Thanks to Keith at BagOfNothing for the link.
Category Archives: Fun
A Week Off = Awesome
As of this morning, I’m off for seven days and plan not to dispatch a single aircraft until next Sunday night. (Or maybe Saturday night if they offer overtime) This should be a great week because…
- I plan to go get my new bike on Monday or Wednesday. I’ve decided on the Specialized Sirrus Elite hybrid and just need to figure out which size frame would fit me best. Richardson Bike Mart has both the large and extra-large frame in stock, so I hope to try both and bring home the winner.
- Tuesday is Daddy Day, which means I watch the boys all day while Jenny gets some time off. We might play in the park in the morning before it gets too hot. Then our home group meets that night. We’re currently halfway through Donald Miller’s Searching for God Knows What, which has prompted several interesting discussions.
- On Thursday Jenny and I will cheer on the Rangers thanks to a BOGO coupon that Carter Bloodcare gave me. This will be our first and probably only baseball game of the season. Earlier that day, we’ll have lunch with my family.
- On Friday we’ll drop the boys off with Jenny’s mom and drive down to Waco for the Baylor-TCU football game. Our friends the Seastrunks are going with us. Mr. Seastrunk went to TCU for grad school. Last year we all attended the Baylor-TCU game in Fort Worth, sitting in in a sea of purple. (We don’t need to discuss the outcome of that game) This year we’re making them sit in the Baylor section. We booked a cool B&B called The Cotton Palace for that night. We might visit the Baylor Bookstore or run the Bear Trail while we’re there. Sic ‘Em, Bears!!!
- On Saturday we’ll enjoy a quick breakfast at the inn, rush to the Mid-lo to pick up the boys and put on their pirate costumes, and continue to Grand Prairie for my niece Reagan’s third birthday party. She has decreed that her party shall be a princess party, but apparently pirate costumes are acceptable substitutes for the boys on the guest list.
At some point during all this fun, there will also be at least one or two naps.
Time to Move
Suppose you had to move to another state. I don’t know why, just go with it. You can take your friends and family with you if you’d like or leave them behind, but the moving van is coming to hauling off all your stuff. Where would you go and why?
Although many places appeal to me for various reasons, I think I would pick Washington, probably in the Seattle area. Why Washington?
- Cool, humid climate – no 30-day stretches in the oven of Texas every summer
- Outdoor-oriented culture – bike-friendly with lots of trails and beautiful scenery to watch
- Personality is more important than appearance – women don’t put on full makeup for a trip to the gym in fear that “someone might see them!!”
- The locals view the earth as a gift to enjoy and protect rather than a resource to exploit and waste
- Politically, I would fit in better there, and perhaps spiritually as well
- They build airplanes up there. Big ones!
- Did I mention the beautiful scenery? And the mountains?
- Easy access to an Alaskan cruise
- Several wineries in the area produce excellent rieslings
Unfortunately, the cost of living is significantly higher there, and all the precip might get old after a while. I would also seriously consider Colorado, which also has beautiful scenery with a similar cost of living to ours, or Missouri, which fits my personality and has a great school system for the boys.
Where would you go?
Quote for the Day – June 17
Submission to what people call their ‘lot’ is simply ignoble. If your lot makes you cry and be wretched, get rid of it and take another. –Elizabeth von Arnim, New Zealand-born British novelist
Support Adoption, Win an iPad 2?
The McCuiston family is in the process of adopting a child from Ethiopia. They have completed their paperwork and home study and are now on the waiting list. International adoptions can be very expensive up front, so the family is raffling off an iPad 2 (drool) to raise money for the adoption fund. Tickets are $10 each. Follow the link for your chance to help (and win?):
McCuiston Family iPad 2 Raffle
Good luck, and thank you for supporting them in their journey!
Things You Should Try
I posted my bucket list a couple of years ago, but I’m also interested in little, soul-enriching things that don’t require huge amounts of work, money, luck, or flight time. Here are a few of my recommendations from my own experience:
- Enjoy a steak sub at Captain Nemo’s in Irving (OK, this is more stomach-enriching, but you really need to try one)
- Go skinnydipping
- Turn down a job because they won’t pay you what you’re worth
- Take a walk in the rain…on purpose
- Watch the sun rise without offering commentary
- Stay up late and watch a meteor shower
- Take a walk on the beach or through the woods with someone you love
- Stand on a mountaintop and realize how small you really are
- Eat dessert first
- Sing karaoke, even if you can’t sing
Please add your own ideas below!