"We have to go back!" Days 5 & 6

I know many of my usual readers watch Lost so for me to spoil the ending of season 3 with that subject line will make perfect sense. (And if you don't watch it, shame on you because it's the best thing on the mostly barren wasteland that is television right now! So if I ruin anything for you, I don't care...lol.)

Jack Shephard, one of the survivors of Oceanic 815, tells Kate that he wants to go back to the island. Basically, he realizes that he made a mistake coming back to civilization and knows that his destiny lies in returning to the island.

Sometimes I wonder if there's a similar pull for me in the northeast. When I think back on the past 2 1/2 years out in Vegas, I've noticed a few things. I never invested any money in furniture (as the place was fully furnished though I could have used a bigger bed and a few other amenities) and I traded in my smaller Altima for the Xterra which has more cargo space. Subconsciously, I think I was always meant to return by not establishing any long term commitments out there. Save for a few really good friends I made that I will always keep in touch with, I shied away from long term engagements of any kind.

It's difficult to explain, but the relief that washed over me as soon as I started out on my trip was nothing compared to the feeling I got when I entered Missouri. That's because I was finally out of those godforsaken southwestern states! In a weird way, it was as if I'd crossed some unseen barrier that brought me back into the civilized world!

And if I wanted to be really symbolic, I could mention that the moment I arrived at the hotel in Missouri, the storm was over and since then, I've not experienced any snow or rain. The skies haven't been exactly sunny, but I'll take that anyday over a barren, bright wasteland.

That's because the midwest and northeast are real...meaning that there's a tradition that exists that you don't find in those states out west. For example, I remember Mark joking about going down to Chinatown in Vegas. "It was built a few years ago", he laughed. "Wow...rich in history", I replied.

Now that's not to say that each city doesn't have their really cool spots. However, most of the places that I used to frequent originated in places like New York, Cleveland and Chicago. Rocco's Pizza featured New York style pies. Chicago Brewing Company had the best Italian beef sandwiches accompanied by authentic giardiniera. Giuseppe's was a place I discovered too late but still enjoyed before I left...that came from just outside of Cleveland.

Of course it isn't all about the food (though I have to admit that I love when Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations features segments on my favorite cities). But it's a reminder of the people that actually work hard to create something that's real because those parts of the country are populated by generations that have lived through a lot and have been there for years.

The way I see it is that people originally settled in these areas because they had no choice. They were doing it to establish roots and, at the inception of the U.S., wanted to get away from tyranny. Westward expansion was just a way to get rich. That's why there's little heart and soul out there.

And that's what I "lost" when I was out there. Ultimately, I had "to go back" to find the part of me that was missing.

One particular line that I've been thinking of lately (from a song,of course...lol) is this...

"Live in New York City once
But leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once
But leave before it makes you soft."
--Everyone's Free (To Wear Sunscreen), Baz Luhrmann

My version would be a little different. Live in the midwest or northeast if you want to be real. Live in Vegas briefly but leave before you become completely hardened, cynical and delusional.

Enough rambling...here are the brief highlights of the past few days...

Thursday morning I left the comfiest bed I've ever been in at the La Quinta Inn in Indianapolis. Seriously, you could fit four of me in that thing comfortably. I almost wished I could stay a few more days and never leave that room...lol. I've since learned from my friend Amy that it's an "eastern king bed"...and I've made a mental note for future purchase depending on the size of the place I'll ultimately get!

I checked into the hotel in Cleveland and relaxed for a while before heading out to an old watering hole I used to go to. One of my friends joined me but another completely ignored both of us in our invitation to join us. He claimed he was with his "girlfriend". In the entire time I've known him, he never maintained a relationship more than a week because he got bored. I asked him if he knew the "girl du jour's" name and told him that if there was one person I could count on...odds are it wouldn't be him (there's a history behind that too so don't think that I'm shooting from the hip there...if he had an Indian name, it would be Chief False Promises).

On Friday, I was supposed to go out for happy hour with a good friend, but ended up falling asleep, the exhaustion catching up with me from many days on the road. We'll eventually get together at some point, though. I take the blame for that one. Then I met up with another friend late--kind of an old flame that I don't think is worth fanning to keep it alive. ;)

And that's pretty much it. It was business as usual with me just relaxing here at the hotel, enjoying peace and quiet with Jack (who's been snoozing on the bed, curled up in a ball for the most part).

I'd forgotten how great it is to be alone...I haven't had that for a long time...and I'm getting closer to getting that again.

I'm deconstructing Skitch to build what he should be...to build what I want and had temporarily...lost.

:)