Life's a trip.

Dad & Anna's trip out here was so fun :) We ate a lot and walked a lot and shopped a lot and I got to do a lot of the touristy things that I have not done yet like see the Loretto Chapel stairs and shop for souvenirs. We went to Tomasita's to see the Mariachias, to a flamenco show at El Farol, and up to Hyde Park to bumble around on some rocks. They helped me move from one school to my new school and some of my stuff from my house to Gerard's parents' garage. I cried when I dropped them at the airport. I love those people. I was just happy that they were there with me.

So I made it alive to Las Vegas in one day. The plan was to drive from Santa Fe to the 4 Corners to hoop there one day, and then sleep and finish the drive the next day. I had spent all of Friday and Saturday morning cleaning out my house completely so I could hand over the keys and get my deposit back. Saturday morning saying goodbye to Michael I was too caught up in all the Michaeldom and I asked/decided to go to his friend's wedding that was going on that day/night. The wedding was in the Basilica here in Santa Fe which was gorgeous (Catholic comments another day) and then the reception was at a casino in Espanola. I saw one of my students (Kinder) there and pulled her up to dance. She laughed and laughed. Then I danced with Michael for the rest of the evening. I laughed and laughed. The band was New Mexican Spanish music. Michael and I twirled and tangoed and for a couple hours I was flying. We took silly inappropriate pictures in the photo booth which was such a hit that the prints were passed around the reception hall without us knowing. Eventually we decided we needed more food and got all-you-can-eat crab legs in the casino. A silly, unbelievable, spontaneous night.

I left Sunday morning - now taking the shortest route to LV. Down I went to Albuquerque where I caught I-40W. If you remember last year's roadtrip, I spent quite some time on this highway. Back again I was. Taking the trip further West. I thought about all the things I've learned in the past year. How much I didn't know then. How scared I was. and here I am just as scared.

I stopped a couple times for gas/to pee. One homeless man told me, "Don't leave - I love you!"
My big stop was Meteor Crater, AZ. I hooped the shit out of that site. 50,000 years ago a meteorite fell and made this big hole and it's astonishing. You stand right up by it on the rim and dude it's fun. When I tell people what I'm doing when I'm hooping they think I'm the coolest person ever. Feels good.

It was tooooo long a drive - I will never drive 11 hours (in the car - 12 or 13 in all) in one day voluntarily again.

I spent two nights in the Las Vegas Hotel which was beautiful but I spent most of the time sleeping, and now I'm in the Riviera for two nights which is less beautiful but there's free Wi-Fi.

My homework...just kidding...

My Orff course is awesome. Pedagogy, games, movement, recorder, and special things for school. Today my movement teacher asked if I've studied dance. It was because I was totally the best oyster interpretive dancer there. Or I'm just not afraid to be silly. I like wiggling and that's what I'll do. There's some really nice people. Rock 'n Roll.