Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Inbreeding at Its Best

This happened on the shuttle on our way back to the resort. As Julius so aptly put it, it was "inbreeding at its best." I think it killed off some of my little grey cells just being around them.

Gramps, Mom and Dad #1, their Young Sons #1 and #2, and Daughter, Mom and Dad #2, and their Teenage Sons #3 and #4 all pile in and sit scattered amongst the Other Passengers, chattering loudly and obnoxiously and shouting across the shuttle at each other.

Act 1

Son #2 (about 10): Look, it's the LuxOr! I can tell by the light! That's the LuxOr!

Mom #1: It's LuxEr.

S: No, it's LuxOr. That's how you say it: LuxOr.

M: Nooo, it's not. It's LuxEr. Lux-Er.

Daughter: Yeah, it's LuxEr, not LuxOr.

S: No, it's LuxOr! That's how people say it!

M: No, it's LuxEr! "Ee-ar" doesn't make an "or" sound, it makes an "er" sound. How do you spell "Luxor"?

S: L. O. X. Um, um...

M, triumphantly: E-R! So it's an "er" sound not an "or" sound!

S: No-

M: When we get back, I'll call the hotel and they'll say it right and then we'll know how it's pronounced. That'll end this.

S: Fine.

M: Hurray for me for thinking so good!

Other Passengers' IQ drops several points. One particular Passenger's head snaps up in utter disbelief - "so good"?!?! - and whips around to glare at her BFF, as if he could do something about the stupid people.

Oh, but there's more!

Act 2

As the shuttle pulls away from Caesar's, it passes a flashy Ford GT.

Dad #2: That's a sick car!

Teenage Son #1: Yeah it is!

Teenage Son #2: It's so sick! It's sicker than a Beemer!

Dad #1: It's sicker than a Porsche!

Dad #2: It's sicker than a Lamborghini!

A chorus of "yeah's" go up.

A Ford vs a Lamborghini. Hmm...


Act 3

30 seconds from the resort, a foul smell permeates the shuttle. By this point, the Other Passengers don't know whether to laugh or cry or shoot someone.

Dad #1: Ugh, what is that smell?

Teenage Son #1: Eww!

Teenage Son #2 snickers.

Mom #1: Eww, that stinks!

Dad #2, snickering: Someone's gonna have to clean out his drawers!

Raucous laughter amongst the family. When the shuttle comes a stop outside the resort, the Other Passengers breath out a collective sigh of relief and send up thankful prayers. As everyone files out of the car, one of the Other Passengers sees one of the Teenage Sons scoop something up from behind him as he stands up and try to shove it into the other Teenage Son's face.

Disgusting, to say the least.

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Monday, May 12, 2008

In Memory of...

D's dad's memorial was emotionally tiring. There were lots of tears and tissues, but there were happy memories and laughter as well when we remembered his quirks and shared stories. It was a very nice service and I think it was how he would've liked it.

He was truly a unique person and always had something interesting and thought-provoking to say. He was selfless and was always giving, and he invited me to experience my first real 4th of July bbq. He may be gone from us but we'll never forget him. We'll see you further up the trail, Jim Dad. With our fishing poles at the ready.

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Saturday, May 10, 2008

Hot Stuff!

Ryan, David, Kat and I went to Sizzle at the Springs, Ceroc Canada's first ever weekender and it was a BLAST! Workshops, lessons and a party amounted to ten hours of dancing although we only managed eight; the two missing hours went to a very brief nap and dinner. Since it'd been over a year and a half since I've danced properly, this sudden onslaught of Ceroc awesomeness was a bit overwhelming to my feet. And I think I may have to buy new dance shoes; they're over three years old and although they've have been resoled and reheeled, the straps are feeling a bit worn.

The weekender was held at Harrison Hot Springs, BC, and it was an easy three hour drive from Seattle. All the dancing was held in Memorial Hall and we had dinner at the Old Settler Pub. Their Loaded Burger and Schnitzel Sebastian were sooooo yummilicious! The little village was so pretty and Sunday's weather was perfect. We didn't do the hot springs but instead walked around town and along the beach, checked out the sand castles on display for the 3-City Challenge, "trekked" up to the hot springs source and took lots of pictures.

View from our hotel room.

The trail to the hot springs source.

Team Seattle's entry in the 3-City Challenge.


I know I've said this a million times but I just can't say it enough: I love Ceroc. It's not just the dance itself that is so fantastic, it's the whole atmosphere, all the different types of music and especially the people. Ever since my first session at St. Neots, I've always noticed that the people who go to Ceroc are some of the friendliest, loveliest and just plain nicest people. The people who came to the weekender were no different. I just absolutely love it. Until next year!

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Tuesday, May 06, 2008

The Barcelona Chair

Before I get carried away by my recount of Ceroc Canada's Sizzle at the Springs Weekender, I just need to say that I want a Barcelona chair (and ottoman, eventually). (I haven't raved about this have I??)

It's been on my List of Things I'd Like to Own When I Eventually Buy My Own House *breathe* for so long that I can't remember when it first appeared, but it wasn't until several months ago that I discovered its real name (I'd been calling it by "my chair" and often followed by an exclamation and a sigh of longing). I do seem to recall seeing it at Area 51 on Capitol Hill more than once several years ago because I had my face plastered to the window, staring and wishing. Luckily these moments happened at night (most likely en route to R Place or someone's house) so there weren't people inside giving me weird looks, just weird people outside looking at me like I was one of them.

Long story short, it was designed specifically for the German Pavilion at the Barcelona World Fair of 1928. More here. Knoll is the licensed source for this chair and Design Within Reach is having a Knoll sale...but the price is still painfully out of reach. Luckily, there are many other sources that make reproductions.

Now, about that house...

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