All Good Things... 3100 miles

After my "L.A. Day," which featured a trip to Universal City Walk, the Santa Monica Pier and dinner on the 3rd Street Promenade (all hokey, tourist-y pap, but this was my day, so too bad), my journey ends tomorrow.  Going back to Boston (and apparently a snowstorm on Friday) will be strange, but it is a necessary evil.  What good is gaining all this perspective if I can't use it in my everyday life?

Let me try to boil this all down while it's fresh.  First of all, there was a part of me that never thought I'd get back here.  I don't know why, but it just seemed like it never would happen (financially, and who has the time?)  The opportunity came, and I am glad a jumped on it.  The memories, even though only experienced for a day, were amazingly vivid.  It reminded me that, all those years ago, this was a fun place for me.  I got very cynical in the years that followed my first L.A. experience, and this was a confirmation for me that it was indeed a great time of my life.

Speaking of which, we definitely did it right.  Staying in Memphis the extra day (originally because of the weather) was money.  Beale St was definitely the best place to spend New Year's Eve that I could have thought of.  Our No-Plan Plan worked to perfection, putting us exactly where we needed to be when we needed to be there.  I fly home tomorrow with no regrets, not even that disgusting fast food-y barbecue place in Tennessee.

Brom asked if I would ever drive cross-country again, and I thought about it a little, and I think I would, except maybe in summer, but there is no better way to see this country and experience the people and the various cultures.  I say try it once, and bring along plenty of snacks.  I may be flying back tomorrow, but I am flying back wiser, and hopefully a better, more well-rounded guy.  And I don't mean "round" because of all the food.  But I suppose that could interpret it that way.  Perhaps, more than any other image, this one sums up the trip best:

Or this one:

Thanks again for reading, ya'll.  It's been a trip.