So what was the first time you were ever away from home on your own-no family, no friends-for a significant amount of time? How was the experience for you? Or if you've never experienced this, do you plan to, and how do you think you would do?

My first time away from home, on my own, was when I worked to Yellowstone in 2005 for two months. Getting on the bus was really hard, but the second night, spent in a hotel, I really I realized that I was all alone in some random place I'd never been before, and that was an incredibly lonely feeling. Had to call my mom twice, heh. Told her I was okay the first time, then called her back and was like, "No, I'm not okay!! "

Then that Summer, I met some really cool people, went on a few cool hikes, had some fun experiences... and also hated the damned job, which was scooping icecream. It was pretty much my first real job, so... but it was fuckin' busy all the time-like, a constant stream of people coming in for several hours at a time. I even dreamed one night that I wa serving someone icecream from my bed. Also, it was the first time I lived with other people my age... and they were all wild and crazy, and got fired for drinking underage and doing other stupid shit. This one kid came back, got chased down by security, and run into a wall. Another kid wrote on the wall with his own blood.

And... I was really homesick almost the entire time. Didn't have a cell phone, and the only phone available to us was a pay phone, so I had a phone card I had to use sparingly, or else it'd run out of minutes. It started to get better, but then I got a sore throat that didn't go away for like six months, and my throat's always been kinda f'ed up ever since.

But... it was a good experience for me, I think. Showed me what it was like to be on my own, and that I was actually somewhat capable of taking care of myself and holding a job. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom