#5 hours away from our destination! we are Still In Texas but we should be out soonish

[mars-ipan]

road trip update 3: turns out my dad is taking the late night shift. i am going to sleep more until he tells me it’s my turn

[wayward-marvel-sommer1196]

Hawaiian Vacation

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Warnings: Cheating (ex), language, sad/lost child

Word Count: 3934

A/N: This was written for Lau’s @dancingalone21 Summer Escape Challenge. This is like two years too late I’m so sorry for that love. I just had so much going on for a while that I just couldn’t write. My chosen destination was Honolulu, Hawaii. No beta and I know this is crap but this is my first piece of writing in a while so please take pity on me I’m rusty.

Summary: When you walk in on your fiancé in a compromising position, you pack up and take off on what would have been your honeymoon with your best friend. While in Hawaii, you run into Jensen who will forever change your life in a few short days.

One week. That was it before you were married to the love of your life Taylor. You couldn't wait. You had been planning this wedding for the last year and a half and it was finally here.

You had your final dress fitting today and it fits you beautifully. You felt like a princess. All your last final details were pretty much set. Now, all you had to do was check with Taylor to make sure he had all his final details put together.

That's where you were headed now. You were headed home to your beloved fiancé not expecting what you were about to walk into.

When you walk in the front door you immediately knew something was off.

"Taylor?" you yelled. No response. "Taylor, honey, are you home?" Still no response. You traveled further into your shared home and saw some clothes on the stairs on the way up to your bedroom. Female clothes that were not yours. It didn't take a genius to figure out what you were about to walk into.

You picked up the clothes on your way up to the door when you heard the moaning sounds of a woman being pleasured. At this point, you were fuming. ‘Really in our bed? One week away from our wedding?' you thought to yourself

"Taylor Shawn Ferly!" you shouted as you stormed through the door. "What the fuck do you think you are doing? Or rather who the fuck, I guess is more appropriate."

"Y/N! I…. This…. You…. Fuck this is not what it looks like," Taylor said as he got off the slut naked in YOUR bed.

"Really???!!!?!?! Because it looks like you are fucking some slut in our house, in our room, in our bed a week before our wedding."

Just then Taylor moved just enough so you could see exactly who this homewrecker was, and you were not prepared for the sight before you. "RANDY! Are you fucking serious right now? That's low even for you Taylor. My fucking sister? I can't even believe what I am seeing right now. How could you do this to me, Randy? You are my sister and that is my fiancé. How could you sleep with him knowing we are getting married next week?" you cried.

"(Y/N), I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen," she pleaded.

"Yeah babe, we both didn't mean for this to happen," Taylor added.

You threw Randy's clothes at her and screamed, "Get the fuck out of my house." With that order, she ran out the door putting her clothes back on.

"Babe-" Taylor tried.

"Save it, asshole. If you didn't want this to happen and if you loved me, it wouldn't have happened. You are scum, the lowest of the low. You don't even deserve my screams right now, but I can't hold it back," you screamed as you yanked the diamond ring off your finger and threw it at him.

"I will be staying with Dana and she and I will be going on what was supposed to be our Hawaiian honeymoon," you cried as you grabbed your suitcase and started shoving all the clothes you could in it and pack other essentials from the bathroom that you might need.

Taylor started getting dressed and nodded his head. "Babe, can we at least talk about this?"

"No, this," you pointed between the two of you, "whatever it was is completely and 100% over. Done. You made your bed now you get to lie in it. Peace out dick head," you said as you walked out the door with your suitcase and got in your car and called Dana, your best friend.

Once you got to her house you explained everything that happened in the last hour and cried more over a bottle of wine.

"What a fucking asshole and your sister is a mega-bitch and slut," she said.

"I know. I should have known they were talking way too much lately. He kept saying it was for the wedding to take the stress off me a bit but considering both of their histories I should have seen it coming."

"Girl, you knock that off right now. He was supposed to love you. You shouldn't have had to worry about something like this happening."

"I know, but it still hurts. I did love him."

"I get that sweetie but screw him. He is the one losing a gem here, not you. But I know how we can get him back."

"Way ahead of you. Already have the tickets in my bag."

"That's my girl. You can still get your deposits back from all the wedding shit, right?"

"From the park, flowers, and catering, yes, but the dress, I'm biting the bullet on that one."

"That's fine you may still use that one day, but forget about that for now because, in one short week, we will be in Hawaii, baby."

"Yes, we will."

One Week Later

The sun was shining, and you were laid on the beach outside the Prince Waikiki Hotel in your brand-new bikini. Dana was up at the bar getting you both drinks to help get your mind off Taylor and Randy and the wedding you would never have.

You were caught in your thoughts about walking in on your now-ex when you felt something, or rather someone, trip over your legs. It was a little blond girl who looked about 5 years old and as adorable as can be.

"I'm sorry miss. I didn't mean to trip over you. I wasn't looking where I was going," the little girl said.

"It's okay sweetheart. No worries. Are you okay?" you responded.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Just then a tall, handsome, brown-haired, green-eyed man came running over.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. We were playing frisbee and JJ here was running to catch it when she tripped over you," the handsome man said.

"It's fine. There were no injuries as long as she is okay is all that matters," you bent down to pick up the frisbee that landed next to you and turned to JJ. "Here you go, sweetie. I think this belongs to you," you said.

"Thank you, miss. Daddy let’s go play more," JJ said.

"In a minute JJ. I'm Jensen by the way and this is my daughter JJ," the man said as he held out his hand for you to shake.

"I'm Y/N. It's nice to meet you both," you responded as you shook his hand.

"Hey girl I got the drinks," Dana said as she walked over. "Who's this?"

"This is Jensen and his beautiful daughter JJ. We were just talking after JJ tripped over my legs," you said.

"Well it was nice to meet you, Y/N," Jensen said as he and JJ walked away.

"He was hot as hell. Did you get his number?" Dana asked.

"No. A guy as hot as that is most definitely taken not to mention he has a kid, so he is probably married to someone who is just as hot as him and hasn't been cheated on."

"Girl knock that off right now. You are fucking gorgeous and any man would be lucky as hell to have you."

With that, you just nodded and you both drank your drinks while enjoying the Hawaiian sun.

Later that Night

One of the benefits of the hotel you were staying at was they had a bunch of different fun events you could attend. Tonight, was Luau night and you had the perfect dress for it that wouldn't be too hot, and you would be comfortable. Dana wore her classic shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. When you both were done you headed out.

It was everything you hoped it would be. The tiki torches, the fire performers, the hula dancers, even the roasted pig. The only thing that would make it better would be a guy to enjoy the night with.

When you were in your thoughts you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned around to see none other than little JJ.

"Daddy! Look who I found. It's Y/N," JJ said.

"Yes, you did, sweetie. Hello Y/N. Hello Dana," Jensen said.

"Hello, Jensen, why don't you and JJ sit here with Y/N and me?" Dana suggested.

You through her a ‘what do you think you are doing' look and turned to Jensen with a smile. "I'm sure Jensen has to go back and sit with his wife."

"Nope. No wife. Just me and JJ here and before you ask no girlfriend either. It's kind of a daddy-daughter thing," Jensen replied. "We would love to sit with you, right JJ?"

"YEAH!" JJ shrieked.

She settled into the seat next to you. You thought she was the most adorable little girl in the world. "So, JJ, what is your favorite food?"

"I like chicken and ‘pasghetti," she answered.

"Well, wouldn't you know those are my favorites too," you responded.

You spent the next hour giggling and playing with JJ. You were always good with children and she was such a good little girl it just came naturally to you. She was getting kind of sweaty, so you braided her hair for her, and she hugged you. You couldn't deny that you were forming a bond with this little girl.

What you didn't notice was the look that Jensen was giving you. He couldn't help but admire the way you interacted with his daughter. She was his whole world and the fact that it seemed to come so naturally for you just tickled him pink.

Soon after your main entrée arrived and that's when the chit chat between you and Jensen began. You figured out that you both grew up in Austin and both still live in Texas. You both had a lot in common and it was nice to finally be able to talk and not think about Taylor.

After the Luau Dana went back to the room, but you and Jensen wanted to continue the night a little bit longer. So, Jensen, JJ, and you all went walking along the beach for a while. JJ got tired after a bit, so you offered to carry her and she fell asleep in your arms.

"So, what brings you to Hawaii from good ol' Texas? "Jensen asked.

"You know just needed a vacation away from home. How about you?"

"Like I said before it's a daddy-daughter vacation. I try and get as much fun time with JJ as I can. She is my world and I try to give her everything I can."

"I can see that. She's a wonderful little girl. You are raising her well. Most little kids I meet don't even know what manners are, but she just seems to naturally get it."

"Well, thank you. I try my best. You should also commend yourself, you are great with her. I could help but see that at the luau tonight. She has taken a liking in you."

"I've always been good with children. I guess it's a gift."

"It really is."

Jensen looked down at his phone and saw that it was getting late. You guys said your goodbyes and he scooped up JJ and went back to their room while you took your time walking back yours think about how easy things were with Jensen. Nothing like they were with Taylor.

Next Day

“Hey Dana, why don’t we hit up the pool today?”

“Sounds good. Let me just grab some towels and we can head out. Do you need some sun tan lotion?”

“Naw I’m good.”

You and Dana head down to the enormous pool and decide on a set of chairs off to the side away from the main group of chairs. You get settled in with your towel under you and your shades on. Dana went to the pool bar to get you guys some drinks while you waited.

It had been about 20 minutes since Dana left and you began to wonder where the hell she was at. You turned around and looked towards the bar to see Dana leaning over the bar giggling with some tall scrawny dude that you knew was her type. At this point you knew she was as good as gone. You loved Dana to death, but she was a bit of a hoe, but that just made you love her even more. Anyway, you knew is meant she would be gone for a while and you would be left alone.

Before you could dwell on the fact that you were alone you heard a shriek that you would know anywhere. It was JJ and she came running up to you and gave you a hug which you were more than happy to return.

“JJ you can’t just run away like that,” said Jensen running up behind her. “Hi y/n what’s up?”  

“Hey Jensen. I’m just sitting here all by my lonesome since my very rude best friend ditched me for a guy,” you replied.

“Well that was not very nice of her. Why don’t you spend the rest of the day with JJ and I?” he offered.

“Well, that sounds like a good day to me,” you said as you tickled JJ into a hug.

You guys spend the next few hours playing Marco polo in the pool, having pool noodle fights, and racing up and down the pool.

While JJ was sitting in your chair eating her fruit snacks Jensen pulled you aside. “Hey y/n would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?”

His request shocked you. You were not expecting a man like that to be interested in a girl like you especially after what happened with Taylor. You didn’t think anyone would be interested in you. “What about JJ? What are you gonna do about her when we go out?”

“I got that covered. We came with my best friend Jared and his family and he has already agreed to watch her for me if I wanted some alone time.”

“In that case I guess dinner sounds nice.”

“Good I’ll pick you up at 7. Does that sound good?”

“Sounds good.” At this point it was almost 5 so you both agreed that you would go to your rooms to get ready for your evening. You gave both Jensen and JJ hugs and you guys went your separate ways.

You were glad you decided to bring one dressy outfit as now you clearly needed it. You showered and put on your summer dress. You did all the prep that women usually do for dates, the hair, the make-up, and the works. You walked out to see Dana dressed up as well.

“Hey good looking, what are you all dressed up for?” you asked Dana.

“You know that guy I met earlier? Well, he invited me out tonight. What about you?”

“Well, I have a date with Jensen tonight.”

“That’s awesome.”

Before you could continue there was a knock on the door. You looked at the clock and saw that it was exactly 7 o’clock. You had to admire his punctuality.

You opened the door and he was like a dream. He was so handsome and couldn’t figure out why in the world he would pick a girl like you.

“You look beautiful,” Jensen said.

“Thank you, Jensen. You don’t look to bad about yourself.”

You and Dana said your goodbyes and she told you not to wait up and you left with Jensen.

You pulled up to one of the most beautiful and fancy restaurants you have ever seen. You both go in and of course he has a reservation which you had no idea how he got in such short time considering the place was packed. You got to the table and he pulled the chair out for you and did all the gentlemanly things you didn’t think guys did anymore.

“This is so nice. How did you ever get a reservation here?” you asked.

“I have my ways,” he said with a gorgeous smile.

“So, what is it you do for a living?”

“I’m actually an actor. I am on a show called Supernatural.”

“That’s why you look so familiar. I have seen an episode or two of that show, but I don’t really have a lot of time for tv.”

“It’s nice to not have someone recognize you,” he giggled. “What is it that keeps you so busy?”

“I am a social worker.”

“Very nice. That explains why you are so good with kids.”

“Well I actually got the job because I was already good with kids and I got the degree of course.”

At this point the waiter came over and gave you your drinks and took your dinner orders.

“Tell me how’s a beautiful girl like you still single?”

You cringed at the question. You knew this was bound to come up sooner or later. You were just hopping it would be later rather than sooner. “Honestly, I just got out of a serious relationship that did not end well at all. It’s kinda the real reason I took this trip.”

“I see. Do you mind if I ask what happened?”

“It’s fine. I was actually engaged to my long-time boyfriend Taylor. I thought we were madly in love and couldn’t wait for our wedding. But a week before we were supposed to get married, I came home from work a little early and caught him in bed with another woman.”

“That’s messed up.”

“Yeah the worst part was that the woman was my sister Randy.”

“Talk about the ultimate betrayal.”

“Yeah so suffice to say I called off the wedding and this trip was supposed to be our honeymoon, but the tickets were non refundable so my friend Dana suggested that we take the vacation to let loose and not think about it. However, this all happened a little over a week ago and forgetting about is not quite that easy.”

“I can imagine. That is terrible. I am so sorry that happened to you.”

“Me too. Anyway, how are you still single?”

“Well, single dad thing aside, my job also keeps me very busy.”

“What about JJ’s mom?”

“I knew that would come up eventually. We were actually married for a few years and I thought we were happy, but I guess she wasn’t. About a year ago we got divorced because she said my job took too much of my time. Which she wasn’t wrong about. So, we got divorced but still maintain a good relationship for JJ’s sake. There’s no hate there.”

“That’s so nice. It’s wonderful you guys could put your problems aside for JJ.”

“Yeah, that little girl is everything to us. Anyway, do you have any kids?”

“No. Unfortunately my job has kept me too busy for that, but I would like to one day.”

Before Jensen could respond the waiter came over with your dinner and you began to eat. The rest of the night went along smoothly with you and Jensen talking about personal details about yourself. You took a walk along the beach after dinner until you realized it was getting late.

Jensen being the gentleman he was walked you to your door.

“I had a really great time tonight,” you said.

“Me too. You are such an easy person to talk to. It’s like I’ve known you forever,” he replied as he leaned in slowly and placed his lips gently on yours and began to kiss you. Of course, you reciprocated. As the kiss starts to deepen you push back a little and grab the key to your door and unlocked it. Jensen kissed you again as you both walked into the room and closed the door behind you.

The Next Morning

You woke up the next morning to feel the bed next to you empty. You got up still wrapped in the bed sheet and saw a note on the side table.

               Good Morning Y/N,

                    Sorry I had to leave early. I had to get JJ and didn’t want to wake you up. I had a great time with you last night and hope we can do it again

                                                                               Xoxo Jensen

You smiled at the note and decided to get ready for the day. You laid out your outfit and jumped into the shower.

After you were dressed and doing your hair Dana strolled in still wearing last nights clothes. “Well, look who’s doing the walk of shame,” you said to Dana with a smile. She just smirked and walked into the bathroom.

You decided that you were going to do a little shopping, so you went down to the shops that were down the street from the hotel. However, when you got there you weren’t expected it to be as busy as it was. It was like Walmart on black Friday. Basically, it was a mad house.

Before you could turn around and head back to the hotel, you heard a crying noise. You walked around the corner and saw little JJ sitting on the ground huddled up and crying. She was all alone so you ran to her and grabbed her attention without scaring her. She saw you and ran into your arms.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong? Where’s your dad?”

“I lost him. I don’t know where he is. He was behind me then he was gone.”

“It’s okay sweetie. I got you. Let’s go find him together,” you said as you grabbed her hand.

You searched the first shop and found nothing. So, you continued from shop to shop until you hit the fourth shop and you finally found Jensen. JJ ran up to her father who engulfed her in a giant hug.

“Thank god you’re safe, JJ,” Jensen said as he kissed her head. “Thank you so much y/n. I was freaking out. I got lost in the crowd and the next thing I knew little JJ here was gone.”

“It was no problem Jensen. I’m just glad I found her.”

“Me too. Do you have any plans today?”

“Not really. I was just gonna do some shopping and chill why?”

“Well, we were just gonna do some shopping too. Care to join us?”

“Sure. That sounds like fun.”

You ended up spending the next few hours going from shop to shop with Jensen and JJ having a good time. You even went out to lunch where you and JJ made Jensen spill his drink on his pants and laughed at him saying he peed himself.

Since this was your last night in Honolulu you went to Jensen’s room so you could the talk you had been long dreading.

“Hey y/n, come in.”

“Hey Jensen, can we talk?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I have been dreading this conversation all day. But tonight, is my last night in Honolulu which means it’s the last night I’ll see you and JJ, and I really don’t want it to be the last time we see each other.”

“Me neither. I really think we have something special here despite only meeting less than a week ago. We both live in Texas why don’t we give this relationship a shot?”

“I really want to, but I live an hour away from Austin. How are we supposed to make that work?”

“An hour is nothing. We can figure the details out later but if you are willing to give this a shot then so am I. So, are you?”

“Yes.”

And with that Jensen pulled you into a kiss and your worries about the future faded away. You two would figure it out together.

Tags:

Jensen Ackles

@akshi8278

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[emotionsofthesoul]

FOREVER

Summary:

Valentina is a first year college photography student,

Juliana is working on her fashion portfolio to get into a fashion school,

Leon isn’t dead,

Chino isn’t a sicario,

Johny no existe.

Los Carvajal still have their media empire.

Los Valdes are a hardworking middle class family.

What happens when destiny brings them all together?

-

CHAPTER 1 _ Primer Encuentro

It’s midterm season for the fall semester. Valentina is busy editing away at her computer in her favorite café. On this particular Monday the café is completely full. Valentina got there early since she has Mondays off. She wasn’t too worried about not finding a table because her table is always free, almost as if everyone who goes to that café knows THAT is HER table and off limits. The table is all the way to the back near the old mine entrance with no windows - the perfect table to edit with no light interference. This is actually why Val fell in love with the small coffee shop, it’s perfect.

Juliana. Life hasn’t been so easy on her or her parents. She was born in San Antonio, Texas but right before her senior year of high school after losing almost everything they made the decision to move to California. Sacramento to be exact. They wanted to start over and her parents believed the Golden State was the best place for that. Safe to say, she hates it here. The only thing keeping her afloat is the fact that when she finishes her portfolio she can finally begin applying for schools out of the city. Juliana has been struggling to find her place in this city that she hates, in the only neighborhood her parents could afford. If there is one thing she is thankful for it’s her 1964 Mustang her parents gifted her on her 15th birthday, she’s able to get away when she needs to. This Monday Juliana just so happened to stumble upon a small café after driving down US-50 until reaching Placerville. She had been driving without a destinations in mind but the small town caught her eye and she took a right on the first light and a left when she came to the stop sign. She was driving down Main St when she saw Cozmic Café. The mermaid on the building caught her eye so she decided to park across the street and make her way inside, find a place to sit and sketch.

Once she had made it inside she noticed just how full the small place actually was. She ordered a mango smoothie. When the smoothie was ready she went to find a seat but every table was taken with little to no room. She went a little further in and found a girl completely lost in whatever she was working on. There were 3 open chairs at this table so she took the chance of asking if she could sit so she too could work.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt you, I was wondering if I could grab a seat here. I promise not to bother you, this is the only table with any seats available.” Said Juliana.

“Uh, yeah go for it.” Valentina said in her usual friendly manner.

They sat there in silence for about ten minutes, each working on their own stuff. Valentina was editing her midterm portfolio for her Digital Imaging class but she had one more image she had to create and all her brainstorming was not helping her get any closer to what she wanted to do for it.  She has been assigned to create a Dérive and after weeks of planning she still had no clue. After pondering for a bit she decided to seek help from the pretty girl sitting across from her.

“Hey, sorry to bother you, I need your help. I’m Valentina by the way.”

Juliana looked up at Valentina and shyly said, “Juliana. No problem, what’s up?”

“It’s just I have an assignment I’ve been trying to do and it’s been weeks and I still don’t know how to approach it. It’s called a dérive, meaning I have to take a few photographs and combine them in an interesting way to create a completely new image. So our assignment is to go on a walk on a different route than we usually would and rediscover or discover interesting vantage points. It’s due in 2 weeks.” Valentina explained in the simplest way she could.

“Okay, so how do I fit into this?” Juliana said raising her eyebrow.

“Okay so I know this entire town backwards and forwards but that’s through my eyes and I would love to have your take on this. How long have you been living here for?”

“Oh, no I don’t live here. I live in Sacramento.”

“Oh really? I love going to midtown, and Old Sacramento. Though now that I think about it, there is still a lot I’ve yet to see there.” Val said as an idea popped into her head, “how about… I pull up a quick map of downtown and you give me your route from Crepeville on L to Old Sacramento?”

“Uh… okay. I’m fairly new, we just moved to Sacramento from San Antonio so I don’t really know the downtown area or anything in the city really. I live in the south side of town and do not go out much.” Juliana said.

“Wait so what are you doing all the way over here? It’s almost an hour drive.”

“I got into an argument with my parents because they aren’t happy that I want to study fashion so I had to get away for a bit. I hopped on 50 and just drove east trying to get my mind off things. Then I found this small town and decided to drive around a bit but when I saw the mermaid outside and the sign to the café I decided to come in and here we are.” Juliana explained.

“You’re a fashion designer?” Valentina said excitedly, “I’m a photographer and I love fashion photography. It’s like we were destined to meet! Show me what you have so far. I’m very intrigued.”

“Uh, okay sure. This is a sketch I actually started right when I sat down.”

“Neta wey, this is so cool. What was your inspirations for this? It looks very sophisticated.” Valentina said.

“Uh… um… you. When I approached you I noticed how beautiful your outfit is and how elegant you looked so I went from there.” Juliana said hoping Valentina wouldn’t feel creeped out.

“Que chido. That’s so sweet of you. What else do you have?” Valentina said while blushing.

They spent the next hour sharing their work with each other. They were no longer sitting across from one another but instead side by side. Juliana went off about the different designers she loved and what her inspirations were. All the while Valentina just stared in admirations of this girl who she just met and who is just so beautiful and perfect.

“Val, have you been listening to me? Why are you staring at me like that?” Juliana giggled.

“I’m listening.” Valentina said with a coy smile, “Actually would you like to go for a walk with me? I can show you around Main St and take you to one of my favorite designer’s shop. She started here and now has shops all around the worlds. I think you’ll love it.”

“Okay, yeah sounds good.” Juliana responded with a special gleam in her eyes.

For the next hour Valentina showed her around and introduced her to different shop owners. Valentina took her time explaining Placerville’s history and showing her everything she loved. When they got to the fork she told Juliana to look to her left. When Juliana turned she saw beautiful wedding gowns. Valentina took her by the hand and walked her in.

“Renata! Donde estas corazón? Ven, I wanna introduce you to someone.” Valentina said loud enough for Renata to hear her in the back of the shop.

“Hey babe, what’s up? Who’s this?” Renata said while hugging Valentina.

“This is Juliana she’s new to Cali, lives in Sac. She’s an incredible designer in the making. I told her I would bring her so she could see your shop and meet you.” Valentina told Renata and then turned to Juliana, “Juls this is Renata my brother’s wife and my amazing sister-in-law. She’s had this shop for the last 9 years and she’s incredible at what she does. She designed her own wedding dress and my stepmom’s.”

Juliana couldn’t understand why but she felt a sense of relief when Valentina said Renata was her sister-in-law.

“Hi, I’m Juliana. Your dresses are incredible.” Juliana said to Renata.

“Gracias. What kind of work are you interested in?” Renata replied.

“I love fashion, I’m trying a little bit of everything. I actually designed and made what I’m wearing right now.” Juliana said with a smile.

“Really? I was gonna ask you where you got that top!” Valentina cut in very excited.

“Nice, where do you study design?” Renata asked Juliana completely ignoring Valentina.

“Oh, I’m in my senior year of high school. I’m actually working on my portfolio for when application season comes around. I’m homeschooled though so I have more than enough time on my hands to sketch and create nonstop.” Juliana responded feeling more at ease with both women.

Valentina interrupted, “Juls! Renata is actually opening a fashion school, my family is providing 5 scholarships for 5 different students. You should totally consider it. The school opens next fall. She’s hired the best of the best to teach there.” Valentina turns to Renata, “Naty tell her a little about your idea and your goals for the school.”

Juliana was very interested but the only thing keeping her from getting too excited was the location, it was in Sacramento. The only thing she has wanted since they arrived was to get out of that city but this could be a good idea. They talked for a few hours and Renata told her about her plans with 5 other designers to make Sacramento a new fashion district. After seeing her sketches Renata told Juliana she could definitely get in if she applied. Juliana said she would think about it and she was actually interested. Tuition wasn’t as high as the other schools she had been looking into in San Francisco and New York so that was definitely a plus.

After leaving Renata’s shop Valentina invited Juliana to get dinner.

“Oye Val, we completely went off topic. You had asked me for help for your picture. What was your idea again?” Juliana said bringing the conversation back to the photography topic.

“Oh yeah, how about this Saturday I come down there and we explore downtown a bit and walk towards Old Sacramento? You’ve never been so it would be perfect, you lead the way and I get my pictures from your perspective and your direction.” Valentina said, she definitely wanted to see Juliana again. She knows they just met but she already considers her a great friend.

“I’m down. What time? It’s been really hot so definitely bring something to shade you from the sun.” Juliana said.

“Hmm… how does 10am sound? We can get breakfast and go from there. I can pick you up if you’d like?” Valentina responded.

“Sounds good. Just call me when you’re outside the gate so I can come out.” Juliana said as she wrote down her address and the gate number to the trailer park she lived in.

They had a lovely dinner and talked like old friends. They made each other laugh and simply had a great time. Around 6pm Juliana pulled her phone out and saw the time. She had spent the entire day in this little town with a beautiful girl. This was one of the best days she has had since arriving to California and is actually looking forward to sightseeing with Valentina on Saturday.

“Val, I think I should get going. It’s been an incredible day thank you so much. I am so happy I met you. You’ve definitely made my week and it just started. It’s a bit of a drive back so I should get going now that traffic shouldn’t be too heavy.” Juliana told Valentina.

“No, Juls, quédate. A little longer. I don’t want to leave yet, I have to wait 5 days to see you again. I love spending time with you.” Valentina said with a pouty face.

“Val… my parents are expecting me home soon. I live an hour away.” Juliana said but Valentina kept pouting, “okay, how about this. How about I meet you for lunch tomorrow at the university?”

Valentina’s face lit up, “Si si si! Okay pero mejor vamos a Bento Box near campus because food on campus is okay but BB has amazing sushi.”

“I’ve never tried sushi… but okay donde tu quieras.”

“Wey, es neta? You’ve never tried sushi?! Okay entonces si. They have other stuff too though if you don’t like it.” Valentina said.

“Okay, then I’ll see you tomorrow?” Juliana said with a big smile on her face as they approached her car.

“Yeah. Definitely.” Valentina said she closed Juliana’s car door.

Valentina walked to her car while her driver waited with the door open. She couldn’t contain her smile the entire ride home. Juliana couldn’t do anything but smile the whole drive back to Sacramento. She was finally feeling like she could find her place in the Golden State.

Little did they know this was the beginning of forever.

---

Disclaimer: Not a writer, this is my first fic, go easy on me. Not sure how many chapters it’ll be but as of now I have 10 fleshed out. We’ll see how this goes.

[nomdy-plume]

Have you seen ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’?

It’s a good job I don’t post a new blog every week – I’d have nothing to talk about.  

Whereas, leaving it a few months between updates, I have LOTS to cover. You ready? Let’s begin:

Since returning from Texas, I have completed a month’s contract onboard another ferry, after my management were kind enough to offer me a way out of short-term pecuniary disenfranchisement. It was the sister-ship of the one that I normally find myself on and I’m pleased to say that it was the better of the two: the indoor smoking room (I no longer smoke) was a [much larger and better equipped] gym and the gym room was a very plush TV room with a full satellite package.

Given the cricket world cup was taking place during my contract, it was wonderful to be the only person on the ship who wasn’t busy working during the day. I had the whole TV room to myself (about 25 yards from the mess, food, drink, etc.) to indulge in what was an amazing tournament.

On my last two contracts I was playing in the main theatre (in the belly of the ship) with a party band but for a month I was providing troubadour, solo, action upstairs in the Sky lounge – my first contract as a soloist.  After an initial knee-jerk reaction to accepting the contract of downloading a ton of backing tracks, so I could provide a range of musical options, I realised pretty quickly that this was completely  unnecessary.

Performing 4x 30min sets a night: I started out by planning 3 days’ worth of unique sets, which I figured I could adjust and tinker with until I was happy with how they all worked out. Slow, mellow ones to start with before whipping the crowd into a frenzy with sing-a-long classics later on in the night. I think I had about 150 songs in my solo repertoire to choose from and it’s basically about 7 or 8 songs a set (depending on how long I drag them out for).

It was the usual mix of songs that I know I can play and sing – which work in a solo setting – and a desperate grab for as many other suitable songs which I could learn or which I really wanted to try out acoustically.

However, pretty early in the contract, one of the ladies on security in the port was kind enough to pass on her head cold to me. My throat was soon swollen enough for me to ask my Entertainments Manager (EM) if it would be OK if I just played some instrumental stuff until my voice was better.  His reaction – reading between the lines, and the indifferent shrug – told me that he couldn’t care less what I did as long as I was up there making some form of noise for my allotted times.

Now, this meant that the bar staff / bar manager in my venue must have been happy with what they had heard of me so far: they are always the ones to complain if something isn’t working or going to plan.  This pleased me: the bar staff have to listen to the solo act over and over and over again, every night for weeks on end, so whereas the passengers might only hear one or two performances, the staff will hear every single one.  

They become very sensitive to how good/bad people are in both their playing and their selection of material – normally the lack of it.  150 songs might seem a lot, but that’s only 5 days worth before you repeat yourself IF you stick to playing every song.

Anyway, to cut to the chase, I quickly got the 30 min sets down to 3 or 4 songs – only two of which I might sing on. I needed to come up with a few more jazz instrumentals to bluff my way through as the staff were hearing Autumn Leaves and Blue Bossa every night, and I don’t want to drive them too mad…

It was a good exercise in needing to be creative with a looper pedal as well as figuring out which of my repertoire I could drag out for around ten mins with solos before and after each verse/chorus…

It meant that I could reduce the songs on which I did sing down to a select, polished group.  It was a great relief to know that I could just throw down a loop and meander whimsically around some melodic lines for the duration of the sets. Audience were happy, bar staff were happy – I was over the moon!

The audiences were a mixed bag.  Most were very receptive: in the warm summer evenings, the top lounge where I played was the place to be. Plus it is right next to the open smoking decks – so there have been some good numbers of bodies in, most of the time.  They don’t seem to mind me in the corner with a looper pedal just noodling away and I’ve been able to play all the requests thrown my way so far. The German passengers seem extra friendly and receptive – apparently they LOVE a bit of Dire Straits, which suits me right down to the ground because so do I.

As per most contracts, there were times when a small, appreciative crowd were loving everything I was playing – just as there were times when a large, unappreciative crowd couldn’t have cared less what I was doing.  In my final week, I was determined to give it everything I had in those final shows – I poured my heart and soul into everything I did.  And no-one noticed, cared or gave a hoot.

Such is life!

Some nights I sucked, didn’t want to be there… some nights I was on fire, didn’t want it to end… I had a ton of fun, even if it didn’t feel like it all the time. I also got to head into Amsterdam a couple of times which was wonderful, it’s possibly my favourite European city and I’ve spent so many hours wandering around the canals and streets.

There’s a breakfast café very near the station which always – ALWAYS! – has a queue of about 10-15 people waiting to get in.  It’s called Omelegg and I’ve always wanted to know what the food is like in there… all the online reviews say it’s incredible… my lifetime quest to find out for myself continueth…

The party band who were onboard were a nice bunch. They were in the lamentable – but not uncommon – position of joining the ship with a guitarist who was young, naïve and completely unprepared for the contract. However, he was a nice, well-meaning guy and the others didn’t seem to be willing to cuss him out: they were kind of hand-holding him through the contract. Bless.

Bands are responsible for making sure they know what they are doing, are rehearsed, etc. and apparently this kid had known for a year that he was doing it.  Sounds like his reasoning was as follows (taken from ad verbatim quotes from the band):

·         I’m the best guitarist at my university

·         I can play anything and I can sing a bit

·         I should be able to figure out / jam along to whatever the band play

I was torn: between admiring the sheer, bare-faced audacity of naïve youth and gobbling popcorn at the eye-widening, car-crash drama of it all. I managed to catch a few of their songs – when our set-times overlapped a little – and it was, indeed, painful to witness.

I wish I could say that I hadn’t been there before, in his shoes (albeit under slightly different circumstances), but I had.  All I can say is that if you survive a baptism of fire like that and STILL want to pursue it as a career, you’ve already displayed enough courage and determination/perseverance to almost guarantee some level of success. It is being right at the bottom of a very steep, painful learning curve.

I also loved my Ibanez jazzy hollow-body guitar on this contract, too.  I bought it in Hong Kong a few years back (the Tom Lee store there is incredible: an Aladdin’s cave of guitar goodness) and hadn’t really touched it since.  I wasn’t sure if the contract would stipulate ‘acoustic-only’ – but that was me being overly cautious.  Not only does it sound great – that oaky, woody, jazzy sound you’d expect from that style of guitar – but it plays so much more easily than anything else I own.

And, because you guys are always most interested in the tragic, nerve-wracking, up-and-down drama of my life as a musician, I’ll fill you in on current events.

I’d been lining up a contract for later in the year, back onboard the last cruise ship where we did the acoustic duo gig.  This time as the party band, which – although fraught with its own logistical challenges – was at least a contract on the table.  Indeed, I had digitally signed and returned it and was relieved to have another 5 months of work booked in to keep my head afloat.

However, the delightful and immensely-talented LT had previously – and both I and the drummer were loosely aware of this – auditioned for a cruise line which paid nearly twice the money for not quite half the work, but certainly a much more agreeable working environment.

So, it was with a sense of dread and doom that we read her message saying that she had been offered a contract with this other cruise line and we weren’t going to be able to tag along. We weren’t going to do the contract without her and we all knew that she was destined for greater things than earning minimum wage with no days off for five months.

So, here I am under fairly intense financial pressures and no work on the horizon.  It’s all very Inside Llewyn Davis, which pleases and disgusts me in equal measures.  On the plus side, in my attempts to get some sort of a side-gig going, I’ve done some work as an extra on a major Netflix production which was being filmed in Wales. It’ll be out later this year, I’m hoping to get some screen time – it’ll be something to laugh about with my family.

So yeah, there’s the update. I may leave it as long again to allow enough to occur to make it a riveting read… but then I don’t have much on at the moment and may end up publishing frequently as a means to pass the time…

*salutes*

[tr33-g1rl]

Cars On Roads Like Blood In Veins

This wouldn’t work. We both knew it, but it was still so easy to get attached. Even though we hardly had any time at all. We used every second we had, milked it for all it was worth. For some reason we had convinced ourselves that we could make it longer, that somehow we were above everything else this world had ever seen and that we could make it because we were somehow a magical duo that could make miracles happen.

You see, we thought, “Hey, opposites attract, so we should work.”

I’m loud but I used to be quiet, and you’re quiet but you used to be loud. You liked pop songs with the occasional rap, and I liked indie with touches of electronic. You liked band-tees and jeans, while I liked tank tops and sweatpants.

Okay, I realize that we’re not perfect opposites, but if I’m headed north, you’re going west. We’re not exactly different, but we’re clearly not the same. We just know that we didn’t start heading the same direction and we’re certainly not going to the same destination. If I’m being honest, I’m not going to plead for you to come with me, or ask if I can come with you. We’re just not meant to do this together and that’s fine.

The awful part of it is, though, that we more or less got attached. We may not be headed for the same spot, but somehow, on the criss-crossing roads of this country, our cars began to move at the same speed as you passed my on-ramp and my car was thrown into the same herd as the one you were traveling with.

 And at some point, either you or I ran out of gas at the same the other one decided they needed a cheap pop or a candy bar or maybe a cigarette. We took the same exit, one of us found the gas station and the other followed. You went into the store first, and I followed a few seconds later.

I remember being struck by how pedestrian you looked. I’m on the road a lot, and usually the people you see look somehow… bizarre. Hell, I’ve seen my car; there’s old food wrappers and costumes and papers and a work uniform scattered everywhere in my car except the driver’s seat. But you looked so normal  especially compared to me in my cosplay, headed straight from a convention on a long car ride home.

You looked at me like I was a fairy… or a mad witch, more like. But I brought a smile to your face and that somehow that gave me the courage to wink at you. This forced a chuckle from you, even though you looked deadass tired at approximately three in the morning when we were just outside of Abilene, Texas.

You got back in your big rig and I followed you back to the highway. We were alone with only each other, ourselves and the hosts on the ever changing radio stations. I remember that at one point we were on the same station, and I could tell because you rolled your windows down and sang along, horribly, to whatever shitty pop song the radio was trying to bring back from the previous year. I don’t remember the name of the song, but I rolled my windows down too and joined in on the fun. After the song ended, we didn’t know what to do, so we both rolled our windows up. It was cold out, after all, and my costume didn’t even let me wear a full shirt.

A few more towns and the Texas-Oklahoma state line later and we were in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. I started to get in the turn lane, planning to stop and rest for the night. It was only when I began to press on my brakes that I realized you had moved over two lanes to get behind me. Now it was you following me to the crappy hotel that costed forty-nine dollars a night per room.

I parked in the front.  No one appeared to be crowding this place and the front of the lot was almost completely open. You had to park your truck in the back. By the time I had my room key, you were inside and standing behind me, waiting your turn. I was in the elevator, bag in hand, when I heard you tell the receptionist, “Just give me the room next to her.” I’m pretty sure you heard my laughter from down the hallway.

I dropped my backpack on my bed and propped my door open with one of my shoes. I heard the door next to me open and close. I thought you were just ignoring me, but a minute later I saw you, in your pajamas, push my door open and laugh. I smiled at you, my legs swinging back and forth as I sat on the bed. You just flopped down next to me as I turned on the TV to some shitty Hallmark movie that was playing.

I changed into my pajamas and took off my wig and make-up. You gasped, teasing me, when I came back looking like a completely different looking person.

“Possibly your most daring look of the night,” you had told me. I just elbowed you and told you to shut up, the movie was on and we were missing it. Though, we laughed…because the movie was worth missing.

Instead we played those weak party games you’re supposed to play at sleepovers when you’re a kid. You later told me you never had. I’d only played them with coworkers on slow nights. But, as it turned out, ‘Would You Rather’ and ‘Truth or Dare’ and ‘This or That’ were really fun, especially at about 11:30, when you had been driving since the same time but a day in the past and hadn’t slept at all.

You ended up falling asleep in my room. Your room was just a wasted forty-nine dollars and a cubby hole for your duffle bag. Instead, we slept together, curled up on the floor in front of the TV, kept warm by only the blanket you had brought in from the cabin of your truck and by each other’s almost fever-high body temperature.

You were warm because of some sickness you had picked up somewhere back in your hometown that was somewhere more south than Austin, and I was warm because of a sunburn I had picked up while outside in the courtyard of the convention center. Even like this our warmth was somehow a blessing even though we both woke up at some point during the night, sweating, to take off the blanket and turn on the weak fan.

The next morning we exchanged phone numbers and headed back to the road. But now no music blared through the radio. We had each other on a video call, phone resting against our dash, camera at a really unflattering angle for both of us. But still we talked, laughed and told each other about where we were headed. I still feel sad that you didn’t say the same place as me. Still, we stopped at the same gas station to get lunch; a cheap coffee and a lunchable for you, a cup of soda and a bag of gummy worms for me.

I laughed at how you ate two stacks of cracker, meat and cheese at one time. You laughed at how I had to chew really hard to seperate the partially stale worms into pieces. You burnt your tongue on the coffee. I choked on a small piece of ice. We shook our heads at each other and got back in our cars.

We must’ve looked weird. An eighteen wheeler and a Volvo with no port for an aux cord. Maybe we were both just kinda old school like that.

By the time we reached Westville, I could’ve sworn we had maybe met when we were a couple years younger, then you moved and we had just forgotten about each other and now we had somehow met again. You just felt so comfortable, like the blanket that I now knew was in your passenger seat.

Between 5:45 to 6:30 at the latest, we had reached the border of Kansas and I was so close to home and I could tell. By all three; the scenery, the drop of my heart into my gut, and the fact you were growing quieter. By the time we were in Independence, we were back to making deep small-talk, like we were convinced that maybe, maybe we could convince each other that we wanted to go in the same direction.

But I knew that West wasn’t home, and you knew that North held nothing for you.

When we reached Iola, I had resorted to telling you all about Kansas City, about how much I loved it, about how much you would love it. You started telling me about California, how much prospect it held, how good I could do there.

The next half hour we was spent in silence. But we started laughing together again by Garnett, but by then we only had an hour and fifteen minutes left.

And we filled those precious minutes with everything we could. I bitched about how much I simultaneously love and hate my job, you told me about how you were missing a concert on this trip.

Finally, we reached Kansas City, Kansas. We stopped at a QuikTrip just off the highway. We were both running low on gas, anyway, and even though we were about to be separated, likely to never see each other again, we were both practical people. And this little interaction, whatever it had been, was not enough to stop our lives in our tracks.

We both made light talk as we filled our tanks and went inside to pick up something to eat. I handed you a coffee, and you handed me a bottle of strawberry Fanta. I paid for both of our collective treats, and when you tried to protest, I just hushed you. “You’re going farther than me; you’ll need the gas money later,” I said. You shook your head and rolled your eyes, but you put your wallet away all the same.

I told the cashier I wanted the receipt.Which is weird, because I usually tell them to trash it. I guess I just wanted something to remember you by; some physical proof that all of this happened and that you weren’t just some highway wraith that I had imagined seconds before my own car crash death. But as far as the single piece of evidence hinted, this whole experience had been just as real as I could believe.

And there we stood, you in front of your truck and me in front of my Volvo. We didn’t know how we could or should end this. Hell, we didn’t even know it there was a standard protocol for such unique events like this. But here we were and we’d be damned if we weren’t going to be the first ones to show people how it’s done.

I held my hand out, offering a handshake as a farewell. You laughed and pushed my hand aside before pulling me into a hug. I didn’t even try to resist. I just wrapped my arms around you in return. We pulled apart and looked each other in the eyes.

“You’re sure?” I asked.

“Very,” You said.

“Then I wish the best of luck to you.”

“Right back at you.”

Then we both nodded and you opened the door to your giant monster of a truck, and I got in my mouse of a car. We really must’ve looked like quite the duo, driving everywhere together. But now our number of two would subtract one, and we would each be solo acts again.

We both pulled out onto the street at the same time. I was turning left and you were turning right. I was headed back to my hometown and you were going to turn onto the US Route 50 and take it all the way to California. I’d like to think that the light turned red just for us so we could have those precious thirty seconds.

We wasted the first ten by looking at the traffic. And the next five were spent looking at the light, seeing if it would turn. The next ten we just didn’t make eye contact. Then we finally looked at each other, and I saw you see me. So I did what I thought would make us both feel better. I winked and blew you a kiss. You pretended to dodge it with a disgusted face. It made me laugh. I stuck my tongue out at you in retaliation.

Then the light turned, and I was forced to turn away from you.

But I hope that’s how you remember me; a laugh on my face and my tongue sticking out like a fool. If you do choose to remember me.

I choose to remember you. Something about us changed me; it made me realize just how good the world can be and just how happy other people can make me. In those brief hours together, I think I came to love you, but there was no heartbreak when we parted. Just happiness that for the little amount of time we had together, we were not-quite-perfect together.

You changed me and everything I knew. For that, I thank you.

[roswellroamer]

Tsumkwe to Rundu, Namibia on the Okavango river and Angolan border. 4/24/19. About 400km

We took our time this morning. Made to order breakfast of eggs, sausage and bacon along with toast, juice, cereal and yogurt. We gathered around for a while and didn't roll out until near 9:30. We rode for a while and stopped at a bushman village. We are a real oddity in this way out of the way area. The kids come running to the road to wave everywhere today the entire day. The group of bush people that gathered around us when we stopped were very friendly and happy. They showed us how they shoot arrows with the very small bushman bow and small arrows. The bushmen are known to be awesome trackers and hunters. All these kids were learning the bow. Also they use a deadly poison that supposedly once the skin is pierced with it the animal will surely die. The clicking noises along with their language are really interesting. Then, after the obligatory poses with our bikes and wanting their pictures taken, Gavin brought out the Mavic Air drone. This was now getting the whole village out to watch. Gavin flew it down the highway to another group coming towards us, bringing lots of clicking and excitement. We waved good bye and went on down the road. The crushed limestone base is hardened into what seems like pavement but still mostly covered with sand and gravel. The main tracks in each direction are however nearly 50% exposed. Some ruts and rocks but largely a smooth ride today even though much of it at least time wise was on a D highway we averaged 100-120km/hr. We had our first flat tires today. While waiting with our new bushman friends, the "bucky" (what Aussies and S. African folks call a pickup truck) had a rear tire get slit. They had a spare so that is what gave us so much time with the locals. Later this afternoon on a long stretch to Rundu, Andy ran out of gas about 25k shy of town and his mate Jim fetched him a can of gas. Also Gavin had a front flat and spent some time on the side getting the wheel off before the truck arrived. Eventually the rest of us all made it to the gas station and then about 20k out to the Okavango river and the very nice Hakusembe River Lodge. Beautiful day of riding and the last 5k or so on the lodge's driveway likely provided the most off road challenge of the day! Beautifully landscaped with wide wooden decks and a swimming pool which has just doubled as an interim laundry since I went for a dip long before the support truck got here with my clothes. Still no Wi-Fi which seems to even piss off the SA crew. I didn't know what to expect but after two days here's hoping tomorrow's destination has it so I can let somebody know we're OK. Today we skipped lunch, there really was no place or town at all moving up towards the Caprivi. Very desolate and beautiful. We also found that we had been in elephant and lion territory but that we hadn't seen any. One of the guards at the multiple animal/vegetable checkpoints told us about that. We had a couple stops today where they'd check out licenses and sign a log form but no real hassles. One interesting section of the D highway before we got on the tar for the last 142k to Rundu was our passing through a series of farms. Not that farms would be unusual but here the gates to keep their cattle in ran across the road. I lost count after a dozen. I would guess north of 16 or 18 gates that required us to dismount and open then close after we passed. Also a number of cattle grates to ride over and one farmer who tended his gate and waved us through. The D roads have even more mounds growing up along the tire tracks. We suspect these are termite mounds in an early stage that should be graded away whenever the Namibian folks get around to grading. Interesting country. Still heading mostly north after 5 days and still in Namibia. HUGE! 🇳🇦 and under populated. My SA mates say that there are only two million folks in this huge country. Namibia is about 1/12 the size of the US (bigger than Texas plus other states) but with only 2.5M people!

They say there are crocs in the river here so I'm gonna stick to the pool. This is a pretty 'lux resort so we should have a good dinner. Gonna go join the group on the deck over the river for a cool refreshment. 🍺 Now I am on board the "sunset" cruise full of European folks (German, Swiss and Dutch) some with huge telephoto lenses. We stopped over on the Angola side of the river and saw a border post just up the hill. 🇦🇴 Lots of cool birds. Night heron, cormorants, open billed storks, egrets, some crocodiles and also monitor lizards. It turned into a booze cruise with choices of alcoholic beverages and a nice snack assortment including cheeses and Kudu biltong (jerky). I should also mention that due to the truck's late arrival and the impromptu swim in my riding shirt and skivvies, I was likely the most underdressed on the boat ride. What the heck, I was still sporting more fabric than most of the Euro folks in their banana hammocks! Dinner was a buffet but first class. A salad bar with must've been thirty + choices, butternut soup, springbok steak, oryx stew, lots of side dishes and a dessert bar. They also served everyone Pimm's with some fruit. A great evening on the deck right on the Okavango, looking across the river to Angola. The wait staff has banded together a number of time for example to welcome me back from the sunset cruise. The last singing group came by the tables after dinner and one of them was inquiring if anyone would like some grappa or after dinner liqueurs. One other thing I think I'll mention before bed is that once we got onto the Rundu highway, there was a steady stream of villages and even items for sale every few kilometers alongside the road. People walking, school kids, families, workers even passing some sort of community gathering of maybe 200 people circled around under a tree for who knows what. In general today was almost like a parade route as we spent the first half of the day in bushman country feeling like oddities as we passed by garnering attention from nearly everyone and waving with gusto. The last stretch I referred to above was a much more heavily traveled paved highway so we were no longer one of the only attractions riding by, however most folks especially children offered a wave and I waved a LOT especially those last couple hours on the B8 into Rundu. 👋 Tomorrow we enter the Caprivi, a beautiful strip of land that Namibia owns heading eastward. If you haven't seen the NatGeo documentary film Into the Okavango, please check it out. It is about the river delta just down from here and it is amazing. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/films/okavango/

[apptg554]

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The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV, coming off record-breaking viewership numbers for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR), announced today The American Rodeo presented by Durango Boots is moving forward with its originally scheduled 2021 dates and tickets will be going on sale to the general public starting this Friday, January 15th at 10 am CT.

https://ryanwhiteconference.hrsa.gov/american-rodeo-2021-live-online-rfd-tv-the-american-rodeo-online/

https://ryanwhiteconference.hrsa.gov/american-rodeo-2021-live-online-rfd-tv-the-american-rodeo-online/

https://ryanwhiteconference.hrsa.gov/american-rodeo-2021-live-online-rfd-tv-the-american-rodeo-online/

https://ryanwhiteconference.hrsa.gov/american-rodeo-2021-live-online-rfd-tv-the-american-rodeo-online/

“The American Rodeo has always been about the cowboys and cowgirls and last year’s rodeo had a lot to do with determining who not only qualified for the 2020 NFR but who has eventually crowned the World Champion in each event,” stated Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of Rural Media Group, Inc., the parent company of RFD-TV, Rural Radio on SiriusXM and The Cowboy Channel. “With COVID understandably still challenging many rodeos around the country, we feel it is even more important to hold The American Rodeo as scheduled in March, in order to give cowboys a chance to win big money that counts towards PRCA’s standings, and also give rodeo fans some sense of normalcy.”

Over recent months Texas has proven to be a popular and safer destination with practicing CDC guidelines for major sporting events with the World Series, the Wrangler NFR, and the Rose Bowl game, which all moved to Arlington from their originally scheduled locations over the past year. The American Rodeo is known as the world’s richest weekend in western sports due to its tremendous prize offering of $2.3 million. Qualifying events are held across the country, throughout the calendar year, as ropers and riders hope to compete and make it to The American Rodeo Semi-Finals and Finals.

“The American Rodeo is so much more than just a rodeo or a payday for cowboys,” said Randy Bernard, CEO of The American Rodeo. “The money is so substantial; I always like to say it’s where dreams come true. We have seen cowboys and cowgirls walk away with over $1 million in one day and that is what our sport should be about. The storylines, the drama, the passion…it all comes out in one weekend. It truly is an amazing event that I look forward to every year.”

The 11-day rodeo competition kicks off on February 25th in the Fort Worth Stockyards for slack and semi-finals and the finals take place over the weekend of March 6-7, 2021 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The American Rodeo unites the top athletes in the world from the PRCA and pits them against underdogs who advance from The American Rodeo Semi-Finals, together to battle for the biggest single, life-changing paycheck of their lives. All events will be broadcast live on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV.

“I’m a known rodeo fan and really admire the strength and determination of the athletes,” said Jerry Jones, Owner, President and General Manager of the Dallas Cowboys. “The American Rodeo boasts a life changing prize purse for these competitors, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that it is returning to AT&T Stadium.”

“We believe that people from all over the country had such a positive experience in Texas for the recent NFR that many will want to return for more of the western experience that only Arlington and Fort Worth can offer at this time. With the new Hotel Drover opening, along with the John Wayne Experience, there is even more to see and do in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards,” said Raquel Gottsch, CEO of The Cowboy Channel.

Invitations to the Top 10 athletes in each event are being extended at this time. The following athletes are confirmed and will be returning to defend their American Rodeo 2020 title @ AT&T Stadium:

Shad Mayfield * returning champion tie-down roping Matt Reeves * returning champion steer wrestling Joseph Harrison * returning champion team roping (heeler) Luke Brown * returning champion team roping (header) Kaycee Feild * returning champion bareback Stevi Hillman * returning champion barrel racing Wyatt Casper * returning champion saddle bronc Sage Kimzey * returning champion bull riding

Tickets went on sale Friday, January 15th at 10 am CT for both The American Rodeo at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and The American Rodeo Semi-Finals at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. Tickets for The American Rodeo at AT&T Stadium March 6-7, 2021 can be purchased at SeatGeek.com. Standard ticket prices range from $20-$150, encompassing four pricing tiers for every level of rodeo fan. Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, only a limited number of tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets will be sold in seating pods of 2, 4, or 6. Tickets to The American Rodeo Semi-Finals March 3-5, 2021 at Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards can be purchased at CowtownColiseum.com. Standard ticket prices range from $25-$55.

For more information and a complete listing of all RFD-TV’s The American Rodeo presented by Durango Boots events in Fort Worth and Arlington, please visit www.americanrodeo.com

Facebook: @RFDTVTheAmerican | Twitter: @RFDTVAmerican | Instagram: @RFDTVAmerican

About RFD-TV

RFD-TV is the flagship network for Rural Media Group. Launched in December of 2000, RFD-TV is the nation’s first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on agribusiness, equine, and rural lifestyles, along with traditional country music and entertainment. RFD-TV produces six hours of live news each weekday in support of rural America and is a leading independent cable channel available in more than 52 million homes on DISH, DIRECTV®, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Spectrum, Cox, Comcast, Mediacom, Suddenlink, and many other rural cable systems. In addition, RFD-TV can be streamed online via RFD-TV Now at watchrfdtv.com, DIRECTV NOW, Roku, iOS, Android, Firestick, Apple TV, and Sling TV’s Heartland Extra package. For more information, please visit RFDTV.com.

Facebook: @OfficialRFDTV | Twitter: @OfficialRFDTV | Instagram: @RFDTV

About The Cowboy Channel

The Cowboy Channel is the official network of PRCA and the first 24-hour television network totally dedicated to western sports and the western lifestyle. Headquartered in the Fort Worth Stockyards, The Cowboy Channel also features a wide variety of “live” coverage from major western events showcasing the world’s toughest and most talented cowboys and cowgirls. The network reaches 42 million homes on cable/satellite systems on Altice, Charter Spectrum, DISH, DIRECTV®, AT&T U-Verse, Cox, Comcast, Mediacom, Verizon FIOS TV, and many other rural cable systems. The Cowboy Channel can also be streamed online via The Cowboy Channel Plus at cowboychannelplus.com, DIRECTV NOW, Roku, iOS, Android, Firestick, Apple TV, and Sling TV’s Heartland Extra package. For more information, please visit thecowboychannel.com

Facebook: @CowboyChannel | Twitter: @Cowboy_Channel | Instagram: @TheCowboyChannel

https://www.thewyco.com/news/the-american-rodeo-slack-events-starts-the-battle-for-1-million-dollars-01-03-2021

https://dreampirates.us/general/rfd-tvs-the-american-rodeo-returns-for-2021-01-03-2021

https://battlestarmod.com/general/top-10-cowboys-cowgirls-for-the-american-rodeo-2021-01-03-2021

https://alfacleaner.com/general/pbr-partners-with-longest-touring-african-american-rodeo-01-03-2021

https://souzacampos.net/world/david-reynolds-obituary-1933-2021-hudson-falls-ny-01-03-2021

https://jiyaroy.com/general/buc-days-returns-in-april-safety-will-be-main-focus-for-festivities-01-03-2021

https://gurgaonfemales.com/general/african-american-figures-whose-empowering-achievements-often-go-unnoticed-01-03-2021

https://inaltcoinswetrust.com/general/world-champ-leme-wins-pbr-fort-worth-lockwood-louis-01-03-2021

[multipleservicelisting]

San Francisco’s Tech Workers Make the Big Move

SAN FRANCISCO — The Bay Area struck a hard bargain with its tech workers.

Rent was astronomical. Taxes were high. Your neighbors didn’t like you. If you lived in San Francisco, you might have commuted an hour south to your job at Apple or Google or Facebook. Or if your office was in the city, maybe it was in a neighborhood with too much street crime, open drug use and $5 coffees.

But it was worth it. Living in the epicenter of a boom that was changing the world was what mattered. The city gave its workers a choice of interesting jobs and a chance at the brass ring.

That is, until the pandemic. Remote work offered a chance at residing for a few months in towns where life felt easier. Tech workers and their bosses realized they might not need all the perks and after-work schmooze events. But maybe they needed elbow room and a yard for the new puppy. A place to put the Peloton. A top public school.

They fled. They fled to tropical beach towns. They fled to more affordable places like Georgia. They fled to states without income taxes like Texas and Florida.

That’s where the story of the Bay Area’s latest tech era is ending for a growing crowd of tech workers and their companies. They have suddenly movable jobs and money in the bank — money that will go plenty further somewhere else.

But where? The No. 1 pick for people leaving San Francisco is Austin, Texas, with other winners including Seattle, New York and Chicago, according to moveBuddha, a site that compiles data on moving. Some cities have even set up recruiting programs to lure them to new homes. Miami’s mayor has even been inviting tech people to move there in his Twitter posts.

I talked to more than two dozen tech executives and workers who have left San Francisco for other parts of the country over the last year, like a young entrepreneur who moved home to Georgia and another who has created a community in Puerto Rico. Here are some of their stories.

Ah, the normal life

“I miss San Francisco. I miss the life I had there,” said John Gardner, 35, the founder and chief executive of Kickoff, a remote personal training start-up, who packed his things into storage and left in a camper van to wander America. “But right now it’s just like: What else can God and the world and government come up with to make the place less livable?”

A couple of months later, Mr. Gardner wrote: “Greetings from sunny Miami Beach! This is about the 40th place I’ve set up a temporary headquarters for Kickoff.”

Remote personal training happens to coincide well with remote life, but he said his start-up’s growth this past year was also due to his leaving the tech bubble and immersing himself in more normal communities, a few days at a time.

The biggest tech companies aren’t going anywhere, and tech stocks are still soaring. Apple’s flying-saucer-shaped campus is not going to zoom away. Google is still absorbing ever more office space in San Jose and San Francisco. New founders are still coming to town.

But the migration from the Bay Area appears real. Residential rents in San Francisco are down 27 percent from a year ago, and the office vacancy rate has spiked to 16.7 percent, a number not seen in a decade.

Though prices had dropped only slightly, Zillow reported more homes for sale in San Francisco than a year ago. For more than month last year, 90 percent of the searches involving San Francisco on moveBuddha were for people moving out.

Twitter, Yelp, Airbnb and Dropbox have tried to sublease some of their San Francisco office space. Pinterest, which has one of the most iconic offices in town, paid $90 million to break a lease for a site where it planned to expand. And companies like Twitter and Facebook have announced “work from home forever” plans.

“Moving into a $1.3 million house that we saw only on video for 20 minutes and said yes,” wrote Mike Rothermel, a designer at Cisco who moved from the Bay Area to Boulder, Colo., with his wife last summer. “It’s a mansion compared to SF for the same money.”

The amount of room they have felt surreal after various Bay Area apartments. He told me they have so much counter space, they can keep appliances like the food processor in the kitchen itself.

And then the people around them — neighbors — started doing something strange. They brought cinnamons rolls and handwritten welcome notes.

Wait, no income tax?

“We’re selling our house and moving out of SF. Where should we go and why?” Justin Kan, a serial entrepreneur who co-founded Twitch, asked on Twitter in August.

Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of the software company Palantir, which moved from Silicon Valley to Denver, wrote back: “Come to Austin with us. Growing tech ecosystem and Texas is the best place to make a stand together for a free society.”

Also: no state income taxes.

Austin, population one million and the Texas city most would say is closest in spirit to the Bay Area, has long had a healthy tech industry. The computer giant Dell is based nearby. The University of Texas is one of the top public colleges in the country. And the music scene is eclectic and creative.

Now the local tech industry is rapidly expanding. Apple is opening a $1 billion, 133-acre campus. Alphabet, Amazon and Facebook have all either expanded their footprints in Austin or have plans to. Elon Musk, the Tesla founder and one of the two richest men in the world, said he had moved to Texas. Start-up investor money is arriving, too: The investors at 8VC and Breyer Capital opened Austin offices last year.

Some of the favorite gurus of tech workers are already there, like Tim Ferriss, life-hacker, who left for Austin in 2017, and Ryan Holiday, whose writing about stoicism is influential among the start-up set.

Sahin Boydas, the founder of a remote-work start-up who had lived in San Francisco and its suburbs over the last decade, saw all of that. He looked at his wife and two young children, working and learning from home while crammed into a Cupertino rental that had seen better days. Much of the late summer, the air was full of smoke from wildfires. For days, electricity would go in and out at his house.

“You start to feel stupid,” said Mr. Boydas, who is 37. “I can understand the 1 percent rich people, the very top investors and entrepreneurs, they can be happy there.”

So he and his family moved to Austin. For the same price as their three-bedroom apartment in Cupertino, they have a five-bedroom home on an acre of land. For the first time, Mr. Boydas has outdoor space. He just acquired two rabbits for his children. Sure, it’s (very) hot, but he’s ready for it.

“We’re going to get a cat and a dog,” he said. “We could never do that before.”

And it’s not just the cost of rent that is lower — the water bill is lower; the trash bill is lower; the cost of a family dinner at a restaurant has fallen significantly. Mr. Boydas said he hadn’t even known about the taxes.

“I run payroll for myself, and when I saw zero, I called the accountant like there’s an error — there’s no tax line here,” he said. “And they were like, ‘Yeah there’s no tax.’”

“Ok guys hear me out, what if we move Silicon Valley to Miami,” tweeted Delian Asparouhov, a principal at Founders Fund, which invests in start-ups.

The mayor of Miami wrote back last month: “How can I help?”

Now there is a very vocal Miami faction, led by a few venture capital influencers, trying to tweet the city’s start-up world into existence.

The San Francisco exodus means the talent and money of newly remote tech workers are up for grabs. And it’s not just the mayor of Miami trying to lure them in.

Topeka, Kan., started Choose Topeka, which will reimburse new workers $10,000 for the first year of rent or $15,000 if they buy a home. Tulsa, Okla. will pay you $10,000 to move there. The nation of Estonia has a new residency program just for digital nomads.

A program in Savannah, Ga., will reimburse remote workers $2,000 for the move there, and the city has created various social activities to introduce the newcomers to one another and to locals.

“We try to make the transition easy,” said Jennifer Bonnett, vice president of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Savannah Economic Development Authority, whose program started in June.

Keyan Karimi, 29 and a start-up investor, took Savannah’s invitation to move there (though he didn’t ask for the reimbursement).

Seeing the inequality of billionaires in San Francisco’s wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood and the homeless camps down the hill ground on him. So Mr. Karimi went home to his parents house in Atlanta to ride out some of the pandemic. Then he detected something strange. The city he thought was boring had gotten pretty interesting. Or maybe he had just never noticed before.

“I had no idea how much was going on here. I was sort of myopic,” he said, pausing and correcting himself: “No, I was arrogant.”

Mr. Karimi started looking at Zillow and studying the Southern cities he had ignored. He likes old houses and wants to fix one up. Savannah has a lot of those. So just a few months after leaving his $4,000-a-month one-bedroom in San Francisco, he’s working with the local business development group to put together a maritime innovation center in Savannah to invest in and guide shipping and logistics start-ups. He bought one of those old houses.

Savannah has one of the largest ports in the country. “No one knows that,” Mr. Karimi said. “I figure we can do something with that.”

The only downside is mosquitoes, he said. “I get eaten alive.”

There are 33,000 members in the Facebook group Leaving California and 51,000 in its sister group, Life After California. People post pictures of moving trucks and links to Zillow listings in new cities.

The founder of both groups, Terry Gilliam, is planning to take members on a house-hunting road trip through eastern Tennessee this spring with stops in popular post-S.F. destinations. One tour will be Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City.

“When people decide to leave San Francisco, they usually don’t know where they want to go, they just want to go,” Mr. Gilliam said.

Mr. Gilliam, who met his wife when they worked at a Bay Area Chili’s restaurant, said she wouldn’t let the family move yet. And so the Pied Piper of the California-bashing Facebook community is still in Fremont, on the eastern end of Silicon Valley.

The gang’s all … here now

“People always get pissed at me when they hear birds in my Zoom,” said Ed Zaydelman, a longtime leader in San Francisco’s Burning Man community (and former New York City club promoter), who is forming an entrepreneur community in Costa Rica. “And I say, ‘Come join.’”

If San Francisco of the 2010s proved anything, it’s the power of proximity. Entrepreneurs could find a dozen start-up pitch competitions every week within walking distance. If they left a big tech company, there were start-ups eager to hire, and if a start-up failed, there was always another.

They could live jammed into a rambling Victorian with fellow nerds who — thanks to the popularity of polyamory — were having a lot of sex. More money was made faster in the Bay Area by fewer people than at any other time in American history.

No one leaving the city is arguing that a culture of innovation is going to spring up over Zoom. So some are trying to recreate it. They are getting into property development, building luxury tiny-home compounds and taking over big, funky houses in old resort towns.

“All these people want to do is this live-on-the-land stuff, but it’s not as easy as people think,” Mr. Zaydelman said.

He calls his new development company Nookleo, and he is building five tiny-home communities for remote workers. The little houses cost between $30,000 and 40,000. Each compound has four to six homes, a small organic farm, a yoga deck, a swimming pool and a kitchen clubhouse. Two clusters are already underway in Costa Rica, with Mexico and Portugal next.

In Puerto Rico, Gillian Morris, the founder of the travel app Hitlist, is also recruiting. Her San Francisco breaking point came after her roommate was attacked on their street, and she did a sort of gut check of herself over whether the street scenes and feeling of danger were worth the high rent. She moved to San Juan in 2019, even though it also has a crime problem. But now she lives in a huge house in the middle of the city.

“I have 12 people leaving San Francisco over the next three months to join a co-living community I set up,” she said. “It’s amazing here.”

And for the Baja-leaning, there is Bear Kittay, a co-founder of Good Money, an online banking platform. Now Mr. Kittay, another longtime fixture of the Burning Man festival turned developer, is building a property for the new digital nomads.

“The things that make this city ill are not within my control to change,” he said of San Francisco. “A lot of people are choosing to go to places where there’s opportunity, and maybe it’s a place that is more conservative and there can be an integration of dialogue. Or a place where they can live closer to nature. That’s what we’re doing.”

Nikil Viswanathan, who co-founded the blockchain start-up Alchemy, recently fled San Francisco. He said that there was no reason anymore for him or his colleagues to be there, and that he had always wanted to live on the beach. So now he does, in San Diego.

But the expats still find one another. Not long ago, he stumbled on a cluster at a party.

“I knew it was an S.F. crew because when I walked in because they had the full dual monitor with the ergonomic keyboard on a standing desk,” Mr. Viswanathan said, adding that conversation revolved around the lower cost of living. “One of the S.F. guys was like: ‘I just had a burrito for $6. It was amazing.’”

The last burrito he had in San Francisco cost $15.

They won’t necessarily be missed

Longtime Bay Area residents may well say good riddance to people like Mr. Viswanathan. People who distrusted the young newcomers from the start will say this change is a good thing. Hasn’t this steep growth in wealth and population in a tiny geography always seemed unsustainable?

These tech workers came like a whirlwind. Virtually every community from San Jose in the south to Marin County in the north has fought the rise of new housing for the arrivals of the last decade. Maybe spreading the tech talent around America is smart.

Locals have also seen this play before. Moving trucks come to take a generation of tech ambition away, and a few years later moving trucks return with new dreamers and new ambitions.

After the dot-com bust in 2001, there were fallow years before the latest, long-lasting boom — just as there were fallow years after the PC industry consolidated a decade earlier. That led to the dot-com boom. It is the circle of life in the Bay Area.

And those who are staying are digging in. “When 12 friends left, it felt like powerlessness,” said Diana Helmuth, a 32-year-old writer and marketer in Oakland. “Like these forces were too big. The forces of the world felt too big.”

Now, though, she is hardening toward those who say life is better somewhere else and were in town only for a job. “I say, ‘Great, goodbye, have a great time somewhere else.’”

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[mistyandmatt]

It’s winter and it’s hot here…Dubai travels

In preparation for this ‘round the world journey, I spent a great deal of time researching and preparing for this leg of the trip. I say that because 1. I’ve never been to the Middle East and 2. There are a lot of social and religious rules that have to be followed when visiting the area. You see, being a caucasian, American woman most certainly has it’s advantages on any given day, but when traveling to a middle eastern country, the situation is just not the same. I did a lot of internet searching, watched a lot of You Tube videos on how to correctly tie a headscarf, and ensuring my clothing (which you know I had to be highly selective of on the trip due to the totally different climates we are going to) was socially and religiously appropriate. I told Matt we would just see what it was like when we got there and then I would adjust as needed.

Leaving Tokyo on one hand was a bit sad, as we were just getting to know Matt’s family and somewhat adjusting to the ways around town, but on the other hand, I was starting to get antsy and was ready to move on towards Dubai. Maybe it was the weather (it was cold, and mainly cloudy while we were there-that’s depressing for me), maybe it was all the strange food I’d been challenged to consume over the past 10 days, or maybe I was just seeking some bit of normalcy somewhere since I clearly was the outsider on this leg of the trip. Want a slice of humble pie? Go to a country like Japan with 127 million people where you are one of only a few who can’t read or speak the language. You’ll realize your place in the world real quick. I guess I don’t know why I thought I would get normalcy in Dubai, but my instincts (and research) implied Dubai was supposed to be like the “Las Vegas” of the Middle East (more on this in a bit), that seemed like something I knew and could understand.

We switched over to Emirates Airline for this trip, as I wanted to see how the service and quality were compared to other airlines we had taken. I know, I know, my instinctual quality assurance/continuous quality improvement personality is on all the time, even on vacation. The airline was nice, but Japan Airlines still seems to rank higher on my “best airline to fly.” What’s comical about that though is that when we were talking with the Emirates Flight Attendants, they report that the girls who work for JAL have a lot of “work drama between each other.” Workplace environments around the world seem to be the same everywhere, always some kind of drama going on. I was hopeful that was just an American thing, nope, totally universal. Our twelve hour flight seemed quite quick as we slept most of the time, so we were ready to go when we arrived in Dubai at 5:00 am local time.

We only planned four days in Dubai, as we had just a handful of things we wanted to see and do before moving on to our next destination. The weather was 75 degrees and sunny when we got there(hallelujah), so we were looking forward to a brief warmup before we head back into the cold again. Since we were only staying a few days, we decided to splurge a bit and stay at a fancier hotel. You all know that we never do that, in fact, it’s really against our vacation morals and values to do so, but knowingly and willingly(and maybe telling Matt I got a good deal on it), I booked us a few days at the Waldorf Astoria out on the Palm (palm tree shaped man-made island outside of Dubai proper). Between the nice hotel and the warm weather, my normalcy meter finally shot up. We then found a place for breakfast that served actual eggs and other breakfast foods, we had a another win!

Our first stop for the day was to the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding” for a tour of the remaining “old town Dubai,” and for our first visit to a real operating mosque. I loved this as our first experience here, as no question was off limits and the center prides themselves on being an open space for people to come learn and understand the culture and religion in a safe space. I got the chance to not only learn more about the Islamic religion, but also the social, family, and religious norms that go along with it. Our tour guide was fabulous and did a great job explaining everything to our eclectic group. I now understand the prayer schedule and commend all the Muslim men (and women) who are fully committed to their religion because they (the men) literally have to go into a mosque building 5 or 6 times a day to pray and be present with God. I mean, I can’t find the time to go to the bathroom that many times a day, therefore, I could never make it as a Muslim on that principle alone. I realize the societal norms here are arranged on this schedule, but that just seems extremely excessive (not to mention time consuming). I found fewer differences and more similarities in their religion and lifestyle of those practiced at home. In the end, everyone seems to be seeking the same things, its all just interpreted and practiced a bit differently. We had the chance to drink coffee (which has a process and is different than American coffee, as is the art of drinking it-anyone have a “silent server” at home?), as well as had the chance to eat dates and luqaimat(donuts), just as you would if you were a visitor in a Muslim home. So much about the home structure, the male and female role in the household, and the openness to welcome visitors was rather intriguing. We would highly recommend doing this experience if you have the chance to go to Dubai. It was a great way for us to start off our trip here.

We then moved on to see what the Dubai Mall was all about. This place is known for all the high end shopping, vending machines that sell gold, and a place to find just about every super car you could imagine, but also includes an ice skating rink, a huge aquarium, and these choreographed fountains (similar to the Bellagio Fountains in Vegas) that put on quite the show. This was a chance for us to get in some walking after being cooped up in the plane so long. We finished the day by having dinner poolside at our hotel, where I could soon slip away for some good sleep in a super comfortable bed (remember, we’ve been sleeping on a small mattress on a tatami floor for the past 10 days, so this was going to be like sleeping on the clouds).

The next day we got up and headed to the traditional spice, textile, and gold souks to see what kind of interesting finds we could muster up. I tell Matt, just keep walking, these people will haggle you, so you just have to keep going. Why are we not even three stores in and Matt starts “making friends.” Dammit Matt. So Matt’s new friend wants me to buy gold from him and proceeds to personally escort us around the souks. That was very nice of him (he had alternate plans), but unfortunately what he didn’t realize is that he hooked up with a real nice guy an and then me, whose middle name is “likes to mosey.” Hours later we’d visited all the souks (still with this personal escort) and I spent way too much money on tea, silks, gold, and saffron (even with haggling with them) then I want to admit. It’s fine, I hope people are up for a tea party when we get home, because I have several years supply now. Needless to say, Matt (who really doesn’t even want to be at the souks) ends up back behind one of the souks (we all know you aren’t supposed to go back there-hasn’t he seen any movies at all?), as they are trying to sell him fake watches. Again, Mr. Naivety isn’t clueing into my “we have to go because we have a tour we have to get to,” and proceeds to continue talking with these guys. I laid down the law, said we were leaving and escaped yet another crazy situation Matt got us into. Thanks Matt, thanks a lot.

We really did have a tour to get to, as the most exciting part of the trip for me was just about to happen. Since we decided to come to Dubai, I wanted to ride camels in the desert. I mean, when else am I going to get to ride a massive animal through the Arabian desert? So, I booked us this camel riding tour that also included a night of activities in a Bedouin camp. These are the traditional camps that desert travelers would set up when searching for water in the desert. Our tour guide from Viator tours picked us up at our hotel and drove us an hour and half into the middle of the Arabian desert. During the ride, he gave us all the inside details about Dubai (including things they probably don’t want others to know, but oh well). Once there we got loaded up onto our camels (my camels name was Simone, and Matt’s camel’s name was Goad. He was making groaning sounds, which I later found out that meant he was grumpy. Go figure, Matt is used to me, so working with a grumpy camel-he should be a pro! Our camel guide was from Pakistan and laughed at my off the cuff, socially and politically incorrect jokes, so I think he had a good time with us. Don’t mind these pictures of us on camels, my legs looks like the size of Texas (who would have thought on an animal so large I would look so big as well) and well Matt’s shorts now have a bit of a racy look to them-looking good Matt, nice legs there. After the camel ride (which is way harder than it looks, and definitely harder than riding a horse), we arrive at our Bedouin camp to watch some falconry and settle in for an evening of traditional Arabian music and cuisine (yes, this includes eating camel, but not the one’s we rode out on and al harees, which are foods traditionally served at weddings). Matt smoked shisha and I got henna done, all while we made new friends from France and South Africa. Again, we would highly recommend this tour above all others if you want a real authentic experience in the desert. Seven hours later, we returned to the hotel totally exhausted, but had a wonderful experience.

After sleeping in a bit, we spent the next morning and early afternoon exploring Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi was about an hour and half drive from Dubai, and is one of the more conservative emirates of the UAE. We went to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (which is absolutely beautiful by the way), as well as had a chance to see the Emirates Palace Hotel (also very beautiful) and Etihad Towers. We finished the day having afternoon tea and pastries at the Desert Palms Polo Club of Dubai. I know this is a bit out of the norm for desert life, but it was recommended so we went. I’m glad we did because the pastries were phenomenal, the polo fun to watch as well.

Dubai was a great place to stop for a few days, rest a bit and see some of the massive structures, unique modern architecture and historical character this place has created. Dubai has many characteristics that resemble that of Las Vegas (big structures and buildings, fancy fountains, big, flashy everything-it’s their goal to have the biggest of everything in the world), yet there is virtually no crime, everything is automated (the police don’t even pull you over, they just ticket you from cameras everywhere), and there is minimal debauchery anywhere. I think they said that Dubai is the third safest city in the world. Who knew? And definitely not what I expected. So, imagine a very conservative Vegas, without gambling and drinking, then you have Dubai.

In many ways we came here seeking a variety of different cultural and lifestyle experiences that would push us completely out of our comfort zone and with some things it did. I mean, before I struggled to understand why women would want to wear the full abaya, but after doing it a few times during this trip, I can totally get behind wearing it with the headscarf on any given day. It’s really like a comfortable nightgown, and that headscarf did wonders to conceal my double chin-#Winning The women do it both out of respect, but also because they want to bring back tradition to their culture, similar to what women are now doing in Japan by wearing kimonos, and not just for wedding or special occasions. I mean, you never have to do your hair, figure out what you are going to wear, and you can go “full ninja” as they refer to it (full face covered except your eyes), say at the grocery store, when you don’t want to be recognized). Overall, all the people we interacted with were extremely friendly and very helpful. Although 80% of the people that live here are from other countries, we still found that we got an authentic experience none the less.

Overall, we found that Dubai is in more ways than just one, a lot like Oklahoma. A country, rather than just a state, dependent on the “black gold” of the earth to fund their sheer existence. If they haven’t seen how well that’s worked out for us, they should probably check that out. The one thing I can say is they at least they continue to build their infrastructure and economy on tourism as their “Plan B” because when the well becomes dry, as it inevitably will, they might actually be able to make it as a civilized place of existence. Come see the place if you haven’t been, it’s worth three or four days as a stopover city. We don’t recommend coming in the summertime, as apparently you can fry eggs and bake cookies on the concrete, as it gets so hot (we heard close to 120 degrees during the day). It’s wintertime and we saw 75-80 degree days.

As we continue our journey west, we are excited to explore the U.K. for the next several days. I’ve finally found a destination I might actually not stick out like a sore thumb. I’m also secretly hoping for a spotting of the Royal Family, let’s hope my years of stalking them on the internet will provide me some insight on the best location to do so!

See you all in London!

[wildlyhardphilosopher-blog]

potty training my dog | potty training dogs indoors

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potty training my dog | potty training dogs indoors

How to Ferret Proof Your Home? “Be sure to let them outside or take them on a walk before you leave and then immediately when you return,” she says. “Making sure that a new pet learns that going to the bathroom when they are outside gets them lots of positive rewards is key.” Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm Dog Trainer Application OurPet’s How You and Your Dog Can Get in Shape This way they’re never more than a few feet away and have no chance to sneak off unnoticed to potty where they shouldn’t. Officials said they will start the complaint process with the people who’ve now come forward with more allegations. CATS Learning Center Make the crate as physically comfortable for the pup as possible. The temperature in the room where the crate is located should not be too hot or too cold. If it’s warm, a little fan blowing on the crate can be helpful. If it’s cool, draping a sheet or other covering over the crate is a good idea. Give your pup the bedding she prefers. For some pups, this is soft and cushy. And for others, it is a cold, hard floor! Cover half the crate with bedding and leave the other half “plain” and notice where the pup prefers to sleep. This is good information. Steve Benjamin is the owner of Clicking With Canines in Endicott, NY. Steve retired from the federal government in January 2004 to pursue his passion for working with dogs and their owners. Steve specializes in teaching clicker training to his clients, helping them teach their dogs to be socially acceptable, happy, and intelligent family pets. Steve is a faculty member for the Karen Pryor Academy and instructs KPA Dog Trainer Professional program sessions in New York (spring/summer) and Florida (fall/winter).  Why can’t we charge airline passengers based on their size? More in Puppy By Cesar Millan Try this five times then try the same thing with no treat in your hand (still rewarding afterward). Daily Treatx School Age How to Potty Train (Housebreak) any Dog or Puppy Training Prep: Puppy Obedience Handling Exercises Message Boards Offer a treat and/or praise when he walks at your side without tugging. Stop frequently when your dog gets ahead of you when you’re walking. Be prepared for leash tugging when a stranger or another dog passes, repeat the command until staying at heel is second nature. When this happens, stop, sit and wait until the distraction passes. Eventually, you will be able to walk along and your dog and will remain at heel. Where Good Dogs Become Great! Once your dog is trained, you may want to give him a doggy door that goes straight into his closed run. Alternatively, let him go outside into your fenced yard and keep an eye on him, making sure that he chooses to enter the open dog run any time he needs to go, until you’re sure he won’t potty in the rest of the yard. The dog run is also a handy place to leave your puppy when you’re not directly supervising him. He’ll be in an area where he can’t get into trouble or make mistakes, so you can relax and leave him outside to be a dog. But many modern homes are large and it is easy for a puppy to pee well away from his bed without going outside. These “triggers” can be removed after the pet has “pottied” in the area. ARF Events West Highland White Terrier My lab puppy eats everything. What can I do? To answer question 1) I’m afraid you can’t! Unless you are there to supervise, you cannot prevent a puppy shredding paper or pads, it’s just something they LOVE to do. Do you use a pad holder? This tends to help because they find it harder to get hold of the pad. If still successful, secure the pad into the holder so they cannot take it out. You can also spray bitter tasting chew deterrent around the edges of the pad so she finds it distasteful. The best dog food Top 10 Tom December 29, 2014 at 7:52 pm July 28 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am $19.99 See all 72 customer reviews Puppy Articles For example, if your puppy starts barking at you, turn your back to it and take away any attention. Your dog will learn that it gets nothing from you when it behaves poorly. If you want to prevent accidents before they happen you’re going to need to watch your pup at all times, including every time they wander off. It only takes one accident to set your training back. Now I know that watching your puppy non-stop isn’t exactly fun & exciting, but being able to catch them before they have an accident is why this method works so well. The training technique in question is called alpha training or dominance theory training. It’s used by some dog trainers who try to dominate over the animal and teach the canine to be submissive. Thailand – ไทย We Support Grains for Dogs – New Study Backs This Up 3.9 out of 5 stars 10 Most Popular Pages:Dog BreedsAdopt a DogDog MatchupDog TrainingProduct ReviewsPuppies Air Chihuahua™ CONTACT US AT 1-877-500-BARK (2275) Description: The method takes advantage of the fact dogs have a natural instinct not to soil the area where they eat and sleep. • A crate that will fit next to your bed but only large enough to accomodate your puppy when full grown. I prefer the wire type for a full view of the puppy. Get one that also collapses for easy transporting. Join the SPCA Behavior Training conversation on Facebook or find us on Yelp. Zoo Med (165) Oversee your dog when you let her outside or when on a walk. Housetraining More from WebMD SPECIAL $29.95 $44.99 Dog Breed Selector Bedding & Litter Puppy Start Right: Foundation Training for the Companion Dog Kaitlin S | Dallas, Texas Colby Morita raises and trains service dog puppies for individuals with disabilities. He’s been sharing his puppy training tips and experiences to the Puppy In Training blog since 2007… Read More… Last thing at night Walk & Come (Outdoors) How to Safely Walk Your Dog Puppy Classes 262-347-0787

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fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); All of Waukesha County including Brookfield, Delafield, Hartford, Hartland, Milwaukee, Sussex, Waukesha, and surrounding areas—in addition to Washington, Dodge, and Jefferson Counties. 5. Be Patient – defined as the ability to suppress annoyance…puppies are adorable, but they will also test your patience. Try to remain calm and don’t get upset with your puppy. It takes time to potty train a puppy. Be patient and you will be rewarded Kids & Family Schedule In-home Training Jim Moore The benefits are forever. Privacy and cookie policy Account challenges. It was truly informative. Your website is extremely helpful. Assisi Botanicals How to Train a Dog to Take Treats Gently ThunderSpray (1) Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors. Praise or give treats—but remember to do so immediately after they’ve finished, not after they come back inside. This step is vital, because rewarding your dog for going outdoors is the only way to teach what’s expected of them. Before rewarding, be sure they’re finished. Puppies are easily distracted and if you praise too soon, they may forget to finish until they’re back in the house. PRICING A special training class for puppies between 4-11 months Is the trainer patient? Different puppies learn at different rates. Some are shy while others are bold. They may need different methods to succeed. New York City – (212) 785-8200 Another useful tactic when trying to get your puppy to stop biting is to redirect the bite to a toy that the dog is allowed to bite. When he tries to bite your hand, move it away and wave the toy around until he bites the toy. This will help the dog learn that biting toys is good, but biting human skin is not OK. THE FOUNDATION Cat Seminars Reward system When 10 weeks old they may need to toilet every 30 minutes, so they only get 5 to 10 minutes free time. When 12 weeks old, they may need to toilet every hour so they can get 35 to 40 minutes free time. What Not to Do When Your Puppy Bites Retriever/Hunting Dogs Maurice Sendak was a dear friend of New Skete for many years. Not only was a lover of all things dog, he saw clearly their spiritual importance and how they can enrich our lives when they are cared for and loved. Maurice included his dogs in each of his books and their presence reflects just how vital they were to his inspiration. AKC Family Dog Program Blog “The Academy of Canine Behavior’s owners do not condone the treatment of animals in our care as shown in a two-year old video recently released by a disgruntled former employee,” the press release stated. Enroll a Canine Partner 4.7 out of 5 stars 9 After each meals Donate supplies from our store! Adopting from a breeder Reward Puppy For A Job Well Done Wikidata item *Classes held outdoors* Fred Hassen This guide has provided you with all the theory, strategies, tips and tricks you will ever need to successfully house train your puppy as quickly and efficiently as possible, with the fewest mistakes along the way. Branded Content WossamottaU Can you let a 1 month old puppy outside in the cold? There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Building a No-Kill Community Potty Train a Dachshund Breed Information59 gigi_moss@yahoo.com Pet Hug Pack® LOCAL RX PICKUP A ONE-ON-ONE LESSON Related Video Shorts (0) The U.S. is full of hidden gems for you and your dog to explore. From national parks to dog-friendly cities, check out these top destinations for your next big adventure with your little guy. Show results for: This will help your puppy’s mind and body to slip into a routine that will help you both with the house training process. puppy obedience training | aggressive puppy training puppy obedience training | puppy training commands puppy obedience training | how to crate train my puppy Legal | Sitemap

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They Can’t Leave the Bay Area Fast Enough

SAN FRANCISCO — The Bay Area struck a hard bargain with its tech workers.

Rent was astronomical. Taxes were high. Your neighbors didn’t like you. If you lived in San Francisco, you might have commuted an hour south to your job at Apple or Google or Facebook. Or if your office was in the city, maybe it was in a neighborhood with too much street crime, open drug use and $5 coffees.

But it was worth it. Living in the epicenter of a boom that was changing the world was what mattered. The city gave its workers a choice of interesting jobs and a chance at the brass ring.

That is, until the pandemic. Remote work offered a chance at residing for a few months in towns where life felt easier. Tech workers and their bosses realized they might not need all the perks and after-work schmooze events. But maybe they needed elbow room and a yard for the new puppy. A place to put the Peloton. A top public school.

They fled. They fled to tropical beach towns. They fled to more affordable places like Georgia. They fled to states without income taxes like Texas and Florida.

That’s where the story of the Bay Area’s latest tech era is ending for a growing crowd of tech workers and their companies. They have suddenly movable jobs and money in the bank — money that will go plenty further somewhere else.

But where? The No. 1 pick for people leaving San Francisco is Austin, Texas, with other winners including Seattle, New York and Chicago, according to moveBuddha, a site that compiles data on moving. Some cities have even set up recruiting programs to lure them to new homes. Miami’s mayor has even been inviting tech people to move there in his Twitter posts.

I talked to more than two dozen tech executives and workers who have left San Francisco for other parts of the country over the last year, like a young entrepreneur who moved home to Georgia and another who has created a community in Puerto Rico. Here are some of their stories.

Ah, the normal life

“I miss San Francisco. I miss the life I had there,” said John Gardner, 35, the founder and chief executive of Kickoff, a remote personal training start-up, who packed his things into storage and left in a camper van to wander America. “But right now it’s just like: What else can God and the world and government come up with to make the place less livable?”

A couple of months later, Mr. Gardner wrote: “Greetings from sunny Miami Beach! This is about the 40th place I’ve set up a temporary headquarters for Kickoff.”

Remote personal training happens to coincide well with remote life, but he said his start-up’s growth this past year was also due to his leaving the tech bubble and immersing himself in more normal communities, a few days at a time.

The biggest tech companies aren’t going anywhere, and tech stocks are still soaring. Apple’s flying-saucer-shaped campus is not going to zoom away. Google is still absorbing ever more office space in San Jose and San Francisco. New founders are still coming to town.

But the migration from the Bay Area appears real. Residential rents in San Francisco are down 27 percent from a year ago, and the office vacancy rate has spiked to 16.7 percent, a number not seen in a decade.

Though prices had dropped only slightly, Zillow reported more homes for sale in San Francisco than a year ago. For more than month last year, 90 percent of the searches involving San Francisco on moveBuddha were for people moving out.

Twitter, Yelp, Airbnb and Dropbox have tried to sublease some of their San Francisco office space. Pinterest, which has one of the most iconic offices in town, paid $90 million to break a lease for a site where it planned to expand. And companies like Twitter and Facebook have announced “work from home forever” plans.

“Moving into a $1.3 million house that we saw only on video for 20 minutes and said yes,” wrote Mike Rothermel, a designer at Cisco who moved from the Bay Area to Boulder, Colo., with his wife last summer. “It’s a mansion compared to SF for the same money.”

The amount of room they have felt surreal after various Bay Area apartments. He told me they have so much counter space, they can keep appliances like the food processor in the kitchen itself.

And then the people around them — neighbors — started doing something strange. They brought cinnamons rolls and handwritten welcome notes.

Wait, no income tax?

“We’re selling our house and moving out of SF. Where should we go and why?” Justin Kan, a serial entrepreneur who co-founded Twitch, asked on Twitter in August.

Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of the software company Palantir, which moved from Silicon Valley to Denver, wrote back: “Come to Austin with us. Growing tech ecosystem and Texas is the best place to make a stand together for a free society.”

Also: no state income taxes.

Austin, population one million and the Texas city most would say is closest in spirit to the Bay Area, has long had a healthy tech industry. The computer giant Dell is based nearby. The University of Texas is one of the top public colleges in the country. And the music scene is eclectic and creative.

Now the local tech industry is rapidly expanding. Apple is opening a $1 billion, 133-acre campus. Alphabet, Amazon and Facebook have all either expanded their footprints in Austin or have plans to. Elon Musk, the Tesla founder and one of the two richest men in the world, said he had moved to Texas. Start-up investor money is arriving, too: The investors at 8VC and Breyer Capital opened Austin offices last year.

Some of the favorite gurus of tech workers are already there, like Tim Ferriss, life-hacker, who left for Austin in 2017, and Ryan Holiday, whose writing about stoicism is influential among the start-up set.

Sahin Boydas, the founder of a remote-work start-up who had lived in San Francisco and its suburbs over the last decade, saw all of that. He looked at his wife and two young children, working and learning from home while crammed into a Cupertino rental that had seen better days. Much of the late summer, the air was full of smoke from wildfires. For days, electricity would go in and out at his house.

“You start to feel stupid,” said Mr. Boydas, who is 37. “I can understand the 1 percent rich people, the very top investors and entrepreneurs, they can be happy there.”

So he and his family moved to Austin. For the same price as their three-bedroom apartment in Cupertino, they have a five-bedroom home on an acre of land. For the first time, Mr. Boydas has outdoor space. He just acquired two rabbits for his children. Sure, it’s (very) hot, but he’s ready for it.

“We’re going to get a cat and a dog,” he said. “We could never do that before.”

And it’s not just the cost of rent that is lower — the water bill is lower; the trash bill is lower; the cost of a family dinner at a restaurant has fallen significantly. Mr. Boydas said he hadn’t even known about the taxes.

“I run payroll for myself, and when I saw zero, I called the accountant like there’s an error — there’s no tax line here,” he said. “And they were like, ‘Yeah there’s no tax.’”

“Ok guys hear me out, what if we move Silicon Valley to Miami,” tweeted Delian Asparouhov, a principal at Founders Fund, which invests in start-ups.

The mayor of Miami wrote back last month: “How can I help?”

Now there is a very vocal Miami faction, led by a few venture capital influencers, trying to tweet the city’s start-up world into existence.

The San Francisco exodus means the talent and money of newly remote tech workers are up for grabs. And it’s not just the mayor of Miami trying to lure them in.

Topeka, Kan., started Choose Topeka, which will reimburse new workers $10,000 for the first year of rent or $15,000 if they buy a home. Tulsa, Okla. will pay you $10,000 to move there. The nation of Estonia has a new residency program just for digital nomads.

A program in Savannah, Ga., will reimburse remote workers $2,000 for the move there, and the city has created various social activities to introduce the newcomers to one another and to locals.

“We try to make the transition easy,” said Jennifer Bonnett, vice president of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Savannah Economic Development Authority, whose program started in June.

Keyan Karimi, 29 and a start-up investor, took Savannah’s invitation to move there (though he didn’t ask for the reimbursement).

Seeing the inequality of billionaires in San Francisco’s wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood and the homeless camps down the hill ground on him. So Mr. Karimi went home to his parents house in Atlanta to ride out some of the pandemic. Then he detected something strange. The city he thought was boring had gotten pretty interesting. Or maybe he had just never noticed before.

“I had no idea how much was going on here. I was sort of myopic,” he said, pausing and correcting himself: “No, I was arrogant.”

Mr. Karimi started looking at Zillow and studying the Southern cities he had ignored. He likes old houses and wants to fix one up. Savannah has a lot of those. So just a few months after leaving his $4,000-a-month one-bedroom in San Francisco, he’s working with the local business development group to put together a maritime innovation center in Savannah to invest in and guide shipping and logistics start-ups. He bought one of those old houses.

Savannah has one of the largest ports in the country. “No one knows that,” Mr. Karimi said. “I figure we can do something with that.”

The only downside is mosquitoes, he said. “I get eaten alive.”

There are 33,000 members in the Facebook group Leaving California and 51,000 in its sister group, Life After California. People post pictures of moving trucks and links to Zillow listings in new cities.

The founder of both groups, Terry Gilliam, is planning to take members on a house-hunting road trip through eastern Tennessee this spring with stops in popular post-S.F. destinations. One tour will be Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City.

“When people decide to leave San Francisco, they usually don’t know where they want to go, they just want to go,” Mr. Gilliam said.

Mr. Gilliam, who met his wife when they worked at a Bay Area Chili’s restaurant, said she wouldn’t let the family move yet. And so the Pied Piper of the California-bashing Facebook community is still in Fremont, on the eastern end of Silicon Valley.

The gang’s all … here now

“People always get pissed at me when they hear birds in my Zoom,” said Ed Zaydelman, a longtime leader in San Francisco’s Burning Man community (and former New York City club promoter), who is forming an entrepreneur community in Costa Rica. “And I say, ‘Come join.’”

If San Francisco of the 2010s proved anything, it’s the power of proximity. Entrepreneurs could find a dozen start-up pitch competitions every week within walking distance. If they left a big tech company, there were start-ups eager to hire, and if a start-up failed, there was always another.

They could live jammed into a rambling Victorian with fellow nerds who — thanks to the popularity of polyamory — were having a lot of sex. More money was made faster in the Bay Area by fewer people than at any other time in American history.

No one leaving the city is arguing that a culture of innovation is going to spring up over Zoom. So some are trying to recreate it. They are getting into property development, building luxury tiny-home compounds and taking over big, funky houses in old resort towns.

“All these people want to do is this live-on-the-land stuff, but it’s not as easy as people think,” Mr. Zaydelman said.

He calls his new development company Nookleo, and he is building five tiny-home communities for remote workers. The little houses cost between $30,000 and 40,000. Each compound has four to six homes, a small organic farm, a yoga deck, a swimming pool and a kitchen clubhouse. Two clusters are already underway in Costa Rica, with Mexico and Portugal next.

In Puerto Rico, Gillian Morris, the founder of the travel app Hitlist, is also recruiting. Her San Francisco breaking point came after her roommate was attacked on their street, and she did a sort of gut check of herself over whether the street scenes and feeling of danger were worth the high rent. She moved to San Juan in 2019, even though it also has a crime problem. But now she lives in a huge house in the middle of the city.

“I have 12 people leaving San Francisco over the next three months to join a co-living community I set up,” she said. “It’s amazing here.”

And for the Baja-leaning, there is Bear Kittay, a co-founder of Good Money, an online banking platform. Now Mr. Kittay, another longtime fixture of the Burning Man festival turned developer, is building a property for the new digital nomads.

“The things that make this city ill are not within my control to change,” he said of San Francisco. “A lot of people are choosing to go to places where there’s opportunity, and maybe it’s a place that is more conservative and there can be an integration of dialogue. Or a place where they can live closer to nature. That’s what we’re doing.”

Nikil Viswanathan, who co-founded the blockchain start-up Alchemy, recently fled San Francisco. He said that there was no reason anymore for him or his colleagues to be there, and that he had always wanted to live on the beach. So now he does, in San Diego.

But the expats still find one another. Not long ago, he stumbled on a cluster at a party.

“I knew it was an S.F. crew because when I walked in because they had the full dual monitor with the ergonomic keyboard on a standing desk,” Mr. Viswanathan said, adding that conversation revolved around the lower cost of living. “One of the S.F. guys was like: ‘I just had a burrito for $6. It was amazing.’”

The last burrito he had in San Francisco cost $15.

They won’t necessarily be missed

Longtime Bay Area residents may well say good riddance to people like Mr. Viswanathan. People who distrusted the young newcomers from the start will say this change is a good thing. Hasn’t this steep growth in wealth and population in a tiny geography always seemed unsustainable?

These tech workers came like a whirlwind. Virtually every community from San Jose in the south to Marin County in the north has fought the rise of new housing for the arrivals of the last decade. Maybe spreading the tech talent around America is smart.

Locals have also seen this play before. Moving trucks come to take a generation of tech ambition away, and a few years later moving trucks return with new dreamers and new ambitions.

After the dot-com bust in 2001, there were fallow years before the latest, long-lasting boom — just as there were fallow years after the PC industry consolidated a decade earlier. That led to the dot-com boom. It is the circle of life in the Bay Area.

And those who are staying are digging in. “When 12 friends left, it felt like powerlessness,” said Diana Helmuth, a 32-year-old writer and marketer in Oakland. “Like these forces were too big. The forces of the world felt too big.”

Now, though, she is hardening toward those who say life is better somewhere else and were in town only for a job. “I say, ‘Great, goodbye, have a great time somewhere else.’”

    Multiple Service Listing for Business Owners | Tools to Grow Your Local Business

www.MultipleServiceListing.com 

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[newstfionline]

The U.S. adopts a hard line against China, and an era of engagement recedes into the past.

By Mark Landler, NY Times, Nov. 25, 2018

On a late August weekend in 2017, a week after he was forced out as President Trump’s chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon made a trip to the Connecticut country house of Henry A. Kissinger to talk about China.

It was more of a pilgrimage, actually: the prophet of disruption seeking out the high priest of geopolitics to make the case that Mr. Kissinger’s view of America’s relationship with China was hopelessly out of date. The two men talked for hours in the sunroom, and while they enjoyed each other’s company, they did not, in the end, see eye to eye.

“He agreed 100 percent with my analysis,” Mr. Bannon recalled, “but he disagreed with my conclusions because they were too blunt force.”

Mr. Kissinger confirmed this account, saying he told his visitor that the United States and China must strive for the “partial cooperation of countries that by normal standards might be considered enemies.”

“He has a different view,” Mr. Kissinger added dryly.

In the four decades since the United States re-established diplomatic ties with China, Mr. Kissinger and Mr. Bannon can be seen as bookends.

With his secret trip to Beijing in 1971, Mr. Kissinger kicked off an era of engagement marked by the stubborn belief that bringing China out of its isolation through trade and investment would make America safer--and perhaps make China more like America. That era now seems to be ending, giving way to a more hostile one, with a trade war encouraged by Mr. Bannon and the ascendancy of his view that the United States must confront China while it still can.

From the White House to the boardroom, from academia to the news media, American attitudes toward China have soured to an extent unseen since Mr. Kissinger’s historic trip. China’s rapid rise, and the acute sense of grievance and insecurity it has stirred in the United States, has led some to conclude, as the title of a recent book about the relationship suggested, that these two giants are “destined for war.”

The United States and China, of course, have had their ups and downs ever since the 1780s, when New England brigs first sailed to China with beaver skins and silver coins, ushering in more than a century of exchanges that sent Christian missionaries to the Middle Kingdom and Chinese railroad workers to the Wild West.

The two nations fought as allies in World War II, then faced off as foes in the Cold War, before Richard M. Nixon rekindled relations with Beijing to isolate the Soviets. The hopes generated by Deng Xiaoping’s economic opening in the 1980s were dashed by the Tiananmen Square massacre. The trade deals of the 1990s were strained when wayward American bombs destroyed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade.

For at least a decade, Americans have blamed China for shuttered factories and jobless workers. Public views of China swung from positive to negative in 2012, according to Pew Global Research, and have remained underwater since. About 38 percent of Americans now view China favorably--down from 44 percent in 2017--but that number is not markedly worse than it has been for the last half-decade.

Yet the current chill in the relationship seems different, less a temporary rupture than a searching reappraisal of what a status-quo superpower should do about an ambitious, formidable challenger.

The Trump administration has adopted a more confrontational stance but struggled to set clear goals and articulate a strategy for achieving them. To date, its efforts have been scattershot: trade tariffs that have rattled Beijing but also Wall Street, a foreign aid program dwarfed by China’s enormous loans for infrastructure overseas, a warning against Chinese meddling in American elections without much evidence of such activity.

The White House is channeling antagonism that extends far beyond Washington. Business executives accuse China of stealing technology from their firms. College professors suspect that some of its exchange students are spies. Military officers see its warships advancing across the Pacific.

Many Americans who embraced trade and cooperation with China had hoped that bringing it into the global economic order would, over time, pull its politics and society into a kind of convergence with the West. Yet China is heading in the opposite direction under the strongman rule of Xi Jinping, toward less political freedom and more state control of the economy--a surveillance state at home that nourishes imperial ambitions abroad. Far from modeling itself on the United States, China is presenting itself as a defiant alternative.

“In our good-hearted way, we wanted to believe that with a few more cultural exchanges, a few more visiting ballet troupes, China would come around,” said Orville H. Schell, the director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society. “But Xi Jinping shut the door on that. He said, ‘Not only are we not going there, but we have our own model now.’”

Kevin Rudd, a former prime minister of Australia and longtime observer of China, said the political and economic changes in China under Mr. Xi, and in the United States under Mr. Trump, had shattered the consensus in both nations about how to manage the relationship. That, Mr. Rudd said, portended an uncertain--and almost certainly more dangerous--future.

“You can almost hear the ripping sound somewhere up the middle of the Pacific,” Mr. Rudd said in an interview, “and I’m not sure how that’s put back together.”

Realpolitik motivated Mr. Kissinger’s outreach to China: He and Nixon saw it as a counterweight to the Soviet Union. But they were not immune to what an American diplomat, U. Alexis Johnson, called “rapturous enchantment.” After a return trip to Beijing in 1973 to open a liaison office, a euphoric Mr. Kissinger wrote to Nixon, “We have now become tacit allies.”

In the United States, China suddenly became cool. “Americans donned Mao jackets and Mao hats, stir-fried in woks, and wielded chopsticks,” the journalist John Pomfret wrote in his 2016 book, “The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom.” Shortly after Nixon’s landmark trip, the Chinese cut a $392 million deal with a Texas company to build 16 fertilizer plants in China, an early sign of engagement’s bottom-line benefits.

Diplomatic relations would ebb and flow, buffeted by domestic politics in both nations. But trade across the Pacific began a relentless upward march. Companies like IBM, Citibank and Jeep were entranced by the vastness of the Chinese market, and the pioneers of engagement marveled at how quickly commerce came to define the relationship.

Even a devastating setback, the deadly crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement, did not snuff out those ties. President George Bush, who once headed the United States liaison office in Beijing, secretly sent his national security adviser, Brent Scowcroft, to Beijing to keep the relationship from going off the rails.

In March 2000, after the United States opened the door to China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, Bill Clinton laid out the case for economic integration as the best way to bring freedom to the country. In one of the more forceful arguments for engagement made by an American president, he promised that W.T.O. membership would wean China off state-owned enterprises and open its society.

“The more China liberalizes its economy, the more fully it will liberate the potential of its people--their initiative, their imagination, their remarkable spirit of enterprise,” he said. “And when individuals have the power, not just to dream but to realize their dreams, they will demand a greater say.”

Mr. Clinton’s view was widely shared at the time, and not without reason. Under President Jiang Zemin and his prime minister, Zhu Rongji, the Communist Party withdrew from large parts of the economy, encouraged private entrepreneurship and welcomed foreign investors.

Over the decades, the United States and China built the mightiest commercial relationship in history: Trade between the two ballooned from $5 billion in 1980 to $231 billion in 2004. China soon became the manufacturer of choice for T-shirts and toys, laptops and television sets. General Motors, Motorola and other American companies that invested in China made healthy profits. To satisfy the American appetite for low-cost goods, China began exporting more to Walmart alone than it did to most entire nations.

By 2006, though, China’s transition to market economics was slowing, and it began pursuing a policy of “indigenous innovation,” establishing targets to achieve dominance in high-tech industries that were traditionally the domain of the United States and Japan. By the time Barack Obama was elected, a narrative had taken hold in some quarters that letting China into the W.T.O. was a mistake.

Mr. Obama called out Beijing on the theft of American technology and intellectual property, and needled two of his advisers, Lawrence H. Summers and Jeffrey A. Bader, about their work in negotiating with China during the Clinton administration. “Did you guys give away too much?” he asked, according to Mr. Bader.

President Trump has since turned Mr. Obama’s private gibe into a political slogan. Letting China into the W.T.O., he argues, was the original sin of America’s dealings with China--a defective agreement that gave the Chinese license to steal from American companies and siphon off American jobs.

But to Charlene Barshefsky, the United States trade representative who ran the negotiations with Beijing in the 1990s, whether China should have been admitted is a “nonsensical question.”

“Of course it was going to end up in the W.T.O.,” she said.

With a fifth of the world’s population, nuclear weapons, a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council and a track record of economic opening, China could not realistically be kept out, she argued. It already had significant access to the world’s major economies, including the United States. If it did not join the W.T.O., it would have continued to reap the benefits without being forced to open its own markets.

“The issue is, was it going to be a substantively, commercially significant deal?” Ms. Barshefsky said. “And I would argue that the proof is in the pudding.” China, she noted, now imports more goods from the world than any country besides the United States.

But with every step China took to open its markets, it erected new barriers that hobbled foreign competitors and favored its own companies. The problem was not China’s W.T.O. membership but the failure of American officials to use the tools in the agreement to force China’s compliance with the terms, Ms. Barshefsky said.

“The U.S. did the right thing,” she said. “We just didn’t continue to do the right thing.”

Peter Navarro, the bomb-throwing economist who heads Mr. Trump’s trade office, said he first noticed the corrosive impact China was having on the American economy in the early 2000s, when he was teaching evening classes at the University of California, Irvine.

During the day, most of his students held down jobs. But Mr. Navarro recalled noticing that “my students were having more and more problems in the job market. It was a puzzle to me. I thought, ‘What’s going on here?’ “

Mr. Navarro already suspected that jobs were moving to China because of its low labor costs. But after a year of research, he concluded there were four other factors at play: China’s theft of American intellectual property, its subsidies for exporters, its currency manipulation and its dearth of environmental regulations.

“All roads led to China,” he said.

The economist remade himself into a China Cassandra, publishing books like “The Coming China Wars” and “Death by China” that put him on the radical fringe of his profession. But his views dovetailed with those of Mr. Trump, who had railed for decades against the unfair trade practices of China and, earlier, Japan.

While the Japanese threat was overblown, there is little disagreement now that China contributed to the hollowing out of American manufacturing. Cheap Chinese clothing decimated textile jobs between 1973 and 2015. Chinese furniture makers wiped out their American counterparts. For blue-collar America, “Made in China” became synonymous with the ravages of globalization.

Now ensconced in the White House, Mr. Navarro has supplied the intellectual grist for Mr. Trump’s trade war with China. In June, his office published a report titled “How China’s Economic Aggression Threatens the Technologies and Intellectual Property of the United States and the World,” which accused China of preying on American companies in a variety of ways.

Other economists still dismiss Mr. Navarro’s prescription, which consists of piling on more tariffs until China agrees to fundamental changes. But privately, many businesspeople share his diagnosis. Their immediate concern is Made in China 2025, a state policy that seeks to dominate key industries by forcing American companies to hand over technology and assisting Chinese firms with subsidies.

Occasionally, American frustrations with Chinese partners and competitors spill into the open. In July 2010, the then-chief executive of General Electric, Jeff Immelt, said at a private dinner, “I am not sure that in the end they want any of us to win, or any of us to be successful.” General Electric backpedaled furiously after his comments were reported. Despite their grievances, American business executives were still afraid of antagonizing the Chinese authorities, who could order raids on their operations.

Doing business in China became even harder after the financial crisis of 2008. By that time, China had passed Japan to become America’s largest creditor, holding about $600 billion of United States Treasury notes. Chinese officials were appalled by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and fearful of their own exposure. If they were always suspicious of American politicians, now they turned against their friends on Wall Street, too, taking a harder line in negotiations and rejecting their calls to open up the Chinese economy further.

“Chinese officials began to dress down Americans and skip meetings,” said James McGregor, the chairman of greater China for APCO Worldwide, who advises companies dealing with Chinese officials. “For the Chinese leadership, this was the emperor-had-no-clothes moment.”

For all of Mr. Obama’s wariness on trade, he was as committed to engaging China as each of his predecessors going back to Nixon. He sought global issues, like climate change and nuclear nonproliferation, on which the United States and China could work together. But his strategy, known as the “Asia pivot,” also called for a greater American diplomatic and military presence in the region, to try to manage China’s rise.

The Trump administration has rejected the Obama strategy, branding it naïve and inadequate. It has adopted a more combative approach, formally designating China a “strategic competitor” and “revisionist power,” one that is trying to rewrite the rules of the post-World War II order to match its own interests and ambitions. Mr. Trump’s aides say that China has gotten away with too much for too long, and that only a show of American strength can force it to change its behavior.

The cornerstone of this policy has been the trade war, with new tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese exports in place and Mr. Trump threatening more. Yet the administration’s objective is uncertain.

Mr. Trump has floated various demands that would be difficult to enforce or require a wholesale overhaul of the Chinese economy, including a sharp reduction in the trade deficit and an end to coercive technology transfers. Some trade and security hawks have urged “decoupling” the United States entirely from the Chinese economy.

The Trump administration has taken a tougher approach outside trade as well. It has stepped up naval patrols in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where the Chinese have been turning isolated spits of reef into military installations. But it has not laid out how the United States can stop a Chinese military buildup that is already tilting the balance of power in the region in Beijing’s favor.

The Trump administration has also taken a harder line on economic espionage, indicting Chinese citizens accused of being intelligence agents, tightening controls on Chinese investment, and even considering a plan to restrict Chinese students from attending American universities.

Left unanswered has been a profound question: How can the United States compete by closing its doors when openness has been key to its success?

Vice President Mike Pence laid out the case for confrontation in a harshly worded speech last month that many interpreted as a call for a new Cold War, with the United States as defender of democracy and market competition and China as the champion of authoritarianism and state-led growth. But as he called for a sustained effort to counter Beijing, Mr. Pence made little effort to reach beyond America’s partisan divide and rally the entire nation behind it.

“To put it bluntly,” he said, “President Trump’s leadership is working; and China wants a different American president.”

The conflict with China is intensifying amid unresolved concerns about American leadership and overreach that built up during the era of globalization, and in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and other distant battlefields.

If anything, Mr. Trump has shown a desire to pull back from commitments around the world--a pattern, critics say, that has sundered trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and undermined America’s allies, depriving the United States of one of its greatest advantages in a geopolitical competition.

China’s own efforts to win friends and expand its influence, meanwhile, have brought mixed results so far. As part of its Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing has dangled billions of dollars for infrastructure projects in dozens of countries, from Malaysia to Kenya. The Trump administration has condemned the loans as predatory and is trying to put together its own competing aid program.

Mr. Trump’s instincts about China are not easy to pigeonhole. He speaks often about his friendship with Mr. Xi and admiringly of China’s economic success. His grievances are rooted in trade--in the conviction that China has been cheating the United States--rather than in Beijing’s ambitions in Asia or its repressive political system.

Among his advisers, there is a wide disparity in how they view the coming contest. Some, like Mr. Navarro, cast it as an epic struggle over who will control the commanding heights of the 21st-century economy. Others, like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and the director of the National Economic Council, Larry Kudlow, have tried to put the brakes on Mr. Trump’s most belligerent trade moves.

They feud constantly, and at times publicly, about who speaks for the president, leaving both Chinese officials and China experts in the United States confused about the direction of American policy.

Mr. Bannon, who says his views of China were formed as a young Navy officer in the Pacific in the 1970s, speaks in almost apocalyptic terms, foreseeing a clash of civilizations. “It’s either going to be the Confucian, mercantilist model or the liberal democratic Western model handed down from Greece,” he said.

Matthew Pottinger, the senior director for Asia on the National Security Council, portrays it as more of a traditional, Cold War-style rivalry between superpowers with competing ideologies. He began his career as a foreign correspondent in China, where a state security officer once roughed him up.

Graham Allison, a Harvard professor who worked in the Defense Department to reshape relations with former Soviet nations after the end of the last Cold War, argues that a rising power like China is likely to come to blows with an established one like the United States. In his book “Destined for War,” he describes a chilling scenario in which an accidental naval collision in the South China Sea escalates calamitously into a full-blown conflict.

But some China experts note that other areas of dispute, like Taiwan, have not become more fraught in recent years. And whatever the issue, they argue, a disastrous miscalculation is more likely without persistent engagement.

“Americans need to understand that if we go down the road of disengagement from China in pursuit of unbridled competition, it will not be a repetition of the Cold War with the Soviet Union,” said Mr. Bader, the former Obama adviser. “The rest of the world, like us, is deeply entangled with China.”

As a result, he said, even countries as wary of China as the United States “will not risk economic ties nor join in a perverse struggle to re-erect the ‘Bamboo Curtain,’ this time by the West. We will be on our own.”

At 95, Mr. Kissinger, not surprisingly, takes the long view. Together, he said, the United States and China exert such power, and are capable of inflicting such unthinkable destruction, that they owe it to the world to find a path toward “partial cooperation.”

“We have to make the effort of moving in that direction,” he said.

Harking back to his session with Mr. Bannon, Mr. Kissinger added, “I cannot guarantee that that will be the result.”

[emoselenas]

summer tour days 5 - 8

okay so i realize i was super hard on myself throughout the last entry lmao. i will try to beat myself up less. i still feel like people are too nice to me. 

anyways i’m about to tell y’all about my favorite part of tour, days 5-8. 

day 5 - gainesville, fl

on day 5, it was MY turn to drive!!! i volunteered because i wanted to listen to the new mbmbam episode while i drove. after we checked out of our hotel, we walked across the street to get grits from a place called the grit counter. imagine chipotle-style service, but with grits. i got brie grits with kale, heirloom tomatoes, bacon jam and fried green tomatoes. it was iiiiincredible, super rich and heavy though haha. i somehow managed to eat it all. THEN we hopped in the van and i drove us to gainesville! it was a really fun and easy drive. i was a little nervous because before this tour i had never driven the van before but i actually didn’t have a hard time at all. it was definitely the biggest vehicle i’ve ever driven though. for the first time we saw a dead baby gator, i wonder if that’s common for road kill in florida lmao. i’ve driven to florida before but never saw one on the side of the road. it sucks but i can’t pretend i was bummed because i ate gator hours later. 

we checked in to our hotel in starke and then headed to the venue in gainesville, which was the high dive. we finished load in quickly, so after we brought in our gear and set up merch, both bands walked to boca fiesta for dinner. it was while we were all walking around the town together, that i felt a really big sense of gratitude. i never thought we would have the opportunity to play florida. i mean, we booked this tour ourselves, we’ve yet to be approached by a booking agency lmao. anthony and i made this whole tour happen. but gainesville was looking bleak at one point; i didn’t think we were going to be able to book something. same went for atlanta.

i ordered a gator taco and a stir fry taco (vegetarian) and holy HELL they were sooo good. the gator was fried, and it kinda just tasted like chicken, but it was still amazing. i wanted to order more food but i couldn’t because i’d be singing relatively soon. i don’t know how people can eat huge meals before a set. once i watched a video of spencer sotelo eating a fat pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich while recording perfect vocal takes and i was so green with jealous rage wtf

photo credit: julie yi photography

i don't know if it was the humid air, but i had my best show in florida i think. i didn't struggle really with my usual vocal problems and i felt really comfortable on stage. the venue was also just so nice. the stage was huge. elusion and the pine drape were all really kind people and sounded great. i knew this was probably a weird gig for the pine drape because they’re deathcore haha, but we’re the kind of people who liked mixed genre gigs. most importantly, the people who came out to the show were supportive of every single band. usually you can tell at shows by body language (and then obviously by who actually stays lmao) who is there for who, but most of the people who came watched everyone. there were like six people who were camped out on the side of the stage sitting down for the entire show. one of them bought merch from us. i should have gone over to talk to them but by the time i had a moment they were all gone. there was also a girl who drove her bike all the way to the venue from her house just to come see the show!!! 

i tried the 72 pale ale from first magnitude brewing based in gainesville, uuugh i loved it so much pale ales are my shit

day 6 - atlanta, ga

the morning of june 5th was the last time we’d have to check out of a hotel/motel all of tour. half of us did laundry and santino saw a lizard by the laundry units haha. it was so beautiful out. i just remember walking to the motel office to go get a spoon for my oatmeal and the weather was so beautiful. we were about to leave palm trees behind but we’d be on our way to atlanta, GA for the first time. 

we were having so much trouble getting the xbox 360 in our van to work ALL of tour, but joe and shindle were able to finally fix it. julie brought the first season of the rugrats so we finally watched that. i forgot how many times grandpa said “we walked FIFTEEN MILES in the snow BOTH WAYS” throughout the entire series haha. we had a relatively shorter drive to our destination, so we took this opportunity to stop at walmart and maybe make a couple more bathroom breaks than usual. 

i think we hit the most traffic heading into atlanta, but even that wasn’t bad. so far the worst traffic all of tour was definitely the DMV area at the beginning of tour. i took this opportunity to call in our dinner order for when we got into the city. i was absolutely dead set on getting lemon pepper wings in atlanta and i wasn’t leaving without them!!! all my research pointed to three dollar cafe, so we got our food from there. the lemon pepper wings were amazing. i ordered them baked so they weren’t as cripsy and i wondered if i should have just ordered them fried. i was just trying to be healthy for once lmao. still good though. 

we ate our food once we got to georgia tech, where the venue was located. the campus was really nice. there was a ton of patio furniture outside the student center so we just ate real quick before load in. under the couch was a really spacious venue, it also had a lego play station hahaha. you could tell it normally served as a student lounge but it had a pretty decent stage. 

we played with three bands, holders, feverest and fevergreen. the show moved super quickly for how many bands were playing which was great. everyone was kind but we didn’t really make too many new friends at this show. i think the bands just wanted to play and leave lmao. our friend yasin from the band things amazing and extrovert had helped us set up the show, so he came out to hang.  it’s always cool to meet internet friends in real life!!! he told us a lot about the ATL diy scene; i love when people share what their scenes are like because it’s cool to hear parallels and maybe some of the differences between everybody’s communities. 

photo credit: julie yi photography

it wasn’t our most phenomenal show but i still had fun. i tried to make it a note to myself to not get down about my performance, i now was holding every show to the same standard as my set in florida, but the thing that bummed me out most was that we didn’t sell any merch. this tour i felt like we had to rely on that source of income so much more because not every venue paid us, and i knew that our merch sales were hinging on how well i performed or how well we performed. but there’s nothing you can do just gotta move on to the next gig haha!!! right!!

almost done with georgia haha. so before tour we were able to line up a bunch of places to stay at, and one of them was petra house. this kind couple the jeffries from cartersville, GA have the entire bottom half of their house remodeled to house touring bands for free out of the kindness of their hearts. they were up waiting for us for when we arrived, fed us ice cream and brownies, and shared stories with us about what they do and the bands they’ve hosted. fucking covet stayed with them!!! before we left they also asked us to be sure to leave merch and posters, and sign their guest book. i had one of the most comfortable sleeps all of tour. 

day 7 - nashville, tn

i woke up on june 6th like a kid on christmas morning because it was nashville day. we were sort of in a rush to get there but mr. jeffries let us know that if we wanted to, he could hook us up with some free cici’s pizzas before we head out to nashville. we couldn’t turn that down lmao. we also wanted to make sure we got a group picture with them before we left. seriously the sweetest family. he met us at cici’s as we were heading out of georgia and he walks right in and the manager gives him four free pizzas lmao. we were so grateful for the jeffries’ hospitality and kindness. 

embarassingly enough we ate the pizzas like RIGHT AWAY hahaha. they ended up being our breakfast. cici’s pizza is actually really good. i dunno i guess i’ve just never had the opportunity to try cici’s because we have so many other pizza joints in new jersey. we then embarked on our drive to nashville. i was bugging about how late we were leaving but i didn’t realize we were going to gain an hour by passing into central time. so we actually arrived in nashville around 2:00 pm, it was perfect. i was honestly losing it about being in nashville, finally haha. because of this tour i finally got to see some cities i’ve never been to before just because they’re so far, and this was probably my number one most-anticipated stop. 

after parking we explored nashville as much as possible. load-in was going to be extremely late so we definitely had enough time. as we walked around we definitely stopped to take the most touristy photos possible allll day. and go figure, the town was PACKED because it turns out we just happened to book our nashville date days before CMA fest, a huge town-wide country music festival. so it was a little crowded which sucked but it made our day interesting.

first stop was third man records, famously known as the record shop owned by jack white from the white stripes. jaime recorded a phonograph in a compact recording booth they have there and shindle found a critter and guitari synth that everyone stopped to play. i’ve always wanted one of those but alas, money!!! we then headed back to broadway to get barbeque at jack crawford’s on the strip. thank god the food was so cheap because i think all of us were scared of spending too much money haha. i got the pork shoulder dish with potato salad and mac and cheese, and i picked up three different barbeque sauces - tennessee (vinegar-based), texas (tomato-based) and kansas city (sweet/smoky). 

we stopped at several touristy shops because we all wanted corny souveniers so badly haha. i got a pint glass that has photos of all the broadway neon signs printed on it, a hot pink magnet with revolvers on it, and a koozie that says “FUCK Y’ALL” in cross-stitch LMAO. i also got a growler at rock bottom brewery, we hung out on their rooftop bar for a while overlooking broadway. the venue we played, springwater supper club, was across from a park in nashville where their parthenon (so random, huge greek parthenon) was located. julie and i explored the parthenon and got some cool pictures. we were sure to head back to the venue just in time for load-in. at one point i also went to a convenience store to get hot water for my throat coat tea, and they had a craft beer counter where you could fill up growlers. the midwest is nuts lmao 

i had a moment when we were walking around to block to go get edible cookie dough because as we were returning, we saw vacant lot across the street from the cookie dough shop that was illuminated by dozens and dozens of fireflies. i took a video but that doesn’t even do it justice. the day had already been so wonderful and to see something so magical and beautiful made me feel so glad we all got to have this day in nashville together. 

we played with two bands, trigger and glass idols. glass idols got to the show early so everyone was talking to them here and there, they were chill people. trigger i looked forward to watching because they’re a magic the gathering-themed band hahaha. really great instrumental prog music. michael trigo, the brain behind the project, writes his songs based off of lands and characters from the game. i really enjoyed talking with him in person finally haha, and watching them play. 

so nashville... ugh. it was my worst show. damn it was like i was foreshadowing when i told chris at jack’s earlier “HAHA I DON’T CARE IF I EVEN HAVE A BAD SET BECAUSE I’M HAVING THE BEST TIME” as i was sipping on a beer hours before singing (i never do that!!! i got too carried away!!!). and then there i was sulking at our merch table. i was also grumpy as hell for other reasons.

photo credit: julie yi photography

i’m not a popular guy, but this whole tour, i knew at least one person in almost every city, or sort of near every city. and they didn’t come out to see us play. it was bad enough that half the bands that were playing with us wouldn’t watch the touring bands (i mean fuck us and making connections right?), but i personally knew some of the people that didn’t come out to our shows. we posted about this tour months in advance. i don’t know. the one person i knew might not make it was my one best friend who had said she’d come out to north carolina gig, but i knew she lived way too far from the venue and the show had run super late.

i don’t expect people to go out on a limb for us. but some (including musicians) live mere minutes from where we were playing, and i was just really bummed. i could have bugged these people right before we left for tour but i was hoping people would just show up on their own accord. i’m over it now but i felt a strong sense of disappointment at the halfway point of tour. and then obviously bands or certain musicians at the gig leaving before we played was the worst. you can’t make people do anything, really. you can’t make them promote or stay, you can only hope. but i just wonder if they’ve ever toured or if they ever aspire to tour. and i wonder if they would appreciate if people didn’t stay to watch them play either, let alone come out to the show at all. i understand money, because back home i have to watch my spending and i can’t go out to as many gigs as i’d like. but our shows were all $5-$10. and i especially try to show face for bands in our genre. if i can’t, i share the event page and send some invites for them, or talk to some people from the area who might be able to go. or i wish them well! just small courteous stuff. 

it all comes with the territory and we went into this fully expecting the worst to happen. we just wanted to finally get out and play new markets; show face in new places. but it still sucks. 

worth mentioning something positive though, this girl arianna who came to the show with her boyfriend zach bought a t-shirt from us and they had even offered to put everyone up for the night. this is what i mean when i say touring is still worth it despite the disappointment- not because of people buying stuff or doing stuff from us HAHA, but because you still meet such quality people and become friends with people all over the country. DD stayed with them, we stayed with a girl i met via a facebook music group named ansley that kindly put us up in nashville. she had offered to put us up for tour, a complete stranger just willing to help us; we were super grateful. it was cool meeting her and her roommate, we talked about how paramore had just played a secret show at a small nashville venue named the end (at the same time we were playing UGH) and what venues were popular in nashville. her puppy leo slept out in the living room with us too. i felt so bad i was so cranky and tired and i just wanted to sleep but leo was super excited haha. and he was a super sweet pup, he wanted to cuddle with everyone haha.

day 8 - cincinnati, oh

after suffering the worst set ever i wondered if i needed to go on vocal rest. it was bizarre for everyone, but i downloaded a speech-to-text app and used that to talk instead. i broke my silence when we had to order coffee and food for ourselves, and towards arriving to cincinnati. 

we really, really didn’t want to leave nashville. it was unanimous that we were all feeling bad about having to move on. we almost left without doing so, but i insisted on us trying a local coffee shop just out of curiosity, and then getting hot chicken. we thought maybe that we were pretty set on everything we needed to do, but people on social media were telling all of us we were messing up by not getting hot chicken. 

we went to 8th and roast for our morning coffee. the cold brew was no rook new orleans, but it was still very good. by the pretty sizable line behind us at the register and the amount of people sitting around on their laptops, i could tell this was a popular neighborhood spot. at the coffee shop, a nashville native strongly recommended hattie b’s for hot chicken. we still had an hour til the place opened so we figured we would be smart to go take care of our walmart errand first and then go back. surprise! we were wrong. we pull up to hattie b’s AND THERE’S A LINE. 

but booooy was it worth waiting in line. the guys were agitated about having to wait another 20 minutes to leave nashville too, but once we all tried the chicken we were insanely happy. the way it was seasoned, fried, everything- i can confidently say it was the best fried chicken i’ve ever had. like KFC on steroids. 

the drive to cinci was super easy, we passed through kentucky which was... interesting, haha. after passing over like 10 bridges getting into cincinnati we debated on exploring the city, but we couldn’t even find parking at the waterfront. joe was dying to do laundry so we did that instead. i was reluctant but it ended up being way worth it. 

we got to the venue, northern yacht club, just in time to meet Q who is from the band the obnoxious boot and helped us put the cinci show together. northern yacht club is like the perfect size, and they had awesome vegan food which julie and shindle were stoked on. 

the show ran late but it felt like time flew by. we had a really fun night meeting everyone. a band had to drop because their drummer quit right before the show, and a hardcore band hopped on last minute. so it was mixed-genre, half hardcore and half progressive music. still, the show went well and the people were all so cool. we played with colors in mind, odium, and then the obnoxious boot. i didn’t do so hot this show but it was way better than nashville that was for damn sure haha. 

photo credit: julie yi photography

another thing i loved about this tour was touring with another vocalist that sang. the same way guitarists gush over pedals, chris and i would sometimes talk about technique. all of tour i had been meaning to pull him aside because he wanted to help me with diaphragm exercises. i strongly believe this is one of my huuuge huge faults and what’s keeping me from being the vocalist i want to be. outside the yacht club he showed me the exercises he does before gigs, and i started to do those the remainder of tour. i didn’t feel the change immediately, but i felt my ability to do the exercise increase for sure. and even now that we’re home i do them every day. 

i wanted to keep up with trying local stuff, so i asked the bartender for something brewed in cinci and once they pointed out their selection i kept eyeing this rose ale all night. i’m glad i got it because it was so delicious. it was a little sweet but it was because it tasted rose but it still had the hoppiness of an IPA. sounds kinda weird, but it worked. 

after the show Q led us to his house and he put the whole tour package up in his basement. we didn’t get to bed too late which was great, i think we were all out around 2:00 am, 3 the latest. sounds awful by anyone’s regular sleep schedule but that’s tour. 

[car-loanz]

Plan your next great American road trip with these ideas and travel tips

  20 First-hand road tripping experiences

Recommended routes by theme

How to get the most out of your trip

  There’s nothing quite like the freedom, independence and sense of discovery you get on a road trip, and there are few better places to load up and hit the highway than America. Whether you’re looking to get away in summer or at other times of year, here’s a collection of ideas based on the experiences of staff at RoadLoans and Santander Consumer USA, as well as trips researched by theme. For smooth travels there are also tips for what to take, what to eat, what to listen to and how to prepare your vehicle. Get perusing and start planning your next adventure.

  Where to go: Destinations and experiences

California

Road trip: Western calm in wine country Exploring Bodega Bay and the charming towns and vineyards of Sonoma County, on the Californian coast.

Road trip: What I learned going from Texas to California Experience is priceless. Here are the biggest mistakes Corey Neal learned to never (again) make on a long-distance road trip.

  Colorado

Road trip: Across the Rocky Mountains in Colorado From Denver, the Mile High City, across the Rocky Mountains to Vail, CO, is a majestic road trip that will take your breath away.

Road trip: A view from the top Vacation week meant a 781-mile journey from Texas to an idyllic cabin halfway up Pike’s Peak, CO, and an exhilarating 19-mile drive to the very top.

Road trip: Dallas to Durango and back – Part 1 Getting there really is half the fun, as Mark Macesich rediscovered traveling through the Texas Panhandle, a corner of New Mexico and on to Victorian-era Durango, CO.

Road trip: From Dallas to Durango and back – Part 2 A detour from Durango across the Continental Divide to Colorado Springs led to rocky hiking trails, buffalo burgers and a vista full of hot air balloons.

  Florida

A road trip to Destin, FL, white-sand beaches and seafood Leaving Dallas late on a Friday and arriving at Destin’s Another Broken Egg Café for breakfast the next day kicked off a vacation of sun, sand and surf.

  Georgia

An Atlanta road trip filled with meaning and new memories It was a last-minute trip to see far-away family, and some interesting stops were called for. They included a small southern town with a large historical impact on the Civil Rights Movement – Selma, AL.

Road trip: Visiting the South – Georgia and South Carolina – Part 1 Picked up at Augusta, GA, a Chrysler Town and Country proved the perfect vehicle for a road trip into the Deep South.

Road trip: Visiting the South – Georgia and South Carolina – Part 2 Getting from Augusta, GA, to Aiken, S.C., was easy, and opened the door to a town with an equestrian feel, charming shops and stylish restaurants.

Road trip: Visiting the South – Georgia and South Carolina – Part 3 A road trip from Aiken to Charleston, S.C., via Orangeburg, is gorgeous, and makes you dream of moving to a secluded corner of the Deep South.

  Iowa

Road trip: On a mission to West Bend, Iowa The mission was completing a long journey home for a family reunion, with familiar sights, smells and tastes en route.

  Missouri

Lively steps and lilting tunes in Branson A thriving country music scene, great dining, plenty of entertainment and beautiful mountains can be found in and around Branson, MO.

Route 66 still kicks in cities across America Roll along a section of iconic Route 66 – The Mother Road – in southwest Missouri, and visit Springfield, “The Birthplace of Route 66.”

  North Carolina

Road trip: A letter from Camp Rockmont LaQuenda Jackson and her son were not prepared for the beauty of North Carolina and the majestic mountains around Asheville – the perfect place for a summer camp.

  Oklahoma

Road trip: Going to Guthrie Thirty miles north of Oklahoma City and 234 miles from Dallas lie Guthrie, a quaint town and former capital of Oklahoma, and the nearby Cimarron River Canyon.

  Tennessee

From eagles to Elvis: Experience West Tennessee For Andrew Berry, one U.S. road trip destination stands above all others. West Tennessee offers Reelfoot Lake, a must for nature lovers, the Memphis music scene, National Civil Rights Museum, Shiloh National Military Park and more.

  Texas

Road trip: Beaucoup bats and battered dishes in Austin, Texas There’s no shortage of attractions in and around the Lone Star State capital, from water activities in Lake Austin, Lake Travis and the quieter swimming holes to an acclaimed restaurant and bar scene.

Road trip destination: Floating down the Guadalupe River Floating gently down the Guadalupe River has to be a state pastime in Texas, and it’s a great way to relax and cool off when summer temperatures start to climb.

Road trip: Going to Galveston a family tradition The Gulf-shore beaches of Galveston are a quick, affordable getaway for many Texan families, just five hours by road from the likes of Dallas in North Texas.

Road trip: Living large in the Lone Star state Texas is a land where everything is known to be bigger, and that even extends to convenience stores. Enter Buc-ee’s, laying claim to being the world’s biggest, located off I-35 near New Braunfels. It��s what road trips are made of.

Road trip: My adventure from North Carolina to Dallas, Texas Graduating from the University of North Carolina and starting work in Dallas, TX, led to a memorable 19-hour drive through multiple states, time zones and temperatures for Matt Holman, with a welcome break in New Orleans.

Road trip: San Antonio and back in three days Fort Worth to San Antonio is 249 miles, making a three-day family road trip, with a day spent at San Antonio’s Sea World, very doable.

  Road trips by theme

Summer vacation

Road trip season has arrived To kick off summer season travels, here’s a selection of U.S. road trips recommended by Lonely Planet.

Road trips: The cure for ‘summertime blues’ A little interstate cruise can prove to be therapeutic, not to mention a fascinating and fun way to explore this big ol’ country.

Summer road trip ideas from the experts From outdoorsy to bucket-list to weekend trips, take a look at these point-to-point road adventures recommended by experts at Kayak, USA Today, Skift, Outdoor Magazine and more.

  Spring break

When is spring break? Dates, destinations and details to help plan your trip Check college spring break dates with this comprehensive list, and see top spring break destinations around the U.S.

10 Spring break road trip destinations you’ll really want to visit From East Coast to West Coast, we’ve compiled some of the best beachy and city-focused spring getaways.

Top 8 road trip cities for spring break 2015 Vegas, Miami, Daytona Beach … the list goes on and the bright lights await you.

Road trip America – It’s about the experience For many, whether they’re of school age, in their college years or a parent, spring break is synonymous with memory-making road trips.

  National and state parks

America’s greatest road trips: U.S. National Parks Some of America’s very best road trips are to and through national parks, like Acadia in Maine, Big Bend in Texas and the Everglades in Florida. Find out what to see and do, and what’s nearby.

5 Road trips for Memorial Day weekend

From hiking trails through thick forest to stargazing in the desert, these breaks to some of America’s finest parks and protected areas will feel a world away from home, yet are surprisingly accessible from a handful of major cities.

  City breaks

Top 8 road trip cities of 2014 Get inspiration from some of the most popular road trips posted on the internet, and details of what makes them special.

  Valentine’s Day

Romantic road trips to make Valentine’s Day miles better Why not turn Valentine’s Day into a weekend excursion? These scenic suggestions will help you plan it.

  The ‘perfect’ road trip

What’s the perfect road trip? Chevrolet tries to find out

Chevrolet and data scientist Randy Olsen teamed up to create what they believe to be the optimal routes for road trippers, with an epic, start-anywhere 13,000-mile guide and various regional trips.

Places missed on the ‘perfect’ Northeast road trip

Putting together their ideal road trip for the Northeast, Chevrolet and Olsen left out some sights we think are definitely worth a detour. Here are Josh Myatt’s recommendations.

Places missed on the ‘perfect’ Texas road trip map

In such a big state with so much to see it’s hard to fit everything into a road trip, but here are three destinations not to be missed within the magic triangle of Dallas, San Antonio and Houston.

  What to pack

10 Essentials for a road trip back to that college campus No one wants to arrive on campus after the annual road trip only to realize they left an essential sitting on the nightstand. Read this infographic before you go.

Tips for traveling with pets If you’re road tripping with a pet for company, these tips on what to pack and how to handle the journey will smooth the way.

What to pack for a college sporting event road trip Traveling to a rival school for a sports game is a decades-old tradition, and packing the right stuff should be part of it if you want to make the most of the experience.

  What to eat

Road trip: Food for thought when you’re traveling Food is a way to embrace the experience of travel, and Sonny Bynum’s recipe for a tasty road trip includes old faithfuls, new classics and local flavor.

Road trips and restaurants: Eating your way across America Check out AAA-inspector restaurant recommendations that are definitely worth a stop.

  What to listen to

The top 38 summer road trips songs Our melting pot of tunes, like all good mixes, features a wide variety. Browse the selection and hear our summer road trip playlist on Spotify.

  How to prepare your vehicle

Summer is here. Is your vehicle ready? Beware of potential frustration on the road. Prepare for happy travels with these nine summer car-care tips.

Roadside emergency & car safety kit list It’s good to be prepared for anything that comes your way on the road. An emergency kit, and some safety steps, may prevent your road trip turning flat.

  More travel tips

Holiday road trip See a dozen great ways to prepare for a holiday season automobile adventure in this infographic, from thinking like a Boy Scout to keeping the kids busy.

Safe winter driving tips for the holidays and beyond Driving in the winter can be scenic, but also dangerous. Travel safely with these tips for vehicle preparation, what to bring, driving in snow and more.

Road trip: AAA advice on hitting the roads safely this summer Don’t be one of millions of motorists stranded on the roadside when you should be vacationing instead.

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