Places I don't want to go

I have been inspired to start a series of list blog posts. I had a list of "things that I do and things that I want to do" I would post it but, it's vaguely depressing and has changed since the time I wrote it.

Per Emily's sugestion; here is a list of: "Places I don't want to go".

Montana: As I may have mentioned before, I don't really believe that Montana exists. Supposing that it did exist, I would think it would be filled with militias set on keeping America pure.

Turkish prison: Ever since I watched Midnight Express; I am terrified of getting stuck in Turkish prison after attempting to smuggle hash into the US. I fear not being released and dealing with pay offs, corruption and violence and eventually having to murder a guard in order to get out, 7+ years later.

Delaware: If there was a contest for the least interesting state; I think Delaware would win.

Virginia: Maybe the people in West Virginia are all crazy but, the people in regular Virginia are all jerks. I'm not allowed to drive in the state anyway, so I don't really foresee a problem.

Stores: Really any store that specializes in home electronics or bulk food is a place I do not want to be.

Roseburg Valley Mall: While I think that I might like Orange Julius and Skippers world of Fish, I'm not really willing to stick around and find out.

Indiana: If they were giving out awards for the worst state; I would vote for Indiana. They should really change their state motto from "The crossroads of America" to "the smelliest roads in America". And, what the hell is a "hoosier"? And don't even get me started on Gary...

Here is a less in depth list of other places I don't want to go:

The Great Plains
Washington, DC
Dutch Congo
Mexican jail
New Jersey (and just so you know it's is totally passe to hate New Jersey)
Events geared toward teenagers and/or old people.

My Awesome Road Trip or The web of lies begins

Short version: Me, Laura and her cat went to several DMV's. The car IS registered. The car broke down in Clearfield, Pennsylvania (200 or so miles out of New York). The car would cost $1000 dollars to fix and wouldn't be done till Tuesday. I will be buying a used Buick Friday morning.

Long version: Yesterday morning, I picked up Laura in the Bronx, we headed to New Jersey to get a replacement temporary registration. Somehow, we ended up at the least helpful DMV in the universe. The woman working was so un-helpful and so un-friendly. We went back to New York, I tried to get a temporary registration but, in the end I got an actual registration. I had to give them my Brooklyn address, even though I no longer live in New York, or anywhere really, because one cannot register a car in New York unless one lives in New York. A woman, also in line at the NY DMV, said I could use her address.

Several hours later and $250 dollars lighter we started on our 15 hour drive toward Chicago. Driving through Pennsylvania, the "check oil" light went on, we took the next exit at the end of the off-ramp the car stopped and all of the emergency lights came on. Me and Laura sat there for a while with the idea that if we let the car "rest" then all would be ok. blah, blah, blah... Not much further in the future, a guy named Tony came by, it was suspected that our timing belt had broken. Tony had a chain in his truck and towed us over to the Snappy's parking lot. He had to go visit his mother in the hospital, he gave us the number for a mechanic and said he would stop by after his visit to the hospital. Tony kept remarking on how much the people in this town were jerks and how they won't help anyone. Tony said we could stay with him and his wife. The mechanic was closed. One of the women working at Snappy's, managed to get a hold of a mechanic named Sean. So, Sean from Shawns Auto Repair came with a tow truck that already had two recked cars on it and checked out the car. It was in fact the timing belt. While he talked to me he kept getting side tracked by other people passing through the parking lot. Sean made fun of the women working at Snappy's and the made fun of Laura, then he gave her a hug.

It was decided that we would call him in the morning.

Me and Laura walked to the four different hotels near by in search of the cheapest one. We made bet's as to the prices of the different hotels, I think I won once and Laura won twice. We ended up staying at the Super 8 Motel in Clearfield, PA, it was $52 for a double. We lied about not having any pets (Laura's cat is joining us on our trip).

I talked to my mom and said I was in Virginia or maybe Pennsylvania. We had dinner at the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut/KFC. I had KFC, Laura had some side orders and then some nachos.

This morning, we had some continental breakfast, I didn't notice a copy of USA Today, but, maybe I wasn't looking hard enough. After Sean came to get the info on the car, me, Laura and the cat walked up the hill to the truck-stop cafe. We had the all you can eat buffet. In the bathroom was this soap dispenser.
Awesome.

Sean came and towed the car to his garage. We re-checked into the Super 8. The same women from last night was working the counter, so Laura did not mention the cat.

We took naps. I woke up when Sean called. He told me that the broken timing belt was the least of my worries. Other parts had been put out of commission, either because of, or the result of the timing belt breaking. Long story short(er) it wouldn't be ready until Tuesday and it would cost $1000 (far exceeding my already dwindling emergency budget). The other option...he had a Buick for sale, the car belonged to an old women and only has 50,000 miles.

Me and Laura went through our options. I borrowed money from my parents. I wept a little. So, as of tomorrow, I will be the "proud" owner of a Buick (I don't know what year or model), I hope all of my stuff fits.

We had Burger King for dinner.

An outdoor adventure

I was getting ready for an interview in Baltimore.

I took the "Chinatown bus". The bus was fine, I don't know what everyone's complaining about, there were only a few chickens running up and down the aisles.

We stopped and I got a cinnamon roll it was the size of my head.

I felt vaguely nauseas, maybe it was the cinnamon roll.

I think this might be the beautiful Wilmington, though I don't actually know what state I was in.

Every time I thought we were close I was rudely reminded that we weren't.

I thought this was the bridge into Baltimore. It wasn't. Did I mention I was vaguely nauseas.

I took a picture when we got off the highway so I wouldn't get lost later. I then realized to folly of this plan.

This is the Baltimore transit center where the bus let me out. I don't think it was really near anything.

I walked the wrong way and ended up in the middle of the projects, granted, pretty nice projects.

I got directions at this gas station.

This what I believe is referred to as "Greek town".

I walked for a long time. Did I mention I was vaguely nauseas.

At a certain point in my walking I crossed an invisible line and realized I was on the other side of the tracks. I wanted to get a picture of all the boarded up buildings, but, I was trying not to attract attention.

I don't know what this is a picture of, so, I'll just say I was looking for someplace to get a sandwich. If I had wanted a liquor sandwich there would have been many options.

I was early for my interview so I sat at a park bench outside the building for a while.

Civic Works (the umbrella organization for the Americorps job I was interviewing for) is housed in this old mansion, in the middle of a park, near who knows what, in Baltimore.

I was reading a pamphlet inside that said the building used to be a summer house for the Hopkins family. I think everything in Baltimore is connected to the Hopkins family somehow.

I had been trying to maintain my professional/conservative look all day, I wasn't having much luck. I blame the wind and that cinnamon roll.

Maybe this is a view inside the mansion. It was pretty nice.

The interview went well, I'm pretty sure they liked me.

I'm still not sure if I could do Baltimore. The nicer parts that I saw reminded me of Chicago and the rest reminded me of Detroit.

I decided I should take a cab back to the "transit center".
I had the worst cab driver ever he drove soooo slowly. I had to get out before I reached my destination because I ran out of money.

Luckily, wherever it was that he dropped me, was a place I hadn't seen yet. Wherever it was it had a charming urban-village feel.

I had done a lot of walking. I was a little tiered and cold. I blame the cinnamon roll.

There was a building with this funny one eyed man on it. Maybe it was a brewery or something.

I was a little confused as how to get back to my bus from wherever I was and it was getting cold.

I got to the bus stop. there was this man who parked at the bus stop and proceeded to get in and out of his car with great difficulty. I was confused and a little creeped out by his shenanigans. Maybe he was drunk or a pervert it was unclear and I didn't really want to know.

The bus came the driver got out and stood around smoking for a while. He must have been tired from his long drive up from DC.

The bus was cold, I took a nap. I felt a little ill, probably from that cinnamon roll.

This guy in the back of the bus kept going into the bathroom to smoke.

The trip back to New York took forever.

I think this is New Jersey, probably a Cracker Barrel.

Or maybe this, is Cracker Barrel or an oil refinery, who knows.

The bus dropped us off at a completely different stop than where I had caught it this morning. God bless the Chinatown bus.