I call it Day 1.5 since it’s been three days since I wrapped my last show. The weekend should count as at least half a day, right?

But I should back up just a second. Adventure Times? What am I talking about? If you don’t know me personally, you have no idea. Although, if you don’t know me personally I have no idea how you’re reading this blog.

I kid! Strangers welcome!

Anyway. Adventure Times. Yes.

For the last two months I have been working. A lot. On more than one thing but mostly on an indie feature up in Burbank. Working the days and hours I’ve been working does a number on a person, mentally, physically, emotionally. And when I had already been in a state of “I don’t know” for a good part of the year… well…

I need a vacation.

And a week ago the opportunity and means to take one presented itself. The idea had been forming for quite some time but the actual execution only became possible early on a Sunday morning after I woke up with a few ideas, made a few phone calls, and it all fell into place.

What fell into place?

The pieces needed to allow me to take off from LA for the next two months and travel the country. In my car. Everywhere.

At least, almost everywhere. There are a few bits in the middle I won’t get to. But the edges, I am going to drive the hell out of those edges.

The details of the trip are a little convoluted but basically it’s being divided into two parts (or three I guess, depending on how you want to look at it. See, convoluted). Part one takes me and former roommate K up the west coast, meanders through Napa, galavants around Portland, flirts with Seattle, and eventually drops me back in San Diego. I’m hoping to at least wave to Santa Cruz and San Francisco, but we shall see.

Part two happens a week or so after Part one ends. In Part two I head east, pick up K in Phoenix, and move her butt out to NYC. We go north, past Chicago, eventually ending in the Big Apple. This exact route is still TBD but there are many glorious ideas. At least one of which involves South Dakota. I’ve never been to South Dakota. I’m excited.

From NYC I will travel south to Philly, pause for my college roommates wedding (yay!), and then continue on. How far south I’ll go I haven’t decided yet. Certainly to Atlanta. Hopefully to parts of Florida. Eventually I’ll turn back west, taste some beer near New Orleans. Stop in New Orleans. Make my way through Texas, possibly catch a Friday Night football game, and sooner or later end up back in Cali.

I’m just a little excited. Really. Just a little. Can you tell?

This is the plan. The weekend was spent packing and drinking with friends, extricating myself from nonsense of my own making, enjoying everyone, and basically just preparing to be gone from LA for at least two months. I started out thinking it would be a month and a half but once the plan fleshed itself out it became clear I’ll be gone longer.

Today was mostly a continuation on the pre-trip prep. All of the little details like “How will the cable bill get paid when I won’t be around to pay it?” or “How much money do I really realistically have to blow on this?” Those are slightly less than fun details but hey, they needed to be addressed. And now they have been

The rest of this week will be spent in San Diego with my family. My little brother comes to town tomorrow so we’ll be hanging out, doing those things that families do. I also have a few other details to work out, like what day exactly are K and I leaving on Part one.

The next week will also be spent on what can be considered Reason two of this trip if Reason one is to save my sanity. Reason two is that I am quite determined to apply to grad school this year. I have a list of schools I’m interested in and I fully plan to visit them while I travel around. So those details need to be worked out, applications need to be looked at, etc. Boring, etc.

Well, the prospect is actually very exciting but that would be very exciting to me. Not necessarily to you.

There is my plan for the week. That and recovering from this wicked cold I managed to pick up. I’m tired of the whole scratchy throat thing. That can stop now. Really. Please. Thanks.

Cutest thing I saw today! A teddy bear sitting on the engine of a shiny, old hot-rod. It was adorable. I kicked myself for not having a camera. I blame the cold for lack of foresight.

I promise many cute pictures to make up for the lack of this one. And many fun stories. And more posting and writing to go along with it all.

There will be adventures. Adventure Times are officially a go.