OTHER THINGS: sequence of events as of july 1, 2010 to august 1, 2010

the dishes I have collected and the style i miss dearly.

the shower in Williamsburg, BK with parisian light; house sitting #1

leon. (less than three)

he is also known as kahuna and buttercup. his sex is still undetermined... he is a boy biologically, but everyone has thought he was a girl all his life, so he thinks he's a female. It is a really odd situation, but we love him anyways. Cat/house sitting #2

I leave NY at 10:15pm.

closed cleveland shop

behind the cleveland greyhound bus station. I had arrived at cleveland at 7:30am-ish.

NEXT MAJOR STOP: Chicago.

Bus was late, missed my 3:30pm bus and took an alternate route at 6 pm. Lost my travel mate, Nick. Though we were going to the same state, we had different busses. Nor cal versus southern region.... we would split in vegas. guarded flirtatious sad face here. When we both had to find new routes, we split. No more cuddle buddy.

Waiting in a mysterious line that ended up to not be mine, I met a farmer that was leaving home to be a truck driver. He was really really nice. And had a REALly digital watch. Just a pleasant fellow.

I finally found where I should have been and sat in my line for about 2 hours. Hours seem like nothing these days. I was hungry. I hadn't eaten in about 16 hours. Just a cup of coffee and drinking fountain and bathroom sink water for a bit.... (oh, and cigarettes. ha ha. found a pack of rollies so old that its flavor was bitter.) This is when i realized I need to bum it. I had literally $.70 to my name. Saved the styrofoam cup from the coffee that I had (which was given to me for free since I didn't realize the few dollars I had didn't transfer yet into my account.) so the girl at the hardee's rest stop gave it to me for free cause she felt so bad... I honestly can't fight the styrofoam anymore... that shit saved my life. lasts through hot, cold, and extensive washings....

I did bring with me a bag of instant oatmeal and a jar of peanut butter.. as you can tell, I am accustomed to this whole "survival" thing. but I couldn't carry anything else, therefore no gallon jug of $.99 water.

And the hours keep rolling.

St Louis was pretty at 11 pm. I kept some brochures so I can come back and see the butterfly building and the classic car museum or whatever that was. and the black madonna.

uh... this place is called Joplin. we passed this sign twice.

casa montez. (montez was the name of the computer account I used in harlem. i know... who the hell cares. i really wont in a few months....)

after seeing the first joplin sign and the second time seeing it someone was kicked off the bus for listening to music too loud too close to the driver. The cops came for them.

The entire time driving through Missouri I kept thinking "i should jut get out here and go to camp zoe.", "I think next weekend is shwagfest, not this one..."

OKC,OK. Sonic headquarters? also... many buildings here have moats. the soil is red in oklahoma.

i think this may be the interior of the OKC,OK bus station... Possibly. no... oklahoma was outdoors. it was somewhere in the middle of the country where this was taken.

I am going to have to interject with some more words: each bus built a family. Whether you are traveling for a family vacation or business or just for the hell of the ride, we were a really really odd family. We wouldn't let the bus leave without anyone, we told each other stories, talked about things that I'm sure not many of us would tell many others. people would watch your kids if you slept, give them food if they were hungry between stops- we created protective bonds that, although only lasted as long as the bus ride, each bus family had its communal vibe.

so, funny story.... So leaving NY, there was this guy standing in front of me. Obviously a bus aficionado. A veteran, if you will.... He was a friendly guy- looked like Tom Morello, same color schemes and all- talking to everyone, totally along for the ride. I know his story- we discussed it in Amarillo, TX, but you know... He had a fun sounding journey he was making for himself.

Anyways, as stated earlier, our bus families split through each hub.... Chicago killed us since the bus was late, everyone was just hoarded onto whichever bus that got us to our destination. Lost my ride buddy and everyone else. I ended up on a bus taking me the south route through all the cities I wanted to extensively stay in: Chicago then St. Louis (but not Salt Lake City... that bus had left me) then my bf's parent's state, oklahoma, then TEXAS!!!!!! I ended up not caring too much about it... just that i wanted to see what a 74oz steak would look like. especially since they were free. perfect place to get a cowboy hat too... The next day I arrive in Oklahoma. I am dirty and wearing the same red dress for a few days now. I was wearing that over my batique wrap dress and a pair of cut offs just cause I couldnt fit it all in my bag. ha ha. go me for letting go... all of a sudden, in line for the new bus out of okc,ok, I see the Tom Morello. its like, 'wait a second, we lost each other a day ago....' He sees me staring at him like i'm a crazy person. and naturally, for no reason other than my own awkwardness, avoid him rather that talk to him . and purposeful avoidance never works to anyone's advantage. avoidance worked for a while... until our favorite pastimes collided in texas.

in any case, destiny had brought us together. ah hahha h.

in the entire country, we spit routes, then find each other again. odd aye?

i had to tell him i was behind him in line in NY... which justified in all our minds my crazy stares.

(ps... the pastime is walking around the area when we have a bit of time... bus stations are usually in the downtown areas.)

downtown blythe... best bus station by far...

Immigration stopped us in Blythe and questioned everyone on the bus. They thought I was a naturalized citizen until my valley girl accent came out when I started talking. really? ethnic face and batique makes one question? thats the standard? I honestly thought a large degree of this Arizona issue was hype. wait, beyond arizona... this race thing.

The reason why I like this picture so much is because you can see the different reactions of the people based on gender. The women are much more submissive and tactile while the male who was pulled off the bus was yelling and waving arms around rather than the womanly arm rubbing and mccullay culkin face grab. Stances are different. reactions to 'authority' figures are different.

it's interesting.

pretty flowers. right after the freeway entrance

the sticks they call trees on the way to San Bernardinn0000

i haven't found the in and out yet and i used to live here for a long time. the roof is in Burbank and there is a 'b' on the hill. OH!!! I get it now!