The Oregon Trail

Last week I took a quick trip to Portland for the weekend to drive a car home for a friend. It was a great excuse to visit Vanessa + David and their beautiful baby girl, Penelope. I love the northwest, and while I was there I was reminded of the trip my family took years ago, which I probably didn't appreciate enough at the time. We drove up the entire west coast into Canada, in an RV, which in retrospect is about the coolest family vacation ever. But at the time I didn't relish being packed into a tiny home on wheels with my family for three weeks. Oh, if only I had time for a three-week road trip these days!

Well this roadtrip was a little different. I was driving alone, and I was driving in this:

I know. But, this boat on wheels, lovingly referred to by its former owner as "the Blue Pearl," is actually a pretty comfy and luxurious ride! And thanks to Portland's commitment to all things organic and local, I was saved from a 12-hour death by fast food, and picked up some snacks from Trader Joe's.

I spent the rest of the day driving, and listening to podcasts from This American Life. The drive went by in a surprisingly fast blur of enlightening radiowaves, pit stops and trail mix. I should have stopped at Multonomah Falls, but instead, the majority of my trip looked like this.

promise I'm not a slacker!

I have just been sooooo busy. But in the best way possible! I just got home from Thanksgiving Break which was delightful, and relaxing, and so very needed. But, after looking over my school calendar to get ready to go back tomorrow, I realized that I only have three weeks left of my first semester! Where has the time gone?! Well, I'm going to tell you.

I have been reading. A lot. The paper, and textbooks, and one guilty pleasure book, that wasn't so guilty at all: The Other Wes Moore. Read it, you won't regret it.

I also went to Washington DC on a career trip with my class. I LOVE DC! It was inspiring. Oh, and I went to NY for a few days on the way out and got to see some amazing friends, and the city in fall which is always magic. The group from the program was so much fun and made the whole week amazing. Until the very end when I somehow managed to leave my laptop in the security check at Regan National...oops. Fifty bucks, 5 days and one re-created power point presentation later, I got my computer back. Phew! In a nutshell, I am learning so much, I'm surrounded by incredible people, and I really really love grad school.

The National Debt. Makes me feel a little better about my student loans...

First day in DC, touring the Capitol.

With friends at an Indian Restaurant in Adams Morgan

Monuments at night