There once was a chigger,
Who wasn’t any bigger,
Than the point of a very small pin.
But the lump that he raises,
Itches like the blazes,
And that’s where the rub comes in, comes in,
That’s where the rub comes in!
– A bit of old verse taught to me by my mother
Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.
There was a time I absolutely loathed the idea of being “tethered” to a cell phone, but now I generally have one near me at all times.
I’d be more concerned about this if I didn’t turn the infernal thing off so often.
Just because today isn’t Memorial Day doesn’t mean I’m not going to enjoy the three-day weekend.
This last one I feel a little bad about (but only a little).
The first time L’s Mother and I went to Disney World, we ate at a particular place that we’d always said we wanted to go back to someday. So . . . someday finally came around on this last trip, and after our food had arrived, the server (knowing we hadn’t eaten there in years, and had made a special trip to do so this time) asked how everything was.
“Well,” I sighed, “I’m going to have to be ‘that guy,’ I’m afraid, because, honestly, the food isn’t as good as I remember.”
The server looked absolutely crushed at this (which is why I feel a little bad), so I followed up with my planned joke as quickly as possible.
“It’s better,” I chuckled.
(For the record, I was forgiven by the server for this.)
This next one was more fun for other people than for me, but a deal’s a deal. Since it turned out we were going to be at the parks on my actual birthday, I agreed to wear the “I’m celebrating” button and a set of ears if they could come up with something that I could make work with my hat. So after a bit of surgery on a Minnie Mouse Ear Headband to remove the bow, we had something workable, and out “Disney bedecked” I went. I even wore a Disney shirt.
(It said “I Tried To Be Happy, But I Got Bored” and had a picture of Grumpy on it, but I wore it. Even at the “happiest place on Earth” I’ve still gotta be me because that makes me happy.)
Another fun moment was when L’s Mother screamed at the appropriate moment when the lights go out in the Haunted Mansion. I wasn’t there for this particular moment, but I was there when she did this once before years ago. That time she got a round of applause from all the other guests, and if she hasn’t warned me what she was about to do, they probably would have had to peel me off the ceiling since I was the one standing right next to her. I’m told reactions were similar this time.
Sometimes I wonder if she missed her calling as a scream queen.
Last week I said that this week I’d probably talk about the fun times we had on our vacation, and that’s still the plan, but I’ve run into a snag. As I sit down to write this now, I realize a lot of the fun times just don’t translate well into stories because they’re essentially minor variations on the “rode a favorite ride again/saw a favorite character again and a good time was had by all.” theme. Fun stuff, but not exactly gripping literature.
One thing that does stand out to me right now is L. and me designing our own car at the Test Track to make the most powerful race car with a hybrid engine ever designed. That was cool. (Still not gripping literature, but it’s a good place to start.)
It’s been an odd day, and things like time keep slipping away from me today, so here’s a window into the morning thoughts that started my day:
Ooh, Jalapenos . . . and eggs and cheese! Let me just scramble those up!
*takes a bite*
Ah! Jalapenos!
Candles & Curses 