Planes Trains and Automobiles ...

Ok, so I do not typically have to take a train and cars provide much more control over your own agenda. Therefore, I guess I should say ... Planes, Delays and hopefully the end of my constant travel.

I have been delayed in Ft Lauderdale, Hartford, Detroit, Denver and now Dallas. This time I am happy to be delayed instead of having to deal with a cancelled flight and getting home god only knows when. People are running around, crying, searching for the suitcase they checked because they hoped their flight on American Airlines would take off and I am ... sitting by my gate, patiently waiting with my carry on bag. Oh yeah, did I mention the guy sitting next to me smells like a mixture of rotten onions and body odor?! ** Think positive thoughts that this guy is not in seat 15E. I do not think I can take 3 hours with a stinky (and that is an understatement) boy sitting next to me.

I have been gone about 2-3 days per week since the new year so I have had a lot of time to contemplate life. And, really, everything runs through my mind - funny and serious. At first traveling was not bad since I had a fancy new carry on bag and no longer had to wait for my luggage; well, that and it was something new at work. I decided I could get a lot of work done in hotels at night and focus on my career Monday through Friday.

Then a couple of months flew by - literally. Where did the past four months go? Oh yeah, they were spent in hotels and airports. You see, unfortunately, I have had to deal with thoughts surrounding death and therefore, what is important in life, more than I ever thought I would have to at this age. Some very special people to me have helped me see (in one way or another) that no one will ever leave this earth and wish for another day/hour at work. BUT I have had the invaluable opportunity to learn that traveling for my career is not my cup of tea. Who ever tried to ingrain in us that career was so important anyway? Who needs it? What ever happened to making your family, friends and happiness the priority in your life? It is that aspect of my life that truly completes my dreams -- not a raise, not a promotion, but invaluable time with my loved ones.

No one has ever complained that too much time was spent on this earth with the ones they love. And if there was someone that did, I surely would not want to ever know them.

Toys

Shanna loves a toy. Really, anything that can entertain her for more than 5 minutes is very exciting. Almost 6 years into our relationship - I know SIX - it is definitely rubbing off on me. Let's take my brand new red Nintendo DS for instance. It is such a perfect toy ... Small, cute, portable, easy to play on a plane without having your elbows in someone's face, able to accept both intellectual games and fun games (ie: Super Mario Bros.) ... and did I mention that it is red!?!?

So now I have a new toy. My very own. I do not even have to share anymore. It was becoming a problem ... I was feeling jealous when Shanna got to play the DS and I couldn't. Now all we have to do is share the games and that is much easier!!

Gotta run. Brain Age is calling me .... or should I play Flash Focus?! Decisions.

Mexico, then a little Mexican train. Woo Woo!

Mexico - a piece of paradise and a perfect way to start 2008. Shanna and i have a lot of vacationing to do to make up for the lack of 2007 vacations due to ... well ... tragedy after tragedy it seemed. Anyway, it's a new year and what better way to celebrate than with a Chelada (beer with lime juice and salt on the rim of the glass - and PLEASE do not think it is nasty like the Miller Chill's version!), sunshine and sand?! Oh, did I mention Kimmie, too?
It was four days of just what we needed and we were not in too much of a hurry to get back to reality.

However, Mexican train was calling from NC so we had to go. Two days after returning from Mexico, we hopped back on a plane to fly to NC for a remembrance gathering for Luke since his unit was home from Afghanistan. Friday night the Milam's decided they wanted to have game night. And out came Mexican train! Mexican train is an awesome dominos game and you actually have to say woo woo! when you have one domino left. Imagine how fun that was .. woo woo! Oh, I forgot to mention, the ENTIRE Milam family is a bunch of shit talkers! I guess the apple never falls far from the tree. It's good to know Luke's family will pick up the harrassment for him :-)

Hanukkah oh Hanukkah ...

Or shall we sing, Dradle Dradle Dradle?!

I am not in much of a holiday mood for obvious reasons but for some reason I have always loved Hanukkah. Is it the Menorah, a nice game of Dradle or the potato latka's? I'd say it's a little bit of everything!

Ilisa was kind enough to put together a Hanukkah dinner so I could have my fill of the Jewish tradition this year. She made guac, spinach and artichoke dip and LATKAS!! Complete with a fancy vegetarian apron that encouraged everyone to "eat your veggies ... not your friends", she put on her domesticated hat (that in itself is a rarity) and made potato latkas for me. Not only did I get to eat amongst Jews BUT we even played a game of dradle, which I lost. And when I mean lost, I mean that I was left with only a peach jelly belly and I only ended up with that because they took pity on the goy at the table. (Goy is a Hebrew and Yiddish term for a non-Jewish person) There was even a Menorah on the table, which we lit as we ate dessert.

I am not a demanding person, but I do ask my Jewish friends to step up to the plate once a year and make me a latka. Making them myself would seem so blah. Thank you my Jewish friend for making this Hanukkah a memorable one.

Being apart

It is always difficult to be away from the people you love. There is always the hope to steal a minute together or hope for a night together.

Sometimes it is the little things I miss. Coming home and having someone smile at the sight of me walking through the door. Laying next to someone in bed. Playing footsies. Watching TV together. Comfortable silence.

I know why we must be apart right now and I truly understand. It just doesn't make it any easier.

Positions please ...

This weekend I played musical chairs (unwillingly) at a local bar. Initially, I had a great seat at the corner of the bar sandwiched between my lovely girlfriend and a great friend of ours. Then it happened ... the uncomfortable, claustrophobic situation when someone (who will remain nameless) stands between you and your friend's chair, dominates the conversation (with her back to you) and virtually pushes you out of your chair.

Really, I did not cave in as much as I was yearning for a breath of air that had not just been exhaled by someone else and a tiny bit of s-p-a-c-e. Yikes. Anyway, I unwillingly took her old seat (where you could hear NOTHING). And as if that was not enough, we were then asked to "move down, move down" and then "get into a 'U'". Wow.

Needless to say, Shanna and I started to crack up and stare at the back of someone's head- it was still turned to us even though we moved down AND got into a "U"! We even made a nice little game similar to the price is right and placed bets on how many words we could eek in for the remainder of the night.

I lost the game, but at least we enjoyed ourselves! We can make quite a game out of almost anything. But I ask ... don't people realize forcing someone to move down and turning your back to them can be considered rude?! Unless of course, your friends are a bit crazy and make a game out of the situation?!

Creepy Rabbit-woman

I am new to this blogging thing, so you are going to have to bear with me...

Let's talk about something that disturbs me. A rabbit-woman in Nashville, TN. Yes. That is what I said ... a rabbit-woman. She is in the botanical gardens in Nashville and is extremely disturbing (for adults). You see, the kids we were with, and the ones staring at her, are really not old enough to be freaked out by this because they can not appreciate the oddness of this "thing".

The rabbit-woman is a rabbit in the front (complete with hollowed out eyes) and a woman in the back (complete with her own genitals). Just so you can be as disturbed as I am I have included a picture, or two. Sorry, I just can not feel like I am the only one this haunts.