You know when you glance back at your blind spot while driving, and you swear someone's sitting in the back seat? Well, I thought there was a guy w/ brown, straight, chin-length hair this morning- but there wasn't.  I also saw other figures on medians and such along the highway.  That's when I turned the wheel over to Amber.  I know I suck at night driving often- but it sounded better to Amber and I than getting less than 5 hours of sleep before driving home.  Amber came for College Days at school, which ended up being about 23 hours for her, not even a day!  Anyeways, she got to catch up with some of her friends, and we hung out, going to chilis and to see The Terminal at the dollar theatre.  It was really fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed the movie (and her company).  The movie, because I love languages and accents, they can have a very soothing effect on me, and it seemed like something that could or does happen, at least as far as being in a country whose language you don't very well, while someone's trying to get a point across, and you just smile and say, "Yes," in whatever the new land understands- - - although it was hard to buy that in an airport as big as that, noone spoke Russian.  some things were really cheesy (like an Indian man juggling crazy things as part of romantic dinner entertainment)- - - but Tom Hanks did a great job with his Russian and accent.  If I didn't recognizr him, I might have thought it was his native language.

So at 1 this morning, Amber and I left for good ol' Wisconsin.  We took turns driving, and before 5, we were at her destination.  I considered sleeping for a couple hours in the lot, but just wanted to go home, so we parted (such a short time together, but it was fun, and she's coming back in two weeks)- and in about an hour, I releaxed at a rest stop for a half hour- there were no other cars there, only huge semis, and I didn't leave the car- and didn't sleep either, but it gave me some energy, and I was able to make it home w/ no more stops.  I was crazy, and hummed loudly and talked some, and I was impatient, and listened to the radio.  That's one of the best parts of my long solo trips- talk radio.  It began with a Catholic station, talking about the Pope- speaking so reverantly about him . . . and having ads encouraging listeners to not compromise their beliefs by supporting a candidate who violates them (no names were mentioned) and I just remember the hosts talking back and forth, and being cheery and encouraging; then random music; then Christian radio- some news updates, a lot about when the President and Kerry will be in state (TODAY) and where (they're moving about- I can't remember everywhere); NPR (National Public Radio- one of my favorites) about politics- how the candidates for president and state senate? are doing- including feelings about the debates- and what each spokesman (articulator?) thought their candidate supported or didn't, foreign policy, Iraq, war on terrorism, budget, healthcare .. . . oh, and stem cell research.  that was the last thing before I got home (at almost 9) - and it's tough, because the guy supporting Kerry and the government-funded research with it, well, his dad died from Parkinsons Disease- and he said he'd do anything to help prevent or cure that in other people- that's hard to argue with- but harvesting at least human-like, if not humans to so this?  I'm glad people can and do donate organs- I want to if I can when I die some day, but that's me saying OK, not that little guy in the lab . . . .

so I'm home safe.  and if you keep seeing mirages while driving, I hope you have a good friend to take over for awhile.