Through the hard times and the good,
I have to celebrate you, baby.
I have to praise you like I should.

Fatboy Slim, "Praise You"
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The traffic on the 5South from Sacramento to Los Angeles can be described like this: North Carolina-sized freeways, California-sized population.

Life on the Williams Shorthorn Ranch was fantastic: it's easy to see how Grant (and from the small amount of time I spent with him, his brother as well) turned into such a fine, upstanding young gentleman. Young and upstanding, at least. Check out this Penny Arcade for proper etiquette around your friend's parents. The weekend holiday consisted of food, drinks, games, movies, and fighting a zoo at Walmart on Lunatic Shopper Friday. On the way back, we even managed to find the only Mexican restaurant I've ever seen that serves mashed potatoes. Big props to Betty the Sexy Lexy for taking care of us as we traversed this enormous state.

Pardon me while I take a Glenmorangie 18 break.

Somewhere around Bakersfield, I came up with the bright idea of playing 20 Questions, and I offered to go first. In my mind, this game would develop follows:
"Are you human?" Yes. 19.
"Are you fictional?" Yes. 18.
"Are you Spider-Man?" Yes.

Instead, because we have a car full of big dorks, each question had to be tailored to maximize the outcome of each answer. This keeps us busy until about Santa Clarita, at which point we gladly stop playing in favor of just toughing out the final stretch by listening to the radio. I have to say, though, that it was really nice to be able to snuggle up in my own bed and talk to Heather like usual. I like a little bit of routine, even if that includes keeping odd hours.

For some reason, I'm trying to organize a small reunion of my high school friends over Christmas break. I feel myself growing apart from all of them, but it is kind of neat just to keep in contact and swap stories from the past three months since we've all spoken. No sappy Wonder Years episode here, though. I identify more with Bruce Campbell than Fred Savage. I don't like to look back on my high school days with reverie, mainly because I've still got wanderlust and naivete and a host of other youthful trappings. And I've got a bigger allowance now.