The Day I Died and Went to Heaven

Was the same day I ate a roasted turkey leg with my bare hands (cuz I'll do anything to fit in),

Chugged 2 Red Bulls in under 5 minutes and then smashed them on my forehead (to show my fellow fans my extreme devotion),

Wore an Old Spice hat and was so serious about car racing I didn't even crack a smile (hey, if you think I'm stern, check out the dudes behind me...they were so intense they started to brawl), and then I cheered Tony Stewart and the #14 car on to NASCAR victory (almost...it was actually the #18 car that won).

Sheesh, it's good to be back. At least I hope to be back...for a while. And no, this post is not a joke. I'm for reals.

xoxo, your shower drain

I woke bleary-eyed one morning in Chongqing, China, and had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't still dreaming.


If this rosy shower drain could talk (or write a letter), here's what I think it might say:


Dear Shower Friend,

I am so small. Just big enough for love---that's all.
And maybe a bit of world peace.
Some water too.

xoxo,
Your Friendly Hotel Shower Drain

I Like China Because of Good Treats

Ba da ba ba ba....

I loved it!

I Like China Because I'm An Economist

Economists are all about charts, graphs, and efficiency. I didn't see many charts and graphs in China, but I did see efficiency.


Step 1: Arrive at airport, roughly 1 hour out of the city by car

Step 2: Buy ticket for sooper dooper fast magnetic train

Step 3: Board train, taking note of current time and speed



Step 4: Enjoy the ride, levitating your way into Shanghai


Step 5: As you begin to slow down, note current time and speed

Step 6: Exit train and enter Shanghai 7 minutes and 1 pleased economist later.

Max Time

I'm headed back east to Boston for the weekend, to spend some time with this guy. I like to get maximum Max time, so I won't be around 'til next week.

Have a great weekend!

Just When I Felt Recharged, They Had To Yank The Plug

Last week, I:

*watched my sheet of notepad paper skip across the sand.

*enjoyed the company of myself so much, I didn't care that no one else was around.

*made computer friends. who speak my acronymic language. that made me happy. and slightly more geeky.

*walked barefoot in the ocean at midnite, with my trousers rolled up.

*let my skin soak in the humidity (and not the sun). oh, humidity, how I love thee.

*sat in classes all day. and learned. and kind of wished I were a student again.

*sat in a cabana. closed my eyes. listened to the waves crashing on the shore

*let the Florida sunshine recharge my soul.

*came home to 6 inches of snow and a blustery gray wind.

Over + Out

I've shaped up and shipped out to sunny Florida for the week. The only drawback is that it's for business, not pleasure. Time permitting, I'll be around.

xoxo.

The Song for the 3 a.m. Sled

Sheesh! I've been gone for a long time. Or so it seems to me. I didn't mean to do it. Its just that I was having too much fun...dashing thru the snow, on my no horse open sled. Down the hill we'd go, laughing all the waaay. Don't even have to walk, 'cuz 'mobiles give us rides, what fun it was to ride and laugh and sled all thru the night. Oh, sleddings great! Sleddings fun! Sledding all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride on my no horse open sleigh!

I just lalalalove it when I break into song.

And yes, in our family, we take sledding seriously. I've got the bruised tailbone, fat lip, and hoarse voice to prove it.

Playground of the Stars

I'm taking a regularly scheduled break from SLC in Palm Springs, CA. Probably my favorite place in the world. Second, of course, to Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, Hong Kong, London, Venice, NYC, Nice, and the Italian Riviera. I'm sure I left a few out, but you get the idea. It's so relaxing. Sunshine, palm trees, convertibles, sunglasses, mid-century architecture, swimming pools, estate sales, and streets named after stars of a bygone era who called all this glory their playground. Now this is my kind of town.

NSync

No, not the boy band to which I was a die hard groupie 10 years ago, silly (ok, so maybe it was more like 7 years ago...big deal). I'm talking about voodoo-creepy-gives-you-the-heebie-jeebies-can't-sleep-at night-weirdness. With my own flesh and blood. My sister. Ali wrote a post about a magnificent drive she took this weekend. And posted a picture (she always beats me to it, as she should...she's the one with the neato sweeto camera). I was on that same road this weekend (though not in the car with Ali). I hate to tell ya this, but she's right about everything. Truly a life changing experience...and that's just the huckleberry shakes.

But here's where things start to get weird. I took that exact same picture. EXACT SAME. Give or take about an inch on the left side. Clouds are the same. Background is the same. Silos in the distance are the exact same. Course, mine is a tad less crisp and not nearly as portrait-looking as hers. Like I said, she's the one with the fancy shmancy camera. I've just got a lipstick case point & shoot. So you'll see a mile marker and the reflection of my flash (aaargh!). But you get the idea. Spine tingling, eh? If that doesn't make your hiney cringe across the room and out the door (in the immortal words of Pioneer Woman), I don't know what will.

Nebraska: Farms and New Friends

As we were cruising along, I had to stop and make friends with these mini horses. They were fierce little fillies (though not nearly as aggressive as Mini for all you Rob & Big fans). I was a bit frightened by them, but eventually we all settled down and became friends. This was my first encounter with mini horses, and I daresay it won't be my last.

Iowa: Fields of Opportunities

It may as well be called the corn corridor. I don't know how else to explain it. Hundreds of miles, hours at a time, whizzing by corn fields. Corn, corn, corn, far reaching to the horizon line. Both sides of the road. For hours. I could barely wrap my head around the amount of corn that I saw. This may sound corny, but there was so much of it and it got so bad that I could identify the differences and similarities between different types of corn. Yes, there are lots and lots and lots of different types of corn. At least 50 that I saw.

Illinois: Miles of Mississippi

We took a detour on a small winding road that snaked the Mississippi River for miles and miles. Larger than large, wide, and seeming a lazy river with lily pads and marshes along its banks, boats gliding across its surface, and bridges zig zagging and criss crossing its waters.

Michigan: After My Own Heart

Don't you just lalalalove it already? Michigan is a place I hold dear to my heart. My former home always tugs at my heartstrings a bit and makes me yearn for more. Miles and miles of awe inspiring rusty red barns with gleaming metal tops set agains robins egg blue skies. I'm telling you, Michigan is where it's at. Whatever it is.

Ohio: Purple Skies

Drove through Ohio on an overcast day. I like the bold, yet muted tones in this photo. Cashmere gray skies, buttercream yellow old timey house, and the greenest green grass. We made stops in Kirtland, Cleveland, and Toledo.

New Jersey: More Than Meets the Eye

We spent an afternoon lunching and boating at a friends summer home on Green Pond in New Jersey. It was heaven.

These are my feet taking a refreshing dip into the water as I sat at the end of the dock.

I'm gonna be honest -- there's more than meets the eye to Jersey. Don't be fooled. It's awesome.

50 Nifty

After a monster trek crossing the country, we have finally arrived in Utah. Over the next few days, I'll be sharing some of the view out the passenger side window of the car. We hit as many spots as we could and took our time. America is bee-yoo-tee-ful.

And I can't get the 50 states song I learned in grade school out of my head. "Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Carolina, Connecticut (doo dee doo)..."

NYC Getaway: Upstate NY

Last weekend, on our way to Niagara Falls, stopped in Palmyra, NY at the Chill & Grill. I can't turn down a good retro sign, blue skies, billowy clouds, hots, and ice cream.

Glass House

Gondola ride. Windows on all sides. Bundled up. Almost touching the sky. Descending from 9000 ft. A view to die for.

Proof Positive

While in the Adirondacks, we were putzing around looking for cool things to do. We happened upon a nice older woman who gave us loads of good ideas. One of those was taking a mineral bath, something the area was famous for during the gilded age when the elite would come to soak up the health benefits of mineral waters.

We made an appointment. Arrived 15 minutes early, per the spas instructions. While sitting in the lounge sipping tea and awaiting our personal attendant, we noticed a familiar sight. In a room of roughly 10 people, we were the only ones under the age of 55. Again. We are in fact, the worlds oldest couple under the age of 65.

The mineral bath, by the way, was quite nice. The tubs are deceiving cuz they are super deep, but don't look like it. The water is brown-ish, filled to the gills with rejuvenating and hydrotherapeutic mineral water and oils. It's effervescent too, so it's a bubbly tubly. I would recommend it, followed by a massage, pedicure, or facial.