The road trip soundtrack
(these aren't in order due to poor memory)
Day One
The Blow - Compilation CD
Ani Difranco - Dilate
Eddie Izzard - Unrepeatable
Weezer - (Blue Album)
Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk
Death Cab for Cutie - We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes
Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister
Elliott Smith - XO
Modest Mouse - Build Nothing from Something
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Day Two
The Blow - Compilation CD (again)
Ani Difranco - Dilate (again)
Radiohead - OK Computer
Pavement - Brighten the Corners
Eddie Izzard - Definite Article
Weezer - Pinkerton
Tori Amos - Scarlet's Walk (again)
Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong with Love
Death Cab for Cutie - Something About Airplanes
Belle & Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap
Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica
Dr. Dre - 2001
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted
That sums up approximately 25 hours of music and comedy CDs. Although, I probably left something out. Hmmm...
*Sarah*
A little weekend adventure
After over 1,200 miles in the car I am finally in a house.
I'm currently stopping over at my parent's house to use the bathroom and thought I'd better write some of this stuff down before I forget it.
Friday
I was supposed to go to see my friend's band play. Instead, I fell asleep around 7 pm and didn't wake up until 7 am the next morning.
Saturday
I woke up with that "trapped" feeling and needed to escape. So, I packed a bag, grabbed a sleeping bag, a pillow, some bottled water, cds, and a bag of pretzels and hit the road.
After stopping for gas, cigarettes, and a road atlas of the United States, I headed south through Minnesota and kept on driving. Before I knew it, Iowa was gone and Missourri was ahead of me.
After a detour in Kansas City, I drove on. And on and on and on.
I passed through Kansas and went on into Oklahoma. And then I got hungry.
I stopped at a gas station outside of Oklahoma City and asked the Armenian clerk where I could find a restaurant. He said he was new to the area, but that I could ask "that guy who stands in front of the store".
In front of the store stood a young black male counting a wad of bills. I walked up to him and asked if he knew of a restaurant nearby. In his funny Oklahoma drawl, he asked if I was eating alone. I nodded. He gave me directions to a nearby restaurant. I told him he was welcome to join me.
So, I had dinner with Derek in a cheesy Oklahoma restaurant named "Stables", complete with country music and cowboy boot clad patrons. We ate cheap barbeque and chatted. His pager went off several times during dinner and he left to make phone calls on the pay phone in the back of the restaurant.
And then I hit the road, again. I'm not sure where I ended up (but it was most likely still in Oklahoma). I was too tired to drive anymore and decided to find a place to sleep for the night.
I ended up in a small dive hotel off the freeway. I slept in my sleeping bag on top of the hotel bed, not even wanting to pull back the comforter.
Sunday
I awoke this morning, changed clothes, and got back in my car.
I left behind the oil wells of Oklahoma and drove on. Near Witchita, Kansas, I stopped at a rest stop to stretch and I met a group of young men hauling tractor equipment to Missouri. We started talking. They amused me... A truck full of young men complete with hillbilly accents and all wearing overalls.
We found we were headed in the same direction and so one of the overall men (John) rode with me for a few hours to keep me company.
Alone again, I drove on back through Missouri, Iowa, and returned to Minnesota.
It was refreshing. It was just what I needed. I haven't felt that happy in a long time. Driving down the highways, across the country, listening to music, smoking too many cigarettes, and meeting the "locals".
It gave me perspective as well...
And, it fulfilled some other needs too. I felt like I needed to re-assert my independence. I needed to show myself that I could just go, and that it was my decision to make. I needed to show myself that I could be alone for that long as well. Alone with only my thoughts, no computers or television or other distractions.
And damnit, it was just fun. And I needed a little of that too.
*Sarah*
