Roadtrip, Part 1
So it occurred to me that you may want to hear a bit about my roadtrip. Or maybe I just wanted to record a bit for posterity...
There is something very awesome about hopping in your car and driving to foreign places... like Grand Rapids, MI. :D I started my "early winter" road trip this Monday and drove 450 miles to Grand Rapids. It'll be the biggest day on this trip, and it's also the first, and I really can't complain. It was sooo much nicer than driving to Tech, and I went through CHICAGO, GARY, and 100 miles MORE. Go figure. But it was very relaxing, even without cruise control.
I stopped for lunch with a just-starting-to-eat-again Ryan and was able to time my passage through Chicago. It went very smoothly. Stayed with Otter in Grand Rapids the last two nights and was treated to some nice meals, lots of TV, magical-apple pie making lessons, AND the Man-Handler museum. (It's actually Van Andler or something like that, but it sounds more like Man Handler... whatever.) So I learned a bit about Michigan's, and more specifically Grand Rapids', past. GR used to be the furniture capital of the US.. now India is :P (joking, but it really is all out-sourced. Go China, go!) GR grew through it's lumber industry, among other things. The museum also had a traveling exhibit on the Supremes. It was a nice look at Motown and the girls' histories. It made us stop and think for a bit.
But there were some personal pride moments on the road. Like when Otter told his roommates I wouldn't be getting in until 7, but it was really 6. And I had to find a place to eat. So I used my engineering problem-solving skills ;) and found my way to a restaurant filled area, and then back to Otter's place afterward. I know it's maybe not a whole lot, but for me it was a private victory over fears of new places and being lost. Roadtrips are good for moments like that. :) There's also some interesting social patterns to note. Like, awkwardness at seeing old friends again. (Does that happen to anyone else?) I've noticed it within myself in the past, but I'm trying to work beyond that fairly quickly in this instance, as I haven't got a LOT of time with each friend. Even meeting new people, I'm trying to not be as shy and reserved as I usually am. Maybe being a little more proactive and natural with everyone. Not forceful, but that's where the balance lies. (You know, the balance between being aware of others' feelings and then not caring about it -- not enough to suppress yourself, that is.)
Today was also lots of fun as I got to visit my dear Adrian, whom I haven't seen in AGES! He's living in Lansing, which just happens to be smack dab between GR and Ann Arbor, my final destination for the evening. We went out to lunch at an awesome Mongolian Barbecue (my first time). It was rather exciting until about halfway through dessert. We knew we shouldn't have ordered them, but they have very nice photos in the menu :P It was good times, and great fun.
Got into Ann Arbor just in time to eat! So Jasono drove me down to Ypsilanti to show me the giant phallic symbol. (It's AMAZING.) And we ate at a super cool restaurant with his friend Amyra. For appetizer, we had DEEP FRIED PICKLES. oh yes. And let me tell you... they were... interesting. Like a hot pickle, wrapped in greasy breading... I ended up just eating the pickles :P It's something you should maybe just try once in your life, but it's not necessarily something you will love forever. Or at all. But the burgers were amazing.
We then headed over to a brewery and cradled a few with Amyra's friend, Claire. It was a good, relaxing time. And now I get to steal Jason's bed while he sleeps on the couch- bwahahaha! I'm evil like that. And Day 3 of the awesome roadtrip comes to a close.
There is something very awesome about hopping in your car and driving to foreign places... like Grand Rapids, MI. :D I started my "early winter" road trip this Monday and drove 450 miles to Grand Rapids. It'll be the biggest day on this trip, and it's also the first, and I really can't complain. It was sooo much nicer than driving to Tech, and I went through CHICAGO, GARY, and 100 miles MORE. Go figure. But it was very relaxing, even without cruise control.
I stopped for lunch with a just-starting-to-eat-again Ryan and was able to time my passage through Chicago. It went very smoothly. Stayed with Otter in Grand Rapids the last two nights and was treated to some nice meals, lots of TV, magical-apple pie making lessons, AND the Man-Handler museum. (It's actually Van Andler or something like that, but it sounds more like Man Handler... whatever.) So I learned a bit about Michigan's, and more specifically Grand Rapids', past. GR used to be the furniture capital of the US.. now India is :P (joking, but it really is all out-sourced. Go China, go!) GR grew through it's lumber industry, among other things. The museum also had a traveling exhibit on the Supremes. It was a nice look at Motown and the girls' histories. It made us stop and think for a bit.
But there were some personal pride moments on the road. Like when Otter told his roommates I wouldn't be getting in until 7, but it was really 6. And I had to find a place to eat. So I used my engineering problem-solving skills ;) and found my way to a restaurant filled area, and then back to Otter's place afterward. I know it's maybe not a whole lot, but for me it was a private victory over fears of new places and being lost. Roadtrips are good for moments like that. :) There's also some interesting social patterns to note. Like, awkwardness at seeing old friends again. (Does that happen to anyone else?) I've noticed it within myself in the past, but I'm trying to work beyond that fairly quickly in this instance, as I haven't got a LOT of time with each friend. Even meeting new people, I'm trying to not be as shy and reserved as I usually am. Maybe being a little more proactive and natural with everyone. Not forceful, but that's where the balance lies. (You know, the balance between being aware of others' feelings and then not caring about it -- not enough to suppress yourself, that is.)
Today was also lots of fun as I got to visit my dear Adrian, whom I haven't seen in AGES! He's living in Lansing, which just happens to be smack dab between GR and Ann Arbor, my final destination for the evening. We went out to lunch at an awesome Mongolian Barbecue (my first time). It was rather exciting until about halfway through dessert. We knew we shouldn't have ordered them, but they have very nice photos in the menu :P It was good times, and great fun.
Got into Ann Arbor just in time to eat! So Jasono drove me down to Ypsilanti to show me the giant phallic symbol. (It's AMAZING.) And we ate at a super cool restaurant with his friend Amyra. For appetizer, we had DEEP FRIED PICKLES. oh yes. And let me tell you... they were... interesting. Like a hot pickle, wrapped in greasy breading... I ended up just eating the pickles :P It's something you should maybe just try once in your life, but it's not necessarily something you will love forever. Or at all. But the burgers were amazing.
We then headed over to a brewery and cradled a few with Amyra's friend, Claire. It was a good, relaxing time. And now I get to steal Jason's bed while he sleeps on the couch- bwahahaha! I'm evil like that. And Day 3 of the awesome roadtrip comes to a close.