I just made some bruschetta on the fly! I was literally just looking around my kitchen for a bite to eat, and this jumped out at me. Here’s how I made it:

1. Rummage through the fridge, looking for Italian bread and tomatoes.
2. Find loaf of Italian bread, chunked or diced tomatoes, chopped basil, oregano, salt and pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil.
3. Thinly slice Italian bread and throw into the toaster.
4. Remove toasted bread from the toaster.
5. Drizzle olive oil on toast.
6. Pile on tomatoes.
7. Sprinkle oregano, salt and pepper, and basil on top.
8. Add shredded mozzarella, minced garlic, and diced onions if that’s your prerogative and you have it lying around.

It literally takes less than 3 minutes to make for three of them! And it’s oh-so-good. Goes really well with a salad, if I do say so myself!

Yes, I am a call center agent.

This call center in particular answers for televangical ministries, doctor’s offices, apartment complexes, and local businesses. There usually isn’t an issue, and I go about my business. However, there are some exceptions, and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

• I hung up on you because you screamed at me for three minutes and 17 seconds (we have a timer) about how your child has asthma and you can’t stand it being so hot in your apartment. It was 75 degrees outside. Your complex won’t allow us to call maintenance unless it’s at least 80. Perhaps you should let them know when the office opens.

• I hung up on you because you kept interrupting me about how a certain televanglist is a scam and whether or not I had any knowledge of who I was working for. If you had let me answer, I know he’s a crook. But this is a job – I’m getting paid for this. And you calling a free prayer line to tell me off just makes you as much as an asshole as the guy on TV selling “miracles.”

• I hung up on you because you called me a “white devil” when I asked you for your phone number as a requirement of my job. You didn’t let me finish that you didn’t have to give it away.

• I hung up on you because you called yourself “Richard Dix” and you couldn’t even make it through your prank call without laughing. Pathetic.

• I hung up on you because I couldn’t hear you over “Get Low” playing in the background as you’re complaining about not being able to open the gate of the complex, despite me asking you to turn it down six times. Next time, if something’s important to you, perhaps save my eardrums the trouble and turn down the iPod a bit.

Instead of being irate to someone who can’t help you directly, perhaps take a Good Deed of the Day card and ask me how I’m doing. Make a joke or two. If it’s 4 in the morning, ask me how I’m staying awake. Little things like that can dramatically improve the mood of the call; and the faster you’ll be able to move on with your life.

So here’s a tip: be nice and maybe I’ll make a thing or two happen. (But I can’t do magic, OK?)

Although, it seems like whenever I post on MBnet, I’m leaving somewhere.

I hope you don’t think I’m flaky; that’s not the case. I’m just very picky, I suppose. Or perhaps New Me just isn’t standing for the same crap I was before. I don’t really want anything less than what I deserve; the only thing that is disappointing is how unrelatable that is for some people.

I can’t tell you how many times I heard about sucking it up — I should be thankful, they said, most people don’t have jobs in this economy. They’re going through the same thing too. Why do you have to like your job? If it was supposed to be fun, it wouldn’t be called a job.

Gag.

I am grateful. Entirely grateful. Just because you choose to leave somewhere doesn’t mean you’re any less grateful. It just means you’re cutting your losses and getting the hell out of dodge. Or you just know that you’re better off somewhere else.

The thing that’s sad is how people accept their circumstances without a fight. They take what’s handed to them and just look it over, unsure of what to do with it. Are they just unsure of themselves? Or how to transform terrible circumstances into amazingly beneficial ones?

Sorry if I’m rambling, I’m trying this new thing where I’m honest with myself.

Working at a call center isn’t the most glamorous job, and it sure as hell is a large leap from working on film in Los Angeles. To most, it may be a step down. But to me, this job was the right thing I needed to settle back into Memphis and get ready for school.

And it’s so exciting, going back. Especially since I’ve been out for a year. I’m going to strive for more free time this academic year, since I hope to focus on my writing more this year, particularly on anything other than video games. Can I finish my book this year? Please. Somebody.

And I’m working on a film of my own. More about that later.

Something of substance
Is coming soon, I promise
Don’t judge me for this

This pretty much sums up my week. Conan O’Brien in Kansas City, MO. My mom got front row tickets. We waited outside the stage entrance for him to come out, along with a group of people. When he got close enough, I yelled, “Conan! My mom and I drove 9 hours to see you tonight! Can we get a picture with you?” At first, he said he didn’t have enough time and couldn’t take pictures, but then changed his mind and said: “Okay, quickly!”

Pretty much made my year, meeting someone I’ve grown up watching on TV almost my entire life.

edit: Forgot to add this, too.

Jason Sudeikis is GORGEOUS in person! I made him laugh. He asked if my phone had flash (my camera died mysteriously) right before the picture was taken. After it took the photo, I said, “That’d be a yes!” He laughed and said, “I guess so!” Such a sweet guy!

I met my goal! I drove through Flagstaff, AZ, and made it all the way through to Albuquerque, New Mexico, albeit at 3:00AM. I was already prepared to find a motel, and came across a string of budget motels as soon as I crossed Albuquerque city limits.

Unfortunately, the first Motel 6 — my budget motel of choice — couldn’t rent to me since I’m 19. The front desk worker referred me to another Motel 6 five miles up the interstate. They were out of rooms. I was referred to another Motel 6 closer by that would rent to me, about two miles. I called ahead this time and asked if they had any rooms available. The front desk worker said dryly, “Yes, but all I have is a smoking room upstairs.”

One of my rules about lodging is to stay on at least the second floor and above. Statistically, more hotel crimes happen on the first floors due to escape routes. So after hearing this, I just told him, “I’m on my way!”

Turns out, not only was there a rodeo in town Saturday, there was also a convention in town (which explains the teenagers sitting outside all three). Lucky me. Just my luck, especially since I was making fantastic time and was in Albuquerque a day early.

I did drive through Amarillo, TX, and applauded when I saw the price of gas. $2.49 compared to the $2.99 in California is a huge difference! Definitely feels good on my bank account.

Throughout my drive to Shamrock, where I’m at now, I’d hop on Route 66 and check out some of the old businesses that are still running. One thing I was amazed by was the fact that some of the businesses advertised being “American-owned.” What world we live in, honestly.

One of the coolest things I saw was one of the famous Wigwam Motels in Holbrook, Arizona. I stopped there assuming I’d be tired enough to sleep for the night, but I ended up pressing on because I was still wide awake. The office was closed, unfortunately, but I definitely would’ve stayed there if it was open! I didn’t get any pictures, though; it was too dark to see anything.

Also, I have some tips for those of you who might be thinking of making the trek across the U.S. — or any long trips, for that matter:

• Keep a small box handy for things you might need  specifically for the drive. I have a box just for that purpose to keep everything at arm’s reach: my atlas; car chargers for my iPod, GPS, and phone; snacks; proof of insurance and car registration, in case I get pulled over and I don’t have access to my glove compartment; blanket; notebook; and CDs.
• Podcasts are amazing! Some people suggest eBooks, but honestly, the conversational tone of podcasts keep me more alert than someone reading pages from a book. It makes you feel like there’s more people in the car with you. Also, if you listen to podcasts about things you want to learn about, it’s also educational! I’ve been talking to friends on the road and giving them random tidbits I’ve been learning. iTunes was a little bit too congested for me to find a lot of podcasts, but if I could, I’d recommend the HowStuffWorks.com podcasts that you can search for on iTunes. I personally would not be able to get through this trip if it weren’t for the “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” “Tech Stuff,” and “Stuff Mom Never Told You” podcasts. (I’m actually in the middle of writing an email to Cristen and Molly, the two girls from “Stuff Mom Never Told You.”)
• Be sure to check out places along your route! Even if you’re on the way to a certain city. Get out frequently and re-energize yourself, even if it’s just getting out and taking pictures at a rest stop or historical district of a small town. I drove the longest on my first day — 12 hours in one day — because I stopped frequently and got plenty of opportunities to stretch. I didn’t feel all that tired!
• Keep in touch with someone while you’re going. In case of something happening, you should give whoever you’re close to a general idea of where you are. Call that person when you leave a town, and when you make your stop for the night. Let them know what route you’ll be taking. It sounds tedious, but you’ll be bored on the road anyway. You might welcome the conversation.
• A car survival (read: emergency) kit might be ideal if you’re driving through desert or extreme winter conditions. This Instructible has some great guidelines for your kit, and it’s not that expensive or time-consuming to put together.
• If you get into a hotel particularly late (aka 3AM), ask for a late check-out. Most places I’ve stayed at, even if I come in around 11PM, still allow me to check-out up to two hours later than normal check-out time. And I’ve never been charged extra!

There’s some of my tips for those of you who like to travel like I do. I personally find these long drives a great time to think and discover new places, particularly places that have been standing for a long time. Especially as an American, I feel like I should go to places that are a great part of our history!

Now that I’m in the luckiest (or drunkest and Irishest) place in the United States, I think I’m gonna get some sleep before my luck runs out.

1164 miles driven, 628 to go.

Just south of the Grand Canyon is a great city called Flagstaff. Actually, I’ll be honest with you: I just got here and I haven’t seen the city at all, just a hotel and restaurant called Little America. And this place is amazing, so I’m assuming Flagstaff is as well. (For the record, I’m at the restaurant and having a delicious french toast and eggs.) Plus — city-wide WiFi? Yes, please!

It’s the first stop on my journey back to the South, and it doesn’t feel like I traveled very far. I want to keep going just to cover more ground, although I guess in a road trip you can always feel that way — just keep pushing and pushing until you’re exhausted. I’m getting there, but I want to keep at it.

I was a little bummed because by the time the sun started setting, I was 160 miles outside of the Grand Canyon, a sight I wanted to see on the way. Unfortunately, seeing the Grand Canyon would mean shacking up in Flagstaff — a mere five hours outside of Los Angeles — and trekking up to the landmark tomorrow morning. I’m not on a schedule, so I have the time. I just don’t want to waste resources (read: money) to stay overnight here in Flagstaff when I can keep going. Not only would it mean a hotel room, but also more gas to get my car up there and backtracking towards Flagstaff to hop back onto Interstate 40.

If I can make it to Albuquerque tonight, that may mean knocking off one of my stops and saving money. So that’s kind of the goal I have for tonight.

Also, can you believe that for at least 30 miles there’s been snow?! I’ve been driving through blizzard-like conditions in the damn desert. My bad, Arizona.

466 miles driven, 1326 to go.

I’m leaving Los Angeles for greener pastures. If by “greener pastures,” you mean “Memphis.” It doesn’t seem like so long ago that I was fresh-faced in the Californian dream, but that glow left a while ago.

I’m not giving up, or abandoning my dream, or tired of struggling, or losing my way. As a matter of fact, I’ve gained more perspective since moving out to L.A. than before I even packed a box in my Honda Civic.

I appreciate the city. I’ll definitely miss it for sure. The cultural melting pot, the variety of things to do (three revival theatres? I’m home!) — it’s an amazing city. And I definitely don’t regret a thing.

But I have to go back to college. I’m fooling myself if I think I can make it in an industry I’m not passionate about, and ignore the passions I do have. There’s ten people who have always dreamed of being in the film industry, struggling to find a job like mine. I’d rather be doing what I love than making money and not furthering the career I’d like to be in. I miss homework, papers, staying up late, and complaining about classes. Things are so easy in college and I took it for granted.

A large deciding factor was the fact that, in a place where most Southerners would call “sinful,” I found God. In my darkest hour, I prayed. My prayers were answered. I found the message I needed and here I am: a devout agnostic making the change. I converted roughly about three months ago. I’m happier than I’ve ever been. And I’m more sure of what I have to do than I’ve been before.

I think a big part of growing up is realizing that the best thing for you isn’t always the easiest. Sure, it’s ridiculously hard packing up things I just brought across the country seven months ago. I could stay out here, stick it out, and not go to school — but then I’ll become one of those people that say, “Oh, I’ll go back to school,” and never do.

So here I go again. Los Angeles, thank you for opening my eyes to the world. And, to repay you, I’m breaking up with you.

Since late September, I have done what I thought I would never do. I frantically completed coffee runs. I filed. I re-filed. I ran credit cards that have more money than my parents’ yearly salary, and I’ve explained internet memes to Jude from Nip/Tuck. I heard more people refer to their IMDb than their Facebooks or websites. I found out what a RED camera was, and it’s not a color. I’ve hugged well-known actors and played with a little boy from Lost. I said “copy that” more than my own name. I learned what a “20″ is over walkie talkie. (It’s “location.”) I learned what can be cut from a film budget, and where the cheapest places are to rent equipment from. I let an Oscar-nominated actress borrow my lighter. I’m in the film industry, and I never wanted to be here in the first place. Now I’m having too much fun to care.

I interned as a production assistant for The Space Between, an independent feature film. It’s slated for release in 2010. I have never been so fully engrossed in the film-making process, and damn, it feels good. It’s not the fact that you’re out there making art; it’s the fact that you’re out there with a team to finish a project that came from someone’s mind. That’s what drives me wild. That’s what drives me.

Granted, yes, I was low on the totem pole. But the entire crew, including the director/writer/producer Travis Fine, treated me with respect and, by the end of it all, I feel like I have made more friends than I arrived with. I spent 12- to 16-hour days with these people for 22 days. I spent more time in the production office before that. It feels rewarding, but in a way, I will miss everyone associated with the film and hope towards many more with them.

But now with a car accident, broken (now fixed) laptop, and a midnight ride with a gay blow-up sex doll under my belt, here I am, looking forward to the next project. I’ve even considered starting my own.

Maybe journalism can wait a little while.

At first, when the idea was proposed, I was apprehensive. Then a friend of mine just asked me the simplest thing anybody has ever asked me: “Why not?” I don’t know why, but that question alone made me rethink my entire life plan. The plan I had been working so hard to complete and finish — and I had just figured it all out — was shattered.

The question then became, what do I have tying me down in Memphis? Now that I was going to be paying for school, if I were to leave, now would be the perfect time. I don’t have financial obligations tying me here to Memphis.

It’s the perfect time for me to move on.

I’m not going to lie: I’m terrified. I’m scared out of my mind. I’ll be 27 hours away from my security blanket — a city whose streets I’ve memorized, but can’t go anywhere in.  A day and three hours away from friends, my family, my childhood home, my hangouts — nothing to catch me if I fail. I knew California was my calling, but I wasn’t sure of when I was going. It’s calling me now.

Nothing can really prepare me for this, degree or not. They don’t have an undergraduate program for risk-taking, with a minor in leaving everything behind. At least, in any of the colleges I know of.

It’s the best planned-impulsive decision I’ve ever made.

I’ll be keeping updates on how it’s going, and I’ll be blogging on my roadtrip. (Mostly Twittering though.)