A note on Arizona.

I was excited to travel through Arizona, as it's one state I can say I'd never really been before. A layover in Phoenix doesn't count. I said my goodbyes in Santa Barbara on Sunday, and spent a great evening with friends that night in Thousand Oaks (which included dinner in Malibu, a gorgeous beach sunset, and wonderful conversation that I don't believe I'll find anywhere else on this trip). Funny how I have a month to travel, and managed to spend a full week of it in California alone... So on Monday I left my wonderful friends in southern California and all that was familiar and headed east.

My observations about Arizona do not easily congeal into one coherent writing, so I'm going to list them here instead. Somebody please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.



1. When California ends, the cacti begin. I thought that was just in Wylie Coyote reruns, but no. They really grow that way, and the earth around them is brown and barren except for other sun-worshiping desert plants. And while there are mountains, they are brown and non-descript. I see why Loony Toons chose Arizona as its primary shooting locale; its incredibly easy to duplicate with two crayola colors, burnt umber and sepia.

2. I stayed the night in Phoenix, which is the primary city in Arizona. And the place is like a blob of ink after being dropped on paper accidentally; it spreads out and goes for miles. Tempe, the home of Arizona State University, is only a suburb of Phoenix. Barack Obama gave the commencement speech there last May, which put it on the map. I wonder what he thought of the traffic. Every freeway was being worked on or revamped, streets were wide but unending, parking meters inform one that a quarter buys ten minutes. The Sundevils stadium is a behemoth, and is visible from the I-10 freeway, but beyond that... is a pile of brown (excuse me, burnt umber) dirt that was a hill or will become a hill, depending on whether or not it originated from a freeway construction project.

3. The weather in Phoenix was absolutely gorgeous. Blue skies, white clouds, warm breezes. Quite a change from the damp, salty air of the California coast, or the gray, drizzly smog of LA, or even the crisp, fall breezes of Chico. Hot, dry, and with more where that came from. I sat outside under the Arizona sky for a while after it got dark, and marveled at the fact that I was perfectly warm and comfortable, despite the fact that it's damn near the middle of fall.

ASU: To apply or not to apply?

The answer: Nay.

This morning I was scheduled to tour Arizona State University. I woke up early and drove to Tempe (through freeway construction and accidents), parked (going rate of $12), and wandered toward the campus. I was legitimately lost and asked a nice-looking student where the Student Services Center was located. He said, "Oh, its about 8 blocks up, looks like a giant cupcake". Well thanks so much.

Turns out I walked through the entire campus to get to the point of tour origin, and by the time I'd reached the cupcake building I'd had enough. I had seen all of the buildings I would ever possibly need to use, had observed ASU students trudging to class or basking in the sun, and had officially had it with the October heat. When I reached the tour group I asked them to kindly take my name off of the tour list. Why?

Because I need more seasons than hot and hotter. Because Arizona is particularly bereft of trees. Because soup or hot coffee is WONDERFUL in the fall, and carry a certain sense of excitement and comfort that are necessary for mental well-being. Because the Anthropology program is good, but no better than Santa Cruz's, and Santa Cruz comes with a beach, a forest, and in-state tuition. Because I want an area that I don't HAVE TO drive through to get to school. Because I am not a sun-devil, or sun-worshipper, or sun-goddess. Because fall is my favorite season and the citizens of Arizona have forgotten what it feels like to wear a fabulous coat and a scarf. Because airplanes packed with old people and sun people were incessently flying overhead, delivering their passengers to the Phoenix airport every ten minutes. Because I could hear the drone of their rental cars on the freeway that runs less than 100 yards from the ASU stadium. Because Arizona doesn't require ass-gaskets. Because the cupcake building was pink and totally turned me off.



So I left. I paid my parking fees, and hit I-10 east, destination: Texas.

The one bright spot in Arizona was spending time with Baby Daedi, whom I adore. If I didn't know better, I'd say he takes after me... giggles, but with attitude. We took him to dinner in downtown Tempe on Monday evening. He stole my heart. Daedi, when you grow up.... move out of Arizona.