"the 10 thing" or "im never going back to south dakota"
Instructions: Write one statement to each of 10 people on your LJ friends list.
Never tell which one is for who.
1. this person is my friend twice.
2. this person isn't going to college with me.
3. this person doesnt update very often, but is sexy and very not gay.
4. this person is a fountain of youth.
5. this person is going to live in the philppines with me.
6. this person steals from me.
7. this person steals from stores.
8. this person worries too much.
9. this person hasnt done this yet.
10. this person i know nothing about.
and now, south dakota! the following, up to the word "erections," was written while i was there, and im lazy and dont feel like changing the tenses and such. but enjoy! three of you will read it all. also, i know im a geek. and youll be reminded of this a few times during the whole shebang. (*giggle* she bang.)
First things first, i picked up Golden Sun 1 and 2 at EB the other day, along with the strategy guide that covers both. Both titles were pre-owned, so i got 10% off each in addition to the $2 off simply for being pre-owned, and i got 20% off the guide for buying it with the games. all-in-all i saved over $10, so that was pretty sweet. But now, on with the show.
As you may or may not know, I am currently in South Dakota, and will remain here until the end of the month. In the next couple of days is a family reunion for my mom's side of the family. The reunion is only a day or two, so for the remainder of the time I will be seeing the sights (what sights exactly those are has yet to become apparent, aside from mt. rushmore, but ill keep you posted *giggle*).
I was awoken at 5:30 am, EST, by a flustered mother who informed me that the shuttle to the airport has arrived. I throw on some clothes and grab my bags and rush to the large van. We arrived at Baltimore Washington International on schedule and, after checking our bags, proceded to a monster of a line to check boarding passes and carry-on bags. I realized all too late that i decided to wear the wrong belt today (my studded leather belt. the epitome of class, you dont have to tell me), but it didnt slow us down. while waiting for our flight to begin boarding, i picked up a breakfast croissant and chugged a Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso to keep me going. After a personal seranade from Survivor, we filed into the plane and took off for Chicago at 7:38 am, where we would be making a connection to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I was sullen at the fact that there were no packages of peanuts on the flight, but i drowned my sorrows in Mountain Dew and read my new EGM (i liked the article about the game Help Lines, but PSP has the advantage over DS? psshh.) We landed in Chicago at 8:45 am CST, and made our way to the gate we would depart for Sioux Fall from. After meeting up with my grandparents, it is announced that our flight has been delayed from 10:00 to Noon. I pass the time with a filet-o-fish (extra cheese, extra tartar) and a caramel frapuccino, with a side of Golden Sun. At around Noon:15 CST, we take off from Ohare headed towards, what i thought i would be, our final destination. I rush off the plane as soon as it lands in Sioux Falls at around 2 pm, CST, as the many drinks ive had over the course of the trip have caught up to me at this point.
To digress for a second, something should really be said about flying. Looking out on the land below really puts everything in perspective for you. Now this was nowhere near my first time flying, but looking out of that plane window makes you feel so insignificant. It truly is awesome, though, the way the clouds cast their shadows on the ground and the way the endless farmland of the northwest spread out for miles and miles in every direction like a green velvet patchwork quilt. You could drive for hours on one road below without ever having to touch the steering wheel because they go straight north, south, east, or west as far as the eye can see, even from the plane. Its a great feeling 30,000 feet in the air.
My Family and I make our way to the rental car we obtained after sufficient bathroom breaks have been made and a map has been bought. To my suprise, and dismay, i am informed that the drive from here will be 6 hours long, as we are literally going from one end of South Dakota to the other. After a good long cry, i hop aboard and play some Advance Wars (when i was packing before we left i realized i hadnt finished all the missions yet, plus ive got advance campaign left still after that) until i fell asleep for about an hour and a half. We stopped for pie at this little place along the highway we'd been driving along when i woke up. I was glad to see that some of the waitresses werent half bad looking, and the pie wasnt half bad either. We picked up a few bottles of water and hit the road again. The scenery along the way was also very picturesque. i tried relentlessly to get the Green Acres theme out of my head until we passed through the Badlands. The Badlands reminded me very much of Tahrongi Canyon or Giddeus in FFXI, to the rest of South Dakota's Sarutabaruta, with its large, rocky cliffs and brown, earthy tones. Now this was news to me, but apparently once you get about halfway across South Dakota you change time zones from Central to Mountain. about 7 pm, MST, we reached the house of who i believe are my great aunt and uncle. While the dinner was sub-par (there was some type of casserole,. im not really sure, i tried not to think about it too much), i was pleasantly surprised to find that there is Broadband out here. Which catches us up to now.
i also saw a convenience store called "Kum and Go"
Yesterday we went to see mt. rushmore. It was pretty big, to say the least. The way the park is set up around it is very nice. you walk up a walkway and see the monument just over the horizon as you move towards it. you can then move to either an observation deck, or on a path that takes you right onto the mountain. theres a lot of great spots for photos that allow each face to get featured. Abe Lincoln pops his collar, pictures later. There was a short video explaining the whole thing that we watched as well. basically a few guys wanted to make a big, american monument, so they did. It took around 20 years to complete if im not mistaken.
After that we went over to the Crazy Horse monument. It is much larger than mt. rushmore, the video there showed how you could fit all four president heads inside Crazy Horse's head. That monument is not finished yet, however. Only the face and part of the arm have been completed. It probably wont even be finished in our lifetime. Theres a model of what it will look like when its finished that depicts Crazy Horse riding a, believe it or not, horse and pointing out to the land. At the restaraunt there i had a buffalo burger. It tasted essentially the same as a regular burger, but it did have a slightly different texture. But i dont think i could tell it apart from a regular burger if i had to. We took the scenic route home and my little sister threw up. had a nice view, though.
Today, we drove to the town of Wall to see Wall Drug. it isnt quite as exciting as it sounds, its mostly a tourist trap. The Wall Drug store was set up during the depression and gave away free ice water to attract business. They still give away free ice water, so we got some along with a few souveniers. After that we took a trip to the badlands. The badlands are really amazing to see. When you drive up there all you can see is prairie in every direction, then all of a sudden it drops off into these tremendous wind-carved cliffs and valleys. When the sun hit them at just the right time you would see a rainbow of earth tones, and the layers of rock and mineral made the straightest lines youve ever seen. I mentioned it in the last one, but it really did remind me of Tahrongi. I was expecting to see a Yagudo walk up to me any minute and start swinging, or at least a wild Dhalmel wandering around.
From there we made our way back to the eastern side of the state, changing the time on our watches once again. I was asleep for most of that time, waking only for lunch at a little diner on the way, where i learned that there actually isnt such thing as a jackalope. My faith in South Dakota was re-enforced as we arrived at my other great aunts house and learned she too had broadband. Tomorrow i think we'll be going out to the area my grandparents grew up in. story at 11.
and also, yesterday at a diner i heard some truckers talking about ED medicine. an exerpt:
"...i still get good erections..."
then we saw the farm my grandpa grew up on and it was all dilapidated. then the reuinion was alright, there were a few "cousins," im not sure what you actually call them, they were like great grandkids of my great grandfathers brother, who i played some card games with. i think they live in missouri. we also saw the farm of my great aunts, or something along those lines, and her family still lives there and works there and that was kinda cool. im definitely not going to be a farmer though. and i also discovered a few things, i discovered in south dakota; the south dakotan accent is similar to the canadian accent, and old people make way to much jello salad. i swear, every goddamn meal had jello salad. and 7 layer salad. i hate wierd ass salads. the 7 layer salad grew on me though. in conclusion i rate the trip a 6/10; it was above average, but i want the first week and a half of my summer back.
to switch gears, matt woodling has a total party house. and the OMGWTFBBQ is today and i cant wait.
2 - 1, me.
Never tell which one is for who.
1. this person is my friend twice.
2. this person isn't going to college with me.
3. this person doesnt update very often, but is sexy and very not gay.
4. this person is a fountain of youth.
5. this person is going to live in the philppines with me.
6. this person steals from me.
7. this person steals from stores.
8. this person worries too much.
9. this person hasnt done this yet.
10. this person i know nothing about.
and now, south dakota! the following, up to the word "erections," was written while i was there, and im lazy and dont feel like changing the tenses and such. but enjoy! three of you will read it all. also, i know im a geek. and youll be reminded of this a few times during the whole shebang. (*giggle* she bang.)
First things first, i picked up Golden Sun 1 and 2 at EB the other day, along with the strategy guide that covers both. Both titles were pre-owned, so i got 10% off each in addition to the $2 off simply for being pre-owned, and i got 20% off the guide for buying it with the games. all-in-all i saved over $10, so that was pretty sweet. But now, on with the show.
As you may or may not know, I am currently in South Dakota, and will remain here until the end of the month. In the next couple of days is a family reunion for my mom's side of the family. The reunion is only a day or two, so for the remainder of the time I will be seeing the sights (what sights exactly those are has yet to become apparent, aside from mt. rushmore, but ill keep you posted *giggle*).
I was awoken at 5:30 am, EST, by a flustered mother who informed me that the shuttle to the airport has arrived. I throw on some clothes and grab my bags and rush to the large van. We arrived at Baltimore Washington International on schedule and, after checking our bags, proceded to a monster of a line to check boarding passes and carry-on bags. I realized all too late that i decided to wear the wrong belt today (my studded leather belt. the epitome of class, you dont have to tell me), but it didnt slow us down. while waiting for our flight to begin boarding, i picked up a breakfast croissant and chugged a Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso to keep me going. After a personal seranade from Survivor, we filed into the plane and took off for Chicago at 7:38 am, where we would be making a connection to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I was sullen at the fact that there were no packages of peanuts on the flight, but i drowned my sorrows in Mountain Dew and read my new EGM (i liked the article about the game Help Lines, but PSP has the advantage over DS? psshh.) We landed in Chicago at 8:45 am CST, and made our way to the gate we would depart for Sioux Fall from. After meeting up with my grandparents, it is announced that our flight has been delayed from 10:00 to Noon. I pass the time with a filet-o-fish (extra cheese, extra tartar) and a caramel frapuccino, with a side of Golden Sun. At around Noon:15 CST, we take off from Ohare headed towards, what i thought i would be, our final destination. I rush off the plane as soon as it lands in Sioux Falls at around 2 pm, CST, as the many drinks ive had over the course of the trip have caught up to me at this point.
To digress for a second, something should really be said about flying. Looking out on the land below really puts everything in perspective for you. Now this was nowhere near my first time flying, but looking out of that plane window makes you feel so insignificant. It truly is awesome, though, the way the clouds cast their shadows on the ground and the way the endless farmland of the northwest spread out for miles and miles in every direction like a green velvet patchwork quilt. You could drive for hours on one road below without ever having to touch the steering wheel because they go straight north, south, east, or west as far as the eye can see, even from the plane. Its a great feeling 30,000 feet in the air.
My Family and I make our way to the rental car we obtained after sufficient bathroom breaks have been made and a map has been bought. To my suprise, and dismay, i am informed that the drive from here will be 6 hours long, as we are literally going from one end of South Dakota to the other. After a good long cry, i hop aboard and play some Advance Wars (when i was packing before we left i realized i hadnt finished all the missions yet, plus ive got advance campaign left still after that) until i fell asleep for about an hour and a half. We stopped for pie at this little place along the highway we'd been driving along when i woke up. I was glad to see that some of the waitresses werent half bad looking, and the pie wasnt half bad either. We picked up a few bottles of water and hit the road again. The scenery along the way was also very picturesque. i tried relentlessly to get the Green Acres theme out of my head until we passed through the Badlands. The Badlands reminded me very much of Tahrongi Canyon or Giddeus in FFXI, to the rest of South Dakota's Sarutabaruta, with its large, rocky cliffs and brown, earthy tones. Now this was news to me, but apparently once you get about halfway across South Dakota you change time zones from Central to Mountain. about 7 pm, MST, we reached the house of who i believe are my great aunt and uncle. While the dinner was sub-par (there was some type of casserole,. im not really sure, i tried not to think about it too much), i was pleasantly surprised to find that there is Broadband out here. Which catches us up to now.
i also saw a convenience store called "Kum and Go"
Yesterday we went to see mt. rushmore. It was pretty big, to say the least. The way the park is set up around it is very nice. you walk up a walkway and see the monument just over the horizon as you move towards it. you can then move to either an observation deck, or on a path that takes you right onto the mountain. theres a lot of great spots for photos that allow each face to get featured. Abe Lincoln pops his collar, pictures later. There was a short video explaining the whole thing that we watched as well. basically a few guys wanted to make a big, american monument, so they did. It took around 20 years to complete if im not mistaken.
After that we went over to the Crazy Horse monument. It is much larger than mt. rushmore, the video there showed how you could fit all four president heads inside Crazy Horse's head. That monument is not finished yet, however. Only the face and part of the arm have been completed. It probably wont even be finished in our lifetime. Theres a model of what it will look like when its finished that depicts Crazy Horse riding a, believe it or not, horse and pointing out to the land. At the restaraunt there i had a buffalo burger. It tasted essentially the same as a regular burger, but it did have a slightly different texture. But i dont think i could tell it apart from a regular burger if i had to. We took the scenic route home and my little sister threw up. had a nice view, though.
Today, we drove to the town of Wall to see Wall Drug. it isnt quite as exciting as it sounds, its mostly a tourist trap. The Wall Drug store was set up during the depression and gave away free ice water to attract business. They still give away free ice water, so we got some along with a few souveniers. After that we took a trip to the badlands. The badlands are really amazing to see. When you drive up there all you can see is prairie in every direction, then all of a sudden it drops off into these tremendous wind-carved cliffs and valleys. When the sun hit them at just the right time you would see a rainbow of earth tones, and the layers of rock and mineral made the straightest lines youve ever seen. I mentioned it in the last one, but it really did remind me of Tahrongi. I was expecting to see a Yagudo walk up to me any minute and start swinging, or at least a wild Dhalmel wandering around.
From there we made our way back to the eastern side of the state, changing the time on our watches once again. I was asleep for most of that time, waking only for lunch at a little diner on the way, where i learned that there actually isnt such thing as a jackalope. My faith in South Dakota was re-enforced as we arrived at my other great aunts house and learned she too had broadband. Tomorrow i think we'll be going out to the area my grandparents grew up in. story at 11.
and also, yesterday at a diner i heard some truckers talking about ED medicine. an exerpt:
"...i still get good erections..."
then we saw the farm my grandpa grew up on and it was all dilapidated. then the reuinion was alright, there were a few "cousins," im not sure what you actually call them, they were like great grandkids of my great grandfathers brother, who i played some card games with. i think they live in missouri. we also saw the farm of my great aunts, or something along those lines, and her family still lives there and works there and that was kinda cool. im definitely not going to be a farmer though. and i also discovered a few things, i discovered in south dakota; the south dakotan accent is similar to the canadian accent, and old people make way to much jello salad. i swear, every goddamn meal had jello salad. and 7 layer salad. i hate wierd ass salads. the 7 layer salad grew on me though. in conclusion i rate the trip a 6/10; it was above average, but i want the first week and a half of my summer back.
to switch gears, matt woodling has a total party house. and the OMGWTFBBQ is today and i cant wait.
2 - 1, me.