During the first night of our cross-country trip there was nothing I wanted more than to turn around and undo it all. I felt unstable and homesick, and over the course of the next week the feeling changed from an acute ache in my chest to a dull sense of disbelief mixed with the fact that I didn’t live anywhere. When checking into hotels I was asked for my address and phone number. That alone was enough to send a round of tears down my cheeks–I didn’t have an address. I couldn’t remember my phone number. The clerks looked at me with confusion and pity as I rattled off my parents’ address and, avoiding eye contact, took the room key.
Fast forward three weeks. I’m sitting at Meg and Jay’s dining room table surrounded by people who will, I’m sure, end up being the best friends I have. It hit me then, as I’m struggling to draw a mountain climber with my eyes closed, that I finally belong somewhere. I love hearing their stories and jokes; I get caught up on things that everyone else knows, and I fill them in on my life’s Major Events. After almost a solid month of listlessness and depression I was certain that this was where I was supposed to be all along.
Things are settled (or on their way to being settled). I have a job. A place to live. The internet. A nine dollar couch. A boyfriend asleep in the other room who grabs for my hand when I finally crawl into bed. On the weekends I go to Howiee’s, or we have game nights, or we go to Lauren and Nick’s, sit on the back porch, and drink beer while talking about whatever comes up. Those moments make this whole ordeal completely worth everything it cost to get me here.
Filed under: books
Last night I purchased the seventh and final Harry Potter book.
I’m almost done (a little more than half way), so it shouldn’t interfere too much with my regularly-scheduled life.
Much thanks goes out to Josh, who works at B&N, for giving me his discount.
For the past week or so I have been really down in the dumps.
The primary concern was money-related; more specifically, how do I get some money without doing anything morally or legally objectionable?
Getting a job was the most obvious choice so I started there.
After a big “Thanks, but no thanks” from Big Company, I applied at 8 different places. No luck. To say that I was a little blue would be a classic understatement. I was on the brink of depression and remember what happened last time I went there?
Exactly.
This morning Meg called me to let me know that a new branch of her bank was opening in Grant’s Pass, and recommended I go in and see the manager for an interview.
So I did. At 1:45 I marched myself into that branch and by 2:15 was ever-so-confident that not only did my interviewers like me, they would hire me.
I was sent to a personnel place to fill out some papers, take a few computer tests, and pee in a cup (the contents of which, inevitably, ended up on my hand).
After a brief talk with a woman who had spoken to the manager of the bank, it was determined that I was hired (pending the results of my background check). When the results came back in a few days, I would be shipped off to training for four days in some city that’s far away and I will most assuredly get lost, but that’s all fine and dandy with me because my status is better than it was yesterday.
Yeah.
I have a job. Theoretically.
And theoretical benefits.
And I’m theoretically getting paid more than I’ve ever been paid in my life.
I’m also freaking starving because I haven’t eaten since 9 this morning, when Meg called me and started this whole chain of blessed events.
I smell his face while he sleeps.
I live to make the boy smile. If I can get him to laugh, my week is complete.
When he puts his arm around me while he’s sleeping, he lets out a content little sigh and pulls me thismuch closer.
Filed under: random
One of the things that worried me about moving to Oregon would be the making of friends and the having of good times. I wasted a lot of time doing so because everyone that I’ve met has been great, minus the creepy guy at the bar.
Twice we’ve had game night at our place.
Twice this past weekend we’ went to Lauren & Nick’s for back-porch sittin’ (can I tell you how weird it is to sit on a back porch that’s not screened? It changes the way I see the world).
Jason and I went bowling and to the movies Devin and Tawnya.
I went with out with Tawnya Saturday.
I went out with Barb and Juke last night.
Lauren and I spent the day together yesterday walking around Jacksonville and ending the day at Howiee’s.
This is the most social activity I’ve had in a very long time.
Who knew I’d enjoy it this much?
“Denise?”
“Yeah?”
“Do we have a wine bottle opener?”
“Yeah… no. That was Devin’s.”
“Can you run to 7-11 and get one?”
“Just push the cork in.”
“Then I can’t close it again.”
“Let’s drink it all!”
“*contemplates* Okay.”
“Denise?”
“Yeah?”
“I can’t get it to go in!”
“That’s what she said.”
Things That Are Different in Oregon:
1) Garbage cans are kept hidden.
In Florida it’s rare to hide a garbage can. They are out in the open for easy access. And they are big. Small trash cans are for the bathroom and for places where one doesn’t normally generate a lot of trash, such as any room with a computer in it. But here in the great state of Oregon, trash cans are in closets and under sinks and I ask you, how convenient is that? How often do you have to take out the trash if it’s in a teeny can under the sink? Or do I just create more garbage than the average Oregonian?
2) The absence of ceiling fans in every room of the house.
Ceiling fans are abundant in the south. They are on porches (which are screened, and porches here are not screened which I find quite mysterious. Also, the misquitos here about the size of my pinky fingernail, not a baby’s fist) and in bedrooms and living rooms. But here? I have seen exactly one ceiling fan and it’s across the street. Because in Oregon the weather renders the use of ceiling fans null. Which brings me to my next point.
3) Weather.
When we got to the west, California maybe, we went into a convenient store and the two women behind the counter were talking about the heat wave. Apparently it was 112 degrees outside. “But,” I thought. “I was just outside. And it was beautiful. A little hot, yes, but perfectly bearable.” Folks in the Pacific Northwest have no cotton-pickin’ idea just what hot is, and until you survive a summer season in Florida you will never know, and if I hear someone complain about the heat one more time I might slap them silly. I will agree that 112 degrees is somewhat warm, but it is nothing (do you hear me? NOTHING) compared to 100 degree heat with 100% humidity. That, my friends, is hot. Walking from a car to somewhere more than 10 yards away is cause to change shirts completely. Maybe pants.
When it storms in the valley (which is where I live, I learned the other day. The Rogue Valley.) it’s not uncommon for the electricity to go out during a storm with lots of lightning. I can count on one hand the number of times the electricity has gone out in my parents’ house due to a storm that wasn’t a hurricane. That number is 4. Anyway, it didn’t just go out on our block–it went out in a lot of places, including Jason’s mom’s house and Howiee’s. Strange.
We got internet this morning at 9 a.m., which is a lovely time for a guy with a bearded braid to come inside, track dirt onto my freshly-vacuumed carpet, talk loudly and do things that involve much banging around. But he is an angel. He has brought me the gift of internet and I am forever indebted to him. This is the longest I’ve ever been without a computer since about 9th grade and I don’t even know where to begin.
The job hunt is going slowly, and is much like actual hunting. Set a few traps, wait for something to trigger. Big Company has kindly rejected my wide variety of skills (both marketable and not-so-much marketable) which at first was a huge bummer. I found out about said rejection on the day our internet was supposed to be hooked up and subsequently wasn’t for a gamut of technical but nonetheless ridiculous reasons. Bummer. But Jason and I went on a date, first to Bambu and then to sneak in to the new Harry Potter movie. Lovely times.
Life with him is good and different. I made the exact right decision by moving here, even though I only have $450 in my bank account and exactly zero jobs. Optimism is getting the best of me, despite these trying times, which aren’t really so trying but might be some time soon.
Before anything, before I type one stinking thing about the trip, I would like to thank Amber for updating and creating cute little maps that mostly kept track of where we were.
Now.
I’m not sure how to fit everything that happened into an entire post (we did just drive across the country and all) so I will make a list.
+Met and ate dinner with the most awesome Ashley. Internet, you have allowed me to meet nothing but lovely, funny, brilliant, and beautiful people and this one was absolutely no exception.
+Saw three dust devils and lots of tumbleweed
+Got caught in a tornado warning
+Went into a casino for the first time and won $200
+Went into another casino and lost $20 in ten minutes
+A rock hit the windshield in Colorado and left a little ding. By the time we got to Medford, the ding had grown an arm that now extends a foot from its original point of origin.
+I did no pooping or peeing by the side of the road
+Got very tired of driving, riding, and generally being around a car. From now on I’m walking everywhere. Or taking a horse.
Today is the day we move in. First we must go to the bank, then the apartment company, then the apartment itself. Then I will spend the rest of the weekend trying to make that place feel like a home rather than an apartment I just stumbled into.
“Are you guys ready to kill each other after being in the car forever?” “No, we’re not going to kill each other. … We might though.”
Denise and Jason are alive, in Reno, and on their way to Medford. “We arrive at home today,” Denise told me, sounding half awake. “Are you lost?” she questioned Jason and he said “of course I’m lost,” and then asked some guy for directions to the In-N-Out Burger. They have priorities after all.
They made it 3/4 of the way to Reno last night, driving across Utah. “Yeah, that’s a long way on my map. That sucks.”
Nothing exciting, just the promise of Oregon tonight.
I may report again after I speak with her next, because she won’t have the internet for a few days. If not though, farewell and stay classy!
[Note: I'm not sure which way they went from Denver to Reno, and Reno to Medford. You get the basic idea though.]
TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS 350 PM MDT TUE JUL 3 2007
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR… NORTHEASTERN KIT CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO… * UNTIL 445 PM MDT
* AT 347 PM MDT…TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO OVER NORTH CENTRAL KIT CARSON COUNTY…OR ABOUT 12 MILES NORTH OF BETHUNE… MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH.
* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR… RURAL NORTHERN KIT CARSON COUNTY AROUND 400 PM MDT RURAL CENTRAL KIT CARSON COUNTY AROUND 410 PM MDT
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 442 AND 447.
THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 385 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 189 AND 211.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES… EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE… LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
“Do you have access to the internet at work?” Jason asked me over the phone, carefully choosing his words. It was around 3 o’clock PST or 4 o’clock MST on Tuesday and they were driving. “Can you check the weather in Kansas?” Instantly I knew what was going on, I was supposed to be checking for tornadoes. I was put on speaker phone and could make out some of the tornado warning on the radio. “Blah blah blah County has issued a warning, blah blah touched down, near blah blah, Highway 70 between miles markers…” and with that I went “oh God!” because I knew they were on that road. “I’ll drive,” I heard Jason say to Denise, and then I was taken off speaker phone and told that they’d keep me updated while they figured out where it was and what they wanted to do.
For the next half and hour I looked online and felt like Dusty from Twister- reading maps, making out what tornado was touching down where, etc. Through a series of texts I understood that the storm was thirty minutes/miles ahead of them on their way to Denver, and eventually they pulled over to wait. Weather.com upset me because it wouldn’t zoom into the map any larger, but you can see that while they were still in Kansas the red area/danger zone was between them and their hotel.
Denise told me she journaled it all down, so I’m waiting to get that report, along with other information. Since it was America’s Birthday yesterday there was no contact, but I do know that Tuesday night they made it safely to their hotel.
A new report should be here by the end of the day, as our duo is approaching Medford, the last stage of their journey. It’s like Frodo on his way through Mordor after surviving the giant spider Shelob and sneaking past orcs. Except they don’t have a powerful ring that they must destroy, but a twenty-two year old female taking a chance for love and adventure. (And what’s even better about that nerdy analogy is that neither Denise nor Jason like Lord Of the Rings, haha. See what happens when I’m put in charge of something?)
amberlynne, out.
Current Location: Hays, Kansas (Driving)
Miles Driven: 1470.29 miles (hurray MapQuest!)
Current Mood: Lucky
Since we last checked in with Denise she has been swallowed up by a tornado and in currently singing songs about lollipops. No no, that’s no true. In fact there hasn’t been any signs of tornadoes and she reported that the exciting event for today was not being sucked up by one. “Was there warnings or anything?” “No, nothing at all.” “If you want to I can make it sound dramatic, like you were hiding under an overpass or something.” The only problem would be I’d steal the plot of Twister, or the Wizard of Oz, or well… that’s all I really know about tornadoes. Once she’s in Oregon though I can talk about earthquakes, we get a few up here every now and again.
Jason drove all day yesterday, and Denise noted that she forgot how to drive even though she was driving while talking to me via cell phone, and I don’t think that’s super safe. Thankfully it was a quick conversation but all is well. They are listening to lots of Kelly Clarkson much to Jason’s liking and audiobooks. But that’s okay, one day Denise will learn to appreciate Tool and NIN, and also if I have my way Death Cab For Cutie. (You’re coming to the Pacific Northwest, it’s going to happen!) They stopped 50 miles outside of Kansas City for the night, which is noted on the map progression. Please note that the white lines are my guesstimation, with me flipping windows between my little map and google map with my free hand mouse painting skills. Woo!
The exciting event for yesterday was stopping at a casino to break up the monotony. I’m not sure where (bad reporting skills) but Denise had never been to one. She was worried about her sweatpants and being “all gross” but she put on jeans and sat down at a slot machine. A little while later she lost what she had allowed herself to play and found Jason. He was at a card table and lost almost everything he had, but gave her a $5 chip. Some guy (I’m not sure who) had told her not to play roulette since it was her first time gambling and all, but she went back and sat down. The dealer (spinner?) explained the rules, such as bet on red or black, and she decided to put her $5 chip on red. She won, doubling her money, and continued to play. She kept winning and winning and then realized she had $200 in front of her. Congrats!!
In about 150 miles there will be no more threat of tornadoes as they’ll be in Colorado, and they will stop in Denver for the night. I hope to report back tomorrow with an update, but so far so good! They are planning to arrive in Oregon on Thursday.
amberlynne, signing out.
(Sorry for the delay, as this was supposed to be posted last night for a super surprise…)
Hello there fellow Denise blog readers! My name is amber, amberlynne, or roger. Denise has bestowed upon me the honor of updating her blog for her while she makes the Great Migration to the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been waiting awhile to do this (she asked me a month or so ago), and I hope this will provide you with details and entertainment and all that jazz.
On to the Denise Migration Report!
Current Location: Murfreefboro, TN (South of Nashville, my map was prepared to have her in Nashville so it’s close enough)
Miles Driven: 650 miles
Current Mood: Hopeful
The following comes from a phone conversation I had with Denise at 6:30pm PST on Sunday, July 1st.
Denise & Jason left Inverness at 7:00am. Wait, that’s a lie, it was 7:15am, she corrected. They have driven 650 miles and landed in Murfreefboro, TN. When she and Jason stopped for lunch the waiter kindly asked them if they wanted refills on their drinks and Jason replied, “No, but can you please refill our drinks?” The waiter walked away confused and Jason proceeded to repeat what he thought he had heard him say, jibberish with a southern accent, only to learn that he had been a douche for not understanding him.
For Denise the tears came the night before when she said goodbye to Jackie, which is to be expected when you see someone every day for a year. Otherwise so far the trip has been “easy”, with only a little resentment towards the man taking her away from her family and crying over delayed sour cream for her meal. Jason as been supportive as well, not getting upset when she got mascara all over his shirt, and understanding how she’s feeling. (Hurray Jason!)
As for driving they were caught up in a couple storms, and my notes for that say “a few storms, Jason’s a pussy.” I think it was something along the lines of the rain storms down there are horrendous and Denise is used to them while Jason is not. I could be wrong about how bad the storms are, but I laughed none the less at her name calling. No tornadoes in sight, and she’s hoping it stays that way.
Before they left Flordia Denise’s father had given them a mapquest with directions from Inverness to Medford, complete with gas mileage and he had also figured out how much gas should cost to get them there- $305.10. Paper clipped to the directions was an envelope with exactly $305.10 in it. She cried hard for about 45 seconds at the gas pump, but then moved on, shaking it off and going along their way.
Today the duo may attempt to drive for 24 hours, and I’m not sure where that will leave them. Some personal things have come up so I may not be able to post a report tonight, but look for a new one tomorrow morning. Let me know if there is anything you’d like to know about her progress, or anything in general to spice this up.
Stay classy blog readers!
