13 Things I Learned/Came to Terms with On My Most Recent 439.73 Mile Drive

1.The grass really is greener on the other side.
So I am about 3 hours into my drive and look to the vast nothingness on my right and I see something. What? A massive line of cows walking on a path leading away from a field of not so green grass. Where are they going? Well, I drive for a few more miles and I notice a bunch of cows eating from a field of lush green grass, and what do you know the line of cows are not to far behind. I slow down a bit just to see what happens next. The line of cows stops smack in the middle of this lush green field and start eating.

2.Cows have leaders too.
So as you know many groups of animals have leaders. Well, did you know cows do too? I didn't. Well, expounding on the story in number 1 there was one cow in the front of the massive line leading the way. Every time he/she stopped they all stopped and when he/she MOOved they all MOOved. I wonder if he/she would have jumped of a bridge if they all would have. Lol!

3.No one, or at least yours truly, grows immune to the horrible smell of cow farms.
So I’m gonna stick with the cow topic for a minuet. I have driven this same drive at least 19 times since coming to CBU, each time surviving the smell of the many cow farms, even the “1 Million Cow Farm.” (Which really has 1 Million cows ask my roomies cousin). You would think that after smelling that at least 19 times I would be immune to it, or at least not so impacted by it. But if you did think that, you would be wrong. Every time I drive by the farms I still feel as though someone punched me in the nose with something retched. (It even smells worse then my coined phrase “…smells worse than a porter potty at the end of an all day fair in 100 degree weather”). If you have not yet smelled this smell, trust me you don’t want to; it is “pillow worthy”! (If you wanna know what that’s all about, you will have to ask).

4.The lyrics to Chris Tomlin’s The Way I Was Made come alive “dance like no one's around…sing like nobody's listening”
When I am in a car for as long as I am I get a little crazy. I ‘dance’ (Shh I'm Baptist), and ‘sing’ like a crazy woman. I am pretty sure that people in the cars next to me think that I am absolutely insane, and every time they see the “Report Drunk Drivers Call 911” sign they are tempted to call about me. But, guess what…I don’t care. I don’t know these people and I will probably never see them again. And who cares if I do, I have every right to act the way I do being locked in a car for 8+ hours with myself. Lol!

5.Human Interaction is all it is craked up to be.
Going along with number 4, I must admit I not only sing and dance…I talk to myself out loud. Yep! Not much more to say about that. Don’t be alarmed, once again I do have every right to do so and you should only be alarmed when I say that I talk to others…who are not really there. If you know what I mean. Lol

6.It is possible to think about absolutely nothing.
Have you ever tried to think about nothing? You know let your mind go completely blank? I’ve tried, usually when I am thinking about something I don’t want to. Well, I always thought it was impossible, well it not. I think its only when you are trying to do it that it doesn’t work. After driving for long period of time, much of which I spend thinking about a lot, I eventually stop thinking, usually right before I start to drift away and almost fall asleep.

7.The number hours of sleep you get, doesn’t always matter.
I rarely get ‘enough’ sleep, but I do always try to make it a priority to get as much sleep as I can before my long drive. Well, I’ve decided that it doesn’t really matter. Honestly! I’ve drive after 8, and I’ve driven after far less and I still almost fall asleep every time. The drive is just so boring and I can only talk to so many people (on the phone don’t worry-reference to number 5), and so many CD’s I can listen to.

8.Multitasking skills are stunted when driving, falling asleep, and speed are synonymous.
I am usually a pretty good multitasker, but when it comes to falling asleep and driving a fail. Once I start to go into sleepy mode I can no longer pay attention to the speed limit. I don’t usually speed, but in this case I do…bad. When I catch myself speeding I know its time to take precautions to stay awake.

9.Snacking can be really good for you.
Snacking on anything and everything is one thing that keeps me awake. I don’t know if it’s the energy I get from the food itself or the concentration and alertness it takes to eat it.

10.It takes me about 25 miles to eat a candy cane.
What, you might be thinking. Well, I’ve come to discover that suckers/lollipops are a great at keeping me awake. Well, I didn’t have any this trip, so I decided to try a candy cane instead. It worked and I just happened to look at the miles right before and after I ate it.

11.Miles left to travel is equal to a gift and/or death.
I always try not to look at how many miles I have left until I reach my destination, because it is usually really discouraging. But it is soooo hard not to look. Its like waiting to open a long awaited gift or for a death sentence. (I guess depending on where you are going... Or how long even because I know I can be excited about where I’m going but if the drive is really long and feels slow, its still waiting for death).

12.Arriving at the ½ way point leaves me rejuvenated and with the feeling of accomplishment.
I only stop once during my drive (if I can), because I want to get where I’m going asap. Since I only stop once I try to do it when I am ½ way done. Partly because that’s when I need to get gas, and I am ready to eat and go to the bathroom. But always because it’s a goal I know I can reach and when I do I feel so accomplished and rejuvenated.

And last, but certainly not least:

13.The sound of the wind coming through an open window on a freeway is my equivalent to the famous “fingernails on a chalkboard” not to mention it is painful.
The noise I speak of has bothered me since I was really little, but it was because I had really sensitive ears and the wind hurt. Well now I get so annoyed when I hear it. I guess you can say it is one of my pet peeves.

I learned/ came to terms with a lot more, but I am pretty sure this is enough for 1 blog. lol!