If you've gotten to look at any maps of North America recently, then I think you'll agree with me in my belief that the United States is a big place. I mean, it's a huge honkin' country. I don't think there's any doubt about it. Why am I starting off with a blatantly obvious fact that any fifth grader would know? Because when you learn about it in the fifth grade, you don't really get it. You can't truly understand the scale of it until you're stuck on a three-day cross-country road trip in a pickup truck with a hyper-active beagle in your lap. If y'all have never had the pleasure of driving from Texas to Montana--well, let's just say that if you're considering it, then I wouldn't recommend you do it with a squirrely ball of fur in tow. Just a thought.
However, the dog aside, the scenery on the way was absolutely gorgeous. Ranging from the harsh pinks and oranges of the desert, to the
more tranquil calm colors of the mountains, I was absolutely blown away by the sights nature threw my way. Having grown up in South Texas, I'm used to hot, humid weather all year 'round, with the dry, scrubby, generally
flat land of the desert on one side, and the waves of the Gulf of Mexico on the other
. Don't get me wrong, I love Texas. Always have, always will. But there's definitely something to be said for the rush you get from being an entire mile closer to the sun.
Now, who exactly am I, y'all might be asking? Well, I believe I'm still trying to figure that out myself. First-time college student, fervent dog lover (as demonstrated by my dragging the damn beagle along with me to freakin' Montana), amateur artist, and, of course, always an old-fashioned southern gal at heart. Spent the first seventeen years of my life in the South, and while I live for the time I'm back home, there's an entire dang world just waiting for me to explore it. It might scare me out of my wits, but no matter what, I'll be out there, taking the whole damn place by storm (if I can ever get to the place where I'm not scared as hell of going to the grocery store by myself, that is).
So I might be young, I might be stupid, and I sure as hell might be completely out of my mind, but, gosh darn it, I'm here, and that's worth something. Right now, though, I'm just a southern gal, completely and utterly lost in the huge place that is the northwestern United States. Every day is new to me, every sight and sound--even the people are completely different here. And you know what? That's sounding pretty damn good.
If anybody ever reads this (and to be perfectly honest, I don't know
why in the world anybody would) then I'll catch ya later. Thanks for reading this crap (if you are actually reading it and not just looking for a way to fall asleep). Sadly, either way, I would be grateful.
