wyoming: not a fan

I drove across Wyoming yesterday. Talked to Momma and LJ on the phone who both informed me that they were crazy jealous of what I was doing, which I didn't quite understand at first. That is, until I felt like singing and pumped up and belted out some Dar Williams as I covered the plains. That was a pretty amazing feeling. Overall though, Wyoming = not my favorite state. I can appreciate that there are still places in America that there are stretches of great big nothingness, where you have to be careful and get gas when you can because the next station may be 60 miles down the road... but... for example: I tried stopping for dinner in Laramie, because I was thinking, "Okay, all I  know about Laramie is that Matthew Shepard was brutally killed here for being gay, but it's a college town, so there must be at least a decent place to eat." NO. One of the most depressing little towns I've ever driven through. I got to Cheyenne before I could not drive any more and watched the National Spelling Bee finals on ESPN. 

Today is a vacation day. I'm driving the hour and 1/2 to Boulder, and just hanging out. I've got a couch surf lined up for tonight and will be headed to Omaha tomorrow. Here's to vacation!

*edit: Oh! and I started reading the Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire series the last couple of weeks on the road, until I realized they were thoroughly mediocre but I was willing to keep reading because I wanted to find out what happened next and then I realized that's how those sci-fi bastards keep you reading a series and I walked away. Phew. (As a side note, I find the HBO series TrueBlood based on the books, highly enjoyable and a huge improvement. It's amazing what Alan Ball can do with a good idea). So, when I walked away from Sookie, I (yes, I'll admit it) went to hear what all the Twilight fuss was about, and let me tell you they are awful. I say they, because of course I got sucked in to reading the second book and the third on audio even though they thoroughly piss me off. The gender dynamics, (I'm a girl, I'm weak and annoyingly self-depreciating, and whiny and fragile I need a big strong dead man to take care of me), view of love (I would DIE without you), sexuality (I want it, but we can't because I'll die) BARF. Thankfully, Laura Jean to the rescue found me this site: http://stoney321.livejournal.com/317176.html so that I could read with sardonic glee that a) I was not the only one who felt this way about these books, but just had to keep reading and b) I do not have to suffer through the fourth book just to find out what happens. I'm back on Neil Gaiman and feeling very good about it. I'm listening to Neverworld right now, and downloading American Gods for later in the trip. 

Sorry about that, but what is a blog for if not a good rant?