The only thing you have to be by the age of 23 is yourself.

Well, that's upsetting.

I told Eric today I've been honestly pretty lucky weather-wise this trip. I've had to delay arrivals and departures by a day or two, but considering that I decided that it would be awesome to take a 3 month road trip through the North East United States, I've done really good. But, OF COURSE the one time I have a set date to be somewhere, there's a giant freaking storm right in the path to Chicago.

Hot Water Music is playing two reunion shows in Chicago this weekend and I have tickets for both, one's on Friday, one's on Saturday. Mattlahoma's a crazy person, and he's driving through tomorrow. I however, drive a truck and trucks turn into slip n slides under those conditions. So, I might not make it to Fridays show, something that really makes me sad. But, at least I still get one. I shouldn't be greedy.


Instead, I'll probably get to hang out with Motley and Ozzie.

So, after Chicago, I'll be in Norman for a few days, then Tucumcari for a night or two, then home. Home, sweet emmer effing home. I'm excited about big, open skies and of course, green chile. Look for me on the 8th.

No further questions.

Where I be resting.

Notice my freaking killer blur filter so you won't come try to play with my cousin Jackie's awesome dogs. There's just something odd about all of these perfect little houses, all lined up in their perfect little rows with their perfect yards and decks, all of them with two Fords in the driveway. It's like life in duplicate, but not. The outside is all the same, but the insides really couldn't be different. It all seems so safe.

And on the subject of movies, in case you haven't seen this...



In Step Brothers, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly will play coddled guys who live with their respective single parents. Their folks fall in love and marry, making the guys stepbrothers. The script was co-written by Adam McKay and Ferrell, directed by McKay, and produced by this one dude Angie really hates named Judd. This will also probably be the greatest movie ever made.

Stella Dora Breakfast Treats.

Other discussion about the An Arbor Folk Fest: I have this really vivid memory of Jason Simms calling me while I was on my way to Bert and Emily's after a Spank show at the Launchpad. The discussion went something like this:
Jason: Two things. Guess how many beers I can drink in a minute?
Cat: Uhh..
Jason: I can drink 4 (I think it was four, anyway). And the other thing. Guess who's washed up?
Cat: Uhh..
Jason: (An Albuquerque jam band whose name I can't quite remember and probably shouldn't type for the sake of good karma)'s washed up. I gotta go.
Cat: Uhh..

So, guess who's washed up? Toad the Wet Sprocket. I know, I know, I just crushed all your 1994 prom memories and you're shocked.

Today Jackie said, "You know, I think I like a lot of different music. But I don't think I like folk music." It was pretty great.

I've been waiting to get to a decent internet connection to upload these precious memories, the movies from New Years Eve mayhem in Times Square. Well finally, here they are.



One correction: We had been waiting for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS. Also, that look on Maria's face at the end, when she's undoubtedly thinking about chicken wings, slays me every time I watch it.



The final countdown! This is the last minute before the clock struck midnight. On a funny side note, there was a building behind us that had a clock on top of it that was 4 minutes fast. People around us, without cell phone clocks, were getting pretty upset. "Why haven't they started it yet? What a freaking rip-off!"Jackie

Friedenville!

West-bound.


I left the red house in Little Ferry on Monday, as planned. It was a little sad to see it, and my grandfather waving wildly from the window, go but I had five great weeks getting to know him and getting to visit the bestest city in the history of the bestest. All my life I've wanted to see what it would be like to live in New York/New Jersey, to be part of that massive flow of commuters, to actually BE a New Yorker, not just an observer. Well, it turns out I'm an observer in general. But, I do feel like I managed to blend in pretty well.


My last view of 'er. I'll be there again soon.

I headed through New Jersey (amazing fact: I tried really freaking hard to find some NJ souvenirs, postcards even. I guess, no one wants to prove they were in New Jersey. I stopped at at least six places along the way.) for my Aunt Madeline's house in Pennsylvania. She lives real close to the Jersey border, so it was really just a prep drive for the massive driving I'll be doing the next two weeks.


Smile!


Aunt Madeline is, by definition, a cat lady. She’s just got a big heart. She used to have lots and lots of feral cats that lived around her house and she started feeding them in the winters. She always had one or two actual domestic cats inside, but recently the ferals have ventured inward, in more of an attempt to keep them from breeding. So now, she’s got seven indoor cats: Paulette, Simone, Unis, Timmek, Mitch, Carly and Trevor. She still has 4 ferals hanging out, a dramatic decrease from the 17 that were here last time I visited, but she’s managed to trap two of them (and many more over the years) and get them fixed. See, big heart.


Timmek's my favorite because he's only got one eye.


I spent a few very relaxing days in Pennsylvania binging on One Tree Hill and the OC on soapnet. What the hell is it about those two shows that lends themselves so well to mindless days? I hate them when I’m busy, but on sick days or vacation days, man, am I ever down with some Adam Brody. Nope, not proud to admit that. At all.

And today, I headed through Pennsylvania.


And Ohio.


To get to Michigan.

Almost 600 miles. Thankfully, I had someone with me to help with the driving.


The bitterly cold motor city welcomed me back. Detroit is the first “double up” of my trip, one of only two places I’ll visit twice. The other is of course, Oklahoma. I can’t ignore my room, now can I? My main reason for coming back was for Ben Folds and the Ann Arbor Folk Festival tomorrow night, but I think it’ll be fantastic to spend some more time with cousin Jackie. We might head to Cleveland for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I mean, why not?

But right now, sleep. Thank you.

I never eat December snowflakes.

Lose yourself, gangsta.

Tomorrow I head out for the north country. I'll spend tomorrow night in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Wednesday night, I'll arrive in Ste. Croix, Quebec, a town of only 2,300 people; half of which, I'm told I'm related to.

So, this is it. This was my whole reason for driving all this way. Finally, it's here. It seems like every time I get to a new place, I get settled in. It makes the next drive, the next leg, that much harder. I was nervous when I left New Mexico, just as nervous when I left Oklahoma. It's no different this time. I think partially I'm nervous about getting searched at the border, which I head is a given with New Mexico tags. I'm nervous about meeting my family. As dumb as it sounds, I wonder if they'll like me. And I'm nervous about the drive, especially since I'll be cell-phone less. (Which reminds me... Need me? Email please.)

So, there's lots of nerves in Southgate tonight.

Wish me luck! And hope I don't come back as Celine Dion.

Sunday Morning #6

My cousin Jackie and her husband have two dogs, Motley and Ozzie. Motley's a big baby, he loves his bone and pretty much spends most of his day chewing on it. Ozzie is a little more sedate. He just wants attention. But man, does he love Animal Planet. And you better not mess with him when it's on.


Kinda adorable.

Diana Ross & The Supremes.

I went to the DIA today. Also known as the Detroit Institute of Arts.

It was a fantastic place with a great collection. It's newly remodeled, almost $30 million worth of remodeling. The collection was extensive, all of it well segregated into its own little halls. Of course, I loved all the contemporary stuff. They also had 5 or 6 Degas, which I loved. And they had this...


Look where I ate lunch.

They enclosed the courtyard of the oldest building and turned it into a cafe. Fantastic! Because really, NO ONE needs a courtyard in Michigan. Freakin freezing up here.


We also took a mini detour to downtown Detroit.


Hi, Kitty!


From the way back to Southgate... Hello, I would like to a 16mm projection onto these.


Featuring film of these. Thank you.

Canada in three days.

Bud Light tall boys.

Happy holidays! Buy discount!



Wednesday was a happy trip to the largest outlet mall I have ever seen. While I am on all kinds of a budget right now, I did spend $5 on a Liz Claiborne wallet and $12 on Vicki's panties. Good buys, good times.


Found at the calendar store. Annie will never be this basset.

And today. I did the most Michigan thing of all...


Car shopped at a Ford dealership.

And how am I finding the Great Lakes State? Yesterday was the first time I drove through the actual city of Detroit and found it to be a lot like other mid west cities. Lots of industry, lots of abandoned industry, lots of places I want to explore. I've been given a lot of strict warnings about how horrible Detroit is, how high the crime rate is. But, I seriously can't see it being any worse than Albuquerque. Don't be a dumbass and dumbass things won't happen to you.

The thing that always gets me about urban ghettos is I never think they're ghetto. I guess it's because Albuquerque ghettos are so freaking different. I mean, I see brick and think that everyone's rich! (thanks, desert) I'm just so fascinated by them, I want to run around taking hundreds of pictures and explore every building. I hear you're not supposed to do that in the "actual ghetto".

But, possibly more interesting to me are the history of the unions here. I really wanted to learn about all that while I was here. But, how does one just LEARN about something like that? No museum for it, so I'm gonna look for a book. Same deal goes for motown.

I guess a big part of me wishes I could be in the city of Detroit, experiencing all of this. But, I doubt it would be any more satisfying, as I'm staying with a real life auto worker and union member. There's nothing less real about suburbia, I think I need to remind myself of that more. People'll be studying that in 50 years just as intensely. Living history.

On that note, how important is it that I go to Niagara Falls? I'll be on the Canadian side, which I hear is much better, but I'm still on the fence. Tell me!