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I meant to post about my trip to California, which happened in April, but seeing how it’s been over a month since I posted anything here at all, we can just agree that I’m not. It’s been too long for me to write about it in-depth, at least to me, but I will give you the rundown on what I’ve been doing.

April

So, yes, I went to California in April. I began tossing the idea around in my head in the beginning of the year but put it off due to money and nerves. Finally, I picked a date and booked myself a train ticket and flight. I decided to take the train from Chicago to California (after hopping a bus from here to Milwaukee and another train to Chi-town) to simultaneously save money and see the country. So.. I did that.

It was a long train but interesting. I saw a bit of the country – not all of which was worth seeing. Some of it was gorgeous and interesting, but restlessness prevented me from enjoying parts of the trip (I’m talking to you, Utah). I was super nervous because I’d never been on an American train before, but I survived and learned a bit about train culture, namely that there is a demographic of people (retired, limited income, wants to travel, has nothing better to do) that just loves trains in a way that I think I can’t.

My trip to Cali was short, shorter than I should have planned it and made even shorter by my purchasing a ticket from the wrong airport. All was okay, though. I saw the beach, took walks, enjoyed good food, bonded with my aunt, her husband and cat, saw the tech museum, visited rose gardens and the Egyptian museum, hacked 400+ new portals in Ingress and caught a new Pokemon. Not a bad little trip.

I flew into Minneapolis, spent the night with a friend and took the bus back after one long week.

May

I was super excited to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2 last month and, well, it was okay. Just okay, you know? Not terrible but certainly not worth the time I waited, and that’s a shame. I saw the original three times, but the sequel just didn’t hit all the right spots.

I took a day trip to see a sculpture garden, shop and attend a cultural fest in the next town over, which was quite enjoyable.

Last month, one of my very good friends also got married. I was in the wedding, which was cold and hectic, but I wish them all the best. In April, my friend was finally able to move in with his fiancee, so I’ve had to adjust with not having him around. This has been, at times, quite the struggles.

I also struggled to walk as many miles per day as I wanted to last month.

Before the month wrapped up, I finally got myself to see the MC Escher exhibit at the art museum, and it was better than I could have anticipated!

The end of last month also marked my 31st and golden birthday. I wanted to do something different.. so I did nothing at all. I released myself from expectations and had an interesting day with friends, cupcakes and lots of sun. It was fun and low-pressure if not entirely memorable. But it certainly was different. Go me.

June

This month started impatiently. First, I was walking my ass off to level in Ingress. I am now 14 but probably won’t level for the rest of the year. Boo.

I was also awaiting the second weekend, which I had dubbed Wonder Woman Weekend. Robyn and I headed to Minneapolis (I’ll return next month to see Adam Lambert and Queen in concert) to stay with Wendy with plans to see the Pixar exhibit at the science museum, visit the zoo and see Wonder Woman. I didn’t see it opening weekend because I was waiting for this, so there was alot of expectation.

Wonder Woman was great, the zoo was nice and the museum was interesting, but it was hot. I didn’t get enough rest and returned home pretty grumpy. I also had a very busy work week last week that technically ended yesterday morning, so I am feeling little swamped.

Right before I left, I tackled making some galaxy bottles for decor. They looked amazing in the beginning but have since muddled. I think I know how to fix it, but it’s a bummer.

Throughout all of this, I’ve done the norm – walked all the miles, entertained a guest a time or two, read all the books (I’m over 52 titles on GoodReads if you count comics and audiobooks!) and comics (I’ve read my first ever Marvel titled in 2017), went out to eat, attended a few game nights, fires and birthdays parties and (binge?) watched plenty of Netflix. Judging from the length of this post, I’ve been a busy little bee. Perhaps I should add relaxing to my calendar!

No, I won’t see the new Avengers movie in theaters.

Yes, it’s because Ultron scares me.

Yes, I know this is strange. That it’s not a horror movie.

But when he eats you all, I will be alive, bitches.

1. Heath Ledger

I never drooled over him, but he does have a nice smile, and he plays the leading man very well. When he waxes poetic about his beloved, it makes me want to crumble. I want her to want him.

2. The Quotes

This movie is so well written. Why don’t people talk about that? The lines are almost all quotable. Here’s a couple of my favs:

You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting.

Your men love you. If I knew nothing else about you, that would be enough.

With hope. Love should end with hope. My husband, God rest him, told me something I’ll never forget. Hope guides me. It is what gets me through the day and especially the night. The hope that after you’re gone from my sight it will not be the last time I look upon you.

I have decided to embark upon a mission and, that mission is to watch a whole bunch of classic, epic and well-respected movies. Y’know, the type that everyone should see before they die. Or before they turn 25. I started off with Blade Runner and This is Spinal Tap. I know! It’s a shame that I had yet to see them. My list includes such titles as

• Appocalypse Now
• Dr. Strangelove
• Footloose
• Fast Times as Ridgemont High
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Goldfinger
• Psycho
• Animal House
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
• The Godfather
• Rebel Without a Cause

Suggestions are welcome, as always. After this, I might just delve into some classic literature–although, that will likely take me much longer.

Ryan and I just got home from 2012, a long but interesting movie. I won’t go into it too much because I may review it on Reviews by Cole. I do have some thoughts about the end of the world. I’m not exactly superstitious or crazy about it but I am open to the idea that something may happen. Life as we know it may come to an end and the thought is pretty scary. I don’t know how but I would prefer to be with my loved ones on December 21 of next year. Just saying.

Of course, a lot of people think it’s a whole lot of nothing. Scientists say that several of the proposed theories are absolute crap and some people argue that either we’re not even reading the Mayan calendar correctly or that it’s be so entirely wrong that it doesn’t matter anyway. Some argue that the calendar simple ends because that’s what calendars do. Yours probably ends on December 31 2009, unless it’s an extended addition. So maybe it’s nothing after all but I’m open to the possibilities.

It’s interesting to think that one could wake up and.. not go to bed the same way one has for a lifetime. I can’t even fathom to end of technology, electricity, the loss of books and art and culture and the sheer drop in human life. The idea is almost too unimaginable to be frightening, yet it scares me a bit. Which is why I was a little anxious to see the movie. It’s hard to imagine what (if anything) comes after life as we know it but the movie did portray a possible sequence of events. Still, I’m not sure if I feel any better about it.

Or if it matters what I think. I’ll just camp out with my husband and kitties and see what happens.