So I'm back from Spring Break. And a ten day hiatus before that because suddenly the tidal wave of work/finals and the making of a movie for AH's mother's 60th birthday all collapsed in one week for me. I survived. And then I went on a small but much needed trip.
We drove to New Mexico through Eastern Oregon, Idaho (if you can tell me something good about that state I'd like to hear it), Utah (so beautiful, so slightly creepy), Colorado and into the Land of Enchantment itself. Where the first thing we did was drive to the Frontier and eat cheese enchilladas with green chili. The in-laws were all good and fun (though, slightly disturbingly, I'm not entirely sure I like my oldest nephew - there is no 3 three year old in the world I don't like - except maybe him. Sensitive, bossy, demanding, mean...is that possible in a little kid? His parents are awfully nice so I"m not sure what the deal is. I felt like a fraud Aunt.) The big 60th birthday party was on Saturday night and the house was overrun with the glamorous Spanish ladies in capes and jewels and the highest of heels. I couldn't follow one word of the conversation beyond "Mucho gusto" which I actually thought meant "Mmm, yummy" so that was confusing, as it apparently means "Nice to meet you". Also, I am always slightly awkward at the Euro cheek kiss thing, turning my head the wrong way, actually making lip contact...BUT I did have an excellent new dress and the movie tribute to show. I was nervous how so many people crowded around a TV would endure a 20 minute recap of my MIL's life through Super-8 footage but it was very well received and I actually haven't felt that good about a project or as excited to see the final product in a long time. It reminds me what possesed me to think I could be a filmmaker back in the day - just how exciting it is to put pictures and words and music together.
We got to spend time with friends who live in ABQ now too and it was really illuminating to see them there, in their little adobe houses and woodstoves and awesome bowling alleys and bars, a different picture than the family ABQ I usually see. Still, as much as I want a little adobe house, I do not see myself moving there. Nope.
So we drove off to California from the New Mex, which meant crossing, you know Death Valley, in a windstorm. And seeing nothing but chains and strip malls and semi-trucks until I thought I would just up and quit North America all together. You know that point of the trip where the thought of some green vegetables seems like a dream? I was there, all right. Until magically, we hit central California and the green hills and ranches and farms and vineyards. We drove up Highway 1 from San Simeon, the sky bright blue and hot and the smell of eucalyptus and it was pretty damn magical. Surprisingly unspoiled. The hot weather and blue sky continued in San Francisco which was a shocker, because it's usually cold there. But no, I was wearing t-shirts and bare legs all day every day. AH had to do some training but that meant we were put up in a swank hotel and I was free to do my own thing, which actually included a lot of thrifting, Loehman's for shoes (which was a transformative experience in my shoe life), Mission burritos, chinese food, Italian coffee shops, and the best damn sushi I ever had in my life. It was an excellent time. I had a tan. I sincerely liked Sonoma county and dreamed of eating and drinking there on sunny patios for the rest of my natural life, though I'm guessing I would need to be a multi-millionaire to achieve that goal. (But the food! The beer! The weather!) Everything was peachy-keen until we hit Northern California and the redwood area and the grey skies rolled in and the moss and the pine trees and I thought uber-dramatically to myself "I cannot live in the Pacific Northwest for one more minute". I need sun. And blue skies. And trees other than the fucking pine tree, please. But I also don't want concrete and strip malls and billion dollar houses - but I still do want a cool city. What is a girl to do?
Of course all this pondering is wrapped up in the bigger package of "Ten More Days to Make Up My Mind What School to Go To and Let Them Know" and with nothing feeling just right or vaguely affordable , this has me freaking out still and forever. Conclusions to be reported soon.