Easily One of the Stranger Conversations I've Ever Had

On Saturday I went to Baltimore for the Frozen Bikeless Bike Tour. This is a annual event that involves copious amounts of alcohol and very brightly colored sweatshirts. This year it also involved the following conversation via text.

Random 716 Phone Number: heyy :)

Me: Who is this? I got a new phone. (It was group consensus that this is the most democratic answer to texts from people who's numbers you don't recognize. That way if you do know the person, you're not exactly offending them. Hopefully.)

716#: mandi :)

Me: Mandi. I'm not sure we know each other.

716#: mike?

Me: Not Mike. Sorry wrong number.

716#: im so sry hun 2 bother yu..

Me: No worries!

(Now, let's all keep in mind she said she was sorry to bother me. Where I come from "I'm sorry to bother you" means "I realize that I'm interrupting your day and I'm sorry for that and I'm going to stop interrupting your day now." Not to mention we have already established I am not the boy who's phone number she thinks she got. Whoever you are Mike with the phone number similar to mine, thanks a bunch.)

716#: who is this thn, if yu dnt mind me askin

Me: Um, I'm just a girl from Buffalo.

716#: ru datin a guy named jon (Seriously.)

Me: Nope.

716#: ok gd lol haha take care thn

Now after we realized I wasn't Mike but then we learned I was a girl, why did we assume I might be dating Jon? How does Jon even play into this at all? I may not know alot about the etiqutte of accidentally texting random people but I'm pretty sure about 90% of that makes about 0% sense. But now that it's out there in universe, what do we suppose the story is here? I'm pretty sure I don't care but I'm also fairly certain I have to know now.

If anyone has any information regarding Mandi, Mike, Jon, and the apparent torrid love affair brewing between them, please post it in the comments.

And The Second Picture

Because apparently I'm computer illiterate.

And because you had to see the close up.

Everywhere I Go. Everywhere.

Denver is a fantastic city. In fact, I'll go so far as to say Colorado is generally awesome. Tons to do, tons to see, so much outdoorsy-ness. In my case, too much outdoorsy-ness. (Should I try to submit that word to Webster's? I'm thinking maybe.)

Fox and coyote in Buffalo are scary but they are nothing compared to the wildlife spotted on my vacation. I do not know what those things are but they were terrifying. On a drive from Red Rocks (amazing even if there isn't a musical act there) to Lookout Mountain (which I don't have a good picture of because I let my camera die and is also why the pictures (and by pictures I mean picture because Kristen can't figure out how get two photos on one post without the formatting being wacky) of creatures are not of the highest quality) the ride suddenly came to a dead stop. It took a minute to figure it out but all of a sudden we realize there are literally THIRTY of these deer/elk/moose/goat hybrids trying to cross the road. Anything that cannot be positively identified is the enemy. (I still don't know what these things are even though I know I read about them at the Science Museum the next day. Note to self: pay more attention when learning things.) I could swear they were looking at me, waiting to charge. I was 100% sure they wanted to eat me.

As it turned out all hundred million of them just crossed the road and went along their way. I suppose this is not surprising as I'm always convinced all kinds of animals are going to attack me and they never do. But the minute I let my guard down I'm totally going to be someones lunch. It. Is. Coming.

There's Something About Getting Away

I'm not one to get to emo on the blog here. I don't really wax poetic about my life and my dreams and what happens during my marriage and divorce. I write about wanting to be Lil' Wayne, how I feel like racoons are always out to attack me, and other generally mundane musings of suburban life.

This is not one of those days.

Today we do wax poetic and we do so about traveling. I have only seen half of Up in the Air (coincidentally this past weekend) but I can tell you I am 100% a kindred spirit of George Clooney's character. There is something to be said for knowing how to travel because if you know how to do it, there is nothing better. You hate airports? I love them. You can't sleep on a plane? I'm out like a light. You think hotels are gross? I'm well known for stealing all the toiletries because I love to reuse them. I also have a rule of thumb: If you know someone who lives somewhere and they are willing to put you up for a few days, DO IT. There are not going to be an unlimited number of times you are going to be able to find a place to stay, not only at no cost, but with people who can show you a place for what it really is, not for what everyone else sees. Also, when else do you have the opportunity to cruise through 5 issues of New York magazine cover to cover. When?!

It had been a while since I had been anywhere, sans a quick overnight in Philly, followed by a weekend in State College, and I have been itiching to get out. We all know I love, love, love Buffalo but that doesn't mean you can stay here 365 days a year.

So one Gchat conversation, a spin around the Orbitz website, six pairs of shoes packed for 4 days, and it was done. Impromptu weekend in Denver was set. Details will follow about the fabulousness, but this is simply here to say, how wonderful it is to get away.

(That was not meant to be so emo that it rhymed but I guess if we're going down the rabbit hole, we may as well really jump down there....)