Live it

So I realized it has been awhile since I posted. My life is always an adventure and there is always a lot of things going on through my mind. Life plans (multiple life plans). Back-up plans. Goals, ambitions and having fun.

I try to live it. I do the unpredictable. The opportunities that come-up that I don't plan for are typically the ones I take. I like to live on the whim. A friend described me as a leaf blowing in the wind.

The current theme I am attempting to live with life is to be "Young and Stupid". I am 23-years-old. This is the time for me to try new things and explore the world. I got the travel bug so I took a vacation to NYC and had a blast.

My life is full of surprises. People always ask what is next for me. I can't help but smile and say, "I don't know, right now I am just hanging-out." Then something happens that changes everything. I have a dream to live in Seattle or NYC or DC someday. I planned all of those out but each plan I have strayed away from because a new random opportunity has opened up.

I am living life. Find a random opportunity and take-it. It could be miserable or amazing. Seek adventure while hanging-out. Know that you will never starve and if you can't pay your bills they aren't going anywhere, except to collection agency :) (disclaimer mine aren't in a collection agency)

Punk Shows and Insurance Companies

They are always so much fun. I feel that concerts are always very intimate. You are standing super close to strangers and if it was for any other kind of event you would be in their personal space, but not at a concert. You are all right on top of another. It is rather interesting to look at when you think about it (possible research idea for nonverbal communication). Anyway. They are intimate and fun.

However they can also be painful. By this I mean painful emotionally and physically. My pain was both at my previous show. I went and saw my favorite band, Thrice. I haven't seem them live for quite sometime. I was super excited for this show. Their music speaks to me on so many different levels emotionally. They help me through pain and they also provide happiness. They have inspired one of my tattoos. This band means so much to me.

They were the headliner with Moving Mountains, O'Brother and La Dispute playing before them. Thrice opened their set with their newest single "Yellow Belly." I was super close to the front and in the center of the pit, when my knee got kicked and I got swung the opposite direction, dislocating my patella. I had to basically hang onto people to get out of the front of center stage.

My knee then started to pop back in place as they began singing "Somethings gone terribly wrong" in their song All the world is mad. Those few words stuck to me because something went terribly wrong, I should have been in the front for this entire set but instead I had a dislocated knee and had to ice it. I used one hand to ice my knee and the second hand held a tall boy of Lone Star.

In between the pain I rocked out as much as I could from the bleachers. Singing along at the top of my voice. I also tried not to cry emotionally because here I am sitting during my favorite band because I was in so much physical pain. However I sat and enjoyed it as much as I could. I did however pass-up the Invisible Children secret show afterwards, Dustin was playing an acoustic solo show after to raise funds for Invisible Children.

I got home took a long hot bath and then iced my patella. I took some advil and then slept. I woke-up today in excruciating pain.  I then realized that I needed to go to Urgent Care. After going to four different locations I finally found a place that took my insurance. It was very frustrating. I hate insurance companies and it is ridiculous that I had to go to four different locations to be see when I was in this much pain.

After I was seen, my x-rays showed that my patella is still not completely back in place and I have to go to an ortho specialist which I have made an appointment for. I am now wearing an immobilizer and on vicodin. It is slightly scary because I could be needing surgery. Which means I may not be able to work for a few weeks. I don't know how to survive without working, I mean I rent and other bills and what not. These answers are just waiting for Friday.

In the meantime I am out of commission. I have no vehicle and I can't ride my bike, it sucks. Getting to and fro work is going to be a challenge but I believe I am up for it. After all this is just an experience that I have to deal with. Thankfully I will have some musical inspiration. 

Six months and the Brits...

It is hard to believe that in about a week I would have lived in Austin for six months and to discover how much my life has changed. I have always been the green type of person but these last six months I feel that I have grown into an even greener person. I do not have a car in Austin, I ride my bike everywhere,

Without driving I am reducing CO2 emissions drastically and I love knowing that I am making a small impact. I know it is not much but I feel it is enough. By cycling everywhere I am also getting more exercise and daily exercise. Its not like I didn't exercise back in Reno but I am definitely making health a larger priority in my life in Austin. I am eating out a lot less and cooking more at home. My overall consumption has been decreasing.

I am learning to find fun in new and different activities that I haven't done before. I am finding my passion for creative writing more and more everyday. I am growing more into myself. I am becoming a stronger individual. I have struggled through some of this but I keep my motivation high and I keep myself going. I am finding zen.

Although I haven't really found a "circle of friends" the people that I am finding are teaching me so much about life. Helping me find new discoveries. I am realizing so many different avenues. I am not saying I know what I want to do but I am learning things that I don't want to do. I am discovering a new way of learning. I have been putting myself through many rigorous mental challenges as well.

I feel lost and found all at once. I am just going with the flow but not settling for anything. I am creating some safety nets but none of them are for certain.  I am discovering a new pair of lens to see the world through and I am loving it.

I have also seemed to meet some very notable people during these 6 months. A few have been some people who I occasionally meet-up with for drinks, a few of them are people vacationing in Austin like my last extravaganza with the Brits. They were some of the coolest and most genuine individuals I have yet to meet. However having a night out with Brits entails a large amount of drinking because they expect you to keep-up pint for pint. Thus creates a large headache the next day but anyhow it is always fun.

Born Free

A friend that is very dear to me asked my opinion on an MIA music video called Born Free below are the lyrics and the video.

Whooo!
Yeah man made powers
Stood like a tower higher and higher hello
And the higher you go you feel lower, oh
I was close to the end staying undercover
staying undercover
With a nose to the ground I found my sound

Got myself an interview tomorrow
I got myself a jacket for a dolla
.............
and the car doesn't work so I'm stuck here
yeah i don't wanna live for tomorrow
I push my life today
I throw this in your face when I see ya
I got something to say
I throw this shit in your face when I see ya
Cause I got something to say

I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
(bo-bo-born free ....)

You could try to find ways to be happier
You might end up somewhere in Ethiopia
You can think big with your idea
You ain't never gonna find utopia
Take a bite out of life make it snappier yeah
Ordinary gon super trippyer
So I check sh!t cause I'm lippyer
And split a cheque like slovakia

Yeah i don't wanna live for tomorrow
I push my life today
I throw this in your face when I see you
I got something to say
I throw this sh!t in your face when I see you
Cause I got something to say

I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
(bo-bo-born free ....)
ooooh

I don't wanna talk about money, 'cause I got it
And I don't wanna talk about hoochies, 'cause I been it
And I don't wanna be that fake?, but you can do it
And imitators, yeah, speak it

Oh Lord? whoever you are, yeah come out wherever you are
Oh Lord? whoever you are, yeah come out wherever you are
and tell em!

Born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
I was born free (born free)
(bo-bo-born free ....)

I am still trying to figure out what the message this video is dictating. There are so many different angles that my mind went to. The first thing that I can for surely say is the directing style of this video is phenomenal. Also I appreciate the "freedom of speech" used in it. I quoted freedom of speech because MIA is not American, she is from the UK. My point being is that I appreciate people who speak their mind on controversial issues. I respect that no matter what their cause is. The fact that the speak-up I appreciate it. Now that I have said that I want to explore the message of this video.

The first time I watched it my immediate thought was that in some weird underlining way it was talking about the holocaust but portraying a different sector of discrimination upon redheads or the ever new popular term that South Park created, "Gingers", the soulless, red haired, freckled individuals. I have decided against the idea of it talking about the Holocaust but I do think that the director did use ideas from the holocaust to make the point.

After thinking it over I believe this video means and dictates one own thought. It hits on many different political elements. It speaks a lot but I feel what it is mostly doing is creating an action/reaction conversation about discrimination and police states. With the over all lyrics saying "Born Free" it states we are all human, we are all born to live, we all have the right to be free and live life the way we want. 

I think that the target of redheads was perfect to a degree because of the pop-culture affect of the "Ginger" it also highlights that people try looking for reasons to discriminate against others. This video is a perfect outlet to bring-up the conversation of discrimination in all aspects.

Do I think it was fair that it singled out redheads, no, but I don't think it would have been fair to single out any other group either and that is the point I see in this overall video and song. Let's all learn to love, accept and fight to have that freedom, because we are all born free. We are all human.

I feel that it can hit on many current events, such as the revolution in Libya, or on if muslim women in France can wear a burka. These issues can be discussed with this video. It is an alternate world that we are not used to seeing but by choosing redheads to discriminate against in the video does that completely alter their reality and could it cause discrimination against them like the "Ginger" episode of South Park did?

Struggle

Being a poor young intelligent individual is tough. I always think I have a plan or solution to the chaos of life. My thought my be correct. I have great intentions, I try to make life happen and do things but then I always get into some sort of funk where I do nothing. I get lazy. I stop working out. I just sit around and bum around.

This could be due to the fact that when I am in my active state I stay active until pure exhaustion and then my bum state comes along for maybe a month or so. I start to get lazy and not care to do much besides go to work and go home and sleep all hours. It gets to the point where nothing is satisfying unless if it is late night boozing but even then that wears on my individual. I become fatigued, lost in thought, great thought, possibly the best thought of life but my laziness has won to the point where I don't write it down and it is lost forever.

I have been feeling like I was in that funk for a couple of weeks. I wasn't creating anything to happen in my life. No surprise, no big events, nothing to look forward to but the same monotonous day that just keeps occurring and then I think if this is how my eternal recurrence will be looking through the eyes of Nietzsche then I pray there better be a God. Although I know it is much more simple after life, there is nothing. I think about this and realize I must create. I must focus, I must live and not get trapped by any funk or financial digression. Part of living is to struggle but part of joy is overcoming these struggles and realizing that it is my life. Live it. Don't be defined by others, don't live to the expectations of society. Live  each experience. Live each moment. Create a moment to be living in. Make things happen. Don't sit around waiting. Drown yourself in the sea.

I didn't see this part of me until I got my bike brakes fixed. I struggled cycling because I had to take some hills nice and slow, especially going down hill. I had to struggle. I couldn't brake, it was scary, possibly deathly but that was because of cars and traffic but if I could have kept going with out worrying about those other people it would have felt like freedom, satisfying. I am thankful I have brakes again and my bike. The extension to my life, the thing that make me feel the most free. The thing that grants my will. Sometimes it is a pain in the ass but that is freedom. I have to give myself some restrictions of complete freedom like having safety brakes but what I am learning now is to not always depend on safety brakes by depending on them to much you are constraining yourself causing a new struggle but a struggle that is trapping you. Creating a struggle that has no boundaries but a safety brake sounds better.

I missed seizing certain moments that could have been life changing. I wanted to see what will happen instead of doing. I am tired of waiting. I need to create, engage, live. I know I will struggle and get in other funks but I also know I am making things happen. It is not about having plans and goals for a future. Those things are nice, it is about the small things. Not knowing what you are going to do the next day but knowing you are going to do something. The things I currently do know that I am doing is that I am going to Lubbock to see the Nevada football game, I will be going to a Thrice concert and Niki (@missniki13) is visiting me for that, and I am taking the GREs. That is enough for me to know but I know this now I need to live in other ways. I need to create smaller random things and become more spontaneous from day to day.

Not Going Back to School

It has hit me, finally. I am not in school. I haven't been now for 9 months almost to the day. I am not in school. It is so hard to believe. I am not going back. I am seeing these ads in stores and magazines of "back to school" sales. At my new job in the service industry my co-workers are talking about how they are starting school this week. The teachers at the local schools have been telling me as well. I went to a back-to-school party and I couldn't talk about classes that I am looking forward to or not looking forward to. I see all the free time I truly have.

What am I doing with my life? School has been the entirety of my life. A part of my mind was saying, "Alright. Adam, vacation from school is over" but I am still not going back to school. No matter what, I won't have to stress for hours upon hours about assignments. I have gone as far as creating my own class in my mind. Am I insane? Am I absurd? Neither. I am filling the void of having the passion of learning. I yearn to learn. The more I learn the more I see how much I truly do not know.

I am creating my own graduate school at the moment. I am self-teaching myself things I would never have dreamed of doing. I am an academic at heart. My eyes are wide open. It is time to enter the field that my heart is yearning for. It is time to learn. Struggle, do whatever but in my own means.

Yes I do plan on going to grad school still. In fact I am on the hunt for GRE books (My old ones are in a box in Reno somewhere). This is it. Time to master my own mind (Although I know it can truly never be mastered).

By the way to follow my journey of self-teaching Nietzsche read this blog.

Thank You Reminiscence

I am not typically a person who lives constantly in my own past memories and endeavors but occasionally I  have to reminisce. I have to dig deep and remember. Then I look at those memories and see how it has affected my life in some cases. Each one of those experiences is a part of who I am today. I may not have known it then but the present will and does define my future. I am not talking about destiny I am talking about how each experience affects me and creates my present character. These experiences rack-up and the more I have the greater my life. This is why I do not dwell upon experiences but today reminiscing happened, a lot of it happened.

It did start with a sill Facebook status game that I saw my mother and brother-in-law playing. Give me a year. My brother-in-law gave me the year 2001. This year was a very defining year for me. I was a young adolescent middle schooled puberty ridden boy. In-other-words I was awkward like all adolescents. This year was more than just that for me though this was the year when I left my rural roots to my urban life. I moved to the city that gave me experiences that shaped my life. I moved to Reno. The next 5 years, my teenage years were spent in that city drawing out the way I view the world, shaping my eye glasses and deciding what lens to look through to see Mother Earth for what she is.

I am not going to lie I was kind of an introvert during those years but slowly becoming more of an extrovert each year, then college made me an extreme extrovert. I think that was part of the small town life that I had been used to before I moved. I was extremely shy and probably awkward when I first arrived to my suburban sprawl middle school. I was still watching the Disney channel and catching Nickolodeon re-runs of Rug Rats, Doug and AHHHHH Real Monsters. Those good 90s cartoons I spent growing up watching. I met my oldest friend that year as well, Niki. She is very close to me. It is hard to believe that we have been friends for 10 years, a decade of memories and many more to come.

In 2001 I also broke both my arms, one in the Spring and the other one in the Fall. It was also the year that 9/11 happened a defining moment for the United States and a moment that probably helped shape my peace loving ways, well maybe not the event itself but the aftermath that took place. All of these memories from 2001 overwhelmed me.

Then another thing happened to me today. I had to reminisce even more. I got an Amazon package and it was supposed to be Zinc Oxide Powder so I can finish making my homemade deodorant but somehow it turned out to be Sandi Thom's album "Smile...It Confuses People." I am not sure how that happened but it did. I bought this album originally back in the summer of 2007 and somehow lost it but the song "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers in my Hair)" is on this album. I had to listen to it because it is one of my favorite songs. This song has a very vivid memory of me driving around Reno to Hug High School for the Hilary Clinton event that took place that year (2007). I was driving my 1988 Camouflaged Suburban overfilled with the University of Nevada Young Democrats blasting that song. I am sure we looked ridiculous. A bunch of tree-hugging liberal hippies in a gas gosling camo SUV blasting worldly music, getting an endurance high because we were about to meet Hilary Clinton. That is what I call America and of course Reno Classy.

So that song brought back memories and it happened to be one about the Camo Suburban (Whose name was Tony). That suburban memory then took me back to high school memories but at the same time so did a movie I watched today. This movie was focusing on senior prom. Showing how some high schoolers struggle finding a date for Prom. I was very lucky when it came to that issue but little did I know at the beginning of my senior year that I would attend three Proms that year. I was just a debate nerd and theatre geek. The proms I went to I had a lot of fun. Even going with girls who at the beginning of my senior year were not my original choices. Some of them I didn't even realize it was going to happen. I went to my senior prom with my girl friend at the time, then I went to my tech school's prom with a friend who I met in middle school but hadn't talked to again until my senior year of high school because we went to different schools. Then I ended up going to Churchill County High School's prom with a fellow debate nerd. I felt like a ladies man. Shortly after Prom I would drive around town in that camo suburban and having road rage telling cars to "moooooooove your ass" (Moooing like a cow). That suburban also broke down on the Golden Gate bridge when I did a mission trip with my high school youth group.

Now that I look at all of these experiences that I reminisced upon I can now see how each one has formed a part of my character that I am today. A little red neck, a lot environmentalist, peace activist and I am single to mingle right now. Each one of those experiences just add to my personality. 

Write This Way

Recently I was asked "Why do you write?" I had to stop and think. I had to ask myself the same question. My mind went in fifty million different directions upon why I write but it all boiled down to one thing, happiness. I write because it makes me happy. I don't do it for anyone else, I do it for myself.

I know I am not the best writer in the world and nor do I try to say I am. I don't even say I am a good writer. I am an average writer but I enjoy it. I have passion for writing, sitting down and exploring my thoughts as they come. I don't proofread immediately before publishing blogposts, sometimes I didn't even proofread my college papers. Sometimes I never proofread. I have grammatical errors, typos, fragments and run-ons. I am pretty sure I have all basic problems in any first draft. Eventually I will do a copy edit. It could be two hours after finishing a thought to 10 days. I'll gloss it up eventually, more than likely after I shared it with people though.

I feel that writing is an art and that it is never complete. When writing I am always missing something. It is never perfect. I am a critic to myself and to others as well. I take the criticism. I strive to take that criticism and fix it in my writing style. The more I write the more I feel free. I am able to explore new thoughts and ideas. Change my style, create random metaphors. Make a sentence euphoric. I like to play around with things I write. Some of this art is beautiful to me, others end up in the waste basket or still in front of my friends' eyes. Some doesn't get shared. I am not sure what posses me to decide what doesn't get shared but like I said I write for myself.

I am constantly looking up new words, synonyms and antonyms to expand my vocabulary. Writing is constantly changing. Then new ideas from old ideas form and expand to create an even larger overall thought. Some of these thoughts become contradictory a paradox. It makes it art.

When I am in my writing zone, I have to get it down before I lose it. When I lose it, the thought never sounds as good as when I first had it.  This is were the grammatical errors come alive to create part of the art. It shows that passion of that current thought. The thought was so grand and powerful that the thought couldn't make it all the way to paper because a new thought emerged and your poor hands can;t get it on paper fast enough. Eventually more will be added to finish a thought. That is the art or the thought will remain incomplete showing a new segment of the art that is being read.

Writing is always evolving. Nothing is a master piece, it cannot ever reach perfection. It can only increase. I feel that it is never finished. I try to capture it all but it still remains in thought. The words are never as clear as it was in mind. This is why I write. I write to write to add to collect. In order to write and continue writing and growing I read. I look at these other pieces of art and I try to figure out what I like about it to inspire more of my own art.

I write this way. Help perfect it but don't say it is wrong. Just write.

Helping a Friend in Need

I have always been willing to help friends in need, all the time. It is like the Toy Story song You've Got a Friend in Me. It is a part of my soul. I think this is why I find myself in hour long conversations with the homeless and also those hours upon hours of phone calls being the friend that one can vent to, cry to, and sometimes I give great advice and other times I give shitty advice. What I know is that I am there for my friends. New friends, old friends, acquaintances. I feel that their stories are stories that I can empathize with and look at my life and reflect upon that notion.

Well today was one of those days when I was a damn good friend. I hardly know any people in Austin, but the ones I do, I feel close to. The friend I helped out today I met in Austin. However our common ground is Nevada. We have a lot of similarities and somehow during our undergrad years we never met one another but our circles definitely mingled. Some of my closest friends from Reno are friends with this particular person. That connection alone makes us great friends. It is a Nevada thing. I don't know how to describe it. I would do anything for Nevadans abroad. Being a Nevadan out of Nevada is hard work.

Anyway the reason why I am such a damn good friend is because I moved this persons apartment to storage. My friend is doing research out of the United States and their lease ends tomorrow. So I took care of the moving the rest of their stuff to storage. However the adventure doing this became unpredictable.

While living in Austin, I have taken a more green life by not having a car. In order to move stuff from the apartment to storage I borrowed my friend's car that I was helping. This car is a manual. I know how to drive a manual but I am not very good at it. I picked the vehicle up yesterday and as I was driving from North Austin to South Austin I hit rush hour traffic on the 35. I thought I was going to breakdown and cry because I fear traffic in Reno and now I am faced driving a manual vehicle in rush hour traffic in Austin. I swear the traffic here is like that in SoCal. I survived.

I then drove to the storage unit and filled out the lease. My friend will be able to take it over upon their arrival back to the States. I just needed to sign papers my friend took care of the payment and everything.

So today I woke-up, ate breakfast and went to Summermoon to drink coffee and write my earlier blogpost before heading over to the apartment to meet the movers. I got to the apartment, checked the mail. Re-read the e-mail I got from my friend and found the card that is going to be used to pay for the movers. I then directed the movers to take the rest of the furniture out of the apartment. We then headed to the storage unit. My friend's card wasn't activated, so I paid for the movers (thankfully I have become more frugal with my monies), no big deal. I will get paid back. I then went home to rest.

I then headed back to the apartment after rush hour traffic. Packed some smaller things into the car. Cleaned the apartment and went to the storage unit. I followed a vehicle in because I am that type of American. Impatient. I then unloaded the rest of the stuff. I then tried to leave the storage unit. The gate would not let me out. I was stuck. I called the office, no answer. SHIT ON ME. I waited for forty minutes for someone else to leave the unit so I could exit. During that time I learned that I could not get my friend's car into reverse.

I hate manual. I am never driving stick again. Only in cases of emergencies like this was today. I am not sure if I can count the amount of times that I killed that car in first. It is always that gear. I hate first gear with a passion and even more so when I got stuck behind the gated storage units for forty minutes. However, my friend is out of their apartment. I just have to turn the keys in tomorrow. I think I will be taking the bus (I still gotta fix that damn flat tire on my bike). 

The Journey Changes

It is hard to believe that I have been in Austin now for about 4 1/2 months and my journey here has changed completely. My lease ends at the end of September. My wonderful government job has ended. I am finding myself with a plentiful amount of free time. I have enough saved up for rent for the next two months. Then what????

I made that destiny change for myself. My original plan was to move forward and move to Washington DC. I would do the couch surf and stay on couches with friends who are struggling and some who are making it in that city as I attempt to get a a job on the Hill. After discovering new things about myself, I am taking a new journey. I am following my spirit. It may be stupid but I am young, I have nothing holding me anywhere (except for a lease).

I thought of a few things I could do. I could go and buy a backpack and a plane ticket to So Cal and start the Pacific Crest Trail until it gets to cold to continue on and find a small Sierra Nevada town to hang out in until the spring, then continue my journey. (This one appeals so much to me and the PCT is on my bucket-list). However, I was more reasonable, I realized I was in an amazing bad ass city at the moment and by working full-time I haven't been able to explore all the perks of live music and other fun adventurous things to do that Austin has to offer.

Shannon just moved here and I am starting to find more like minded people in this city. So I had to follow my spirit. I applied for a job at Starbucks. This is the story of how that went. Last week I applied for a Starbucks position because I knew I would be laid-off soon. I then got an interview at Starbuck for the following Friday. The day before my interview my boss informed me that Friday morning all of the temp employees will be told that they are going to be let go. I went to my interview on Friday after finding out I was laid-off. I nailed the interview. I then jumped on my bike and cycled back to work. I popped a tube on my way to work. KARMA! I then got off work and changed my tube, then headed downtown to watch Adestria and other bands play a show. On my way downtown I popped the brand new tube I just changed. DOUBLE KARMA. I then worked for the feds the next two days flipping out that I hadn't heard back from Starbucks yet. Finally Sunday evening I got a call and was offered a job. I started on Monday. So I went to my fed job, then to Starbucks. On my way to Starbucks I popped another damn tube (I haven't fixed this one yet).

Karma she is telling me something not sure what it is yet.

The idea of working for Starbucks is actually quite exciting. I can essentially live anywhere that Starbucks has a location and ask for a transfer. I was preparing to throw random cities in a hat and ask for a transfer for whatever city I pull out of the hat. Instead destiny occurred. I got a text from Deisa asking me to move to Seattle with her in December.

Seattle = Starbucks = I must get a transfer. This is destiny and my spirit taking me there. For the next few months I am going to work my ass off in my new world of baristahood and get a transfer to Seattle. From there I am hoping to work my up into the corporate ladder.

Yes, I know my plan in life changes all the time. That is who I am. A dreamer. I dream big, I follow some, I do irrational things such as randomly packing up my belongings and going. I LOVE IT. The one thing that Austin has been teaching me is to do more of these adventurous things. I am not 100 percent ready to start a career and get roots somewhere. I want adventure, I want change, I want to see the world (at the least the United States). I can't help it. I feel that there is more to life than that 9-5 job that my education is suppose to get me. I blame this blogpost, actually I don't blame I thank.

I might be absurd, it could be from all of the Kerouac reading I have done or other similar writers (not all of them are beatniks). These writings speak to me. They show me that life is worth living and traveling. Not stationing yourself in one location forever. So I am happy to say I am going to move to Seattle.

My steps of getting there are

1: Extend my lease until the end of November

2: Learn as much about the Starbucks corporation as possible

3: Become a kick-ass barista

4: Never stop trying

5: Allow changes to happen

If I can't get my lease to extend then my plan will change, I will find a place to sublet for two months or I will go to Reno and sleep on Deisa's couch until we are ready to pack-up our bags and hit the road for Seattle. It is very interesting to see where my journey has taken me so far throughout life and I am still at the beginning of it.

So far my life has been rural Nevada, urban Nevada, Interior Alaska, urban Nevada, Central Texas and now it is headed to the Pacific Northwest. I am scared but excited at the same time. In the meantime as well, since I have downtime again it is the perfect time to start studying for the GRE. So my life is even more becoming coffee, reading, writing, listening to live music, having an occasional drunken excursions, cycling and what not.

Dreamer in a coffee shop

This is what I am, a dreamer in a coffee shop. I come-in and sit, I wait. I never seem to know what I am waiting for anymore but I still wait.

I keep waiting to the point where I just have to leave because I am tired of waiting. It is like being stood-up on a date because you waited for so long.

I still don't know what I am waiting for. Maybe for my dreams to come true, love, a friend, someone from my past, a ghost, who knows.

As I wait I begin to go on these adventurous day dreams. Some of them are lost in a fantastical thought of fighting evil with Frodo or Harry Potter to the evil that is in my heart.

I still wait...am I waiting for evil or for life? So I create an image of where I will be in 15 years about to hit the age 40. I ask am I on the right track? I do not know.

Well it finally came to me today. I wait for nothing because nothing is what I fear. Instead I allow those dreams to come because those dreams aren't nothing they are something. I am done waiting for you nothing, so stop trying to come.

Instead I am taking a new journey and I will continue to follow that spirit of mine where ever it guides me. If my spirit wants to do something I shall follow, I shall conquer, I shall live.

Stupid Piece of Plastic That I Need

There is nothing scarier in the world than waking up the next morning to....

Realizing that your wallet is not in fact safely tucked away on the clear spot that is designated for said wallet. "Oh shit" comes to mind, "I could have sworn I had it." Then the hustle of jumping out of bed in a dead panic; I find that this works better than my actual alarm that goes off nearly 15 times every morning. I can't help but scurry over to the pair of shorts that I wore the day before to check that left back pocket. The wallet is still missing.

"Where to look next," is what comes to mind "The kitchen". Still no wallet. I am in shock that I lost the one thing that is probably more essential to my life than my iPhone. The item that contains more than my credit cards but the card that is my identity. "My ID is gone," I panted in a dead panic. Not having that stupid piece of plastic that proves I am a person was missing. It is a government photo ID that I need to access just about anything and the only way I can replace it is going back to the state of Nevada because I am currently residing in Texas or that means to stop being a Nevadan and become a Texan. That ID card is who I am. I am Nevadan and I want to keep my identity of being a Nevadan abroad.

I had to think. I thought. The last place I remember having my wallet was on the bus ride home because I had to swipe my bus pass which was in my wallet. I then had to think what else was in that wallet of mine. Credit cards, debit cards, health care cards, $15 cash, you know nothing important. I thought even more. I must have been pick pocketed because I was standing on this particular bus.

This was time for major flip-out mode but it still needed to wait because I had to get to work and if I panic much more I will be late. So I jumped on my bike, even with my leg that I knew was hurting from pushing myself to hard cycling, with my mind on my wallet I didn't care that my leg was in pain. My emotional pain was far greater.

I got to work and decided to call Capital Metro's lost and found. The kind woman said that they will not know the items lost the day before until 3:00 pm. Stress hits even more. Do I cancel my cards or keep an eye on my accounts. Some of my co-workers including the bossman suggested canceling, however, I went with my gut and just checked my bank balance every 20 minutes.

Finally thinking that I was going to have to get a new ID I called the Nevada DMV to find out if there was a way to get a duplicate ID. They said yes but it will have no picture. "NO PICTURE ID, WTF?" is what I thought. That probably won't let me buy beer, let alone get me on a flight. However if I had to, I would.

I was almost to the point of making copies of the paper photocopy of my ID to post around saying "WANTED: Adam K. Allen ID." I rationalized and decided to follow the advice that another coworker suggested, call back Capital Metro and see if I can be put in contact with the bus driver. BINGO!!!! It worked. My wallet was found. After waiting impatiently all day I went and picked up this good of mine.

I opened my wallet to see the damage. There was none. My cash was even still sitting in the billfold. All what I could say is the people of Austin are amazing and truthful. This is such a kind city. I definitely racked in on good karma, but then again in a capitalist society there is a price for everything. My price for my wallet being retrieved in perfect condition was pulling my damn hamstring from pushing myself to far. I am still not sure if it was worth-it but then again the world works in a mystery way and I now have a new experience. It could have gone worse, I could have no wallet and a pulled hamstring.

Dear Katherine

An interesting night occurred at one of the bars I frequent here in Austin. This bar is called Kung Fu Lounge. This bar has really grown on me. A place where I can and just relax and have a happy hour pint on a Monday night (My Friday but happy hour is all night). It is typically a pint of Fireman's 4, a Texas beer. This particular night I was feeling up to talking to strangers and getting to meet new people who enjoy this local hang out as much as I do.

Z and I gathered around the life size connect four where two gals and a gent were playing. I asked if I could play winner. They naturally agreed. Myself hoping that the ladies would win and allow Z and I to work our charm. The lesson learned here is that before you call winner make sure that the male opponent is not a physicist because you are bound to play a physicist, who can literally kick your ass at life size connect four in about 8 moves and you will not have one on one time with the ladies.

It felt that the universe was just working against us that night because later on Z and I were the back-end of what seemed to be a joke that would occur in high school. We left the patio and decided to sit on a bench in the bar. We were deep in our normal philosophical debate about other dimensional worlds and the process of the world speeding up for a global evolutionary process, how mother Earth is giving birth to a new world (Yes I know we are nerds and then some). All of a sudden a beautiful gal who is out of both of our leagues came-up and was like "Hi guys how are you" and then asked if she can sit in between us. Z and I are pretty laid back so it was no big deal until we could tell it was awkward for her and her friends took a picture and she proceeded to leave.

My extravert drunkself afterwards realized that we were some part of a practical joke. So I went up to her, Katherine the Kung Fu Whore, and said "It's Katherine right? So, what was the dare?" This made her and her friends realize the petty immature individuals they are. I hope that they grow-up one day. I have been out of high school way to long to be the end of a practical joke, so I had to call them out on it. Something I would have never of done in my extremely nerdy 15-year-old self when I was at the end of a joke, instead I made their joke the real joke.

I learned a lot about myself and I am learning to stand-up for myself even more than ever. I can now reflect on myself even more and just call people out on the hateful things they do for their own amusement. This is a tool that the universe felt I need to know for whatever I am to endure in my future. Don't fuck with Adam K. Allen.

Family Matters

I have always told myself that I should experience as much as I can in my life. Some of my experiences have been great and others have not been so great. However in that last few weeks I have come to a spot in my life where the two just blend together.

I took a quick vacation home and I enjoyed myself a lot while I was home. Seeing my friends and family. It felt like home...happiness...sadness...excitement...depression...drama...fun...life. All of my experiences that I have had at that point in my life all meeting in one spot, home. The emotion I felt was one that I have never felt before. It was surreal. The entire time I was there I realized how much my life is up in the air and then home felt empty and lonely. I had to reflect on a lot and remember why I was there. Just in my short time being away from Reno more has changed than I could ever imagine. It showed me that life continues on no matter what. That home has been evolving just like I have as a person discovering new experiences in Austin.

One experience I had in Austin that I would never have been able to experience in Reno was winning VIP tickets to the premier of Spielberg's new TV series Falling Skies, a sci-fi show that focuses on what it means to be a family and not so much on the aliens. It appears that it will be a good show. It also made me realize that no matter what I try to do all of that emotion I felt in Reno is because of family.

My family is by-far not perfect but we aren't extremely dysfunctional either. We are family. We have rough times and good times. They are the constant reminder of why I live and what I fight for. We may not see everything eye to eye but they will always support the decisions I make. This is where I feel that my family is special. We may not like the decisions but I feel that we will support the decisions that we make. Then I realized this is part of a facade as well. To good to be true. If we don't support a decision we speak-up loud and clear. We speak our minds. We give one another heartbreak but in the end we know that we are family.

This experience of learning is the blender of good and bad experiences. Looking at it like a smoothie, adding random ingredients that may not sound like they taste good with one another but it turns out to be the best damn smoothie. That is life, making the most of it.

Raw Food

Alright so I told everyone that I was going to write a blog about raw food. I have decided to try going on a permanent raw food diet. This is very difficult. Some of my favorite things in the world are considered cooked. Such as coffee. I succeeded in the raw food diet for a total of 2.5-days.

I then saw my pasteurized dairy sitting in the fridge and was like, I need to eat that before it goes bad. After-all I did spend hard working income on these products. There are many things that the pure raw food diet would not allow me to have. Not just coffee, pasteurized dairy but I also would have to say good bye to most other beverages.

Essentially I have decided that I will be more of a faux raw foodie by adding more raw veggies into my vegetarian diet. Instead of sautéing veggies for my pasta dishes I will add them in raw. I decided that it is my own personal diet and that I don't need to live by other peoples standards or guidelines. I will continue drinking my coffee and doing my own thing.

For those who don't know much about the idea of eating raw food it comes from science that you get more and better nutrients from food that is raw. In broccoli you get the amino acids that help prevent cancer but once the broccoli is cooked past 117 degrees F those amino acids have been cooked out. Each food raw has something along those lines. Part of the philosophy also discusses by eating life you allow life to flow through you.

One restriction I am putting on myself though is to eat purely raw for 3 days in a row each month for a cleansing. I also told myself to be creative with pure raw food meals. One of the meals that I have already created and was so tasty is a spinach salad with mashed up berries for the dressing and sliced almonds. The more creative I can get by cooking raw the easier it will be.

Wish me luck on this new endeavor.

Routines

I am finally starting to get myself into a new routine and feeling more settled-in in Austin now. I have been finding my new local hangouts where I can be myself. Hammer out a poem or a short-story and write my blogs. I also feel comfortable just reading. Depending on my mood and my location in town also has been determining where I will be going for coffee or a glass of wine.

Not only in that aspect of settling-in I have been starting a routine of days that I will ride my bike to work and days I will take the bus. On the days I take the bus I typically go on a long bike ride after work. I have always enjoyed cycling and did it quite a bit at home but it is now becoming a part of my regular routine. If I don't get to go cycling I feel like I am having an off day.

That is how the last few days have been feeling because I popped my or according to what Olivia (@goberthicks) read on twitter I "pooped" my tire on Sunday. I will be fixing my bike today so it will all be better. I am really enjoying the routine I am starting to master. I go out on Monday nights (it is my Friday night). Then Tuesday's I find myself sleepinging going to a coffee shop and reading/writing or I will hang out with Zach. Last week we went on a pretty sweet hike through Barton Springs well I should say nature walk because I hike has a huge

elevation change in a mile. We did come across the emphasis rock tower though. Which is always fun.

Then on Sunday when I popped my tire we headed to Zilker park to watch Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost". That performance was amazing. It made me miss being a part of a theatre. I kept thinking, I need to get involved with a community theatre. I tried to do a search for community theatre auditions in Austin and for the summer they either require singing (which I will not attempt to do ever again). Or the schedule doesn't work with my work schedule which is a major bummer. I figured I could keep looking until something comes up. I was also thinking I could volunteer on the tech side. I do have some worries about getting involved in theatre again though. Well not about the involvement but the fact that I haven't been involved in any type of theatre since I was in high school. Unless you consider my theatre 101 class as involvement.

Another routine I am also getting settled into or will be is that I finally got a gym membership in Austin. I decided to go with Gold's Gym because it is close to my house and I also know when I move again from Austin to my next location, where ever that maybe, I am sure I will have a friend who is a Gold's Gym member.

Essentially my life is becoming reading, writing, coffee shops, cycling, a few bars, philosophical discussions while drinking, cooking dinner (which means grocery shopping on Wednesdays), Poetry slam, live music and not having enough money to do all I want to do, oh and 1990s television (don't ask).

Rediscovering the Old and/or Finding the New, and other random thought because of my wine

I sit here at Cork and Co. enjoying a wine flight that includes Primarious Pinot Noir from Oregon, Kali Heart Pinot Noir from Santa Lucia, California and Lamelson Pinot Noir from Williamette, Oregon. As I sip down these different wines I can't help but let my mind wander. I have been in Austin for about a month-and-a-half now and already I am seeing changes in my life I wouldn't have dreamed about having. During my time here so far I have been reminding myself of pleasures that I have long forgotten in the present, such as some of the music I listened to in high school (like "The Dead Kennedy's"). I am also learning that I do miss the talent of film I have. The culture in Austin is quite amazing. I can always find something going on in the city (with the exception of Monday nights, they are a drag I must say). In someways there is to much going on in this city I can't handle it.

What I am learning new about myself is to do things alone. My entire life I always have had someone with me. I know it is not co-dependency it is more the fact that I am a very extrovert type of person. I love to surround myself around people. I have always known that fact. What I didn't know is that I don't have to have someone with me to go do stuff. The alone factor is what I am talking about. The things I am accomplishing and struggling with I am doing alone. I am looking at society and saying, "who cares if I go to a concert by myself, I am here for the music not the company." This is the same with movies as well. It felt awkward going to a movie by myself but I hate those who talk during a movie, going by oneself you are less likely to talk.

Don't worry though I am not alone in this city. I am not as surrounded by as many friends that I had been surrounding myself with in the past (which is not a bad thing either, I do miss all of my friends from Reno). Instead I am surrounding myself with a very few and learning a deeper philosophical view about the world. My conversations I have are by far the most intellectual conversations I have had yet. These conversations are so deep and meaningful that it does make questioning a more constant theme in my life. Although I go back to my intellectual roots and stick to my beliefs but it is opening up my mind even more and giving myself different insights and perspectives.

Overall this city is full of so many different surprises that almost anything I do or go to I think of someone who would fall in love with it. Whether it is live music at one of the many music venues or a rare video showing at the Alamo Draft House to some bizarre, or in Austin's words, weird event going on. To hearing about the homeless transvestite mayor candidate Leslie stories. I also learned that you are considered an Austin local once you have a Leslie story of your own.

At the same time I am reminded that I am from the desert. In fact I read a blog from a teacher I had a few years back in college and it spoke so true. He talked about how those few of us in the world that grow-up in the Nevada desert, specifically Reno are able to go on and do great things, that Reno breeds talent. While I am sitting here at this bar I can't help but reflect on this blog posting and think that he is ever so correct. People in Austin ask me all the time where my accent is from and I am never more proud to say that I am from Reno.

That is another thing I have learned about myself. After living in Reno for pretty much half of my life (but Nevada my entire life), that is where my roots are and will remain. I love that little city more than words can describe. I am a desert rat, I love the smell of the sage and I am damn proud to be from what some people described here as "that shit hole town." I can't help but smile and say "yes that 'shit hole town' that you apparently didn't visit the correct way." I always ask what they did when they where in Reno and they say something along the lines of "Circus Circus, Nugget" and I respond "Oh the the casinos, no wonder why you think it is a shit hole." I then tell them about the other side of Reno, my side of Reno, the outdoors, Lake Tahoe, the desert. I tell them if Reno is such a shit hole but you like me as a person (most of them do) I explain that Reno is a part of my personality. All of those classy things you love that I do is RenoClassy. I make them reflect on the shit hole and tell them to give it another chance. To understand Reno and see Reno the way I do, not the way of the casino that a lot of our parents work at. To see it for the individuals that Reno produces. I am damn proud of my hometown but as I have learned from my teacher I can be proud but I must let my talent explore the world and do something greater but also when or if I fail I know that that desert will be calling my name where I can shine.

A Surprise At Home

I decided to blog about tonight instead of tweeting the amazingness of what is my new home and roommates. As many of you know I finally bought a bike in Austin, it isn't everything I wanted but it is doable. It is a 2005 Schwinn hybrid bicycle. It does have some rust spots. It is not in perfect shape but very doable. Also I am back on my bike which means I can start-up my training again for a century (eventually I will do one, just not sure where yet).

Anyway enough rambling on, going back to tonight. I got off work and then called Zach to see if we are going to partake in the social bike ride that happens in Austin every Thursday night, we decided to postpone until next week. So I jumped on my bike and started cycling home. My roommates did warn me that Austin is very bike friendly but not in South Austin (where I work and live). The drivers do not share the road or anything because all of my cycling gear is in Reno I had to get some new stuff on my way home, especially after I was almost ran off the road by a vehicle. So I went off to the store and bought a helmet, lights and a lock. I then cycled home.

Once I got home there where tons of people at my house this was a surprise. My roommates didn't warn me about the BBQ that we had taking place with the co-workers from my roommate who builds nature trails in Texas. We had all vegetarian meals, which stoked me. We made fresh mojitos and had a great time. We had a nice fire pit going where we grilled veggie kabobs and veggie burgers and I got to hang out with other very like minded people. Many of them are back to the woods tomorrow for the next 11 days but it was fun. Just wanted to share.

The "Absurd man" and Synchronicity

I am 22-years-old. I know you know this but I am 22-years-old. Sometimes being in this body of a 22-year-old feels like the distance between Earth and Mars but with my soul instead. I have so many qualities of a 22-year-old but also I have other qualities that some have described to me as being way to wise for my age. Some of this could come from the Karma cycle that I am an old soul. That is if I where to believe in having a soul and not my atheistic existential way. However could my atheism and existentialism honestly be the fact that I am 22-years-old or do I have it right on the money making me wiser.

Part of this discussion I have created in my mind is a friend was talking to me about Synchronicity. I am no expert on this philosophical idea, I have only read the wikipedia article. However my friend is reading this work by Jung (he plans on lending it to me one day). This idea has been playing and totting to my mind. It is creating an ever larger reflection upon my life and beliefs.

Some of this reflecting is allowing myself to face some of my fears that I am growing-up and becoming an adult. This is a dream that all little kids have of "I want to be (fill-in-the-blank) when I grow-up". However the reality of growing-up is somewhat scary. Every choice you make will have some kind of consequence and a new experiences. The question that Synchronicity poses is that some choices you make could be related to another persons mind. That two different incidents of "bumping" into another person in two different locations or two different periods in your life means something more than coincidence.

At 22-years-old I am starting to see the meaning of synchronicity taking place in the consequences of choices that I have made. That there is more to life than "42" or that Kierkegaard was more on track with the "absurd man" especially when totting synchronicity into the idea. This is just an invisible scratch on glass that my mind is going to with the "absurd man" and synchronicity. There is so much more to how synchronicity affects the "absurd man" and vice-versa.

I am not sure where this blog post was actually going to originate because I went off of my overall topic and into my mind boggling thoughts instead. Eventually I will blog about what I was actually meaning to blog about. Until then continue thinking and continue reading more about the philosophers I discussed.

Searching for a new home

Searching for the right place to live is quite difficult, especially in an unfamiliar city. You just don't know what is considered a good neighborhood or a rough neighborhood. I discovered both. After reading multiple craigslist ads and posting craigslist ads I finally came to a decision.

This decision was quite tough but I am obviously happy with the one I chose. I thought the first place I was going to walk into would be the one. Zach told me not to rush myself that I need to look at more than one place and boy was he right.

This actually being my first "real home search" in Reno it had always been easy, I just talked to my friends and discovered who needed a roommate and BAM I got a roommate and a place to live. However finding a roommate via craigslist is a much more interesting thing. Especially when people don't put details about themselves just the space available. This is never a good thing because you should no a little something about the people you are about to live with.

There where some people whose spots I looked at and it was a nice pad but not the right fit for me personality wise and age wise (yes I know you shouldn't discriminate on age but if I wanted to live with middle-aged people I would chose my parents and aunties). So I rolled them out.

Another pad I looked at was a great spot but it was a little bit on the pricey end for me. The two I had narrowed it down to had amazing opportunity for roomies, I got along with all of them great. In fact the place I decided on I decided to look at after I thought I made up my mind. This was the best decision I could have made because not only is it not an apartment (an actual house) it is also cheaper and I feel that it is in a safer neighborhood.

I felt really bad telling the other guy that I was no longer interested but some of the decision making points was once I read reviews about the apartment complex. ALL of the reviews where horrible and negative (they did just get new management but we all know that story). The most recent review even dissed the new management so I decided it wasn't the spot for me. As people for future roomies I was torn so I had to look at economic factors and location factors and style factors. The house prevailed in all aspects.

So my new house has chickens, a furnished bedroom, close to bus routes but still feels suburban, close to a farmers market and grocery store and it is overall amazing!

I know I made the right decision and it is about time I can say "I am not homeless in Austin". I may be "Lost in Austin" which is a different story but the link might help you understand. Having a composer as a friend *cough* Amy (@amylauder) *cough* makes story telling more interesting.

The first 40 hours

Well I have completed that first 40 hour work week. Let me tell you it is exhausting. I have never quite understood the brutality of 40 hour work week because most of my jobs that I have had in the past would allow me to either leave the office or I would have multiple part time jobs that gave me air from one job to another. This time is different, I am in the same building everyday for 8 hours. I bring my lunch and eat lunch in the cafeteria or break room. I can walk outside for my breaks but the humidity is a killer so I choose to stay inside, especially because I will endure a beautiful hour long walk home. As you can see in the photo. This is normally the best part of the day walking through the neighborhood dubbed as "Travis Heights" to get to Zach's apartment (I do not have my own yet, I am still sleeping on a couch).

Other than that my job is quite great. In no means relaxing but it is pleasant. I am able to listen to my iPod while I do my work so it is great to have all of that music. I have currently been trying to find an app so I can listen to the Rockies games as well while I partake in the ever repetitiveness of pulling files or refiling. The DRU (Document Retrieval Unit) is based out of a warehouse full of files and that is where I work or shall I say hide in the files.

I have been learning a lot and I wish I could discuss other parts of my job but the files obtain classified information therefore I cannot. Even if I could all what I am concerned about is the file number and not what is in the document nor do I have the desire to see what is in the document. My biggest concern is to have the most amount of volume. This is my competitive edge coming about I must strive to have the best numbers. I am very determined to receive an outstanding evaluation. This is where I appreciate my music because it helps me get in the flow and work quicker.

This week has been so jam packed of learning new information about my job and learning about Austin while trying to find a place to live walking distance to work (I know I can ride the bus but as you can see from the image it is a beautiful walk.) I have explore 6th street a couple of nights this week with Jeana (@j_ber) and her friend Lyn that she was in town visiting. This week was even more intense because South by Southwest (sxsw) was going on so I had to go to a few events such as The Strokes concert.

Other than that I will be looking at an apartment tomorrow and hopefully I will like the set-up and possible future roomies and be able to move-in sometime this week!

Traveling to Austin

So yet again I am trying to start to blog again. Eventually I will make it regular, especially because I am no longer in the same city as all of my friends. For those who do not know I just accepted a job in Austin with the Department of Treasury. It is a temporary 6 month job. By accepting this job I am now living in Austin, TX. I just arrived today but the trip getting to Austin was hellacious. Let's start from the beginning but with a quick timeline

December 4, 2010 - I graduated with my dual degree in Communication and Political Science and a minor in Journalism.

December 15, 2010 - I began applying for government jobs

Monday, February 28, 2011 - Received a call to be interviewed/fingerprinted in Austin

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 - Flew to Austin

Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - Interviewed

Thursday, March 3, 2011 - Flew home

Now I can tell the story on Friday, March 11, 2011 I got a phone-call offering me a position with the Department of Treasury. The position is to exceed no more than 180 days (6 months). I accepted it. I then was informed the beginning date of my tour is Thursday, March 17, 2011 (tomorrow). So I called up BRP and Big 5 told them the news and informed them apologetically that Sunday will be my last day of work because I accepted a professional job in Austin.

I began to pack-up my stuff. I decided that none of my furniture will becoming with me. So I moved it into storage by the help of Frank. Niki (@nclinger) called and asked if she could road trip down with me to Austin in my 1990 Volvo that we nicknamed Icee (because it does horrible in ice). I naturally said yes.

The first thing I loaded into Icee was my Columbia Trail Head mountain bike. I then loaded up my clothing, pantry, movies, photos, shot glasses (from all over the country) and etc. Thanks to Rachel (@xorachel) she helped me pack Icee nice and full.

Niki and I hit the road monday morning at 5:30 a.m. We made good time to Las Vegas. Where we met my current/old roommate Neesha (@neshiii) for lunch at Panera Bread. We then filled the tank up at Costco. We then checked all of the fluids, oil was fine, the coolant had a weird color but we weren't to concerned because the car hadn't overheated or anything. I decided that I would change out all of the coolant when we arrive in Phoenix for the night.

So we jumped back onto the freeway and headed out of Vegas to Boulder City. Then the car began to overheat. We pulled over (happened to pull onto a street that a mechanic was on) and the engine began to smoke. We sat there debating what to do. We decided to get the car looked at. The mechanic ran a diagnostic on Icee and informed us that we blew a head gasket and they can't do anything with the car until the next morning. They gave us an estimate that it will cost around $1500 to fix it. I only paid $1000 for Icee. The mechanic said because we are travelers they wouldn't let us make a payment plan but if I have the title on me if we decided not to get the car fixed that they will take the car off our hands (for free of course).

Niki and I then got a hotel room and began to brainstorm how to get us the rest of the way to Austin. We looked into U-Haul and trailers to move the car, rental cars, Grey Hound and flying. You name it we looked into it. We were on a time crunch because I have to report for work at 9 am Thursday morning.

After a ton of deliberation and phone calls and figuring stuff out. We had a plan to rent a car and give the mechanic Icee. Toni (@toni_vegas) picked us up and drove us to the Vegas Airport. We got their and we couldn't rent a car. So we went back to Boulder City and slept. The next morning I made the decision that we were going to fly. Sara (@saraxmazing) got us in contact with her parents to pick us up from Boulder City and take us to their place and let me store all of my things there. Sara is going to pick my stuff up in a few weeks and take it back to Reno.

So I bought my plane ticket and resigned the fact that Icee will not be mine. Niki and I walked to the mechanic to look for the title of the car and I couldn't find it. STRESSED OUT BREAKDOWN AGAIN!!!!! I then began to research impoundment laws and we discovered if I just abandon the car I could get a warrant out for my arrest and destroy my credit. So we began brainstorming whose house we could tow it to in order to store until I get a new title for us to salvage the car. After more frantic phone calls Amy (@scmzeller) convinced her parents to allow this to happen.

I then called Mr. Benedict (my mentor in everything) to talk about what is going on. As we ended this conversation it dawned on me the the title is in a box (not my files) in the car. I went back and found it. After a hallelujah Niki and I explored Boulder City until Sara's parents where able to rescue us.

We found an amazing wine bar and did a wine flight to debrief again. Sara's dad picked us up. We loaded his truck. I signed over my title and we went to Vegas. Got more drinks and ate dinner. Sara's parents then lent me two very large suitcases to allow me to pack up my clothes. Then they dropped me off at the airport the next morning for me to arrive in Austin and Niki to arrive in Reno.

I spent a ton of money getting here but I made it. I have my clothes and the rest of my stuff I do not know when I will see it again (hopefully soon). My plan is to find an apartment walking distance from work and to move forward. These past few days have been very stressful but I survived and now I am not stressed about finding a place to live because that seems easy to do now.