12/09/06 Cruise Continued ~ Pirating Bananas DIS Geekorama Part 2 Part 3

[brack]

Which is why I am down in this recliner from lifting boxes I shouldn't have.

 

[Bella2000]

Which is why I am down in this recliner from lifting boxes I shouldn't have.

Oh Brack - so sorry! Did the heating pad help at all? Ok - I'm going for real now but I needed to ask. 'night

 

[brack]

I am looking forward to our vacation in NC in about a week. The mountains there are so beautiful. Anybody else have vacation plans?

 

[pyramid2000]

I looked for you John...for about 5 minutes. Eagles and Raiders?? Yuck!

Although I will root for the Eagles if they are in the playoffs since they are our closest team. That is as long as Dallas isn't right there with them.

 

[lbgraves]

Ah...you will be about 6 hours away from us if you will be in the mountains. Will you be back home the week before labor day weekend?

 

[brack]

Oh Brack - so sorry! Did the heating pad help at all? Ok - I'm going for real now but I needed to ask. 'night

Not a lot. It takes time and patience. I was not as patient today and now have a slight setback.

 

[kimerinc]

I looked for you John...for about 5 minutes. Eagles and Raiders?? Yuck!

Although I will root for the Eagles if they are in the playoffs since they are our closest team. That is as long as Dallas isn't right there with them.

I was going to look for you, but Raven won out... Sorry DD owns me.

Kim

 

[kimerinc]

Not a lot. It takes time and patience. I was not as patient today and now have a slight setback.

Brack,

Have you iced it with 800 millegrams ibuprofen? That will take the swelling and much of the pain away.

Kim

 

[waltsgirl]

I was going to look for you, but Raven won out... Sorry DD owns me.

Kim

You guys are better than me. Sorry John, didn't try to look for you at all!!

 

[brack]

Ah...you will be about 6 hours away from us if you will be in the mountains. Will you be back home the week before labor day weekend?

We'll be back the week before Labor Day. On Labor Day weekend we do a Family Camp in WV. That Monday we go to WDW for a week, then Atlanta. On the road a lot!

 

[tynkerbell]

My first piece of junk digital camera used AA batteries. When I needed it the most it died!

When I bought the Rebel I also bought the battery/grip that holds two of the Canon batteries. I have never run out of power. It was right out of Tim Allen's Home Improvement!!

I have one of those Kodak easyshare cameras that use AA batteries. It seems I need to change the batteries everytime I go to use the camera. Very annoying.

 

[waltsgirl]

Goodnight all...

 

[pyramid2000]

You guys are better than me. Sorry John, didn't try to look for you at all!!

 

[brack]

Brack,

Have you iced it with 800 millegrams ibuprofen? That will take the swelling and much of the pain away.

Kim

I have used darvocet some but do use this too.

 

[kimerinc]

Goodnight all...

Goodnight Amy, and Thanks.

Kim

 

[pyramid2000]

Night Amy!

 

[pyramid2000]

Sitting out back playing cards with good friends, drinking frozen mudslides, and watching the kids play and catch fireflies.

Mudslides? Really? I would have never known!

 

[brack]

Is everyone going to bed early?

 

[Jhalkias]

So, I go to a football game - which by the way was fun (lots of good hits, but too many fumbles), and I come back to find that the banana cult is on the verge of nuclear winter, and that our teacher and our whole class may be called to the principal's office . . .

I've been on these boards for a long time - never post too much though except when we are going on a trip, or on our cruise meet thread. I actually had many more posts until one of those server upgrades.

I have always considered it a privelege, and not a right to be here. I am here at the pleasure of the powers that be, and I thank them for providing this outlet to meet good friends, and have a good time with people who share some of my values and preferences. I also thank them by using them whenever I can for my travel plans (DU), and have used them now three times for various cruises. If that privelege were to be taken away over something so silly I would be quite chagrined.

For anyone who may think this group is just a bunch of competitive cutthroat 's, I would like you to read the following that I posted on this thread some time ago . . .

This morning, like several mornings lately, I quickly read what you all posted last night after I went to bed, and it struck a chord with some of what I have been thinking. By the way – I look more forward to that in the morning than many other things – I now read posts before I read the news.

I am going to do my best to put this into words, so, I hope you don’t mind if I spend a few moments on my soapbox.

Like many of you, my family (other than Amy) and associates have no idea I lead this kind of "double life" here. Not that I am ashamed of it – far from it. (Of course, Amy’s mother was horrified when she learned that people from the "internet" were coming to spend time with us on vacation at the beach a few years ago.) I just don’t go out of my way to let them in on the fun that I am having with like-minded people, where we can all let our "hair down" if even for just a little while. I told Amy just last night (although I know it is not possible) wouldn’t it be great to have all these people over to our house for a cookout, and spend a day just having a great time?

I can just imagine the employees at the company I work at seeing their head Human Resource executive making all these banana references . . . or for that matter the residents of the community where I am School Board President!

Which gets me to my point. We are living in an age of fear, apprehension, intolerance, and seriousness. I don’t want to turn this conversation to politics, because I know that can polarize and destroy friendships in today’s times.

Today in America, our leaders and our media have cultivated this environment of fear. People who are afraid are easier to control, and they watch more news and buy more newspapers. So the media and our leadership feed off each other, and we all are afraid of our own shadows. I’m quite tired of that. Caution and prudence are one thing – fear is quite another. At some point I hope that wheel will turn back again, and we can live in a society of what is relevant and not just what causes apprehension. I’m reading (actually listening to) a book that has really crystallized those thoughts for me too.

That’s also why this environment is important to me. For me too, it is one place where I can forget about the tensions of the day (which have been much greater than usual at the office lately – with no letup in sight), and have some fun with people of a like interest. I have met some truly amazing, intelligent, and wonderful people through this medium. I have yet to meet any axe murderers. I’ll take that chance as I fathom the chance is slim, and the benefit far outweighs the perceived risk.

With that I’ll get off my soapbox, but just wanted to tell all of you that I enjoy your company, your camaraderie, and your willingness to share some friendship – just because we all happen to be taking the same vacation several months from now. That’s a vacation that means a lot to both Amy and I, as it is one of the few times every year we get to "escape" all those unpleasant realities, and enjoy time as a family.

Thanks

Once done reading this, please read the posts that immediately follow.

The posts that deal with the issue of concern are such a very minor percentage of what this group of good friends has been talking about as to almost be laughable.

Of course we can all be competitive - is that not human nature? No one here, however, has been competitive with a desire to harm anyone else. I hate to give this issue such serious consideration, but I am concerned about Lisa, and I think some of my friends here are also so worried that we stand a chance of losing the fun that we have all had that can make a bad day at the office or at home bearable.

This has been an escape for many of us . . . can we keep it that way and not allow reality to intrude? Please? I'll even quit talking to myself! Please allow us to have fun without an environment of fear.

If we do have to go to that principal's office, I promise I will be our "public defender!

Now then . . . . How many more posts to 12,000? (just kidding)

John

 

[brack]

or are we just being slow?