Don't Mess With Texas

I finally did it. I moved myself to Texas. And when I say "I moved myself", that's exactly what I mean. After trying to convince several people to road trip it down with me (to no avail because apparently school and work come first), I trudged the 27 some hours to my new home.

The trip started in Council, Idaho--had a brief break in Utah where I saw family, old roommates, friends from BYU-I who had decided to try out Provo, and Leigh and Jon-to give them the wieners and syrup from Max (Oh and where I got my oil changed only to have my car smell funny and make weird noises, then to bring it back where they realized they had forgot to put the oil cap back on and hot oil was spewing out all over my engine...that's good. They thanked me heavily for being so observant and bringing it back in, saving me-and them-much trouble).

Now, normally, I am perfectly content just listening to music, or my own thoughts, during car trips. But 27 hours?? My thoughts would go crazy after 10. So, I decided to make my time useful by listening to highly motivating, somewhat random books on CD. I was going to be THE most determined person in Texas when I arrived.

The first book I listened to...

Highly motivating. All about life's lessons seen through the eyes of a dying man. What a way to start a road trip...depressed, but SO ready to start living.

Book number two...

Okay so this one doesn't make much sense, I know. 1. I do not have a husband. 2. Dr. Laura, really??
However, she makes me laugh with her incredibly blunt opinions and I have heard this was a good book and got a little curious. There were several things I learned from this one. First, apparently it is abuse to say your husband looks better without facial hair...hm. Second, that man is a very simple creature, "who needs only direct communication, respect, appreciation, food, and good loving". And third, that if he gets all these things, you-and he-will be happy.

By the time this book was over-I had made it the Albuquerque where I planned on getting a hotel room and spending the night. However, it was only 6pm so I decided instead to find a grocery store and get some fresh fruits and veggies because the thought of fast food made me sick to my stomach after all the Canadian chocolate that was so readily available and shamelessly eaten up to this point. However, after driving around downtown Albuquerque for almost an hour, and finding NOTHING, I decided people in New Mexico must not eat food...not real food anyway. I did see the college campus during my wanderings and it was actually really cool. Maybe I'll go there someday. Well, after consulting with a nice gas jockey, I decided to continue my trip to Roswell, and see if THEY believed in grocery stores. So, three hours later, I arrived in Roswell, New Mexico-home of the most alien sightings...and the most insane tourists searching for little green men. I was a little worried at first, but then I realized they were all so welcoming...

And SO cute.

And I found a grocery store!! But. I bought raspberries that were a little on the moldy side and they made me sick for the rest of the trip. Also, because I could not bring myself to pay 100 dollars for a hotel room where I would only sleep a few hours...I slept in my car. It was incredibly uncomfortable-but totally worth it. Who sleeps in their car in an alien town?? Don't tell my mom.

In the morning, it was off the San Antonio, and I was so thankful that the night was over and I hadn't been abducted. The next book was by Zig Ziglar, whom I have come to absolutely love. SO entertaining.

This is another of those, "does this really apply...?" But it totally did! After all, we are all salesmen (or women), in some way or another, right? He definitely kept me from falling asleep on this leg.

The last book was a little less exciting, but oh-so-interesting.

I recommend this one to...well, anyone. It reiterates the fact that what you think is what you do and what you do is who you are. I totally agreed with everything this man wrote...now I just have to apply it.

Well, this book was just coming to a close when I finally reached San Antonio where it started POURING rain as I started to unpack my things from my car into my adorable new house where I met my awesome new roommate, Holly.

So, all motivated (and still slightly ill from the raspberries), I started my Texan journey...now I just need to find a job.