Travelista

I would like to get to a point where I’m blogging a few times a week but it seems hard for me to get to the computer as often as I’d like. I saw a little part of the blog you can click on to post straight from your phone but that poses a real problem for me as I am not one of those people that should have access to posting their every thought- you would get a lot of un-politically correct thoughts flying at you like spider monkeys and I would probably get scolded by my husband weekly.
This past weekend I was so lucky to get to spend 2 days in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my old college stomping grounds. I went to Marquette from 2001-2005, and the last 2 years, I lived with 8 girls. If you have ever lived with a large number of girl roommates you know that this is an amazing accomplishment! We were so lucky to have had such amazing memories, and to still love each other afterwards! Of course there were random fights like someone coming home inebriated and eating someone else’s entire pack of velveeta cheese, and as we have aged the random stories seem to have gotten crazier- we laughed hysterically the whole weekend at all the crazy memories we had. We lived in a really neat house on the outskirts of campus with 8 bedrooms. it is so funny to me how I had romanticized that house in my head. I remember it being this beautiful sprawling historic mansion, with intricate cherry woodwork and a warm and fuzzy interior that lent itself to many nights bonding with some of my best girlfriends. Upon arrival at the house at our random drive-by on Saturday, however, I remembered that the house was in one of the most ghetto areas of Milwaukee, about half a mile from a shelter, and next to a very creepy and struggling bulk foods warehouse that I don’t believe I realized at the same could very well be a possible home to many a drug deal. We honked at a boy who was approaching the house, all giggling that he might live there, and rolling laughing as he actually walked up to the house proving he either lived there or knew the residents. After a few minutes one of my roommates and I decided we were too curious and needed to see the inside after all these years.
Well, it took about 20 minutes of knocking and retreating to the back door instead of the front door to get the current boy residents to let us in. I had really forgotten one of the things associated with college that you immediately remember upon walking into a house like this-SMELLS. So many smells. It was the pizza boxes piled high in the kitchen that could have been from September. It was the 8 boys laying on the couch taking a break from final studying (or recovering from Friday’s activities), their Axe body spray fighting so hard to cover their 21 year old body odor. There was a Gatorade bottle in the “formal dining room” (where we used to have a precious picnic table painted white for roommate dinners) that was flavored orange but definitely the color of pee. I really don’t want to know why. I am sure in college if I had a crush on one of those boys, I could have gotten over those smells to watch Friends in his living room, but now I’m old, married to the most hunky boy I have ever met in my life, and I could barely tolerate touring that house for 10 minutes! It is so funny what happens when you get older.
Well overall we had a great weekend and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to see everyone. I was so lucky to live with this group of amazing women. Between us we have many masters degrees, babies, babies on the way, husbands, and hilarious memories. I faced some challenges in college and I’m sure I wasn’t always the easiest to love or to live with, and I feel very lucky to still be part of such a great group of gals. Can’t wait for our next reunion!
Just a couple of notes I couldn’t help but gather while traveling-
Why do people panic in regards to eating while traveling? I flew out early Friday morning and found myself people watching in Houston about 9 am- I got to see literally every person fly into the food court in a panic, look around quickly, and order something that was definitely not going to do anything but disrupt their day and wreak havoc on their airplane seat partner. I saw a petite older woman come in, look at the coffee stand muffins for 5 minutes, and settle on a huge platter of BBQ for her breakfast. When they were taking her order she looked panicked and like she was about to cry yet there she was 2 minutes later sitting at a table stuffing jalapeno sausage in her mouth like it was going to be her last meal ever. I felt so bad for her thinking of her stuffed into the tiny airplane bathroom 2hours later, cursing herself for not choosing the banana and muffin option. Listen people I’m not judging. I have gotten a 2 lb bag of skittles at the airport store, paid 9.95 for it, and shuffled out of their shamed only to polish it off reading US weekly on my flight. I just want to express to everyone that it doesn’t have to be this way! We need to band together and help each other out. Next time I am about to order the Mexican spice platter before my 7:30 a.m. flight, I would love if it someone came up to me and preached about the courtesy of gas movement on the tiny airplanes. We are all in this traveling food frenzy together!
Tomorrow my plan is to post some last-minute great gift ideas I’ve come across through magazines and different blogs. I always like to see everyone else's las-minute ideas.