good morning, I love you, goodbye

It's 9:30 and we haven't even started packing the van. Ah, I didn't think we'd get out on time anyway. I'm getting closer to ready. The PimpRig (laptop) is finally ready (WinXP apparantly hates all forms of emulators and I needed my NeoRage!) and it looks like I've filled every music CD case I own with every possible mood of album. The boxes of road food are packed and the coolers are iced. The suitcases are full-to-bursting, and I'm still not really feeling ready to go. But going we are, ready or not, so onward and upward, eh? We've got dialup from anywhere so I'm betting teh online world will not leave me too far behind. We've got a cell phone that'll work most places so it's conceievable that I could be called. I doubt many of you have such a need to do so, but if it comes up email me. It's like a form of protest - take a trip and never leave. I'll miss all y'all and your coolness (thanks for the pestering Graham) and I'll try and get down with the hangage as soon as I get back - that is, when I'm not busting my ass at work. Which is most of the time. But as Deb said, (money == education && education == good ) == TRUE. Or something like that. Seeya later.

ole` from mulholland

First day on the road. I've had worse. We've got a mountain of STUFF and the back seat looks like a nest, but it's a nest with movies, so it's not so bad. Sadly, due to a cruel twist of fate there seems to be only one pair of headphones suitable for movie-watching, so unless you're using those, it's time to use that wonderful dvd feature, english subtitles! Doh.
We stopped at my second cousin Julie's house in the outskirts of Salem, OR. She has delightful children - or at least the 2 hours I had there were fun. We had a yummy dinner at some local chain called Mucho Gusto. It was like a Mexican subway - pick a shell/torilla/bowl, pick a meat filling, add toppings to taste. Pretty inventive, actually, and darn good food.
Now we're at the Windmill Inn in Roseburg, a very nice place with a sauna (mmmm, sauna) and - BONUS! - mini fridge! Not that we really need a mini fridge. But the thing is, we have one. That makes me feel like we've made it in the world. Plus, its address is literally Mulholland Dr. Should watch that movie tomorrow in honor. Gotta finish Almost Famous first though.
Oregon's not so bad, beastofexmoor. Depends on who you're going to see, I guess.