Sunday, February 28, 2010

"Dude--there's a Chevron.."

....I should mention that my friends also titled this post "Californication." It's clever I know, but it reminds me too much of the noun "fornication," so I refuse to really pick up on it..

California. There really isn't a sweeter thought I can think of while I'm bundled up in a wad of blankets looking out a frosted window to a wilted, dreary Utah sky. Add the additional tragic pile of homework and studying that compares to the length of the trek to the Y, and you have the essence of my entire winter semester. I don't want you to get me wrong though, I've had a great couple of months, but there's something about the cold winter here that is a little, well...depressing. The excitement of snow precipitants either a. occurs when you are sleeping, b. takes place during your school day...forcing nothing but trembling and embarrassing trips to the ground as you make your way to classes, or lastly c. transpires for about as long as a song on the radio, leaving the same dead grass as your landscape. Oooh. Oh. And the real killer for me? Christmas already passed, so no more of that snowman, home-y, let's-cuddle-by-the-fire-and-roast-chestnuts business. Why? Whyyy? (Sorry for the whiny tangent.)

My friends and I decided to take advantage of our four-day weekend and travel back to my hometown. We crammed in my little bug, blasted some muse, and didn't hesitate to look back. Let me just say our little escape was PERFECT. The California weather decided to cease raining for a few days and let the sun work its magic on my now nearly alabaster skin. In-n-Out tasted like heaven in a wrapper, and my two Cali-foreign friends claim to have had as much fun as I did with the palm trees and sea breeze. How can people leave that place? Only six more weeks and counting till I move all my things back there for the summer....finals have never sounded so good!

I have this system worked out with my parents where I have a gas card, but it's only usable at Chevron stations. For any of you that have made this drive, you know that you have to be pretty thorough about planning out your pit stops ahead of time or you'll soon be stuck with tumbleweeds and fifty or so miles of red sand abyss on either side. I got so frustrated when I was nearing empty on my dashboard and couldn't find one of those blasted blue and white Chev signs. I ended up having to pull over at the nemesis, Mobil, and using my personal credit card instead. Within the next ten miles after, we passed probably four Chevs. I considered lighting one on fire, like they do in Zoolander, only I would make sure no one was around first since it was Chev I was mad at, and not the cashier. I've never resented a thirty dollar purchase so much. And let me just say, my friends can pick out a Chevron now like a bear smells food.

For our dinner stop we had to resort to a gas station jointed to Burger King. We waited in line for probably thirty minutes and decided that a whopper wasn't worth it, opting for lunchable pizzas and a chicken bake instead. My bake tasted like a shoe, or maybe one of those Harry Potter puke flavored jelly beans? I didn't investigate much further. In any case, bite that seven dollar purchase in the bottom too.


Me and Corey. Told you I'm white.


Lauren and Emily.

Despite these minor implications, we had so much fun. I know it's pretty, okay, REALLY cliche, but it was one of those "wow, I'm a college student" moments. It was great. Some of our best adventures:

Playing "pick-a-song-and-sing-it-the-best-you-can-at-the-top-of-your-lungs" game in the car. I still think Em won.



Going to the beach everyday.













Having a t.v. to watch the Olympics..though I have got to say the opening ceremonies this year weren't my favorite. This, however, is. Boy is a crack up on ice.



Darla (that's the name of my car) got to wear her hair down a little bit in what seems like forever. She hasn't been home since June! And she made completely new friends as everyone living at home has a different car than they did when we left.







I already mentioned it, I know, and it's probably more so not much of a big deal since we now have one opened in Orem....but In-n-Out. Oh how I missed it. I've refused to go in O-town because it's simply a home/California thing for me. It almost makes me mad that they brought it for the enjoyment of the Utah masses. Am I started to sound like an arrogant Californian? Like the stereotypical, egocentric American that foreigners complain about? I hate that. I'm stopping now...I promise.





When you are in the "BYU bubble," you forget about the outside, secular world. It was a new eye-opening experience going to Hollywood. The cat whistles, the hobos, the "shops"....you know what I mean.










To break up the nine hour drive, and have a little more fun before the next day of classes, we stopped in Primm to ride the Buffalo Bills roller coaster. This may or may not be my personal favorite part of the entire weekend. Just thought I'd throw that out there.



Not pictured: it was the birthday of my late cousin Aaron. It was great being able to make it to his party, where I got to spend quality time with my extended family (my aunt Sheri and uncle Marc are the greatest!). I felt a little closer to the someone I hold so dear in my heart. I miss you Air.

P.S. Grammy, thanks for my favorite meal on Sunday :] I miss you, too.