What, I Get Vacation Time?

Geeze, who knew?

Tomorrow, I'm going on vacation. We're headed to the Four Corners area so eight-year-old Sara can put her body parts in different states. Plenty of Native American ruins to visit, maybe some canoeing...I may even get sufficient sleep.

A recurring theme for me seems to be what I expect versus what actually happens, so I'll go on the record with my unrealistic expectations, and we'll see how far off I am after I get back.

1. Sara will finally spot the elusive Rhode Island licence plate she has been searching for, in a National Park parking lot somewhere.

2. Some enormous touron (that's tourist+moron) will walk up to a ruin at Mesa Verde and give it a swift kick while saying something like "Now THIS was built to LAST!"

3. The hot springs I have heard of will be clothing optional.

4. We will have to listen to Roald Dahl's "Matilda" at least twice on the journey. Sorry, Roald; I love your stuff, but I can spout solid minutes of "Mathilda", verbatim.

5. I will finish "Joy Luck Club", re-read "Death of A Salesman" and get at least part way into "Housekeeping". (This is probably the least likely expectation to be fulfilled.)

I have to admit that I have been blogging for about 6 weeks now, and I'm getting pretty attached to it. Thanks a bunch, Jess, for getting me hooked. You know, the real reason I even started blogging was that I wanted to comment on the fascinating stuff in "Skymall: the In-Flight Catalogue". I haven't even got around to that yet.

Another thing I need to ponder on my vacation, provided I get enough navel-gazing time, is the soundtrack I want to make. One of these days, when I get time, I'd love to put together a CD of songs that I listened to constantly (voluntarily or involuntarily) at different points in my life. I'll pose this questions to anyone who comes to visit while I'm gone, and I'll see what comes of it when I get back.

So, what song...

Was the first popular song you actually noticed and payed attention to, instead of listening to Disney tunes and, "When you hear the fairyland chimes, turn the page!"? For me that was (this is a little embarrassing) "Stayin' Alive" (Ah, ah, ah, ah...).

What was number one when/if you used to pay attention to "American Top 40"? "Funky Town", for me. (My kids think that originated on the Shrek soundtrack, and that it's actually "Monkeytown."). I still like that - it can go on the soundtrack.

What played over and over on the radio while you were lying flat on your back in your room staring at the ceiling, being self-absorbed? (Oh, God... "Ebony and Ivory". Maybe I'll leave that one off.)

Embarrassing dances in Junior High? "Does Your Mother Know?", by ABBA. (Sorry, I don't know how to make that "B" go backwards. Forgive me.)

Finally for today, what about the song that was playing the first time you made out with someone in a back seat? "Jenny, I got your number! 867-5309!" I don't even know who sang that any more.

OK, enough. I'm still at the office and it's getting on toward midnight. Of course, I can sleep in the truck tomorrow, as long as no little people put Legos down the back of my shirt. The problem with an extended cab - it's just kind of up close and personal.