Amy's America

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I’m just done with Atlanta (like you couldn’t tell). So today I simply gave up. I went to lunch with an old high school friend (Michael Laurino – go see his movie Yellowbrickroad when it comes to a theater near you) and was supposed to then tour the aquarium and finish up Atlanta touristy stuff, but just couldn’t do it. When Mike dropped me off at the curb of the aquarium, I texted Tara to see where she and Delanie were, and then just started walking.

Leaving them to have fun with the penguins, sharks and sea otters, I walked and walked until I found a book store. It happened to be the Georgia Tech book store (sorry Tom), and was exactly what I needed. It even has a Starbucks. I browsed for a while, bought a journal and a hot caramel apple cider, and sat and wrote for the rest of the afternoon. I was able to think about the next few days, make my lists and start planning. I’m taking another brief detour north starting tomorrow. I’m flying back to Massachusetts for a few days, and will pick back up on Sunday (Day 74).

It seems I missed out on one of Georgia’s real treasures: the Georgia Aquarium. Luckily Tara and Delanie had my camera (see slideshow) and Tara’s now going to share the highlights:

I’ve been meaning to guest blog for Amy since she started this trip – and now, being the only one of the two of us to see that which is the AMAZING Georgia Aquarium, here I am.  Del and I finally made it out of the room by noon yesterday and used some combination of instinct and a vague recollection of good signage to find our way to the Aquarium.  Conveniently, it was right across from Centennial Park (worth a visit in its own right).  Delanie and I met as college students, both all ready to be marine biologists (until the reality of limited funding for this type of work set in, hence lives in nursing and conservation education, respectively) and so the aquarium was a perfect afternoon activity.  We planned to spend about two hours there, arrived and texted Amy that we could easily be there until close. 

If you’ve not been, and are in the Atlanta area, come to the Aquarium.  There are five galleries, beautifully layed out, with well designed exhibits that provide a good mix of educational information and wildlife to observe.  The giant viewing window (thank you for making us see it, Dana!) should be mandatory for anyone trying to lower their blood pressure.  We watched for twenty minutes and it felt like five.   The window, with stair-style seating in front, has just two feet of acrylic between you and four whale sharks (delivered by UPS, as the story goes – look what Brown did for them!) and hundreds of other species. 

In other tanks and exhibits, there are river otters, sea otters (one that just arrived this week from Monterey Bay), beluga whales (my favorite whale – how can you not love any animal with a melon) and that’s just the mammal population – hundreds of species of fish, sea stars, jellies, an elusive octopus, anemones, spider crabs, eels, and yes, penguins too (ok, ok, they are fun to watch – I will try to keep my commentary about how bitey and unfriendly I have found them to be in person to myself – that’s for my blog and another day).   We only got lost once when trying to find the predator/prey exhibit on sharks and ended up in an unmentioned art gallery.  The take home of the day:  More people are killed by chairs each year (60-something) than by sharks (less than 10).  So swim in the water with abandon, but watch where you sit.

We repeatedly texted Amy to get her to join us and our enthusiasm for this gem, but I think she found exactly what she needed this afternoon and we all had a great day.

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It may sound silly, after all the places I’ve been and people I’ve stayed with, but I was nervous about coming here, to Sugar Land, to stay with family I’ve only met once, 20 years ago. I wasn’t sure if they really wanted me to visit, or if I’d be an inconvenience that they’d put up with because I am a relative. I planned to stay just one night, not only because I need to reach Atlanta in time for Tara’s birthday, but because I didn’t want to prolong any awkwardness. Boy, was I wrong!

It’s amazing how many things are genetic. This has occurred to me more than once on this trip (in San Francisco, hanging out with my cousins’ dad; in Oregon, visiting my best friend’s brother), but never has it directly related to me. Here, with my dad’s mother’s family, I found out where so many of my traits come from.

I always knew I got a lot from my nana, but I guess I never considered that there might be others who share the same characteristics. I really wish I could still be here when my nearly 99-year-old nana Mary visits her 94-year-old sister Bea in a couple of weeks. They are both intelligent (still sharp as tacks in their 90s), have better memories than me, and are strong, independent, feisty women. Never mind strong-willed and stubborn. (There’s some of this on my mom’s side, too, so I got a double helping!)

And I have had such fun (and have so much in common) with my cousin Joncille, who, along with her husband Darryl, welcomed me into their home with open arms. She’s a great tour guide not only of Sugar Land, but of our family history. As we drove around and saw the sugar factory and the first planned community  in the area, she also told me stories about my nana, her three sisters and brother growing up in Lake Charles, Louisiana and their parents. So many fabulous stories. How my great-great grandmother ran (with an iron-fist) her family and a business in Lebanon, at a time when it was even more uncommon in the Middle East than it is today. How my great-grandfather moved to the US ahead of his wife and son, eventually able to get them here only to have, after the birth of four daughters, his wife die and leave him to raise them. How Aunt Ann (Joncille’s mother) ran a store and raised a family by herself for most of her life, having divorced in the 30s and 40s, long before it was commonly acceptable to do so. How my Aunt Bea waited until she was 40 to marry, having finally found – in her words – a man both intelligent and dumb enough to spend her life with.  And my, oh, my, how the four girls bickered!

Again, I wish I could be here when nana arrives. I know it’s because of this fabulous, strong, independent blood running through my veins that I am able to do all the things I’ve done, from having Nicky when I was so young to building a successful career to taking this road trip by myself. It’s also thanks to the fabulous family I have on all sides supporting me mentally and physically, especially my mom with Nick – from the moment he was born through forever. 

I know that my fierce independence isn’t always a good thing, and that my being away  has not been easy on some people back home. I hate that some feel I’ve abandoned them – that’s the last thing I intended. I honestly didn’t think I’d be missed that much. As I’ve said, part of my reason for taking to the road was as a form of denial that there was no longer someone (basically my son) at home who needed me. And the fact that now I’m being told I should be home anyway, frankly, makes me angry.  

I am sorry I am not physically in Massachusetts to provide the in-person emotional, financial and physical (mainly transportation) support some expect of me. I am doing my best to do that remotely and apologize for the anxiety this has caused some and the burden that’s fallen to others. But I have not abandoned anyone. I am available practically 24/7 by phone, text, e-mail, facebook – even this blog! (Yes: if you’re really wondering where I am or how I’m doing, there’s even a web site devoted to it!) And there’s a concrete end date, which I believe proves that I will, in fact, be returning (hence no abandonment). I will be home by December 10 at the latest – possibly a few days earlier.

But I am not at all sorry for going on this adventure. If I hadn’t taken this trip, I never would have gotten to sit with my cousin and 94-year-old great-aunt  in a nursing home in Sugar Land Texas and hear family stories first hand. I wouldn’t have discovered that some friendships never die. I wouldn’t have known that some of the most beautiful places are where you’d least expect to find them. I wouldn’t have been with my dear friends as they received exciting news. I wouldn’t have discovered the answer to ‘what if’ and made precious new friends. I wouldn’t have seen the concert of the lifetime with two of my best girlfriends. I wouldn’t have been able to coach some of my friends through difficult times in person. I wouldn’t have realized that I can actually write a movie. I wouldn’t have had serious quality time with family and friends, new and old. I wouldn’t have known that every little town has a story just waiting to be told – you only have to listen.

My days on the road are winding down. If I honestly believed I was desperately need at home, if Nick called and asked me to return, I would be there in a heartbeat, or at least as quickly as Holly (my car) could get me there. Until then, I am going to continue to follow my itinerary, through Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, down through Florida and back up the east coast. I’m going to spend Thanksgiving in Florida with my family while Nick celebrates in London with Alivia, and I promise: I will be home for Christmas – before even, as we must dig out the decorations, bake, get a tree and have Nick place the first ornament on its branches…

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(I’m hoping this post comes out ok- it’s the first one I’m doing from my phone due to some internet issues and I just realized I can do it this way…)

OMG OMG OMG –  I’m in HOLLYWOOD!!! You may think I’m crazy, but the fact that this is where I was going really hadn’t occurred to me. I was simply heading to LA to see my high school friends Jay Dugre and Mike (who I also call Duffy, to clear up any confusion) and their families, which I’ve been trying to do for 15 years.

My entire childhood dreams were consumed with Hollywood. I was obsessed with movies from the golden age, and wanted to be Vivienne Leigh, Katherine Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor. As I know I mentioned in an early post, I was going to grow up, become a famous actress, win my first Oscar at 40 and adopt a four-year-old Vietnamese girl. While it didn’t exactly turn out that way, Hollywood has always held the sparkle and mystery for me. I really can’t believe I’m here.
While I would’ve loved to just jump into it all, I had a list a mile long of things I needed to do when I got to LA which I saw as my next catch up stop. Work and life logistical things I won’t bore you with, but that’s how I spent the majority of Day 50.

Jay, Cesha and baby Jack did get me out of the house for a bit, though. We went and walked around the Farmer’s Market, which has every type of yummy food imaginable, and is by the very cool Grove movie theater and shopping area, complete with trolley to take you from one end to the other.

I must say the weather out here is fabulous. I was so happy to shove my Fall wardrobe back in the trunk and break back out my flip flops, capris and tank tops (after washing of course).

The evening was spent relaxing with Duffy and Jen, watching Modern Family and mapping out the remainder of the trip
I’m on track to return on December 10, unless any house or work stuff come up in the meantime. I’m amazed at all I’ve seen of the country so far, but even more surprised at how much I’ve yet to explore…

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