Well, there's a lot going on in the Oblivious household. Julie is now officially a 4th grade teacher, full-time!
Congrats!
My niece just picked up her first teaching gig with 5th graders. May both of them get the administrative support they need and have great years ahead of them.
We are also leaving on our Deep South road trip at the same time!
So I’ve heard.
As soon as we get back, she's going to have less than a week to set up her classroom and be ready to start the school year. As a result, we may end up canceling the last day of our trip and driving all the way back from the Carolinas just so she can have an extra day to prepare. We shall see!
Awwww…
Perfectly understandable…
Precisely logical…
Likely the best choice…
But still…
Awwwww…
Kaw! Kaw!
Rawr!
In the meantime, while I'm gone, please update your TR's slowly so I have a chance to get caught up later.
Pbffft…
Not a problem.
And I'm going to steal an idea from
@pkondz
Theft is the highest form of flattery.
(or something like that).
... tell me some more about yourselves:
Well, let’s see…
I do believe that I was seven years old the
first time I had some one point out to me in no uncertain terms that I had no redeeming human value…
What are your favorite movies?
Oh, Wait…
I get it; you weren’t looking for serious detail.
Ok, that’ll be a lot easier. So what was the question again?
What are your favorite movies?
I’d be hard pressed to narrow the list down below three or four dozen films (a good deal of which will be older than even I am). There are some classics that would likely be topping off the list, but in general I gravitate toward historical films and who-done-its. After that it’d be light adventure/sci-fi/fantasy and then comedies would round off the genera list (and I mean comedies that are humorous as opposed to just painful, awkward or driven by embarrassment; that’s nothing more than being abusive and I honestly don’t understand when or why that got to be the gold standard for comedy).
I tend to react strongly to movies and books and will let the story lines affect and bother me for days and sometimes weeks afterward, so gore and horror are generally off the list. I also tend to stay away from heavy dramas and things that have no choice but to end badly (I especially can’t stand watching family members fighting and arguing). Exceptions are made for those rare stories that are important enough to merit that kind of self-abuse, though.
What are your favorite books?
Much to be learned from that one.
As for fiction…
It’s similar to my outlook on movies.
But I also try to read things that anyone had tried to or succeeded in having banned.
(that’s actually why I read the “Potter” books as an adult)
Where do you want to travel that you haven't seen yet?
Dang near everywhere.
South Pacific comes to mind.
A goodly portion of me would kind’a like to emigrate down that way.
What's the best prank you ever pulled/witnessed?
A long time ago, in a galaxy far away…
My employment required twelve hour shifts crossing weekends and without holidays.
You get use to schedules like that. But it still gets a mite annoying when all your buddies are off work and out having a good time during one event of another but you’re still looking at hours and days before you’ll be allowed out of your cage. One tends to get to the point where you are no longer able to suffer fools gladly. This collection a facts came to a head during the middle of a work week that also happened to cross over the Independence Day holidays for that year.
As it turns out, the phone in our part of the building complex possessed a number that was very similar to that of a local well established sandwich shop. Needless to say, we got regular errant calls from folks wanting to place an order for their dinner. No problem, you let them know that they mixed up a couple digits and then send them on their way. There are some folks, however, that can’t take a hint (much less direction) and will continue to call back informing you of the certainty of their divine infallibility and noting with much inference that it is you who were wrong about just who it was that they had called…
Really?
We got one of those blokes that particular 4th of July.
All these factors combined to result in the following conversation:
<<phone rings for a third time in a five minute succession>>
Me: Systems Operations… can I help you?
Him: Yeah!
<<same voice as the previous two somewhat abusive calls>>
This is Sammy’s Sub Shop, right? {Name changed to protect the innocent}
Me: Ya’ know what? It certainly is, may I take your order, sir?
Him: Yeah, I want a Roast Beef Grinder to go.
Me: Half or whole
Him: Whole sandwich.
Me: do you want the sautéed peppers and onions on that?
Him: Yeah and extra cheese.
Me: Want us to put it under the broiler before we wrap it up?
Him: Yeah, that too.
Me: Do you want waffle fries with that or regular?
Him: The waffle ones, and some extra of the special sauce.
Me: Good, how about a drink?
Him: Naaa, that’s all
Me: got it, what name should I put on the order?
Him: Ben.
Me: Ok Ben, should be ready in fifteen minutes. Have you heard about our holiday promotion?
Him: No, what promotion?
Me: I’m surprised you haven’t seen one of the flyers. We’re celebrating Independence Day here at Sammy’s. When you get to the counter and they ask for your name, you just bust out into the first verse of God Bless America, at the top of your voice, and you get the whole order half price. Sing the whole song and it’s free.
We’ll even pay the tax.
Him: No way!
Me: Yes sir, the boss figures no one’s brave enough to do it, and it makes him look right patriotic (which certainly ain’t bad for business in general, ya’ know). I think he’s wrong so I make sure all customers know that it’s an option.
Him: You serious?
Me: Look man, what would Sammy do to anyone that purposely embarrassed a customer right in front of god and everyone? Heck, anybody actually working here that did such a thing would have their butt slung out the door so fast the eyes wouldn’t see but a faint blur.
Him: Yeah, that makes sense. Hay, make that order for two sandwiches then.
Me: You got it. Anything else?
Him: Nope, that’s all. Thanks!
Me: We aim to please. They’re already working up your order. See you in about fifteen minutes.
<<hangs up phone >>
Me: Moron…
Coworkers: <<simultaneously bust out laughing>>
Now…
Obviously we were all still working, and didn’t have any breaks coming up any time soon, so I can’t say exactly what transpired across town in that sandwich shop shortly afterward. But I’m pretty sure that one way or another, that guy probably started practicing up on his phone dialing skills.
Actually, that may be the only “prank” I’ve ever pull in my entire life.
Well…
You asked.
If money was no object, what would be your vehicle of choice?
55 Chevy Nomad
Frame-off restored
With all suspension and drivetrain replaced with modern running gear.
A/C & sound system installed and better seats.
Kind’a like this…
Except painted white over sea-foam green (no flames)
And lowered about an inch but no more than that.
That’d be the daily driver.
The weekend - nice weather - cursin’ with the top down - ride would be one of these…
(but of course I’d also gladly have the Woody sitting across the way in that picture as well)
When are you going to be anywhere near Delaware?
I have a plan for a road trip loop heading up the Delmarva toward Philly and returning via Baltimore & DC. But I’m not certain when I can implement that one.
Will you stop reading these TR's once we finish off the 50-state quest?
Do you intend to stop traveling - or worse - stop writing about it?
What have we missed in our travels that made you smack your head in disbelief? And, in the words of Jack from LOST, do "we need to go back"?
Depends…
I’ll have to see what y’all do with the end of the current trip.
Other than that, I’ve tossed out plenty of non sequitur suggestions over time.
I suspect, you’ll get to the good ones at some point.
What's your favorite thing about Disney parks?
Details…
That and that just being there plain flat out makes me happy.
Everyone behave yourselves while we're gone!
Not bloody likely, mate…
Don't remind me! Sarah takes driver's ed this year, and I'm still not ready for it.
Seriously - I think you might want to revisit Minnesota.
Yes, I really need to right that wrong!
