Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Drive, don't stay.

Those words are from what I recently declared to be my life's anthem. A song called "The Great Escape" by the Mississippi-based band Young Agent Jones. I had heard the song live a few times, but on a drive to Oxford one weekend, I actually heard the words clearly for the first time.
"Drive, don't stay. I wanna see you get away..."

Now, I'm not much of a crier. I hate crying, in fact. But when I heard those voices coming through the strained speakers of my Honda Accord, I cried like a Baptist sinner under strong conviction. I'd known for years that I wanted to get away from this place, but my decision got locked down the minute the tears started falling that day. And so this small-town Mississippi girl started planning my own great escape.

I don't quite know where I'm going. I certainly don't know what I'll find along the way. But I'm damn sure it's going to change my life. I couldn't be more ready.

Things I Learned in Colorado

In late December, I found myself on a plane headed for Denver. Now, as you might imagine, I haven't seen much snow in my lifetime, so the thought of a dreamy, wintery landscape and a long weekend at Copper Mountain intrigued me greatly. Equally intriguing was the idea of snow skiing, though in retrospect I have no idea why I thought doing anything in two degree weather might be fun for me. No less, I learned a few things on my first trip to Colorado...

1. My Southern body is simply not made to withstand temperatures below freezing. In fact, my Southern body doesn't even like it when the temp drops below about 65.

2. Skiing is fun to watch but makes me feel like an awkward baby giraffe. Not my game. I'll stick to being a beach bum, thank you very much.

3. I have an impressive increase in tolerance when drinking at high altitudes. I don't understand it, but I greatly appreciate it.

4. Bourbon tastes better when your toes are frozen.

5. This point is not really something I learned in Colorado but was confirmed there (as it has been in many other places). People really do love Southern girls and will buy them an abundance of drinks as a means of expressing their adoration. Especially if aforementioned girls are at a bar watching a football game.

6. I apparently don't need more than three hours of sleep to function normally. This fact is both refreshing and frightening. I haven't yet decided what I think about it.

7. Watching the first sunrise of a new year with good friends is an almost spiritual experience. I'll do it again.

8. Chuck Taylors are not made for sloshy, snowy conditions.

9. I will never cease to be intrigued by new people, places and experiences. There is so much I haven't done yet. I've really gotta get a move on.

10. Ice sucks unless it's bobbing in a strong drink.

Don't get me wrong, Colorado was beautiful. And spending time with a best friend is always a good thing. I just know now that as far as I'm concerned, winter wonderlands are best reserved for Christmas cards and holiday movies.