Road Trip EastSide Wk3

Thursday Aug. 30
--- Headed to the National Archives by Mertro in the morning after packing up and loading my car. Saw some pretty cool documents there but never found my Grandpa’s name in a World War 11 veterans book.
--- Hopped on the Metro again and headed to Arlington National Cemetery and worked right to the tomb of the unknown soldiers area and watched the changing of the guards. It was pretty impressive.
--- Walked back to Metro and saw Joel, Dan, and Brain and said goodbye because I was heading back to Cody’s and getting in my car to drive to NYC.
--- Got there with not much problem. I enjoyed the driving in the city, kept me awake to say the least. Moved into Maya’s roommates room in the apartment a block from Central Park.
--- Went out for drinks at an Irish pub with Maya, Lynsey, and her sister and date.

Friday Aug. 31
--- I slept in when Maya went to work and I watched TV and read and did some paper work for Wildhorse Canyon.
--- I moved my car also… I know you wanted to know that. But I did make it in NYC without any parking tickets. Thank you very much.
--- Maya and I went out by subway to an authentic Italian pizza place, which was really good, and then went to a Independent Film called The Nines. I liked it. It was very unique and creative. Very mind turning.
--- Then we took the subway back to the apartment.

Saturday Sept. 1
--- Slept in again and drove to Boston with Maya and it took a long time to get out of New York with the traffic. It was a good drive though and we arrived to Grace and Lee at around 6:30pm.
--- I searched hard for a parking spot with Lee because there were a lot of different no parking signs because of college Residence moving in and was really busy with parents and labor day visitors. I found one and double-checked the no parking signs
--- Went to meet the girls in the mall to eat at a P.F. Chinese restaurant and there was an 1:20 min wait. We were hungry but waited anyway. Me and Maya went to find a birthday cake and candles because it was Lee’s birthday. After we searched a while we ended up grabbing some birthday candles from The Cheesecake Factory and buying a delicious ice cream cake from Coldstone. We ate out on some mall tables because dessert is always good first. Then waited even more to eat some Chinese. It took about 1:45min. The food was really good through.
--- We headed back and it seemed like everyone was tired so I headed to my car with the others TO FIND A PARKING TICKET! I was really frustrated. It said I parked in a residence parking only area. So I looked more and found another no parking sign at the end of the street. I still don’t know if I want to write a letter to try to get out of it or just pay the stupid thing. I haven’t paid the Chicago parking ticket yet because it hasn’t been put in the Chicago computers yet. Maybe it got lost?!
--- So after that I said goodnight to the other three and went to bed in the back seat of my car. Home Sweet Home. I got a call a little bit later because Lee’s car was locked in the parking garage, so he joined me in my car to sleep for the night because there was no room in the inn.

Sunday Sept. 2
--- We got up early, Lee went to get his car. I moved my car to a legal parking spot directly across the street.
--- I shaved and brushed my teeth and deodorized myself in my car and put on a clean shirt. Then I went for a walk by myself. I walked to the public gardens and the Boston Commons Park and then all around. I ended my walk at the Park Street Church downtown it looked big and significant and it had a bathroom.
--- I decided to go to church here after walking around inside. Maya called and said they were going to the Korean church, The church service was traditional and the preacher was very intellectual and informative. Some of what he said really struck me though, about the Shame on Jesus and we should not be afraid of Shame and humility in that way if people persecute us. Lots of other aspects to this and I took a few notes. The woman next to me was really friendly and asked me if I was a pastor or in seminary. I gave a slight smile and an amusingly confused look. “Yeah, I studied theology in college and am a youth worker. What gave it away?” “The way you were listening to the sermon and wrote some notes down.” I thought I was dosing off a little bit during the service myself but was delighted in her perception. “We have a lot of seminary students stay at our house with the many schools around here.” she said “and I could see a lot of that same interest in you.” We continued a little more get to know you talk and then I walked around a little more.
--- I was talking to Maya to figure out where to meet up with the others in the Commons and walked passed this homeless guy named Brent who said “Hey can I use that phone to call my son, free nights and weekends.” I slowed up and ended the conversation with Maya and sat next to Brent. We talked a little bit and I dialed his sons number for him. He got the answering machine but we talked some more and then he asked if he could call his ex-girlfriend. So I dialed that as well and he talked to her a little while and then my phone died on him. He said that that was even better because it is always fun just hanging up on girls. I parted ways and found the rest of the group.
--- We went to the food court for lunch and Grace and Lee left for Korean church that they missed in the morning.
--- I started walking around Boston with Maya and giving her the tour in all the made up fashion I could imagine. We ended up taking the subway for the fun of it to the bay and hung there for a little while.
--- We walked back through the great tourist traps and saw this really HUGE dog that was just sitting by the Cheers bar without anyone by it. It was started to get a crowd, which was funny. We walked all the way back to near Grace’s Dorm after a few stops.
--- We stopped to get some drinks at this really awesome Market right around the corner, which had a wine cellar in the very spacious basement. I bought a 6pack of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. It was and is really good. Haven’t finished it yet. I had to get Sam Adams in Boston.
---Grace and her roommates now met us there as we were sitting outside on the tables drinking. We ended up heading to get some Dunkin Donuts at the fancy gold lettered donut shop, but that was closed. So we headed to starbucks in the Barnes and Noble
--- I talked on the phone with my sister for a good amount of time and I loved every minute of it. I am starting to think I need to get home soon.
--- I lost the other girls but met up with them again at the dorm. I tried to sleep on the couch in the lobby after I saw the RA was gone but he woke me up at the midnight lock up shift and sent me out. So back to my home to sleep in the back seat of my hot Stuff.

Monday Sept. 3
--- Got up early to try to get on the road early to miss the bad Labor Day traffic.
--- We went for breakfast at the sweet Market and got on the road.
--- The drive to NYC was a lot quicker and we talked and listened to a sweet message from the creator of Veggie Tales, Phil Visher. It is about Veggie Tales and more importantly about his story of how God gave him a great vision and job and then He takes it away. He also wrote a book about what he has been going around speaking about called Me, Myself, and Bob.
--- We get back to the apartment and relax for a while.
--- We go to the great lawn of Central Park with Lynsey also and eat, drink, and threw a Frisbee around.

Tuesday Sept. 4
--- I sleep in while Maya goes to class. I do some reading, writing, and Television, showering (the 3 R’s)..
--- We go to the Cathedral down the street from her apartment and check out the place which was pretty cool and very relaxing.
--- We go out for lunch at a sweet Mama’s place next door to the apartment for lunch. Chicken and catfish…. Yum.
--- Maya goes back to class and I relax some more probably trying to communicate with others. I was planning on staying in Brooklyn that night and meeting some more of Maya’s friends there.
--- Maya got back from class and see forced me to clean the inside of my car “Hot Stuff” and she helped. I told her that Hot Stuff is a dirty whore because so many people ride her and she is dirty because of that. But it is true that everyone can be washed clean from there past, even Hot Stuff. Well that took a while but she looks amazing.
--- Got back to the apartment and Maya was tired so wanted to rest a little bit before we left for Brooklyn. Well I was drinking some wine that her roommate shared with me and Maya had a sip and that wiped her out. So she took a nap and then was even more tired after that so we mad the decision to skip Brooklyn. We went to an authentic New York pizza place down the street, you know jumbo big flabby slices that look pretty risky. It was good and we sat there and studied marketing for her test in the morning. Then went back and went to sleep.

Wednesday Sept. 5
--- Again Maya got up early for class and I slept in. I got up and packed up and then got on the road to travel northwest.
--- I stopped at a scenic area for lunch, left over cold pizza, Oh so good, and a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. Then back on the road and I took the scenic roads in New York upstate because I had the time and I didn’t want to pay any more tolls (I hate tolls!)
--- Got to Rochester area, where Steph a friend from Hope lives, in time to watch the end of her sister’s soccer game. Then we went to Wegman’s for dinner and relaxed there.
--- Went back to her place and had cake and wanted to meet up with her boyfriend for ice cream, but instead we had Josh come over and watch a movie and fall asleep.

Thursday Sept. 6
--- Got up early because Steph needed to leave for work at 7:30am and I needed to make it to Hamilton, ON by 11am.
--- I got on the road and crossed the boarder no problem. I called my friend Mike Hoekstra and others before I lost US reception on the cell phone. Don’t know how much it costs to call in Canada on my States cell service.
--- Well I made it to Redeemer University College at 10:50am and found the room where Syd Hielema was teaching at 11am (I love the internet where I can look up all the info of where to surprise people). Syd was my professor and advisor and friend at Dordt.
--- I walk into the classroom with my backpack with everyone else, for there first NT Gospels and Acts class of the year. I tried to sneak in without being noticed and sit in the back. It didn’t work. Syd looked at me funny as I walked in and he was thinking wow that guy looks a lot like Mike Elders. He looks some more and I try to lose eye contact but looked up and smiled. Then he finished a convo and came to me and gave me a big hug. I told him I am just traveling through. And asked if we could get together in the next couple days. Right after class worked for him and so I stayed in his class and he introduced me as he welcomed everyone as someone who already took this class back at Dordt.
--- We went for some lunch after the great class time of focusing on what it means and doesn’t mean to study the Bible. Lots of story’s and question thinking. Lunch was in the Cafeteria and was a great time of catching up and me sharing a lot about the church situation and beyond.
--- We parted ways and I walked around campus checking it out and then tried to connect with by facebook with others in Hamilton.
--- I head downtown to MacMaster campus and find a Tim Horton’s and do a lot of reading and waiting by free wi-fi signals for precise time and place to meet with Ali Knight or Beth and Paul. I also drove different places to try to find a place to plug my computer in to charge. I finally found a plug at a grocery store by a small furniture section.
--- Then I find a signal again and didn’t get any specific directions yet so I drove around and found a mall to sit and start writing this journal and do more reading. After a couple more hours and getting a little later. I remembered I had some old emails on my computer of addresses of Beth and Paul. So I looked up the last address I found and it was there house and they were home!! I love these two. So we hung out and then connected with Ali and went over there to hang out pretty late. I went back to Beth and Paul’s to sleep on the couch.

Friday Sept. 7
--- We woke up early to head over to Ali’s apartment for waffles! I invited myself over, I have gotten good at that lately. It was really good and fun. I hung out there for the morning and then dropped Ali and roommate off at school.
--- Then I went to the Harbor and walked around and went to Williams for lunch and lots of free wi-fi and lots of reading (getting close to finishing The Last Word and the Word After That). It was really busy and really good. I had a pom-a-berry smoothie and a strawberry field with feta salad. I was there for over 4 hours.
--- Then I drove to London, ON to hang with Chris Wyenberg – I heard he was 8 feet tall, with arms as big as the pillars of Solomon’s Temple. The searing whites of eyes are said to burn like Pluto the star formally known as a planet.
--- We stopped and got something to eat and walked to UWO to go to the first hub of Intervarsity Campus Fellowship meeting of the year. We met a lot of great people and heard a lot of great stories of what God taught people them this summer, lots of great things.
--- Then we went to a bon-fire with a big group and had a lot of great fun and conversations with great people. We stayed till 1:30am because we like to talk.
--- We walked home and went to bed both sleeping in Chris’s new apartment for the first time.

Saturday Sept. 8
--- Woke up and had Toast. Yeah Toast!!!
--- We installed a window air conditioner and hung out a little bit. And I finished writing this all. I plan to go to lunch with Chris and then drive to another country. And hang out with SpringHill friends at MSU. Then head home!!!!! It is time to go home.