The Homo Hobo

SL,UT stands for Salt Lake, Utah. You put the comma in there so people don’t think you’re saying, SLUT. I left Austin for cooler Salt Lake City temps which weren’t too bad. They definitely avoided the arctic blast that hit much of the rest of the country. Iowa had “feel like” temps of -40 degrees during that time. Hard pass. Matt had a ski trip planned so I was being budget-conscious and watched Ava while he was gone and tacked on a couple days on each side. It was nice spending time with them and having a comfortable place to work all week. I have been to SLC many times in the last couple years and each time I get to hit my faves and check out new places. I had a good tour this time and wanted to share some highlights: Coffee I spent a couple afternoons working at The People’s Coffee . It was a great place to work while people-watching through the windows on an active corner. A few people had their dogs in there and I wished I had brought Ava! Prior to getting a haircut over the weeke...

Keepin' it Weird in Austin  I needed to figure out my next destination after PV since Los Angeles wasn't going to work out. I was texting my friend Tyler from Des Moines about something random and at the end of the convo I told him to keep me posted on his whereabouts since he travels a lot for work and maybe our paths would cross. It just so happened he and some other buddies from Des Moines were planning a weekend getaway to Austin so he said I should come for the weekend and surprise the guys. A couple ended up knowing I was coming, but a few (including Austin) didn't so it was fun surprising them and hanging out for the weekend. On the first night we hit the Iron Bear and Rain on 4th for the dancers in the group!  I worked Friday during the day and went walking around downtown after work in search of some food and some new sneakers. For lunch I passed by Cooper's Pit Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que and stopped in. I wasn't in search of Texas BBQ, but this did not dis...

Today is my 40th birthday and I'm in Puerto Vallarta for a couple more days yet. Rachel has been down here with me for the trip and we've had the best time! We haven't done any excursions or anything too exciting - just a lot of time spent at the pool, beach, and eating melted cheese! Rachel and I have been on many trips together so there's not usually a lot of pressure to do much - so we haven't! She’s a great travel partner. We did go and see Amy Armstrong one night. She dubs herself the “Voice of an Angel, Mouth of a Sailor.” I have seen Amy a handful of times over the years both here in PV and in Chicago. She never disappoints! We're staying in an Airbnb right in the heart of the Romantic Zone. This is my first time staying within true walking distance to the action in PV and it's been a great experience. The weather has been cool, but you can’t complain! I do want it to be warm enough so we can be in the water - I’m like a kid in those waves. I'm w...

I got into Nashville a little later on Saturday, December 28 so I took it easy, got unpacked and settled at the hotel as Sunday was going to be filled with all things Hawkeyes! My friend Meghann works for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement and was also in Nashville so she invited me to a couple University-hosted events. At the first event, I ran into James Jorris who was an old college co-worker. James is still with the University and doing some really cool things. It was great running into him! The second event that evening was put on by the business school and it was really great connecting with former Hawkeyes who live in Nashville or were in town. Meghann and I spent Monday “tailgating” on Broadway Street before the game. I suppose I shouldn’t have been, but I was surprised by the number of people out on the town at 11:00 a.m. on a Monday! Meghann and I went to the game together. The weather was really great and we had a good time despite the loss! I really appreciate M...