A slightly premature wave goodbye

One week until...

New Sleeping Bag Alert

CAN'T WAIT to camp in the Everglades in this HAM s-bag. Photos in use to follow.

Subtlety

me: can i tell you a secret

 Stephanie: duh

1:08 PM me: i think i'm going to force you to sleep on a beach without a tent after doing a big hike

 Stephanie: interesting

  since thats not a secret

  cuz you asked me if i would

  and i said yes

1:09 PM and you responded "youre the hammest chic i know"

 me: i know

  the whole "secret" thing was a fraud just so i could talk about it again

1:10 PM Stephanie: hahahahaha

For Lapsed Obama-fans

Sorry road trip readers, I'm reverting to politics for a quick 'mo. Just read this story about a mom whose family was hit hard by the recession, lost her health insurance, and then got diagnosed with cancer. It's sad and powerful. [from Kevin Drum]

Money quote:

Fortunately for me, I've been saved by the federal government's Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan, something I had never heard of before needing it. It's part of President Obama's healthcare plan, one of the things that has already kicked in, and it guarantees access to insurance for U.S. citizens with preexisting conditions who have been uninsured for at least six months.

....Which brings me to my apology. I was pretty mad at Obama before I learned about this new insurance plan. I had changed my registration from Democrat to Independent, and I had blacked out the top of the "h" on my Obama bumper sticker, so that it read, "Got nope" instead of "got hope." I felt like he had let down the struggling middle class. My son and I had campaigned for him, but since he took office, we felt he had let us down.

So this is my public apology. I'm sorry I didn't do enough of my own research to find out what promises the president has made good on. I'm sorry I didn't realize that he really has stood up for me and my family, and for so many others like us. I'm getting a new bumper sticker to cover the one that says "Got nope." It will say "ObamaCares."

Creepy Ways to Prepare For a Trip

Dave: yesterday i turned off all the lights in my apt and put my headlamp on and made myself a cocktail

Dave: this happened

Dave: this literally happened.

Road Trip to the Everglades Itinerary

Blog's back! New and improved (i.e., less political yammering, more stupid travel banter).

Situation: Stephanie and I take our second road trip together.  A lot has changed since our last trip - for example, it is now the year 2011, whereas before, it was the year 2009.  Also, Stephanie has now become a seasoned road trip/hiking pro (except for the fact that she still doesn't know how to drive...ugh).  Uh...that's all that's changed basically. Anyway, we leave on Friday, December 16, which is soon. How does this make us feel?

Exactly.

Here are the highlights:

1) Washington DC - tour of the Capital, Natural History Museum, National Zoo
2) Drive to Savannah, eat fatty bbq food
3) See a ghost in Savannah
4) Drive to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, buy wands
5) Highlands Hammock State Park - it's cool. Camp.
6) Airboat Swamp Tour - See gators, then eat gators
7) Everglades - massive hikes and canoe rides through croc-infested waters, avoid being eaten, maybe sacrifice Steph to save self flee gators successfully
8) Drive through Florida Keys
9) Go H.A.M. in Miami, avoid being serial murdered