California sun on strike...

And I couldn't be happier... This "rainy" day is absolutely divine. I thought I should post some photos of my bus ride...so... ummm taking photos out of a bus is really strange and glare-full. I was driving through the desert- they are boring. But I LOVE the drive from Utah to California, especially when you are chasing the sunset. Then you leave at sunrise with the Rockies and you get sunset over the silhouetted hills of the desert. It's my favorite.

Some things about my ride:

• I was the only white female on the bus, so... that's good.
• Spanish comes in handy, I translated for some passengers.
• I'm sure there was some real shady stuff happening on the ride between the passengers, but I enjoyed a whole row to myself and the naivety of looking out the window and listening to Ben Folds, Regina Spektor, Kate Nash, and all of our opera scenes music. Yeah.
• The layover in Vegas was just over an hour and I got to have lunch with the parentals, my brother and his family, and that was nice. They are actually coming to California today, so we will only be without my other brother and his family... wah.
• I'm listening to the Decemberists' most recent album. It is epic - if you don't have it, get it. It's a fantastic concept album, very cool. So perfect for this rainy day...
• The rest of the ride was spent reading and looking out the window. I had an epiphany at one point - that was helpful. :) I won't go into detail, but I just felt secure in the Universe and felt a peace that has been missing from my life for a little while.

Overall, I'm totally happy I did the bus ride. I am excited for the ride home, since it will be mostly at night and I'll probably get to see another gorgeous sunset that I can't quite capture through the lens of a camera. Eyesight is truly a remarkable gift - I have had that on my mind a lot lately. I don't know what I would do without it, especially if it was taken from me after I knew the beauty of the world and couldn't ever see some of God's most precious creations again. Ugh. I just can't imagine.

As those of you receiving my Status Updates have been told: Ali Out.

"Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel the artistry moving through, and be silent."

-Rumi