Road Trip Updates…

After Otto and I broke up, I had a few decisions to make (as mentioned in my last post). I was trying to figure out what I felt like doing – go to Hawaii for a few months, take a road trip, sign a lease in San Diego, go to Australia… I really had 0 idea.

I ended up deciding to go on a new road trip. I know it sounds ridiculous, but one of the main reasons I wanted to do it was to go back to Half Price Books in Dallas. I LOVED that store on my last trip and met some incredible life-long friends while browsing.

There are a few locations for HFP, but the Dallas one is HUGE (it’s the main one) and just incredible.

I left on Monday, and for the most part, the trip has been phenomenal. There is SO MUCH beauty to check out on the drive from California to Scottsdale (where I got a place for a week so I could think/catch up on work/explore) and I was reveling in it the entire time.

I also got to listen to a few audiobooks (Caroline Myss’ Primal Nature – I don’t recommend that, and started Caroline Myss’ Energy Of Anatomy which seems a *lot* better), listen to great music, and just relax.

The place I got in Scottsdale is awesome. It’s actually an extended living place for executives, so there’s a refrigerator, a toaster, utensils and plates. I’m using the kitchen table as a desk and have my full setup – the 24 inch monitor, the MacBook Pro, and the PC. The coolest part is, I got some tips from Mark Anthony on how to use Priceline, and I ended up scoring the place for only $21/night, and it’s right in the heart of everything!!!

While I Was Driving, I Realized Where I Live Is Not “Real”The drive was interesting for some other reasons too. As I just mentioned – I think I live in some of the most glorified parts of America. For example, in San Diego, even living in Pacific Beach (frat-party town), people are usually super-happy, laid back, and out for a good time.

Every time I see someone in passing, I smile at them. In much of SoCal and here in Scottsdale, people obligatorily fake smile back, but it doesn’t feel “real”.

When I stop at random areas in my journeys, I flash back to “average” America. I don’t say that at all to be elitist – it’s just a weird experience. I got off in El Centro, California on Monday and smiled at a few people, and they got these huuuge smiles on their faces, like I made their entire day. It almost feels much easier to make a difference there.

Scenery was a lot different, people seemed a lot more introverted, and there were a lot more unhealthy-looking people.

I know Eben Pagan mentioned (I think in Altitude) that sometimes he drives to the local Wal-Mart just to sit and listen to people, to get more of an idea of what the “average” American is like. I don’t blame him.

Although I generally feel grateful to live in fake “bubbles” of America (more pleasant to look at, more healthy food, more successful people), I appreciate getting to go to other places. It makes for a more well-rounded world view.

Scottsdale Seems Pretty “Fake” TooWhen I was bidding on Priceline, I didn’t get much say into where I’d stay. I just randomly got Scottsdale, and was psyched that it was so inexpensive for such a pricy place to live.

Jaime and I joked the last time we were here that this was almost a mini-L.A., maybe even more plastic. While I *love* the streets around here and how central it is to everything, I still believe that’s the truth. There’s even places that have big signs for “Walk-In Botox”.

I’m not complaining, just observing. What I mainly wanted to get out of this first stop I’ve gotten easily – the relaxation, the centering, and the feeling calm. :)

The only other thing I can report so far is the Master Cleanse.

I Nearly Died From It!Okay, I’m exaggerating. ;) But it was nuts. I’ve done successful water fasts, eat mostly raw foods, and just got done with a cleanse… but this Master Cleanse was awful.

I made it through the day fine without eating (I made it inevitable that I’d succeed by having books around if I started thinking of wanting to eat, had the TV, etc…). At night though, things were nuts. I kept waking up with hot flashes, then cold flashes. This is TMI but – I also dry vomited throughout the night, and just felt generally awful.

I couldn’t stand up for more than a few seconds, had a small headache than went on and off, and felt ridiculously dizzy.

Jaime, Taj, and Caleb have all reported incredible things with it… but it’s definitely not for me, at least not on a road trip.

Anyway, I guess that’s it for now. Just wanted to get myself back in the groove of posting blogs.

I thought it could be cool, in the future, to maybe do 50 states in 50 weeks… spend a week in a new state each week… and blog about it. Seeing as I still don’t know where I want to go next, maybe that’ll be my next adventure. :)

Have a great day, and don’t forget to post at 5PositiveThings!