Day trippin'.

Went to Chapel Hill for a lil day trip yesterday. REALLY wanted to go to the Planetarium with Amanda because we both had the day off and it was kinda gloomy, but we got there and they weren't having any shows. I looked at the hours online and saw that they were open, but my genius brain didn't think to look at the SHOW schedule.

Even though we didn't get to sit back and stare at the [fake but awesome] stars, we appreciated having a little getaway for the afternoon.

Franklin Street was quiet because the students are out of town and the summer camps and sessions haven't started yet. We walked around for a while and went in a few shops along the way and just ENJOYED the day. It was nice doing what we wanted without worrying about agendas or having to be anywhere. (Think "Nothin' to do/Nowhere to be/A simple little kind of free...) It was a cool day around a quiet campus and it was relaxing.

We made it back to my car after a few hours of roaming and decided to head to Raleigh. The city has been calling my name for a while because I haven't been in months, and I have to get my fix of nostalgia from the place every now and then. Since we were SO close, I offered to take Amanda to Pullen Park, which I figured would be a great area to have a romantic little walk. There's a cool duck pond there, some nice trails, paddle boats, and a train, and I've been wanting to take her there for a while. Seemed like the perfect opportunity. And then I drove by it on Western Blvd. Just like the Planetarium, it was CLOSED! And not only closed for the day, but until SUMMER 2011! The ponds were drained and they're renovating the whole park! I was bummed because I was 0-2 on the day in attractions AND because we wouldn't be able to go there until NEXT YEAR.

But ah well, right? Bottom line is that we were out of town together and having fun...and right down the street from the Village Draft House, one of my favorite restaurants in town and one that has special meaning to me in that I used to go every first night of every semester in school.

And did I mention it's also home to THE greatest fried pickle chips in the world? If you didn't know, you know now. These things would make Atheists believe in a Higher Power. Not lying. Ship a few boxes over to the leaders of Al Qaeda and they'll quit burning our flag and start flying it over their caves. If you've never been and if you're ever passing through Raleigh, stop by and at least get some to go, because they're unreal.

Whew, done with the pickle spiel, but anyway, we had a nice early dinner on the patio of the Draft House and soaked in a little evening sun before we hit the road back to Greensboro. I love taking Amanda to the area any chance I get, and I loved being there, even just for a meal. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to call anybody while we were there, but it was such a short trip that it would've made it even harder to leave. So if any of my Raleigh people read this (Phil Jones), I'm sorry. I will get down there and kick it with y'all soon.

I drove us down Hillsborough Street after dinner as we left town and admired my school in the late sunlight. It was a little more hectic than Franklin St because of all the construction, but it was and always will be beautiful in my eyes. The smells and sounds and paths at NC State will always bring me the mixed emotions of happy memories and the bittersweet feeling of moving on in life, which I'm sure will increase as my time away increases from the two years I'm sitting on right now.

Once we passed State, I stopped at a gas station for some drinks for the ride home. The old guy working there was asked me how I was doing and I said "Good", hesitated, and said, "but kinda sad. I used to live here and I'm just passing through this evening. I miss it."

He asked me, "How long did you live here?"

"Five years," I said.

He smiled and said, "That's not THAT long."

I laughed and said, "Yeah, you're right, you're right, I guess it's not."

I paid for my drinks and got back in the car with a smile on because he was right. In the scheme of LIFE, 5 years can seem like forever, but it's not. Raleigh gave me 5 amazing years, and I'll always love it, but that's only a fifth of my now 25-year-old and growing self. I'm climbing new steps and sharing it with others and moving FORWARD. It's pretty cool.

After this, the drive back was easy. Interstate 40 West to Greensboro is always a good drive, but these days it's better when I have Amanda with me. It's a part of my life I'll always want to share, and it'll always be there whenever I want to go back.

D.