Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Signage
Below I told you about the signs warning us to keep our tanks full. Well, as most of the country has heard, there is a Category 1 hurricane hitting the very southern tip of Texas. South Padre Island is where everyone's reporting from -- spring break might never be the same. Bo-ring. And what's funny to me is that they're reporting from there because if the storm was just a little more south and was hitting only Mexico, nobody in America would care one bit. But hey, it's going to graze Texas so Al Roker gets to lead the Today Show!
Anyway, the signs changed the day after my post below and were then not just telling us it was hurricane season and to keep the tanks full, but now:
"STORM FORMING IN GULF. FILL YOUR TANKS."
Goodness. It's almost like they're trying to incite panic.
Anyway, the signs changed the day after my post below and were then not just telling us it was hurricane season and to keep the tanks full, but now:
"STORM FORMING IN GULF. FILL YOUR TANKS."
Goodness. It's almost like they're trying to incite panic.
Labels: helpful signs, Houston
Monday, July 21, 2008
Everyone Panic On Three... Ready?
Here in Houston, those fancy overhead electronic signs over the highways normally indicate how traffic is flowing. Like, you'll be on a highway and you know it intersects with another major highway a few miles ahead and it'll say, "6 minutes to I-610 at 4:53 PM" -- so you can look at the clock and have a pretty reasonable and accurate idea of when you'll be getting somewhere. That kind of thing. The signs also, of course, alert people to accidents and Amber Alerts when necessary.However, yesterday and again this morning they had a very simple message for everyone:
"HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE. KEEP YOUR GAS TANK FULL."
Yes, that sounds reasonable. Thanks for the tip.
Labels: helpful signs, Houston
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Is That An Open Competition or Is It Invite Only Like the Masters?
Who says the British are uptight? According to this story, nine British women were arrested on prostitution charges "for taking part in an oral sex competition" in Zakynthos, which is some island off of Greece.First of all, if you can't get freaky in some remote holiday island off the coast of Greece, where can you? They likely figured, "Hey, nobody knows us here."
And second, it's a contest! Someone likely challenged them! And we all know you can't back down from a challenge like that. They needed to objectively determine who was the best. I think I'll challenge my wife this evening.
According to the story...
The women, who came to the popular resort on holiday, had been paid to take part in the competition, which was video recorded and was to be posted on the Internet, police said.
Um, where, exactly on the Internet? Just curious.
Labels: getting freaky, Greece, oral sex competition
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sand Between the Toes
We're back in the heart of Tejas after our ten day adventure to the Northeast. And less than 48 hours ago, I was walking in the surf on the beach on Long Beach Island in NJ, getting my last feel of the water and the beach for at least a year, I figure.As I strolled along for the last time, I had all sorts of thoughts back to those same walks each summer when I was a kid. Heading up to the beach one last time to say goodbye to the ocean and the beach for the season. And I felt the same wistfulness, about how much I love it there and how much I truly feel relaxed there.
Sitting on the Southern-style front porch of the beach house, drinking the morning coffee, hearing the crashing of the ocean and feeling that sea breeze.... it's just something I will never tire of. I imagine living in San Diego or the beach communities of L.A. could provide something similar, but if you're doing it every single day, it stops being special.
My trips to my childhood beach area always bring back awesome memories and continue creating new ones. And no matter how many times I walk on that beach, it just never gets old to me.
This time around, my lovely wife's sisters and their kids (and mom) came along for the week. So it was a bigger group but the best part was that it was all new to them. They'd never been to that community or experienced the things we all love about it... and they couldn't stop talking about wanting to come back to the same place. You never run out of things to do but at the same time it doesn't feel sleazy like the boardwalk locations in Jersey (Seaside Heights, Wildwood, Pt. Pleasant, Belmar, etc.). It's a family atmosphere, but with fun nightlife, too, should you decide to check it out.
We'll possibly try out other locations in future years as a growing family.... possibilities include Ocean City, Maryland and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. But I know that I will never tire of heading back to my favorite vacation place along the southern coast of New Jersey.
We'll possibly try out other locations in future years as a growing family.... possibilities include Ocean City, Maryland and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. But I know that I will never tire of heading back to my favorite vacation place along the southern coast of New Jersey.
Labels: Long Beach Island, vacations
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Sometimes It's Cool How Things Work Out
We're taking a flight up to Philly tonight to kick off our week of vacation at the world-famous family beach house. Yes, traveling North to go to the beach. Trust me, it's worth it. Sun, boat, beach, better water.... more pleasant climate. It's all great.
But on of the coolest things -- at least for a history-oriented dork like me -- is our flight number for tonight. We're traveling into Philadelphia, remember, home of the Liberty Bell and all that wonderful American history.... and it's July 3, landing almost late enough to be July 4.... and it's flight number 1776.
How neat-o is that?
But on of the coolest things -- at least for a history-oriented dork like me -- is our flight number for tonight. We're traveling into Philadelphia, remember, home of the Liberty Bell and all that wonderful American history.... and it's July 3, landing almost late enough to be July 4.... and it's flight number 1776.
How neat-o is that?
Labels: 1776, air travel, American history, flight numbers, New Jersey, Philadelphia
