April

Hello everyone.

Blog posting has been down.

Why?

Because I'm not traveling any more. I'm in the office in Baltimore, doing office work. It is a nice break from the craziness of driving miles and miles and miles and miles.

But two new updates for you:

1) I'm driving up to Boston this Friday (hopefully stopping at Greenwich to pick up some Garden Catering High School Special with extra honey mustard) for an idealist.org international volunteer fair. Coolest part: I'm driving stick shift all the way up there. Should be interesting. Hopefully I will be part of some high-speed chase scene, because it looks cooler if you are driving stick during a high-speed chase scene. Let's be honest.

2) April 22nd is an important date. NO! Not because of the PA Primary (Obama is going to win the nomination). Because a different type of traveling will start on that date!

What do I speak of? I will leave you in suspense for now.

Meanwhile, watch that Micronesian video I made so you, like me, can wish you were there right now.

The Things They Carried

Being on the road is exhilarating; meeting many new people, visiting beautiful and often historic college campuses, driving through the American countryside (I know he eastern seaboard can hardly be called the quintessential American “countryside” in relation to the Midwest or the west coast, but give me a break).

The life of a road warrior is also exhausting. For the past 7 months, as my traveling comes to a close, I reflect on how crazy I must have been to be able to withstand the vigor of being away from home, sleeping on couches, playing guest, being “on” all the time, etc.

One thing I think about is how organized I had to be in order to survive on the road, to stay fresh and clean and prepared. Here are ALL of the things that I usually had with me while traveling from city to city, college to college.

1 Rental car.

One laptop bag. One laptop computer, headphones, extension cord. Promotional DVD. Checkbook for emergencies, flash-drive, name tag, a few pens, extra copies of application and promotional brochures.

One display stand. One stand-up poster. Three pamphlet stands. 6 different types of small booklets, about 50 each. Stacks of single sheet, half-page brochures, over 100. Stack of bigger, 10-page booklets, about 50. Application booklets, also about 50 at a time. A bag of promotional pins. A couple of handfuls of promotional pens.

A travel bag with travel sized toothpaste, two shampoos (in case I lose one, which I have), travel sized body wash, small (not travel sized) shaving cream, disposable razor, toothbrush, nail clipper, ear plugs, eye mask (I have been made fun of many times for that, but when I’m sleeping in a living room, where the light shines in early in the morning and people are walking about, it has been very useful). Cold medicine for the day, cold medicine for the night. Advil. A bag of cough drops.

One big travel bag to keep clothing in the car. One smaller travel bag, which usually contains my toiletry bag and the clothes I am wearing for the next day.

Two pairs of shoes, three pairs of pants, anywhere between 3-4 dress shirts, depending on how long I will be away from home. 4-5 white under-shirts, 7 pairs of boxers, 7 pairs of socks, sweatshirt, jacket. Flannel pants, long-sleeved pajama shirt. Winter hat, gloves, scarf.

These are the things I bring with me on my travels. Sometimes I realize it’s too much, but it’s nice to know that I am prepared and have enough clothing where I do not have to re-wear dirty clothing.

Also, thankfully I have a car to store all of these things in. When I travel by plane, it’s a pain to carry all of these things with me.

So that’s what I take with me. And as I leave Greenwich for Baltimore (I’m currently on the Amtrak train right now, leaving New York City), I am glad to realize that my travels are finished for the year. This 4 hour train ride is considered the last trip to conclude 7 months of this insanity.

Which is why it was a complete pleasure to only pack my computer, a pair of socks and my basketball shorts for this Easter Break. That’s it. Traveling with nothing is a liberating experience. You should try it, if you can get away with it.

Micronesia video

I made this video this morning, Saturday, March 22nd.

I've been back home in Greenwich since Thursday.

I have turned my work phone off. I have not checked my work email. Not counting my Amtrak trip up to CT from Baltimore, my traveling is essentially finished.

More details on that later (I need my GPS to calculate the total miles I have traveled).

Anyway, enjoy this video I made. It's a good time for nostalgia.

Leap Year!

It shouldn't be February right now. But it doesn't really matter. It's been a while, but my video post was a hit. And by hit, I mean people really cannot beleive I would take the time to 1) film the suite that I stayed in while I was at Holy Cross 3 weeks ago and 2) upload it to my blog...and I guess 3) get very excited about it. But did you see the video? It WAS huge.

So what has gone on since we lost spoke ... telepathically, obviously. Here is a recap:

- I've been to Fairfield, Fordham, St. Joseph's, Villanova and Seton Hall.

- A got a really bad cold, I mean really bad, that I actually lost my voice! Literally lost it. First time that ever happened. That's not so good for recruiters.

- I head down to Baltimore Sunday, then down to Duke next week. After a week in NC, I will head up to Virginia, then Georgetown, then Baltimore, then ...... then that's it! Done with recruiting!!

- I don't have my GPS with me right now, but I need to start adding up the miles I've driven since I last calculated (that's the interesting part of my blog, right?).

- I took a career/personality test with the Career Services at HC. Got the results today. I guess I'm supposed to be a college instructor. Your thoughts? (Lion tamer came in a close second).

- The scan button has been fixed!!! And by that, I mean that it has been discovered. I think I let you into the sad realization that my new rental car did not have one. Well, it did! I just forget to let you into the sad realization that I'm an idiot.

- I'm on www.realclearpolitics.com like 5 times a day. It's great to catch up with politics, ie. the drama of the current democratic race (hopefully will be over on Tuesday). I don't know about you, but I'm psyched for an Obama v. McCain debate. I beleive I have said that before.

- I'm getting better with the cold. Much better. Sleeping in 65 degree rooms does not bother me as much as it did before...OK, that wasn't very interesting. Um, let's see...I killed a bear with my own hands yesterday!


Ok, silly season has begun. I'm off to my college instructor job. Peace.

Holy Cross Presidential Suite

First of all readers, I'm not even sure I should be sharing this information with you.


With that said, let me tell you about the Presidential Suite at Holy Cross, in Loyola. This suite, which makes many hotel rooms look bad, is where I stayed for the past four days while recruiting at my alma mater. The trip = very good. Where I stayed = the best place ever and easily one of the coolest perks of this job.


This room is mostly for trustees when they visit, other big name guests, and lowly JVC Recruiters.


It has 3 bathrooms, kitchen with complete appliances, two bed rooms, huge living space, washer and dryer, chandeliers.


Enough typing (and reading on your part). I might as well just give you the video tour.

Up next for me? Back to Greenwich for Fairfield. Some days in the city at Fordham. Then the Philly area, then hopefully down to Virginia and North Carolina for a quick visit. Then we'll see.

When my blogs are less about my travels and more about the excitement of the rooms I'm staying in, you know I am easily amused.

February

Hi everyone. Sorry I have not posted in a while. Here is a quick recap of the past month:



Hung out with the JVs in New Orleans. Slept in a cabin in 50 degree weather; almost died.



Spent time with New Orleans and Mobile JVs, the same ones I met back in September. They were my first friends I met on the road.



Saw a Mardi Gras parade...a week before Mardi Gras. Many beads were thrown to me.



Went to the Univeristy of Florida in Gainesville. 70 degrees during the day, 39 at night!



Welcome to Miami....and the wonderful 82 degrees! Also got to see my cousins.



I was in Baltimore for a total of like 12 hours in the entire month of February, and that's the way it's going to be for the rest of the month. Good thing I'm paying rent for an aprtment I am never in.



I am now in Providence College. Then Boston College. Then Holy Cross. It's nice coming back to these big schools. It's very familiar territory.



That's it for travels. I think I'm backing Obama in this election. It took me a while to decide. I hope it's McCain v. Obama. Here is a nice video for you all to see: http://www.dipdive.com/





Oh, bad news: I got my car from Phily, which I will keep with me for the next two months. Well, guess what, it's not the same car. Biggest difference: no scan button!!! I'm ruined!

Clinton vs. Obama vs. Facebook Wall vs. Mimosas

Why hello there! Welcome to my blog. You must be very bored, or really interested in my travels!

Well, about my travels: I can tell you that I'm currently in the George Bush Houston International Airport (in Houston....the Houston in Texas). I am stealing the wireless from the President's Club. Good times. I will be in New Orleans in a few hours. So as of now, I don't have anything interesting to say about Travels with AJ. (Or do I???? Read all the way through!)

Instead, I will throw out some thoughts about politics and Facebook:

Here is a little game you should play. It's a fun way to learn about today's candidates.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm

However, since I distrust the news media, and since USA Today is not exactly high caliber (sorry, but if I should be snobby about something, it might as well be about how I receive current events), I'm not entirely sure how accurate it is.

Here is a GREAT website to help you figure out who to vote for!

http://www.2decide.com/table.htm

Here is something to try if you're bored in the office. Go back and reread ALL of your Wall Posts on your Facebook Profile. I did that the other day. My first one goes back to November 3rd, 2004!!

Here are some of my favorite wall posts (I'll respect the anonymity of the posters...except for my brother):

6:16am on October 18th, 2006

"AJ I am also in a primitive community in a different country, Ireland. Today I woke up and went to the ritual feasting center, McDonalds, and then watched an ancient "mimetic drama box" or some of the kids call them Televisions. I took a ride in some sort of chariot drawn by invisible druid spirits which are called "Volkswagen" over here. People here worship an intoxicating black fluid called guinness and often go into trances where they are possessed by the demons of said liquid. It is a strange land, but I'm slowly acclimating myself to their culture. Slowly."

at 6:38pm on February 9th, 2006

Happy Birthday manjkl. Have a great time. Oh, by the way, I reminded Gandalf that today was your birthday, and he said he'd personally stop by Chuuk to wish you all the best. Same with Luke Skywalker, actually... and Dumbledore, come to think of it. Ditto Indiana Jones, Neo, Marty McFly, Homer Simpson, and Walter Mitty. So that should be fun. Lastly, Zeus said he'd sacrifice 10,000 bulls to honor the occasion... you know how sons get about celebrating their father's birthdays.. Allllright we miss you!

at 9:52pm on March 14th, 2007

"This note is more to the whole of the internet community than it is specifically to A.J. But I find it apalling that no one has posted on this wall since A.J.'s birthday. I think there should be wall messages daily. Even if it reminding him of what day it is back in America (Wednesday). Anyway, please post on this wall, or else I will get beaten when he returns."

(my brother wrote that one)

at 3:46pm on June 26th, 2007

"there is photographic evidence of your presence in Washington, DC recently. There is no evidence (electronic or otherwise) alerting me to your presence. I may revoke my status as the deity of your religion over this."

at 8:00pm on August 12th, 2007

"gorgonzola"

UPDATE:

So I was sitting in a little chair in the terminal, sitting across from the President's Club, mooching the internet, when this guy stopped in front of me, looking at one of the big poster boards I carry around for recruiting. He apparently works with the Jesuit Conference in D.C. We got a talkin', exchanged pleasantries, then he went on his way. A few minutes later he came back and asked if I would like to sit in the President's Club instead of out in terminal.

Heck Yeah!

So now I am munching on a nice toasted bagel with fresh orange juice in a nice comfy chair and I have my laptop on my own personal desk, not my lap. Pretty sweet!

Let me find some Mimosas and then I'll be on my way!