Truck Driving

Pro: you get to travel
Pro: you can work alone. No annoying coworkers, bosses, etc
Con: obnoxious people (like myself) egging you on to honk your horn
Pro: having that horn handy to use whenever you please
Pro: sleeping wherever you want
Con: having to eat road food...(fast food = gross)

Pro: "car singing"... Everyone does it. Why not get paid at the same time?

Con: watching all the cars pass you while you chug up a small mountain at 30mph
Pro: CB radios and trucker humor
Pro: truck stops
Con: truck stops

my car is my home.

You know that game of "If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are the three things you would bring??"

I feel like today is a true-life situation of exactly that.  Minus the deserted island.

Today I leave Salt Lake City to spend a few months bouncing back and forth between southern California, Arizona, and a few places in the Northwest (with a West Coast roadtrip from San Diego to Washington state sometime around Christmas).  My plans so far are only made up til about mid-January.  And I'm not sure if I'm coming back to Utah any time soon.

Operation: pack car with necessities of life.

It's an interesting thought: if you had to live out of your car for 6+ months, what would you bring??  I'm pretty sure everyone's answer would be different (with the exception of clothes, some soap, and a change of underwear or two...hopefully).  I think one can find out a lot about themselves and where their priorities are if put in this situation.  I know I have.  

Here's a list of my "necessities" for the next 3+ months of car living:

Shoes/Leggings

Scarves

Photo Album**

Marlene

GATORADE!!!!!!

Polaroid + extra film

Yoga Mat <3

Running Gear

Let's face it... between Boston and I... things can get messy

**Yes, i understand that this photo is not of me, or anyone I know.  I also understand that my last name is not Johnson.  I'm also aware that the protective covering over said Album is still attached.  The point of bringing the Album is to have a better chance of actually filling it up.

I really wish i had room for my beach cruiser.

Orange.

This tree is one house down from the one I've been staying in.  Everytime I walk by it I stop and stare because it's perfect.  There's something about a big orange tree with fallen leaves all over the grass that makes me feel so..... happy.  It's comforting, home-y, fall-y.  Fall is my favorite season, always has been. The colors, the smells, the cold air, boots, chimney smoke, scarves, leggings, hats....good food.  All the good food happens this time of year.

 

Everyone's been telling me to give the Provo canyon a try for running.  I've been running on the roads here and it hasn't been pleasant.  This morning, in my new Nike winter compression pants (!!!), I gave the Provo canyon a whirl.  It.  Was.  Fabulous.  It was gorgeous and cold and alone and freezing and liberating and I almost got frostbite on my nose.  Who needs a nose, anyways?  I ran and ran and ran and ran until I realized, crap I better turn around or I may not make it back to my car.  I can't wait to go again tomorrow.  Why did I discover this place a few days before leaving?? :(

Provo Canyon

 

Mile 6

Utah, you are bitterly cold.  You are traffick-y and people-y.  You only allow one piece swimsuits at your Universities lap pool, and you're full of people who don't really know how to run.

But I love you.

Cheese and Whine

Chihuahuas for Sale!!!!
Would Boston be jealous?

I'm a simple girl.  There are really only a few things I need to be happy.  Today, I got none of them.

Utah apparently doesn't know what REAL running shoes are.  All I wanted was a pair of Brooks Ghost3's or another pair of Newtons (ok lets be honest I can't afford those yet).  All I found were Nike (barf) and Saucony (meh).  Needless to say I came home with a pair of running pants (the shorts left my legs frostbitten) and strawberry twizzlers.  Don't judge me.

Also, today I was set on swimming.  Not splashing around in a pool reading magazines and checking out lifeguards kind of swimming.  I've been craving a lap pool since I left Arizona.  I set out with my one piece, BYU-approved swimsuit and was DETERMINED to get into that pool.  The lifeguard had other plans.  I think he was gay.  I'll try again tomorrow (slash, when another lifeguard is on duty).

Lastly,  no amount of money in the world could buy this:  I wanted SUN.  We've had such beautiful weather these past couple days and I just wanted ONE MORE DAY of happy fall weather.  I woke up to rain, rain, rain.

On a positive(ish) note, less than a week left of my Utah stay then it's off to California!  A week of studio time, writing, and shows in Los Angeles!  Not exactly a relaxing California vacation but hey... I've had enough sitting around.  I'm ready to go!

Arizona.

When I first moved to Arizona, I couldn't understand why "those people" there were so obsessed with that place.  They'd always be like, "oh but we have a lake!" and "the landscape is so beautiful!" and "the weather is so nice!!"  I thought they were all loco because when I looked outside my window I saw a lot of cacti, dirt, and rocks.  The only beauty I could ever really see was sometimes there are really pretty sunsets.  Sometimes.  Plus it was always scorching hot and I missed the simple things in life like trees and a lawn.

I'm all dressed and ready go on a run, but I decided I'd rather not be outside in the freezing cold.  Instead, I cranked the heater up and found pictures of things I miss most about Arizona:

Pool sessions any time of day!

Warm, sunny weather <3

5am Canal running

Falling during 5am Canal running (ok I don't really miss that haha)

Sunrises

Things that only the Southwest can offer (shudder!)

Bicycle weather

Awesome temperatures (just makes for a nice, mild winter)

Bruce.

The best Boba smoothies in the world.

Being able to sleep/snuggle with Boston!!!

Can we PLEASE go home !?!

Now that I'm gone, I miss what I can't have.

I'll probably be back sooner than I think.  Yeah.  I'm one of "those people."

Mr. Sun

Sigh.

It's official.

I am now in the middle of a wintery, sunless, mess.

My skin is slowly going from happy-Arizona-sunned-bronze to pasty, chalky, sick-bed white.

I'm sorry skin.

I'm still in denial, and I still force "Medium Tan" BareMinerals (swoon) on my face when I really should be wearing "Queen Elizabeth III Ivory" or whatever is the whitest thing they sell.

 On the plus side, it's semi-sunny today and probably not below freezing temperatures, so I think I'll go sit on top of a mountain and try to write stuff.

Hey Boston... Remember what sun felt like??  Me neither.

Boo. And not in the scary way.

Date: Halloween Weekend.
Current City: Provo
Temperature: Freezing
Mood: Look at info above.  What do you think??


So i sacrificed attendance of the "coolest Halloween parties EVERRRR" on Friday night to take a roadtrip up to Rexburg to play at Sammy's Cafe.  It was actually lots of fun.  Free food, Boston came with, lasted about 20 minutes at a "super cool Halloween dance party" after the show....oh Rexburg.

Setting up.  I was posing for this but doubt I was aware at how "special" of a face I was making.

 

Check it out... first official "fan" photo.  Doesn't really count cuz I'm friends with one of them on
Facebook and he tagged me in it.  But still cool.

The next morning I headed back to Utah to play a show at Sammy's in Provo.  Just my luck, it rained and rained and rained up until the start of the show so it got canceled.  Which I was 89% bummed about and 11% excited about because I thought that meant I had a second chance at experiencing the coolness of Halloween (after missing all the events because of the show on Friday night).

Here's how Saturday night went:

9:30 -- Head to party in Provo

10:02 -- Die of thirst/heat exhaustion/lack of oxygen.  Hydrate, go outside.  Ho-hum around the front lawn of House Party. 

11:00 -- After extreme indecisiveness, head to SLC for some "better" parties

11:25 -- Gas station pit stop.  Watch in fascination as Samantha takes 20 minutes to decide on what to get for drinks.  Spend another 5 minute playing "gas station greeters".... say hi to scary bearded terrorist guy with "fake" dynamite strapped to his chest. 

12:07am -- Arrive at first party.  Eat candy bars, dance to Lady Gaga.  Try to talk some guys out of getting in a fight over a boob-grab incident (of which i was not involved).  

12:28 -- Drive around looking for a party that hasn't already been broken up by the SLC Police Dept

1:28 -- Still driving

2:00 -- Find a basement party.  Get hyphy.  Go Dumb. 

2:30-- Leave to get some food.  End up at Denny's.

4:12am -- Bed.  Finally.

Almost 7 hours of "partying" and only 40 minutes of actually attending parties.  10 of which were spent trying to find water.  10 minutes talking the guys out of beating each other up, 10 minutes trying to get my dumb onesie jumpsuit thing off so i could pee, and 10 mins dancing to super trendy underground indie/electronic music.

Utah, you are AWESOME.