My friend, Bobbi-Jo is trying to get a dream job--backpacking through Australia. She gets the job if she has the most views on YouTube. Please consider voting for her. She's is very close to winning.

She's a lovely young chick, the kind we need more of--smart, sassy, and gorgeous. When I was her age, I wouldn't have ever considered such a thing, but she wants to do it and I've pledged my help.

Look at her video and see what you think....

So, tomorrow is November 1st. That can only mean one thing--the holiday season is upon us! In less than a month, there will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas will follow up shortly after.

Last year, I had Thanksgiving at home, but then went to visit my parents for Christmas. I don't have anything planned yet for the holidays and the calendar seems to be rushing me.

What are your plans for the holidays? Will there be huge family gatherings? Or quiet days at home? Is the dwindling economy a factor? Will the turkey be smaller, the gifts fewer? Tell me about it...

Your comments--priceless!!



I post daily. So that you don't miss any of my randomness, you might want to subscribe by email.

Well, I know I'm supposed to be looking for blessings in every circumstance, but I have a couple things that I need to rant about. I'm sure the blessing is there, I'm just having trouble seeing it at the moment. Feel free to point them out. Thanks in advance...

1. The photography studio called and said ALL of daughter's senior pictures were on a corrupted disk, so we have to go back in and retake. When I asked if we would have to endure the 4 hour WAIT again, they tried to turn it back on me, saying "it's that time of year." I quickly turned on my Beyonce voice--"You must not know bout me! You must not know bout me!" Needless to say, she agreed to honor our appointment time, without the wait. I intend to hold her to it, too.

2. Dear Son is graduating from middle school this year. He brings home a form for the class trip the other day. Of all places, they are going to Washington, DC! As if he doesn't see Washington a few times a year already. But anyhow, the tourist tour is always interesting, especially when you are a kid. I kept reading the form and I soon got to something that crossed my eyes. The trip is $925 dollars for 4 days! Good grief! DC, the Nation's Capitol? Where all of the attractions are free or close to it? Oh wait, this could be a clue--"CHARTERED PLANE." Chartered plane? to DC? Are you serious? Commercial flights can be had for $150 or less all day long! Hmmmm..I think we will sit this one out.

3. While I died to get my Flip video camera, I've discovered that I don't like to edit video. Hmmmm..the things u dont see coming...Anyhow, I've spent 4 hours now editing a 38 mins of video into a 4 minute clip. WHATEVER!!!

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I post daily. So that you don't miss any of my randomness, you might want to subscribe by email.

Having just come off of a weekend road trip with my parents, I'm now preparing for another road trip in a couple weeks. This one will be over the course of 3 days, with the husband, the kids, and yes--Dad.

The weekend trip actually wasn't as bad as expected. Dad sat next to me and served as both the navigator and the passer of snacks. Mom sat in the back, but watched the speedometer like a hawk, reminding me of the speed limit and the possibility of a ticket. It wasn't anything new. We did have a great meal at Cracker Barrel, where Dad cheated on the little puzzle game that they have on the table and Mom checked out my Kindle.

I was prepared for it being insane and it wasn't. It worked out so well that I'm actually looking forward to the next one. This time, I plan to have the husband drive so I can capture all the fun on video. I'm excited.

Your comments--priceless!!

A few weeks ago, I told you all about the planned family cruise for next June. Next year. June. 2010. So, it may come as a surprise to you, but certainly not to me, that Dad needed to apply for his passport while here on vacation. This year. August. 2009. He had no sooner gotten off the plane, when he announced that he had brought his birth certificate, "the one with the raised seal," so that he could get his passport while here.

Nearly everyday, he reminded me that he needed to get his passport. He's heard that there is a backlog and that it could take a long time for passports. He wanted to be prepared for the cruise. June. 2010. So, yesterday was the day. Now, I've known my Dad all of my life, so I did my homework. I found a nearby Court House that took passport applications. I called and inquired about the wait. I was told that there is usually no wait after lunch.

So, we get there, park and go inside. Dad looked at the building and announced that it "looked like there was a jail in there." I'm not sure what buildings with jails look like, but he was certain. We go inside. Because it's a court building, we had to go through security. He forgot to take his phone out of his pocket. The officer with the wand found it. He had to go back and put it in the basket to run through the machine. He wasn't pleased--he ONLY wanted a passport.

We found the office, and sure enough, there was nobody there. I filled out his application, and we went up to the window. Wait--I forgot to say that he didn't have his pictures, but that they offer picture service. Anyhow, we go up to the window. The charges are posted on the glass--$75 for the passport, by check or money order. Then $25 for the processing, in cash or credit card. Dad didn't have his checkbook, I wrote the check from my checkbook. The woman then requested $35 for the processing AND picture. Dad kept telling me that she was cheating because the sign said $25. I explained that the extra $10 was for his picture. He still thinks she's cheating. They took his picture. They showed him the pictures. They had 2. Now, she DEFINITELY was cheating. She took TWO pictures. I advised that they would put one picture in the passport and keep one with the application.

So, all that's left is his signature. He had to sign in the clerk's presence. He did. But then, she bundled his birth certificate ("the one with the raised seal") up with the application, to send on to the Dept of State. He asked for it back. The nice lady told him that he would get it back with his passport in a couple weeks. He wanted it back now. She was confused. I stepped in and repeated that he would get it back in the same envelope with his new passport. He was clearly disturbed, but let it go. And he announced that he did NOT want to go through the metal detector on the way out. He didn't have to. It was over.

However, an hour later, sitting in Olive Garden, he told me that he HOPED he would get his birth certificate back, the one with the raised seal. I love Dad. He's a hoot.

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As vacation comes to a close, I must say that I had a great time. There were many things that we always do that we didn't this time. There are also things that we've never done, but have now been added into the rotation. I loved being with family and having a large group around. I hated being with family and having a large group around. It's so bittersweet! And there are tons of pictures so that I can forever relive it.

But now work looms. School starts later this month. College tours start in September. Back to the mundane routine. Summer is over.

What did you guys do this summer? Is it over for you or do you still have some fun left? Share your adventures with me...

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Today marks the 19th anniversary of then President George H W Bush signing the ADA. It's the law that protects individuals with physical or mental impairments. It protects them in the areas of Employment, Public Entities & Public Transportation, Public Accommodations, and Telecommunications, among others. It prevents discrimination.

What does it say about society when we need laws to protect the least of us?

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Have you noticed, lately, how many things can now be bought from vending machines? When I was growing up, soda machines were commonplace, as were newspaper and stamp machines. I remember the break room at my Mom's job that had revolving sandwiches. Now you can buy nearly anything from a vending machine.

Have you seen the machines in the grocery store that dispense movies? What about the machines in Macy's where you can buy Apple products, like iPods, and batteries? And the dispensers in airports that sell perfume?

Well, I've learned that Japan has the most unusual vending machines around. I'm told that you can purchase thing like umbrellas, fresh flowers, and porn from machines. I was able to picture those, but then I learned that you could also get fresh eggs, hot popcorn, beer, french fries, and hot ramen noodles. Wow! And we wonder where the jobs are going..

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My Dad has struck again. He decided that we should do an extended family vacation next year. Extended family? Is he kidding? I have more close family members than most people, and now he wants to extend that?? Seriously? All of us? The babies? The toddlers? The hip hoppers? The old folks? ALL of us? He can't be serious, but he is.

He's thinks that we should all do a cruise next summer. I guess he hasn't considered that some of us don't get along with others of us, and that some of us are not above murder by cruise ship. We put the FUN, in dysFUNctional. And what cruise line would welcome US on their ship? This is gonna be good.

So anywho, Carnival has a new ship coming out, called the Dream. It sets sail this fall. We shall be on it next summer. A gang of us (pun intended). We'll visit ports in Mexico, Belize, and Honduras. I have no idea how the jail systems work in these countries. Oh yeah..this is gonna be good!

I think I'm excited. Especially when the agent told me that a lot of the decisions rested with me. Hmmmm..you mean that I could "accidentally" schedule my own dinner time apart from theirs? And that "Carnival" could make a mistake and put my cabin wayyyyyyy on the other side of the ship? Hmmmm..this may not be so bad after all...

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This weekend, I had a phone conversation with a FOJ. We went to high school together. He's now in the Atlanta area, and I'm in South Florida. One of the things that we discussed during that long conversation was a moment that most native Washingtonians have had.

It's the moment that you realize that you took all of the free cultural activities in the Washington, DC area for granted. I remember when that moment hit me. It was in the late 90's. I was on a business trip to Milwaukee. There was another woman there from North Carolina. She was very young and not very well traveled. I could tell because she considered Milwaukee to be the "big city." Hmmph. Anyhow, she wanted to go to the zoo, but after talking to her mom, they decided that she shouldn't be roaming the "big city" alone. She looked like she was about to cry, so I offered to go with her. Our hotel arranged the transportation.

When we got there, my mouth dropped when I saw the price of admission. If memory serves me correctly, it was something like $25 bucks! I do remember asking the ticket lady if they even had pandas. They didn't. I was shocked, but Country Girl's eyes welled up with tears again, so I just paid it. I hope the Milwaukee Zoo folks don't come after me for this, but they have NOTHING on the National Zoo in DC. I guess it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon, but it was then that I realized that I really need to partake more of the sites in the Nation's Capital.

There's so much there to do, and a lot of it is free or very inexpensive. There's the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, The White House, The Capitol, The Vietnam Vet's Memorial, The Lincoln & Jefferson Memorials, etc. It's a great place to vacation, since the tourist spending requirements are so low. Unfortunately, many residents never take advantage.

What kinds of attractions are in your hometown that are free or inexpensive? What should every tourist see? Have you seen it? When was the last time you did the tourist thing in your hometown?

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So today is THE DAY. Not my birthday. Not Pay Day. But THE DAY. The day that I have to call my Dad and start planning the family's summer vacation.

I am so not looking forward to this conversation. If you are a long time reader, you know that this is no small task, talking to my Dad about the vacation. (If you are not a long time reader, please refer to my post of January 8th--you'll get our vacation history there.) I love him dearly. I love him more than life itself. I love him like French Vanilla Slimfast and Paul Newman lemonade. I can talk to him about nearly anything--EXCEPT vacation plans.

After many years of doing this, I've learned not to try to get him to decide too much at a time. So today, the only thing we need to confirm is which weeks he wants to come. Last year, this talk lasted about 2 hours. Based on our recent conversations, I'm blocking off about 4 hours for today's talk. He's hinted that rather than a week or so in South Florida, he wants to do perhaps a weekend in South Florida and then a cruise someplace else. And, we have more family members coming this year.

This is a man who takes 3 days to decide which sneakers to bring. That wouldn't be so bad, except NOTHING else can go into the suitcase until he puts the sneakers in. This is a man who gets to the airport AT LEAST 8 hours before the flight--he doesnt want to miss it. But he's also a man who has worked all of his life to provide for his family. I must say, he afforded me a wonderful childhood and until I was in high school, I thought we were rich! I have never not been able to do something that I wanted to do because there was no money. I have never not had the latest and greatest. And he has a good heart. If you meet him once, and he determines that you like, say Root Beer, you will NEVER come to his home again when there is not Root Beer there and when you walk in, he'll drop a 12 pack on root beer on the table in front of you and point you to the corner where 3 more 12 packs sit.

So, I will try to struggle through this today. Wish me luck!!!

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