Thursday

AlPacina

@speakeasy14 - Have you seen the movie "The Fall"? I just watched it this weekend, and it has a scene with swimming elephants that looks incredible! Do you swim with them, or ride them while they're swimming?

beachyone15

@CocobellaF - I find planning your evening around a SF to be completely reasonable! My 2nd one comes at the end of the month and the wait is killing me!
@swazzle - I love that photobomb pic!
@untouchablets - Yes, post pics of your SF! It sounds like it was a really good one!
@cu97tiger - Best of luck that you and your H will make the best decision that will make you both happy!
@audrewuh - I hope things get better for you guys. I like your plans of counseling and traveling!
@AlPacina - I have a friend who is obsessed with pandas. She likes to watch  panda cams online, especially when there is a new baby!

audrewuh

@cu97tiger Holy cow, just 9 days?!?

@cocobellaf "snood" makes me think of 

@speakeasy14  and @wink0erin I'm the same way when it comes to traveling: get me to be like a local! I hate feeling like a tourist, or worse, looking like one! 

Thanks @AlPacina and @speakeasy14. It's been three years of awful, but this last year in particular has been hell. There's a light somewhere at the end of the tunnel, and it seems to be getting clearer. 

[Deleted User]

@beachyone15 Is that an Erin Condren????  I have one on my Christmas list!!!!!

speakeasy14

@AlPacina I have not seen it, but going to add it to my list.  I just want to swim with one.  They have such amazing personalities. Obviously not safe with wild elephants.  I know that will never happen, so maybe I can just play with one at a sanctuary. The tourist things where you ride and swim with them is the equivalent to circuses, so I don't want to do that. 

audrewuh

speakeasy14 said:

@AlPacina I have not seen it, but going to add it to my list.  I just want to swim with one.  They have such amazing personalities. Obviously not safe with wild elephants.  I know that will never happen, so maybe I can just play with one at a sanctuary. The tourist things where you ride and swim with them is the equivalent to circuses, so I don't want to do that. 

I would think it would be dangerous no matter what? They're massive creatures, one wrong move and you could be seriously hurt or something. 

untouchablets

@beachyone15 I have an Erin Condren and I LOVE it! And I will def post my stitch fix I'm too excited to not share lol

[Deleted User]

I put a ton of Erin Condren stuff on my Christmas list.  

LINK - Watercolor planner
LINK - Interchangeable covers
LINKS - Extras 1 Extras 2 Extras 3 Extras 4

untouchablets

@CocoBellaF do you want the vertical layout or the horizontal? I've had both and I have to say the horizontal works so much better for me

beachyone15

@CocobellaF - It is. I had to buy it for myself b/c I'm pretty sure H would think that spending $75 on paper is ridiculous. He's too practical!

MissKittyDanger

Can I have another shot at the funny/cute photo?
This is Princess Monster Truck.
You're welcome.  

speakeasy14

@audrewuh The trained elephants are supposed to be tame, so it should be safer. I just meant running up to a group of wild elephants swimming and joining them. It's an unrealistic goal haha

labro

Hey guys, I swear I read everything and just whoa on @TwoDimes, @jenna8984, and @speakeasy14 and your stories about interesting people. That's so cool (and also weird for some lol)!

Anyway, today is....interesting. Short story, I was in a wreck last night and I'm fine, the other driver is fine, my car is totaled.

Story time!

Last night I was driving home late (8:30) because H and I went to my mom and dad's house after work to help them move some furniture. H took Cinders home and I drove home separately because I had to go to the grocery store. As I'm a couple of miles from home I'm driving north along our normal 2 lane road and there's a car ahead of me using the right hand turn lane to turn right onto a side road. There's another car sitting in the side road waiting to turn left. She sees the car making the right turn, assumes that the lane I'm in and the opposite lane are clear (I don't think she saw me behind the car making a right) and started to make her turn. As soon as she pulled out into the road she saw me and I basically had zero reaction time. I slammed on my brakes and attempted to turn my car to the right to avoid hitting her head on. My dad is pretty convinced this saved her life or at a minimum some injuries for both of us because otherwise it would've been a total t-bone type collision. Instead I hit her driver's side front quarter panel and tire, and basically wrecked the front end of my car with most of the damage starting on the right front side and radiating out since I took most of the impact. My airbag deployed and our cars came to a stop right in the middle of the road. The guy who was turning right witnessed the entire accident and stuck around to make sure everyone was ok, and a bunch of people from a nearby neighborhood came to help. I had to get help getting out of my car because my door wouldn't open properly and today I'm bruised and scraped from my seatbelt (which is SO much better than the alternative). So anyway, I'm without a car. I need to wait for the official assessment from insurance but I'm fairly certain it's going to be a total loss. Luckily I pay for comprehensive coverage and I'll hopefully receive a decent settlement to make a downpayment on a new to me car (and if not, that's what emergency savings are for).

So I'm thankful for a lot of things today.

1. I'm thankful for my life and the life of the other driver. Nobody was hurt. Everything else is just money and you can always replace a car.
2. I'm thankful there were no passengers and that Cinders was not in the car.
3. I'm thankful for an amazing insurance company.
4. I'm thankful for my husband who wasn't far away and rushed to the site of the accident to help me.

I just have all the feels for my car right now. My zippy little blue Mazda is gone forever and she and I have been through a lot together. She was MY first car and drove me through the end of college up until now and brought me through most of my 20s. She drove me all over the country. Hopefully I'll have just as much fun and good times in my next car as I did this one.;

cu97tiger

audrewuh said:

@cu97tiger Holy cow, just 9 days?!?

@cocobellaf "snood" makes me think of 

That makes me think of the saying:

speakeasy14

@labro so glad you're ok! If you're feeling any soreness definitely get to a dr.  

labro

@audrewuh I am SO excited you are coming to the ATL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@cu97tiger Good luck tonight with your H! Keep us updated on your journey. I hope you know I've never stopped having all the hope and vibes for you and your H and for tiger kittens!

1. Tell me about the most interesting person you've ever met.
I think both my paternal grandfather and my maternal grandmother. My grandma grew up in Germany and lived through WW2 as a young woman. Some of her stories from that time are at times horrifying, and yet full of love and hope in others. I'm so appreciative of the time I had with her. My grandpa is another interesting person. He grew up in western SD in the early 1930s, so threw through the Dust Bowl. His stories of the conditions he lived in, the work they did on their ranch, and everything else have always been fascinating to me.
2. What is the most spontaneous thing you've done lately?
When H and I were on our trip in SD we didn't have a plan. We just drove around and stopped at whatever seemed cool. We just took it easy and had fun and didn't have an agenda.
3. What is the one thing you most want to do?
Go on a world tour!!!!!!! Or maybe just a Grand European tour. That would be pretty incredible.
4. What type of vacation do you prefer? Are you a relaxer or an adventurer?
An adventuresome vacation obviously.
5. Share a funny/entertaining/silly picture.
I don't have one today. But apparently Callie has started to grab her feet so as soon as @southernpeach89 catches her in the act with her camera I will share!

ETA: Big smiles!!

MissKittyDanger

@labro wow terrifying! glad everyone is okay {despite minimal damages} Can't imagine how you or other driver felt!

[Deleted User]

@untouchablets I want the horizontal, too.

labro

TwoDimes said:

labro said:

. He grew up in western SD in the early 1930s, so threw  through the Dust Bowl. His stories of the conditions he lived in, the work they did on their ranch, and everything else have always been fascinating to me.

@labro, that's so scary. I'm thankful that you are okay! 

Also, I just had to point this out because it is SO unlike you!!! Through =/= threw

AGH OMG I FIXED IT! Obviously I am just messed up today!

AlPacina

@labro - I am so happy you're all right! But your poor car! It sounds like you have an amazing list of things to be thankful for, but it also kind of sounds like you've lost a tried and true (albeit mechanical) friend. Take care of yourself, and I hope you heal quickly!

labro

MissKittyDanger said:

@labro wow terrifying! glad everyone is okay {despite minimal damages} Can't imagine how you or other driver felt!

The other driver was pretty messed up. She was only 16 and I think she just got her license a month or two ago. It's absolutely devastating to be in an accident but I was in her shoes once and I know exactly how shittastic you feel after causing something like that. I really felt for her and luckily her mom showed up pretty quickly to help comfort her.

untouchablets

@labro I am so glad you are okay!!! Sorry about your car, hopefully you have as many great times with your new one as you've had with this one!

Swazzle

Snood is this, obviously: 

MissKittyDanger

@labro oh the poor girl! That's terrifying!

lavenderfields13

@labro Glad you weren't injured too bad and neither was anyone else. That's so scary. 

GoldenPenguin

Swazzle said:

Snood is this, obviously: 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

wink0erin

@labro I'm glad you are ok! That is scary.

After reading @labro and @beachyone15 interesting people tales, I take mine back. The most interesting person I have met/known is my Grandpa. His family moved to Philly after losing everything in the Depression, he met my Grandma on a trip to visit his grandparents when he was a teenager and spent 2 years trying to win her over, they eloped at ages 18 and 19, and Grandpa had to lie about his age (had to be 21 to get married). He still remembers what she was wearing the day they met and he remembers every little detail about getting married. He served in WWII and the Korean War. He spent his career as an engineer and a contract negotiator for Union Carbide, he worked on some amazing projects including one for NASA, and he has traveled all over the USA and the world. His stories are amazing. I wish he lived closer, but I try to visit as much as I can.

GoldenPenguin

I'm late today, and I'm leaving soon for my 2nd appointment for ADHD eval, so this will be quick, but I wanted to answer the questions & tell @labro how happy I am that she's okay!! Sorry for the loss of your baby Mazda  

1. Tell me about the most interesting person you've ever met.
This is really hard. We had a basketball player at one of my old schools who was from New Zealand, and had never played organized basketball before, but was recruited to big schools like Indiana. They play "netball" down there, which is similar, but totally different from basketball, and that's all the experience she had. She was AMAZING, and the sweetest girl ever, and happened to be the tallest female basketball player in the country at the time I worked with her.
2. What is the most spontaneous thing you've done lately?
I think getting the puppy. We had discussed it for a while, then dropped it completely, and then went and adopted him on a total whim. 
3. What is the one thing you most want to do?
Own a horse. Seriously, my dream life would be to have a giant farm with lots of rescued Thoroughbreds.
4. What type of vacation do you prefer? Are you a relaxer or an adventurer?
A little bit of both - I am not an all-day beach sitter, so I like to have something to do to break up the monotony. 
5. Share a funny/entertaining/silly picture.
 

labro

@GoldenPenguin BRUSCHI IS SO ADORABLE!!!!

jenna8984

@labro so glad you're alright, good job reacting as fast as possible to not be a complete T-bone. I am the same way with my car- bought it brand new with my first "real" job out of college and 8 years later I still love her. Sad day to get a new one! Any idea what kind you want?

@misskittydanger @goldenpenguin those pics are awesome!