Is It Naptime Yet?

At the beginning of last week I woke up in my comfy bed in Phoenix, AZ. This week I am in Los Angeles, CA and in between I was in San Diego. I love travelling :)
Because of a series of events, I traded places with my mom and got on a Greyhound bus from home to San Diego to say goodbye to my little brother (who is off to fight terrorists) and drive back with his truck full of crap prized possessions. Once upon a time when I was a poor college student, I used to ride Greyhound from coast to coast so you would think that an eight hour ride would be a piece of cake, right? Well, it wasn't all that bad but I don't think I'm built for the likes of Greyhound anymore. First of all: why is the most powerful country in the world's bus system so crappy? In Mexico we ride like kings and queens, it feels like you're in a friggin airplane with movies and everything! Why can't I get a movie on my Greyhound? I'm riding through the desert here peeps.
And I'm not trying to compare apples and oranges I'm just saying or rather asking: why?
Second of all: Did the seats get crampier or am I actually growing? Geez, can I get some room for my legs? Wait, this does feel like an airplane!
So the ride, like I said, wasn't all that bad except for the fact that I forgot my water bottle and none of the vending machines would take my $5 bill and no one would give me change. Then I had to use the restroom and of course we stop at the one place where the restroom is two quarters to get in. What is this Mexico? (Actually it was Calexico hehehe) So since we were pretty close to my destination I decided to wait :(
Here a nice lady sits next to me and she seems like she is eager to talk the three hours it's going to take us to get to San Diego. Unfortunately for her I just downloaded Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince into my iPod so she's very much out of luck for about two and a half hours.

Sidenote: Can someone please tell me why Malfoy spent the whole film getting those damn cabinets to work (and killed an innocent canary in the process) if there was going to be no climactic battle at the end? WTF Yates? Don't get me wrong, I love the movie but... I also would appreciate a trailer for the next film ASAP please, thanks.

So the lady next to me is pretty anxious to start talking and when the movie is over she proceeds to ask me a whole bunch of questions for the final half hour we have on our little trip. I arrive in San Diego hungry, thirsty, and wanting to pee. Of course my brother isn't there (he fell asleep), there is no food, and I can't use the restroom. Story of my life.
An old man approaches me and asks me if I speak Spanish. I take like thirty seconds wondering why on Earth he is asking me this question and what the repercussions could possibly be of me answering correctly when he looks at me again and says "are you ok?"
Yes and yes. Turns out the old man just wants me to dial his family's phone number for him on the public phones. He doesn't have enough change so I just dial from my cell and since we are both waiting to get picked up we sit down and he tells me the first part of his life's story. I start getting interested and ask him questions but then he tells me that he is deaf in one ear and partly deaf in the other. Therefore I just let him proceed and I am relegated to the role of pacient and attentive listener. I think one day I want to pull a Forrest Gump and just start telling all of my life to the first complete stranger I sit next to. I'm curious as to the reaction both mine and the stranger's and I'm curious to find out if this person will ever actually let me finish or if at one point they will interrupt me and I will end up being the listener again. hmmm..
whoa
Once my brother woke up and remembered that I was in a bus station in downtown he picked me up and as a peace offering took me to Chilis :)
The next morning I drove to McDonald's to get us breakfast. I was so craving a McGriddle and, of course, my coffee when I get there and order.
Me: Two number 6 please.
McD's worker: Two angus burgers?
Me: No, I want breakfast.
McD's worker: We're not serving breakfast anymore.
Me: It's not even 10:30!
McD's worker: We stop serving breakfast at 10:00
Who in their right mind wants an effing angus burger at 10:30 a.m.? WTF? By this time I'm panicking because my cerebral vortex just heard that we are not having breakfast or coffee and I'm hyperventilating. My brother sends me on a wild goose chase for a Starbucks and I almost cry when I can't find it and it's almost noon. I beg him to take me to get some coffee as soon as is humanly possible or I might, I don't know, go into shock or something.
Me: Didn't you read my blog?
Bro: No
See? I'm always the listener.
Ok ok, Valentine's Day. In the sad sad sad fact that is my life, I am, once again, single on Valentine's Day BUT at least I'm not alone because so are my cousins. We make plans to go to the movies and watch Valentine's Day and then do something else and try to forget the fact that we are not going to receive flowers or kisses (chocolate and/or real) today.
What happens when we make plans? You make an ass out of you and me. Or something like that.
First of all, Valentine's Day was the day my bro and I said goodbye and it was in the wee hours of the day, when the weather is very cold and no one has opened their doors and there is no chance of me finding a cup of coffee. We said our goodbyes I got in his truck and turned the key...uh oh. Yes, that sound means that the battery has died.
I must've been a cruel cruel person in my past life.
Fortunately a nice and kind of nice-looking guy asks me if I have jumper cables (I don't) and then enlists the help of others to give the battery a little wake up call. I thank them all and we each go on our merry ways. Now, I've told this story to a couple of people and apparently the whole thing was some sort of sign that God or Fate was sending me and I was supposed to break my leg in front of this guy (or maybe it was faint?) and he'd help me and we would fall madly in love etc. etc. babies in a carriage. I just want to make it very clear that I was in my best form that morning and neither he nor any of the other guys that helped me was interested. I made sure. So there, no miracles on Valentine's Day.
But on the bright side I got to eat my McGriddle!
The afternoon transpired with no major events except that one of my cousins got a dinner invite and jumped the Singles Ship without a life-preserver and swam like a dolphin to Couplesland. So now it's down from five to four. I drive my aunt and grandma to Riverside (at least a 40 minute drive) to visit family, eat some delicious pozole, and have some cake. Since we have the movie and other as-yet-to-be-made plans, my cuz and I leave in her car to go home and regroup. At this point Fendi calls to say she's too busy with homework and can't make it. Since I picked up another cousin from the party we are still a party of four. We plan on going bowling after the movie and thus Saraii jumps ship too because she has to work early in the morning. It's now Alex, Ana and me and it's beginning to look a little sad here, I'm not gonna lie.
And then the phone rings. Apparently I have my aunt's car keys. Yep, she's forty minutes away and I have her car keys. Please, please, no applause. At least it's a laugh, no? Thank God everyone else on the planet was getting their romance on and we didn't hit any traffic. We peddaled Alex's car (which doesn't go over 65 mph) back to Riverside.
Once our stomachs stopped hurting from the laughter we realized that Valentine's Day had come and gone and we didn't do anything. But then we saw that there was a midnight showing of Valentine's Day and the three of us decided to go see it. At three in the morning it was just us coming home but at least we could say there was an "us"; that we have someone who will drive us to faraway places and laugh with us at our stupidity; we have someone who will let us borrow something to sleep in and let us crash on their couch; we have someone to share the memories with.
Next week: Ellen!

I'll Have My Breakfast With a Cup of Mind-Numbing Pain Please

I always like when the month starts on a Monday because then I have no excuses to make. Like sometimes I'll say "I'm starting my diet on Monday" but then it's like the middle of the month and I'm like "That's too confusing to keep track of, I'll just start my diet on the first" and then... it's a vicious circle. So February 1st was a Monday and I decided, stupidly I might add, that I was going to start my Be Healthier campaign by quitting coffee.

Exactly.

Now let me pause and tell you a little bit about my self: My name is Susana and I am a coffee addict. I'm not Gilmore Girls addicted (oh, how I miss them) but close enough. According to my mom, my grandfather used to drink a huge cup of coffee along with a box of cookies every night. My parents used to get up every morning and the first thing they did was turn on the coffee pot. Every Sunday we read the newspaper and drink coffee. Everyone in my family drinks coffee. Everyone I used to work with drinks coffee. So why quit if everyone else is doing it? Well, because a) I hate that I'm addicted to something (not exactly healthy) and b) coffee is bad for my sensitive tummy.

Unpause. On top of this new crazy idea I also had the delusion that I would go hiking at least three times this week, just for starters.

Yeah, not so much. Sunday we had to meet my brother's advisor and half-way through the meeting I began to feel nauseous. My siblings and I walked a few blocks from there to Burger King and (I must've been sick) nothing on the menu looked appetizin. I didn't want anything! Even though I am one of those people that prefers BK fries to McD's fries. We walked back and I was so dizzy I fell onto the bed and fell asleep. Monday morning I thought nothing of the day before (again, stupidly) and didn't have my coffee even though I wanted it. I wanted it very badly. It just doesn't feel like a day has started until I've had my coffee. It was on this afternoon that a small pain began on the left side of my forehead. I've quit coffee before (usually for Lent) so I was prepared for this to happen but nausea was overpowering.

Tuesday I spent all day in bed and started to feel very warm, this is unusual because I'm cold even in the Summer. I made my way downstairs to the living room and put a brave face on for my family but then I couldn't get upstairs again and slept on the couch, pathetically hugging the pillows.

Wednesday the pain in my forehead grew to the size of a football. This was probably the worst day of all. My body was shaking, I was sweating, the rooms were all turning round and round, and I had lost my appetite for good. I spent the day on the couch. My mom came home that afternoon for lunch and FINALLY asked what was wrong (really? am I that lazy that it takes three days to realize I'm not well?). I gave her my symptoms and prayed that as always she had a remedy. She goes upstairs to her room and hands me a dark-red pill. I'm a little scared.

Me: "What is it?"
Mom: "Just take it"
Me: "You're supposed to offer me a blue pill too"
Mom: "I don't have any blue pills"
Me: "Then I have no choice?!"
Mom: "What difference does it make what color the pills are?"
Me: "A big difference"
Mom: "I have to go back to work. You want the pill or not?"
Me: "I'm a little scared"
Mom: "I don't have time for this! If you want to feel better take the pill"

And so I did, and it worked. Well, it worked for only a few hours. It only masked the pain in my head, I could still feel the football growing, throbbing, behind the veil, ready to attack. That night I fell asleep (or rather, I tossed and turned) on the couch again. By the morning of Thursday I couldn't take it anymore. The pain was so unbearable that I thought of pulling out a tooth or cutting off a finger just so that maybe I could feel something else. I knew there was something else wrong with me but I also knew that my caffeine withdrawal was adding to the shittiness I felt. So I rolled off the couch, crawled to the kitchen, propped myself up to the counter and prepared a pot of coffee. I waited with my mouth dry and my hands shaking for the last drop to fall and then I quickly poured myself a cup. I dropped some milk and threw in some sugar and swallowed that sucker down like I was in the hot desert and it was a cool glass of water. Within seconds--SECONDS--the football-sized pain in my head shrunk to a tiny pea. It was miraculous.

Of course once you complete one task another one is waiting right around the corner. Suddenly, I was famished. Turns out I hadn't eaten in a couple of days (but hey! I lost like two pounds!) and now I was dizzy from having laid down on one side of my head for such a long time. So it took another day for me to get completely better. Methinks that I had the flu or I was trying to fight off the flu during this week and that's what created the double-punch of this week.

Now because I'm trying to be all cheery and positive let's see if I can find a silver lining in all this.

hmm...

I watched a really good PBS special about national parks and monuments :)
I did lose those two pounds which means that I'm on track for my resolution
My arm feels better (it was hurting from carrying some boxes)
I didn't have to call in sick to work four days because I don't have a job

Well there you go. Next week it's that "holiday" that I'm going to try and be non-negative about (there's no way I'm going to be POSITIVE about it, not when everyone else is getting some).

It's Like Divorce Court But Funner!

Tied for nine nominations it's Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker versus ex-husband James Cameron's Avatar. Isn't it exciting?! Only in Hollywood.
It turns out that I'm getting better at this too because out of fifty nominees that I guessed I got 41 correct. For you Math geeks that's a percentage of 82% or for you grade-minded peeps a B :)
So now that we have the definitive list, here are my preliminary guesses.

What? I don't have a job and I can't go hiking because it's going to rain, I hurt my arm, AND I'm being a girl this week :( What else am I supposed to do? Also, the Oscars are pretty predictable by now because all of the awards have been handed out. What they should do is move the Oscars to November. That'll be a surprise.

Anyway...

Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino for Inglorious Basterds. You have to love QT for writing great, funny dialogue and still blow shit up. Sucks that (500) Days of Summer wasn't nominated because I really liked that movie and it seems that I was probably the only person that saw it because I can't even rent it at one of those Red Box kiosks :(

Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner for Up In The Air. It was a good movie and since they got a HUGE amount of good reviews but they aren't going to win the bigger prizes I think this is their category.

Best Animated Feature: Up. So for some reason I thought that there were only three nominees in this category but it doesn't really matter because Up is going to win. It's the cutest. Best Line: "Squirrel!"

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker. For several reasons: to flaunt it in Cameron's face, because she's a good director, and because no woman has ever won this award and it's about damn time. My second pick would be Quentin Tarantino because no one does foreplay, er I mean anticipation, like QT.

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique - Precious. This is probably the most sure category on anyone's list. Mo'Nique is going to win and she will give a good speech. But can I just say how excited I am for Maggie and Anna (probably not as excited as they are, but still). I hope The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn is still filming. If I was Anna Kendrick I'd show up on set and say "Happy New Year bitches, I just got invited to Cinderella's ball. Applesauce!"
Julianne Moore didn't get nominated, instead Penelope Cruz did and since she's my homie it's all good. I'd rather Cruz get nominated than Jennifer "I should've been nominated for El Cantante" Lopez

hahahahahahahaha

But never one to let me down I would like to acknowledge La Lopez as Razzie nominee for Worst Actress of the Decade!

courteous applause

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds. Eh, I don't really have much to say.

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side. She has the momentum behind her and if she keeps it up then her Oscar is guaranteed. That's how the Best Actress award is, it's politics more than anything. Sandra has a good career behind her and now this is her best performance in that career, we've come a long way from Speed *sniff*. And because she's that awesome (?) Sandra Bullock could become the first person to ever win an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year. She's up for Worst Actress for All About Steve.

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart. Wouldn't it be great if the person giving out the award says "...and the Oscar goes to: The Dude" hehehe
Now on to more important matters. Jeremy Renner isn't married *clears throat*

Dear Jeremy,
My congratulations to you for your really good acting in a really good movie. Since you don't have a chance of winning. I also think you did a great job in Zoe, Duncan, Jack, and Jane too bad it was cancelled. It was like the next Friends. Since it's all very nerve-racking, may I offer to go with you to said Oscars as your date and as someone whose hand you can hold and shoulder you can cry on. We can also, as the kids say, get drunk and whatever happens "blame it on the alcohol." I await your response.

I think I've been watching too many Jane Austen movies.

Best Movie: Inglorious Basterds. Ok so if you give me the option of only The Hurt Locker and Avatar I'll go for The Hurt Locker but the more I think about all of the five major films (which I've seen) the more I liked Inglorious Basterds. It was fun, well-written, good acting all around, great directing, and it has a good ending which so few movies have. Take the whole package and my pick is Inglorious Basterds. Now, that's what I want but what will happen...I don't know yet but what I do know is that you don't need 10 films being nominated this year. The five would have been:

Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
Up In The Air

We'll see on March 7th

I Have Two Cents, Who Wants 'Em

It's the most wonderful time of the year: Oscar time!
That's right, February means Oscars Oscars Academy Awards :) Tuesday the nominations are announced. There are only a few reasons to wake up at 5:30 a.m. as is tradition, I am going to post my predictions for the top categories. Everyone is welcome to post their own predictions and/or yell at me.
Here we go:

Best Original Screenplay
(500) Days of Summer - Scott Neustatder & Michael H. Weber
The Hurt Locker - Mark Boal
Inglorious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
A Serious Man - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Up - Bob Peterson & Pete Docter

No I'm not going to put in James Cameron because Avatar is just like Dances With Wolves therefore not really "original".

Best Adapted Screenplay
An Education - Nick Hornby
District 9 - Neill Blonkamp & Terri Tatchell
Julie & Julia - Nora Ephron
Precious - Geoffrey Fletcher
Up In The Air - Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner

Best Animated Feature
Coraline
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Up

Best Director
Katherine Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
James Cameron - Avatar
Lee Daniels - Precious
Jason Reitman - Up In The Air
Quentin Tarantino - Inglorious Basterds

I don't see anyone sneaking in because the category has been pretty much set for a few months now BUT the Coen brothers could take Jason Reitman's place which I don't think they will because mroe people saw Up In The Air than A Simple Man.

Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga - Up In The Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick - Up In The Air
Mo'Nique - Precious
Julianne Moore - A Single Man

Since Mo'Nique is going to win the award the voters should reward all of the other good performances of the year and Anna Kendrick was very good in Up In The Air and she's the ray of sunshine in the dark, gloomy Twilight franchise. Same about Vera Farmiga (except for the Twilight reference) and she deserved to be nominated for The Departed. Julianne Moore can get nominated for reading the phone book. The last entry was a little hard but I went with Maggie since she's a) awesome; b) a great actress; and c) probably getting more attention now that her co-star is winning awards.

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon - Invictus
Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
Alfred Molina - An Education
Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
Christopher Waltz - Inglorious Basterds

Same thing with this category as with the actresses. Christopher Waltz is going to take the award home everyone else is just filling the slots.

Best Actress
Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Carey Mulligan - An Education
Gabourey Sidibe - Precious
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

The one I'm iffy about is Emily Blunt, although she's a really good actress. If not her then her highness Helen Mirren will take her spot.

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney - Up In The Air
Colin Firth - A Single Man
Morgan Freeman - Invictus
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

I didn't see Invictus but Morgan Freeman is a great actor so probably a good bet for an Oscar nod. Also, being directed by Clint Eastwood doesn't hurt either.

Best Movie
An Education
Avatar
(500) Days of Summer
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Invictius
Precious
A Single Man
Up
Up In The Air

This year there are ten films that can be nominated and I don't like it. Some years we need more than five but others...not so much. Up might not get nominated since it will almost very likely take home the Best Animated Feature award. In that case, my vote goes for District 9. Almost wish I didn't have to put Avatar here, but I guess you can't ignore that much money.
We'll see the results on Tuesday.

Wake Me Up When January Ends

It's been so exciting these past couple of weeks that I completely forgot to blog!

Not really. Er..rather, not exactly.

I've been working still but this week starts the end of the end of my corporate career. Which also means the end of my income but eh, you can't win em all. Started writing a weekly series here which will at the very least keep the writing going and hopefully get me practicing and the mind working and the hamster running in its little wheel. Besides that is a whole lot of nothing.
I went to California to visit my family, specifically grandma, and to attend my cousin's quinceñera (you should all know what that is) which I only stayed for an hour because being the perfect, dependable sister that I am I drove my brother to the airport. You would think that this once-in-a-lifetime act of kindness would at least get me a date with one of the hundreds of single Marines he knows, but NO. Story of my life.
Saturday we stayed up til God-knows-what-hour watching the Critics Choice Awards mostly because I love awards shows and partly because there was nothing on at that hour. The best part was Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep sharing the prize for Best Actress (YouTube it).
Anyway, not having checked the weather report at all, Sunday I organized a little excursion to Manhattan Beach where I thought we'd spend the day. Everyone was up for it and then it pours rain. I still bought some new sunglasses though (and believe me that was the three-day highlight of my trip). We went back home and since it was raining we decided to gorge on deliciously greasy french fries covered in equally greasy chili and topped off with melted cheese.
Diet?
Oh yes, one of my resolutions is to lose weight but I have months until New Year's come around again. No worries. A small portion of chili-cheese fries isn't going to kill anybody. Now a small portion of chili-cheese fries and an avocado bacon cheeseburger with a Coke...that can give you some serious heartburn ;)
That day we watched...I can't really say which movie we watched because I might self-incriminate myself but let's just say that George Clooney is hot and that girl from Twilight is a way better actress than Kristen Stewart. I used to defend Kristen Stewart because of the combination of liking Panic Room and hating Robert Pattinson but seriously Kristen YOU'RE KIND OF A DOWNER. I know it must suck to be in love with a perfect vampire and all but you do get the guy and he loves you. Do you think you could throw us a smile every once in a while?
You know what? If it's that deppressing finding the love of you life I want to stay single.
Sidetracked? Me?
After the movie it was still raining so we switched on the Golden Globes where at that very moment my lobster Leonardo DiCaprio was saying something probably great about Martin Scorsese except all I heard were birds twittering and violins playing and my heart pounding. Did you guys know he donated a million dollars to Haiti relief? It just makes him perfecter :)
At some point during the broadcast, I kid you not, we got a craving for ice cream. The options were Cold Stone or the Chinese Food/Donuts/Ice Cream place. Either way I was to wear a cowboy hat to the establishment to prove that I was "down like James Brown." We opted for the Chinese ice cream and then went back to watch the remainder of the Golden Globes and boy are you guys lucky I already bitched about Avatar for a whole week because this could've turned out to be a very long blog.
The next day. Monday. Martin Luther Kind Day. It was pouring rain. Again. Apparently this was one of three storms that were moving towards SoCal. I decided that waiting was going to prove futile (that means completely ineffective) and my sister and I ventured forth.
It took eight hours to get home. It was like driving through the very pit of hell. I kept expecting winged creatures to come out of nowhere and take us away and drop us into the pit of darkness. Don't know any prayers? Learn some just in case you have to endure times like these.
So it's been raining and cold but at least it's better than suffocatingly hot so I will not complain.
This week I start my Bum Week or hopefully my Wake Up Every Day and Stretch and Eat a Healthy Breakfast Week but I wouldn't hold my breath. Grammys also, don't forget to go to Target and get your 3-D glasses so you can enjoy the Michael Jackson tribute properly. You should also rent Whip It! cuz it's a good movie and it comes out this week and it has Ellen Page and was directed by Drew Barrymore :)

One step forward...two steps back

This week I got up early, went to work, came back home, took a shower, went to bed, and did the whole thing all over again. Five times.
I know, I went back to the old routine. But only for a couple of weeks. Really. I'm not joking. I have to go back because today I woke up with vertigo, and I think I have a rash, and my eyes are all dark, and I'm pretty sure I'm gaining weight. I might die if I stay! (No, seriously as soon as we got back my phone kicked the bucket. I'm taking it as a sign).
ANYWAY...
Apart from all of the above fun times, I also managed to go to a couple of movies and yes, I jumped on the bandwagon and watched Avatar. Mostly because I can't handle people knowing something that I don't. How will I ever be able to give an opinion, I have to be in on the times, right?
And what is my opinion?
Eh...I've had better.
In all honesty it's just Dances With Wolves with really good special effects. And I kind of liked Dances With Wolves better. Avatar was good but after a couple of hours I was like "Yes, I get it James Cameron, save the Earth. Respect nature." A little preachy. AND since I'd seen Dances With Wolves I kinda new how it was going to end.
So in the battle of the exes next week at the Golden Globes my vote goes to The Hurt Locker for best movie (and even Inglorious Basterds would be second).
Okay well next week I go to L.A., it's the Golden Globes, and 24 starts. Should be fun :)
I *heart* Jack Bauer

On your mark...

Happy 2010 everybody!
This great new year has started well and I hope it at least keeps up the same way. Started the year on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, surrounded by family, a blue moon above us, and a bay-full of fireworks. We got to the beach about a half hour before midnight, there were people everywhere and we even got to witness a marriage ceremony a few feet away (btw, that's the second marriage ceremony I came across in two weeks. Sign?). No one was sure exactly when the countdown was happening but suddenly fireworks lit up the sky in vivid colors, we all hugged and cheered and were merry. For a moment all woes are forgotten and we don't care that just a few hours ago we were arguing. We went back to the apartment and there was a huge blockparty which lasted all night, and I do mean all night, because I heard drunken karaoke in my sleep until morning.
We decided to leave on the 1st, because who doesn't like to travel on a holiday? In my defense, I did wake up early and attempted to get one final tanning session before we left but the tide had risen and we decided to head back. After much cleaning :( it was time to say goodbye and drive back.
In case I didn't mention this before: the drive time is roughly 24 hours between PV and Phoenix. That doesn't include the time to cross the border (I'll get to that).
The drive went mostly withot incident except that I was super-tired and had to pull over twice or possibly run off the road.

Sidenote here: For anyone who is worried about driving through Mexico (and I read a lot of posts that say DON'T DO IT) I have to say that my experience was blissful, the roads were great, and we were never harrassed. The road felt the same as if I was driving through anywhere in the States (and I've driven quite a bit), there were plenty of gas stations, and lots to eat. My only complaint is that the bathrooms suck and on top of that you have to pay to get in. Bring your own toilet paper.

Story Time!
We stopped at a place along the road to eat some chicken as we were heading to PV and I asked the lady if there was a restroom I could use.
CHICKEN LADY: Do you only have to pee?
ME: Ummm, yes.
CHICKEN LADY: Well we don't have a bathroom but there's a room over there with a hole and you can go there.
ME: Thanks, I think I'll hold it.
This is why I don't go camping.

So the trip turned out fine until we got to Nogales which is the last city in Mexico before you are allowed to go into Arizona aka the US of A. There I was driving at a speed which I am not sure is legal or not, because the signs are in kilometers and I forgot how to convert that into miles and I don't have a calculator anyways, when I see a speed bump (and it's a pretty huge one) right in front of me. I slam on the breaks, burn the rubber off my tires, make a pedestrian spin around twice, and still fly over the bump. Given the fact that I leave a stench of burning rubber and a man unable to tell his left from his right, the police really have a right to pull me over. And they did. The federal police. Once again I'm on a road trip and a cop pulls me over and once again I look like a complete mess. I look like I've been drinking hard liquor all night and I smoked a couple packs of cigarrettes. And I'm not even wearing my good bra either. We are in deep shit here peeps.
Senor Federali asks me for my license which I oblige (American, strike one) and then he sarcastically asks me if I'm in some kind of a hurry. What I wish to say is "yes, I actually have to pee and I'd like to cross the border quickly to do that" but instead I calmly explain to him that the massive bump is the color of the road and I, being blind, didn't see it in time. This falls on deaf ears and then for some reason another cop comes and asks me the same question. ??? This guy says he should impound the car and make us wait until MONDAY to get it back, which sounds ridiculous because I didn't even do anything wrong except perhaps contaminate the environment a bit more with my tire's tread burning into the atmosphere, but since he's a nice guy (sarcasm right there) he's letting us go with a warning.
Um, thanks? I'll try not to jump over speed bumps that I didn't see next time.
For the record: We didn't pay these men a single peso and I kind of used the kids as I was explaining my story. Something like "do you think I would put my family's life in danger (point to children in the back)?"
My mom got pulled over a few days before for the same reason. She had a sweet old lady in the passenger seat and said "do you really think I'd be speeding if I have an elderly person with me?"
The moral of this story: When driving always have either kids, an elderly person, or a pregnant woman with you. You can get out of a ticket and, in the case of the pregnant woman, get a prime parking spot at the grocery store :)

We FINALLY reach the border but it's a border that is above Nogales and we think not many people know about. Well we were wrong and on top of that there is only like one lone border patrol agent. We sat for two hours (p.s. I still have to pee) and moved only about a quarter of a mile. My mom walked all the way down and half an hour later she says "they close at six (soon) and re-open at ten and then wait to cross. Should we leave?"
YES, I think we should leave! We may as well have had the car impounded at the rate we're going. I could've given that Federali a piece of my mind, gotten thrown in jail, used the bathroom, and then come back and we'd still be in line! I'm writing a letter, this is ridiculous. I've got a damn passport in my hands, that's the requirement. Why do I have to wait in line? Why?!

That was my rant for today

We go down to the OTHER crossing, wait ANOTHER TWO HOURS, and finally make it to Arizona. Ten minutes later we're at a McDonalds, everyone has peed, and we're eating. Good times.

Update on resolutions: Since I used the weekend to rest my "eating healthier, doing exercise" crap starts Monday. For the record, I currently weigh...175 lbs. (I don't know the conversion but it looks better in kilos).