Ice Packs and Pooper Scoopers: My Fourth Week On The Road

This week has been a whirlwind of cross-country flights, near concussions, and a dog show in Dallas. I said goodbye to Seattle on Sunday morning and headed to Atlanta, arriving at 8pm and getting to bed after a cheeseburger and some sweet tea. Tuesday morning in Chicago the turnout was expected to exceed 120 people, the largest event I've managed this year. The sun was rising and I was collating handbooks for all the teachers, Gram Parsons cheering me up on my headphones when I smashed my head on a dubious metal chair which caused a golf ball sized bump to appear in seconds on my forehead. Just then, my old friend Rose from one of last year's events appeared from Kelly Temp Services to help me collate handbooks and talk about the politics of traffic in Chicago.

The angel Rose, keeping me sane after a hectic Tuesday morning in Chicago

The rest of the day added insult to injury, with a broken microphone, Chicago teachers disgruntled about a shortage of stalls in the womens' restroom, and a late cab for our early flight to Dallas.

Things picked up the next day in Dallas (or Arlington, TX). The turnout was much smaller and the staff a pair of friendly Mexicans who were assigned exclusively to Meeting Room Six, our modest seminar, which was across the hall from the grand ballroom where the English Springer Spaniel Field Trial Association hosted the 2008 National Dog Show:

Highlights from the 2008 National Dog Show in Arlington, TX

Into the third round: Spaniels Suzie and Princess await judging and a chance to win "Best Bitch in Show"

One of the bennies of this job is the chance to see different and amazing things I never would've experienced; my very first dog show was a spectacular event to witness in person

Well, that's been my week so far. Today I'm working in El Paso, TX at the Radisson Hotel, where the weather is hot and dry. I think I might lay by the pool during lunch and finally ice my forehead.

My day off...

Saturdays in Seattle are the only time I can recoup after living out of a suitcase for the week (or two). Today I am doing laundry. I also got a haircut and bought a pack of t-shirts. Tonight I'll have a few beers with my good friends and get to bed at a reasonable time so I can catch my flight to Atlanta in the early morning.

My New Friends at B3W and a Four-Alarm Non-Fire...

Virginia is one of those states that's gone from Red to Purple in the closing days of the election, but I'd say in a dispassioned, bored, and perhaps frustrated sort of way. It seems the South cares more about the end of annoying campaign advertisements during commercial breaks of football and baseball games. The only real clue I got with regards to who's voting for whom came from a few good old boys at the bar in Buffalo Wild Wings who insisted only that global warming was a lie. "It's simply a shift in weather patterns." We also talked about how Southern women are pleasantly plump: "Ain't nuthin' better than a Southern sweater," as T.J. put it.

While the bored voters of Virginia saw only a minor distraction from the campaigns, Republicans and Democrats alike are trying to rally its constituents. Walking home from B3W (Buffalo Wild Wings), I passed a "Straight Talk Express" bus parked in the Holiday Inn parking lot:

A mirage or politics in Virginia? No! The Straight Talk Express rolls on here in Roanoke, VA

After seeing one of the GOP's fleet out in full force, I suddenly became very self-aware and fearful, rushing into the elevator and up to my fifth floor room where I fell fast asleep. Around 4am I woke up to a droning buzz coming from the hallway. In my underwear, I opened the door and saw the grouchy Nascar fans from Sunday's race in Martinsville file through the hallway and down the stair in their pajamas. I threw on some clothes and followed them outside:

A 4am wake-up call that brought the guests of the Holiday Inn out into the night's cold air

Later in the day I noticed Virginia's Women for Obama would be holding an event in Ballroom C here at the Holiday Inn. I thought I might catch them before driving down to Greensboro, but they were arriving three hours after I'd be gone. Still, it was nice to see the name Obama in a state of signs stating"Virginia is McCain Country."

No, I am not a woman!

Tonight I'm off to Madison, WI and then Chicago, both of which I am sure are "Obama Country." Still, I'll miss the Nascar fans and my new pals in the South. Perhaps one day we can at least cheer for the same football team.

Mini-vactions with friends in Texas and family 'back home'

In my first week traveling since last May I've already packed in some fun times partying down from Texas to good old Minneapolis. On Thursday night I got to spend some good times in Arlington, TX eating Tex-Mex and drinking the authentic Texan double-whammy: a beer and a shot of tequila. Old Aaron Bale picked me up at my hotel with his friend Rusty (or Kyle) and we drove across the freeway to Mariano's, the "birthplace of the frozen margarita," where we met the wonderful Anita, who served us up some extra-hot salsa that she whipped up custom made after Aaron requested it in perfect Spanish:

Rusty, Anita, myself and Aaron Bale enjoying frozen Margaritas at Mariono's

After some amazing fajitas and margaritas we made our way to TJ's, an authentic dive bar, where we smoked cigarettes (indoors!) and drank shots of tequila as we watched Game Five of the ALCS, where the Boston Red Sox rallied in the 7th inning, beating Tampa Bay in the ninth. I also sang my trademark 'In the Ghetto' by Elvis on the karaoke stage, toning down the atmosphere of the night for everyone else who belted out hits from Garth Brooks and 50 Cent...whoops!

The next day after an easy flight to Minneapolis, I met up with my folks for a weekend in Burnsville. Saturday was spent moving a bunch of my little sister's furniture into a storage space, along with a bunch of my boxes, the contents of which cluttered a few closets and the basement with junk I've accrued since college. There was also the dog, who is supposedly in his "teenage years" and the rebellion shows.

Misbehaving Murphy during the big move

Summer Recap and What's to Come...

My travels ended on May 22nd in Cleveland, Ohio. It was good to come home to Seattle and embark on an incredible Summer, kicking off in full force at my going away party before heading for Chicago:


Chicago turned out to be Evanston. While I got to spend a bit of time exploring the fruits of the Second City, most of it was spent in the basement or the backyard of the house I lived in writing to-do lists that consisted of enjoying the sun, drinking beer and going to movies.

Reading Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville" in the basement of my Evanston palace

Soon I was flying to Minneapolis. In my three weeks home, I spent a lot of time wondering where the rest of my summer would take me. There was the two days my dad and I headed up to Canada for a father-son fishing trip. No fish were caught, but I finally understood what it meant to be seasick. I had a fabulous Fourth of July with my family in Wisconsin, where we enjoyed a quiet night watching the neighbor's fireworks as we sipped wine by the fire. I also got to flaunt my newfound carpentry talents and built a fence...I didn't even hammer my thumb once!

One of my dad's oldest friends, Charlie, and I, on the whitecaps of a stormy lake in Canada, where the fish were safe from our lack of experience and patience for the big lunkers...

My old man and I enjoying the fruits of my labor

The Timmer and his master Murphy in Wisconsin on our pontoon over Independence Day

It was difficult to decide where to go after my trip home. While I loved Chicago, I ended up moving there for the wrong reasons and decided to repair back to something familiar. Seattle kept calling from the West, and Adam Bale had just bought a Panasonic HVX.

Saying I enjoyed the rest of my summer would be an understatement. There was the second trip home to Minneapolis for my brother's 25th birthday. I got to spend four days in Austin, TX where I drank beer by the pool in the sun and tried to get over a horrible cold. And how can I forget the projects I worked on with Adam Bale that supplemented my meager income working occasionally as a brand ambassador promoting cell phones, chocolate, and the Army?

Summer Lovin: Drinking PBR in Austin, TX

I'll never forget all the experiences I've packed into the past few months. Thinking back, it seems like so much time has passed since the spring, when I thought my days managing teachers' seminars were over. I find myself once again darting around the country and meeting the faces of America. It's lucky I have a job like this waiting for me when the money runs dry. So, from Raleigh to Newark, I look forward to another season writing this blog for friends and family who want to see where I've been and where I'm going. Thanks for reading.

From Raleigh, NC, the adventure continues...

Thoughts on my last short weekend home...

It's a warm and sunny Saturday here in Seattle and I am happy to be sitting in the living room in my dirty white robe thinking about one more week as a Nickel-Plated Wayfarer. I hadn't been back for a good month, since that first weekend in New Orleans which seems like so long ago. I got to visit Niagra Falls again, this time from the Canadian side, which is much more misty and beautiful:

Niagara Falls is great for honeymooners and swinging singles alike!

I also had a great time spending a weekend in Minneapolis, where I celebrated Mother's Day with my wonderful family.

Grandma Alice May, who was all the rage and Bennigan's for a late lunch and 2-fers.

It was good to see nothing much has changed in my hometown besides the slow and progressive changes that come with time: toasting my little sister Betsy's last remaining weeks of college, toasting my dad for the end of a chapter putting three kids through college, toasting my old friend Jody's birthday party during a surprise visit Tuesday night:

Justin drinking a blow-up bottle of rum at his lover's birthday party in Minneapolis

Coming home to my friends in Seattle has been the best part of this job. In my few days home I've grilled hot dogs at dusk around a bonfire at Golden Gardens and chugged beer at a ragin' kegger.

My fake brother and my real brother in front of the Buckaroo in Fremont

We'll see you in Ohio for my last four days of work.

Springtime in New York Doesn't Smell as Sweet

Well, back in New York. Two more weeks and my travels are through! I need the break. Having been gone from friends and family for the past three weeks has been rough...even though I don't have my own bed to sleep in, backslapping and wisecracks are all I need to feel at home. I miss all my pals and look forward to returning to Seattle in about a week to catch up (and pick up my long overdue drycleaning). But what perfect timing to be home in Minneapolis this weekend! I'm looking forward to a fabulous Mother's Day with my mom and Granny Alice May, along with my dad and Lil' Betsy.

A lonely dinner last night at Max's in Buffalo

Yesterday morning I opened up my window shades and saw ten stories below me some picketing protesters marching in front of my hotel and felt like I was at an abortion clinic. When I approached them, the protesters politely gave me shit for patronizing a hotel that wouldn't allow its employees to discuss unionizing. I thanked them for their time and had my lunch across the street at a Chinese buffet.

Rise up against the evil forces of the Rochester Plaza Hotel!

Also this week, I got an email from Adam Bale linking his first feature story on "The Film School" for the Seattle Channel's TV show, CityStream. I was impressed by his ability to use a journalistic voice in his narration and know I'll whip his butt when I get back into the production scene.