Blue Lollipop Road

June 19, 2010 In Uncategorized

Sipping Up Saturday Morning

Coffee in hand, rereading some books this morning…
I have written about these guys Mike and Nathan before (A long time ago, I shared that any time I emailed Author, Mike Marriner, he would email back personally. There was a quote in one of his emails that I think about a lot; “You just have to find something to give a shit about.”
In prepping for my x-country adventure and fielding plenty of “What’s the point of you doing this Diane?”- questions, I wanted to share a line in Roadtrip Nation I just reread:
We’ve discovered that one of the best ways to explore the world is to simply ask others how they got where they are.

That’s one of the many things my trip to Alaska will offer me; To keep educating myself about people. To continue to learn about how others live, what makes them tick and how they got to where they are. I’m looking forward to taking this information and sharing it with you.
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June 14, 2010 In Uncategorized

Heading down the Blue Lollipop Road

Dear Readers~

In a few weeks I will be leaving the East Coast to drive to Alaska. 
This August marks the 16 year anniversary of the death of two friends of mine. (As you know, they were the inspiration for this website.) I’ll be driving to Alaska in honor of 16 years of their death and celebration of 16 years of their life. My goal for this trip is to make it to my 50th state to keep a promise I made to them in 1994. 
During my trek, If opportunity pops up along the way to work- I will take it. I’ll also be accepting donations and sponsorships. (I’ve already gotten a couple!) Any money I raise in donations and sponsorships will help pay for my food, gas, and some travel accommodations.10% of all funds raised will be gifted to someone else at the end of my trip. (Stay tuned for details on this. I will be “paying it forward”. Very excited about this.)
In the next couple weeks I will be launching a new website, with details of my travel plan, route, how I will be “paying it forward” and things, people and places I will be exploring. Please keep checking back here while this site is under construction. I hope you will follow me on my journey and continue sharing yours with me. 
I have never been happier in my life or more excited to reach a goal. This is the big kahuna for me. I’m so proud to be going in honor my friends and to follow the dreams they’ve inspired in me. After many years of thinking about a promise I have wanted to fulfill, the timing is just right. 
Thank you for continuing to follow, read and comment here.
Here’s to following whatever the Blue Lollipop Road means to you.
Carpe Diem! 
Diane 🙂

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June 9, 2010 In Uncategorized

Go Julie!

My friend Julie is running the Chicago Marathon October 10th in honor of Grace Oughton and to raise money for Neuroblastoma research at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Julie’s husband was among many of the firefighters and other public safety guys and gals who helped start and manage the Grace Oughton Cancer Foundation a few years ago to raise money and awareness for this form of childhood cancer. It has been beyond inspiring to see people come together over the past few years in so many efforts to save young lives. 

Hats off to Julie and the thousands of others who have donated and participated in events and more over the years in the name of Grace. Please visit Julie’s website and donate. Help her reach her goal of $2,000 for the marathon.
We love and support you for every mile Jules!
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June 8, 2010 In Uncategorized

“You can actually see Russia from land here”

(I had to!)

Things that happen/things people say when you tell them you’re going to drive to Alaska from the East Coast:

1.)”Are you crazy?!, “What are you stupid?! and “Why you are being so rebellious?- Aren’t you ever going to grow up?”
2.) “I’m jealous and want to quit my job. Can I come with you?” 
3.) Email your current boss to tattle tale on you. (News flash wanna-be trouble maker; This thing you’re on right now? It’s called THE WORLD WIDE WEB. Yeah, like as in- anyone can be on it, including current bosses. Um, do you think I’d write something on here I didn’t want someone to see? Come on now. Better yet and even funnier, this current boss of mine who you ran to tattle to? He’s been a follower of this blog since day 1 and probably been the person most pushing me to do, be and write anything and everything I want. So? even though you tattled, I didn’t get in trouble. I know that probably disappoints you. Sorry. You know, if you have that much extra time on your hands- I could sure use some extra help packing…:)
4.) Panic sets in and everyone gets worried. (It’s very sweet.)
5.) Ask if you will send them a post card. (Of course I will!)
6.) Name off about 56 of their friends, family members, some random old roommate that lives in X,Y, Z place and how I should “Totally go stay with them! They even have a farm you work on for a week!”
Things that you think to yourself when you decided you are going to drive to Alaska from the East Coast:
1.) This is going to be awesome.
2.) I can’t wait.
3.) I feel like I am a fish and I have just found the water.
4.) OOOH! I forgot that so-and-so lives there! I get to see them for the first time in 10 years- yay!
5.) I wonder of all the people who say; “I am totally going to go on X leg of the journey with you” and ” I could fly out and see you at X!” – who will actually come.
6.) This is going to be awesome
Please stay tuned and be patient with me. I know I am missing days and disappearing here and there, but promises, promises- when the new BLR launches it’s going to be well worth the wait! 
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June 5, 2010 In Uncategorized

You Are SOOO Refreshing Silly Bus!

My friend Justin who is driven, intelligent, impressive lawyer by day, hilarious, creative, energetic, talented, generous, volunteer, musician, and you name it, guy by night- is part of a group called Silly Bus. The Silly Bus guys educate and entertain kids through music. They’ve been at it for 5 years. Now YOU can help them get a Pepsi Refresh Project grant by voting here. They are more than deserving…so join me in a vote for them!

Posting “hats off” stuff like this here to spread the good word about all the selfless work great people out there are doing, inspires me to do and be more. The fact that I get to be personal friends with generous and selfless people like this is a super bonus for me too.
Thanks for doing great work to inspire all of us kids (big and small) Justin. Good luck. We are rooting for you!
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June 4, 2010 In Uncategorized

It’s National Doghnut day!

Hit the gym for an extra few minutes so you can participate in the freebie sugary goodness!

Can you believe this was started in 1938? The first Friday of every June celebration was created to honor women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. Love that.
Check out your local store, or find out participating Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts locales.
I’ll take a strawberry frosted please. 
I figured this was the perfect day to share my photo of the dozen I halfway- hosed with a friend last year. Mmm….
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June 2, 2010 In Uncategorized

Alaska Or Bust

I have decided I am going to drive to Alaska this summer.

Yep, in my car that needs new tires and an alignment that I can’t afford. I will leave from the East coast and drive clear across the country.
Why would I want to do this?
1.) Because I want to.
2.) Because I can.
3.) Because I belong on the road, especially in the summer.
4.) Alaska is the only state I have not spent time in. I’ve waited 8 years for #50 and I am using it as a good excuse for a kick off to my project.
5.) I’m turning 32 this summer. I refuse to be turning 33 next summer and still not doing what I am great at and using my talents to the best of my ability.
#6.)…and MOST importantly put best by a friend who sent me a one line email this morning:
Life is to short to be sitting behind a desk fighting for someone else’s cause. (How can i argue with that truth?)
How am I going to get to Alaska? Especially when my current full-time salary doesn’t even pay my monthly bills and I have an apt. and all the rest of that adult stuff?
1.) Very strategically and carefully. Sure, I just decided this last night, but this project has been in the works and in my head for years. The timing is now. It’s on.
Please stayed tuned for the launch of a new website, good stories and news. I will be hitting you up for support too. (Hey- there had to be a catch, right?:)
In August, on the 16th year anniversary of my best friends death this year, I’m not going to be talking to the clouds, promising them I am “going ” to do this project and live the life I know I want, like I have the past 15 years. I’m actually going to be doing it. 
The alternatives to not doing this project, are the sleepless nights I have been having, the frustrations of feeling empty, lack of passion that’s been lurking around me because I’m not living what I know I want, wasting that full-of-life spirit of 3 (yes- I am including myself) and giving up the Blue Lollipop Road forever. I have to be honest and tell you all, I’ve often considered just letting “it” all go lately out of pure exhaustion. The towel has been there so many times screaming for me to throw it in.
Thankfully after some tears and a conversation I had yesterday, the bonfire of massive flames finally lit under my ass and I told the towel to screw off. 
There will be no towel throwing happening on my Blue Lollipop Road. Not in this lifetime.
Here’s to finally being ready, fully understanding where my heart, sense and passion lie, and actually living what I love. I AM going to live my truth, do amazing work, and inspire others to do the same for themselves. I hope you’re all with me on this one. 
Can you believe the journey gets even better than this?! WAHOO!!!
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May 30, 2010 In Uncategorized

Carpe Diem Contest

I know I am way behind on posts. I owe an answer to my Earth Day experiment in how you can save money and the earth on your daily drink purchases. I have space saved to write about my long weekend trek to Boone/Blowing Rock, NC. I have TONS of great stories and photos from my trip back to my home state of Vermont last week (which for the first time ever I oddly enough found myself scratching my head saying to myself; Why don’t I live here?

The above stories will come at some point.

For this morning though, no stories, just me sitting happily sipping my coffee, in the sunshine, looking at the ocean with a perfect view from the gorgeous beach house I am staying in. Just thinking about where I want to take this after coming up on 2 years and 600 posts. I would like to devote time, energy, and more into making this into about 5 different projects. This blog has allowed me to find my voice, myself, and what directions I want my life to move in. That has been completely unexpected, totally awesome, and perhaps that in itself means that’s all this was ever meant to be. I joke regularly with people, that if everyone had a blog and ranted/shared in the most honest ways they could- all or a lot of what was on their minds; therapists would be out of business and we’d all understand ourselves better. 
I can look back and see my writing patterns, what people I know and perfect strangers relate to, what I love, what’s interesting and important to me and what pisses me off, who I love and why I love them, my habits good and bad, and the “constants” that through moves, break-ups, new jobs, new friends, new discoveries and huge changes- are always there and never seem to fade. These are great things to be able to see and realize.
I am so thankful for you for reading, amazing friends and family, good times and ones that put me through the ringer, and all the lessons I have learned from writing here. I am beyond grateful for this thing called a blog on this thing called the world wide web, which has allowed me- through typing keys on a laptop, to find out what I’m great at, what I suck at, and those “constants” in my life. I realize today, so much more of who and what I want to be than I ever dreamed of a couple years ago. 
I have never been happier in my life. How cool is that?
So I am not catching up on the stories I have promised or the many things I’d like to share from my notes and photos quite yet. Today, just a note of thanks and I hope to share much more soon and continue for a long time with you all. If I disappear from time to time, it’s only because I am out and about having a carpe diem contest with myself appreciating every ounce of today more than I did yesterday. I used to not know how to do that fully, so I’m making up for lost time.
I hope you all are seizing the day too. If you are I will see you there.
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