I’ve been making my way through the South since the last time I wrote. I LOVE IT! I’m not sure if its because I came from the hot, dry, flat, brown topography of Texas, but when I was driving through Northern Louisiana on 1-20, it was just gorgeous, gorgeous country… Very lush, very green, a landscape etched with rivers and swamps. Totally fell in love with the area. Then I crossed over the Mississippi River into Mississippi, which was wild. I was greeted by yet another massive lightening storm and torrential downpour upon entry, but hey, at least it wasn’t 105 degrees anymore! Made it into Jackson, MS safe and sound Saturday night…

My dad grew up in Jackson, and his younger brothers and the rest of my Fam still live out there. I stayed with Uncle Frederick, Aunt Gloria and Cousin Derrick, and they took very good care of me. Good food, lots of laughs, and a tour of my dad’s old stomping grounds… It’s crazy the amount of history in this town. Though it was strange to hear phrases like “white side of town” and “Black side of town” (segregation is still alive and well in MS), I loved Jackson. I wish i could have stayed a little longer…

Cousin Derrick showed me a real good time, lol. First night D and Uncle Ced took me out to the clubs and tried to get me drunk (do we detect a theme here?) I did my first ever shot of Patron with these crazy cats at the club (those that know me know that I absolutely hate the taste of tequila, but I sucked it up… literally). Uncle Ced was a trip — I’m used to Cashers being all conservative, but apparently our rep out here is to be on the wild and freaky side, LOL. We were swapping stories and he goes – “Girl, you a Casher!!!” and I just died laughing. Yup, I guess I am 😉

Chilled out with Derrick and cousin Aafram the next day on the golf course. SO MUCH FUN. Just kicking back watching these boys try to play golf (lol – just teasin!) and cruisin’ around on the prettiest golf course I’ve ever seen… It was so peaceful. I had a little too much fun drivin’ around in the golf cart – almost rolled it once or twice, LOL. Scared the crap out of young D, hee hee. But good times were had by all (well, maybe not by the kid Derrick beamed with his golf ball… Foooorrre!)

Left Jackson yesterday and headed down to New Orleans. Took the Causeway across Lake Ponchatrain coming in, which was surreal since the last time I saw it on TV it was broken up and busted. Checked into my hotel, then did a tour of the city. While the Garden District is still intact and gorgeous, the same can not be said for the rest of the areas I toured.
Drove through Jefferson Parrish and other areas in the hood… Canal St… You’d think Katrina hit 2 months ago, not almost a year ago looking at some of these areas… It was so sad. The stench in Jefferson Parrish in particular is still pretty strong. I don’t have a “Before” image of New Orleans since this was my first time here, but it definitely is not the same city. The spirit, pride, and sense of humor seems to be intact (the best T-shirt I saw read “FEMA Evacuation Plan: Run Bitch Run!!!” lol), but efforts to rebuild are definitely lagging…

Okay, time to hit the road AGAIN, lol. Next stop, somewhere in Florida. I’m excited to see the ocean again, and have some quality beach time. I’ll try to update with pics as soon as I can…

PS: Eric, our soon-to-be attorney is taking the dreaded Bar Exam this week. If everyone could send up a little prayer on Eric’s behalf for concentration and clarity through this gruelling 3-day test, it would be much appreciated. I love you bro, and I’m sure you’ll do great!!!

The Soul2Soul summer has begun… Yesterday was an AWESOME day filled with McFriends and McGraws… It was nice to do a little something for the cowgirl in me finally, after all these days in TEXAS going to hip-hop bars and clubs, lol. The whole day was like food for my soul…

Left Houston EARLY in the morning to get up to Leisha’s in Fort Worth for a quick visit. I’ve been an active member on the the message board at mcgraws.com for 6 years, and Leisha and I have been friends for most of this time. Truth be told, she’s one of my closest friends on the Board, and our relationship off-board has blossomed into something that I cherish and hold very dear to my heart… I was very excited to meet her and her adorable children FOR THE FIRST TIME!

It was awesome. Just awesome. We chatted like we’d known each other forever and I absolutely fell in LOVE with her kids. The cutest little things in the world. I’ve had pictures of Jake up in my office at work since he was born, and it was so wild to finally see/meet him (he’s five now). And Miss Rachel is just a ray of sunshine.. I totally want a little girl just like her…

The visit was not nearly long enough, and after a very long goodbye in the driveway, I had to leave the lovely little family for Mission #2 of the day — a massive McMeet.
Like I said, I’ve been friends with many of the women from the message board for years, but I’ve never had a chance to meet anyone that lives outside of California (except Colleen who’s a tour-travellin’ Diva, lol). Wendy, the only Dallas native and the sweetest, sweetest gal ever, organized a huge McMeet for all of us at a restaurant before the show. Present and accounted for were: my good friend Iris (who flew in from Cali – was GREAT to see you and catch up!), Colleen and Mama Karen (from New York), the lovely Miss Jane (From Washington DC), Danna (from pre-Katrina New Orleans, now residing in Houston), Megan (from New Orleans), Michelle (who wins the award for longest travel day coming in on a red-eye from Portland) and Hanky (who has a real name, I just don’t know it cause she’s just Hanky to me, LOL). It was so much fun hanging out with these ladies – people think I’m weird for running off to hang with folks I met on the internet, but people just don’t understand how close you can get talking to someone every day for 6 years! It was lovely to meet ya’ll and I hope the caravan made it safely to Houston and is having a BLAST! Wish I was there!

Now for the show…. Oh boy. That Tim McGraw – he just does something to me… I haven’t been to a show since October, and I had completely forgotten what it feels like to be in a room with Tim. I swear to God, the second he opened his mouth my whole body was covered with goosebumps. I remember now why the obsession began all those years ago, lol.I had a third row seat, so I got to see both Tim and Faith up close and personal. Loved it. Faith was having a great time, with great energy, and sounded flawless as usual. I swear, she is so underappreciated – that woman can sang. And she’s freakin’ gorgeous.

Tim… Well, there are no words. That man is hotter than an Arizona desert with a heart of Gold. I swear, I am a grown-ass woman and he just makes me SWOON. It was awesome to hear My Little Girl, When the Stars Go Blue, and I’ve Got Friends that Do LIVE. He gave big ups to Mr. Charley Pride who was in the audience… And the way he looks at his wife makes me want to cry. I would give anything to have someone love me like that, Anything. When the first few notes of “It’s Your Love” started to play, I actually felt tears forming in my eyes. It’s been so long since I’ve heard them perform that song, and it brings back so many memories (having loved Tim longer than Faith has, lol, I was right there in 1996 when they were falling in love…). And “I Need You” left me damn near speechless. To behold true love in action, to see with your own eyes that soulmates truly exist… There is nothing more inspirational.

I had such a good time that I’m seriously considering going to the Nashville show next Saturday. Colleen and Mama Karen have an extra ticket with my name on it if I want it… They wanted me to roll down to Houston with them, but since I just came from there, I passed. But Nashville would be awesome. God, I am so off the Mcgraw wagon… And here I was thinking I was on my way to being cured…

More pics from the show on Flickr.

Houston has been a blast… Josiah is big ballin’ in a super bachelor mansion, so I’ve been chillun in major style and comfort. I have my own master suite complete with my own bathroom… Once again, its amazing what $180,000 will get you in Texas…

My host in Houston is my boy Josiah, also known as Soulmate #5, lol. For those of you keeping score, we’re up to 8 – Ty, Tony, Neal, Jon, Josiah, JohnJohn, Nando and John. Megan was the one to point out that I seem to be collecting Johns, LOL. But I digress. Josiah is a soulmate circa 2001 (?) and we’ve managed to remain friends over all this time. Was good to see him, and he made sure I was well taken care of…

He took me to the most GRUBBIN’ spot for dinner – this Japanese buffet place called Kiran… We gorged ourselves on seafood and sushi, and consumed many bottles of Sake. Seriously, I lost count after the third bottle, but he kept ordering and pouring, ordering and pouring. I know my liver is seriously mad at me right now!

Thursday was super relaxing. Yummy lunch, some errands and shopping, and catching up on my Soaps on a huge-screen TV. Then I had to take a nap because the heat just makes you want to sleep all damn day, lol.

In the evening we rolled out to this club called Crome… Josiah and his boy Doug booked a table in the VIP room, where you buy your drinks by the bottle. It’s ridiculous the kind of cash these fools throw around. The charge between the four of us was to kill an entire bottle of Stoli. You can’t even imagine the hangover I’m dealing with right now…

Alright, I gotta pack up and hit the road… I have a lunch date with Leisha and her kids, and then my first Soul2Soul concert tonight!!!! SUPER EXCITED! Ciao for now!

Austin, TX has been good for my soul. First of all, I’ve gotten to spend Quality time with my good friend Nicola… Nicola and I have been friends since the 8th grade. She moved to Vacaville in 9th grade, and then to Texas about 10 years ago. But she’s one of those friends that no matter how much time passes, we always pick up right where we left off… I cherish friendships like those, and I absolutely cherish this time I’ve gotten to spend with her here in Austin, TX. Coming off some major John withdrawal, time with a good girlfriend turned out to be exactly what I needed to get my mind off the poet. I almost feel back to normal now, lol. Almost 🙂

Nicola’s house is gorgeous and huge, with a killer pool in the back. It’s amazing what $170,000 can get you in Texas… This whole experience has definitely opened my mind to the possibilities of settling outside of California. If I could get myself something lakefront, I could totally see myself living here…

I love Austin. The vibe here is very similar to Santa Cruz — lots of eclectic, artsy folk, and a more liberal atmosphere than the rest of Texas. It’s still hot as hell, but the city is surrounded by Lake Austin, so it seems cooler than it was in Dallas. Monday we spent the day chillun’ at Barton Springs. Awesome. They threw up this dam in the middle of Lake Austin to make a huge pool, complete with diving boards and ladders to get in and out. We layed around under a huge tree all day, then jumped in the lake to cool off. So relaxing. Afterwards, Nicola, Christine and I met up with Heather the Hottie for dinner and margaritas at Freddie’s. YUM. So much fun to be out with the girls, talking girl talk and being silly. It was like an episode of Sex in the City I swear, lol. Note to self: Get some single girlfriends when I get back to the Cruz…

Today Nic and I went to the Zen Zone for some spa pampering. AWESOME. We did this detox footbath which pulled a grip of toxins out of our bodies (scary stuff), and then got a massage. It felt good to indulge in some pampering. A grubbin’ lunch at Whole Foods, then off to Kinko’s to print my manuscript so I can ship it off to the folks that requested it. Rounded out the day with dinner and drinks with Nic’s hubby Frank, sis Judy, and Judy’s husband Tom at the Hula Hut. Once again, no one will let me pay for anything out here, so I’m getting a Queen’s treatment at no-cost. I am so blessed ya’ll, so blessed.

Tomorrow I leave lovely Austin to head out to Houston to visit with Josiah for a few days… My week in Texas is all about rest, relaxation, and recuperation. For me and my car, lol. Til next time…

I am so exhausted… I’ve been in Dallas 3 days now, and have averaged about 5 hours of sleep each night. Cousin Doug seems determined to make a lush out of me, LOL. But I’m having lots of fun, so I suppose that’s all that matters.

I arrived in hot-ass Dallas around midnight on Thursday night, and after staying up until well after 3am drinking and chopping it up with Cousin Doug, I crashed. Layed around the house and did absolutely nothing on Friday except eat and watch Soaps, which was LOVELY. Then in the evening, Doug took me out to a AA Baseball game. Pretty fun, lots of drank, and the Frisco Rough Riders won. Then we went to a bar where I proceeded to drink more and stay up way too late. I honestly do not know how I’m functioning. I am not in college anymore ya’ll…

The Black Writers Conference started up at 9am Saturday morning, so after a few hours sleep, I got up and hauled my sleep-deprived ass over to the hotel. Long day sitting in all these workshops with a mild hangover. But it was very informative and the people were all very nice. I just love being around writers, and with Black Writers especially you find a whole other kind of kinship. By evening I’d made some friends, and we hung out at the bar (again) swapping stories and talking about our work. Lots of business cards have been exchanged and connections made. Folks from all over the country journeyed here for this conference, so it’s cool to meet peeps from Atlanta, Virginia, Maryland, Arkansas and beyond. They all think I’m crazy for driving out here from Cali, but James Reid was so amused he decided to throw me in one of his books, lol, so if I can be an inspiration to others, it is all good. 🙂

I SHOULD have called it a night after the drinking session with Max and James in the hotel bar, but Cousin Doug insisted on swooping me up once again to take me out. You know, I could really get used to this Southern Hospitality thing 🙂 We hit up a bar and then a club, and I got my drink on and dance on and really enjoyed myself. One thing I love about Cousin Doug — he doesn’t cock-block the way Bill and Eric do. If anything, he’ll go that extra mile to facilitate the hook-up, LOL. He was like – “Hey, you’re grown. I’d rather have you hook up with one of my friends, cause I know they’re good guys. Besides, if they do you wrong, they know I’ll shoot’em.” LOL! (Love you Cousin!!!) (B & E – take notes 😉

We hit up Cafe Brazil after the club closed, and I didn’t get home til 3:30am and had to wake up early AGAIN for a 9am conference start. I have no idea how I’m functioning. The kicker is, I had a 10am appointment to pitch my books to an Editor from Parker Publishing, so now I’m having to pitch with a hangover… Lovely. But I did it, and not only did I do it, but I nailed it. The editor wants to see the full manuscript and even went so far as to say that she thought I wrote a good, consummate love story, and that if the writing is strong (which it is), she’s confident it will get picked up. Wooo Hoooo! I love these little moments of validation. I know this dream will become a reality soon, I just KNOW it.

I also had a potentially life-changing convesation with the agent that facilitated one of the workshops. Shopping for agents is different than shopping for publishers – you have to be a lot more picky cause these are the people who are going to be handling your money. But I really liked this woman’s vibe and sense of humor – she’s the kind of person I could see myself being friends with under different circumstances and she’s very smart and in the know… Anyway, I approached her after the workshop got out, introduced myself, and then asked if she was taking on new clients. She actually said no, but asked me what my book was about anyway. Well, I shot her my 1 minute pitch, and she got so excited that she changed her mind and was like “Send it to me.” “The whole thing?” I asked. “Yes, send it to me.”

So now I have to get my ass to a Kinko’s, print up two copies of my manuscript, and get this stuff in the mail. I’m most excited about the possibilities with the agent though, because if she loves my book, she’ll work hard for me. And she knows everyone so things should really start poppin’. She’s also stationed on the West Coast (most of the publishing industry is out of New York), and has a strong desire to put West Coast authors on the map. Could be a match made in heavan…

Okay, gotta check out and get back downstairs to wrap up the last part of this conference. I’m just kickin’ it now though – the hard part is over. And then I head down to Austin tonight to spend a few days with Nicola and Frank… You know, I could really get used to this being on vacation thang…

PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHERS BILL AND ERIC!!! They turn 28 (?!?!) on the 17th. This is the first birthday I’ve missed in 28 years, so I’m a lil sad about that, but you guys know I love you!!! XOXO and kiss my nephew for me too!

Well, I was too depressed the other night to blog about our time in Utah and Colorado, so forgive the delay. After a long day making our way through Arizona, we got into Utah really late Monday night. I was exhausted and our hotel was so far away, so we decided to cancel that reservation and stop at the first roadside motel we came to. I was a little sketch about being brown in Utah, but everything ended up being fine. The motel owner was very nice (quite the character actually) and I finally got to get out of the car and rest my weary limbs…

The next morning we set off for Bryce Canyon. GORGEOUS. John was all about the Grand Canyon, but for me, it was all about Bryce…
I’m telling you, the beauty in this country is no joke…

The drive through Utah was gorgeous… Once again, I fully underestimated what Utah had to offer. The topography was constantly changing from tree-speckled stone mountains to red rock canyons to an ascension into mountains lined with aspen trees. If you’re ever in Utah, take the Hwy 12 & 24 scenic drives. You won’t be sorry.

When we arrived at Orvis Hot Springs in Ridgway, Colorado (aka the Nudist Resort) later that evening, I was once again road weary after a long day of driving. But the Hot Springs did not disappoint. This spot was the highlight of my trip so far. A lovely room with a comfortable bed and access the the resort facilities which were surreal. The grounds were lush and landscaped. Six outdoor soaking pools, filled with warm water fed directly from the Hot Springs. The largest pool was 40 feet wide — imagine doing laps in a big-ass bathtub…(I wish I could have taken a picture of it, but it was full of naked people and I didn’t think they’d appreciate being posted on my blog, LOL). They provided each guest with a comfy terrycloth bathrobe so we didn’t have to actually walk around NAKED, but could still soak in the nude. It was awesome. Hands down the most romantic night of my life, lounging in the hot water, looking up at a star-filled sky and a full moon(!). I will definitely be back here, for a longer stay next time, and HIGHLY recommend this place for all you couples who might want to celebrate an anniversary or rekindle the romance in your life.

Sadly, we had to leave the Hot Springs the next morning, but the drive South to Albuquerque was also very scenic (if not downright scary with the sheer cliff drop-offs and no guardrail!!!). Hwy 550 through the San Juan Mountains – Gorgeous. It was exactly how I pictured Colorado would be…
We got into Albuquerque around 5pm… I don’t have much to say about Albuquerque – in my mind it will always be the town where I had to leave my lover, so my memories are not the fondest. I’m currently in Dallas, Texas, having braved twelve hours of 105 degree heat to get here… Cousin Doug is taking very good care of me, and tomorrow the conference starts. Unbelievable — I can’t believe I drove all the way to Texas… I’ve been in 5 states in the past 6 days – is that insane or what??? And I’m just getting started…

I just got back from dropping John off at the bus station… We part ways in Albuquerque so he can take a bus back to Phoenix for his next series of poetry shows, and I go on to Dallas for my conference and the rest of my tour… Hard does not even begin to describe the past few hours, but I have to just dry my tears and be thankful for the time we had, the memories we made… Unforgettable times with my real good man…

To long drives and long embraces
The mystic wonder of sights unseen
Sedona sunsets from the top of a mountain
The full moon rising to light the world below us
Skies streaked with lightening, the rumble of thunder
Majestic mountains awash in seas of green
Miles and miles of nothing but Mother Nature’s glory
And the taste of a desert thunderstorm from the side of a lonely road
We left the city behind to find our way home…
Floating in a warm pool of water beneath a starry sky
In a Rocky Mountain paradise
These moments shared between you and I
Burned forever in my mind
A world flipped on its axis
Never to be looked at the same again
I showed you things you’d never seen before
You showed me things I couldn’t see before
I’m talking about a canyon filled with 11 miles of TRUTH
And seeing God in every moment
To living the dream and loving to extremes
The journey is just beginning…

I love you… Until we meet again…

I gotta say, I had no IDEA how much beauty there was in the country. In particular, I fully underestimated the state of Arizona. I always imagined the southwest as one big hot desert. I didn’t know they had red rocks, mountains, forests, and rivers. When we took Hwy 89 out of Sedona, we climbed into mountains that were just as beautiful as the Sierras in Cali. A sea of trees stretched out all around us, gorgeous, gorgeous country. Of course my heart broke a little as we drove through the part very recently burned by the wildfires, but it appears the firefighters did a very good job of keeping it contained.

The Grand Canyon took my freaking breath away. Literally. Photographs do not even come close to capturing the beauty of this majestic world wonder. Once again, tears formed in my eyes as I stared out across the canyon…
I also never realized how afraid of heights I was until I stood near the edge looking over. John and I try to avoid touristy spots whenever possible, so of course our chill spot was the one without a guard rail, lol.

John is really big on Native Culture, so we stopped at a Navajo Reservation on the way out to check out the handmade native crafts and put some money into Native hands… John is an incredibly smart, well-read individual, so he is constantly telling me stories and giving me background on all the places we go… Driving by all the “reservations,” he educated me with many stories/legends of the plight of the native peoples, particularly the Apache tribe. When we stopped to shop, he got into a deep conversation with this Apache woman, asking her to explain various things about the artifacts. He is so cute, always wanting to learn more. 🙂
I truly believe it was divine intervention that we met the way we did, just days before my departure, and that he is with me on this journey. My enjoyment of this trip has increased exponentially with him by my side. Right now we’re at an internet cafe in Utah, making our way to Colorado… Next stop is the nudist resort, lol. Yes, you read that right. Stay tuned… 😉

I love this freakin’ town. John and I had the best time exploring Sedona on Day 2. I woke up bright and early on Saturday and went for a solo hike to the Airport Mesa vortex… The trail wrapped around the backside of this huge mountain, with views of the city below. After hiking for a bit, I found myself a nice little rock to sit on and journaled for a bit. Wrote an awesome poem about the awe-inspiring scenery. Back to the hotel for a swim, and then we were off for a day of adventuring.

After lunch, we headed to hike the Cathedral Rock vortex. This trail was amazing, as we hiked alongside the Oak Creek for several miles to reach our destination. It was just lovely. After more meditating and journalling at the vortex site, we hiked back on the opposite side of the creek, stopping halfway to take a swim in the cool waters. Awesome. The sun was shining, there was a nice breeze, and the river felt refreshing but not too cold. I could not have asked for a more perfect day.

The fact that it got even more perfect just blows my mind. After margaritas and appetizers at Casa Rincon, we headed up to hike to the Boynton Canyon vortex (let me just say, Mr. Brooklyn, who’s never been outside of NYC before this trip and is hardly a nature boy, hung with me through all this hiking like a Champ!) Just before sunset we climbed this mountain in Boynton Canyon, and when we reached the top, I swear we felt like we were on top of the world… And we had the whole canyon to ourselves! (Minus the HUGE ASS tarantula that crawled across John’s shoe and freaked Mr. 6’5 out big time). I laughed for days at how high he jumped; he didn’t think it was funny at all, lol. But the view from the top was amazing.

Then the lightening storm started, and it was my turn to get freaked out, lol. I guess it’s monsoon season in Arizona, so this is a common occurrence. The sky was literally on fire with flashes of light–gorgeous– but considering we were the only two people out in the middle of nowhere, and the tallest things in our area, I was stressing. He kept assuring me that the lightening was miles away, but those flashes were way too close for comfort. Thankfully we managed to make it back down the mountain before either of us got struck, but it was certainly an adventure.

We loved Boynton Canyon so much that we got up at the buttcrack of dawn the next morning to hike it again, lol. It was just as magnificent in the daylight, and we hung out there for an hour, reading, writing, and contemplating life’s mysteries. I even managed to do some yoga on the side of the mountain… I cannot even tell you all how much I love this place. It was very hard to leave, but we had a full day ahead of us Monday, so I reluctantly bid Sedona farewell as we set off for the Grand Canyon…

PS: I added a link to my vacation pics in the sidebar… We shot 134 pics the first day, another 100 on the second… But I only uploaded the best of the best for you guys 🙂

Country singer Jamie O’Neal’s sings”

There is no Arizona
No painted desert, no Sedona

Before I set foot in this breathtakingly beautiful place, I had no idea what she meant by “painted desert”. One just doesn’t imagine colors in the desert. But I can assure you, they do indeed exist…

We left LA around noon on Saturday, and drove into the desert, into the heat, en route to Arizona. My car’s temperature gauge hit 114 degrees at its highest point, though the average was more around 111. Insane heat. But the scenery was beautiful. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some ocean, but there is also something so incredibly serene about the vast stretch of nothingness you find in the desert…

Honestly, I was so blown away by the beauty of the scenery, the heat didn’t bother me so much (I don’t use my air conditioning so as not to stress out my car’s engine).

We reached Phoenix somewhere around 5pm, then headed north towards Sedona.

Nothing could have prepared me for the beauty we encountered when we hit Hwy 179 just miles from Sedona. I just did not know such beauty existed in the desert. Huge red rock formations rose up all around us, bordered by blue sky above and green below… AMAZING colors. It was just before sunset and I wanted to cry it was so gorgeous…

I have been to many beautiful places in my life, but this one sails right into my top 5 most favorite places in the world. The town of Sedona is just so freakin’ charming I can’t stand it. I’ve already decided that in addition to making an annual sojourn to this lovely place, after I get my house in Santa Cruz, and house in Hawaii, a home in Sedona is next on the list.

Okay, can’t neglect John for much longer, lol, so check Flickr for more photos… And Sedona Day 2 coming tomorrow….