What's your favorite thing about being sick?
My favorite thing about being sick is laying on the couch all day either watching tv or sleeping and not feeling guilty about it!
What's the worst thing that could happen to you today? Bonus question: How would that thing potentially benefit you?
This actually happened to me on Thursday, and it was possibly the worst thing that could have happened that day.
On Thursday I flew from Seattle to Chicago to Newark, alone, just me - I'm very nervous when I fly by myself. I'm afraid I'll get lost, or miss my flight or something. Anyway, everything went fine from Seattle to Chicago, got through security fine, got some breakfast and went to my gate. The flight was fine, I slept a majority of the way and enjoyed the views of the snow covered country. When I got to Chicago I found out that my flight to Newark was CANCELLED!!! AHHHHH, I thought to myself, I'm not going to cry, just find out what I can do about this. So a American Airlines rep. said that they had another flight leaving O'Hare at 8 and got into Newark at 11. I didn't want to get in at 11 because my original flight was supposed to get in at 7:30. So I end up finding out that there is flight on United that will get in at the time my original flight was supposed to get in. So I call, they switch me. I think great!
Then, I have to find my gate. Thank goodness I walk quickly, because I was in terminal 5 and had to get to Terminal 1. I hate O'hare, way too big! I get to my new gate and walk up the desk, to get my ticket. They inform me that they don't have access to my ticket. And from the way they are talking to other people, they seem to imply that the flight is already full and I would be on standby. So I call American Airlines back, they put me on hold to call United, they get me my confirmation number. I go back to the desk, give them the number. They tell me that the confirmation number is not what they need, they don't have access to my ticket. So i have to call American back AGAIN! This is my third time on the phone with them in 30 minutes. By this time the flight is boarding, and I'm beginning to panic. I'm sitting in a corner of the airport, sitting on the floor crying while on the floor. People are looking at my strangely, and others with expressions of understanding. So i call again, explain that the flight is boarding and I need them to release my ticket to United. They put me on hold, and come back to tell me that it has gone through. So I walk back up to the desk, and they say that I have a ticket but I have now checked in to late. So they say that they'll see what they can do, I just need to have a seat and wait. I said fine, thank you for trying. I just felt relieved for trying to get on the flight. The man behind the desk called one last name and the passenger didn't arrive, so he walked over to me and took my American ticket, and then handed me a United Ticket!!! It was a miracle! I was the last one on the flight, even though there were other people waiting on stand by.
So it seems as though things are now in my favor. We board the flight, and taxi away from the gate. Then the plane stops. We are told that there is a grounding in Newark because of high winds it should only last for 30 more minutes and then we should be on our way. Not a big deal. Except that 20 minutes later the pilot comes on and says that they've extended the grounding in Newark for another hour! Needless to say, seatbelts became unbuckled and people started moving around. I fell asleep for a while, thankfully 60 minutes later we were on our way. The flight is fine, we land in Newark at around 9:20ish, not too bad for all the delays.
The whole time that I'm on the flight I'm wondering where is my luggage? Is it in Chicago going around a conveyor belt, or is it somehow already in Newark. Well when i get to baggage claim in Newark my bag isn't there. Not to big of a deal, except that my tax documents are in my suitcase. I was bringing all my stuff home for the accountant to do, and put it in the bottom of my suitcase not thinking that everything that happened would end up happening. So now i'm thinking Identify Theft for me and my husband.I'm a worrier, so every possibly scenario is running through my head as to what could possibly happen to us. I filed a claim about the lost suitcase, and thankfully it showed up the next day at my mom's house with everything in tact and nothing disturbed.
The upside of this was I got to go shopping for a few items of clothing, and I realized that possessions aren't that important. I have much more than I need, and have been blessed in many ways.
Well, it's been a very long time since I've written here. But I have decided that if I want to write for a living I should probably start using my blog. So I figure I'll start simple with a breakdown of my day.
Work was great today. It was a nice slow day, I only had 3 kids instead of 5, which made everything much quieter and easier to accomplish. I have lots to do at work in the next 2 weeks though. I'm heading out of town at the end of this week into the beginning of next week and come back to do parent teacher conferences. SCARY!!! So I have observations, and portfolios that I need to put together. So I'm thinking that the 5 hour plane ride and a few days of not much to do should enable me to get something done. I'm just hoping that I'm not up super late the night before trying to get everything together.
I took a ballet class tonight with a friend. Thank goodness we decided to take the beginner class since neither of us have danced in a while. My body is currently hating me. My legs feel like jell-o and won't stop shaking. The class was fantastic though. We went to the Pacific Northwest Ballet and it was a small class, only 15 of us at the most. The teacher was wonderful, very patient and helpful. So I'll definitely go back, though my body may continue to hate me for the first few weeks. I didn't realize how out of shape I was, how much flexibility I've lost and how my feet aren't as strong anymore.
I'm off to bed now with a very tired body.
How far from your last home do you live? Why did you move and are you glad you did?
Submitted by Matthew 25.
wow have we moved!!!! according to google maps we moved 2,865 miles - from NY to Seattle. We moved for graduate school, and we are so glad that we did. Seattle is now home! =)
I have no words for what I have just seen....
So instead of trying to catch everyone up on the details of what Scrambler and I have been up, I've decided to just share my highlights with you. If you really want to know just read Scrambler's blog.
Chicago: The rest of our visit in Chicago consisted of pizza, hot dogs, and the Yankees. This was the first game of the trip where we got to see the Yanks. We not only got to see the Yanks beat the White Sox but we also saw them on the streets of Chicago. One day we had lunch at Giordano’s where Mike Mussina also was having lunch, and the following day while exploring Michigan Avenue we passed by Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. One night for dinner we went to Superdawg, home of neon green relish. It was memorable - two dancing hot dogs with scary blinking eyes. But it was another thing we could cross off the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.
Cincinnati/Louisville: Our journey from Cinci to Louisville should have only taken 90 minutes, however in Kentucky they like to stop traffic all together in order to accomplish road work. So there we sat for 45 minutes in a dead stop. I ended up getting out of the car and asking a truck driver what was going on, he said it was construction and then added, "welcome to Kentucky". Great, then after I got back in the car he climbed down from his truck and started stretching. Not a good sign!
Metropolis: Home of the Superman Celebration. All I can really say is that it was certainly an experience. We decided to visit Metropolis (home of Superman in comic books) after realizing it wasn't too far out of the way, and when we researched it, it turned out we'd be there during Superman Celebration. Basically, it turned out to be a town fair with a Superman theme to the whole thing. There is a huge Superman statue in the middle of town where we had our pictures taken. We walked up and down the main street a few times, seeing many adults dressed as different super heroes and also seeing all the comic book themed shops and items being sold. We only spent a few hours there, but it was well worth it.
New Baden, IL: Ooooo goodness, never thought that we would see this town or Shell station I should say. Scrambler wrote an amazing version of what happened so I'll let you enjoy his version. Make sure that you read it!
St. Louis: So after that adventure, we arrived in St. Louis much later than we originally intended. We went into the actual city the following day to see the Cardinals take on the Angels. It was worth sitting in the rain for 5 innings, to see Pujols hit 2 home runs. After the game we decided to go to the Arch "the gateway to the west". It seemed to be the thing to do after a game. I had been to the arch as a little kid, but had never gone to the top so Scrambler and I decided to put aside our fear of heights and do it. So we did, they don't give enough warning about how small the elevators are that take you to the top. If we were claustropbic we won't have made it. We were quite glad to get to the top, but were ready very quickly to get back down. You can feel the arch sway and vibrate with the wind. We took our pictures, some out of the windows of the view and then we headed back down. If you ever have a chance to go to the top do it! The following day before leaving the city we went to Union Station, previously the busiest railroad station in the country. It is now a mall. It was nice, we spent some time in Starbuck's where I called AAA and VW and complained to them about the New Baden experience. They also have an awesome fountain in the front that represents the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers coming together.
Kansas City: We had originally thought that time in KC would be completely relaxing and we would have nothing to really do. I don't know what we were thinking. It was a wordwind of visiting with friends and family. It was great though, seeing people who we haven't seen in years and catching up on life. We also went to some great restaurants and had some amazing BBQ (Jack Stacks).
Denver: That is where I sit now. The drive from Denver to KC was much nicer and not as painful as I expected it to be. Partly, because I only drove 1 hour of it, and also because I slept for like 2 hours. So for me it went quite quickly. So far, Denver is an awesome city. Our hotel is in a great location - thanks hotwire. we still have a few days left here so I'll let you know about more later.
Unfortunately Scrambler and I weren't able to bring our puppies on this trip with us. So they are spending their summer at Scrambler's mom's house.
When I left off the last time Scrambler and I were on our way to Jacobs Field to enjoy a Tigers vs Indians game. It was a beautiful night for game, and the park is fantastic. I think that out of the four (i'll blog more about the others) we've been to so far it is my favorite. The game was definitely memorable, from talking to the woman next to me who was from Canada (did you know they don't have Target in Canada) to Gary Sheffield almost killing an umpire. It was an amazing evening. As Scrambler mentioned in his blog, after leaving the game we went across the street and had the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch the the Cavs beat the Pistons in double overtime in Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs were out of town and they opened up the arena where you could watch on the jumbotran for FREE!
Friday we headed out of Cleveland and made our way to Chicago via South Bend. All I can say is if you ever have an opportunity to go to Notre Dame and see the campus DO IT. The campus was beautiful, it made me wish I had gone there for school or I lived close by and could go there to read/walk around outside. Every walkway we took led to more beautiful buildings, huge manicured lawns and statues.
It was sad having to get back into the car after enjoying the campus. Scrambler and I didn't realize that we changed time zones when we left Notre Dame. So original we thought we were pulling into Chicago at 7:30ish but after looking at my cell phone I noticed it was only 6:30 - not a good time to be heading into a city on a Friday. But the traffic was not nearly what we were expecting, we only sat for like 15 minutes. When we entered Chicago Scrambler's car did what we had been waiting for it to do - the odometer to change to 77,777. He had even set it up so the trip odometer would be at 77.7 miles when it was at 77,777. You can kind of see it in the picture below.
We are staying with my cousin Betzy and her family. It's awesome that they're letting us stay with them because they are in the process of moving and we are here for a week. It's been 6 years since the last time I was in Chicago and Scrambler's never been, so we're looking forward to exploring the city.
Betzy and the fam only live about 10 blocks from Wrigley Field so Scrambler and I walked over there yesterday to
About the game - Scrambler and I have learned that if you want something exciting to happen in the game - have me go get food. Every time something happens in a game, I don't see it and yesterday was no exception. In yesterdays game Lou Piniella (Cubs manager) got ejected from the game because he disagreed with a call that the 3rd base umpire made. And the crowd wasn't happy. I walked out of the tunnel back into the field area to see him kicking his hat on ground and seeing a massive amount of cups on the ground. It turns out that those sitting in the bleachers threw whatever they had in their hands (ie - beer, nachos, cups) onto the field when Lou was ejected. At that point in every game we had gone to on the trip someone was ejected. That streak ended after Wrigley.
After the game at Wrigley we headed up to Milwaukee, WI. So far Wisconsin is the friendliest state we've been in. As I write this Scrambler and I are in a Starbucks on the Wisconsin/Illinois border. We were originally going to stay in a Red Roof Inn outside of the city, but thanks to Hotwire.com (and Liz) we got to stay at the Hilton in downtown Milwaukee for $63. Less than what we would have payed at the Red Roof. So this is my plug for hotwire - the site is great you have to be willing to take a chance but it's been well worth it so far! We went to the Rock Bottom Brewery last night for dinner. The food, drinks, and atmosphere were great. We're excited cause it turns out they have one in Seattle!
**Brewers pictures will come later**
This morning we headed over to Miller Park - home of the Brewers. As nice as Wisconsin is, they don't know how to make parking lots. Trying to get into the parking lot for the game was crazy. They only have 1 huge general parking lot. We could see the stadium from our hotel (3 miles away) it took at least a half hour to find the highway entrance (Milwaukee roads are under major construction) and park at the stadium. But I do have to say Brewers fans know how to tailgate. Before and after the game people had out grills, chairs, and were playing catch in the parking lot.
The game was great, we sat right behind home plate in the Loge Section. The Brewers ended up winning 3-0 against the Florida Marlins. No one was ejected from the game but it was still exciting. JJ Hardy hit a home run which made the sign light up and sent the mascot down the slide. Sadly we didn't get to see the retractable roof open, but I was glad they had one because it rained on and off throughout the game. After the game the stadium allows the kids to run the bases, and they RAN. Even the littlest ones would run as hard as they could all the way around. We ended up hanging out at the stadium an hour after the game watching them and taking pictures. Thankfully, by the time we left the traffic was gone getting out of the stadium.
Right now, Scrambler and I are at a Starbucks like I mentioned, recharging. Starbucks has become our home away from home along this journey. We're always so glad to find one along the highway knowing that we can check email, relax and enjoy a good cup of coffee. Thank goodness for Starbucks!
It has been a busy few days here on the road. On Tuesday Scrambler and I drove to Pittsburgh, PA. It was an uneventful drive which went pretty quickly. We went to the first baseball game of the trip at PNC Park, where we saw the Pittsburgh Pirates against the San Diego Padres. The game was fun and we had great seats. The park is absolutely beautiful, simple but beautiful. Scrambler has more to say about it in his blog.
After the game we drove onto Cleveland. Which amazingly I stayed awake for almost the whole drive, that is quite an accomplishment in my book. We found our KOA Kabin in Streetsboro, OH where when we arrived we couldn't get in. The campground put our key and map on the door for us, which was great except that they forgot to include the electronic key to get through the gate. So at midnight, tired and having driven a majority of the day that was the last thing we needed. So thankfully, I noticed another envelope on the ground was open belonging to another family who hadn't checked in yet. So I took out their key card, swiped Scrambler through the gate and then ran back around, returned the key, and taped the envelope shut.
The campground is nice. Our Kabin has AC which was a necessity in order for Scrambler to get any sleep on this trip. The place only has retired couples around, which is fine for us, we're just there to sleep.
Yesterday, we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It is a really awesome looking building. There are guitars out front, and they are also scattered all around the city. Each having been designed by a different artist. The Hall of Fame is huge, with 6 floors of exhibits my favorite one being a wall of signatures of those who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. I also greatly enjoyed seeing Bono's first guitar and the jacket Michael Jackson wore in the 'Thriller' music video. If you ever go to Cleveland visit the Hall of Fame - but go on a Wednesday (open until 9).
Today, we are heading back into Cleveland for a game at Jacob's Field. Where hopefully Scrambler will get his mini baseball cap with ice cream - it is an official visit to a stadium when that and a shot glass are purchased.
Tomorrow we are off to Chicago for a week where we will stay with my cousin Betzy and her family. We are hoping to stop in South Bend, IN to visit Notre Dame - the home of the Fighting Irish. We're looking forward to exploring Chicago as well as taking in a Cubs and White Sox game.
What kind of camera(s) do you own?
This is such an appropriate question for where Scrambler and I are in life right now. We are currently on a cross country road trip and are getting great use out of our camera. We bought this camera last year as a wedding gift for ourselves.
The only thing about the camera we weren't fond of was the zoom, it only came with a standard one. So we recently purchased a 70-300mm zoom. That thing is fantastic! We can take pictures of players in the outfield as if we are next to them. It has the image stabilization too! Quite pricey, but so far well worth it.
Recent Comments
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gallo pinto said:
Oooo I put aside my fear of heights and went to the top of the arch and totally regretted it...those... read more
on highlights -
Scramblers mom said:
Just so you know the girls are good, on hot days Chloe spends it spread out in front of the... read more
on missing our girls -
gallo pinto said:
Today was by far the highlight of my week getting to see both of you!!! I'm so glad it worked... read more
on missing our girls -
gallo pinto said:
Wow...I'm glad that you have found Wisconsin to be so friendly...I didn't think it was so friendly because I got... read more
on baseball and coffee
There is now blood coming out of my ears.Thank you. read more
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