If you have ever been in a strange city and have been reliant on your GPS for navigation, you may be one of the few people like myself that can still get lost. Glitchy technology, I mean if you are going to make a mapping system then how about you work out the eff'n bugs! All we wanted was a McDonald's coffee in the morning but the one our GPS found was closed down, so we tried a different one but the stupid machine insisted that we go the first one it found. It also has no clue if there is construction and will take you where no roads exist.
Setting that aside, we tooled around Mesa for a good part of the day, my wife wanted more metal art for her garden, so that's what we did, drove around looking for metal art stores. We also went to a guitar center, which is what I wanted to do, but I always feel like my wife hates those places, so I can't really enjoy myself knowing that she is miserable. I get in and get out as quick as possible.
What is it with the coffee shops in the United States? Living in Canada has spoiled me apparently, the coffee there seems superior in every way, it's stronger, they actually mix your drink with a spoon if you put cream and sugar in it. Every single coffee I have had so far has been a bland flavorless cup of lukewarm dishwater, I can barely taste the coffee and always have to doctor it afterwards, our rental car could actually be a kiosk for good coffee with all the sugar and stir sticks inside of it.
My wife's parents are in love with a store called Big Lots down here, and they couldn't wait to take us there. It is basically an exact version of giant tiger in Canada except they sell beds and couches too. We were not impressed at all. My father in law loved the fact that there were cans of cream corn there for 50 cents, he was most impressed with the cheap prices, so I didn't bother telling him that those cans were probably from the first world war, which explains the cheapness.
And lastly, here on day 5 of our trip, it seems that we are struggling to find things to do, if we were snowbirds like my wife's parents, I have no idea what a person would do around here. You are not allowed to work, because you are not a resident of USA, unless everything you do is under the table. Eventually you will have seen all the tourist sites, and landmarks in the area, so being here for 5 days is already wearing thin. We leave on the 7th day, and I have to say I am looking forward to my own bed, my friends, and my puppies.
Scott Goerz
