When we decided to drive cross country rather than do something else with our time off, like go to Europe or spend more time at the Bay or even do something really outrageous like, say, look for a job, I knew there would be one major advantage to our decision. I would be able to write on my blog during the trip. I know sitting down at a laptop and typing away in the midst of a vacation might not sound like fun and, sure, there will probably be a few times where I'll really have to force myself to do this, but I think blogging about our adventures will be good for me. A sort of modern-day travel journal.

And, of course, the other major benefit - thanks to the awesome power of technology - is that I can invite you all along for the ride, so to speak. And instead of feeling obliged to read the incredibly lengthy emails I'd be bound to write if I didn't have this blog, you can choose whether or not you want to hear all the details regarding the totally retro diner we found in Wyoming or whatever.

I had J make the new cross country-inspired header that I'll leave up while we're on the road. We start tomorrow - we're leaving from just outside Philadelphia, where we're currently visiting my grandmother and attending a friend's wedding - and we figure the trip will take around a month, although we're willing to give or take a few weeks.

At first I was a little nervous about putting the new header up, replacing my normal green and pink header, which I think suits me and my personality. I don't know, I thought maybe the new header, with the map and all, makes me look like some kind of super-outdoorsy, brave soul on a mission to conquer new lands or something, instead of someone who likes to make fun of her father or write about a day at the mall and then call it a day.

But I decided it was important. If I'm going to write about our cross country trip, our journey as we set off to look for America, I might as well do it wholeheartedly, with my blog looking the part.

Besides, if anyone who doesn't already know me happens to stumble upon this site and thinks I'm the courageous type who's not afraid or bears and who likes to go camping in, like, ten feet of snow, well, they'll get the real picture soon enough.