Kiley Wellendorf | Blogger
01. (Magic – Coldplay):
[Listen to this song when you’re looking down on cities in an airplane.]
My heart has been heavy lately. It weighs things down, stresses me out, and somehow forces me to stay up late at night. I could curse this time of year and blame the snow for my melancholy mood, but I knew that I was the one who chose to walk through the week days as a “scrooge.” Anyway, my problem was mended the moment my dad asked me to travel over to beautiful San Diego for a “quick and productive” weekend trip. This weekend trip was something I looked forward to for weeks because it meant I got a chance to take a break from negative temperatures and spend some quality time with my dad. My travel buddy has always been my mom so getting the opportunity to hang out with my dad in a beautiful place sounded absolutely perfect to me. While I originally planned on hanging out with my dad and his friends on Saturday, my dad reassured me that it would be perfectly fine if I lounged by the pool instead. Fine.
02. ( Pumpin Blood (Jane Doze Remix) – NONONO)
[Listen to this song when you’re drinking a virgin Pina Colada next to the pool.]
Besides lounging around by the pool for a majority of the afternoon, I got to partake in a few firsts for this year. I put on my first pair of flip-flops, wore my first dress, and went outside without fabric covering my arms. (Please don’t get me started on how wonderful it is to walk around without goose-bumps. Wow.) Even though my mom wasn’t too thrilled about my decision to go off on my own, I convinced myself that being nineteen means you’re able to do whatever you want. (As I previously texted her, “Kiley = nineteen = adult.”) Ha. I can’t even begin to describe how exhilarating it is to leave the hotel grounds and be “alone” for the first time in a new setting.
03. (Now That I’m Real (How Does It Feel?) – Chad Valley)
[Listen to this song when you’re overlooking a new city in a tram.]
My hotel told me it would be much easier to take a tram located across the street instead of relying on a cab to get to my destination. As I walked onto the tram, I found myself surrounded by a handful of strangers and all of a sudden realized how an age doesn’t make you an adult. In fact, as an adult, you would think I’d know that you have to pay to get on a tram instead of just hopping on. Oops. A police officer hopped on the tram and quickly asked for all passengers to show their tickets so he could make sure everyone paid before getting on. (You can imagine his face when I presented the printed-off map my hotel gave me and tried to explain how I didn’t realize I needed to purchase a ticket.) “Can you not read a sign?” My whole body was red and while “I’m from Iowa” seemed like a good excuse, I was told to get off at the next stop. Just to feed into my adrenaline rush, the homeless man in front of me turned around and proceeded to have a conversation with me about not paying for a ticket. While he was extremely sweet and gave me his ticket so I could continue to ride, he finished off his story with, “I’m not insane — just a little crazy.” (I realized then how oblivious I am to letting anyone in without any hesitation. Whoops, again.)
04. (Paradise – Wild Nothing)
[Listen to this song when you’re stuck in traffic on a Saturday night.]
After my shopping experience, I spent the rest of the night with my dad and two of our close family friends. Kim, my dad’s friend’s wife, matched my love for sushi and suggested we all try the new sushi restaurant that recently opened a few blocks from their house. As I sat across the table from my dad, I couldn’t help but read into every expression or look he gave this place. It was 10PM on a Saturday night, we were in a busy, confined restaurant, and my dad doesn’t eat sushi. Anyways, he ended up having a blast and the food was wonderful so our night turned out pretty perfect. We had an early morning planned for us and so sleep was an absolute necessity in order to function properly in the morning.
05. (All Dried Up – Phantogram)
[Listen to this song outside at night when you’re thinking of the future.]
Long story short, our eventful Sunday turned out to be one of the best days I’ve ever spent with my dad. After hearing our flight from Minneapolis to Des Moines was delayed, I watched as my dad reached full panic mode. The possibility of not being able to fly back quickly transferred to us canceling our flight, grabbing our bag and renting a car for the rest of the trip. While I worried our four hour car trip would take forever, time fly by as we switched drivers halfway through. I drove through the gravel with my dad for the first time, laughed forever as my dad spun out, and watched my dad randomly dance to songs or get excited when his favorite song came on the radio. I realized then how car rides aren’t meant to be filled with stories of the past, complaints about the present, or even talks of the future — they’re meant to spend time with those who you care about. Although my weekend away with my dad was short, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this trip.
06. (New Order – Ceremony)
[Listen to this song when you see your hometown in the rear view mirror.]
Graphic by Aaron Burns
