Epic Expiring Espicades

So I mentioned in my previous post (which was now like a month ago....sorry to the 2 of you who have actually been waiting for something...) that I had some wonderfully exciting travel experiences. First there was the bridge....oh the bridge... then the moving airport. Previous to that there had been hammers confiscated by travel security, emergency chutes deployed on airplanes causing day long delays. As I've said many times, I'm always ready for an adventure when I travel.

So a couple of weeks ago I was heading to New York again to visit my sister. I was so excited. I hadn't been on vacation since March, and I hadn't been to my sister's since last November (see the story of the moving airport.)

My flight left Indy at 11:30 Wednesday morning. I figured "I'll leave at 6:30, get there by about 9:30 and have plenty of time for any delays on the road, problems etc." Boy am I glad I gave myself extra time!

6:30 am...in my room....putting my wallet in my carry-on. For some reason I think to myself, "I should just double check my driver's license. You know...make sure I have it and whatnot." Oh whatnot...you slay me.

Let's back up for a minute...I was traveling on Nov. 18. My birthday is Nov. 14. Four days prior to the date of my epic trip. This is important.

BECAUSE MY LICENSE WAS EXPIRED! EXPIRED!!!!!

Yea....driver's licenses expire on your birthday.

Not kidding. By myself in my room, as I frequently do when I get flustered, I muttered to myself (ok, there may have been some yelling) and proceeded to figure out how to deal with this. Got online, looked up BMV hours printed directions to the BMV in Carmel and headed out.

Part-way there realized I'd be hitting Kokomo right about 8:30 when the branch opened. So I called my dad to get directions to the branch in Kokomo, at which point he just said "Well, did you think to just grab your passport? You can fly with that?"

More muttering. Dang it. Wisdom I could have used 2 hours earlier.

It all becomes very unexciting from here....I make it to Kokomo, am first in line to go in, and make it in and out in 15 minutes with a new license. Hallelujah!

Made it to the airport by 10:30 and was just fine to catch my flight.

The moral of the story....Traveling is always an adventure for me.

And oh yea...Check the expiration date before you travel.

Coming soon....How to catch a mouse when you return from vacation.

25 Random Things

Because I've been tagged in this on facebook....Here goes.  I may or may not go back and tag people in this on Facebook.  I am still undecided.

1. I hate being cold.  It is one of the worst feelings in the world to me.
   
2. I once earned the nickname Ballerina Barbie (don't ask, and please, for the love of all that is good, don't ever call me that.)
3. Oh yea, I used to be a dancer (ballet, clearly...see above.)
4. I am petrified of heights
5. I love climbing and working high ropes (clearly 4 and 5 make no sense...that's why 4 is an irrational fear.)
6. I am also petrified of bridges
7. I am very shy, but wish I was more outgoing.
8. I have a yellow lab named Misha.  I secretly thing she is awesome even though I call her "the beast" and blame all disorder and chaos on her.  Shhh....don't tell
9. I love having an excuse to get dressed up and go out with friends.  Always a good time.
10. Back in college, my roommates and I had a traveling can of rutabagas that mysteriously appeared in random places.  My favorite was in my purse, which I discovered after I got to class that day and opened it up to find...not a pen like I was hoping....but a can of an unknown, orange, root vegetable. 
11. I used to hate The Office....until I watched the bloopers of Season 2 with some friends, and I have been addicted ever since.
12. I am one of those people that watch almost all the bonus features on a DVD or TV season...."The Making Of" features, gag reels, you name it.  Yep, I'm a dork.
13. I want to move to Boston some day
14. I still watch the TV show "ER."  Feel free to judge me.  Yes I know it's been on for way too long, and is really bizarre...but it sorta fulfills my former desire to be a doctor.
15. I have an intense fear of drowning (even though I am a decent swimmer and used to be on a swim team).  And don't even think of dunking me unless you want me to start crying hysterically
16. I only went to 1 high school dance....and I DO NOT regret it.  Turns out for being a former dancer, I'm....not much of a dancer.
17. A good day to me involves a couch, a hot drink, a good book, good music, and snuggling with my dog.  Maybe a good movie to finish the day.
18. I secretly wish I had Sarah Neel's sense of style...but don't think I could ever pull it off.
19. My sister is my hero (awww.....)  If you haven't met her, you probably should.
20. Flattop Grill is one of my all-time favorite restaurants.
21. If I could do anything right now and be guaranteed I would succeed, I would want to open a residential program for young girls who have nowhere else to go....Maybe they have psychological problems, have gotten kicked out of school, their homes....Not really sure what exactly...but something along those lines.
22. I am not a competitive person, however I become competitive whenever I am around my brother-in-law, Jon....and I tend to make lots of empty threats.  It's highly entertaining (and he usually schools me anyway).
23. I wish I was more witty....My staff is crazy and I can never keep up with them.
24. I have flown a plane....and it was awesome.
25. Bring me a cup of coffee and chocolate and you are guaranteed to become my friend.

Family

Meet Nikki and Jon. They are cool. Two of the coolest people I know. (I may be biased considering they are family....but anyway.)

I got to spend over a week up at my parents with Nikki and Jon for Christmas. It was great, but a little crazy at times too. That may or may not be because my dog, Misha (the yellow lab in the picture) was there...along with 3 cats and Jon and Nikki's dog, Marcy (black lab). It was INSANE.

Anyway...my sister and I always tend to go a little bonkers when we get together. Usually we just laugh a lot...but this year, back when I went to visit them in November, we had the genius idea to get crafty and creative for Christmas...and my our entire family Coordinating Christmas Pajamas! Sweeeet!

It all started back when we were little, when grandma would make us matching Christmas nightgowns (these suckers were elaborate....I remember peach flannel, white with pink rosebuds, and green silk just to name a few.) So, in honor of Grandma, we thought we should pick up the old tradition.... which led to us making a combined total of 7 pairs of pajamas (we limited this to immediate family to save ourselves a huge headache since we both tend to procrastinate on things like this.)

Let me just go on record as saying these are the sweetest pajamas ever. Super comfy, and very Christmassy...they were a huge hit, loved by all (except for maybe dad and Uncle Tom. But they obliged and wore them Christmas morning.)

And yes...we took pictures and everything.

We are officially "that" family.

Three Words: I Hate Turbulence

Flying is always an adventure for me. I feel like I never know what is going to happen. One time while boarding a plane, one of the crew members accidentally deployed the emergency chute...no lie. And those suckers don't just get rolled back up and stored away.... No no no. You deploy the emergency chute...maintenance is hunting for a NEW DOOR.

Then there was the time I unknowingly had a hammer in my carry on. SERIOUSLY. I thought the TSA dude was going to take me away (this was on a trip for work, and I thought my co-workers were going to die laughing. It was pretty ridiculous.)

The list could go on.

Today, on my way to my sister's in New York, I added another "What the heck?!?!" moment to my list of flying stories.

I was flying from Indianapolis and leave to drive there at about 6 this morning. That's a rude way to start the day anyway. But then I get to 465...and I start noticing signs saying "New Airport, Now Open," and "New Airport, take I-70 West to Exit 68." And I am going, "Did I miss something here?"

Turns out I did. Turns out there is a NEW Indianapolis airport...that I had no clue about. I'm still driving along thinking, oh they probably just put in new access roads, or redid the entrance. No no no....It's a whole new airport. Brand spanking new. Don't even get there the same way. Wanna know when it opened? Last night. Yep. Last night.

Pretty sweet right? Sure... but let's think about something for a minute. Had I flown to New York on, oh...say Monday of this week, and returned Saturday. I would have driven to the old Indy airport and left from there and returned at the new one. Here's what I want to know....How would I get my car? I sincerely hope someone in the upper levels of management thought about that little predicament. (If not, I would be willing to bet someone got fired fairly recently. Like maybe today.)

To top this all off, I got there and there are a ton of military personnel walking around, lots of flags, and...you guessed it....a band. At first I about laughed out loud thinking how ridiculous it was that there would be a band at an airport opening. But then, as I am finding my way through the terminal, I hear, "Danni!" I turn around and it's an old friend of mine from High School! He is in the military and was working and informed me that there was also a unit of troops returning home from Iraq and that's why they, the band, and all the television cameras and reporters were there. It was pretty neat to see, I'm not gonna lie. And it was pretty great to see him too! An added bonus!

So all this to say....I never really know what to expect anymore when I am traveling. But I am always prepared for an adventure.

Sidenote: They used to not charge for checking any luggage, then recently it became you got charged if you checked more than 1. Today...if you checked any bags, you had to pay. Boo.

Reasons for not running

So of all the reasons to not run....I think I have by far THE BEST reason not to run and it is not:

• being too tired
• being too lazy
• being too busy
• being too sore
• being unmotivated

or any of the other reasons that I would have thought I would have come up with by now.

No no. You ready for this?

It is Bigfoot.

That's right...Bigfoot.

Turns out there was an alleged Bigfoot siting at the end of my street (street is a generous term....let's try gravel road of death.)

Seriously. On Monday, I get all excited because it's so nice and I decide I am going to run outside rather than at the Y. I get all ready, iPod going, stretched, and off I go. I make it to the road when I remember....Bigfoot! So what do I do? That's right. Turn into a big ole SISSY and go running back the other direction and decide to run trails instead of on the road. NOT. KIDDING.

Now in retrospect, if I were Bigfoot, I'm pretty sure I would spend more time hiding out in the woods rather than on the main road. So if I was really worried about Bigfoot, I should have stuck to the road. But alas, there are simply times when I am not rational. Clearly this is one of them....on many levels.

But in other news....I am doing well and staying on track with my training plan and my body hasn't revolted yet. So I consider that a huge success so far!

Seriously?? Now I'm nervous...

For the second time in 3 days, I slammed my finger in a door.

It happened with the same stinkin door at the office, trying to shut it the same way (which is how I always shut it....like a normal person would shut ANY DOOR), just a different finger the second time (but oh yea...on the same hand.)

Seriously??? Now I have matching black and blue fingers.

Now I'm a little worried. I have to go shoot a video standing on the roof of a cabin. If I can manage to slam my fingers in a door twice in the same week...I wonder what's going to happen when I climb a ladder and stand on a roof.

Someone should probably pray I don't die.

Entertaining Read

I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson

If you are ever looking for a fun, easy, entertaining read...this is the book for you. The other night, I sat reading just a few short chapters...laughing out loud uncontrollably for a good 10 minutes (keep in mind, I was by myself...try not to judge me for being ridiculous.)

To give you a taste of the amazingness of this book....A few excerpts from the chapter titled "Well, Doctor, I was just trying to lie down..." about the ridiculous amount of injuries inflicted by consumer products.

"Consider this intriguing fact: Almost 50,000 people in the United States are injured each year by pencils, pens, and other desk accessories. Ho do they do it? I have spent many long hours seated at desks where I would have greeted almost any kind of inury as a welcome diversion, but never once have I come close to achieving actual bodily harm." (pg. 18)

"I would also welcome a meeting with almst any of the 263,000 people injured by ceilings, walls, and inside panels. I can't imagine being hurt by a ceiling and not having a story worth hearing. Likewise, I could find time for any of the 31,000 people injured by their 'grooming devisces.'" (pg. 19)

"But the people I would really like to meet are the 142,000 hapless souls who received emergency room treatment for injuries inflicted by their clothing. What can they be suffering from? Compound pajama fracture? Sweatpants hematoma? I am powerless to speculate." (pg. 19)

This is most definitely worth a read.

*On a side note....On Sunday afternoon I was so exhausted I walked into my own refrigerator....Just straight up walked into it. I have now become a statistic...

Things you should never do....

One of the people at work has this rule he lives by... "Don't die stupid." I think it's a good rule. Obviously he thinks it's a good rule too.

I almost violated said rule yesterday....

I would suggest never trying to move a really big ladder from a cramped space by yourself. Obviously, it could fall on you, pinch your fingers, land on an important body part.... You never know what could happen. But let's be honest, in a pinch, we would probably all just tackle it by ourselves if need be and assume the potential risks. Fine...whatever...

Unless the really cramped space has, oh I don't know, hand saws, sickles, pitch forks, and axes hanging on the walls around you.

Yep. Not kidding. Did that yesterday. Fortunately the only things I knocked of the wall were a pitch fork and a hand saw (only one of several, so that's good right?)

Luckily I still have all my fingers and toes and no puncture wounds.

God is good.

Geeked Out

So I just spent probably 45 minutes doing geometry, maybe a little trig, and using the wonders of the pythagorean theorem with a couple of people I work with to calculate heights, distances, angles, all that sort of stuff for work. (No, I have not switch career fields, I do still work for a camping ministry).

I can't decide whether I feel good about this, or incredibly geeky. I mean on the one hand, how great is it to be able to pull out something you learned back in high school and realize, "Hey! This stuff does apply to real life!" On the other hand.... wow, I am a geek.

I suppose I realized that last year though when I helped a friend work on the data for a psych paper that was being submitted for publication. There is something rewarding about thinking hard, solving problems, and using what you've learned along the way. I guess it feels like you've accomplished something.

So yea... I guess I'm a geek, but I'm pretty sure most people that know me already knew that. And if not.... well if you want to really know me, then it's a good thing you learned now.

And oh yea... we did use calculators online. But at least we knew the theory behind it!

:)

A Funny One

To start things off right... A funny story.

Sarah gave me a cat. Yes that's right. A cat. Wasn't too sure about this.... and am still not too sure about this (especially in light of it's most recent antics).

The cat likes to escape, and it did so Saturday evening (probably after some people tormented the poor thing all afternoon at my house by making it wear necklaces (AKA rings cut out of plastic cups and put around it's neck!) So she escaped. Normally she makes her way back within 12-24 hours, no doubt hungry and in need of protection from the dangerous beasts that live in the middle of nowhere....

Well, she hadn't come back as of lunch today (that would be Monday), so I go out on the front porch to see if she comes running and I just hear a faint, pathetic little "Meow...." I follow the sound until I realize.... SHE IS STUCK IN A TREE!!!! No joke. Like 20 feet in the air.

I tried treats. I tried talking nice. No luck. I'm going to have to get a ladder....or climb the tree.

It could be an adventure.