including some short naps on the plane. So, suffice it to say, I was pretty tired.

One of my problems with international travel is the fact that I have a really hard time sleeping in any other way than on my side in quasi-fetal position. I can sometimes overcome my inability to sleep with things like sleeping pills, but I'm not really a 'sleep on the airplane' kind of girl. So, despite taking a xanax on the flight from Washington Dulles to Heathrow, I probably slept about an hour or two in total. The woman next to me slept straight through from gate to gate (almost), only surfacing for a cup of coffee, after which she went directly back to sleep. I envy those people to the point of obsession. If only I could do that.....

Well, we got in last night (did I mention my Mom's tagging along for part of the trip? She was dying for an excuse to come back over here and see my family) and were greeted by my aunt and uncle. It's so nice to get to a foreign place or country where people you know can whisk you away and take care of you. I've done my fair share of travel alone, but I love traveling to where you know someone. Not only is it a fabulous excuse to go there (oh, you're only in Italy for a year? I guess I should visit you...), but you get to see what life is really like in an area, rather than a purely tourist experience. They took us to their house (which is fabulous, filled with interesting Middle Eastern art and objects), where we chatted for awhile and exchanged some gifts. After being fed a snack of spinach and rice (yummmmmm), I traipsed off to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night with a sore throat, stuffy sinuses and the realization that, yup, I was sick.

I could feel it starting to come on in the plane from Heathrow to Amman, but I hoped it was just exhaustion. My step dad was incredibly ill with the flu before we left, and Mom had claimed that if she got what he had she wasn't coming (it was that bad). She ended up not getting it, but I was worried that perhaps I had gotten it instead. There's nothing worse than going on a trip and getting sick. Not only do you feel awful, you're also missing out on all of the fun stuff you could be experiencing (to those of you who know me, I have one word: Paris).

Well, I forced myself back to sleep last night, then woke up this morning realizing that it hadn't just been a bad dream. It's not awful, just a little frog in the back of my throat, really, but I can feel the oncoming sinus problems, etc. My aunt assailed me with vitamin C, zinc lozenges, and echinacea this morning and I ate all my colors (ripe strawberries, fresh squeezed blood orange juice, dried blueberries, za'atar with tomato and olive oil on wheat bread, etc... did I mention the food is amazing?), so I'm hoping that I've kicked this thing already. There wasn't anything planned for today (though that is changing as soon as my cousin who is giving me the internship gets here this evening), so I decided to hang out and rest while my mom and aunt do their errands.

Things I Forgot (that I realize as of now):

1) EmergenC (which would come in handy right now)
2) Adapters for my plugs (including laptop plug... whoops)
3) Hair gunk (to avoid the helmet-head look)
4) SD card to USB converter (no pictures until I find one of those, sorry)
5) More than 1 pen and a bunch of sharpies
6) A notepad that isn't my journal

I'll update the list when I know of more things I've forgotten. I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff I'll be smacking myself for leaving behind.

I think I'll leave it there for now. I know there's a ton of stuff to fill you in on (what Amman's like, etc.), but I haven't really left the house yet... and now I'm off to read more Dune. And despite sleeping pretty well last night (for someone with jet lag), I'm still really tired. Things were pretty crazy before I left, no wonder I'm exhausted and sick.

Cheers!

Well, Posting Will Be Interesting

So, I'm in Jordan. Apparently Google (Blogger) has decided that this means I read and write in Arabic, so I have no idea what the buttons say. Not to mention that everything is being typed backward... I'm going to have to futz around with this to figure out how to fix it because the combination of jet lag and this weird typing is making my head go all wonky.

Well, I'm here. Thank goodness. Now I believe I need some sleep.

Cheers!

Departure

So, I'm on a plane. Just thought I'd post a pic of my packed bags :) The stuffed monkey you see is Curious George who I've had since I was a baby... I thought he should join me on my adventure.

I'll try to update either in Washington Dulles or Heathrow.

Cheers!

On My Way Out

So, I'm officially packing my bag for Jordan... woah. It really hasn't completely sunk in yet, but I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I'm headed on my crazy adventure TOMORROW.

Once again, woah.

So, a couple things to update you on.

1) I will NOT be reading The Seven Pillars of Wisdom while I'm in Jordan. I took a good hard look at the book, thought about it for awhile, then decided I couldn't hack it. While I know it would be amazing to be in the country and read T.E. Lawrence at the same time, I can't help but feel that it would be super cliche. Not to mention the fact that I hate forcing myself to read things I don't have a passion for, so I'd probably read about 1/4 of the book then 'lose' it somewhere. Instead, I've decided to do something much more up my alley in terms of my literary exploration while I'm in the Middle East. No, I won't be reading A Brief History of the Middle East which I also bought. I won't be perusing my Lonely Planet: Jordan on the flight over (though I will be taking it for research purposes). I'm going to read something I can really get into, something that I think is completely relevant and enjoyable: The Dune series by Frank Herbert. Yes, that's right. Paul Atreides will be accompanying me into the desert and beyond. Now, before you judge me for taking scifi over instead of some lofty tome (expanding my horizons by reading Khalil Gibran, the Qur'an, popular Middle Eastern fiction, etc), I feel I must defend my position. First, Dune is incredible. Not only is it a completely actualized universe of epic proportions (I put it above Middle Earth, by a long shot.... sorry Tolkien), it's a fabulous analogy of the power struggles over oil. It's a loose metaphor, but it certainly fits. Second, Dune is the only novel I have ever read cover to cover, then started over again immediately. I adore the book and have wanted to read it over again for a long time. Third, I'm not really into reading things like The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. I wouldn't be reading T.E. Lawrence for me, I'd be reading him out of some sort of misplaced sense of having to 'do my homework.' You know what I really enjoy? Freaking FANTASTIC scifi and fiction. Particularly scifi that has relevance in the real world. I've learned more from great fiction and scifi than from any biography or nonfiction book. Really good fiction is an elaborate thought experiment about certain philosophies, histories, technologies, and creating a world that extends out of an author's interests. Not to mention, it's highly entertaining and sticks with me far more than random dates and names. Of course, you have to pick and choose who you're reading, Stephanie Meyer isn't going to teach you much. But Neal Stephenson? I can carry on a decent conversation about cryptology due to Cryptonomicon. So. There's that. I've come out of the closet with my dislike of lofty 'literature.' Sorry to disappoint...

2) Packing is CRAZY. I have a bit of an idea of what to take (lots of quick-dry, lightweight pants, t-shirts, etc), but I'm also absolutely terrified about packing completely wrong. I was surprised last time I was there with how western the dress is... yet I'm still worried about coming off like a disrespectful American. I would hate to offend or just generally look like a jerk, so I'm trying to pack smart. I'm be taking a lot of things below the knee and shirts that cover my shoulders, though those are also necessary due to my extreme paleness (the sun is NOT my friend). It's a fine line. I don't want my dress to be overkill, but I'm also feeling a little uninformed about what is best to wear over there. I checked out the US travel advisory warnings, but their stance is basically to not show any skin or else you might risk being stoned to death. Travel blogs are more realistic, saying that the more conservatively you dress the less attention you'll draw to yourself, so I'm bringing almost every long-sleeved button up shirt I own. I may sweat to death, but at least I won't look like a jerk. Since I'm staying over there for a month, I'm also wondering how to pack something for all the occasions that may arise. So far I'm going with more casual clothing with one or two nicer pieces that can be dressed up or dressed down. The only problem is that I have a general propensity toward miniskirts, so I'm a little limited in terms of skirts/dresses. C'est la vie, I'm lucky to have family over there, including some hip younger cousins!

My room mid-pack...

And it has spilled over into the TV room.

What else do you bring with you to stay in another country for a month? Well, I'm taking two boxes of Kind bars (a vegan, raw energy bar type thing) in case my dietary restrictions leave me in a lurch. I have a problem eating dairy every day, and I definitely made myself sick the last time I was there by eating EVERYTHING in sight. I don't think that it'll be a big problem, but it's nice to have options just in case. I'm also bringing all the toys: iPad, camera, laptop, Kindle. I accidentally left my iPod and headphones in Houston (whoops), so I'll need to replace at least the headphones at some point. I chopped all my hair off, so beauty products aren't strictly necessary. I'm packing two huge straw hats that aren't necessarily supposed to be smushed into luggage, but we'll see how they fare. I'm bringing some workout clothing, just in case I can talk my way into a gym or find a place to run (calf-length lycra pants covered by soccer shorts, with a running t-shirt and pale long-sleeved running shirt, just in case I'm somewhere conservative - I planned ahead with this one!). I'm taking hiking sandals, hiking boots, flats, sandals, and probably my chucks. Multiple scarves to serve many purposes (wraps, hiding my neck, etc). Presents for my Jordanian family. Sunscreen. Bugspray. Advil. Multiple copies of my passport EVERYWHERE.

And I still feel like I'm forgetting things. Well, I probably am, but I'll figure it out when I'm over there. Amman has pretty much everything I'd ever need, so I'll be fine.

3) It snowed like crazy last night here in CB. It was like... snowpocalypse for awhile there on my drive back from Gunnison. It slowed down, thankfully, so there was no digging out my car or anything. It did make me a little nostalgic for the ski area, as well as pretty pissed off that I wouldn't be able to take the hike I was planning on while I was here. I guess I'm supposed to just hang tight inside instead, though I was hoping to crush my legs before sitting on an airplane for a day and a half. Crested Butte is in full-on offseason mode, there are very few places open right now. I always loved and hated this time of year. There are no tourists, which is always a breath of fresh air after the crazy high seasons, but there's a general pall over the place. I've heard that all the huge fights at the bars happen in the off season, and I can believe it. It's depressing. There's not much to do outside (at least during the Spring), since the trails are muddy/snowy, it's a little cold for road biking, the snow has melted except in the extreme backcountry, and even the backcountry skiing is really sketchy (as evidenced by two extremely tragic deaths this spring). It's a strange transition, most people leave town for at least a week or two if they can swing it. The really lucky ones take a month off. Well, I guess I can count myself among the blessed this year, I'm really getting out of town!

Snow toward Paradise Divide

...And toward Whetstone

That's about it for the updates. Now I'm just dealing with the general butterflies and all the stuff I've put off until the last minute (I'm a champion procrastinator). I just rented Lawrence of Arabia and bought a 4 pack of RedBull, so I'm pretty set for the evening of crazy last minute preparations. It's good to have a purpose, my depression spirals when I'm left to my own devices for too long. I need something to focus my energy toward, rather than just stewing in a 'woe is me' mentality.

So, I have two different videos for you. The first goes along with my mind set about the trip and my move, and all the general craziness I've thrown myself into. I keep telling myself when I'm struck by a whim or asked to do something, 'Just say yes, what's the worst thing that can happen?' Because of this, I have a pixie cut, am heading to Jordan, have a blog that I try to write every day, am trying my hand at travel writing, etc. My thinking is that I'm young (or as young as I'm going to be from here on out, right?), unattached, and need some direction. Why not have someone help me along with suggestions? Why not say yes? Perhaps I can start something big... So here's the video that sums it up for me. Except for the crazy drinking analogy, I am sure that if I keep saying yes and trying new things, I'll never have a lack of people willing to pick me up and help me out.

Also, there's this video, which was one of my huge inspirations for the name of this blog (though their song is Wonderlust King, I like mine better), as well as for the general outlook. What really got under my skin about the song was this verse:

I travel the world looking for understanding
Of the times that we live in
Hunting and gathering first hand information
Challenging definitions of sin

Honestly, I find that to be truly inspiring. I would love to live a lifestyle like that, seeking out actual truths. I've always hated foregone conclusions about cultures and countries, why not try to get to the bottom of the mythos and see for myself? The song seems to encompass that attempt... and it doesn't hurt that I absolutely love Eugene Hutz and Gogol Bordello in general.

So, that's about it! I might write another post right before I leave tomorrow or while I'm in the airport or something, but I wouldn't place any bets on it.

Cheers!

Back in CB

So, I'm back in Colorado.

I can't say I'm very pleased, honestly.

I had dinner with my family which was lovely, then went to see the spring poetry slam that WordHorde puts on every year. I was happy to see my old friends, but I couldn't help but feel that the organization has a completely different vibe than what it was before, which breaks my heart. It was such a healthy creative atmosphere, and I'm sure it'll get back to that, but I didn't really get into it this evening.

Afterward I went to the Brick Cellar, a fave of mine. The crowd was typical, but it reminded me way too much of my previous relationship, so I bugged out early.

After that some friends and I were supposed to go to the Eldo in CB. I showed up, but my friends bailed on me and never showed. It was fine, one of my former coworkers was having her birthday and a band was playing, so it wasn't a complete bust... But I drove away knowing one thing.

I. Need. To. Get. Out.

NOW.

This place is a static reality for me. It was the same crowd, same complaints, and other than a lovely conversation with a friend about real issues, it just seemed like the same deck reshuffled in relationships and patterns of behavior.

I can't say I didn't have a good night. It was fun. But I didn't leave the bar with the same outlook I do in Houston at any event. At least in Houston I feel like I'm moving forward in some way. Crested Butte seems to be the same story, very little forward progress...

I don't want to put down any of my friends in the valley. I love it here, and I could very easily see myself getting stuck in a pattern of behavior... Which is NOT what I want. There's a reason why this blog is called Wanderlust Queen.

Well, that's it for now. Sorry about the depressing post, but it's how I feel.

Cheers!

Leave-Taking

So, I'm officially leaving Houston tomorrow. I can't say I'm very excited, though I think that may be because Jordan doesn't seem like a reality at this point. Hopefully when I'm packing for the trip it will sink in.

I feel like I've started and then had to stop the beginning of something here. I've had to put off and delay certain meetings with people, not to mention beginning to forge friendships that I'm now putting on hold. Also, the weather is so lovely right now... by the time I get back it'll be hell.

Well, another short one. I'm off to pack.

Cheers!

Another Short One

My computer is in the shop, so this isn't an actual post. Sorry. Tomorrow!

Cheers!

Making Up for Lost Time

So, I didn't post yesterday. Or the day before. And I didn't really post much the two days before that. I'm very sorry for that, but I can't say I really regret it. I fully understand why people say that they'd rather only post once a week... but then again if I did that I'd probably stop blogging altogether.

While I love blogging, it really is a solitary endeavor. I'm grateful for that fact because it fills in some of my free time, but it also makes it hard when you're entertaining or have a full schedule. I need at least an hour or two to compose a decent post (for length and style, not to mention editing the content afterward) and when you have a friend in town that you don't even want to part with for the length of time it takes to shower, blogging is going to be a problem, as will the ensuing depression when she's left (which kills any creativity I might be feeling very quickly).

That's why I haven't posted a whole bunch the past few days. And while I said I would post every day, well I guess I lied. I know you'll forgive me... But I'm back now and ready to fill you in on all my adventures!

So, I picked up my friend from the airport on Friday with my father and took her to Roost. The place was packed and since they don't accept reservations we had a bit of a wait. The host was very nice, though, so it wasn't too painful. Once we were seated we were very pleased with the food and the knowledgeable server, though the restaurant was very loud. It's pretty cramped on the floor and there's no form of noise dampening, so conversation was a little forced. Otherwise it was a lovely dinner.

Next I dragged my friend out to Poison Girl (of course). Once again, I love that bar. So did my girlfriend. As we were sitting outside she looked around and said, "This is not what I expected from Houston at all." I guess I don't remember the misconceptions that people hold about Houston. When I say 'Houston' what comes to mind for me is oak trees, museums, Tex-Mex, funky shops, pools, etc. Guess I'm lucky...

Houston is hard to show off. When it comes to somewhere to eat, it's no problem to find amazing restaurants and bars to check out. Want to catch a movie? There are theatres everywhere. Shopping? That's easy. But one of the problems of Houston is the fact that it really isn't a tourist town. There's no area to take a tourist, or any particular point of interest that jumps out when they ask what there is to do. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of beautiful museums and parks, the ocean isn't too far, downtown is pretty cool... but there's no "must see" aspect of Houston. Who really wants to go on a tour of all the medical centers? That's really nice to have around, but it's not really good tour to take unless you're in the backseat and can nap the whole time. So what are the best things to do?

In my opinion, there are a couple Houston highlights. Forget the Galleria, downtown, etc. Here's a list of my favorite places that are a 'must see' while I'm in town.

1) The Natural History Museum - also a favorite from my childhood. I have spent many a wonderful afternoon there, and it's also the only place I will eat McDonald's.

2) The Houston Zoo. The animal enclosures are large and they have an incredible collection of animals from all over the world. Some of the birds are ones I have never seen elsewhere. Also, I'm a reptile freak and envision their reptile house when I read any of the reptile related scenes in Harry Potter. A strange association, but a strong one.

3) The Menil. This free museum boasts an incredible collection of art from all over the world and is a privately funded organization. The area surrounding the museum is a cool and shady park filled with gorgeous oak trees. The Rothko Chapel is close by as well, which is always lovely for a quiet sit-down and some meditation. The energy in the Chapel is incredible, unlike any place I have ever been before.

4) The River Oaks Theatre. I went and saw Brokeback Mountain there when it was released and still treasure the experience. It's a really funky space... and they have a full bar! I went to the midnight showing of Fast Times at Ridgemont High with my friend when she was here and it was incredible. I will certainly return for a midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show at some point.

Other than those places, it's just the typical. Tex-Mex, shopping, etc. While there are different parts of Houston that are special to me, I can't say I visit them with any frequency, though I do want to get to know some of the crazy art projects better like The Orange Show, etc. 

So, of course I took my friend to those places (except the Natural History Museum and the Zoo. We just didn't have enough time). We also went out to the farm, which would be #1 on my list if it were in Houston/open to the public. For now it's my family's private paradise.

Getting ready to go give the horses some carrots.

Also: Torchy's Tacos = amazing. Loved the breakfast tacos, and the cute manager doesn't hurt, either...

The weather here has been fabulous which was lovely for my friend to experience. The temperature is in the low 80's during the day and cools down to low 60's at night. My only problem with it is the fact that they crank the AC down to subzero temperatures out of some misguided principal that there should be a significant temperature difference. Honestly, most places feel like they have the AC set at 60. During the winter in Colorado I generally set my heat to 68-70 (this is all F, btw)... what gives? I have been freezing half the time here and have taken to carrying a jacket with me wherever I go. I guess I'll get used to it, but I can only imagine what this summer is going to be like...

So, all said, we had a great time together. My friend left Easter morning and while I've done some fun things since then (all the enjoyable Easter activities a non-believer indulges in; mimosas, Mexican food, and loud music), I've been getting a little depressed again. While I'm really excited to head to Jordan, it doesn't feel like reality yet. My mind is buzzing with Houston energy and the prospect of creating a life here, thinking about going to Jordan for a month is almost inconceivable. I've been in Houston less than a month, and I'm going to Jordan to spend a full month... It's almost beyond comprehension. I am thrilled, though. 

Also, I was lucky enough to meet some people who have an interest in Islamic art and they gave me a few leads for my time in Jordan. Who knows? Maybe I'll be a travel blogger who focuses on art...? I could think of worse things.

Well, I must compose some emails and take care of other business. I'm going to Ava this evening with my father, so I'll let you know what I think of it tomorrow.

Cheers!

Oh, and here's a song to leave you with... Sea Wolf is amazing.

Another Short Post

So I've been running around w my friend again today like mad, so I'm doing another short post. I have plans for a super long one tomorrow though, so stay tuned.

To tide you over until then, here's a pic of our going out clothes tonight.

Cheers!

A Lack of Post

So, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not posting today. Well, other than this little disclaimer about not posting. Today got away from me. I'm sure you understand. YouTube The Beatles 'Birthday' for the song of the day. Cheers!

I Want a Girl With Short Hair and Tall Boots...

Hello lovelies! Today will be another short(ish) post. I have to pick up a friend at the airport tonight (WOOHOO!!!) and have yet to clean my room before she comes.

So, went to Fitzgerald's last night to see an open mic/a band. The band was White Denim and they were worth the $14. I can't say I'd buy the album, but in terms of energy it was a fun show. Not to mention I saw a guy that looked like a super tall and even geekier David Tennant as the Doctor, except he was wearing plaid. Made my night, though.

I also had the pleasure of seeing a new friend do standup (again). He's pretty darn hilarious. The letter at the beginning of his set killed me. One of my buddies laughed so hard he collapsed onto the floor. If you'd like to check it out, click here and let the comedy ensue. (Warning, the content is very explicit. Do not listen if you're easily offended... though if you are I'm not sure why you're reading this blog... but more power to you!).

Okay. So. Things I did today. I went ahead and saw a counselor, did another energy work session and worked out. So, feeling pretty good this evening. It seems that I go through cycles, but what really puts me in a tail spin is random drama. As long as I can keep myself out of that energy I do pretty well. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But a heck of a lot better than throwing myself back into the craziness.

By the way, thank you to all the fb folks out there that liked my pic of what I wore out last night. It made me feel so loved and appreciated. It's nice to know that short hair+crop top=massive facebook response. I'll remember that in the future :)

So, let me know, here or on facebook, if you want me to post more pictures about what I'm wearing/inspired by that evening. Since everyone seemed to like it, I might as well continue the trend. I mean, I haven't been having all these fabulous experiences looking like a schlub... Don't worry, this won't turn into a fashion blog. I do have a brain I enjoy using for things other than color coordination and keeping up with the latest designers.

Well, until I hear back, here's a little fashion nugget for you to chew on.

Cheers!

Picking It Up a Bit

So. No more whining. I don't care what kind of drama I'm going through, I will not allow my writing to suffer because of it! So... what does that leave?

One:
I'm going out tonight and am very excited. This will be my first (intentional and planned) concert that I've gone to in Houston. Hopefully the first of many! I think the occasion calls for a... crop top. My girlfriends in the know will understand how excited I am if I'm ready to bust out the midriff! Okay, maybe I'm being a little ridiculous, but I haven't been spending hours in the gym for the last few weeks for no reason. Plus, I highly doubt I'll get much of a chance to wear my more revealing outfits in Jordan. It doesn't matter how liberal Amman is, you couldn't pay me to trounce on someone's cultural traditions like some asshole tourist. So. Showing some skin tonight :)

Two:
Finally getting some guidance/counseling tomorrow. I'm seeing a friend of my father's that can point me toward a therapist or some group meetings I can join. I've been kinda-sorta-definitely avoiding going and seeking out professional help after everything that happened and coming to Houston. I did go get energy work done by a family friend, but it took my Dad, Mom, and the friend to finally convince me. It's not that I'm adverse to going to talk to someone. God knows I'll champion therapy to anyone going through emotional trauma... and yet I'm hesitant to take the steps to talk to anyone myself.

I like to deal with emotions when they come, not dredge things up for the sake of 'dealing with them.' And that's the opposite of what therapy does. But, as evidenced by my bullying post, apparently I have a lot of issues to work through still... darnit. So. Finally going to see someone who can start me on the path to working through things.

Three:
I've decided to read The Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence while I'm in Jordan. Okay, super cliche, I know. But I want to read the book and if I don't have the blog forcing me to do so (cause I told everyone I would), then I don't know if I'd get through it. Don't get me wrong, I like classic works. I just find them hard to focus on when there's so much good fiction and scifi out there...

Four:
My friend comes to town tomorrow!!! You remember the one that was going to but couldn't make it last minute? Well she actually got a flight, so she gets in tomorrow evening. I have so much I want to show her here that I'm a little worried about overwhelming the poor girl. I'm sure she'll let me know if the pace is too frantic, though.

Well, so that's life in a nutshell right now. I didn't do much today, though last night I went to a fabulous event put on by the Jung Center at the River Oaks Country Club. Very posh indeed. The book is Unprecedented Power: Jesse Jones, Capitalism, and the Common Good (Oxford comma included, thank goodness!). The book is a fascinating study on the life of Jesse Holman Jones, a man instrumental to the United States efforts during the Great Depression. It was in part because of him that the government began their huge spending effort to kick-start the economy. Also, it's about Houston, so it's a pretty cool read for me right now.

Alright. Here's a little 8 bit joy for you all. And very dance-y.

Cheers!

And since I got a comment before 7:30, here's a pic of what I wore out last night. Apparently it's a big hit on facebook...