Hot Pink Spray Paint - Check

I'm ready to vandalize some cars.  Cadillac Ranch is the third of thirteen planned stops on my westward journey to my new home base of San Francisco.  When I learned of this magical land where erect cars shine in multicolored splendor toward the heavens, I couldn't wait to see it.  Plus, it's going to be really fun unleashing some fluorescent pink spray paint on the rusted beauties.      

It's true that many of my adventures have been abroad.  I've wandered wide-eyed through the red light district of Amsterdam.  I've been fined in Prague for inadequate public train fare.  I've gotten trapped in the French subway (lights out, doors locked and everything).  I've used my sock as toilet paper in Austria, been robbed in Costa Rica, been peed on by a one legged drunkard on a bus in Ecuador, gotten engaged on a rooftop in Chile, gotten lost at night in the Grande Bazaar in Turkey, single handedly stopped a train in the middle of the Greek countryside, jumped off of a bridge in New Zealand and climbed a mountain in my bare feet in Canada.  All of these adventures have one thing in common, none of them were right here in my home country.  The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of excitement and adventure is hopping a plane and zipping off to a foreign, non-English speaking land.  Although I love traveling abroad, there is something beautiful and natural about the thought of exploring my homeland.  What adventures await me?  I do know one thing for sure, I will be vandalizing some cars in Texas.  Yee-haw!            

"Are you doing this alone?!!"

Yes, I am doing this alone and I prefer it actually.  It's always very interesting to me when I explain my upcoming adventure to someone and they respond, "who's going with you?"  What I need to recognize is that my response, "just me", is probably equally interesting but also very foreign to them.  In our society of abundance we seem to fill our lives to the brim with stuff, not just an abundance of things but an abundance of people.  We fill our lives with tons of stuff because we are not valued by what we are but by what we have.  My solo adventures have been the greatest experiences of my life mostly because it forces me to step outside of my comfort zone and, society forbid, talk to strangers, make eye contact with people, sit down and dine alone.  Alone.  I know that can be a scary word.  On my first solo adventure I realized that I was scared to be alone because I had never really been alone before.  My second realization after spending time with myself was that I didn't really like myself very much.  How could I like myself?  I didn't know myself at all.  I had never spent any substantial amount of time alone, getting to know what I was all about.  Recognizing the fact that I had never really been alone was my first step outside of my comfort zone.  I loved it.  Now, when I have an opportunity to step outside of that comfort zone I jump at the opportunity.  Now, when I spend time alone, I realize that I like being alone.  Most importantly, I know myself and I like who I am. 

Before you write off doing something because there is no one to do it with, ask yourself "why am I scared to be alone?"  Being alone is not so bad.  When you open yourself up to new people and new experiences you are never really alone.  You are just taking a step outside of your comfort zone and that is where the greatest adventures begin.  

"True beauty is achieved when you shed the shackles of society, step outside of your comfort zone and share your light with the world."  -Melanie Heurich

    

Treat Box

"Forget the destination, live the adventure." - Melanie Heurich

2 dogs - 2 cats - 2 plants

We may not be marching two by two but this rolling ark is about to be filled with the stuff dreams are made of, in this case, lots-o-cat litter and very expensive gasoline.  I know the poocher-pies will be happy because their favorite stinky snack box will undoubtedly be spewing cat poo scented treats by the time we hit Kentucky.  I will be ecstatic if the cats even use their litter box at all.  They have a hard enough time in their stationary home.  Who's complaining though?  Not me!  I've been planning this adventure for as long as I can remember.  I couldn't be happier to share this adventure with my furry babies.