Joy In Mudville

Preparing for social media presentations

2012-01-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

I have been asked (and participated) in numerous social media speaking opportunities. This is not to say I am headlining major conventions or anything, but speaking to groups and participating on panels on the workings of social media. I will be making three speeches in the coming weeks and having thoughts that it might grow to be more and more in the next year or so. This past week, I have taken some time out to really plan out an extensive presentation, mainly to get all my ideas out and onto paper (and consequently the computer).

I’m trying to condense all that social media can handle into a 90-minute presentation. I know 90 minutes is a long time and I don’t really plan to ever speak for that long but I believe that I could rearrange a 90-minute presentation down to 60, 45 or 30 minutes if I had, to depending on the audience and time restraints.

90 minutes. Looking back on my high school classes (Putnam City North), each class we had was 93 minutes. We had four classes a day at 93 minutes each. We had each class for one semester (90 days) meaning we learned one subject for 8,370 minutes…wow. It took 8,370 minutes to teach me one Home Economics class. I spent 8,370 minutes learning Weight Lifting…now I have to put the entire industry of social media into a 90-minute presentation. When I put it that way, planning for 90 minutes shouldn’t be difficult at all.

The more I thought about it, the more it made me realize that a 90-minute presentation would be difficult to prepare for because it wouldn’t be long enough.

So, if you were to come to a social media presentation, what are some topics you would want to make sure were discussed? I have my thoughts and ideas…what are yours?

Would you want to see a breakdown on one platform? The differences between platforms? Strategies in a plan? The history of social media? Future thoughts on the industry? Case studies on proper/improper procedures? Customization options on platforms? Engaging strategies? Research and statistics? Recommendations who to follow? How to find ROI? Campaign ideas? Social Media policies? Management of multiple accounts?

Sayonara, 2011

2011-12-31T15:26:00.000-08:00

2011 definitely had some great highlights, but I don't know if I have ever been more excited to see a new year begin than I am right now.

In May, I hopped on a plane and headed overseas again with Doug again, and this time Marek got to join us. We all had so much fun: Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Sevilla and Segovia.

Definitely one of the bigger shifts this year was my job change - going from Account Executive at Jones Public Relations - to now being the Director of Social Media at VI Marketing and Branding. While I still work in communications and in downtown Oklahoma City, it is definitely more of a change than it sounds. I now strictly work in social media (which has been a love of mine for years).

The NBA also had a big scare of locking out for the entire season until an agreement was made late - starting opening day 2 months later (on Christmas Day). In the end, the NBA will only miss 16 games in what will be a very quick and condensed 66 games. This works out well for the Thunder as they are young with plenty of energy to play that many games in a short span. Also, this just happened last night ( Durant buzzer beater )

Each year I look forward to going to the Flaming Lips concert for New Year's Eve but it looks like that will no longer happen. I waited a little long on getting tickets and with the higher rate this year ($100 and up), I doubt I will get to ring in the new year with giant balloons, lasers, confetti and thousands of Lips fans that are more likely hugging because they are high and not because of the New Year festivities. That has been, however, one of my favorite night's all year and a tradition I am sad to see end, but I have never been able to not enjoy myself when I want to, this New Year's Eve will be no different.

This year, Mike and I bought a storage unit (just like the show Storage Wars) and had a garage sale to get rid of all the crap that was in it. It was a great experience and something I wouldn't mind doing again, as long as we buy a unit that is smaller and less expensive. We ended up paying bout $790 for the unit and brought in around $1500 at our garage sale. Not bad at all but moving the wall to wall unit and having a two-day garage sale might not have been worth it.

Also this year, Marek decided she was going to start making everything possible including pillows, scarves, gloves, maps, etc. and sold so much of it to local people which really worked out great for her and made a lot of people really happy (and gave lots of them great Christmas gift ideas as well). She also entered a craft show and sold items all day long. I hope this is something that she continues to do as she is great at it and loves to do it as well. She also got her Masters in December, what can't she do??

In Oklahoma City, Project 180 is taking over downtown in all areas regarding streets, sidewalks and intersections but the good news in downtown is that the Myriad Gardens have been completely renovated, the Devon Tower was topped off, Sandridge leveled about 2 blocks of buildings, the Aloft Hotel broke ground and the LEVEL Apartments are just about completed in Deep Deuce and the Skydance pedestrian bridge was just completed over the soon-to-be-open new I-40.

Looking back on worldly historical events in 2011: the ones that stad out to me the most would be th Occupy Wall Street protests, Congresswoman Giffords involved in a failed assassination attempt, Fidel Castro resigned, Prince William got married in the most ridiculously media frenzied event I've ever seen, Oprah Winfrey retired, Osama Bin Laden was murdered, Muammar Gadaffi was murdered, Kim Jong Il died, and a wild ride of rise and falls of GOP candidates including Romney, Cain, Perry and now Newt head into the Iowa Caucus.

Just thinking about this past year is exhausting.

2012, you better dominate.

2011-11-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

November 8, 2011

Seeing Google for more than just search: Google+ Business Page Launch

(Find VI Marketing and Branding on Google+: +VI Marketing and Branding)

The highly anticipated Google+ business pages launched yesterday and the world wants to know How is Google+ different than Facebook?
I’ve gotten this question many times as I have championed Google+ since it’s launch back in June. Mostly I’d say something along the lines of ‘Google is finally adding a connection from all of its services and bringing all of its customers together.’ That answer doesn’t exactly narrow it down exactly because unless you are an avid Google fan you won’t know what the “Google Services” are, exactly. Let’s take a closer look at it..First off, Google is not just a search engine.

Google is also YouTube.
Google is also Gmail.
Google is also Chrome (my favorite internet browser).
Google is Android.
Google is also Blogger.
Google is also Reader.
Google is also Google Earth.
Google is also Google Maps.
Google is also Images.
Google is also News.
Want to create a free website, yes Google is Sites, too.
Google is Product search.
Want free cloud-sharing Microsoft Office-type programs..?.. Yes, Google is Google Docs, too.
Want to be updated on current events world-wide? Then use Google Alerts.
Google is Translator.
Google is Books.
Google is a Toolbar.
Google is an Image Editor (Picasa and Picnik).
How about calling your friends on through the computer, yes Google is Google Voice and Google Talk.
Like PayPal? …then you’ll like Google Checkout.
Google is SketchUp.
Want to “Skype” your friends? How about video chatting with MULTIPLE people at once? Yes, Google is Google+ with Hangout.

Don’t even get me started on the cool features of the “+1” button. (It will revolutionize searching Google)
As long as people continually only see Google as a search engine, they will never actually completely see Google.
I will continually use Facebook. I really like Facebook. I really like Google+. there is definite room for both. They are different. They are separate. You don’t have to like one or the other. Both offer great services. Yesterday’s launch of business pages feels a lot like Facebook, with a Google feel. I’m not saying the business pages are as good/better than Facebook’s business pages…just yet another Google service. At least neither are Myspace.

From a Bloomberg interview:
“When you think about Google today, you of course think about the Google search engine, but in total we have YouTube, Android, Chrome and Gmail…we have a variety of services that users love and back to all the time. Today they (Google users) come back to us in a largely unidentified state; we know very little about them and remember very little about them. The way that we think about Google+ is changing this mode of interaction so that we actually get to know our users deeply. We understand who they are, what they love, who they know and then reflect that back as value to them so that all of our services get better when users use their own data in their own service. So, the way that we think about it, is really transforming the “Google experience.” If that is all we did and we maintained levels of use and usage, then we would have a fantastic success on our hands. I think a lot of the pitting the companies against each other (Facebook vs. Google+) certainly sells advertising and clicks and it’s an intriguing story. But, what we think we’re doing we think about in the terms of ‘how can we make Google services better?’ and I think we have a really compelling value proposition for those that already love Google today.”

- Bradley Horowitz, VP of Product at Google+
Next Post: Google+ and Direct Connect.

Social Media doesn’t have to be a “venting” venue

2011-10-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

Reactive.

Not the best way I would describe how a company should setup its social media strategy.

I’m sure that Linkedin has social media strategies that go way beyond just being reactive but recently, that was my experience in my communication efforts with this primarily online company.

I had a couple questions/issues that I needed resolved with the previously mentioned company (I actually could have easily handled the issues myself if their restrictions weren’t so restricted). I decided to use whatever form of communication they directed me to use to contact them (I was open to calling them, emailing them, etc.), their preferred form of communication was for me to fill out a customer service form on their website and that someone would get back to me.

I submitted a form on a Monday. I waited and submitted another form on Thursday. On the next Monday, I had reached the point where I found their preferred method useless. I decided to send another form and only wait a couple hours…by noon on that Monday, I decided to communicate my way, via social media.

I jumped on Linkedin’s highly trafficked Facebook page (89,000 “likes”) and did a couple different things. First, I wrote on their wall at the very top of the page stating I was still waiting for a representative to get back to me regarding ANY of my three emails needing attention to resolve a very simple issue. I copied my submitted paragraph and then proceeded to go to their postings and left that same paragraph on three different posts in the comments sections.

I had an email response within 5 minutes helping me with my account.

I did not like having to do that. I tried their private recommended form of communication to handle an issue. When it started out, I didn’t even have a complaint. Their was nothing wrong with their service, it was just an issue that only they could fix.

Throughout this process, I came to a conclusion. Companies are starting to put more effort and energy into reacting to complaints on social media (public forum) when if that effort and energy would just be focused on the private lines of communication, the customers would be happier and social media wouldn’t have to act like a public complaint box.

When you have an issue needing assistance, what do you do?

What is an acceptable amount of time to just sit and wait for a response?

The Google Buzz-kill

2011-10-17T14:35:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of noteandpoint.com)

The Google Buzz “kill”

This past weekend, we bid a grand farewell to the let down that was Google Buzz. If you are unfamiliar with Google Buzz, just imagine any successful and engaging social media platform like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ but take away the “successful and engaging” part and presto…www.buzz.google.com.

When Google Buzz was first released back on February 9, 2010, I was so excited - finally, the best online company was getting into the social media game. I was excited for an entire hour. After that hour, confusion set in…what is this? Google, the company made famous for its clean and easy-to-adventure platform was suddenly confusing and left everyone embarrassed for saying they were fans of Google.

Immediately Google Buzz became annoying. From the constant random updates flooding my inbox (so that I wouldn’t “miss” anything) to the confusing “What-am-I-even-looking-at?” question everything was a big mess. I immediately jumped off the Google bandwagon and began to doubt any future announcement of a Google product.

Google did a great job of knowing Google Buzz was a terrible platform and immediately began working on a “version 2” of a social media platform which launched in June 2011 (Google+). My hesitant praise for Google+ became immediately extinguished and this platform (in my opinion) spurred most of Facebook’s recent changes which I actually applaud Facebook for doing.

While I would love to begin using Google+ more than Facebook, this “social media thing” is meant to be “social” - meaning I will have to wait until more people see some of the advantages of Google+ (and wait on Google+ to launch its business pages).

Anywho, Google Buzz, it was a good try. Now, Google+, don’t become a buzz kill like your older brother.

For a video all about Google Buzz:

http://youtu.be/yi50KlsCBio

The Social Media Explosion

2011-10-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

These past few months the technological capabilities offered to enhance social media have exploded.

Three to four years ago, we were blown away by the smooth customizable options offered on MySpace (you mean we get to add music to our page?!?!) Now, MySpace is considered “the ghetto” of social media and what once ruled social media floundered into selling for a measly $30 million while Facebook continues to increase its revenue to be worth in the $80 billion range.

All of this has got me thinking; there are so many different options now, there are so many upgrades, so many new launches and businesses jumping into this “wild west” industry called social media that I feel that Back to the Future II is just around the corner (especially now that that Nike is now making the laceless shoes).

Now, we even have Siri (which will be added to Apple’s new iPhone 4s) which will start to have conversations with the phone user; when will we finally get our hover boards?

We saw Google jump into the game with Google+ in June which I thought was so impressive that even Facebook was in trouble. Immediately after Google+ launched and gained enough momentum to hit 10,000,000 accounts faster than any other social media company ever had - Facebook made a round of “improvements” that had lots of loyal followers upset, “Enough with the changes!” most would exclaim - not me. Facebook’s changes were right on the money. With more/better privacy features and a much smarter use of their very valuable homepage space (by separating “updates” and “top news”), Facebook is poised to be number one for a little bit longer.

Just a couple weeks ago, Facebook announced they will be taking their tremendously successful platform (currently in beta) into a “timeline” platform - yet another step in the right direction. Google+, it is time for you to roll out your “business page” options which, in my opinion, was the catalyst in taking Facebook from a big business into the biggest business on the block.

- Casey Cornett

Day 9: June 6, 2006 From Chapel Hill to Washington D.C.

2011-09-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

(This is a continuation to my previous blogs of my trip around the U.S. with my buddy Dave Ford.
Catch up on my first 8 days here: http://caseycornett.blogspot.com/2011/01/may-29-2006-day-1-oklahoma-city-to-new.html)

It is day 9 of our two-month(ish) road trip around the U.S. This trip has been everything I hoped it would be...random.

Everyday is different. Everyday we hop in the car and drive to a new city and hope that when we arrive we will be met with friendly people and a new story; so far that has been the case.

Right now we are in North Carolina. I have never been to North Carolina before this trip but after my stay there is no doubt that I will be back.

When we woke up this morning, we made some eggs and then headed out to meet up with our buddy Rob. Rob is a golf professional out at Chapel Ridge Golf Course and he invited us out to play. This was great for us to get outside and walk around and actually get some sort of exercise in considering we are in the car so much. I played pretty good and ended up shooting 8 over (doubled the last hole!!).

One unexpected thing happened on the 14th hole. My dad called my cell phone to let me know that he will be staying in Washington D.C. for the next couple of days and wanted to know if we wanted to join him. Considering we had no plans for the next couple of days and we knew that when we got to D.C. that we wouldn't know of anyone there to stay with...we of course said, "Yes!"

After we finished playing golf, we headed back over to Rob's, grabbed our stuff and hopped in the van to head to D.C. When we got there, we headed out for a late night snack and I got to meet my Dad's new Chief of Staff, David Holt. I got to have my own bed in my dad's room and Ford got his own in David's room. Far different than the back of the van, air mattresses and sleeping bags we'd been grateful to have thus far.

Ford has never been to D.C. so tomorrow we expect yet another adventure.

#VW #PASSAT

2011-08-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

As a follow-up to my previous post: http://caseycornett.blogspot.com/2011/08/will-i-what-yes-that-sounds-good-with.html

The Passat promotion was one of the coolest things I've ever been asked to do.

Once I had the Passat, I quickly forgot about my Civic and planned on running away and never going back to the Fowler lot to return it. "Thank you for the new car Fowler, I'll go test drive it for the next few years and let you know how it went."

We (Dad and older brother, Mike) took the car up to Chicago for the National Sports Card Convention and without this car, I would have complained the whole way. If we took any other car I would have tried to sleep the whole way...but that didn't happen. Thanks to the built-in satellite radio, we were able to listen to every one of the ESPN Radio stations (awesome) and occasionally flip it over to the comedy station and catch Mitch Hedberg spurt out his one-liners:
"I love blackjack. But I'm not addicted to gambling. I'm addicted to sitting in a semicircle."
"I'm an ice sculptor. Last night I made a cube."
"I find that a duck's opinion of me is very much influenced over whether or not I have bread."
http://youtu.be/2491LucLa1g

Other favorite stations: "80's on 8" and "90's on 9" (If we listened to "90's on 9" my dad had veto power).

I did, surprisingly enough, find out that on long car rides seat-heaters are awesome. I had the seat-heater on and my own temp gauge on my side of the car...very cool.

Also, I began (with Marek's help) begin to remake the 2011 Super Bowl commercial with the kid dressed up as Darth Vadar...that video is still in production.

Thanks again to Fowler VW for the opportunity to drive the 2012 VW Passat around for a week and take it to Chicago. The 700+ miles a tank was another road-trip delight.

I will gladly take 2013 Passat when it is ready...Just let me know. :)

My 'thank you' letter to Google+

2011-08-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Google+,

Thank you for finally bringing a cohesiveness to all that Google offers. My mind was starting to spin out of control with all the products that Google has offered over the years and now that everything fits together so nicely on my profile page, a sigh of relief has come over me.

Google brought me YouTube, Google search, Gmail, Picasa, Google Docs, reader, Picnik, Google Earth, Google Maps, Blogspot and so much more. Before, I would go to all of those websites individually because I never really had a need to have a Google profile without a social media platform. Now, you have provided me Google+ and all has changed.

You offer all that Facebook does but without the mess. No more random "Top News". No more events from people you don't know. So many more privacy settings and so much more CONTROL over who can view what you post and which friends' post you want to view.

Applications allow me to have my photo automatically upload to a private folder so that I will never have to upload multiple photos at once or worry about losing my photos if my phone breaks/lost.

Facebook has business pages and this is something you promise will be delivered soon and we are all a little giddy to see the full product in use.

The platform is clean and easy to use, and for that, we say, "Thank you."

From one of your biggest fans,

Casey

P.S. How about putting some more work into that app of yours?

Will I what? Yes, that sounds good with me...

2011-08-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Last week I received an email that drove right on up to one of coolest emails I've received on record.

Fowler Volkswagen wanted to know if I'd be interested in test driving one of their not-yet-released 2012 Passats (for a week) and write about my experience online (yes, this is the car used in the famous Super Bowl commercial containing the 5-yr-old dressed as Darth Vader). I thought about the question for a few seconds...(would I rather drive this brand new car, fully equipped with the new-car-smell or just continue driving my eight-year-old Honda Civic Hybrid?) My conclusion: yes, I can do that.

When I picked up the car last Friday I talked with Jonathan Fowler about all the features this car has...
GPS touchscreen dash? yes.
40 MPGs? yes.
Keyless entry? yes.
Push-button start? yes.
Satellite radio? yes.
Hands-free bluetooth for my iPhone? yes.
Will that hands-free bluetooth play my music through my speakers wirelessly? yes.

I was also encouraged to take a road trip and test out the gas tank that is said to get up to 800 miles in one tank. 800 miles !! one tank!!

Well, Thursday we shall test that 800 mile-in-one-tank theory...I am heading to Chicago for the National Sports Collectors Card Show with my Dad and brother.

So, when you see my tweets that might have #FowlerVW, #Passat or just #VW, you will know what I mean.

Also, i think it is important to state that Fowler Volkswagon is NOT a client and I am not being paid. I will be giving honest assessments of my week with the car. Stick around. Should be fun.

Day 5: Granada

2011-05-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Day 5: Granada

Today was another pretty exhausting day even though it doesn't feel like we did much besides eat and go to the Alhambra.

For lunch we all went down the street to a place called Bodega, and I ordered some Paella as my first plate of El Menu del Dia. As the waitress brought it out to us, the waitress misjudged the length of the table and put only 49% of the plate on the table leaving the other %51 to tip the plate over into my lap. Shorts, RIP.

With two handfuls of Paella and rice finding ways into my socks, I am informed that paella is no longer available and that my plate was the last one (not that I believe that for a second) so I ordered something else. Not nearly as good as what my paella was going to be but it was still great.

We have tickets today to go to the Alhambra. The Alhambra is absolutely amazing, but for my tastes, it is about all I am here for in Granada. Granada is a great and unique city but is a little too much "hippie" for me...and that is saying a lot coming from someone who loves Spain.

As we made our long trek up to the Alhambra and showed our pre-bought tickets, we entered into the most majestic place I've ever been in. Majestic is a strange word and if I have ever used that word before, whatever I was describing probably didn't encompass the word as much as the Alhambra does. Beautiful and amazing. Flower after flower and tree after tree. Bush after bush and palace after palace. At the peak of the Alhambra is the lookout (Video) and it towers of the city as the Acropolis does to Athens. So pretty!

After wandering around for 3 hours we decided it was time to go. Marek and I headed headed out to find a teteria and Doug went back to the Hostel to hop on Skype.

I would say that Granada was our "catching up" city. A place that we came to having one mission: see the Alhambra. We saw, experienced and enamored in everything the Alhambra could throw our way, everything else about Granada was just icing on the cake. The shops. The Arab feel. The enormous tapas...it was all great. From Granada, we will head to my beloved Madrid. Madrid, oh how I love thee..

Hasta manana, amigos.

Day 4: Sevilla to Granada

2011-05-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

We caught our first train of the trip this morning. It was the first time I had ever used a Eurail pass because usually I just buy individual tickets. I was a little skeptical of how the process would all work out. Usually, trains in Europe are extremely efficient; you just show up and you hop on.

Using the Eurail was a little bit different but overall very easy to use. We still had to pay 4 euros for some reason that none of us know, of course it was explained to us in a hurried Spanish but we've learned when to ask someone to repeat something if it's going to be useful to hear it a second time or not...this time, it wouldn't have been useful. (I still don't understand why people don't speak slower to people they know are not native to their language. People back in OKC do it all the time and it bothers me. If you are communicating with someone, try to make sure they understand you, that's a pretty important part of communication, if you can't be polite enough to slow down just don't talk to them.)

After catching our 11 a.m. train to Granada, we arrived 3 hours later and flagged a cab to take us to our hostel. Those not familiar with the rich history of Granada, click here. Those wanting the Cliff Notes version: imagine an Arab town with hookah and insense shops everywhere...now imagine everyone speaking Spanish...that was pretty much our first observation.

Obviously, not all parts of Granada resemble an Arab feel to it. In fact, our hostel was in the Albaicin (The famous historical Moorish neighborhood of Granada) which is a good reason that this city had a MUCH different than feel than Barcelona and Sevilla. That is why I love Spain so much, so many different cities with millenia-long histories and very proud cultures.

After we checked into our hostel, we grabbed some much needed lunch at a local tapas bar. Granada does not mess around when it comes to tapas. Like Madrid and many other cities in Spain, the tapas are free with any drink order. Granada prouds itself in being the most generous and over the top when it comes to dishing out tapas. Marek and I ordered a beer tonight and with the 1.50 Euro (roughly $2.25) cerveza came a ham and cheese sandwich on ciabata bread with french fries for each of us. Most places give you some jamon iberco or chips or patatas bravas, but not Granada, they come equipped to bring repeat customers.

After lunch, we walked around the Albaicin area looking in a couple of the numerous stalls of gifts and knock-offs/black market items (nothing too appealing unless you like realy cheap leather bags and scarves).

My friend, Jason Opheim, lived in Granada so I had him shoot me an e-mail with some "must see" things in Granada. Something he mentioned was a tetoria (tea shop) called Alboca Tetoria. the directions he gave us were probably spot on, but when the streets change names every 30 feet and are so curvy that it appears a 3-yr old drew the streets on a map, it makes it very difficult to find anything specific. At one point in his directions we were to "hop a wall"...needless to say, we didn't even find that wall.

None of that mattered because the main goal was to find the best spot possible to see what Bill Clinton once said was, "The most beautiful sunset I've ever seen," and we saw it. It was gorgeous. Nestled at the the top of a hill as if trying to compete with the Acropolis in Athens, is the Alhambra. The Alhambra was a Moorish castle-sustaining city built 1300-1400 years ago when the Moors took control of Spain (as did the Romans and many others at different points in history). It is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It is absolutely incredible to view for the sunset.

For the sunset (VIDEO), you must climb one of the hundreds of small streets to a random plaza and look out over a canyon of crammed residential buildings and over a moat/stream. As you do so, the Alhambra stands tall shining in the sunset that falls on the otherside of the city. but it is not just the Alhambra that pulls the colors in, it is what is behind the Alhambra that makes this scene truly spectacular.

Off in the distance behind the Alhambra are snow-capped mountains which turn a shade of purple just before nightfall kicks in and the lights from below the hill are placed on the Alhambra. All of this together, along with hundreds of other spectators and locals (some playing guitars and drums and singing a language you don't understand) is what made today special.

Granada - Day 4, complete.

Day 3 Sevilla - May 23

2011-05-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

Day 3: May 23 - Sevilla

We woke up at 10:45 a.m. and boy that was wonderful.

Having only one other person in the room instead of 7 like we did in Barcelona was great as it was much quieter. Our other room mate did come in at 4 a.m. but it didn't wake me up but it did wake up Doug.

Anyways, after getting up at 10:45 and showering up we set out into the streets of Sevilla for our second day. Yesterday, we visited all of the main tourist attractions and took the photos that all tourists take, but today we had a completely new agenda: get lost in a park and all windy roads.

We tried to rent bikes again from our hostel but they apparently already rented out the bikes that we were supposed to have so we asked where the nearest bike rental area (Sevici) was and headed that way. About 10 minutes later we found it and after a very confusing rental process (done completely by machine) we had unlocked three bikes and were on our way down Avenida Menendez Pelayo towards the beautiful Plaza Espana and Parque Maria Louisa.

Traveling on bikes is incredible. Forget using a subway/metro or bus. You'll pay about two euros for a one-way trip and not get there any faster. Hop on a bike, weave in and out of the people on the street. Let the older people yell at you because they don't like tourists but smile back and say "gracias" but in their native dialect which calls for the "c" to be pronounced like "th". Put on some headphones and play U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and realize its rhetic has the same meaning to you in a foreign community where the streets might as well be called "A" "B" and "C".

Ride until you come to place so regal that you have to pull over, take off the headsets, put the kickstand down and run through a fountain (like Marek did) completely ignoring all social norms and realize that your clothes will just dry in a few hours and the memory won't.

We found such a place, kind of by accident, kind of by design, but nontheless we found something worth stopping for. This park, Parque de Maria Louisa, was built along the Southern border of the "center city" for the 1929 World Exhibition along with the Plaza Espana. This massive piece of show-off-manship is quite a site to see. We took lots of photos of both the park and the plaza but this one of those "photos just don't do it justice" type of places.

After meandering around and taking down a couple bottles of water, we headed over to a recommended bakery near Plaza Amadeo Jannone. This bakery, Las Palomas, was recommended to us by our friend Lindsay Houts who used to live in Sevilla. It was good to get over to that area, an area we would not have seen had decided to walk at the beginning of the day because it was too far for our legs/feet to endure and still have some energy for the rest of trip. This bakery was great. Small little shop on the corner of a strictly residential area. Lots of housing and cars but you could tell that this area was not used to having tourists visit. It was a great little break. After a chocolate triangle and a Cruz Campo, we set out back across the river into the "city center" to take a couple photos of the famous Torre del Oro...it was at this point the knock-off sunglasses I boutht two years ago in Prague decided to snap right down the middle while I was wearing them. Right down the middle. While I had them on my face. Great time.

After that, we rode around the Universidad de Sevilla and circled the walls of the Alcazar (Fortress) and found a bike rental place to return our bikes and headed back to the hostel for some rest. Even though we had bikes, riding around for about 6 hours and on our third day of 10, we don't want to over do it and not have energy to go out for the night.

We signed up for a tapas tour hosted by our hostel in which we would join three other hostel's participants in a bar-hoping atmosphere of tapas and sangria/cerveza/tinto verano. Considering the large amount of people we had (16), we had tons of tapas to sample at each of the three places we went tonight. We met lots of travelers from all over including a few from the States, Canada and across Europe. This tapas tour ended around 11 p.m. and we grabbed a few beverages to-go and headed to the terrace of our hostel and laid out on the beach-style lounge chairs, shared a couple laughs and then headed to bed. Our 9:30 a.m. wake-up schedule might sound like sleeping in, but on this kind of trip, you can't sleep/rest enough. First day: Barcelona. Day two and three: Sevilla. Tomorrow: Granada.

Buenos Noches.

Day 2: Barcelona to Sevilla - May 22

2011-05-23T03:19:00.000-07:00

It was the best no-sleep any of us had ever had.

After two straight nights combining of 6 hours of sleep total; we were all in bed no later than 8:30 p.m. last night.

We stayed in a hostel room that has 10 beds (bunk beds) and the three of us fell asleep well before any of them, meaning people were constantly coming in and leaving which made a lot of noise but in all seriousness, I don't think one of us cared a bit. We just wanted to be horizontal for awhile.

Around midnight, I decided to get up and walk around outside for about 30 minutes and then when I got back, it was MUCH quieter and most had come to bed for the rest of the night. We would sleep/lie in bed until about 6:45 a.m. when we woke up and checked on the Thunder game's Game 3 playoff game against Mavericks (lost) then we got ready to take off for the airport to head to Sevilla (Seville) in South Spain.

We caught our flight on Vueling with no problem. We all felt very well rested for the first time in a couple days and were anxious to get out and see "The Old City".

Sevilla, the place where the origination of Flamenco dancing is commonly placed. (In the movie "Meet the Fockers" Dustin Hoffman's character is in Sevilla learning flamenco dancing in a few scenes.) Sevilla is also commonly known for some of the oldest origins of bullfighting and the bullring here (Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla) very famous worldwide and took 100 years to complete.

Sevilla is also home to the Giralda Cathedral, the world's largest Gothic cathedral and the world's third-largest cathedral of any affiliation (behind St. Peter's in Vatican City and St. Paul's in London). This cathedral is the main attraction.

When we arrived in Sevilla, we hopped in cab and headed to our hostel where we were to have room with only 4 beds and since there were three of us, having only one other roommate was a great advantage to getting lots more sleep in the upcoming couple of nights.

First let me introduce the other two people traveling with me and if any of you know me at all, these two probably won't be new. I am traveling with the wonderful Marek Freguson, my girlfriend of over a year and this is her first time overseas and hopefully not her last. Also, with me, Doug Vrooman. Doug has traveled with me in previous trips: Madrid, Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Prague, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns.

After we checked in, we decided to join a walking tour of leaving the hostel with other travelers. It seemed like it had lots of potential, but after 20 min, we decided to head back to the hostel to change and find something to eat.

After showers, we headed downstairs and rented bikes for the day and headed out in direction of some great local neighborhood restaurants. Mission accomplished. It is so easy to find a place to eat/drink in Spain. Tons of local Mom/Pop places on every corner of every small and skinny street.

After we ate we hopped on our bikes and headed to the river front to ride around to the bullring and other attractions. I was really shocked at all the kayaking going on there. There were rowing lanes that went on for about 200 yards and even a small boat house where there were plenty of kayaks. Riding bikes along the river lasted about 10 min until my bike got a flat. Ok, so it's time to lock all three bikes up on a nearby bike rack and go on foot from here.

We got to the bullring and found out there was a bullfight going on at 7 p.m. but that was something Marek definitely did not want to do, Doug and I considered going to it but decided not to later on. We headed on up to the Cathedral and took the tour. This cathedral is not only famous for the size or style...it is also the resting place of Christopher Columbus. His casket is enshrined up on high of the shoulders of four statues in the cathedral:

Pretty cool to see.

After the cathedral, we headed back to the hostel and stopped at the Spain-wide protests happening in Plaza Mayor. Hundreds of youths are gathered with tons of signs, I'm not going to go in to all that they are protesting but I'm sure you can Google it. (I have videos of this that I will upload and link to later).

After the protests we headed back to the hostel for a bit of resting and then joined joined a group of people from our hostel heading out to a small/intimate Flamenco exhibition. It was incredible. There were about 30 of us in a small room and the three parts of Flamenco were all represented: Voice, Guitar and Dance. The guitarist on Classic guitar, the singer was roughly a 25-yr old native that could belt with the best of them and the dancer was as intense as a performer as I had seen. It was a great thing to be a part of and I have some video of this as well and will upload it at a later point.

Right now, it is time for sleep. Good night!

Spain Day 1; Barcelona - May 21, 2011

2011-05-21T04:39:00.000-07:00

Holy cow. I am so tired. I forgot what it feels like to really travel a long ways to begin an even longer travel ahead.

It started by getting to sleep at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday night to wake up on Friday morning at 5:00 a.m. to catch a flight to St. Louis to then catch a flight to Newark (which we would have missed due to a delayed takeoff in OKC from lightning). Since Marek used to work for Southwest a few years ago, she had a few free flights built up so we decided to get free flights to NYC and then buy a flight overseas from NYC which was a lot cheaper than starting from OKC.

The problem we ran into was almost missing our flight in St. Louis to Newark. The only reason we caught it was because there were about 25-30 people on our flight that needed that connection, if we would have missed it, we wouldn't have been able to get to Newark in time to catch our flight to Barcelona and since they were separate bookings, it wouldn't have been a free rescheduling on the next flight. We almost saw complete disaster in those first few hours.

Disaster averted and we were able to fly into Newark on time. Our next flight was scheduled 5 hours later so we figured we'd try to get in Manhatten for an hour or so and then get to JFK for our over night flight to Barcelona. It (of course) took us longer to get into the city than expected and we only had time to grab a slice of pizza near Penn Station and then hop back on the A Train and head on out to the airport. We were hoping to see my dad for 30-45 minutes (he was in NYC this weekend) but our schedule was too restricting and we didn't want to chance anything.

So, after getting to JFK and getting on our flight to takeoff at 6 p.m. we sat there on the runway until 7:05 and then takeoff to the 30 impending minutes of a one-yr-old screaming. Not the easiest day...but when you plan a trip like this, it's all about taking baby steps one step at a time. Trying to make the most of it, I bust out the video camera and shoot some footage of us about to chow down on our pasta and chicken dinner on the plane, shortly after, I realize that the camera won't turn on anymore... :( Oh, well...on to plan B, use the iphone (I called AT&T and had international roaming added and had all incoming text messages and phone calls taken off so I wouldn't get charged for all the random text messages/phone calls that could cost tons in the end...the moment we arrived, two text messages come through...which told me that it wasn't turned off and if I turn my iPhone on during this trip then I will receive the data from all text messages and missed phone calls. $$$ I guess the iPhone is now out for the trip.

On to plan C, use my digital camera's video selection for videos. So far, it hasn't failed me.

After the 4.5 hours of sleep the first night and 1.5 hours of sleep on the plane's overnight flight, and all the technical difficulties...I still have to smile. After all, it is Marek and I's one-year-anniversary of meeting each other, and I couldn't be happier.

Time for an afternoon nap so that I have the energy to go see Gaudi Park and tour the Segrada Familia later this evening.

Hasta Luego.

Day 8: June 5, 2006 Charleston to Raleigh/Durham

2011-02-17T13:38:00.000-08:00

Day 8: June 5, 2006

We slept in the van last night. Not bad at all considering we have a full-size futon with a down comforter in the back of the van. We put all of our luggage in the front seats and were able to surprisingly be quite comfortable.

We woke up in an unusual way, though. At about 7:45 a.m. Tom Reed decided he would wake us up and scare us out of our minds by knocking loudly on the van window and yelling our names, as "on guard" as you have to be while sleeping in a car in a strange place...this scared the bejebus out of us. Tom just wanted to tell us that his wife left and that if we wanted to come inside and take a shower, we could.

Ford accepted the invite inside and has some good stories about the weirdness of Tom's house...I went down to the beach and sat watching the waves for awhile until it was time to go.

(I know I posted this photo of Ford, Tom and I yesterday but I thought it was so good I needed to do it again)

After we left Tom's house, we found a small diner to eat breakfast in Charleston's and then went to the Charleston Library to use the computers to E-mail, MySpace, all the essentials.

Back on the road we went. Driving up through South Carolina and into North Carolina was so gorgeous.

We headed to a friend of ours that we knew that used to live in Oklahoma City, Rob Yanovitch, or just "Yano".

(Us with Yano)
It had been a year or so since I had seen him so it was great to catch up again. He lives really close to the UNC campus and he took us there and we walked around for a bit and then ate dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, Yano bought dinner. You're the man, Yano.

Afterwards we headed back to his house to begin Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. We are not big NHL fans but the hometown Carolina Hurricanes were playing for the championships so that actually made it quite exciting. They were playing the storied Edmonton Oilers. After being down 3-0, the 'Canes came back and won 5-4! It was a great game to watch.

After that, we turned on some Seinfeld and fell asleep in a bed...not a van. Great day. Day 8, over.

Day 7, June 4, 2006 Jacksonville to Charleston, SC

2011-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Day 7, June 4, 2006

All I have heard about Charleston, South Carolina is how pretty it is this time of year...the rumor is true. Flowers are everywhere. Weather is beautiful, and there's a festival going on in downtown, life is good in Charleston.

Sleeping in the van tonight became a reality, but let's back up so you'll know exactly why we parked the van at a beach we had never heard of in front of an eccentric old man's house we didn't know...

As we arrived into Charleston, we found that the Spoleto Festival was going on which brought LOTS of people to the city center. Ford is actually wearing a shirt of Charleston that he picked up at a thrift store in OKC....after asking people to look at his shirt and point us to where the photo was taken, we finally found it and took some video (The photo I inserted of the church, St. Michael's is the one used on his shirt).

After we went through the church and checked out the centuries-old cemetery next to it, we headed back to the festival.

For those that don't know Ford, I'm going to try and describe him...he's very unique. He has the kind of personality that draws people in. When he just starts randomly talking to people, other people join in and start conversations. Having someone like him on a trip of this magnitude is great because if we're walking around looking for something to do or wanting to talk to locals, Ford just strikes up conversations and people are captivated...this was very evident in South Carolina.

Because of Ford's willingness to strike up big conversations with any random person, we got the opportunity to meet Tom Reed. Tom is man in his 70's with long grey hair. He graduated from Juliard and lives out on Folly Beach. He jogs an hour every day before heading to his family-run business tailoring clothes.

When Tom heard that we were traveling around the country he told us which restaurant/bar we should eat dinner at and then told us to head out to his house on Folly Beach which was across one of the inlets near Charleston.

At the restaurant, we experienced what it was like to actually talk to complete strangers about our impending trip. We discovered that when we started talking about the trip, more people joined the conversation and we all had a good time...and we left that restaurant with bellies full and not a dime spent. "Good people" is hard to come by.

Heading over the bridge and looking for Tom's house was a fun 15-min trip. The entire island is about two street wide and a half mile long with a gorgeous picturesque lighthouse about 100 yards out from land.

We walked around the beach for awhile and then headed over to Tom's. When we got there it was already dark. Tom said his wife didn't want us sleeping at the house but we could sleep in their driveway. :) Well, since we were already there, he brought us out a beer and we sat in his porch swings and talked...for about 2.5 hours. Thank you, Tom. It was a great day.

Day 6, June 3, 2006: St. Augustine to Jacksonville

2011-01-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

Day 6, June 3, 2006

This morning we woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon....oh, thank you thank you thank you Betty Jo.

After breakfast, Betty Jo said she would wash our clothes for us while we went into downtown St. Augustine which was quite amazing timing because we only brought clothes for about 5 days worth of travel and this was day 6. We had planned on washing everything at some point and so it was great that she offered because I doubt anything would have been washed for a couple days. We have decided to just hit local thrift stores and buy some local clothing when we need t-shirts, sounds like a good idea to me.

After leaving the house, we headed to downtown St. Augustine, it rained all day. :( We bought panchos at a local "tourist" shop and wore our sandals and just splashed around, we even saw a random peacock just hanging out in a tree...

St. Augustine (as I wrote yesterday) is the oldest city established in the U.S. So, there are lots of historic sites to visit and look at. The "Fountain of Youth" is here in St. Augustine and after waiting in line for a bit, Ford and I got to try a bit of the water from the Fountain of Youth...tasted like rotten eggs. yuck.

After we sipped on water that will make us remain young forever, we walked around to the nation's oldest masonry fort (1672), Castillo de San Marcos...now called Fort Marion.

We walked all around Fort Marion and we started to walk into the Fort to look around, we saw that it cost $5 to enter...no thanks. Hey, we have a long trip ahead of us, can't blow all our money on day 6!

We left Fort Marion and took a stroll down the famous St. George Street and wound up stumbling upon Flagler College... I want to go here. :)

After walking around the college and walking into the main foyer area to snap a couple photos we left and toured a nearby winery, my first winery tour. After that, we headed back to the house, said our goodbyes and headed up to Jacksonville to stay with Ford's cousin, Rebecca. - 2011 edit: Because we are both Colts fans, I decided this was the best photo to use, stole it from Facebook, :)

Since we were getting there pretty late, there wasn't a whole lot of "hang out" time. We met up at a restaurant with lots of her friends and hung out for a few hours before heading over here to her apartment for the night. It was a great feeling to be able to sit back and relax with a bunch of people our age in a city we were unfamiliar with. Jacksonville seemed like a great city, but, we've been in Florida for a few days now and have so much more to see.

Tomorrow, we are heading to Charleston, South Carolina. We made a last minute decision to not head over to Georgia for Atlanta/Stone Mountain and just stick to the coast for now. A choice we hope not to regret.

Day 5, June 2, 2006: Vero Beach to St. Augustine"

2011-01-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

Day 5, June 2, 2006

We slept in late today (10ish) and sat around and watched the movie "Goodnight and Good Luck" and ate lunch. Around 1 p.m. we all hopped in Rivers's car and headed down to a river to go kayaking...I had never been kayaking so it sounded like fun to me.

Kayaking is a blast, yet a little bit of the enthusiasm was taken away once the 100 degree heat started to kick-in and I realized that I forgot to put on sunscreen or wear a hat (I'm an idiot).

The kayaking was six miles long and lasted about a little longer than an hour and it actually was really fun. Rivers also paid for the cost of us renting kayaks...on a two-month road trip we'll take all the free stuff we can get. :)

Once we showered up and left Rivers's house later on we started heading up north to St. Augustine, Fl. to stay with my relatives, Skip, Betty Jo, Chad and Gavin. Betty Jo is my mom's cousin and I haven't seen them in awhile so it was great to stop by for the night. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the nation...that's my trivia fact of the day.

When we got here, we all watched Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals (Heat vs. Detroit) and the Heat won the game and series (4-2) putting them into the NBA Finals.

After the game, Ford and I went with Chad to go play some basketball ourselves at a local goal/parking lot. It felt really good to be doing something that reminded me home just a bit...hanging out with family and playing basketball, I love both of these things.

When we got back to the house after numerous games of "H.O.R.S.E" Ford went to sleep and I stayed up to watch the movie "Super Size Me". I had heard so much about it and was glad I saw it...I now don't think I want to eat fast food at all on this entire trip and that sounds great to Ford as he eats healthy anyway...I think there might be numerous tuna sandwiches in my future non this trip.

Day 4, June 1, 2006: Vero Beach to Miami/Key Largo and back to Vero Beach

2011-01-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

During this trip, it is quite understood that we do not want to spend money on hotels. We want to be with the people that we encounter every day. So when we woke up today and tried to plan out the day's activities we came to a "blank" when we thought about where we were going to sleep tonight.

We got up around 9 a.m. and had breakfast with Rivers and his wife, Katy, and said our goodbyes then took off for Key West. The drive was gorgeous and we had the windows down for most of the day.

As we passed through Miami, we decided to stop and look around considering neither of us had ever been to Miami. We saw a sign for South Beach and decided that since we had heard of the South Beach Diet that it had to be a place to see. While in the city streets we saw a sign for "A-1-A Beachfront Avenue" and instantly started singing Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby."

We got out of the van at South Beach and I was surprised at how few people were there. We jumped into Pacific again and swam in much warmer waters than we were used to. After drying off, I made some comparison comments of Lake Hefner and South Beach and we hopped in the van heading south.

Going over the bridge we noticed a large arena and then saw a sign about the Miami Heat and we got excited. Last year Miami got Shaq and now the Heat are pretty dominate. Last night they lost in the conference finals to defending champs Detroit; Series is tied at 2-3 and they play in Miami tomorrow.

Going through Miami, we reach the beginning of the Keys and quickly figure how long it is going to take to get all the way down to Key West with such a slower speed limit so we decide that Key Largo is a good place to stop.

We stopped to fill up the tank and ask some of the locals about what there is to do and they suggested snorkeling and told us where to go...sounded good to us. So, we went snorkeling. While snorkeling I came across a 5' barracuda that I swear growled at me. Pretty scary. We also saw some lobsters, stingrays and some tropical fish...this trip is already incredible and it's just Day 4!

After snorkeling we went to a local eatery named "Hobo's" and got some seafood and ordered a couple of beers from Key West. We both ordered a Mahi-Mahi sandwich...Yum! We watched the first part of the Yankees game and when we left they were up 5-0 but I saw that they lost 7-6 to the Tigers.

Well, as it was almost dark and we were exhausted, we called up Rivers and asked if we could drive back up to Vero Beach and stay with him again...he said yes. So, goodnight from Vero Beach.

Day 3, May 31 2006: Orlando to Vero Beach, Fl

2011-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

When we woke up today, I found out that the first bummer of the trip has occurred...my video camera doesn't work. Yes, the video camera I just bought one week ago was no longer working. So, I headed up to the Best Buy nearest Megan's house and explained to the manager my dilemma, he basically told me that there was nothing that could be done except leave it with them and they will fix and ship to my house in a few weeks...that falls into the "absolutely unacceptable" category because that would mean that I do not have a camera for the rest of the trip. RIDICULOUS.

While all this back and forth banter is going on between me and the manager a stock-boy comes over to me when the manager leaves and tells me he has an idea of what I can do...he said that I should hand the camera over to be fixed and sent back to my house, then I should buy a used camera because they can be returned within 14-days for a full refund. New plan, buy a new used camera from Best Buy every two weeks and keep the video tapes from the camera...sounds like pretty plan but it's at least better than buying a whole new camera. So, with new (used) camera in hand, I am ready to get the heck out of Best Buy.

Now, we all hopped in the car and headed over to Cocoa Beach, about an hour drive to the Pacific Ocean.

After driving for the past couple days and talking/thinking about getting to actually do something fun, it was nice to just sit back and follow someone who knew where they were going and didn't need a map. The beach was great, and as always, I got sunburned...not too bad though.

After swimming (or laying out, if you're Megan) we went to a couple of the surf shops just to look around and be out in the sun. Before we went in, I decided to change out of my wet bathing suit and let it dry...I decided the best place to put it out to dry was on top of the van...you guessed it, I forgot about it.

After all the goodbyes and hugs, we hopped in the car and headed south to Vero Beach to stay with another friend of ours, David Rivers. Rivers was one of our church leaders while we were in high school. He moved out to Vero Beach and became a youth pastor about two years ago. We called and told him we were on the road headed his way and he gave us directions to his student ministry's picnic out at the beach...Vero Beach is gorgeous. White sand was everywhere and after our "hellos" and introductions to various people, we joined a couple high schoolers in playing "catch" with polo sticks/balls. It was a blast.

After the picnic, we followed Rivers on over to his house and stayed up late catching up on how he was doing and of course he had lots of questions about our trip and I think this is about the first time I've realized...we have no clue what we are doing.

Day 2, May 30, 2006: New Orleans to Orlando

2011-01-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

Day 2, May 30, 2006

We woke up at 8 a.m. with lots of excitement and headed in into downtown NOLA and saw the Super Dome and New Orleans arena. The dome looked in really bad shape still...Hurricane Katrina happened about 9 months ago and there are signs of it everywhere.

Heading over to see the "Ninth Ward" we noticed hundreds of abandoned cars still underneath the interstate overpasses. The Ninth Ward was the location in New Orleans said to have been hit with the most damage. It is just a mile or so from where we were staying.

We drove through the "neighborhood" for about 15 minutes...I write "neighborhood" because there are technically houses but I'm not sure if any of them have occupants. Roofs are torn up on most of them and some cars are still overturned.

When we decided to come to New Orleans, I knew we would still see some of the visible effects of the hurricane, but I did not expect all this...I feel like this hurricane just came through last week.

All of these house will need to be bulldozed to the ground as there is very little to save.

As we left New Orleans, still in a little shock, we hopped on I-10 for most of the way. Driving through Gulf Shores Alabama made it a little tempting to just pull over, stop and hop in the Gulf but we knew that we had a long way to drive today. We were going to stay with my friend, Megan, while in Orlando. She used to live across the street from me in high school but now lives in Orlando with her friends Ashley and Emma.

We finally arrived in Orlando around 8 p.m. and followed Megan up to a local restaurant called "The Fill-Up Station" where everything was 1/2 off...our kind of place.

Now that we are finally over to the east coast and won't have a 10-hr driving day for awhile, we can actually kick back and relax...and we can tell, it's going to be a great road trip from here.

May 29, 2006, Day 1: Oklahoma City to New Orleans

2011-01-17T12:32:00.000-08:00

(The writing of this journal is a little eradict. Some is written in past tense and some in future tense depending when I found time to write. Some posts will be in future AND past tense from when I went back and wrote more...just, try to keep up)

May 29, 2006
Today is the day that we start our journey around the United States. When I say "we" I mean Dave Ford and I. We really don't have much of a plan except to make it back safely a couple months from now. The only dates that we have on the calendar to make sure we hit just right is July 8 and July 24. On July 8, Ford has to fly home for a wedding from Chicago...By looking at a map, we figured we'd be in Chicago on July 8 so he went ahead and bought a ticket that day (I hope we actually make it to Chicago then). On July 24, I have to fly home for Dad's election, he just announced that he is running for the 5th district in the US Congress. With those two dates in mind, it's time to leave.

For our trip, we are borrowing Mom's Pontiac Montana. It's a 2004 and she just got it a little over a year ago, when we return in a couple of months we will have put more miles on it than she has. :) Anywho, we took out all the seats in the back out of the van and put them in the garage to give us more room. We put down a futon in the back and put a down comforter on top of the futon. After that we put a fitted queen-sized sheet over. It is so comfortable!

With the entire back of the van open for luggage, we each brought one big duffel bag and a pillow. We are putting all of this on one side of the van and the person who isn't driving will be able to lie down on the other half of the futon (at least that's the plan for now).

I just bought a video camera a week ago for this trip. So pumped!

Armed with little more than a Rand McNally map, some Raman noodles and a couple cans of tuna, we hopped in the car headed to a gas station to fill-up the tank, set the odometer to "0" and air up the tires. We got an oil change yesterday so we should be good for another week or so.

Some problems...tire gauge is not working, gas pump declined Ford's credit card and we just found out that the cigarette lighter for ipod and a/c "plug-ins" in the front isn't working either...ugh.

We filled-up paying in cash, put air in the tires without a gauge and ended up buying an extension cord and converters to reach to the cigarette lighter in the back of the van.

Our first stop - New Orleans!
We decided our trip should head out to the east coast first and a first day stop in New Orleans sounds perfect. Neither one of us have been there and we found a place to stay through Ford's Dad's friend (whom neither of us have met).

After 10.5 hours of driving (stopping at a Dallas Walmart for van supplies) we arrived in New Orleans. We are so excited to be doing this we can hardly stand it. After meeting up with "our contact" we found out that the house we'll be in is normally a rent house just a few blocks from the French Quarter. It's a two story house with a pool and hot tub. We walked around Bourbon Street with eyes wide open...I'll just say it...we were pretty scared and a little naive about what we were getting ourselves into on this trip. We didn't stay on Bourbon Street too long and quickly decided to find something to eat a couple streets over.

After that, back to the house, hop in the pool and much needed sleep for the next day's long drive to Orlando.

My idea for the next 68 days:

2011-01-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

Last night, I had and idea.

Back in 2006, I didn't have a blog. I didn't really want one for many reasons.

One, seemingly the only option was Xanga.
Two, I didn't like Xanga.
Three, I didn't think blogs would last...back then everyone wanted to write blogs and have everyone read them but almost the only way anyone knew how to get the word out about their blog was by word of mouth or e-mailing the link to everyone they knew everytime there was a new blog update...While Twitter, Facebook and MySpace were starting to gain ground, they were still fairly new and to me, the blogosphere was dying.

Now, when I decided to take the most ridiculous trip of all-time (my 68-day roadtrip around the U.S.) I decided I would actually try to take notes and write everything down day by day...and I did.

Since we averaged about 2.5 hours in the van each day, I had plenty of time to write down my daily events. I wrote most of my daily activities down on college-rule notebook paper only filling out about 2/3 of a page per day, some longer and some shorter. I've had all this in a notebook along with many other notes (gas prices at every stop, daily expenses, mileage markers) and lots of photos to share. Since this is all just in paper form I have always worried that something might happen to it, i.e. lose it, it gets wet, a fire...something like that.

I have decided to start on Monday, Jan. 17 with Day 1 on this blog. For 68 days, I will transcribe all my notes and writings day by day with interactive links and photos just as I did in 2009 in Europe. Just because I didn't have wireless capabilities in 2006 or ways to communicate my crazy trip totaling over 14,000 miles doesn't mean I can't start now.

This Monday, Day 1, will be our start to the trip, details of what we hope to do and our destination spot #1, New Orleans.

What a tiring NYE weekend

2011-01-04T14:41:00.000-08:00

Well, THAT was a busy weekend.

It all started on Thursday (because we had off work on Friday). I headed home and changed out of my suit as quick as possible and threw on some jeans, t-shirt and grabbed my new Thunder jacket (thank you, Marek - X-mas) and headed downtown for a night out with my friends from OKC LOYAL Class V.

We all met at Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse for some yummy appetizers and happy hour drinks and then headed across the street for Downtown OKC Inc.'s "Downtown in December" Chesapeake snow-tubing at the Brick. This event has been going on for years and I had never been (which almost makes me an anti-Oklahoma Citian but I'm not).

Despite the long line of eager tubers of all ages, it was a blast. When you are with a group like that where anyone can learn how to have a good time no matter the circumstances, every get-together is a good time. After our tube-a-palooza ended we all went over to JJ's Alley because we had some time to kill. Marek, Jordan Satarawala and I went to grab a Peach Wave Yogurt first and then joined everyone for about 30 min at JJ's before we all hopped in our cars and headed over to the Speakeasy for some live music and dancing. Good good times.

The next day (New Year's Eve), was not anyone slower-paced. After waking up (I slept in so late that I embarrassed to tell you when I actually got dressed) I met some family and friends at Quail Springs to see the movie "Little Fockers". I really didn't have high expectations due to the pathetic "Fockers" sequel but this movie brought me back to the original movie, "Meet the Parents". It was great and I found myself laughing out loud at numerous scenes (the old guy behind me that continued to laugh all by himself even when jokes weren't being said made the movie even more enjoyable).

After the movie, I headed home to change into my Thunder gear and headed to the Hawks/Thunder game. While the game was close for practically all 48 minutes, Thunder pulled off the victory. Like lighting, I rushed over to interview the interim coach for the Hawks and then jogged (literally) back to the media room to transcribe and head across the street to the NYE Freakout Show being performed by the Flaming Lips!!

The show was incredible. It's definitely one of those "you just have to be there" moments...

When the first-part of the show ended, I stuck around for a little while longer to hear a few songs from their 1999 album "Soft Bulletin" and ended up getting home at 2 a.m.

The 2 a.m. bedtime might sound early on a New Year's Eve to some of you (and entirely too late for the rest of you) but I HAD to go to bed...so that I could wake up 4.5 hrs later and enjoy a 12hr.

Dad picked me up at 6:50 a.m. and after a Sonic pitstop and a bacon, egg and cheese toaster, we hit the road, destination = unknown. We had a 16hr drive to Green Bay but we knew we were going to have to stop somewhere before that to watch the Sooners dominate the Fiesta Bowl, that place ended up being Dubuque, Iowa 12 hrs away...about six hours into the trip I realized that the only footwear I brought happened to be the slippers I was wearing in the car...#CaseyFail (Dad had an extra pair...#DadWin) When we asked the hotel attendant where to watch the game, she suggested "The Ground Round"

which ended up being something of a mix between Pioneer Pies and Applebees...the place had popcorn on every table as you sat down. OU won. night over. sleep.

Waking up 7:30 a.m. and out the door at 8 a.m. meant we reached Green Bay around noon. Green Bay = cold...no no no...Green Bay = frigid...that's about right.

Whie we were pregame tailgating we met up with Mayor Schmidt and he gave us some pregame field passes to walk around during warm-ups...SWEET

Packers needed the win in order to clinch the playoffs and win they did, against the arch rival Chicago Bears. 10-3. Having the Packers win made the trip definitely worth it.

We jumped back in the car and started back towards home and decided to drive for four hours and make it back to the Dubuque hotel we stayed at the first time through Dubuque, Fairfield Inn. Hotel, bed, sleep.

Waking up the next morning we hopped in the car at an early 7:45 a.m. knowing we had at least a 12hr ride back. When were driving through Dyersville, Iowa we made the last-second decision to go to the Field of Dreams house/baseball field (backstory - in 2005, my dad and I visited the field in the summer and played catch in the outfield all by ourselves. The people who owned the property were locking up the souvenir shop and just told us to lock the gate when we left). We arrived at the house yet it looked nothing like it did 5 years earlier...it was covered in snow and no corn field (already harvested). Since we were there alone, again, we got out and ran the bases, I went up onto the porch and took some photos and more videos...very, very cool. I recommend every fan of the movie do this at least once.

Long weekend. over.

Upcoming weekend

2010-12-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

I know it's only Tuesday, but I felt like blogging and I couldn't think of anything to write...so I decided to talk about my upcoming weekend plans.

This Friday night, Oklahoma City will play host to another New Year's Eve with a Thunder game. The Thunder welcome the Atlanta Hawks into the Oklahoma City arena and right after that, the Cox Convention Center will see many of those Thunder fans "change hats" and join in the impossible-to-not-have-fun Flaming Lips concert...I am one of those lucky fans.

Granted, I am not just a Thunder fan and this is the one game a year that I wish I didn't have to do post game interviews so that I would have more time at the concert...but hey, when you have the best part-time job in the world, it makes it difficult to complain.

After my Thunder game duties are complete and I scurry over to see my 6th Flaming Lips concert (photo is Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne and I on Halloween, I dressed up as him), and after the Lips concert heading outside to join the other (anticipated) 75,000 Oklahoma Citians for the midnight countdown, I will head home...to rest up for an even more memorable event the following day.

On Saturday, I am heading up to Green Bay to watch the Chicago Bears take on the Green Bay Packers. If the Packers when on Sunday they will clinch a playoff berth and if they lose...(cue depressing music). I grew up having a very sports-oriented family, one that clung to the Packers for football and the SF Giants for baseball. There was never a "favorited" NBA team constantly rooted for (which is a good thing as it made becoming a Thunder fan an easy transition). So, I became a SF Giants fan by default and ended up going to the 2002 World Series to watch them lose to Anaheim and also went to the 2010 World Series in Texas to see them thump the Rangers. In football, the Packers lure didn't stick. I really didn't even get much into having a favorite team until I graduated high school and went to college (2001) and it was then that I decided I needed to have a favorite NFL team (you know, because that's what 'men' do). At the time, Peyton Manning seemed like the young QB that I felt was worthy of enough of my weekly cheers.

This Sunday, while at Lambeau Field, I will have my iPhone on getting updates on every Colts play as they play host to the Tennessee Titans...I'm not too worried about that game.

Christmas Week

2010-12-27T09:51:00.002-08:00

This past weekend was jam-packed with Christmas parties and family get-togethers.

It all started last Thursday (Dec 23) when I headed over to my friends' Blake and Holly's where everyone (roughly 30 people) participated in the annual tradition of the game "The 12 Beers of Christmas." This game (run by numerous home brewing fanatics)is where 12 relatively unknown beers represent a line from the famous "12 Days of Christmas" and everyone partakes in a couple ounces from each brand (a couple of the brews were brought from the guests). I stress "a couple ounces" as this functions merely as tasting different beers and not overindulging.

As this goes on, the host and a few guests begin brewing a barrel of beer to be served at the next annual party. Always a great time.

At midnight, we all sang Happy Birthday to Marek as she turned 27 (I figure it's ok to say how old girls are until they reach 30...then it is a repeated 29th birthday, I'm told).

The following day, Dec. 24, we had my family's Christmas get-together (Mom's side) which contained a luncheon at my parents house. yum yum yum. We sang Happy Birthday to Marek and had a birthday cake for her. It was a great time!

We had a total of four children at the Christmas palooza (parents house) ranging from 3-9 yrs old which makes opening presents so much more fun.

We also played a family tradition card game called "Pass the Wienie" in which the lowest card dealt is labeled "the wienie" and you must get rid of it by passing it to another player...very simplistic game that makes for about two hours of fun and the winner gets to take home the trophy until next year (the trophy is a 1989 last place trophy of a horse's butt "won" by my granddad in a golf tournament).

The next morning (CHRISTMAS!!) I headed back over to my parents house (I was the only one on the road) to eat my mom's famous breakfast casserole. SO GOOD! It's a meal I look forward to all year long.

After eating I hopped in the car and headed up to Pawnee, Oklahoma to see Marek and have Christmas with her parents. There were LOTS of people at her grandma's house with lots of food (I need to start exercising).

After numerous conversations with many great people, I said my good-byes and headed back down I-35 to get ready to work at the Thunder game (vs. Nuggets).

Kevin Durant was on his way to a career high in points (47) when he ended the thrd quarter with 40 points...but sitting the first 4 min of the 4th and then taking on double and triple team defenses late in the game limited him to 44 (season high).

Sidenote:
I am getting more excited as the calendars pages fall and I plan my next trip.

My last big trip took me to Australia where I went to Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns but this time I think I am headed back over the Atlantic to Europe.

Early thoughts are to buy a round-trip to Madrid and head to south Spain for Sevilla/Granada for a couple days traveling via speed train. Then we are to buy a 3-day round trip to Rome.

While this looks to be the first trip to take me cities that I've already been to, I think it will be nice to show up at a familiar place already knowing what currency and language to expect.

So long 2010

2010-12-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

I once read that the most common first line of any personal blog is, "Sorry it's been so long since I last blogged!" and that is exactly how I feel about my blogging experiences.

It's been so long!

Last year I wrote a blog about 2009 (http://bit.ly/eociyv) so I think it is only fitting to start recapping 2010.

I didn't do near as much traveling as I did in 2009 but I still was able to venture out of Oklahoma for a bit.

In March I went down-under to Australia. Australia was a very unique trip. It was definitely a little outside of my comfort zone. The flights were between 15-17 hours at a time and a total of 24 hours getting there which was quite rough on the body, especially when you only have 5 days to spend there and come back to Oklahoma to go throught the jet-lag all over again.
In Australia, I got see a professional Cricket match in Melbourne, watch tons of rugby, try to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef and surf on the coast of Sydney. Australia, I could live there, but for future travels, I think I'll stick north of the equator.

I bought a car this year (nothing fancy, '03 Civic) but it was a huge upgrade from the 17-yr old 190,000 Honda Accord I was driving...how I was able to pick up a girl like Marek in that car is beyond me.

The OKC Thunder finished the 09/10 season with 50 wins...obliterating the season before's 23 wins. As I write this, they are 26 games into the 10/11 season and are 18-8 and on pace for 57 wins. The team is incredible to watch from the stands and I constantly remind myself how lucky I am to transcribe player interviews after the home games. Not only do I get to witness their dominance from the stands but I actually get to see their character "behind the scenes" and these guys are the real deal. Over and over I've witnessed acts of kindness from these players when the cameras are off...great things that just can't be found throughout other teams around the league. We are not only blessed to have a team from the NBA in OKC, we are blessed to have THIS team from the NBA in OKC.

Maps 3 passed in 2009 and we just had the one-year anniversary of the historic date. As coalition teams are being formed and locations/details are being hammered out, one bit of great news has come about...sales projections. The penny sales tax is generating more money then the analysts figured...and that's a good thing considering the haters of Maps 3's complained we wouldn't reach the $775million goal at the end...haters will hate.

Sandridge also began the destruction/construction of their complex:

This has been exciting/depressing to watch. I'm sure the final product will be MUCH better than watching the dilapidated buildings sit there for decades but (as a fan of history and urban development) it was kind of sad to see the buildings get knocked down and not put to use.

Devon is currently constructing their 24th floor (of 50). Cranes are now taller than the Chase Tower (Cotter Ranch) and everyday I get to walk in view of the entire building during my two block walk from the parking garage.
Project 180 started this year, "the three year, $140 million redesign of downtown streets, sidewalks, parks and plazas to improve appearance and make the central core more pedestrian friendly" which has completely put every downtown worker in a frenzy. It seems like every road is torn-up, closed or down to one-lane. Crazy stuff.

On a more personal level, dad was named Public Official of the Year by Governing Magazine and the World Mayor Project named him the 2nd best mayor in the world...sometimes all the accolades still don't balance out the negatives said by the few online trolls trying to make a name for themselves.

I got my first dog this year! Mr. Bogart Cornett (Bouvier des Flandres). He is spoiling me on owning a dog. Best dog ever.

I am still working at Jones PR and recently got promoted to Account Executive. It was a happy/sad week as getting promoted is great, but the same week my working mentor, THE Sam Sims, moved on to another company...the random Family Guy comments around the office have now sadly stopped.

In world news, the BP oil spill this summer was probably the biggest man-made disaster Mother Earth has had to recover from.

33 Chilean Miners were trapped underground for 69 days.

The SF Giants won their first World Series since 1954 (I got to go to game 4 in Texas and watch Bumgarner dominate).

The Colts lost to the Saints in the Super Bowl. booooooooooo

Facebook surpassed Google as the most popular online site, currently boasting 550,000,000 and company CEO Mark Zuckerberg was named Time Person of the Year.

So long, '10. It's been fun.

My experience with AutoMax Hyundai on I-240

2010-07-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: I just received a phone call from the owner of AutoMax, Max Fairchild. It is amazing what a calm ten minute conversation with someone in charge can do for a customer that has had a bad experience. AutoMax is handling the situation with my car with no charge to me and the issued seems to have been resolved. Max sincerely apologized and chatted with me about any possible way they could make this a better situation. He gave me his cell phone number and wants me to call him when I pick up the car to make sure that everything is how it should be. He let me know that the behavior his employee showed me was is in no way a good representation of his five dealership locations. Just in conversation, I mentioned to him that I work downtown and he invited me over to his downtown office to meet me personally.

Thank you, Max, for taking the time to prove to me that your dealership does care about customer satisfaction and that my case was one of the rare negative moments.

Below is the story on my experience. While it does paint a very negative experience and a case of terrible customer relations, the problem has been resolved and I am now back to being a satisfied customer.

__________________________________________________

I finally got rid of my 1993 Honda Accord and bought a 2003 Civic Hybrid last month and I was a little giddy to finally have a car that had an antennae, had a radio that wouldn't fall out of it's "holder", had no signs of rust, had more than two hub cabs, had functioning A/C, had tint that hadn't turned purpleish-brown, had a working cruise control, had a fully in-place/intact ignition and also giddy to have a car that didn't make the most hideous screeching sound when in first gear...sorry old Honda Accord...but you were the definition of a "piece."

SO, when I test drove the car I thought I wanted I noticed only one small flaw...the car pulled to right in a major way. As I noted this fact to the salesman (who was in the car with me) he told me that it was just the alignment and that they would fix it for me. (time for negoticiating!)

After negotiation of the trade-in (haha, they actually took that car) and a little haggle on the newer car price, I signed the purchasing contract, also noting that the car was to be fixed of the alignment.

After I drove off the lot (it was a Saturday and the service/repair dept was closed on the weekend) I called and made an appointment to have the car fixed...this is where the fun begins.

I brought my car in to the service dept on a Monday morning to get fixed and at the end of the day I called to make sure they were finished and they told me they were and that I could come up to get it...keep in mind that I work/live on the NW side of OKC and I-240 is not exactly on the way to anything I go to.

After picking it up with a handshake and a smile I drove the car home but as soon as I got onto the highway my car was still changing lanes on its own...the problem was most definitely not fixed. I called AutoMax while still in the car and told them the situation, they told me I needed to call back the next day and speak to the manager.

SO I called the next morning and spoke to a manager...he said he would talk to the service guy and call me back. Never called back. I called the NEXT morning (Wednesday) and spoke to the assistant that answered the phone, she said he was with a customer and took my contact info and said he would call me back when the customer left...6 hours later I called again, the manager was out for the rest of the day. #Fail.

I then called Thursday morning, and talked to the general manager (Ron) and had to explain to him the entire story thus far. He said I needed to talk to the service guy and transferred me to the service dept...the service dept guy said it was more than alignment and listed a couple other things wrong with the car and that if anymore was going to happen to the car that he would have to get the "ok" with the boss. He transferred me back to the GM...he said he would have to check the service ticket and would call me back...I got no call back the rest of the day.

I called again on Friday morning and was told the manager was out for the day.

I called again on Monday morning and finally spoke to the GM again (Ron) and he told me that it was not the alignment and that they were only responsible to fix the alignment as it said on the contract...I told him the only reason it said alignment on the ticket was because that was the issue the salesman told me it was...his response, "Well he's just a salesman and didn't know. We have fixed the alignment as we promised and I'd have to talk to my boss to see if we would fix anything else."

"I don't care if he was just a salesman. He was a representative of AutoMax and told me the issue and wrote it down to get fixed. I don't care if it was the alignment or anything else...I said it pulls to the right and he assured me it would be fixed."

"Let me call you back." -Ron

I got a call at the end of the day on Monday from Ron telling me that if I dropped my car off in the morning they would give me a "loaner" car until they fixed it. (hooray)

This morning I called up to AutoMax to make sure that everything would be ready for me to pick up and go so that I wouldn't have to wait (after voting and going to AutoMax I needed to get to work as soon as possible). The lady told me Ron wasn't in the office yet but expected him any moment, I told her it was no problem and that Ron knew I was coming up there.

As I arrived, I saw Ron at the front. He told that he wished I would have called first, I told him I did...he said that I just needed to drive around back to the service dept to pick up my loaner car...

I get to the service dept...no loaner car available. (I am now not a happy camper)

I drove back to the front of the store and am determined to let Ron know exactly how I felt...which is VERY unusual for me when it comes to approaching business owners as I can understand that running a business from a managerial standpoint can be difficult...I usually let things roll off and just move on...not this time.

I approached Ron and told him (in a not so passive voice and hands raised about ribs-high) and said, "There's no loaner car available. I thought you said I'd get a loaner this morning."

"I told you I wanted you to call first." -Ron

"I DID call." -Me

"Well you needed to call and make an appointment to get a loaner" -Ron

"You never said I needed to make an appointment" -Me

"Listen, we're going to fix your car...I already told my boss about it and we're going to just take the hit on the extra $350 it's going to cost to fix your car" -Ron

"Well that's not my fault" -Me

"YES IT IS" - Ron

"What?!?! It's my fault? I told your salesman the only issue I had was that it pulled to the right" -Me

"Well, he's just a salesman and didn't know what the issue was...he's just trying to..." -Ron

(Interrupting him) "I don't care if he's just a salesman! He told him..." -Me

(Ron interrupting me said) "Hey! You need to stop talking so I can finish!" -Ron

"No, RON, that's not how this whole thing works! You can't just tell me stop talking...(Ron, now rolling his eyes, picks up the phone and calls the service dept and mumbles into the phone as I keep talking)...I have called up here for seven straight days trying to get this little issue fixed and you have been ignoring me this whole time! (Ron hangs up the phone and looks at me)"

"Ok, walk with my salesman to the service department and they'll get you a loaner" -Ron

"I already went over there, they don't have one to give me" -Me

"I know they don't have one but they'll find one." -Ron

"If they could have 'found one' they should have 'found it' before I came in here to argue with you." -Me as I walk off with the salesman and exit the building.

(After leaving the building I asked the salesman why he works for that guy...he responded telling me he treats all of the employees like that too)

AutoMax Hyundai on I-240 (with an emphasis on Ron Bowie) earned a big time #Fail today.

Cains Day 5

2010-03-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Today started with a breakfast at Hungry Jacks (what they call "Burger King") and on the tram to the airport to see if our flight to Cains is still intact.

We arrive, everything is a "go" so we head through the "security" they have and wait at the gate. The travel is starting to set in as I am quickly figuring out that I need a time of rest. The 3 hour flight did just the trick.

That flight I was able to put headphones on and listen to music for the first time in over week...and when I say "music" I mean truly recorded music. Those of you that have traveled (or spent much time around me) know that I love to just bust out/join in to any song being played or collectively sung in any group. Doug is the same way. We have had many tunes busted out in harmony (or our best rendition of harmony) along the urban city walks...giving more soul to these already vibrant downtowns.

We didn't know what to expect today (sound familiar?) with the weather and our goals of wanting to SCUBA today...if we were going to Scuba today HAD to be the day because of the general rule that you must wait at least 18 hours before boarding a plane after Scuba diving and we will be on a plane tomorrow evening so trying tomorrow is out of the question.

We check into the hotel, after a very political one-sided conversation had by our taxi driver about his dislike for former President "W", and head to a scuba check-in...not happening. The water is waaaaay too choppy today and no boats are going out to the reef. Our only option (and one that we took) was to make reservations for the tomorrow morning to snorkel instead...I've snorkeled before and know that it is awesome, maybe it is no match for Scuba diving but still pretty cool.

After getting the "no Scuba" news we head down to the beach to quickly learn that there is no accessible beach in this "beach town". There is a very large and very nice pool with lots of trees and grass and people laying out though. We see it...and move on.

After walking the pier looking out onto the "beach" which is blocked off and looks more like an enormous drying up lake, we decide to walk into a restaurant and order a drink and take some suggestions on what to do in this town. The waitress, Margaret, delivers perfectly on cue so I interviewed her:

After we left Splash, we walked over to the visitor's bureau and booked up tomorrow's afternoon with a sea-plane flyover of the Great Barrier Reef scheduled right after we get back from snorkeling and right before we head to the airport. It SHOULD work out perfectly.

After we booked the tickets, we took the visitor bureau lady's advice and headed to some rooftop-zoo thing in the city center...great idea.

In this zoo-thing we were encapsulated with practically no barriers to all kinds of huge parrots that repeatedly dive-bombed us, there was an enclosed enormous crocodile, koala bear, iguanas and a few kangaroo-looking wallabys hopping around too...pretty cool environment.

After that we headed back to the hotel to rejuvenate, write some blog stuff, upload photos/videos then back out to that Splash restaurant for some fresh seafood to the likes of chowder and prawn spring rolls...yum!

(Note: Against my best efforts and much valuable time spent on the computer uploading, videos and photos have been the thorn in my side. I spent hours on this trip trying to get the videos I want uploaded for you to see along with the blog but it just hasn't worked out too well. Most of them will have to wait til I get back to the states...the level of frustration is high against electronics right now.)

Melbourne Day 4

2010-03-18T00:57:00.000-07:00

This morning started off with great anticipation...we were about to see our very first foreign professional sporting event: CRICKET.

We start out by walking (because the weather is perfect) on over to the Melbourne Cricket Grounds (MCG - http://www.mcg.org.au/) which is next door to Rod Laver Arena (arena to a tennis major http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Laver_Arena) and to all those other tennis fans, seeing Rod Laver Arena is pretty cool.

So upon walking up over a hill, we stumble up the "bullpen" of one of the professional cricket teams warming up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uQfL0UPZF0) watched that for a bit considering we were stunned to actually be there. We walked over to the ticket office having no idea what the ticket prices were going to be or what the crowd was going to be like...the tickets were $5 each (general admission) and inside this 100,000-seat stadium a game of Cricket would be played in front of no more than 300 people http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cquEiTmOYi0.

As exciting as it was to be there...cricket has to be the most boring sport ever invented. It technically lasts all day with a few different sessions and depending on what style of cricket...it can last up to 5 consecutive days without any thrilling moment...we thought we just misunderstood the game so we asked some locals in attendance and they agreed that if you didn't grow up playing it, it was quite boring to watch. My assessment = a game that should be played in no more of an organized setting than P.E. in school.

Leaving the MCG (genuinely thrilled to have seen the match despite it being devastatingly boring) we took a walk through the park and ran across some youth catholic festival with stage and singing and kids everywhere going crazy...singing along to songs i've never heard of and jumping up and down as if the Beatles circa 1964 just took the stage.

Leaving the park we decided to eat and grabbed some sushi at a sweet little spot on Elizabeth street (I know some of you are thinking, "Why have sushi in Australia...you can get that in the U.S.?"). There is quite a bit of Asian influence in Australia, especially with Asia lying directly north.

We walked back to the hotel to rest up and watch the 24-hour sports channel that plays nothing but rugby, Australian-rules rugby, soccer cricket and the occasional NBA game. Yes, random NBA games. I actually got to see the third quarter of the Wolves vs Suns game via FS Wolves TV.

After we left the hotel we were excited to now be heading over to the Melbourne Aquarium where we got to see up close LOTS of penguins, sharks stingrays and numerous other cool animals. I tweeted about going there and the Melbourne Twitter account responded wishing me a good time. (http://twitter.com/melbaquarium).

In the aquarium we were able to see lots of penguins http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/4444128668/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/4444126540/and many other very cute animals that everyone would like to just take home...it was pretty cool. :)

After the aquarium, we set out on Melbourne DETERMINED to dominate this abroad St. Patrick's Day. We ended up hitting 4 different pubs and I even did some Irish jigging with people at Bridie O'Reilly's (http://ltcollinsst.bridieoreillys.com.au/).

FACT: I have not seen ONE Fosters beer nor have I seen ONE advertisement for it.

FACT: Melbourne has the best modern architecture of any city I've ever been to. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9D_ANkgFUk, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XerBLHMWb-E)

I will have videos of the Kids festival and me Irish Jigging on my youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/caseycornett

and photos on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/

I have all the videos and photos already on my computer but the internet connection is slow at the spot i'm at that while writing this entire blog (finding and adding the links) Youtube only uploaded ONE video and Flickr 17 photos....I'll try later. They are great videos and definitely worth viewing so stay tuned.

Melbourne Day 3

2010-03-16T13:45:00.001-07:00

Today was started off by a restless sleep getting me out of bed at 6 a.m. and walking down the street net to Hyde park to grab a large coffee. A farther stroll around the park on this Tuesday morning led me not to not much more than lots of animals and early-to-work employees.

Catching back up with and packing our bags, we headed out to grab some quick breakfast: toast for Doug and a fruit salad for me consisting of kiwi, strawberries melon and cantelopes so perfect that a plastic fork cut right through it.

Grabbing another coffee to go and grabbing a cab, we headed to the airport. Most foreigners that I encounter in Europe have no idea where Oklahoma City is (or have never even heard of it, usually I have to tell them, "it's right above Texas.")...not true in Australia.

Everyone that we have asked knows about Oklahoma City and all of them agree that they know about it for the wrong reasons...April 19, 1995.

Everytime that it mentioned I always follow up with a short spiel about what else Oklahoma City is about and try to teach as much as I can in the short amount of time I have. The taxi driver asked a lot of questions and seemed really nice so maybe he learned something this morning...or maybe he is just a really good taxi driver and works for tips.

Arriving at the airport I noticed a big difference between our security in the US and the security of domestic flights in Australia. I was able to get to my gat without showing my ID/Passport one time...not to the ticket counter, bag check and even through the security line. Also, going through the security line I left my shoes on, my hat on, my jacket on and casually walked through the metal detector carrying my cup of coffee.

At my gate, I wandered to the free wine tasting in our terminal and heard lots of info about how big and popular Shiraz is for Australians and exports.

After getting some tips from Margaret, lady sitting next to us in the waiting area, we now had a better idea on what to do when we got to Melbourne.

We found our hotel and started our walk...and it was hot. Melbourne got up into the upper 80's today and will be the same tomorrow. We found out that an Australian sporting match that we've been looking forward to attending will actually happen, tomorrow (Cricket). We decided to save all exploring of the parks and Rod Laver Arena (Australian Open) for tomorrow since that is also where the Melbourne Cricket Grounds is located...so today was filled with walking throughout the CBD and riding all the trams and talking to a few locals on their opinions of the city.

We went to the Melbourne Museum and the ACMI for a few hours where a "technology" exhibit made it accessible for me to play some atari games as if I was in 1983 again.

A trip to City Hall and Parliment, and a walk next to St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Paul's Cathedral rounded off a long day of walking around...feet are killing me. Ready to find a local pub and "hang out" we got word that "The Metropolitan" was THE spot to go to...found it, stayed for a couple hours, then back to the hotel to cap what was our latest night out...10:30 p.m.

Sydney Day 2

2010-03-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

Day 2 was most definitely an adventure. With not really a plan at all we had about as much fun as humanly possible.

Waking up at 7 a.m. (went to sleep at 9 p.m.) allowed us to get a fresh start to our exciting day. We set out of the hotel walking left (because we hadn't been in that direction yet). We found a breakfast cafe serving "full English" breakfasts and sat down to chow.

After filling up the belly we rolled out in search of something to surprise us. We had heard about Bondi Beach and decided that we'd jump in a taxi and see what happens.

Arriving at Bondi Beach was like something out of a movie. Perfect sand, perfect weather and a boardwalk with shops all down the coast. We decided to walk down the shops area so that we would know what awaits us after we went down to the beach and I'm glad we did because we stumbled into a surf shop "Dripping Wet" and saw they were advertising surf board rentals. Yes, now that's what I'm talking about. http://tweetphoto.com/14437659

We slurged for cheap board shorts, towels and more sunscreen and headed to the waves with our huge rented surboards. I burn very easily (thank you geneitcs) so I lathered up with sunscreen. Three hours later, we were so exhausted that we could hardly move. I felt like I was already sore in the shoulders, arms, back and neck and dread the waking up for tomorrow.

While returning our surf boards I got word that legendary surfer "Kelly Slater" was staying in the hotel next door to the surf shop because of a huge surfing competion held that weekend...that is even more awesome to add to today.

We grabbed our bags and headed off the beaten path to look for some lunch. We always try to find a local spot and doing that is not always easy but is always rewarding in some way or another. Finding ourselves in a residential area we saw a lunch spot called "Greens" and sat down for a smoothie. At the table next to us was a 70 year old man that asked us where we were from (I guess we stick out quite a bit).

After chatting awhile we got his name and contact info and decided to "Google" him to see if all the stuff he talked about was true...it was. Pretty cool life story. His name is Alan Cholodenko.

We started our walk back to the bus area and grabbed a bus to Watson's Bay where many big cliffs and photo spots are a definite, plus, from Watson's Bay we could take a ferry back around the Opera House and into Sydney proper.

Lots of beautiful scenery here in which (as expected) a photo or video won't really capture the feeling because you don't get the sun warmth, ocean breeze, salt-water smell or hear the waves hitting the rocks by simply looking at the photos...

After circling around the Opera House and taking more video (soon to hit my Youtube page) we took a taxi back to the hotel to rejuvinate and headed back out to catch the Sydeny rugby game, and I'm now a big rugby fan. We tried to see if there was a game we could go watch but never heard a "yes" from anyone so we didn't plan to go see one (we were asking the wrong people). We will try again in Melbourne.

We had another great evening at a local pub watching the match with other locals and eating/drinking local food and brew.

FACT: I have not seen ONE Fosters or even an advertisement for it.

After that we headed back to sleep. The jet-lag, sunburn and surfing is knocking us down quite a bit later in the evenings but we'll prevail in the end.

Sydney day 1

2010-03-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure if this truly is day 1 or not because we arrived at the airport at 11:30 a.m. on FRIDAY and arrived to Sydney at 9:30 a.m. SUNDAY, so maybe Day 1 and Day 2 were lost on the plane somewhere but this is my first day in Australia so let's just pick it up there...

After getting off the 15 hr flight over the Pacific we found our bags and said goodbye to Claire, the person who sat next to us on the flight and thanked her for not being one of the screaming children that were spread throughout the plane cabin. We jumped into the taxi with a very disgruntled taxi driver (that halfway to our hotel literally did the sterotypical-taxi driver thing involving rolling his window down to yell at someone) and reached the hotel to drop our bags off.

We walked over to the Darling Harbor (it being Sunday morning there wasn't much open) and walked the pier at some outdoor markets and eventually landed ourselves at the Sydney Opera House. It is definitely as cool as it has appeared in all the pictures, Discovery Channel episodes, and History Channel episodes I've always seen.

We decided to take the ferry that went out to a few different harbors, mainly just to get a water-view of the Opera house. At the last harbor drop-off we exited the boat and went exploring around a little Island and found some pretty amazing cliffs and look-out points. We took some video and photos and hopped back on the ferry back to the Opera House's harbor.

Now that it was lunch time we decided to opt out of the $15 tourist-trap lunch "specials" and just grab a couple Aero bars and Coke Zero and hit the walking trail once again.

Talking to locals is one of my favorite things to do, (especially if they have an accent) and ask them for some suggestions on things to do. After searching Twitter for people talking about Sydeny I asked about some sporting events happening this weekend and got some suggestions from a few people (@Renas40 @tomatom @carmR).

Set on watching a rugby or cricket match at some point on this trip we decided to head back to the hotel to "re-fuel." We watched the first half of the Rabbits and Roosters rugby match on TV then headed to Maloney's Pub to catch the second half and grab some solid food and drinks.

After that, we headed on down to Darling Pier again as the nightlife was starting to heat up and went to the largest 3D iMax screen on the planet (so I'm told). This screen, which we were limited to only watching an hour-long surfer movie starring Kelly Slater because Alice in Wonderland was sold out, was 8-stories tall! Pretty incredible.

Now, as the sun was going down we took a very long 45-min (very long because we had been walking all day after getting very little sleep after traveling 26 hours) down to the Sydney Opera House again to get some night night footage. That was a great idea. After that we headed back to the hotel and hopping in bed at 9 p.m. sounds lame but when OKC is at 5 a.m. the day before, I felt justified in closing the eyes.

Australia here I come!!

2010-03-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

I leave tomorrow to travel down under and this trip already feels weird to me.

I think that every time I've traveled (see previous blogs) I have always had this image in my head of what to expect. I have either had this memory from a history book or a story from a friend that has already been to a place telling me about certain things...not this time.

When I think of Australia, I think of kangaroos and koala bears. I think of the Opera House in Sydney and I also think of Outback Steakhouse. That's about it...I also hear that when you flush the toilet the water spins in the opposite direction; I really can't tell you what direction it spins right now so maybe it will look different to me and maybe not.

When I think of Australia, I think of funny accents and boomerangs. I think of remembering my grandparents went there numerous times to visit an old army buddy, Wilt.

I think of the fact that I'm going to leave at 1:23 p.m on Friday and get off the plane about 4:00 p.m......on Sunday and then when I return home, I will arrive in OKC only 4 hours after the time I left (that silly International dateline).

When I would go to places like Paris, I had the Eiffel Tower in my head, I had the Louvre Museum and the Mona Lisa in my head. When I went to Rome, I had the Coliseum in mind and the Sistine Chapel. When I went to Berlin, I had the Berlin Wall in my head. When I went to Amsterdam I had the...nevermind.

My point is that when I get off the plane in Melbourne, I have no structural image of a famous building or painting. When I get off the plane in Sydney, I have no historical site that I can't wait to go see. I can look up photos on Flickr all day long and read the Wikipedia pages, but I don't think that will do it justice.

People ask me if I'm excited to go and the truth is....absolutely I am. But for once, I'm excited to go someplace that I have a "blank slate" in my head ready to chalk itself up into my own story.

My own history book, my own Flickr page and my own adventure.

So long '09, it's been fun.

2010-01-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

2009 held more for me than the year that saw my 26th birthday.

The highlights:

Taking the highest honors for my 2009 memories will be my trip to Europe in June (all of June). It was a monster trip that led to 15,947 words and 34 pages of blogging that can viewed here http://caseycornett.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html.

I also bought my first home in September which proved to be quite a headache and although the $8,000 tax credit normally comes between 4-12 weeks, I now am 17 weeks after closing date still waiting for mine and appears to be another 6-8 weeks according to the IRS (hooray).

A highlight that I am was so proud to be involved with was the passage of Maps 3. Being a downtown worker and having a strong passion for OKC, I am constantly diving into OKC's history whether it be from simple observations, to listening to stories even reading books (shout out to Steve Lackmeyer http://bit.ly/8HoULs).

I was 10 when the first Maps passed and have trouble remembering certain aspects of OKC pre-1993 but as MAPS 3 will begin to evolve over the next decade and beyond I'll be able to smile and think, "I remember when..."

MAPS 3: Why I'm voting "YES"

2009-12-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the MAPS 3 election will take place and will note a big day in Oklahoma City's history.

Those in favor of the Maps 3 campaign "Yes for Maps" include 7 city councilman, current Mayor Mick Cornett, and former mayors Kirk Humphreys, Ron Norick, Andy Coates and Jim Norick. Governor Brad Henry and Governor Frank Keating also endorse Maps 3.

Those that oppose Maps 3 include a handful of misguided citizens and one city politician, councilman Brian Walters.

Those opposing the MAPS 3 initiative try to make people believe that there are others that are in favor of their side other than their greedy unions (and they are probably right) but how do others show their appreciation? By giving a hefty $250. Unions gave $120,000.

Businesses have contributed over $220,000 in favor of "Yes for Maps" money. http://newsok.com/three-maps-3-campaigns-file-fundraising-reports/article/3421660?custom_click=lead_story_title

The Union bosses for anti-Maps coming from the Police and Fire have been clamoring from the beginning that they need more public safety employed to help the cause...but when the union negotiations began (by Union bosses that live in Newcastle and Norman) none of their demands dealt with more public safety...http://www.okcfriday.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=92&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=4566&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1079&hn=okcfriday&he=.com

again...greedy. Do our police officers and fire fighters deserve the respect they receive? Absolutely they do. They also are shown that by the city by being paid well with early retirement packages and 5 days off at a time.

Oh, and the average fireman makes $77,000 and the average police officer makes $75,000 (read discussions on it here, http://bit.ly/8oydFS), not bad considering the median income of an ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD in OKC is $32,656. "INCOME: The median income of households in Oklahoma City city, Oklahoma County pt. was $32,656. Seventy-eight percent of the households received earnings and 16 percent received retirement income other than Social Security. Twenty-four percent of the households received Social Security. The average income from Social Security was $11,893." - www.census.gov

Recently, those supporting the Anti-Maps coalition vandalized public property with spray paint...causing more OKC employees to work through the very cold morning yesterday causing more OKC budget money being spent...way to think that one through.

Another reason the opposition tries to express their anger at the world is to try to have the voter tricked into thinking the $777m estimate is not going to happen...what they're not telling you (probably because they don't know and/or don't care) is that when the MAPS for KIDS estimate was set at $512m, it was set pre 9/11, set pre ".com" bust...set in a recession and ended in a recession and in the end what did it raise?? $514m...and they aren't telling you the same people used to get that $512m estimate are the same people that set the $777m estimate.

The anti-Maps act as if there is a good reason for them to cheer on their pessimism and negative attitudes...all I see are reasons to cheer on what OKC has come from the past couple decades.

The vote, if passed, will keep OKC's sales tax the SAME as they are currently, 8.375%. Want to know how that compares to other city's around here?

Warr Acres 8.5%

Nichols Hills 8.5%

The Village 8.5%

Bethany 8.5%

Yukon 8.85%

Mustang 8.85%

http://www.okc.gov/maps3/salestax.html

So, if you feel OKC has done well with our metro low 8.375% then vote "YES"

"Downtown is dead, and we helped kill it." - Former City Councilman I.G. Purser

The above phrase was the overall feeling of the citizens back on that April day of 1988. The anti-MAPS people have tried with much energy to make you think we are still living in that era. We most definitely don't. Take a few minutes to read who Oklahoma City is now and read that quote inbetween each article:

"Most recession-proof city in the country" http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/29/cities-recession-places-forbeslife-cx_jz_0429realestate.html

"#1 place to launch a small business" http://money.cnn.com/smallbusiness/best_places_launch/2009/snapshot/241.html

Need visual assurance our city is headed in the right direction? How about this photo of California Avenue before and after... http://twitpic.com/s0lmp

Do NOT let misinformation from the opposition sway your vote. I have provided sourced materials for you to double check what I've said and if you want to investigate further please check out all these other links to better educate your vote.

http://yesformaps.com/

http://mapsfacts.com/

http://www.facebook.com/yesformaps

http://newsok.com/maps3?search_what=newsok&page=2

When you get to the ballot box on Tuesday, side with the people that have brought this city back to the place you're proud of...not the Union bosses that don't even live here. This is your city, not theirs. Prove that this Tuesday.

How did we get here??? MAPS. Keep it going. Vote "Yes" on Tuesday.

The countdown begins...

2009-10-29T08:23:00.001-07:00

MAPs 3 is upon us and (like it or not) could possibly altar the face of Oklahoma City permanently...so to break it down in a "Voting for Dummies" way - THIS IS IMPORTANT.

Whether you want MAPs to pass or you want it to fail, it is very important to get involved.

I have heard about every viewpoint I can think of and heard lots of speeches. Discussed in depth on local blogs and had many phone calls. Read much and talked even more...I will vote "yes" to pass MAPs 3 because that is the right I've been given as an OKC citizen and hope that you will exercise that right as well.

Of course, I want to sit on my blog and write all day long about each project and which ones I like more than others and what I am most excited about but I feel like my role in all this is just to simply raise awareness. I feel that there is enough information on all eight projects out there for anyone to cast an educated vote. Are there things to argue? Absolutely. But on December 8 (day of the ballot goes to a vote) you must inevitably stand in the ballot box and ask yourself,

"Is the $10.75-ish a month for the next 7.5 years worth it?"

(My breakdown on the cost - $777 million for 7 years 9 months total for sales tax. All estimates point to sales tax generating 30% of the whole from out-of-city residents...leaving $543k to OKC residents to make up. Census in '06 says 537k live in OKC and the population has slighly risen making the $543k needed almost equaling the population completely to $1000 a person. At $1000k a person over the 93 months...roughly $10.75 a month...yes, this is a ballpark and if it is off it will not be off drastically.)

I encourage all of you to show up at all discussions of MAPs 3 to be even more educated on the projects:

1. Transit

2. Convention Center

3. Central Park 57 miles of new public bicycling and walking trails

4. River Development (outdoor rafting facility)

5. Fairgrounds upgrades

6. Senior Citizen Wellness Centers

7. Sidewalks throughout the city on major streets

8. 57 miles of new public bicycling and walking trails

The future of Oklahoma City is too important to sit by and watch this go by. We are talking about a revitalization of our city, our home and of course our future.

Ways to (non-physically) be involved/get educated...

www.yesformaps.com

www.okccentral.com

www.twitter.com/yesformaps

www.twitter.com/maps3

www.imaginativeoklahoma.com

www.okc.gov/maps3

www.okctalk.com

Last week's part 1 of 3 luncheon

Set a "google alert" for "maps 3" for news

There are so many other places but you get the idea...gotta go, part 2 of 3 luncheon at the Petroleum Club...topic? MAPs 3 - Central Park

This vote is going to ballot to you and your neighbors on Dec. 8, 2009.

Hop on, hop off

2009-09-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

I know who/what MetroTransit is but not exactly how their day to day operations are handled. I don't know their budget and even if I did...I still don't have the metro budget's of other cities to compare it to. I don't know MetroTransit's goals or even all their resources so in my opinion, they could be doing as good as they can with what they have...all that to say, I think those Spirit Trolleys are the most ineffective forms of public transportation I've ever used.

All the glory that MAPS 1 receives (and rightfully so) ends on this 9th project.

I have been fortunate enough over the past 3 years to be a traveler quite a bit (68 day 14,000 mile road trip in the U.S., 29-day Plane-Train-Bus trip to 13 diff cities in Europe and the opportunity to live in Madrid for 8 months at the mercy of public transportation)...from a traveling point of view, those Spirit Trolleys would be the biggest pain.

When I would go into a new city the first thing I want to do is "look" around. I can either: 1- walk 2- find public transportation

The first can happen without any guidance but the second leaves me with finding a bus/streetcar/trolley.

I honestly right now can only tell you where ONE trolley stop is and that is because it was by my apartment when I lived in Regency Tower (A "stop" in front of the Memorial).

The Spirit Trolleys are phantom. I see them occasionally around Bricktown... I don't see signs pointing to where any stop is, occasionally I'll stumble upon a trolley stop sign but it doesn't tell me any information.

Color the sidewalks marking each stop, show the trolley route, show VISIBLE signs pointing to a trolley stop, show VISIBLE trolley stops with a bench with Bricktown/downtown map, play music that the street can hear, have a destination where a trolley will always be waiting (for passengers and the next trolley), be timely and reliable...do something useful for crying out loud.

I have not seen anything productive implemented from this MAPS 1 project but I think going 8 for 9 is incredibly good considering the vote almost didn't pass.

A big part of the "romance" in living downtown is the dream of not owning a car. I probably will never be in that position ever again but I'll settle for never "needing" my car.

I know I have been a huge proponent of the Core to Shore Park but this new street car system has some great potential. The citizens got this one right when they listed (better public transit) as a top priority. We will be able to see the track, see the route and if better signs and reliability come with it then living downtown will become more more desirable.

We will see less parking hassles, less traffic, less intoxicated drivers, more options for dining (because getting to your parked car and driving somewhere and finding a parking x2 takes too much of an hour lunch break).

I gotta say it...I get a little giddy when it comes to thinking about OKC in about 5-7 years...it's time to bring those travelers to OKC.

All or none of the issues the trolleys have may not be MetroTransit's fault, but I'm hoping whoever runs the proposed streetcar system learns from absent Spirit Trolleys.

When is history...history?

2009-09-05T10:52:00.001-07:00

I recently had a conversation with one of my friends about an e-mail he received from district (he's a Putnam City school teacher).

He told me that no teacher was not allowed to show Obama's speech on education in class unless they had permission from every parent from every student in the class...really??

I have not seen/heard his speech. I want that said before I even start typing my opinion on the whole topic.

Why are we banning the speeches of president of the United States of America? I am NOT saying that the teachers should be forced to show the speech. I am NOT saying the district should insist the speech be watched...but come out and ban it?

A popular response I hear is, "Well it's not part of the curriculum."

Sooooo are we saying that if the president called the principal of a school and said, "Hi, this is President (any president) and I'd like to come speak at your school. Would it be possible for me to have 5-10 minutes to speak on education to your students?" that the principal's "proper" response will be, "Sorry, it's not in our curriculum."

Not a chance.

Don't they teach U.S. History in school? Is what the President of the United States says not considered a part of our U.S. history? I heard countless "historic" presidential speeches growing up... I realize that but I don't have kids so my opinion might fall on deaf ears.

I do know that the seniors and juniors in high schools today will have a vote in the 2012 presidential elections and a longtime common theme has been that the young voters just don't vote....THIS SURE ISN'T HELPING IN REVERSING THAT TREND.

News makers need journalists now more than ever

2009-08-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

With the recent downtown bank robbery at Bank of America I started thinking about how the word got out and the impact between the growing rivalry between social media and journalism.

We can make the argument all day long on whether people on twitter "breaking the news" technically turn themselves into journalists simply by reporting the news or we can hang on to the idea journalists are still journalists and people on twitter/social media outlets are still just regular people on social media outlets. I'm not sure which side I'd argue for yet but I have developed my own verdict on one thing: When a news event happens, "true journalists" are needed on the scene now more than ever.

As stories are now able to break in real time thanks to mobile devices connected to the internet which can transmit a "breaking" story in a matter of seconds, it is quite easy to see why it took our OKC media outlets longer than expected/desired to report the robbery story...they can't be everywhere at once. What can happen, however, is for a Bank of America representative, the police or whoever is in charge to go find the journalist. I know it kind of sounds backwards but with today's technology it must happen in order for rumors not to spread like wildfire.

It is more important now than ever for true journalists to be given priority on a news event. Don't shut them out, don't tell them to wait, get the facts to them so that they can tell the public what is really going on instead of it spreading across the internet with true/not true information.

Now, I'm strictly speaking of "breaking news" and not investigative or anticipated stories.

Hope all this makes sense...it does in my head at least. What do you think?

Let's gaze into my crystal ball

2009-07-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

Steve Lackmeyer asked me to write a bit about "What should downtown Oklahoma City look like in 2020, and how can this vision be best achieved?"

After rereading the question a couple times I began to notice a gap in the word "should" to the word I wanted to use..."could."

Downtown Oklahoma City will undoubtedly look different; especially by bringing a more impressive skyline with Devon's 54-story skyscraper and leveling the offensive crosstown bridge and shipping it off to a resting place not to be missed.

I could go on all day long on what I want downtown to look like in 2020 and could dream-up some ideas on what it could be...but let's stick to the question, "What should downtown Oklahoma City look like..." Not sure if I'm the right person to ask, but I'll at least give you a glimpse on what I should be doing in Downtown OKC in 2020.

As I gaze into my polished crystal ball I see myself hoping off the cable car at the stop off Sheridan between Harvey and Hudson and starring up at the iconic skyscraper and shielding my eyes from its glass reflection. Watching the cable car scoot on down Sheridian I scurry across the street into the Myriad Gardens immediately noticing how shiny the Crystal Bridge has become...the scrubbing and cleansing the outside has received over the past decade really helped in getting rid of all the gunk due to all the neglect from the two decades previous; which left it anything but "crystal."

Heading farther south through 'The Gardens' my dog, "Reina" starts to bark at all the squirrels and geese that have started to plant themselves in the area due to the Core to Shore initiative passed roughly 10 years beforehand. Pulling on the leash and retracting Reina from his jubilee we trot on through the park, passing the street musicians and kiosk stands selling fruit and souvenior hats with "405" across the front and the occasional "I (heart) OKC" shirts.

After the quick mile jog we get down to the river and I let Reina loose in the dog park off the river front and sit on the bank gazing off over the river at the 100,000-light ferris wheel and reflect over how anxious I was to find out more info about this Santa Monica Ferris Wheel once I read about its purchase online back in the summer of 2008 at a friend's apartment in Edmond (can't believe I chose to live in Edmond).

Whistling over to Reina and putting the leash back on him we head on back over the Skydance Bridge towards the rustling and bustling roar of a downtown finally stretching its legs from over a 100 years of pent-up excitement. We stop for a snack while I dangle my legs over the edge and scratch Reina's tummy as cars travel underneath us sending wind gusts up to cool us down from the hot Oklahoma summer sun. Peering off to the East I start to notice all the trees that have started to finally reach the rooftops of all the recently occupied residential complexes.

Pedestrians keep walking by us on their way down to the river and some are headed the opposite direction to downtown to start a night rememberence while stopping to pet Reina as they often do...he has become an exuberently friendly face to those urbanites I've come to know over the years.

I take a second to think to myself, "The once dirt river and abandoned buildings has now turned into all this??? My kid's will never believe me."

OKC and me

2009-07-06T13:44:00.001-07:00

After an exhausting 5-week hiatus away from Oklahoma City (aren’t vacations supposed to be relaxing?) I am back here where I belong. I love it here.

With two more states (Utah and Hawaii) left to visit to cross all 50 off my list and also having traveled to 16 countries outside of the United States, I can safely say that Oklahoma City is where I should be. This place is great. I love it when people ask where I’m from and the door is open for me to spill all the positive superlatives of Oklahoma City leaving them penciling in OKC on their next road trip. Currently, I have a few friends that I met in Spain that are now in Oklahoma City visiting…on their first trip to the United States.

I know, I know…I hear adults (adults to me is anyone that can recall living in the 80’s) say all the time that I don’t know exactly how special OKC is because I wasn’t aware of OKC’s downtown before the 1st MAPS. True, I was only nine years old as the first MAPS vote passed but now I stand at 26 years old hoping to be “that” adult 17 years from now telling people how lucky they are because I remember OKC before Core to Shore took place. Before the Thunder rode into town carrying the young Kevin Durant. I was here for that. I was also here for the ribbon cutting of the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library and I attended the first baseball game at the Bricktown Ballpark. I was at the opening game for the Blazers and remember the shock upon hearing their departure. I remember like it was yesterday the shaking of my middle school and being told an explosion happened downtown and not quite grasping the weight of situation.

I remember seeing the theatre play, “Will Rogers” in the civic center before the renovations. I remember the downtown canal’s opening night and not being able to ride on the ferry because I didn’t want to wait in the line that would inevitably take two or more hours (secretly I still have not taken a ride). I remember “the hill” at the old 89ers stadium and how sad I was when I had to park my car (a couple years ago) on what was home plate while at the State Fair.

But, living in the past is a terrible waste of time. I am here and witnessing (right now) the reconstruction of I-44. The reemergence of Deep Deuce and Midtown. The additions to the Ford Center and I’m glad I have photos of myself outside the current facade to show my kids someday. I walked around, recently, the site of the proposed core-to-shore and looked at everything that will be gone and replaced with a beautiful 20-acre (roughly) park to shape this city for the next generation.

Oh, what a joy to be in this city.

I walked in the parking lot soon to be covered by Devon’s new 54-story corporate headquarters. I have photos of that area of me while visiting the Arts Festival.

You don’t have to have witnessed Oklahoma City pre-MAPS to appreciate it.

Yes, I may not remember the collapse of the Penn Square Bank (I wasn’t born yet), but I have witnessed some pretty monumental historical events in OKC leaving me very proud to say that OKC is my heritage, my home and where my heart will always be.

Day 28 and more; Home

2009-07-02T12:44:00.000-07:00

Well, the trip is over. I'm home.

I arrived at the Madrid airport way later than I should have (only an hour and 15 min before my flight) so I was a little nervous about missing my flight but I arrived to find out my flight had been delayed. Hooray. 2 hour and 50 min after my flight was scheduled to take off we finally hit the skies. So, because we left so late I ended up missing my connection in Dallas. I catch the next flight in Dallas and arrive into beautiful OKC at 9:15 with the sun finally going down.

I was welcomed at the airport by my mom, dad, brother and another friend Aimee (the one that originally traveled with me). They showed up with "welcome home" signs... :) big smile.

bed time and jet lag soon to hit.

UPDATE:

Ok, this is now my third day back home and jetlag didn't hit me as hard as last time and I actually slept in today to a respectable hour instead of waking up at 6 a.m. for no reason the past couple of days. Now, I'm just uploading videos and photos to youtube (http://www.youtube.com/user/caseycornett) and Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/) and hope to have it all done by Monday morning.

Enjoy celebrating THIS country's birthday this weekend!

Day 27; Madrid

2009-06-28T17:03:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day in Europe...

Oh man, what an adventure. I loved it all. Madrid, Segovia, Toledo, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Milan, Lugano, back to Milan, Dublin, back to London, Barcelona and finishing at Madrid...all in 29 days.

This trip has shown me the ultimate ends of my patience to the ultimate highs and thrills only imagined. I've been overwhelmed, underwhelmed, up, down, confused, enthused, tired and rejuvinated. This trip has made me see it all, all of me.

Spending my last full day here in Madrid is very fitting as would not rather spend it anywhere else and as I write this it is now 2:10 a.m. and I've been sitting on this balcony near Plaza Espana over looking Gran Via for about three hours now. Watching the halfmoon go from straight up all the way out and set past the Western horizon. great night, great day.

I did sport my USA Olympic jersey into a couple different bars for the USA vs. Brazil soccer game and watched them lose by a goal in the final 10 min...but that's ok. I watched it in Europe...that's what I'll remember. I will write my last blog post for this trip either tomorrow or the day following, depending on my strength to even get back home. For now I listen to this (http://blip.fm/profile/DJDMNATR/blip/15204354) and hope that all of you at some point do this (http://blip.fm/profile/DJDMNATR/blip/15204507)

Day 26; Barcelona/Madrid

2009-06-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to stay up late and wake up really late to try and get ahead of the jet lag that is sure to doom me upon my arrival to OKC on Monday evening. This morning had me up at 9:30 a.m. and that is after I went back to sleep numerous times. Strange, but ok because I had to catch the 11:00 a.m. speed train to Madrid which set sail only 3 metro stops North of the hotel.

After I had all my things packed (and what an explodingly full backpack it is) I headed to the rooftop of the hotel to shoot some 360 degree footage of Barcelona. What a great view. As much fun and sterotypical as the skinny and winding streets are to walk in across Europe, it is definitely another experience to see the city from above....looks like mad chaos.

So, after the stunning 360 view spanning from the mountains to the Mediterrainean Sea, I headed on to the speed train to enjoy the 300 KMPH train on across Spain to Madrid. Man, we were hauling across the desert.

After wiping away the goosebumps from my arms which appeared after stepping off this train into the historic Atocha train station, I headed to the metro to find line 2 which will lead me back to Angela's apartment (one of my couchsurfing buddies from my first stint in Madrid).

It is Saturday and after expressing my desire to go shopping (I really only shop about once a year but European clothes are lots of fun and quite cheap as well) I headed out to the stores of H&M (http://www.hm.com/us/#/startns/), Zara (http://www.zara.com/#/en_GB/top_zara/man/) and Sfera (http://www.sfera.eu/) all which are quite popular in Spain/Europe and actually a few H&M stores across the United States (just not in Oklahoma).

So, I got quite lucky because I happened to be in Madrid during the annual "Rebajas" (http://media.www.thesimpsonian.com/media/storage/paper1080/news/2008/01/24/Perspectives/Sales.And.Snoozing.For.Spains.Latest.Import.rebajas.Welcome.Change.Siestas.Take-3164016.shtml) which is an annual city-wide sale where all clothing is near 50% off to clear warehouses to get ready for the next line of fashion. Still good for me because Europe's "old" line of fashion is still 2-3 lines ahead of where America (particuliarly Oklahoma) is....so I'm set for another year but I really hope the bag is not overweight (Yes, I have an extra "empty" suitcase that I left at Angela's this whole trip to bring back clothes from shopping).

So, after a couple hours of shopping (really an hour and a half of walking and 30 min of shopping) I'm set for apacking and getting ready for my 10.5 hour flight back to the United Stated in 36 hours. ugggh. I hate that flight. The flight to Europe is done over night and sleeping is a must because you land in the morning...the flight over to the 'States is from noon to the evening and it's bedtime when you land so you're not "supposed" to sleep on that flight. It's annoying. 10.5 hours is so much longer than it sounds on a plane (for those that have never done a flight of that length).

Ok, back to my first love, Madrid.

So much truth in the stereotypes of the "skinny and winding streets" of Europe and especially in Spain. Just winding down randomly throughout streets off Gran Via and Plaza Espana. I almost want to/should just stop blogging right now in these final days because words aren't going to fully show the things i'm doing/feeling.

Tapas, mahou, Paco's, Corrientes 348, time alone, packing and thinking about OKC. What a great day.

Day 25; Barcelona

2009-06-27T05:46:00.000-07:00

Today was definitely a good day. I am starting to become a believer in my original plan to finish off this trip with a couple of days in Barcelona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona).

Considering all 12 cities I visited on this summer gallivant, Barcelona, by far, is the most tourist friendly and I'm not talking about the tourist shops and dumb little decals/souvenirs, I'm talking about placing someone who has no idea about the city yet can easily get around and manage (with as little of hassle as possible) to see all the sites. The streets are all properly marked and names easy to find, subway is very efficient and very recognizable, bi/trilingual signs everywhere and smaller detailed maps surrounding popular corners throughout the city. I don't know why it was so difficult for many of the European cities to come on board to the fact that tourism is a major economic factor and it doesn't take a lot to make the city more enjoyable for travelers.

The weather got up to around 85 degrees today making a trip to the beach (reachable by subway in under 20 minutes pretty much everywhere in the city) a perfect way to relax this already beaten and bruised body. Even in this most "touristy" spot I was able to get a pitcher of Sangria and a bag of olive oil chips for around $9. I love Spain. With a towel down and the 55 SPF evenly smoothed out across my casper-like skin I napped while the waves hit the sandbank 15 feet in front of me. Perfect day.

I was there for a few hours before heading to grab some paella (http://tinyurl.com/c4zqy8) from the local menu del dia at a nearby restaurant just a 10 min walk off the tourist trail.

Also while in Barcelona I was able to see Gaudi's Garden (http://tinyurl.com/ph9ha8) and his Sagrada Familia (http://tinyurl.com/ahzt6k). The city is currently doing a major preservation on most of his buildings throughout Barcelona but that doesn't keep the jaw from dropping and shutters from capturing moments sure to be reviewed in the following years in frames throughout my house.

I also purchased my final form of transportaion for tomorrow's journey over to Madrid for the weekend. The last time I was in Barcelona (January 2007) the only ground transportation available was a bus that took 8 hours...but now Spaniards (and tourists) can take the speed train making that trip a meager 2 hours and 50 minutes as the train hits speeds a tad over 185 MPH (it's like sitting shotgun in a Nascar), I love Spain.

Many people throughout this trip have asked me my favorite place so far (quite a valid question) and of course I can list off the most famous cities we all grew up reading about (London, Paris, etc.) but I'm starting to realize that those places are mostly in my head because of certain artifacts or events throughout history and I love to see those things and make them priorities in my first few hours in any city...but I don't think artifacts should make the city, it should be the people and customs (completely realizing my bias in this statement) I choose Spain everytime. It's such a special place. Every city I've been to in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Toledo, Segovia, Granada and Sevilla) I always notice the genuine people first.

The people in those cities are proud of their culture. They are proud to live where they live. The people want to show off the things few tourists know about...the great local spots. They want to teach you their culture. They want you to leave their city wanting to come back. They want you to spread the word of how great their country and heritage is...and I do.

Spain will always be my favorite country outside the United States and whenever anyone asks me where they should travel if they have 7-10 days of vacation time...Spain. Head down South to see the Alhambra in Granada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra), bus over to Sevilla and marvel at their Guinness Book of World Records cathedral http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seville_Cathedral and see the tomb of Columbus (real name is Cristobol Colon), head to the center of Madrid for the afternoon siesta and Museo del Prado, Retiro and Reina Sofia (and of course Paco's and countless botellines of Mahou cinco estrella), take the 30 min speed train to Segovia and stare at the 5th century Roman Aqueduct http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqueduct_of_Segovia and the fairy-tale castle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcázar_of_Segovia. Grab another speed train on over to Toledo and cross the bridge and moat in the hill-top city and over look the rivers and finish off by heading Northeast to Barcelona and grab some Sangria and Paella while sitting on the world-famous beaches http://www.barcelonaweekendbreak.net/images/barcelona-beach.jpg.

You may not see the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa or the Colesseum but those stories only go so far. Remembering conversations made in Spanish bars and cafes can be remembered with laughter and fond memories and replayed in your head over and over...until you make yourself go back the next year.

Day 24; London/Barcelona

2009-06-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

For some reason when I woke up today, I decided to walk and not use the Underground. I know that sounds exciting but while carrying my 22 pound bag around it can get pretty gruesome after a few miles.

I had to head up to Notting Hill to get my sweatshirt from my first couchsurfing host, Jen, because I left it there the first time around. It was my "Segovia" purchase so I really wanted to make sure I brought it home with me. Okay, sweatshirt...check...insanity walk...bring it on.

I start walking from Notting Hill all the way back to the Victoria train station and it is definitely not just around the corner. Notting Hill is situated on the edge of Hyde Park and so I decide to walk through Hyde Park and just meander on over to the train station. I had about 2.5 hours to kill so I figured I would just mosey through the park and take some photos. Well, it's a very large park and once I found a map that showed that I was only 1/4 of the way through the park (20 min of walking) I decided to pick up the pace a little. (side note: I put my bag down for a minute break while in the park...put it down right on top of a pile of ) Ok, back to the story.

While walking through Hyde Park I read just about every tourist sign I could find; reading tidbits on the park's origins (originally "acquired" by King Charles for hunting deer) and continued my walk past the lake and horse trails etc..

As I finally got through all of the park's boundaries I get to a few signs that start pointing me to Buckingham Palace...sounds good, not too far off the path to the train station so I make a stop and the luck of the Irish followed me from Dublin because I got there right as they were performing the "changing of the guard" (http://www.changing-the-guard.com/). It was actually pretty cool and the crowd was enormous. People everywhere.

Now, on to the train station! (I say that with an exclamation mark not because I hate London...but I was headed to Barcelona!! Wahoo!)

Train went smooth, plane went smooth and lodging accomodations worked out perfectly. This is the part in the story where I, again, tell you how important it is to converse with people you don't know on trips because cool things happen like this...) It's always important to talk (you thought I was going to say "converse" ya?) to people you don't know on trips like this because while Aimee and I were in Toledo waiting for another train to head back to Madrid (because we missed our first train) we met a family (parents in the late 50's with 2 kids 24yr and 21yr) also waiting for the next train who were from New York. After talking awhile and exchanging trip plans we realized that I was going to be in Barcelona the same time the kids were (you know where I'm headed with this) they asked me to get ahold of them when I get to Barcelona...I did...and now I'm staying with them at a hotel. Awesome.

Totally random, again.

Great night out with tapas and a cool bar that Hemingway frequented...and yes, I tried the Barcelona Absinthe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe), took me 30 min to finish, I thought it was quite gross.

Hasta manana.

Day 23; London

2009-06-24T15:34:00.000-07:00

As I woke up this morning I decided I would take the time to upload some videos/photos. I was told that the house cleaner was arriving arround 9 and that she would be there cleaning for 3 hours (this is very important because I need to leave before or the same time she leaves because she has a key to lock up and I obviously don't). So, I get up around 9:30 a.m. and realize that the she's in the house cleaning and my couchsurfing host, Lucy, has already gone to work at the BBC and I figure I have lots of time to relax and upload videos/take a shower/ or whatever. So, I turn on the computer and check e-mails and do the normal stuff and decide to upload videos and then take a shower (side note, the videos take roughly an hour each but I can upload two at a time so I do that).

After my shower I notice that it's now 10:45 a.m. and the videos still have roughly 40 min remaining so I start getting dressed and have everything on except shoes and socks when the house keeper comes by and waves goodbye to me as she is about to walk out the door...WHOA!! I say and try to explain to her that I need to leave with her because I don't have keys (I say TRY to explain to her because she doesn't speak much English and I definitely don't speak whatever her native tongue is). So she figures outwhat I'm saying and I ask her for five minutes. She goes back into the kitchen to do...whatever it is she does... and I frantically start aborting my videos, putting on shoes and socks, folding blankets, packing my bag and gathering my things to leave for the day. Whew! It was definitely a rush but EVERYTHING worked out just fine so it was kind of a fun story to laugh at throughout my walk to the metro.

I had booked a hosetel for tonight at St. Christopher's Village and actually filmed the hostel and would upload it but pepole kept trying to ask me what I was doing while I was filming and after the third take I just gave up and found something better to do.

My second night here in London was poorly planned on my part because I just assumed I was staying with my previous couchsurfing host but I never gave her the dates and she booked a flight to Lisbon instead. So, hostel for the night, which was quite fun as it's connected to a bar/cafe next door and tonight was Karoke night. I tried to get on stage and bust some Digital Underground or Dr. Dre (in honor of my older brother) but they didn't have either...silly British people and their silly karoke. I was pretty tired anyway so to bed I go...OH! I forgot to mention I went to Wimbledon today. Yes, I went to Wimbledon but did not see any tennis at all, mainly because of the many reasons I don't like London: hard to find things and with the walking it took, 100% honesty, 2 hours and 25 min to get to...let's just say if it was my first day of the trip I would have made it work but at this point in my trip I wasn't willing to put forth as much effort as Wimbledon required.

So, off to take a shower then to bed. Quite noisy outside but I think I'll put some Norah Jones on and pass out soon. Cheers, from London. Barcelona tomorrow where I will be in my 8th different language city (they don't speak Spanish in Barcelona, they speak Catalon).

Day 22; London (again)

2009-06-24T02:23:00.000-07:00

Well I left Dublin this morning to head on over to London and the airport process was so much easier this time around. The last time I flew Ryanair I experienced the most hectic lines I've ever stood in (but everything was good becasue I had 5 hours til my flight when the lines opened). It took me about 2 hours to get through the lines to fly to Dublin so I got to the airport really early again for this flight to London...took about 1.5 minutes this time. I was the only one at the counter and handed the lady my flight info and passport, she turned and handed it to another lady, that lady looked it over and stamped it and handed it back to me. "That's it?" I asked. "That's it," she responded.

So then I sat in the airport for a couple more hours. I just don't get Ryanair. How it could be so hectic and then so easy?? I'm not gonna complain to them though because this last flight I took literally costs $5.99. Yup, five dollars and 99 cents...total...after tax. I don't get it, but I love it.

Upon arriving into London, about 3:00 p.m. I had to take the 30 min tram into the city center from the airport...$33 U.S. dollars. :) traveling is so funny. $5.99 for a flight from Dublin to London but $33 from the airport to the city. I have an enormous love/hate relationship with London. Now comes the love part.

I had roughly four hours until I met up with my couchsurfing host, Lucy, so I decided to walk around London for awhile. London is gigantic. I first headed to Parliment Square where all the biggest tourist stuff is; Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Thames River and the London Eye. Always an eye-opening little square of famous "history-book"buildings.

After I left Parliment Square I tried to make my way on over to Hyde Park, without a map. Bad idea...well, bad idea if the priority was Hyde Park. My actual priority was a park to spend a couple hours in while I waited til 7:00 p.m. for my couchsurfing host, Lucy. I got way lost. London is a very cool city. So much history, so much to offer, so much to see that even my four days total here really doesn't scratch the surface (that is another "love" part of London). But, London is a big pain for the traveler (me) who like to walk from place to place because London is gigantic!! I would love to place the London Underground (the tube) on a map of Oklahoma City and see exactly how far it spreads out on a map that I'm familiar with (there are many smart people out there reading this that could convert the scale...let's talk).

So, after I realize just how lost I am (by the way, doing this sort of trip where you are in a new city every two days you are constantly lost, and very frustrated often) I start asking people where Hype Park is. Now, for as popular and big as Hyde Park is I figure that to be an easy question, it's not. London is THAT difficult to walk around (rephrase, very easy and quite a great walk if you have no destination and just want to wander around) but I got many vague points to Hyde Park, some"not too sure of the streets" and a few "I'm a tourist and have no clue"'s so I decided to settle for the closest park I was too, Regents Park.

Great park and made some friends with a very couragous squirrel and the scary pigeon that wouldn't stop staring at me.

So, now that it was near 7:00 p.m. I decided to head to the couchsurfing host's house. I end up getting off a stop too early (definitely my own fault) but since the price of a one-trip underground trip costs $6.75 in American (New York's is $2.00...another one of my "hate" parts of London) I decided I would walk from. Remember how I mentioned how huge London was?? It took me 45 minutes to walk there. Now, part of that was because: 1. I didn't really know where I was going 2. London doesn't like to label their streets with signs very often because that would be too convenient for tourists and 3. Even if they did name the streets the name would change every two blocks because that's a good way to label streets....geez, ok that was the hate part of London coming out in me, again, sorry.

So, I get to Lucy's and things were great from then on. She was a lot of fun and a great person to sit and have a long conversation with. She works for the BBC too so we had a lot of good conversations about media and TV...she works in the "Event Coordination" department...we talked about soooo many cool things... how come the U.S. media never really talks about anything but the United States? The European Union has some great news going on right now; great time to be here and learn.

Well, bed time. Tomorrow, London again and maybe Wimbledon. Cheers from London.

Day 21: Dublin

2009-06-22T11:58:00.001-07:00

I must say, my stop in Dublin was definitely a good move. Ireland is great and did you know that they drive on the left side of the road like in England??? I had no idea.

Today I got to visit the Jameson Whiskey Distillery (http://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/) and then headed to the Guiness Brewery (http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/Index.aspx). The Jameson Distillery (I am not a whiskey drinker at all) was actually a really good experience. It was fun to learn all that goes into making such an old practice such as making whiskey and (because I love "experiencing" history) it was a lot of fun to actually be in the room and see the first cast that John Jameson made his first barrel of whiskey back in the mid 1700's. We (group of about 20) also had a tour guide take us through all the rooms and explain all the processes which helped quite a bit.

The Guiness factory was quite a different experience. It was like a brand new 6-story museum. Glass floors and escalators with a very open environment and no tour guide; a move-at-your-own-pace kind of place. The very top of the building had a 360 degree view bar of all of Dublin which doesn't sound very high (6th floor) but was actually above most buildings across the city.

Those two actually took up about 3.5 hours combined with the walking in between but another highlight of the day was my lunch...bowl of soup, apple and a water. mmmmmmm good, however, I was unable to find a bench in the 10 minutes of walking. I didn't want the soup to get cold I just sat down on the sidewalk and ate. I should have found a bench because while opening the soup container I spilled a little bit of soup on my shorts...yes, the shorts that I bought in Prague 5 days ago...I've worn them everyday since but now that there is a creamy vegetable soup stain on them I think it's time to buy some new shorts.

Anywho, after the Guiness factory (and a free Guiness at the top of the brewery) I headed back to my hostel (last minute lodging...it was only 12.50 a night, how in the world could I say no that.....ummm with a couchsurfing host maybe?) and the first e-mail I saw was from my older brother telling me to find a TV and watch the U.S. Open. When I get something like that from Mike (http://twitter.com/DaDeucesWild) it means either Phil Mickelson is doing something ridiculous or Tiger is just being Tiger. Turns out, it was the first option which suited me just find because he's my favorite.

So on the wise older brother's advice I head to a pub (one of the most famous in London) "The Temple Bar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Bar,_Dublin" and start watching the Open with two people from Tennessee (hey, I would have watched it with locals if locals cared at all about golf.

Phil lost. :( But at least he showed up to play (http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/players/Tiger+Woods/147/scorecard/2009/24). Anywho, again, after that it was merely just a walk again down Abbey street (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Street) and over to Dublin's strange Spire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spire_of_Dublin) after staring at it for about 90 seconds I figured it was time to head back (I am so exhausted).

So, now that it became 8:30ish p.m. (I think AP Style http://www.apstylebook.com/ should apapt "ish" to their official time structure) I decided to shave. Ouch. I think I might be finished with shaving until I get back home (7 more days and my face, neck and patience would love it. I, again, had to buy a cheap dumb razor for just a one-time use because tomorrow I board a plane and they won't let me bring on a razor (they also made me get rid of my spray deodorant, grrrr, I got a stick deodorant so I'm all set).

So, after the 45 min of shaving and tremendous razor burn I started calling people. I tried my dad again to tell him Happy Father's Day (still haven't gotten ahold of him) and I actually had the wrong number (I remedy that situation soon). So I call my work (no, I'm not lame, I just like my coworkers) and talked with all of them for about 45 min. Throughout my talk with them I got numerous Skype calls from my grandma (Dear) and called her back after. It was my mom, uncles Max and Mark and my grandma, Dear, too!! :) Very delightful video chat! :) I love Skype (http://www.skype.com/intl/en/). My mom gave me my dad's correct number and I called and talked to him afterwards. Hooray!! Ok, Father's Day for the Cornett's is set for the Sunday of the British Open...I'll be there!! Another Hooray!!

Now, off to bed. I need it. Soooooo tired. Plane tomorrow to London. Til tomorrow, Cheers from Dublin.

Day 20; Dublin

2009-06-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

The use of language has got to be the coolest and most proud aspect that humans have the ability to use. I have now traveled to countries that speak in seven different languages: Spanish, English, French, Dutch, German, Czech and Italian...but what a treat and luxory it is to speak English.

English is quickly becoming an international language. Last night, I took the late bus to the airport (for an 11 hour airport sit) as I got to the bus stop, a Turkish guy (all people in this story are in their mid-20's) started talking to me about getting a better rate by getting our tickets together, so we did. As we get on the bus we sat near the front and continued to talk...in comes a girl from Moscow on her way to Paris and sits by us on the bus and starts speaking to us in English, in this great stereotypical Russian accent. 5 min later, a guy from Taiwan sits down next to her and says, "Is this the English conversation?"

The next 30 min we all just had a conversation in English (practice for the other three) and I just sat back and marveled at the lucky break I got from being born an American. I hear it all the time (and everytime it's true) that I am lucky to be an American, but when I get to actually witness it, it's an even greater realization.

I still fully intend on getting the Rosetta Stone (not the one I saw in London but the language program) and learning Spanish.

I am captivated by language. Seemingly nonsense words now turning into lasting conversations on an hour-long bus ride in Milan (We were all in Italy, none of us spoke Italian and all from different parts of the world yet shared laughter and smiles because of a common language).

Jumping down from the soapbox, Dublin is phenomenal. It is exactly like I pictured it...thousands of little pubs "McNellie's-style" all over the place and on every corner.

I really got to experience the people in Milan and Lugano and now in Dublin. While traveling with two of my friends I tried my best to interact with locals but when it is your only chance for conversation for the day, you try even harder.

Since my friends left and went back to the U.S.A. I have had sooo many encounters with locals that I wish a photo would suffice. I even try to take photos of the situation but nothing compares. Tonight (in one pub) I had a local explain to me the rules of rugby as we watched the live match on tv. Heading to another pub, I had a local raise his glass to me and wish me safe travels, afterwards we (and a few other locals) watched Brazil beat up on Italy in the soccer game. In Milan, some locals bought me beers and asked me to sit with them while I waited for my couch surfing host, Claudio...people are great. People, in my opinion want to do the right thing, the good thing...whatever that might be. I believe OKC is another example of people opening their generosity wallets and sharing whatever they have with strangers.

Being on the road for the past 3 weeks has really showed me what it is like to be an outsider. Seven languages and four currencies later, I have learned what it's like to try and fit in and fail miserably and depend on someone around me for help. People want to help. I have learned that I have to make myself available, swallow that pride and just talk, in the best broken (whatever native) language I'm in and open myself up.

Whether or not they speak English, people are still people.

Good night from Dublin.

Happy Father's Day!!

2009-06-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's only 3:30 p.m. here but this is the first time I've beed able to use the internet and I just wanted to use it shortly to say HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, Dad!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3646484815/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3413253688/in/set-72157616357251436/

It has pretty much been a tradition every Father's Day that my mom, both brothers and I crowd the livingroom with my dad to watch the final round of the U.S. Open. :) Might sound corny to some of you but I've always enjoyed it. This year, not only am I out of the country but my dad is also on a flight...somewhere. Plus, this year's U.S. Open is delayed because of rain so I have an idea...let's try this whole "Father's Day" thing during the British Open next month...ok? ok, good, I'm glad you agree. I just called you, Dad, on skype and left a message but I'll try again later. I did, however, just talk to Dear (my grandma on my mom's side) on skype with video and everything! Awesome. Sometimes, I really love technology, and I love you too Dear!

Can't forget a big Happy Father's Day to my older brother, Mike. Lily is coming up on 2 years old and I can't wait to get back to see her...and see you too of course. :)

Ok, well after an 11 hour stay in Milan's ORIE AIRPORT (not Malpensa) I have finally left and am in Dublin and so far the walk around was great but now I'm off to watch some futbol in some Irish Pub.

Luck of the Irish is definitely on my side today.

Day 19; Milan (again)

2009-06-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

After last night's debauchle of missing my flight to Liverpool and having to frantically find a place to sleep and a new flight out of the city that hates me (Milan) I am finally on my way (again) to the airport. It is amazing how much you can plan and prepare for something and no mater what you do...something seems to wrong at somepoint. I guess it's just a lapse of concentration but it sure messed up a couple of days that I really want to have back.

I am a giant Beatles fan. My iPod plays all their albums all the time and I had it scheduled to go to the Beatles' hometown of Liverpool for about 35 hours (2 nights) only to see sights like "Strawberry Field" and "Penny Lane" and love every minute of it...my only downfall was that I took a bus that was 25 feet in front of the bus I needed. Ohhh the glory of hindsight. (Go to the next bus!! Not that one, the one behind it!!!) Why didn't someone scream that to me?

Ok, well if you read yesterday's blog you will find all the details but basically today has become a wash and I no longer got to see Liverpool (on this trip) and will trek ahead to Dublin as originally planned tomorrow at 11 a.m. Because I never successfully met up with my previous Milan couchsurfer I will not suffer the delerium of finding another hostel or hotel and will instead head to the airport on the latest bus tonight, 11:15 p.m. (15 min from now) to make sure I don't mess THIS flight up. I had a great dinner (the absolute highlight of today) eating and drinking with some locals while watching a futbol game.

I got to watch Spain vs. South Africa and I was the only one rooting for Spain to beat South Africa. I didn't care. Spain was winning and some little pathetic part of me felt like that was important at the time being. I rooted them on to victory at a 2-0 win.

Well, short blog because I don't want to be late for the hour long bus awaiting me. I am still in high spirits regardless of the downpoor of bad luck in the past 24 hours and press on towards Dublin and trying my best Irish accent.

Here's to 12 hours at the airport...cheers!

Day 18; Lugano-Milan

2009-06-20T02:54:00.000-07:00

Oh, my.

Today was definitely an adventure unexplored by me.

Waking up and lounging around in Lugano for a few hours, saying goodbye to that beautiful place was rough but it had to be done in order to catch my 2:37 p.m. train back to Milan so that I could fly to Liverpool later on at 10:10 p.m. So, ciao and a very big thank you to Margaret, Allie, Lizzie, Jesse and Kevin for such a perfect two days in my upside-down atypical journey across and back again through Europe. Hugs and photos...check. Catch the train...check.

Arriving in Milan at 4:00 p.m. I realized my flight didn't leave for Liverpool for another six hours and decide to go back to the Duomo (Cathedral) and take the stairs to the very top (I would include photos and video but I'm at an internet cafe and not on my laptop so I can't upload anything). The view from the 108 meters (roughly 30 stories) rooftop of the Duomo was breathtaking. From the view across all of Milan to the plaza below, the white marble cathedral had me take in an even higher appreciation for the city.

5:15 p.m. Head back to Milan Centrale (where my bag is resting in a locker and also the location for the shuttle buses that head to the Milan airport(s). I've still got some time to spare so I walk around the plaza and find a pizzeria and grab a smoked ham- gouda cheese sandwich. mmmmmm good. I standup to walk out and realize that it's now only 6:00 p.m. I told my self that I needed to be at the shuttle in time to make the 7:50 leg to the airport. The bus takes 50 min to get to the airport...I know this because I've already taken it 3 times in my life. :)

Ok, so I still have some time to spare so I walk past a chinese restaurant and noticed nobody (not one single person) was eating there and the entire family of owners sat inside and I could tell the kids (teenagers) wished they could be doing ANYTHING else on a Friday night. I decided to eat, again.

After a great chinese meal it is now close to 7:00 p.m. and I decide to just go ahead and be there early to be safe. I grab my bag out of the locker and hop on the 7:30 p.m. bus to Milan-Malpensa (main airport in Milan). Upon arrival, I exit the bus and ask the bus driver if he knows what terminal the RyanAir company flies out of (I was really just trying to speak some more Italian before heading to the UK). He looked at me like he didn't understand...understandable because I really don't speak Italian and my words were probably just not said right...I start to repeat my pathetic Italian phrase again. He stops me mid sentence, "Yes, yes, yes I understand you, but, (I didn't like the "but") RyanAir is at Orie." My brain immediately started searching my abridged Italian vocabulary section trying to recall this word, "Orie."

Now that it's obvious I don't exactly know what he is saying. He tells me, "This is Milan-Malpensa (I nod with a very enthusiastic understanding of such a simple phrase) but RyanAir is at Orie...a different airport."

Many words now were going through my brain but I'm told they are "French" so I figured he wouldn't understand them.

"How far away is that? (I have about an hour to get to the ticket counter)?"

He just shakes his head...we have about a 2-sec staring contest and then he takes me to a taxi driver that speaks even less English than the bus driver but explains to the taxi driver my situation. The taxi driver looks at me and pulls out his calculator and types "180" and says to me as he holds up this pre T-1 calculator, "1-8-0 euros." Now is my cue to start the silly smiling facial expression that implies "I'm stuck in Milan at 8:30 p.m. at least an hour until I can even get back to the city to even start my flight search as well as a bed for the night" The bus driver recognizes that look, "Back to Milan (with a finger gesture to some unknown spot off in the distance)?" I give the most pathetic nod out of reaction of my pathetic situation.

He takes me to another bus driver on his way back to Milan Centrale. He explains my situation and the new bus driver tells me, "No charge, on the bus." It was an order I took immediately. After a "Grazie milo" to the previous bus driver I hop on to the new bus back to Milan...again.

Immediately (10:05 p.m.) after arriving into Milan I head to an internet cafe I saw earlier in the day...get on couchsurfing and tell my host in Liverpool not to pick me up at the airport. Then I messaged my couchsurfing host here in Milan (Claudio) to see if I could stay with him again (I eventually got a response back from him at midnight telling me to come on over...but I didn't receive that til the next morning).

Off to a couple of hostels I saw online. Arrive at the first one, 10:50 p.m.,...no rooms. Second one, 11:10 p.m.,...no rooms. I ask if he can call any in the area and find an open room. He told me he already did that about 20 min previous and there are no more rooms...hooray.

I just start lugging my already heavy bag down some random street, 11:30 p.m., and walk into a hotel...open room!!! Only €50 ($75)!! For summer rates on a Friday night this late in Milan...this was very pleasant news. So, I walked into my "Planes, Trains and Automobile-like hotel" and shoot some video...watch some TV (Jackass was on in Italian...trust me, at this point I needed a chuckle and you don't need to speak Italian to think that show is funny).

Goodnight, Milan...again.

Day 17; Lugano

2009-06-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Lugano was probably the least researched city on my part. I knew it was supposed to be beautiful but this place is off the chart. I didn't know the curreny (Swiss Franc), the language (Italian) or the address to where I was staying the first night but everything has worked out like clockwork.

Last night was great just getting to know the students here at Franklin University. My "roommates" in Lugano are Margaret, Allie, Liz (Allie's twin sister) and Jesse. All are a blast to be around and remind me so much of my University years and it was good to be around that influence again.

After a great sleep I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the hot sunny sky here in Lugano, Switzerland (http://tinyurl.com/kjg7pj).

My balcony is crazy beautiful and I decided that today I was gonna tackle the downtown setting of Lugano. I didn't know how or what I really looking for but Margaret and others suggested some local spots and I headed on down the road. First stop- lunch.

I kept seeing regular lunch signs for nearly 15 Francs ($14) and all I was looking for was a sandwich/panini of somesort so that I could walk around and eat it at the sametime (plus, eating at a sit-down restaurant for every meal for 29 days doesn't really add up financially or very timely efficient with so much to do).

So I order (in my best Italian) the panini that looks the best. The sandwich as a whole was good but I guess I missed a small ingredient...olives. Yuck! (mom like them) I think they are disgusting and were actually located IN the bread. I am sure that sounds great to some olive lovers out there but it was a gross part of the trip for me. I coped by picking the olives out of the bread and sat on this bench (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639137635/) and ate the panini and drank my Coke Zero and smiled.

I proceded to find a shady tree to lie under and listened to Coldplay's Viva la Vida album and doze off. Yes, birds woke me up again except this time because they were about 4 feet from my head...almost as if they were asking me to scoot over so that they could get a certain worm under me.

I got up, silenced the iPod and immediately made a new friend with a swan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639952812/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639954258/). I don't know if I've ever seen a legit swan up close but it sure was captivating. It looked at me for quite a long time and cleaned its feathers right in front of me almost as if to show me how its done (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639150355/). I snapped a large amount of photos; so much that the battery light started flashing...photo session over.

After a stroll through the park I eventually came back to the apartment to absolutely just sit around in this fairytale-like town. It was pretty hot and a shower was calling for me loud enough that ignoring it was no longer an option.

Shower accomplished and all electronics charged and ready to go for the next city (Liverpool, http://tinyurl.com/ongnw). I have been told by my Liverpool couchsurfer that he will pick me up at the airport (instead of taking the tram which is 45 min trip into Liverpool). Actually, I recognized that my flight doesn't arrive into Liverpool until 11:20 p.m. and when I expressed my thoughts on getting a hostel instead of having anyone wait til 1 a.m. for me to arrive his repy was,

" Dude, I am a night owl. Don't bother with a hostel. You're trying to couch surf your way around Europe (I read your blog) so there's no way you're doing a hostel.

Let me know your flight number. I'll be there to get you at Liverpool Airport no worries."

Yes, I love couchsurfing.com.

Day 16; Milan/Lugano,

2009-06-17T13:10:00.001-07:00

I had an early wake up call (8:00) for two reasons:Claudio had class (he is in law school) and because I had tickets to the Last Supper for what I thought was an hour long window of 9:30a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Once Claudio left for the metro and we spilt ways I headed for the main train station, Centrale http://tinyurl.com/mux3xj, to put my enormous bag in a locker. After getting lost in the century old train station and actually having someone from the information desk physically show me where it was (because I was already too lost from some ill-advised info from the ticket couter lady). So, bag checked and headed for the Santa Maria Delle Grazie church http://tinyurl.com/kujxmf to see THE mural, Da Vinci's "The Last Supper."

I get there and quickly realize my ticket is in my bag that I searched so hard to find a locker for. Since I am 20 min away by metro I decided I would try and just show the ticket counter my ID in hopes that Im not the only tourist to forget the ticket and they would be able to look up my name.

After pleading with the lady to excuse my carelessness of now being late as it was now 10:00 a.m. (it wasn't a 1 -hour ticket yet merely an appointment strictly adhered to, but also that I didn't have my ticket) and to just search for my name instead...she said she would and she looked (HOORAY!) but she did not see my reservation...(cue a sad song ♫ http://blip.fm/~8fphj).

She said come back with the ticket that I had left in my backpack and it would all be ok. Sounds great.

For the time being (and because Claudio suggested it) I headed over to Milan's enormous park (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3637462935/in/set-72157619819599017/) to walk through and at the end of the park would be this phenomenal castle (http://tinyurl.com/kjc5e4). Gorgeous park, great walk and an even better than dreamed castle.

The castle was first started in the 14th Century and was reconstructed/added on in about every century since with some help from Leonardo Da Vinci as he lived in Milan more than any other city (so I'm told).

The castle was amazing. Exactly like you dream of when you think of a 14th Century castle. It was enormous with a great "standing" moat with guard towers and archers's windows. I bought an audio guide for the first time today to hear more about the castle (it helped very little).

I also went into all the many museums that are located inside the castle and was actually so very fortunate as to see Michelangelo's last "Pieta" (it was unfinished at his old 90 yr age). Being an enormous Michelangelo fan (I've seen the Sistine Chapel http://tinyurl.com/dahwc6, Statue of David http://tinyurl.com/54gzu, the "Pieta" in the Vatican etc. http://tinyurl.com/nmtucm) I was thrilled to see this work of art http://tinyurl.com/m7bs8u. Video and photography...check.

Ok, back to the Last Supper debauchle. After the few hours spent at the castle, I scurried over to my lockered bag at Milan's Centralle Station and grabbed my bag and my ticket. With an hour and 45 min remaining until my train to Lugano I knew I had to hurry to the church and hope they still accepted my (now more than 5 hours late) ticket to see the cherished painting.

At first it didn't seem like I would still be able to see it because the lady who told me to come back was no longer there and I had to hope the counter people would trust my true story and let me in...they did! I was soooo extactic! I almost jumped across the counter and kissed the ticket lady (she was cute too, but my grandma won't allow me to have an international girlfriend...love you Grandma!).

So I fell in line and at 3:15 and saw it http://tinyurl.com/3y8vek. Oh my goodness. I have seen many cool things (Collesium, Eiffel Tower, Sistine Chapel, Parthenon, Statue of David, Mona Lisa etc..) but this was pretty empowering. The size of the painting is what took me away as I pictured a slightly larger than normal size painting...but this was a wall mural probably 15 feet high and near 30 feet long. I stood there for 15 minutes until they kicked me out for the next group. Da Vinci is so great. So was Milan. Off to Lugano!!

I am staying with a group of Fankin University students in Lugano Switzerland. I show up without the address (it was in an e-mail I forgot to write it down), no clue on where to get internet and only 2.50 euros...I also didn't know if they even took the euro (they don't) or what language they speak (Italian). It's all good though because Margaret was there at the train station!! Hooray! No more worries. :)

After dropping my bag off I head to the school's BBQ, play a little footaball (both American and European), volleyball in the gym and beer/salsa on the most beautiful apartment balcony I've ever been on (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3637483383/). More photos and videos to come. :)

Sleep in and stay in Lugano all day tomorrow. Let you know more then. Ciao.

Day 15; Milan

2009-06-16T16:06:00.000-07:00

9 hours of sleep...that's how it should be. Woke up feeling great and had 4 hours to kill. First objective: shave.

I have shaved only twice during my 16 days so far and decided today was going to be the third. We picked up a few razors and knew that bringing them on the plane would raise a few flags So I decided to use a couple of razors out of the cheap package of 5 we bought previous. I also learned something...cheap little razors hate my face and my neck. I never knew that. After the constant bleeding on numerous parts of the neck and face I was raring to go! Bring on Prague (again)!

So, Doug and I headed out of the hotel with no real objective other than to head to a plaza and big building we saw on a poster (http://www.incoczech.com/wenceslas-square-prague-museum-bigimage363.jpeg). It was a real pretty street and sure beat the inside of a hotel room but it wasn't much more than a time filler. Eventually we found a vendor on the side of the street to sell us a "chicken hamburger" and "the longest hot dog I've seen" all for the bargain price of just under 200 crowns ($10) and they came with a Coca Cola Light and a fanta. Scrumptous lunch.

Cruising down this fabled street with small rose bushes everywhere, I began to notice that I was entering the shopping district. Seeing my favorite store, H&M (please come to OKC), I quickly took inventory of what I "needed." I actually just bought some necessary items back in Berlin (t-shirts, and a few pairs of some style of underwear which at the moment are kinda uncomfortable) but realized that since I haven't done laundry yet because I've primarily been throwing away socks and white-t's, I only have about one-day's worth of wardrobe left. Ok, so I bought a pair of shorts and some socks. It was a good idea because it also bought me a few days until I have to do laundry...probably wait til Lugano.

With full bellies, new socks and a new pair of shorts which I will ultimately wear for at least four more days, I am set for Milan. Doug and I goof off in a few more stores taking note of the pragueish surroundings and head for the metro. On to the airport!

After I arriving at the airport and parting ways I was *fortunate* enough to catch the end of the Chile vs. France futbol game before my flight (yipee) then boarded my easyjet plane to Milan to begin my voyage alone.

My first stop upon arriving in Milan was to go back to the coveted Duomo that I love and actually have a poster of it in my apartment. Amazing. All marble and gothic as can be.

From there I set off to get some grubb and settled on a pizza place (how Italian of me) and had a 4 formaggio and Heinekin.

Now to meet my couchsurfer, Claudio. Technically I haven't met him yet as I am writing at the "Birrificio Lambrato" which is a local brewery in Milan.

_______________________________________________

OK UPDATE: I wrote all of the previous text in a corner by myself at the "Berrificio Lambrate" (local brewery/pub in Milan) while awaiting Claudio, my next couchsurfing host. While waiting, the table next to me (3 Milan locals, 2 actually from Japan and one from Germany but have been living in Milan for years and spoke Italian fluently and plenty of English) asked me to sit with them since I was by myself. I sat with them (of course I did)...and if any one of you three are reading this, e-mail me!

They were so much fun to talk to and when Claudio showed up we all just sat around and talked for an hour or so. What a great night. I took video of them but not as much as I should have. I really wished it was earlier in the evening and could have talked for a few more hours because we were having great discussions on Milan and America...absolutely everything that is supposed to happen on trips. None of this strictly hotel stuff...get down in the pubs...speak to locals...learn the people for crying out loud!! One of the best nights I've had on this trip.

After Claudio and I left the pub we had a great discussion on American/European government. Mainly just about the pros and cons and the differences between the two. I love those discussions, especially with people who actually know what they're talking about instead of from people in America telling me second or third hand stories. One very important thing I am further learning on this trip is the utmost importance of conversations from people from the local area...it just doesn't get more influential than that.

I'm now on Claudio's pull-out IKEA couch. A wonderful four-fold white soft cushion chair/couch waiting for my unconsciousness...time to give in.

Tomorrow, Lugano, Switzerland.

Day 14; Prague

2009-06-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Day 14 is pretty much my halfway point because I'm not really counting June 1 because all I did was sit on a plane to Dallas and then the same to Madrid...nothing exciting happened unless you count the last minute trek to Wal-Mart to get a plug converter and a last second goodbye to my darling neice, Lily (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twbjC4rG3Ek).

Today was the last day Doug and I would be traveling together before I head to Milan and continue another grueling two weeks seeing 7 more planes and 3 more trains and he heads to London before a night of heading back home.

This trip originally started when Doug and I had another crazy idea of Europe traveling (last year we went up Italy; Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan) and knew we had 10 days for his schedule and planned out a June 7-17 trip...I just extended mine by going to Spain beforehand and adding all the crazy stuff afterwards. The trip thus far has been great and he is a blast to travel with. Aimee also joined me for June 3-13 and left for OKC on the second day of Berlin...her addition was sorta last minute which added some already strong fuel to the weeks leading up to this enormous trip. Thanks go out to both of you, Aimee Freyman (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3630646330/) and Doug Vrooman (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3630647036/), for making the first half of the trip a very memorable one.

Ok, the day in Prague started out with another long train ride (just over four hours) but ended up being ok because I spent most of that time labeling photos and videos...to date I have over 170 videos of this trip ranging from 7 sec to 3 min. Arriving in Prague felt like second nature to us because this was the 8th different city I've visited so far and the 6th different language...so by second nature I mean that it was a completely new environment, new map, new streets, new language, new food and new landmarks.

Prague was actually the only hotel booked for the entire trip. We only have 24 hours in Prague and we didn't want to spend many hours out searching for our couchsurfers house and chatting it up with so little time to be in the city.

So, checked into hotel and off through the "old" city, Prague -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague. In Prague's city center is one of their most treasured attractions, a 700 year old astronomical clock. Pretty intriguing to see in person and something I definitely want to look up more info on later.

From there we trekked on through the biggest tourist area with shops I've ever been to. Every shop had the same souveniors and took forever to get through...because of the constant bobbing and weaving we had to do to avoid all the lost and bedazzled tourists (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3630543516/in/set-72157619793719922/).

We finally got through the swamp of tour buses and loads of people to reach the Charles Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_bridge) that leads over the Vitus River on up to the Prague Castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Castle).

We got lost. We first realized it whenever we looked around and realized that the only people around were ourselves and a Czech man that had to be 7' tall. Ok, re-group and grab a Coca Cola Light and find a sign to the castle. Coca Cola Light...accomplished (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3629716235/in/set-72157619793719922/). Find a sign...accomplished. Only thing missing? We don't speak Czech and there are seven signs pointing in 3 different directions in a language so undecipherable that we try to narrow it down to two signs we believe it could be and go with option one...should have gone with option two.

30 min later...hooray the castle!! How we missed the enormous structure is incomprehensible but nonetheless we had arrived.

The most miraculous thing about the castle grounds was the St. Vitus Cathedral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Vitus_Cathedral). Wow, it was pretty miraculous (nearly 700 years old). I took my video camera inside and filmed around a little then we left and walked around the castle grounds. The castle has a huge "Royal Garden" that goes all around the cathedral in a big valley with concrete old walls up on both sides...felt like being in a forrest in the middle of nowhere.

There was a stream and small bridges with ducks and birds all over the place. Pretty cool just to have something that beautiful just up a hill and free of charge to walk around whenever any Prague citizen feels.

That was pretty much the extent of our adventures in Prague (besides jumping on a random bus that led around the city and then jumping off at a random metro spot to head for some dinner and much needed rest.

Time to change my Crowns into Euros and head on down to Italy. See you tomorrow OKC.

Day 13; Berlin

2009-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, first off, couchsurfing is such a marvelous thing. I have gotten to do some things because of couchsurfing that I never would have done had the people on that site not been so gracious with their homes and their generosity.

Today, was another one of those moments.

First off, we got to stay with Lilith from Berlin. She was also housing two other couchsurfers the same night and told us that there wasn't much room and that we would be sleeping on camping mats if we showed up....We were fine with that. (Couchsurfing.com needs more hosts like Lilith).

The other couchsurfers, Joel and Liz, were both on their own trips and were both from the U.S. and were both great. Lilith lived in the NE section of Berlin in an old apartment that predated WWII which is actually a rarity and a great gem to see considering much of Berlin was bombed and few of these apartments still remain.

The apartment had ceilings roughly 14 feet high and wood floors. The outside walls were also roughly 2 feet thick keeping the apartment temperature controlled year-round. It was another great historical "attraction" on my trip that I didn't consider.

The night I showed up (nearly midnight) ended after an improve dance party started by our host. :) It was hilarious. Lilith and Joel went to go brush their teeth when the cd turned to a loud dance beat. The two of them came out dancing like in a disco and we all joined. What a fun moment. I actually have it on video too. :)

The sleeping on the mats really wasn't bad because we were so exhausted from the previous day. I fell asleep right away but woke up early because of the sunlight and got up to do internet stuff anyway: video/photos.

Doug and I got up around 9ish and headed for the city center to walk around the gardens and see the Riechstag. Miraculous building. We decided that we were going to stay in a hostel tonight because we want to go to sleep early for an early wake up to catch a train to Prague so we scheduled a lunch with Lilith, Joel and Liz...but it was no ordinary lunch.

Now is the part of the story where my comfort zone went to the beach and left me at a neighborhood Vegan lunch buffet in Berlin. Let's just say the FDA and the Health Administration in the U.S. would not have approved of this luncheon.

The food, absolutely amazing. The atmosphere, one of a kind. The experience, one that I wish written words could describe. How about a photo? http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/

With no tables or chairs and nearly 50 diners in attendance everyone found their eating spot in little groups on the sidewalk outside this little neighborhood gathering center. The feel of the environment was that of a large family reunion run by people speaking 4 different languages and many either having dredlocks or actually covered in actual paint (taking over an hour applying, yes, I asked them). They "did it just to do it." .........why not.

In order for us to even get a plate for the (2-5 euro meal...pay whatever you want between those two price ranges) we had to go into the communal kitchen and wash an already used plate. Yup, scrub with soap and sponge and then get in line (I am 100% not kidding). It was great. I was smiling the whole time and I fell in line as fast as I could.

I put heaps of food that I didn't recognize nor come close to pronouncing on my plate. I have never had a vegan meal but I actually went back and got seconds...it's ok, I put in the full 5 euros.

After the meal we all just kinda sat around and shared traveling stories and such. What a great time...let's see you do something like that by staying in your dull hotel. :)

I have many videos awaiting an upload but in 48 hours I'll be in Milan with a couple hours to spare. I plan on uploading all I can. :)

Stay Classy OKC.

Day 12; Berlin

2009-06-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Awake at 6:45 a.m., ugggh.

It is quite amazing how many "second winds" I have gotten throughout this trip already. Probably a sign that I should slow down a bit but it's so hard when I have to choose between the Brandenburg Gate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandenburg_Gate) and a nap.

We arrived today into Berlin, Germany after a long 6.5 hour train ride. The weather and the German terrain were beautiful all the way here but the train made a stop about every 45 min. waking everyone up so my iPod got a lot of use.

Upon arriving into Berlin I am starting to see my nerves easing up a little because as we arrived (3:45 p.m.) and having not secured a couchsurfing host yet (which we eventually did) and needing internet to search for a back up hostel...we decided to eat first instead. Great idea because we had some amazing genuine German brats and local beers. :)

Not really knowing where we were going, we jumped on a bus that everyone seemed to be taking (buses are so much better than metros for first time visiting because you get to see the city and not the inside of a stinky old metro cars).

We decided to jump off the bus whenever we spotted the Brandenburg Gate and eventually pawned some internet off the nearby Starbucks. Reading about all the Brandenburg Gate really made me realize how little I knew about Berlin and especially the Berlin wall (I was only 4 when Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" and today stood in that spot).

I read up more about the Berlin wall at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum (http://tinyurl.com/nn7rld, http://tinyurl.com/myl2r9) and headed back over to the Brandenburg Gate to visualize what I just learned. :)

The couchsurfing host we have for tonight is so great. There are actually 2 other couchsurfers here; one from Washington state and the other from Iowa. They're quite interesting. Aimee left for OKC yesterday and Doug will be here through Berlin and one day in Prague. Then off to Milan.

I should have some more videos coming soon but a few have already been posted, thank you everyone over at Newsok! I'm having lots of fun writing and taking all these videos. Just hope I can keep it for the next 2 weeks!

Gotta go, we're all about to have a tooth brushing dance party in the hall.

Day 11; Amsterdam

2009-06-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

After a great night's sleep (I usually get one after traveling earlier that morning) we headed to the Anne Frank House (http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?pid=1&lid=2). If anyone ever goes to this museum please, I kid you not, get your tickets online before you get there! We walked up (Doug and I) to the "Internet online purchases" ticket window as the second and third person in line. Not pre-purchasers were in a line close to 150 people long.

Now, this line could have been attributed to Anne's 80th birthday today (which was so great to see) but also could been due to poor planning. Plan ahead!!!

The museum was absolutly great and so professionally done. "No photos" as I was told and definitely felt like that was understandable and kept the camera in the pocket. We did, however, get to actually walk through and see the entire attic/annex that anne and the other 7 (including some family) that were hidden in that small space. It was a very tasteful and well done museum.

Not only did the house provide chilling details and actual exerts from the diary but also allowed the witness (me) walk through the doorway covered with the fake bookcase, and stand inside Anne's small room that she shared; with original "wallpaper" in the form of pictures and book cut-outs pasted to the wall. It displayed photos taken from that room out the window of other jewish families taken from their homes and onto concentration camps.

Yes, WWII stories and concentration camps can stir some emotions but actually being in that old 10' 8" room stirs some emotions that are deep and only felt by touching the walls and seein the diary itself...in its red and yellow rustic hardback display.

After visiting the treasured Anne Frank House Museum and walking and grabbing something to eat, crepes, we headed towards the Van Gogh Museum (http://www3.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?lang=nl). The Van Gogh Museum was everything I hoped it would be...200 Van Gogh paintings and not much else.

I went to that museum hoping to learn a lot about Van Gogh and was hoping it wasn't just a lure to get tourists there to see 4-5 Van Gogh's and 100's of other artists...It was great. So may Van Gogh's with some great back story on his emerging talent and transformation into modernistic art. Van Gogh is vastly catching my top artists...his color schemes and brushstrokes up close are captivating.

After the Van Gogh Museum we saw the famous " I AM STERDAM" sign (http://photos.igougo.com/images/p213817-Amsterdam-I_amsterdam.jpg) and took some photos but pretty much just went shopping for tshirts and socks to get me through another backpacked week of Europe.

Tomorrow - Berlin. I have NO idea what to expect but I've heard it's great but Amsterdam is one hard city to follow.

Day 10; Amsterdam

2009-06-12T05:29:00.001-07:00

I really didn't what to expect when I arrived into Amsterdam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam). I have heard many stories of the liberal city but nothing is ever really true unless you experience them for yourself. I arrived and let me tell you, so far, all the stories are true.

It's really too bad that Amsterdam only gets noticed for its liberal behavior and has the "Las Vegas of Europe" nickname because Amsterdam has quickly moved up the list on my all-time favorite cities because of the entire city itself, not just the relaxed rules/laws.

It might be because it's June and all the trees and flowers are blooming but this has to be the prettiest city I've ever been to. Yes, I think it even beats out Venice although Venice has a different kind of beauty. http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/

Madrid, Segovia, Toledo and Paris don't hold a candle to the language intelligence of the people here. The saying, "Everyone speaks English in Europe" seems to be the most true in Amsterdam. The people here seem to all be at least trilingual; Dutch, English and either German or French and a lot more Spanish than they like to admit. When I say they speak these languages I mean they speak them fluently. I haven't had to repeat myself to anyone, even when I just randomly walk to someone and start talking. It's amazing. It REALLY makes me want to buy the Rosetta Stone language program when I get home...anyone else?

Today, we all kind of just soaked up the surrounding areas going in and out of all the shops and markets and walking down all the beautiful canal sidewalks and over the many bridges. One major difference here than anywhere else I've been is the amount of bikes. They are everywhere!! Everyone seems to be on a bike and now when I cross the street I have to be on the lookout for San-Francisco-stylestreetcars, regular cars and also bikes...all three of those going both directions. It's not all that tough considering none of them are traveling more than 15 MPH but it's still an extra thing not to get hit by.

Yes, we did walk down the Red Light District. Yes, all the stories are true...ummm, just look it up. Yes, we ONLY walked the street. :) This place is crazy.

Also, if you come to Amsterdam, don't walk into a "Coffee Shop" because they don't serve coffee, they'll give you a laminated menu with many other "herbs" and prices which is sure to make you blush and walk out of the store laughing at the realism in the history of Amsterdam.

Regardless, such a wonderfully beautilful city. The people are all soooo kind and helpful and don't ever give off the assumption that you're "just" a tourist and all take the time to go the extra mile in showing how to get somewhere or give you some history of Holland. I'm actually kind of sad I'm only staying 48 hours but Europe is big, ALMOST big enough for me. :)

Tomorrow - Anne Frank House Museum, Van Gogh Museum and the Heinekin brewery.

Day 9; Paris

2009-06-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

Rise and shine, 11 a.m. and put on yesterday's clothes (an I "heart" London shirt covered by a grey hoodie) and go to the Louvre. The building itself is a work of art (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre). I've been to many sporting events/concerts/crowded schools where people are too crowded they can't move...long lines etc..not here. There must have been 40,000 people in that museum with us but every line went at almost walking speed. Definitely a well-run and very well-prepared organization. In the Louvre is the treasured "Mona Lisa." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:La_gioconda.jpg) Fighting through the hundreds in front of it and snapping photos (which I didn't know was allowed) I took some video. The room was a mob-scene. I had always heard that the room was crowded but since it was a museum the crowd would be understandably quiet and photos (especially with a flash) would not be tolerated. Maybe the rules just didn't apply on June 10, 2009 because it was as if a celebrity was in the room. Lots of shouts and yells with a flash going off every 1-2 seconds...people shoving left and right with Mona Lisa herself just sitting there smiling and posing as she's done for the past 500 years.

Aside from the "Mona Lisa" the museum offered a few other Da Vinci's "Virgin on the Rocks" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_of_the_Rocks) and "John the Baptist." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._John_the_Baptist_(Leonardo)) I was in art heaven. The building had thousands and thousands of priceless works of art and sculptures and statues as well. Another few of my favorites were the "Venus de Milo" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_de_Milo) and the "Code of Hammarabi" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi) stone. Time to head out.

After leaving the museum and finding a stair to rest on a bit, we noticed a small gathering of people next to a braed stand in one of the many luxorious gardens. We head on over and notice that all the birds (I mean even the small ones that are usually to frightened to come near a human) are flying up into people's hands and eating out of them. (I did it and have video, it was very cool) It was so much fun that I got caught up in the birds enough to forget about the Lourve and its infamous pyramid 100 meters behind me. The Eiffel tower off in the distance. The Gold Dome (Napoleon's tomb) off to my left and the Arc de Triomphe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arc_de_Triomphe) straight ahead. The Arc was still a mere 2 miles away but could still be seen quite easily because of its size. What a moment.

Deciding to walk toward the Arc and taking the route of the famous Champs-Élysées (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champs-Élysées the finishing street for the Tour de France) We took our time. It was th middle of the afternoon and the rain/drizzle had finally let up. We took a couple detours off the path for a rest a drink but kept our eyes on the Arc (the center of the largest round-a-bout; 12 streets merging into one). Roughly 100 people were standing around/on top of the Arc so we knew we could get to it but it took awhile to find the undergound tunnel that led to it. Crossing the street wasn't an option unless you thought it would be fun to play frogger with the 100 cars flying around the Arc.

We got to the center of the Arc but once we did it started raining again and the 9 Euro it costs to take the stairs to the top to stand in the rain with a view that was cut down about 90 percent (because of the rain) didn't really seem like an enjoyable thing we were anxious to do, despite the fact that Doug and Aimee both bought $3 umbrellas from a side vender (Aimee lost the handle to the umbrella before even getting to the Arc).

One more stop on our voyage in Paris, Mont Marte (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmartre) and the Sacre Coure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilique_du_Sacré-Cœur,_Paris). Catching a North bound subway to Mont Marte was one of the treasures I didn't really know about until I got there but quickly became one of my favories. The rain had stopped for a moment as we left the subway and stared up at the Sacre Cour (sacred heart) church. Lots of stairs, big shocker, but upon reaching the summit of that hilly climb the view was great. Another stunning view across Paris for another 3-4 min before more rain but as the sprinkles started to hit us Aimee's umbrella turned inside-out and more laughter and videos were made.

Heading inside the church was a great end to our quite adventurous day. A sit, a pause and good reflection on the trip itself and a reminder of how fortunate I am to do this. I think about all the time and am oh so very thankful for all the right circumstances, people, luck and determination it took to get this trip started. Day 9 complete. 18 more to go. (As I'm writing this, I'm on the speed train to Amsterdam, just stopped in Brussels and can see a gothic-style cathedral. All is good.)

Day 8; Paris

2009-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to realize that if I didn't have to lug this bag around from city to that I could travel all year long. The biggest pain I endure is directly related to the weight and size of my bag. Granted, it's just one backpack but this computer's weight combined with all my possessions for a four week stay can be quite an annoyance to my already exhausted shoulders.

Since that is my only complaint, I pressed on in search 8 Rue de Mai. No, that address in Paris is not one to a couchsurfing house yet to a Holiday Inn...Paris couchsurfing failed me. :( I tried roughly 25-30 different people and nobody had an open spot. Traveling with 3 people in the peak of "couchsurfing season" can make it difficult to find a host that can accommodate but I'll try again in Amsterdam.

Anyway, now that I was leaving London and officially starting my 2nd leg of this adventure, what better way to do it than to rise at 6:00 a.m. and head to the train station. The early hour seemed to be the most inconvenient part of the train ride as the 180 mph train and the short 2hr 15min ride were smoother than a Ray Allen jump shot.

Upon exiting Eurorail Car 18 seat 56 and greeting Paris with a warm smile we found our first struggle; everything is in French. I've always heard that people in Paris all speak English as well and that it's easy for tourists to get around...surprisingly that is not the case. After wandering frantically around the Paris train station trying to find a way to buy some subway passes with only a visa card (needed to get Euros fast, still only had pounds from the UK) we finally found a kiosk, letting out a big sigh of relief from me. Bring on the Paris sunshine!

Our first destination (sure that our hotel wouldn't let us in til a reasonable noonish-2 p.m. time) was the all-empowering Notre Dame (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris). Notre Dame was free of charge, a huge delight to someone trying to save on a 28-day trip. I looked for Kwazimoto but I don't think he lives there anymore (http://tinyurl.com/c7tdeq).

Now, on to our hotel. After searcing for roughly 20 min in an area in which we knew it was, we came up empty handed. That's it find a cab and just have him take us there. Found one. He refused to take us there citing, "It is stupid to take a cab because it's so close." So he gives some generic point to the location and drives off. My shoulders hurt from this stupid bag. That's it, let's just eat some lunch. While eating, Aimee pulls out her iPhone and uses her English-French translator (We didn't have internet so we couldn't look it up) and after the waiter drops off my 4 Euro ($5.80) Diet coke Aimee asks him where it is and he points down the street and Aimee found it while I ate some gross shrimp and avocado mixed cocktail.

After dropping our bags off (HOORAY!!!!!) we head on over to the 2nd most amazing thing I've seen (Colliseum #1) the Eiffel Tower. Holy cow that thing is amazing (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3616876244/) . After spotting the Eiffel we then saw a gold dome/cathedral-looking building and when I asked Doug what it was and he looked at the map and said, "Well, it says Napoleon is buried there." Ok, everyone, it's time to take a detour. Holding back the adrenaline rush of seeing the Eiffel Tower yet going elsewhere wasn't an easy thing to do but please...Napoleon?!?!?

The "shrine" of a dome to Napoleon ( is larger than anyone deserves. Absolutely enormous. His "statue-thing" in the center was kind of odd but my photos will prove that it was a little powerful just looking at it. Ok, ok, I kinda liked it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tumba_de_Napoleon_Bonaparte.jpg). Trying to hold that back. Moving on!

Exiting the dome and heading for that 80-story steel structure off the Saine river and getting that addrenaline rush again (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3616876244/)...let the camera shutters unload! (Cue Sufan Stevens' "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" - http://blip.fm/~81q3o)

Amazing. there is a park that is roughly a mile long that leads up to the structure so the goosebumps and joy have about 20 more minutes to grow.

After getting to the Eiffel Tower (and nearly falling over at thinking if its history and beauty) Doug and I decide we're gonna stair-it to the mid-level elevator...roughly 35 stories. Bring it on! (and it brought it on...remember, I've been walking now roughly 12 miles a day for the past 7 days and my legs are a lil wobbily). Nonetheless, arriving at the mid-level elevator and paying the very deserved 8 Euro to ride the elevator we got to the top. Breath-taking view. 360 degree view of Paris. A definite must-do in anyone's lifetime. Stayed 20 min. Took more photos and on back down. From there not much else happened except finding a chinese food dinner at a really nice mom-and-pop chinese store. Day 8...success.

Day 7; London

2009-06-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Oh Yes! The bliss of sleep!

Today was another great day and it started with a full 9 hours of sleep and that is probably no coincidence.

After we woke up and showered and packed and told Jen (our couchsurfing host) more thank-yous (she really is awesome) we headed to the British Museum (http://tinyurl.com/khvpx). This museum is huge. It should be huge from the way they filled the museum. As England "took over" soooo many countries and dynasties and empires they would then ship all the coolest stuff back to London (Parthenon sculptures, Roman relics, paintings...) and keep them there for their own true citizens. So, the museum has lots of great artifacts, I mean, I got to see the Rosetta Stone (http://tinyurl.com/yugsde)!

Anywho, after cruising through that museum we headed to another, the National Gallery (http://tinyurl.com/5de6dr) where my amazement truly jumped at the site of seeing some great art...and when I say great I'm talking about guys like Da Vinci, Rafael, Michelangelo, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Renoir and Reubens. All the greats. I ate it up like crazy.

We headed on our biggest journey of the evening after that and trekked on out to Camden to try and find Abbey Road. Yes, I'm a dork. After studying numerous worthless maps, taking 2 Underground trains and two buses, we decided to start asking people and it took about the 4th or 5th person to finally give us any kind of good answer. We even got one lady to ask us what it was...(insert British subtitles) "No, I don't know what that is but it's the 2nd time today someone's asked me for directions there...what is it?" Good Grief. Found it. Walked it. videoed it. Loved it...and that's all you need.

I will hopefully have all the videos wrapped up and sent to Newsok.com by tomorrow night for a 1st week wrap-up...here's hoping! :) Goodnight OKC.

(Oh, and I bought one of these today http://tinyurl.com/nsntz3)

Next stop Paris.

Day 6; London

2009-06-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

After our good 3 hour "nap" as our night's sleep, we headed out of Jeronimo's apartment and grabbed a taxi to Madrid's Barajas to fly to London.

No sleep on the plane for me as I spent the whole time uploading photos and videos and labels...well worth it.

This whole trip began with the planning around my friend, Doug, and I planning out a 10-day trip and it started in London and went to Paris then Amsterdam, Berlin and finished in Prague. But I expanded it to what it is today. Anyway, I met up with Doug this morning as his flight flew into London this morning. We didnt want to use phones on our trip and just decided to, "meet you at Big Ben at 11:45 a.m.?" and it worked out.

Doug met up with Aimee and I and we marvelled at Big Ben and the Parliment before crossing the Thames river and riding the Eye of London (http://tinyurl.com/pgvntw, http://tinyurl.com/9gerk)

After admiring the great view across London we started on a long trek all across London Central hitting St. Paul's Cathedral and Westminister Abbey and never did see Abbey Road but it is a primary spot for tomorrow.

We went to the Tower of London (http://tinyurl.com/3ohmt) and walked over Tower bridge (http://tinyurl.com/p5gazz).

After that we headed on over to our next couchsurfer's apartment, Jen. Jen lives in Notting Hill (yes, like the movie) and took us to this AWESOME pub that was the place, "Churchill's Arms" (http://tinyurl.com/pycqee) where Winston Churchill gave all his war update radio announcements from 1940-1945. That is the kind of stuff you don't see/find without locals. I love couchsurfing.

I'm having trouble finding some for Paris though. I sent out a couple more requests tonight so I hope to get some good feedback.

Tomorrow we are sure to hit the Abbey Road (I'll be Paul and Doug will be John), British Museum, National Gallery and the Royal Observatory.

Day 5 in Segovia

2009-06-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, Segovia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segovia) has captured me again!!! I have tons of photos and plan on uploading them soon but right now that requires too much effort for my exhausted body.

For now I'll tell you that the castle, the cathedral and the aqueduct are just breath-taking. I had been to Segovia before but for some reason this time was way more enjoyable. I took tons of photos. Yesterday's trip to Toledo was great but Segovia blew it out of the water.

Aimee and I missed the train...again. That's just what happens when you try to plan anything the next morning (11:30 a.m.) when you live in Madrid and everyone stays up till 4 a.m...and when i say everyone I pretty much mean everyone.

Ok, it was kind of a hassle (only because of the late time) getting to my next couchsurfing apartment but a great welcoming we got. We show up to a group of 8 people. One from Mexico, six from France and one Spanish native. All of them are fluent in French and Spanish and can carry on a conversation in English but not fluently. One of the more interesting things about this group is that at this table all three languages are spoken at all times depending on who started the conversation and who was being addressed (Anyone want to go in on getting the Rosetta Stone with me?).

So when we arrived we were escorted to this rooftop terrace in South Madrid for a BBQ and party. Yes, another party. The only strange thing about this BBQ and party is that it started at 11:30 p.m. It is now just baraly past 1 a.m. and we were just given some homemade cake. Yes, I love Spain.

Well as this party starts going strong I am off to bed...plane to London at 7:35 a.m. and we have to leave by 6:15. Exactly what I need right now, no sleep. :) Oh well, I can sleep when I get back to OKC.

Day 4 in Toledo

2009-06-05T11:46:00.000-07:00

Toledo, Spain, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. This is my 2nd time to go there and seeing their cathedral is well worth even a second trip (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3598005855/).

The main cathedral, The Cathedral of Saint Mary Cathedral (http://tinyurl.com/rdy3uz) is alone worth the reason why I missed my train back to Madrid. With the cathedral and the Alcazar (http://tinyurl.com/otyumz) right in the center of the hill-top city it was easily worth the 15 euros roundtrip on Spain/Europe's high-speed train (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3598030167/). The 30 min 150ish MPH trip flew by without a care but the only problem I had is that it didn't leave at 5:35 p.m. instead leaving at 5:30 p.m. meaning we missed our train and were "stuck" in Toledo for another 2 hours waiting for the next train.

No problem in Spain though as we found 4-5 cafes open within 2 blocks awaiting our arrival.

Now that i'm back to the apartment I need to join the discussion on what are night plans are. Tiene un buen fin de semana amigos. Haste Luego!!

-CBC

Madrid Day 3

2009-06-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

This morning 2 of my American friends, Aimee Freyman and Jason Opheim, arrived in Madrid. Jason was a previous roommate of mine and it was Aimee's first time here. Apparently jet lag doesn't apply to either of them as they were both anxious to hit the streets of Madrid and see the sites.

We went to Paco's (technically called Bar Collette but we call it Paco's because that is the name of one of the owners and we love him quite a bit; Paco and Tony, Paco is the one on the left with older brother Tony on the right) for an amazing lunch of Paella and Sangria/Mahou and then hit up many of the tourist hotspots.

Visiting many of the previously mentioned sites again, I also added the Museo del Prado to the list today (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prado).

Here in about 20 minutes, a group of us are heading up to the Templo de Debold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Debod) where we can see stunning views of the sunset...(http://tinyurl.com/ogp57v)

We don't really have any plans after that but I'm sure we can find some.

-CBC

Madrid day 2

2009-06-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

I finally fell asleep at 2:30 a.m. last night (jet lag is weird) but slept til 11:45 a.m. Boy did I need that. I got 4 hours of sleep the night before I left because I woke up early to do final packing assesments etc. and I got between 2-3 hours of off an on sleep on the overnight plane to Madrid and then when I arrived I walked around all day visiting various sites...I was exhausted. A very happy exhausted though :)

After rolling out of bed and getting all my essentials (Euros, digital camera, video camera, iPod and keys) I put on one of my many white t's and headed out. About the time I reached Plaza Espana, (http://tinyurl.com/r58o48) I realized my iPod decided it was going to play a joke on me and not work for the time being. "Oh, that silly iPod," I said to myself and took the headphones off, alleviating part of the typical tourist stereotype and headed up Gran Via (http://tinyurl.com/pq7xd5).

I took a short detour into popular clothing store H&M an quickly realized the summer line for men's clothing consisted of pink t-shirts with a v-neck cut. No thank you.

From H&M I headed over to Spain's famous Plaza Mayor (http://tinyurl.com/oxjrx6) and couldn't resist the taking photos of the famous plaza. I might as well have been holding a sign that read, "I don't speak Spanish, I am a tourist and come play music next to me in hopes I'll give you some money."

After walking through the plaza's beautiful arching entry/exits I headed down to the Grand Opry house and directly behind the opera was the palace (http://tinyurl.com/qklzh6).

Some photos of these places as well as the dominating pizza I made back at Angela's apartment and a gigantic advertisement of Hugh Laurie (star of my favorite TV show "House") can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/. Enjoy.

Just arrived in Madrid!!

2009-06-02T03:58:00.000-07:00

My 9.5 hour flight is officially over. My computer says 5:59 a.m. but here it is 12:59 p.m. and sunny and beautiful. I met up with my old roommate here and am sitting at Cafe Ojala (Cafe Wish...somewhat). We just ordered some canas (half pints) of Warsteiner and patiently awaiting my first genuine tapas in 14 months. The people all around me are speaking in the very passionate way Spainards are acustomed to and I'm so giddy that I'm writing this with a smile on my face looking like the typical American tourist.

I just turned the camera function on my computer to on and went outside and took this photo, http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3588984324/ and came back inside and took this one, http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3588177379/

I will take some video throughout the day and shoot them over to www.newsok.com as soon as I can (probably tonight or tomorrow morning).

Adios!

-CBC

Europe Itinerary

2009-05-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's all finally completed. I get exhausted looking at this itinerary. I realize that with the 8 flights and 7 trains and 1 bus that something is bound to mess up. I'm not too keen on flying to begin with and don't know why I'm making myself do all the flying but in this economy (Europe is getting hit even harder than we are) the flights are pretty darn cheap right now.

The housing will primarily be done through www.couchsurfing.com except some nights in Spain where I'll stay with friends that I lived with prior.

So here it is, June 1-29.

June 1: Noon flight to Madrid

June 2: 10:00 a.m. Arrive in Madrid, Spain

June 3: Madrid, Spain

June 4: Madrid, Spain

June 5: Day trip (speed train) to Toledo, Spain

June 6: Day trip (speed train) to Segovia, Spain

June 7: 8:00 a.m. flight to London, England

June 8: London, England

June 9: 6:55 a.m. Train to Paris, France

June 10: Paris, France

June 11: 8:25 Train to Amsterdam, Netherlands

June 12: Amsterdam, Netherlands

June 13: 7:30 Train to Berlin, Germany

June 14: Berlin, Germany

June 15: 9:00 a.m. Train to Prague, Czech Republic

June 16: 4:30 p.m. flight to Milan, Italy

June 17: 2:00 p.m. Train to Lugano, Switzerland

June 18: Lugano, Switzerland

June 19: 10:15 p.m. flight to Liverpool, England

June 20: Liverpool, England

June 21: 9:35 a.m. Flight to Dublin, Ireland

June 22: Dublin, Ireland

June 23: 9:55 a.m. Flight to London, England

June 24: London, England

June 25: 2:35 Flight to Barcelona, Spain

June 26: Barcelona, Spain

June 27: 10:00 a.m. bus to Madrid, Spain

June 28: Madrid, Spain

June 29: Home.

Also, you will be able to track me on www.newsok.com throughout the trip via videos, blogs and live interviews via Skype.

Housing crisis

2009-05-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

No, this is not a rant on the nation's housing crisis yet is primarily focused on the fact that starting June 1 I will officially be homeless...kind of.

I move out of my apartment on May 31 and did not renew, primarily because I will be gone the entire month of June and do not want to pay for rent and bills when I absolutely will not be here for 29 days. That said...I don't know where I will live starting July 1. Kinda scary. I was really hoping to nail down some big decisions on downtown housing for purchase before heading to Europe but I kept noticing a trend, I am not rich enough to afford 95% of the downtown housing and I'm not ashamed to say that.

How can I be ashamed of the fact that I'm 26 and can't afford a $250,000 condo? I'm not saying that the prices are too high or even implying that the facilities are sub-par...because I really like them. I would move into any of them tomorrow if I could. What I am saying is...."Why do developers in OKC not want to have people in their 20's living downtown?"

Sure, I know about as well as any that there are three or four condos that around $150,000 but that's it. There may be even one or two that reach the $130,000 mark...but with something near 100+ condos coming online in the downtown area how are there less than 10 condos for under $165,000?

Is that space really that expensive? Is $190+ per sf the lowest a developer can go? I understand the basic business model of supply and demand, but right now the demand is being yelled by many young professionals...the supply is where?

I am actually thinking I won't get to buy a downtown condo and find myself begrudingly living a few miles outside downtown. My generation cares about the environment surrounding them ...not baseboards or high ceilings...they care about walking to the grocery store or park, not about chandeliers and fancy rugs...The surrounding environment is already there AND growing. Please oh please don't force my generation into the suburbs too.

This blog is to hopefully to get the word out that yes, there are plenty of downtown housing options...but almost none for the generation that thrives to live there. All this talk on prices and development is not meant to knock all the develments themselves yet merely to point out the fact that there are way tooooo many developments for the upper class and not nearly enough for (cough cough) young professionals.

I have looked into The Leslie at Maywood and applaud their efforts of offering 8 of their 24 units at $99,000. Pretty interesting although it won't be developed for another couple years I am interested to see the finished product. (the other 16 units are no cheaper than $230,000)http://theleslieatmaywoodpark.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=8

Here are links to the Web sites of many downtown housing option developments. Enjoy.

http://www.theloftsatmaywoodpark.com/

http://www.reinventokc.com/floorplans.asp

http://www.centralavenuevillas.com/floorplans.html

http://www.thehillokc.com/floorplans-overview.html

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/11759-old-downtown-library-proposal-finally-here-carnegie-centre.html

Planning out Summer 09

2009-05-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I sat down and started detailing my trip this summer with my friend who is traveling with me for part of the trip (June 7-16, my entire trip is from June 1-29). We laid out museums and historic landmarks that we want to make sure we see and purchased a few tickets to museums...The Louvre in Paris and Anne Frank House Museum in Amsterdam. But as we planned out many of these "must-see" attractions I started thinking about wanting to be apart of something...as in not just viewing something but actually witnessing something happening.

While living in Madrid (August 2006- April 2007) I never got to see a bullfight. That became priority number one when I get to Madrid, my starting point and final destination on my trip. Then I looked into soccer (futbol) matches because I've always heard of the excitment and importance all around the world of soccer and want to witness an 80,000 crowd for a regular soccer game, yelling in a language I barely understand...kinda sounds exciting.

I will miss running with the bulls by 1 week. I'm very bummed at that. I also barely miss the Tour de France and the British Open just barely. It is hard to complain, however, considering all the great historic sites and museums I will get to see along with beaches like Barcelona but I still feel like there are events that I'll be missing out on. Events that only locals usually witness. Can anyone think of any events or games I could attend? I racked my brain and I'm falling short. Euorpe in June...there has to be more going on.

Couchsurfing host

2009-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I just completed my first couchsurfing as a host experience.

I received an e-mail from couchsurfing.com on Sunday night while I was watching the Wolverine movie with my brothers at AMC. I waited til I got home to view the persons profile to see what they were like before I would accept.

The arrival time was set for the following night, Monday night, and since everything (references, friends, personality, age) all seemed to work out and so I accepted. She, Stephanie, did mention, that she would not be able to arrive until late...9ish. I replied telling her that I was playing tennis from 8:30-10 and because I wouldn't be home and showered unyil 10:45 I told her I would be unavailable until 10:45 and she agreed and said she would just go grab something to eat until I returned...

The next morning I received an e-mail from her telling me that her plans of staying in Cali for the summer just got canceled because of a living situation that ended up not being available.She also said that she still might go in a few days depending on if she can find alternative housing. Bummer. I said no problem and if she needs to come through in a few days let me know.

2 hours later...I get an e-mail telling me that she found extra housing and that if I was still willing that she would still like to stay here that night but because she left a few hours later than planned her arrival time would be more like midnight. (oh the stresses of traveling never stop...and I know that as well as most.) "Sure thing, see you tonight."

The next day it rained like crazy and was merely impossible to do anything during the day/lunch hour so she just stayed at my apt working on some internship forms for the summer while I was at work. She had mentioned to me the night before about her plan on staying in OKC that night and the next day driving to Amarillo for a day then to Albuquerque (she had 5 days to get to Cali). I told her Amarillo would be boring. So, when I got home from work (Cinco de Mayo) I told her of plans I had to go out with my friends and how bummed I was that she never got to really see any of OKC. She, very shyly, asked if she could stay another night.

"Of course you can. Now let's go to Bricktown."

Walking all around Bricktown and "pitching" OKC as the wonderful place that it is I get a text form my friends that they are now headed over to Iguana Grill, perfect timing as we were ending our walk around Bricktown. So, at 9:15 p.m. we show up to meet about 10 of my friends and had food and drinks til midnight. Then walked over to the Memorial where we all walked around sharing stories and enjoying company.

After lunch the next day she packed up and left for Albuquerque. Have a safe rest of the trip, Stephanie, and we'll see you in August when you head back home to Tennessee.

Her facebook status: "in love with oklahoma city and is sad to leave. SOOOO very thankful for how the nights in oklahoma city turned out... i had a blast with casey and his friends :0)"

Stay classy Oklahoma City.

The OKC Marathon is more than just a 26.2 mile run

2009-04-29T08:00:00.001-07:00

I don’t know how many Oklahoma City citizens know this (roughly 20,000) but the noisiest cross streets in North America on Sunday, April 26, 2009 happened to be in Oklahoma City…at N.W. 6^th and Harvey to be exact. I know this because I live one block away on 5^th street. I was awake against my will at 6:00 a.m., but this time I was ok with it.

I have been awaken numerous times living downtown (mostly by the train because it feels the need to blow its horn for 3-4 minutes straight at 4:30 a.m.) but never have I been more…um…fulfilled to be awake so early to the sound of loud speakers and dedicated runners; dedicated to running at the remembrance of the 168 that lost their lives due of the tragedy striking Oklahoma City in 1995.

Everyone has a story of that morning. Mine happens to be one of sitting in Miss Mayer’s 6^th grade English class feeling the building shake and later on at lunch hearing the announcement over the intercom of a bomb in the downtown area. I also remember seeing nothing on TV for that entire week except half of a downtown building I had never seen before yet would change my life and millions of others’ forever.

I see that site every day walking to work; walking back from work. I meet tourists all the time coming here to remember; coming here to witness. They remember that day. I remember that day. On April 26, 2009 we all remembered it together.

I’m a little embarrassed to say that I have never participated in the marathon. I think we all should. On Tuesday at lunch I talked with a friend, Nancy Redinger, who participated in the 5-person relay. I thought to myself, “I want to do that…There are five people in my family…we should all participate.” I immediately sent out a text to my mom, my dad, my younger brother Tristan and my older brother Mike with the idea. Within minutes I got response from all of them. “Yes!” “Wow…cool” “Sounds good.” Responses I had hoped and for responses I expected.

Marathon participants pray under the Survivor Tree during a service at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial before the start of the ninth annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Sunday, April 26, 2009, in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps.

Next year team Cornett is looking to run the course. We’re looking to join those in waking those sleeping in downtown. I figure if enough join us in the cause than hopefully there will be nobody left to “wake up.” Where were you on April 19, 1995 and will you join with your neighbors and participate in someway next year?

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Gandhi

Having 20/20 for OKC in 2020

2009-04-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

When I finally decide to purchase a condo in downtown I want somewhere to go on a Saturday/evening walk. Somewhere to take guests from out of town where noise isn't abundant and is still in walking distance. Somewhere that takes my mind off of wishing I was back in Madrid's Retiro Park (http://tinyurl.com/ctn6r4) or NYC's Central Park and focus on being proud to be in OKC. I love being here now, but when I picture the time when all the previously stated comes true I hope it's not because the 1 block at 4th and Gaylord remains but that Core to Shore and Maps 3 come to full fruition.

I think Blair and I are on the same side when it comes to seeing OKC become more walkable and pedestrian friendly. I hope to join in Blair's efforts to keep OKC's decision makers on track (as they have been stepping up mightily with bringing Speck and pushing for the Core to Shore plan).

The one thing I hoped to accomplish with my last blog posting was to ensure hope into all those protesting the block at 4th and Gaylord that there is another project worth your time and efforts. I'm just hoping that enthusiasm for OKC's future isn't hanging on the fate of that block that has already been approved for change. I need all those wishing to keep OKC going in the right direction to not get discouraged yet to shift focus to what could/should be a project for OKC's next generation(s).

Am I against those protesting for the block at 4th and Gaylord? Absolutely not. I just know that those opposing the change on that block are the ones that should also be proponents of Core to Shore. I just hope the same energy and effort spent trying to save that block will still be available as it will be needed come the vote for Core to Shore.

Steve Lackmeyer - Thanks for the blog love, but let's see your comments too and not just snippets of Blair and I's...

For Blair Humphreys blog - http://imaginativeamerica.com/

For Steve Lackmeyer's blog - http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/

Blair- Don't you have a thesis to write? :)

Walkability and the Core-to-Shore

2009-04-09T10:29:00.000-07:00

After listening to Jeff Speck's "Walkability" presentation at the city council meeting I started to get...giddy. Yup, I admit the butterflies were floating just thinking about the great direction this city that I live in is going. One of the MAJOR things I miss about living abroad was the opportunity to just leave my apartment and get "lost" in all the shops and pubs and entertainment readily available in Madrid...without ever getting in a car. I thought Speck's presentation ideas were spot on in so many ways. Sure you can find things to argue about in the presentation, I mean, the information was made to be a 3-hour presentation so there were plenty of suggestions that can be debated.

One of the great things about being at that presentation was that I was there as a pedestrian, an urbanite, a downtown worker, a downtown walker (even though at times it seems i'm the only one) and also a downtown dreamer. I get excited about our future plans as a city and I get even more excited reading about core-to-shore.

For those that have been living in a cave you find more extensive insights into Core-to-Shore here http://www.okc.gov/planning/coretoshore/index.html.

The Core-to-Shore project will add so much more greenspace to our already-lacking-green image. The sad thing i'm starting to notice is that all the people who are strongly for greenspace are still focusing their efforts towards the 1 square block of privately owned and privately funded Chamber building going in at 4th and EK Gaylord. Hasn't that already been approved and moved on? Sure, there is still another (I believe just 1) date set on the beautification aspect of that space...but the building is still going there, let's move on. The core-to-shore project will be bring roughly 20-square blocks of greenspace. Why can't greenspace lovers and journalists focus on what has yet not been decided on instead of still arguing over the 1-square block to argue over. That block is done, it was a good fight to keep it. But now let's join together and make sure we don't miss the boat on another big greensapce opportunity.

"Blow your mind"

2009-04-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

Going over to Dear's house last night (Dear is my grandma, it's the name we've called her my whole life - and it fits her quite well) at 9:15 p.m. is a testament to how great she is because unlike most grandmas (in bed by 8:00 p.m.) I can call her late at night and swing by and hangout.

When I got there Dear was in her kitchen cooking a meal to bring to some church function (Crossings Community Church - shamless plug) and not only that, she has her kitchen TV on as well as her laptop on the counter set up to the internet just browsing stuff.

Recap- my grandma invites me over to hangout at 9:15 p.m. I arrive and see her more technologically plugged-in than numerous teenagers i know.

Ok, so I decide to show her the Google Maps street view. We cruise around OKC and then head down to Houston to look at a house she lived in back in 1970. It was a blast. After that I told her I was going to "Blow your mind" and took her overseas to Madrid to show her my old apartment and all my favorite places to walk around be with friends.

I thought all of this was so much fun, not because I'm one of the lucky people that still has the opportunity to spend time with grandparents (two grandmas within 15 miles of my apartment) but also very proud that I have a grandma that is still very active and loves to learn about new things. From her style of living, I am continually pushed to always learn new things and to never allow myself to sit and be content.

Thank you, Dear. Next time, don't keep ME up to late.

What Women Want

2009-03-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

I am not only going to confess that I watched Mel Gibson's "What Women Want" (2000) last night I'm also going to let it all out and say I would probably recommend it to those who haven't seen it.

Once you get past the OBVIOUS that the title itself is a nonsensical statement (as nobody in there right mind really does knows what women want) and start watching the movie it is obvious that this movie was written by a woman...and I'm not looking it up so if actually was written by man he is my new hero. As I laid there on my couch watching what I was sure going to be another ridiculous chick flick I couldn't turn it off. The movie does not harp on the falsehood of the impossible (understanding what women want) and instead delves into the communications/relationship model as a whole.

Relationships with friends, families and of course the people that we just casually see on the street everyday; just because we may not know their name(s) doesn't mean an interaction doesn't occur of some sort (twitter/facebook/myspace/TV/newspaper/radio etc).

The movie made me further realize the importance of taking notice on the people that make up your day-to-day life. It's up to me to try and listen to what they're trying to say (or what they want to say).

"But behavior in the human being is sometimes a defense, a way of concealing motives and thoughts, as language can be a way of hiding your thoughts and preventing communication." -Abraham Maslow

Credit, Taxes, Stocks, Insurance

2009-03-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

As someone in their mid 20's i'm faced with task that nobody can avoid, learning "grown-up" issues. These issues are not limited to but definitely pertain: Credit, Taxes, Stocks and Insurance.

Let me list the possibilities for teenagers/young adults trying to learn these important unavoidable tasks: mentor for all 4 sections, specialized classes in a university, take workshops for all four individual sections...but let's be honest...which person in this age group has the money it takes for these worshops/seminars?

Probably the most common way for young adults to learn these practices is to just simply "learn-as-you-go."

For financial areas as crucial to a person's life as these are it is embarrassing that schools (high schools and universities) don't require all students to take courses on these. Yes, I know that few high schools and most universities offer a class or two to choose but what student (16-23) is going to choose a finance class over some of the more recreational electives offered in schools?

Granted, there are those few students who know the importance of finances at an early age (thoses students usually come from families that ingrain that importance) but what about the common student...the one that knows the importance of being a kid? The ones that realize that this is the only time when they don't have to worry about rent or where there next meal is coming from?

What do they do when it's time for them to join the American working class...struggle. If you know a student that fits the bill of needing that extra "push" in the financial direction, give them a shove...because it may take a shove from you to finally get them to take a step forward.

Joy in Mudville

2009-03-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

For all of the Ernest Thayer fans out there an introduction to the poem "Casey At the Bat" is not needed, but for those wishing for one let's just say the outlook wasn't brilliant.

"Casey At the Bat" has been my life-time favorite poem for obvious name comparisons but also for the imagery of Mudville. The poem, published nearly 121 years ago, is filled with descriptions begging the 8-year old spirit in all of us to keep reading.

It paints a story of a heroic figure named Casey who has been waiting for his big chance to shine when it comes to the big game. Unlike most poems (especially children's poems) when his chance comes, he fails. But that's just the start of the imagery. I would like to think Thayer wrote an altered ending. That maybe Casey could be redeemed in the following season (or maybe get traded to the Giants.)

Regardless of Thayer's relentless attempt to paint Casey a failure for eternity, at least he swung at strike three instead of watching it go by.