Nov 28, 2011
I returned before Thanksgiving from a visit to Phoenix and Vegas, and I had forgotten just how much I love it there. But what I’m really talking about when I mention a ‘renewed appreciation’ is in reference to my favorite brother’s job.
Traveling is hard.
I admit there are times when I’m sitting here behind a computer looking outside on a cold, rainy Indiana day (such as today!) while he’s traveling to Australia, Slovakia, Sweden, etc. etc. I think it would be awesome to travel to those places instead of doing what I do. What I forget is that it’s work. It’s hard work.
I packed for the trip and tried to be conservative. I figure I did ok with one medium-sized suitcase and a carry-on. What I didn’t want to bag-check consisted of my laptop, my camera, and my Kindle. I put those items in my briefcase (which is totally awesome but heavy when empty) and of course, I also had a purse. If I traveled more frequently, I would buy a smaller case with wheels and ditch the briefcase. It was heavy, but not a total disaster when I boarded in Louisville — but when the airport train was down for maintenance and my connecting flight in Atlanta was at LEAST 10 miles away and time was way too short, I thought I would die. Or throw my belongings in a trash can. Or fake a heart attack and beg for a ride on one of those golf carts.
Once in Phoenix, I would’ve had to get a car if not for the fact Scott picked me up. (And carried my luggage I might add!) The flight home? More of the same. Return the rental car and lug all my stuff to the bus and board it. Get stuff off of bus, pull my belongings to check my bag. Lug my purse and 500 pound carry-on through the airport to security. Take the laptop out of the carry-on, my shoes, jacket and belt off, and still alert through the x-ray machine because I was wearing jeans with sparkly crap on the pockets (the security chick delicately stated she needed to pat my buttocks). Get re-dressed, repack my laptop and lug my 2 items back down to the gate to find my flight had been delayed an hour. By the time I got home, I was worn out. Thankfully, I had someone there to pick me up. Traveling alone? Not fun. At all.
I have a renewed appreciation insofar as how hard my favorite brother works.
Yes, even if security chicks pat his buttocks too.
I packed my good camera with plans to take some shots of Scott for web and general business marketing. Gambling sort of got in the way of that, but we still managed to carve out some time so I wouldn’t feel I packed that heavy thing around for nothing. This is one of my favorite candid shots of my extremely hard-working favorite brother on the planet…
Nov 14, 2011
Right now in the outskirts of the ville, the wind from the southwest is averaging about 18 mph. The forecast says ‘breezy’… occasional gusts of 30 mph. Oh. And rain. And some thunderstorms. Looking at the little map on my weather app, I see lots of green and orange headed my way.
Earlier today wasn’t much different. When Coty took the photo to the left, it wasn’t his fault my hair didn’t cooperate — even though it was the first time he’d taken a photo with anything other than a phone. At least it was sunny! Enough to make me look like a blind person when my glasses darkened. That wasn’t his fault either. Hopefully, he’ll have a better subject to photograph next time.
The main reason I’m watching the weather so closely?
These gusty wind days simply MUST be over by Thursday before I have to board an airplane. Never a fan of flying, it makes me more than a bit nervous when the weather isn’t next to perfect. From what I can tell, I’ll be leaving sunny skies with temps in the 30’s-40’s for sunny skies with temps in the 80’s. I guess that’s a plus.
If not for my best buds here at home, (4-legged ones included), I probably would never return. I’m headed to one of my favorite places on the planet.
Happy Monday!
Nov 9, 2011
I want to address a little know fact (::cough::) — if you live in a small town and run for a municipal office, you should hose most of your Facebook friends. Research (hey…play along) has shown, the more friends you have on Facebook, the less likely you are to be elected to public office. Probably. Before I explain the reasoning, visit the Crothersville Times for results.
The sum total of FB friends for the 4 elected officials: 1099
The sum total of FB friends for the 4 that didn’t make it: 1742
Disclaimer: These results are unofficial and were provided by an anonymous source who prefers to keep her identity a secret.
Nov 7, 2011
A quick dash to the Ville’s grocery store right before closing last night was more fun than shopping should ever be. One of the lovely ladies behind the check-out counter also worked for my Dad when he and Mom owned the store in that very same building, and she was kind enough to share a memory that made me smile. Chatting about nothing at all lead to conversation insofar as tomorrow’s municipal election. We agreed to disagree on a few of the candidates (I can’t vote anyway) but what struck me is that the political party of each candidate discussed was not even mentioned.
In a small town, oftentimes what you did in the 8th grade is much more important than if you’re Democrat or Republican. And, in some ways, that’s pretty incredible. I get it — a person’s values and prior actions — or even how they currently live their personal lives — can determine how they will handle an elected position. In the ville, we pretty much know everyone, as well as their personal business — and we may even know what they ate for dinner last night. Or what we HEARD they ate for dinner.
I guess that’s not so very different from any election, except small town folks don’t get “the real grit” from watching commercials. Still, casting a vote for a candidate based on exaggerated or even tainted information (good or bad), still beats voting for a candidate based solely on party affiliation. Doesn’t it?
The beauty of fall 2011 is soon to be a memory.
Here’s hoping that any incumbents defeated in tomorrow’s race (or didn’t throw their name in the hat for re-election) have fond memories of their service to the Ville…
Nov 4, 2011
Not so very long ago, folks in the Ville would use the local “Giveaway” newspaper to advertise birthday wishes. Customarily, “Lordy, Lordy, look who’s 40” would preface some horridly old and crazy photo of the birthday boy/girl.
Now we have the Internet!
And, my special someone having a birthday today isn’t 40.
Not. Even. Close.
So here’s my special ‘Giveaway’ section… Happy birthday to the best brother on the planet. I wouldn’t trade you for any other — even if I could. You ROCK! As a person…and a brother.
Right now in the outskirts of the ville, the wind from the southwest is averaging about 18 mph. The forecast says ‘breezy’… occasional gusts of 30 mph. Oh. And rain. And some thunderstorms. Looking at the little map on my weather app, I see lots of green and orange headed my way.
Not so very long ago, folks in the Ville would use the local “Giveaway” newspaper to advertise birthday wishes. Customarily, “Lordy, Lordy, look who’s 40” would preface some horridly old and crazy photo of the birthday boy/girl. 