Does This Happen to You

Tour de Costume

I don't know much about bike racing, like the Tour de France.  I know a bit more after watching phase 7 of the Tour of California while eating at a local restaurant.  For some reason, fans in funny costumes like to run along side the racers, at least near the end of the race.  The costumes are hilarious, its better than reality TV.  But, I don't understand why you'd watch a bike race dressed in a toga or run alongside the racers dressed in scrubs.  Do you?

Who Put Those Kumquats in my Cart

Several of my friends and coworkers won't go shopping with their significant others or they didn't want to tell me the stories. This episode is dedicated to those who do shop with their significant other including me.

Paint Your Wagon in Italian

Jack and I spent 3 weeks in Italy a few years ago, another opera workshop for me and a screenwriting workshop for him.  We lived in Spoleto, a town with medieval and older roots, about 2 hours north of Rome.  None of residents spoke English, so lots of cultural immersion.  Makes for great stories, after you've walked around town for 45 minutes trying to find the store that sells milk.  Its also great exercise.

Bag and Weigh at the Spar

I spent 6 weeks studying opera in Graz, Austria.   The highlight of every day was navigating around a city where few spoke English and I spoke little German.  I believe this is called cultural immersion.  Sometimes it feels like you're drowning and sometimes you get a sandwich and a beer when you just wanted a beer.  I still dream about the streetcar automated stop system saying my stop, in German.

Swedish Potatoes

Jack loves that cable show, An Idiot Abroad.  It reminds me of my travels in Europe.  Sweden is a beautiful country not visited very often by Americans.  Potatoes are a staple food, but I didn't know that on my first trip.

Barney hanging from the Bumper

An SUV passed us by the other day, with Barney the plush toy following along behind, attached to the bumper.  Jack and I laughed then wondered, what the heck.  Why would anyone attach a plush toy to their bumper?  I decided to research it and here's what I found, give a listen.

Motherhood at 50

I didn't think I'd live through the first 3 months of raising two puppies.  But I did and its kind of fun now.  I find myself saying things I'd never thought I'd say though.

Its that time of year Again

Its spring and companies are looking for softball recruits.  I answered that call several years ago but never again.  I learned first hand about the baseball refrain, kill the ump.

Can't Stop Now

I long for the days when I could watch a Law & Order marathon for 3 hours straight.  Those days are long gone.  I'm always rushing around and seems everyone else is too.  We passed a driver flossing her teeth while barreling down I-5 the other day.  There are other consequences to rushing, I have the scars to prove it.  I welcome your comments or tales of too many things squeezed into your day.

Tips not Included

Do you have trouble tipping?  I'm clueless about tipping, especially anyone beyond the waiter or waitress.  Turns out most of us don't tip for better service, according to recent research.  Give a listen, you might be suprised why you tip more in some cases.