FARGO

So, about 6 weeks ago, I spent four fun filled days in Fargo, ND.

Seriously.

I flew out the Sunday before Veteran's Day, and arrived in Fargo in the early evening, around 5:00. It was already dark out. And pretty bitter cold.

I got in the rental car, drove to the hotel. I prepped my yos, paperwork and everything for the week to the sounds of Aladdin- which was conveniently on ABC Family that night. The next morning I awoke before the sun, filled myself up on free breakfast and headed off to my first show: Roosevelt Elementary in Jamestown, ND.

Jamestown is about an hour and 30 from Fargo. The drive was straight. And flat. Very flat. But with a very big sky. On the off ramp of the highway I noticed a sign pointing to the "LIVE BUFFALO" and the "NATIONAL BUFFALO MUSEUM". One thing my sister did ask for, was a picture of buffalo. So after the first show, which was lovely by the way, I headed off to find them.

I went to the National Buffalo Museum. I saw the world's largest buffalo:

Yes!

Pretty awesome adventure for the middle of a Monday morning. Then, it was back to Fargo for my second show. The people in this area of the country were so warm and kind, and the kids were SO well behaved. They loved the yos, I'll tell ya that.

Next day it was off to rural Minnesota. I watched the sunrise on my journey. At my first school, the principal greeted the kids like this:

"Hello everyone! Did you all have a nice holiday weekend?"

Kids: "Yeeess"

"Did everyone go deer hunting?"

Kids: "Yeesss"

Wait. What?

Yup. That is what happened. Hunting must be very popular in rural Minnesota. On the way back to Fargo I drove through Borup, MN. Population of 110. I slow-clapped the entire drive through the town. Our country is so big. And so diverse. I've seen so much over this past year.

All of the schools in Fargo were lovely, I had expected that from words I heard heard through yo pros that had been there in the past. What I didn't expect was for the town to be so cute! Downtown was small, but interesting. There was a great coffee shop- Atomic Coffee. Some really cute boutiques and bookstores. An independent movie theater. I even got my haircut. It was great, and cheap!

My last night in Fargo, I went all out. I took myself to the nicest restaurant in town. I had the most delicious mushroom soup- a full meal, wine and tip included- at the nicest looking place downtown- $22. I'll take it. Monte's in Fargo. Swing in if you're ever in the neighborhood. I then headed off to the $2 cinema. I saw Captain America. I thought it was one of the better recent comic book movies. There was still more to see! I squeezed in a quick visit to the Viking Ship Museum before I headed back to the airport my last day there. It was cool. I'd be more than happy to head back to Fargo again. Oh, and it snowed. For just a hot second there, it snowed.

OH CANADA!.....a month overdue.

So, a month ago I was in Toronto.

The best part was being reunited with my training buddy and drinking wine with her and her Canadian friend.

Canadians are so nice.

Toronto was ok, I think it had been a little over-hyped for me. It was a big city. I went to the CN tower. It was like the Canadian space needle- taller, but not as cool on the inside. And more expensive. When I asked what there was to see, it wasn't like- "Oh, you're in Toronto! You MUST do this!". Except for the CN Tower. Maybe go to Tim Horton's. That was pretty good. I also went to a restaurant called School, which was delicious.

There was a beautiful neighborhood called Yorkville. I liked it. Toronto seemed like it may be a nice place to live, but not a whole lot to do as a visitor. I suppose if you're really into hockey there's a whole lot to see.

Meet me in St. Louis.

Oh louie! You've been lovely. Hot, but lovely. It was 104 yesterday. HOT!

I've been here for four days and I'm leaving tonight. It's been a good run. The majority of my shows and schools have been awesome. I met some really kind people. A local actor and a filmmaker/ school teachers who were wonderful. We chatted about film. Acting. My job and how ridiculous it is. People here are nice. It's funny, because I feel like Missouri is a state we easily forget about on the east coast. It's in the middle. Like all those other ones. The middle does have some decent things to be said for it though. I discovered Steak N' Shake, and that was pretty delicious. I even had a half day! I used it to sightsee.

I took a steamboat down the Mississippi. I do say, this was one of my life goals. Check.

I went to the top of the Arch. It was neat. To get up there, you ride in catepillar-pod type contraption. It was straight out of the 60's space age. I went to the museum. I learned a lot about St. Louis, the Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark. It was pretty cool.

All and all, a lovely end to my summer of yo-yo travel. Now it's time to head back home. You'll hear from me next in October, in Toronto!

CHATTANOOGY!!!!

So I have just had the pleasure of spending the last five days in Chattanooga,TN.

"Surely you must be joking you say!"

No. For serious. And don't call me Shirley.

I was pleasantly surprised with this little southern town. People are unbelievable here. It's easy to make a friend anywhere. I've been called honey, sweetie and baby more times than I can count. And not in a sketchy way- in a sweet, "Oh it's like you're my mom, but Southern" way.

I explored the choo-choo. It was cool. The Chattanoogans basically took the old train and made it into a boutique hotel. The train cars, the dining cars, the station- it's all there, just stationary. Pretty cool.

I went to the movies twice, I saw two films I was nervous I'd miss being abroad all summer. They made me smile. And cry. And smile. "One Day", an adaption of a book I really enjoyed- and "Crazy Stupid Love"- which was just cute. I recommend both.

I went into a cave and saw an underground waterfall. It was spellbinding.

I drove to Atlanta, and I saw two of the greatest people I know. And ate some damn good pizza. Mission accomplished.

Canberra

When I first arrived in Canberra, I was underwhelmed. All any local in Sydney had to say about the capital city was that it was cold. After arriving at my hotel in the rain, Canberra very quickly looked to me like the Kendall Square of Australia. Government buildings. Office buildings. Restaurants open from 9-5. Everything closed on Sunday. A mall. I felt pretty lonely pretty damn fast.

The first day, I went for a walk and didn't discover much of anything, besides the grocery store. The second day my co-worker and I went for a walk. We ran into a youth hostel to ask what there was to do. We discovered that there was a market every Sunday at the old bus depot. We went. It was....pretty good! We drank Sangria. It was delicious.

That night, we found a local via couchsurfing. He took us out for Thai food. (Australians LOVE thai food). We had good conversation. We made friends with the table next to us. It was a jolly good time- things were looking up. He told us about a couple of events happening this week, one a concert I'm going to tonight.

After 1 and a half days of work, I had a half day. I explored. It was fantastic. The sun was out. The air was brisk. I went to a local cafe that boasted the best coffee in Canberra- and it was the best I'd had in a long time. I also treated myself to an Australian "Lamington". The girls at the cafe recommended it. It's a sponge cake dipped it chocolate and rolled in coconut. Deeee licious.

I strolled. I discovered funky bookshops. I bought my fill of cheap Aussie souvenirs for friends and family. Then I went to the Australian National Museum. I encountered a lot of magic birds (see below) on the walk by the lake there. The museum was great. Really. I haven't learned so much at a museum in a long time. Did you know that there used to be a fence running the entire continent that was built to keep rabbits out of Western Australia? There was. I saw a platypus- dead this time. I learned about the Aboriginal traditions. I went to a rotating movie theater. It was really nice.

So Canberra, it looks like you're more than meets the eye. I'm looking forward to seeing more of you. I guess once I realized you're a quiet, relaxed, small city, there was so much more of you to see.

BEACH!

Bronte beach. Training buddy and I reunited with a trip to the beach!

This was a beautiful place. There was an ocean water infinity pool. A public ocean water infinity pool. Big waves. Open air. Clear water. Ahh.

SYDNEY!

Where have you been all my life?

Beautiful city. Straight up.

After hiking adventures, we awoke early to explore the city. First stop : Pancakes on the Rocks, per suggestion of my dear friend Alaine. Delicioso. I had pancakes with grilled pineapple, ice cream and a strawberry daquiri- what a breakfast! After that, it was a stroll around the Rocks. Very cool neighborhood. There was an Aroma Festival happening. Chocolate, tea and coffee as far as the eye could see. What a dream. Then...to the Opera!

Yup, this building is just as unbelievable as everyone says it is. Breathtaking. I contemplated using my student id to get in to see a show- but, ran out of time.

Then, an expedition to the Taronga Zoo! My co-worker had made a new friend, that we all quickly became friends with too. He's a zookeeper. We got into the zoo, for free (booyah), and then fed giraffes.

Wow. They are tall.

Then.... I SAW A PLATYPUS!!!! VICTORY!

My list of to do in Australia is just about complete. But more adventures await....

Katooooooomba!!!!

So. Here we are.

Yesterday we rallied. We woke up. We drove to the Blue Mountains. And we hiked to an amazing waterfall. Who's we? Me and all of the other yoyo ladies staying here in Sydney. Gee, it's nice to not be alone! Check out the video. Check out the falls. The valley. The pictures don't quite do it justice. Wow.

After our hike we got burgers and shakes. And we bought liquor. I found black vodka. A thing I have been searching for since I left Spain four years ago. Vodka negra y fanta limon, here I come! Friday night, we went out with a local, who a yo lady knows through a life swap deal through a friend. He was the greatest, and his friends were wonderful. We had such a good time. I don't want to go back to work tomorrow!

Sunrise and Wallabys.

So earlier this week, I journeyed 3 hours into the Blue Mountains to visit a couple of schools. I left my hotel/apartment at 4:30am.

4:30 am you say?! That's ridiculous! Well, yeah, a little. But with the jetlag, it didn't feel ridiculous. It was 2:30pm Boston time. But I made a discovery on my drive.

The sunrise is the perfect time to discover a place.

I drove into the mountains at the sun was rising. The air was pink. The mountains were purple and blue. There was a mist all around settling into the valley. I pulled over on the side of the road to take it all in, and a heard of wild kangaroos bounced out of the fog and into the woods. It was one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen. I was more than happy to be up before sunrise.

On the way home from the mountains that afternoon, I stopped at the Jenolan Caves. They weren't too far off of the Great Western Highway. I hiked through the caverns, through the Nettle Cave and the Devil's Carriage out to the woods on the other side. While walking along the trail, I saw a little hopper out of the corner of my eye. I stopped and looked for a moment, and snapped a photo. I thought it was a wallaby, or a kangaroo. He looked like this:

I hiked on, past the river and a pond.

Yeah, the water was really that blue.

On the way back to my car, I stopped by the ranger station to show them my picture of the hopper, to ask what it was. They got excited. It was the rarest type of Wallaby. They asked me to email it to them. I felt pretty cool, to say the least. Australia is a magical place.

DOWN UNDAH

I'm in Australia!!! Woooo!

So far, I've been working most of the time. Very busy days. The schools here are lovely though, and the people are so nice. Nearly everyone I have met has been great. When they are driving...they are a little more like Bostonians- but in person very nice. The kids are sweet. The shows go well and they think I'm hilarious. Win win.

After work yesterday I stopped in on a wild life park. I saw signs on the side of the road, and I followed them. It was magical. I fed kangaroos. A mom roo hopped up to me and a baby popped out of her pouch. I was the only person in the park. It was so cool. I saw kookaburras. Emus. Dingos. Peacocks. Red Pandas. KOALAS! It was awesome. I love following random signs I see on the side of the road.

Having such luck with the first sign I saw, I decided to follow the second. To the Royal National Park. It was beautiful. Just as the sun began to set I pulled up along the side of a cliff dropping into the ocean, and then through a jungle. The jungle went on forever.

I've spent this afternoon researching what to do with the rest of my time here. I will see a platypus. I will go hiking. And I'll do all of the touristy things in Sydney. Hot Dog!! Will write again soon. xoxo

Travel Blogs.

The thing about writing a travel blog is...

I'm too excited and busy exploring to sit down at my computer and write.

Tomorrow I'm going to Australia for three weeks. Here's to writing about it at least once! And holding a koala.

See you on the other side of the globe, blog.

European Tour

So, my European tour has come to a close and I am now back stateside.

It was wonderful. If the weather wasn't so crummy in England, I could easily see myself living there.

The job aspect was great. English children are so well behaved. What are they doing that Americans aren't? Oh right. They have recess. At least twice a day. And art. And no MCAS or leaving children behind bullshit. It seems to be working pretty well for them. And their teachers strike to keep their pensions. Which, gave me a day off. That wasn't too shabby.

What did I do with my extra day off? I WENT TO STONEHENGE!!!!

It was cool. Definitely on my to-do list for life, which made me so very happy. Nobody really knows what it is or was, which I kind of like. I find the myths that surround it the most interesting. What would you do if you wandered through the woods and stumbled upon Stonehenge? Or Chichen Itza? I'll let you know when I stumble upon something that no one has really paid attention to in a few hundred years.

My last night in England was spent at a castle watching an outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet. Not half bad, if I do say so myself.

Next, off to tour Australia for three weeks. Worldwide tour. No biggie.....

Porn in England.

Hello dear readers!

So sorry it's been awhile since my last post. Here in the UK I have an internet stick, which was recognizing my blog as an 18+ website and not allowing me access to it. I know my blog is awesome, but porn? I do not know. Well, after a quick visit to T-Mobile we are back on track.

So I'm in England. Drinking tea, driving on the other side of the road and yo-yoing for children. It's awesome. The kids are adorable and so very proper. They love my accent, which is strange to me, but cool. The driving thing.....a bit difficult. I thought I would be good to go because I'm ambidextrous, but that does not work with the road I guess. I do get to drive a BMW though, which is super nicey.

I'm staying in Bristol for the most part, which is a lovely little city. I've been all over because of work, to the beach and to the country and back again. And places like this:

I also visited London this past weekend! It was amazing!!!! I finished my list in less that two days, The Globe Theater, Camden Market, Buckingham Palace, the Tate Modern, English Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, dancing, celebrating and reuniting. It was fantastic. I even got my hand on some Kate and Wills merchandise to bring back home. Woot Woot!

Next tourist stop: Stonehenge. Will be writing more later. Off to explore!

INTERNATIONAL TOUR!!!

(Stock photo of Big Ben here.)

Hello dear readers! I am right now sitting in Logan Airport, in home sweet home of Beantown. I am waiting to get on a flight to Bristol, England to begin my tour of the UK!!!!

Well, mostly England, but I may bump over into Wales as well. I will be spending two weeks abroad, traveling with my show and molding small British minds. (As in, the minds of children, not stupid or close minded Brits.)

I'm truly looking forward to my trip, because although I am a citizen of the EU, I have never been to England. I will be visiting London for sure, catching some Shakespeare, having afternoon tea and I'll just go visit Stonehenge on the summer solstice, just because I can.

Cheers!

Ohh Floorydah.

I am now back from Miami. It was a great tour. The perfect place for me to be sent to for where my life is right now. By that, I mean somewhere warm with a beach.

My sister visited for the weekend, we had a blast. We beached. We clubbed. We drag showed. We Miamied. It was a really good time, and really cool to have someone from my real life get an idea to what my tour life is like. Minus the performing yo-yo shows part...that one I don't really throw off on to other people. Much.

The greatest thing is to get super sweaty performing something meaningful and changing people's lives- then to drive directly to the ocean and swim in it. I would like to keep this practice in Boston, and the weather is finally helping me reach that dream.

I drove to the Keys my second week. It was unbelievable. If driving the one road to the Florida Keys at sunrise isn't the best drive ever, what is? Well, driving through the deserts of Arizona was pretty cool too. But back to the Keys. It was great, I didn't want to leave. I was in Florida, but it was all of a sudden the Caribbean. I couldn't help but wonder- how did all of these people get here? It had a very ex-pat feel. I wanted to ask everyone what made them leave their lives somewhere else, and just go to Key Largo. I could see myself doing it. For a little while anyway, then I'd probably want to end up someplace a little more like London or L.A., but it would be a nice escape. For a little while.

I also visited one of my bestest ladies on the planet in West Palm Beach. News flash. West Palm Beach is like a real city. Lots of people live there. There are tall buildings. I did not know this.

She works for Florida Stage, I'm proud of her. We went to see the show she's been working on. It was great to see an original show. And even better to see a date.

After my fill of happy hour drinks and drag queens (I could never reach my fill of beach), I return home. To Boston. It took a bit, but luckily the weather followed me here. I only hope it stays. Until my next journey anyway. Soon, across the pond to England....

Bienvenidos a Miami...

Yes please.

So the weather's been great.

The beach is beautiful.

The water is warm.

I've been in Miami since Monday, on my first two week yo yo extravaganza tour for work. It's been good. I have a nice hotel, it's kind of in the hood, but hey, who's counting? It's expected that everyone speaks Spanish here. I'm kind of into that, because I'm in the club. If I did not speak Spanish, I might be quite confused. A guy at a toll booth told me I looked like a princesa. He had on a Hawaiian shirt. The whole encounter made me smile.

The work part has been good. I finally have a new outfit!!! I get to wear orange Chuck Taylor's now, and I feel so much more like myself. It's great. The shows have been good- I've been visiting places with names like "Caribbean Elementary", with mascots like dolphins and stingrays. These things also make me smile. It's hot though, very hot. I fear my dripping sweat is scaring the children, but they seem cool with it. It might have something to do with the fact that I sound a little bit like a Disney princess when I use a microphone.

My first free afternoon I went to the beach. I finished a book that my friend had leant me. I really enjoyed it. I swam. I rented a bike and went for a ride. It was a lovely day.

My sister came to visit for the weekend. It's been awesome so far, more beach, and tonight we're headed to Gloria Estefan's club, where, apparently, the rhythm really will get you. Hasta pronto.

Vancouver, BC

Dear Readers,

I apologize this post is so overdue! Life has gotten in the way of blogging for a little while, but as I am about to embark on a two week yo yo adventure, you can be sure to be hearing a lot more about it.

Anyways, just about two weeks ago, I got home from Vancouver. It was my first international experience as a yo-yoer. Or yo-yo-ist. Or whatever. It was awesome. I also had another yoyo lady with me there! It was a dream. There is something so nice about NOT having to go out for dinner every night, and as for a table for one. Seriously. Try it sometime. See how the hostess looks at you.

We had some trouble getting across the border. Apparently the Canadian border patrol does not see a lot of soundsystems passing through- they asked A LOT of questions. The fact that I landed in Vancouver at 1:00am did not put any ease to their questioning as I may have hoped. But nonetheless, I made it through!

This awaited me:

Vancouver was beautiful. I arrived in darkness and I had no idea what to expect in the morning. I expected it to be like Seattle, because it was so close.

The next morning as I drove to work, I couldn't have asked for a better road to travel. Monsterous mountains arose around me- covered in snow. I literally screamed out loud when I first noticed them. I drove through downtown Vancouver and over the bridge to West Van, which was really to be my favorite part of the city.

I had my first show, which went well, but was difficult. Why you ask? Well, the word "yo-yo" is trademarked in Canada. What does that mean? That means I have to do a 45 minute show about yo-yos without saying the word "yo-yo". And also, the general public in Canada does not know about this little fun fact, so they can say "yo-yo" as much as they want to- and find it a little weird that I have to say "yo" or "yo-top". But hey, if that's the hardest part of the day, how bad can it really be? I'm not too upset about it. Also, the children I saw in Canada were overall more mature and polite than most American kids I've seen. Buuuut we have rock n' roll. So eat that Canada.

Anyway, I only had one show that day and was done by 10:00am. So I explored West Van a little bit. It was great. Canada had a much more European feel than I expected it to. I really felt like I was in a different country. I strolled along the streets past the little markets, the butcheries, the cafes. Oh, the cafes. There were cafes galore. I picked one called "Savory Pie" (obviously). I went inside and loved it. It reminded me of a place I'd find in Western Massachusetts or Vermont. Farm fresh. All organic. Mason jars. I bought myself a pumpkin spice muffin and a coffee. I went for a walk.

I took my breakfast down to the water. There was a beautiful park with a beach on the coast. I could see mountains, I could see the Lion's Gate bridge. There were dogs, and old people walking along the water. I sat in the sun and ate my breakfast and wished that I had my camera. This was my favorite part of the whole trip.

I explored what West Van had to offer and headed back to my hotel. It was like Seattle, or a small town outside of it, Edmonds, but to the max.

I spent the rest of the time exploring with my yoyo buddy. It was great. We had delicious sushi. We found a great bookstore. I bought another Paolo Cohelo book, and I hope I love it as much as I love The Alchemist. We also thoroughly enjoyed The Old Spaghetti Factory, and though it may be a chain it's still yummy. It was so great to have someone to explore with.

I write this to you as I sit in my second home, Logan Airport. I'm waiting to board a flight to Miami. I'll be there for two weeks, with a lot of free time, and a lot of beaches to go to. You know where to find me.

NC

Whoops. Forgot a post about rural North Carolina.

It wasn't much to write home about.

I did drive to the Outer Banks one day though, and the beaches were very pretty.

The Texas Panhandle.

Overdue.

Amarillo, TX.

Last week I was yo-yoing through Amarillo, TX which was an interesting place indeed. It was very, well, Texas.

It was very flat. Great Plains flat. And, very, very windy. The winds were about 60mph. I guess the wind really picks up when there's nothing in the way to slow it dow for hundreds of miles. Amarillo was the smallest airport I had seen. 4 gates. No, not terminals, gates. That's until we get to this week.

Driving into town I passed the Big Texan- famed for it's "Free 72oz Steak"- if you can finish it in one hour. This joint has been on the Food Network, and I was told was a must hit spot in Amarillo. I walked through, and it was neat. Cracker Barrell-esque. I contemplated using their free limo service to come back later that night for dinner. My mind was changed after wandering into an Antiques shop on Route 66. I spoke with a very nice woman for quite some time, and she told me to save my money rather than dine at the Texan. She was thrilled that I was from Boston, "You have to sign our guestbook!" she said. And I did. I think the person above me in the book was from the faraway land of El Paso, TX. When I left, she told me that I had to come visit her again. I said I would.

The people in Amarillo are very nice. And there's something to be said for that. But then again, by the end of my journey I may realize that people in most other places are nicer than they seem to be on the East Coast.

Yo-yo shows were great. The kids were quite cute. They all had a little Texas drawl when they spoke. Whenever I asked a question, the response included "ma'am" at the end of it. This was one time I did not mind being "Ma'am-ed".

I had the pleasure of having an afternoon off, so I headed to Palo Duro Canyon. It's a national park. It's the second biggest canyon in the U.S.. I, never having seen the Grand Canyon, was quite impressed. It was a really beautiful little place and I went for a hike and took lots of pictures. I also saw some Texas Longhorns that were a part of the park. They were very big cows. With very big horns.

Then it was off to Cadillac Ranch. My sister's fiancee tells me that Cadillac Ranch graces the cover of a Springsteen album. Fun fact.

Cadillac Ranch was started in the 70's when a Texas gentleman decide to bury 10 Cadillacs nose down in the middle of a field next to Route 66. They're buried at the exact angle of the Grand Pyramid in Egypt. It's a public art piece. The idea is you're supposed to spray paint on them. So I did.

Amarillo was a place that had grown up as a roadside attraction alongside Route 66. It still has that feel. It's a really cool pit stop for a road trip I'd say. So if you're driving through Texas, and looking for a place to spend the night- or afternoon, stop in Amarillo.

Virginia Beach 2.0

Here I am again in Virginia Beach. As you may remember from my last visit, there's not a terrible amount of things to do here when it's not beachy weather. So I was prepared. Brace yourselves.

My journey began at the airport, with a delayed layover in Baltimore. I treated myself to a margarita and some chips and guac while I read the March Vogue. All of these things were good choices. I arrived at Norfolk International to slightly warmer temperatures and a rental Chevy Cruze, which has been a nice little car.

After checking into my hotel, I went down to Five Guys to get myself some dinner. Burger was delicious as always. A nice enough guy named Rick hit on me. That was a little awkward. But, as of yet, I haven't seen the nightlife in VA so maybe that's how things work here. (jk)

The shows and schools here are great, people are just happier to see me here than they are in New England. After my first day of work I went to Trader Joe's, then returned to my hotel. I then used the hotel to the most of its resources, I went to the gym, I went to the pool, the hot tub, ate a freshly baked cookie the whole shebang. Woot woot. The next day of work was followed by a trip to the beach after work. This has to be why people come here.

That night I went to see a cheesy romantic comedy, which was surprisingly good. I also made a stop by Forever21. I like it there because I can actually buy things. Because they are cheap. Which is awesome. Today, work again, I tried to occupy my afternoon by driving over a very big bridge, but when I learned it had a very big toll, I turned around.

Thrilling.

Tomorrow, I'm coming home. And I'm looking forward to it.

The Desert

I am in Phoenix.

Well, right now I'm in Glendale. A Springhill Suites to be exact. Sitting on my bed, with a box of left over bbq, my last night in town writing a blog.

Arizona has been an interesting time. Our country is so diverse. The "American" spirit is really different down here. Radio stations play the national anthem at noon to give thanks to the "fact" that we live in the greatest country in the world. Don't get me wrong, I love where I'm from- but I do think these people don't get around much. A few mediocre radio d.j.s aside, the west is a cool place. The landscape is so different. For the most part it's a vast desert, except for what you see above: Red Rocks.

The Red Rocks are one of the most beautiful natural wonders I have ever seen. The pictures above do not do them justice. If you're ever anywhere near Sedona, you should go see them. Then hit up an In-N-Out on the way home for a Double-Double Animal Style, because that just may be the best afternoon of a business trip that your life has seen so far. For me, it was way up there.

The yo shows here have been pretty awesome as well. Sweet kids, nice teachers. I haven't been to a rough school. There is always tomorrow, but I do believe that some cities in the U.S. don't have 'rough' areas as others do. Sure, they're rough compared to their surroundings, but when you bring other demographics into the equation, it doesn't come close.

Oh, by the way, did I say that it's been sunny and an average of 70ish degrees all week? 'Cause it has, and it's been sooooo good.

Post numero uno de 2011.

So, after a lovely two weeks of vacation, I'm back in Seattle for team training with all of the other fabulous folk that do my job in other parts of the country. Before I tell you about that, I do want to say that I'm quite excited to have finished my first real adult vacation time- like, when you still get paid when you take time off...and you don't have to retake a drug test or get re-hired or any other of that bullshit. Yay job!

So it's been quite cool hanging with my co-workers. There is such a variety of people. The people that do my job include all ages, moms, dads, grandpas- it's pretty neat. I've been talking with a lot of people I've never really talked to before. There are a little less than 20 of us, so it's pretty neat to actually know everyone that does your job. I like being a part of a smaller company. Also, I like having someone to talk to, because when I'm in the bean, my co-workers are all at least 300 miles away. It's cool to be reminded- hey, I'm not all alone.

I won an award for being good at my job. I was thrilled. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting it, especially since I haven't even hit the 6 month mark yet. Huzzah!

This trip, I haven't seen anything more than the office and my hotel, so not too much to write home about there. In one week, I'm off to the west....