serotoninrain

2006-09-22

before i left columbus

I wanted to chat with another blogger and longtime friend, Kate.

You know how sometimes the image you have of someone is sort of frozen in the past and it takes a totally new encounter to shatter and replace the old, inaccurate picture? Well that's what happened this morning. Kate was, some seven years ago, a student in the youth ministry I used to lead. She used to babysit my kids, and they loved her of course because Kate was a sweetheart. And even though I've seen her a few times since leaving Ohio, I had this image of her in my mind as the teenaged former babysitter.

So when this beautiful, professional yet stylish woman stepped out of a car and into the parking lot of Panera this morning, I believe I had to pick my jaw up off the pavement. Kate will correct me if I'm wrong about that but it sure felt that way. In my usual traveling outfit of shorts and a plain t-shirt, I felt (and, in fact, was) completely outclassed. She will perhaps forgive the fact that "Sunrise/Sunset" started to play on the iPod in my head. One thing hasn't changed: Kate's still a sweetheart.

We had a great time and caught up on too many things. Many blessings to you Kate, thanks for supplying a healthy dose of sunshine to this dreary, rainy day. And I hope those classes you're taking go... um, smoothly.

After saying goodbye to Kate, I left Columbus. Tomorrow I head home but in the meantime, I've got one more stop to make...

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2006-09-21

whoa! where am i: two of columbus' finest

I actually hung out with three of Columbus' finest today, but I forgot to take a picture with A. C. Mattern who writes Agape's Stable. He cooked up some awesome sish-kabob.

Meet Brian of Beanquest and Jenn of Jennifer's Nest

This winsome couple of the drastically differing heights is letting me crash at their pad, er, um, nest tonight.

Synchronized blogging. You know what they say, the family that blogs together... well, I can't think of a good rhyme. Anyway, the three of us immediately got to work blogging when I stopped by. We began by checking out one of our favorite blogs. Can you tell which it was?

We were going to do much more but those posts about baby squirrels left us plum tuckered out, so it's time to turn in. Brian's redoing his basement and after digging out that coaster from underneath a huge pile of discarded old stuff, we found there was more than enough room for me to sleep down there.

Seriously, thanks Brian and Jenn for a wonderful visit.

These are some great folks they got here in Columbus. If you're real good, you might even meet one more!

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whoa! where am i:september 21

I have arrived in a place not too far from the place I once called my place. It's in Ohio, I suppose you can tell that much from the picture. I'm in another sports town, one which has a huge and pleasantly fierce rivalry with yet another sports town in a neighboring state. Right now, I'm blogging from a shopping megaphenomenon which, like the Iowa 80 Truck Stop, seems only to get bigger with time.

There's a special surprise (and perhaps special surprises) here, too. Oooh! Just you wait.

Where am I?

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a champaign breakfast for brian

You know, I didn't take any pictures of the place, I was so tired. So I ran out early this morning and snapped a few just for you. And I said a special hello to Green Street from you. It was eerily quiet in response.

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whoa! where was i: iowa

I heart Iowa! This state has a reputation for being flat. Now, come on! Does this look flat to you? If it does than you've obviously never been to West Texas, Western Kansas, or Nebraska.

Judging by the driving displays I saw in Iowa, these (yes, I saw more than one) warnings are absolutely necessary.

This place just gets huger and huger:truckers' museum, barber shop, showers, laundry, movie theater(!), "family den" with large screen tv. You could live your whole life here and I think some people do. The only thing is, they have no Chipotle, so you'd have to go out once in a while.

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2006-09-20

whoa: where am i not

Okay, I did not go to North Dakota. Apparently some wagering was going on.

I've been to North Dakota, twice. Both in the same year. It's a lovely place. It would be great to make another visit. The only reason I'm not going there is because I forgot to make a left turn at Omaha.

One day I do hope to visit North Dakota and see the vast tracts of state-itude that exist to the left of Fargo and Grand Forks.

So there.

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whoa: where am i -- for you sports fans

This midwestern Big 10 college town has a mascot known as The Chief but that's not what its football team is called.

Where am I?

Sorry, no pictures. I got bored today and slept most of the way here.

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so far (almost)

We've had a couple of erroneous guesses so far about my current destination. Here's another map of where I've been and a hint: I did not go south or southeast from here.

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2006-09-19

whoa! where am i: day 11

I'm at one end of this state, but the whole thing looks like this...

Well, except for this...

Dig those bugs on the windshield. It's still summer alright.

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whoa! where was i-- rainbow curve

UPDATE: Blogger is now accepting my photos. Here they are...

Okay, since blogger doesn't want to load photos here are some links to what I would have posted this morning from Estes Park. These are especially for you mission trip veterans, both of you. I'm in Estes Park how could I not?

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HEY BLOGGER!

Hey you guys!

Why can't I upload photos? Do you even know what there's a problem? Do you give a rip?

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remarkable_stupidity

we interrupt this vacation

...to let you know that BLOGGER SUCKS!!!

You get what you pay for, I guess. Once again this morning blogger won't upload my pictures. Of course this would happen today.

And also, I experienced my first blip of the whole journey. Somehow, despite checking and double checking my bags yesterday, I managed to leave my attache bag in Taos. Not a major problem but it necessitated a trip to the Estes Park Safeway (once I came down from the mountain). I tried very hard to avoid breathing on anyone while I was in the store... I might have been arrested under the patriot act if I had.

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