AAA is far superior to Mapquest.

^ Why AAA is awesome. This is the top page of the 79 page PDF that AAA made for me.


Shortly after finishing my finals, I'm starting to work on the comfort areas: the following pics should explain the ridiculousness of it all.

Step one:
Physical comfort in the car:

• butt pillows (I'ma need 'em)
• Raspberries (he still, after 23 years, goes everywhere. makes for a good neck pillow sometimes)

copious amounts of hand sanitizer and lotion (One can never be too prepared, and my hands get bad in heat, strangely)

This will lead us into the tech:
Dad insists I take his "car cooler" that hooks into the car lighter. He also says "I have this thing here too: you can bring the cooler into the hotels with you and plug it in there with this!"



I feel like some kind of Tim-the-Toolman Taylor aura ebbing from the appliances that are about to accompany me into Misadventure...

...I was always more of an Al or Wilson girl...

And am convinced I don't need this: normal coolers are totally all right with me. However, this cooler doesn't take ice. While less of a mess, how much energy is it stealing from the rest of the goodies that are making their way across a third of the US with me?

Those goodies are:

First and foremost, my babies.
Victoria (sans case)

(Reid's thought process: "Somafm... good girl. ...Hey, that's my flash drive!!" )

Sadly, the camera doesn't have a name, but here it is (no case pictured here either, nor is the trusty power shot A 520 I've been using for 4 years, lol, it's taking the pictures!)


and of course, the rest of the ridiculousness:

In which we find (from left top):

• the "Stretcher" for the car lighter: allows me two additional spaces for other car lighter plugs

• the detector (for you, Aunt Cathy) - which will be using one of the stretcher slots.
• the Tom-Tom (graciously lent by Ari - thank you ^_^)
• What? My phone is TOTALLY tech...
• That middle contraption that kind of looks like a thermometer? Yeah, that's my favorite tech item: it's the only thing out there minus the phone that's actually mine. It used to go with my iPod before it was stolen. Uber cool fact about it: it can plug into ANY headphone jack, and use its audio. This means I can listen to Stargate SG-1 episodes (on DVD via the laptop) and X-Files episodes - or if I'm feeling really ridiculous, I'll listen to the extended Fellowship of the Ring or something--ON MY CAR SPEAKERS. Why? Because I can.
• The thing hanging off the right side of the picture is the USB link for my cameras. This will be used almost constantly, it's like an IV
• Last, but most certainly not least: The Power Inverter *adds Toolman grunts* This allows me to use a car lighter plug... and get two electrical outlets in return. This powers the laptop (which powers the Tom-Tom) and the phone.

I want to explain all this because I find it quite ridiculous. But I think it's a little goofy all around that I am pushing more than 48 hours of driving in a three-week time span. It NEEDS to be goofy. Plus, how can I keep in touch with all the friends and family that I love? And how else would you see my pictures? :D I think this particular post teaches me the first lesson before I get on the road:

I couldn't live without technology at this particular crossroads in my life, regardless of how much of an anachronism I might consider myself.

As a post script: please don't be alarmed if either of the following things should occur:

1. My father rises to internet stardom for his spectacular rap duet with Mark Gormley and no, they aren't dopplegangers.
2. My sister Sarah makes billions of dollars off the "Pants Club"... a club. For pants.