This is the way I see it

I am typically not very outspoken about my political views.  I'm not sure I would stump for McCain, but this is how I feel about Obama.  

Courtesy of NPR

Quoted by Ron Carey, chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota

"I describe Barack Obama as basically being like a sugar high.  You know, it tastes good and you feel wonderful for a while.  But the sugar high is starting to wear off, and reality is setting in...People don't feel as good when they look at the specifics of what an Obama presidency would look like."

Short end of the Shake

Despite the turbulent beginning to our trip, the rest of the vacation went smoothly.  Days were filled with sleeping in, trips to the beach and/or pool, the "play area", good dinners and always a treat to finish the night.  What more can you ask for?

On one particular evening, we were on our way back to our hotel with Erik, Kristin, and Reesy and James.  James is the happiest 2 year old I know.  The kid does the Zoolander face on command and wants to do everything his big sister does.  Reesy is just darling and soft-spoken, but knows how to get what she wants; typical 4 year old.  

Anyway, back to the car ride home.  We decided to finish the evening with ice cream from the local Chick-fil-A; good, cheap, everybody's happy.  We ordered a couple of Ice Dream cones and a couple of shakes, but Reesy was not happy about this.  She wanted nothing to do with Chick-fil-A or its frozen treats.  That was until the delights entered the car and she insisted on my shake.  There's not much you can do to console a 4 year old in the back seat of the car screaming for your shake.  You just give it up.  Simple as that.  

So back went the shake and Reesy was as good as new.  The shake was a small sacrifice to keep the peace.  I know she enjoyed it, too, because she was let down when she tried the "other one" that had "no cookies?".  Next time at the Chick-fil-A drive-thru with little Rees, I'll order 2.    

We've only just begun

Dave and I headed to Florida last weekend.  We left Thursday early evening with the expectation of being in Florida by Thursday night around 9 p.m.  Boy were we wrong.  

Our original itinerary took us from St. Louis to Memphis to Fort Walton Beach.  Instead we went from St. Louis to Memphis, diverted to Little Rock for fuel, to Memphis, missed our connecting flight with the offer of flying out Friday NIGHT at 7:50 p.m., or to fly from Memphis to Houston to Fort Walton Friday morning.  I'm really not making this up.  

Of course everything was blamed on "weather."  This means no ticket refunds, no additional flights, no hotel accommodations...nothing.  We called around to a few hotels, which were all booked except for the $59 smoking room at the Econo Lodge.  No way.  

So what'd we do?  Over dinner at the airport Arby's (the only thing open in the airport at this point), we decided to get in the car and drive.  So off we went to Jackson, Mississippi on through Alabama and finally into Florida.  Six states and five hundred-plus miles later, we arrived in Destin on Friday around 1:00 p.m.  Good thing the car was equipped with the Magellan, which never failed.  

Ode to the 18hr. flight

Dave and I borrowed Seasons 2 and 3 of The Office from some friends.  We were late to pick up on the sitcom.  So now we always find some time at random hours to watch a couple of episodes, and last night was no different.  Watching The Office reminds me of my dad and Lizzy at the In & Out Burger in LA talking about Dwight's potato gun and possible derangement.  

...Cue Nepal...

So last Christmas the Waterfall family ventured to Nepal.  The trip was amazing. but the 18-hour flights there and back were dismal.  However, each seat on the plane was conveniently equipped with your own personal entertainment system.  Movies, games, TV shows and the like were available at any time.  It was a lifesaver to say the least.  Occasionally you would hear someone burst into laughter on the dark plane, and you knew they had to be watching an episode of The Office.  My dad watched several such episodes on the return 18hr flight.  I don't know if I've ever seen Scotty laugh so hard.  Following the flight, during our layover in LA, we discussed the hilarity and reality of these people.  Anyone who's ever had a job knows at least one person similar to a character on The Office.

So here's to Dwight, Jim, Pam and Michael for getting us home in one piece, and making my dad laugh so hard.

  

Camping

Nothing says camping like a a tent in the backyard, a blowup mattress, and a laptop playing The Office.  We finally had some cooler weather last weekend, so late one night out came the tent.  Lucy wasn't so sure about it, but it was fun.  

Now the heat is sweltering.  I don't think we'll be seeing the tent for a while. 

Time management

I am opposed to long blog posts.  This is easily proven based on my track record.  I typically do not make the time to read lengthy posts, nor do I expect my (few) blog readers to have to do the same.  

So...please do not be alarmed by the length of the preceding post.  

In exchange, you may ask favors of me equivalent to the additional time required of you to read this particular post.  

I hope you enjoy it, at least.

:)

Quirked

Although I'm not a fan of forwards and the like, I have to admit this tagging thing allows me to not have to think about possible posts.  Thanks Jennifer.  

So here we go.  This is about quirks; my quirks in particular.  These aren't necessarily criticisms, just a little insight to the unorthodox things about myself.  

1--I'm a nail biter.  It's a horrible habit.  I've done it my whole life.  I think I kept my dad up at nigh

t because he stressed about me biting my nails.  The condition of my nails is directly related to the stress in my life.  While I was in school, my nails were unkempt if existent at all.  During the summer months, they were lovely.  Now that I'm working, it's the same thing.  When 

I'm stressed or thinking hard about something, it seems I can't keep my fingers away.  It's gross, I know.  Embarrassing, too.  

2--While on a trip to Thailand (I'm pretty sure) my dad had us memorize a series of famous quotes or poems.  One of those quotes is this:  

Vice is

 a monster of so frightful mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, we first endure, then pity, then embrace.

I relate rather well to Mr. Alexander Pope's thought here.  My vice?  Diet Coke.  

I used to be turned off by soda of any kind.  I never drank it.  It was really

 something I never liked.

  But once  my junior year of college came around, that was the end of that.  I had seen this vice 'too oft,' and was desperate for something to help me get thro

ugh the 18 dragging hours of work and school.  So I nursed my sleepiness with the silver can.  Yes at first, I endured it, but ultimately embraced it.  

I limit this habit of mine.  No soda before noon (which is hard some days at work) and I must drink 32 oz. of water beforehand.  I went for three months without the tiniest taste, so I know I'm not hooked.  But I have yet to tame this monster I call Diet Coke.  

3-- I have real issues with meat.  When it comes to red meat, if I've prepared it, I usually can't eat it.  I get sick to my stomach when confronted with eating this thing I've handled.  Yuck.  Also, regardless of the type of meat, I meticulously pick out any trace of fat, skin, veins, or any questionable matter.  Dave gets really frustrated with this.  

4-- I tend to become fixated on a project and sort of let it fester until I can't do anything else until this project is completed.  

Case and point:  I refinished a mirror frame months ago.  It had been sitting in my basement in the same place where I painted it, newspaper still taped on to protect the glass.  But late one night, up the stairs I came with this heavy, heavy mirror, and I insisted Dave hang it immediately.  Why is it that I had been fine with this mirror sitting in the basement for months, but I suddenly couldn't stand the thought of it sitting a minute longer?  Dave probably thought I was crazy.  But the mirror was hung shortly thereafter.  

5-- I have a routine.  In the shower and when I go to bed at night, I do things in a certain order, step by step.  If for some reason I alter the order of things, I can't remember what I have and haven't done.  Usually steps are repeated or missed altogether.  

6-- I do not like the wind.  Maybe it was my Wizard-of-Oz-watching as a child that made me  afraid of tornados.  Any sort of strong wind makes my stomach turn with nervousness.  I have no problem with rain, snow, lighting, or thunder; but wind will keep me up at night.  

Who's tagged?  Natalie, Kelsie, Meg-let (you  know who you are), Heather, Crystalyn (because she never posts), and Stephanie

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