Weekend Trip Report

I went to Omaha for the graduation party of my sister's middle daughter over Memorial weekend. This was the first trip for my wife and I without my mother-in-law since last year's vacation. It was a great time with my family. Some random thoughts:

• Residential Omaha is very confusing. Getting in was easy, getting out was an adventure.
• A highlight was turning on CSPAN in my Ames, IA hotel room Saturday morning and seeing Denis Boyles, author of Vile France: Fear, Duplicity, Cowardice and Cheese, discussing the death of 15,000 French citizens during last year's heat wave. French Health Ministry advice in the aftermath: If you fear for your health because of heat stroke; go to the theater, not the hospital.
• Dug out some old CDs for Road Music:
  
  1. The Pretenders: "The Singles" If this was a "Greatest Hits", it would have included all the songs from "Learning To Crawl".
  2. Shawn Colvin: "Steady On" As good as I remember it being.
  3. Kate Bush: "The Whole Story" My wife called her a "shreaker". There is a line in "Sat In Your Lap" that could make it my theme song.
  4. Bruce Cockburn: "Dart To The Heart" I remember it being better.
  5. Cock Robin: "After Here Through Midland" A one-hit-wonder with two excellent vocalists. Overall, a pretty good cd.
• The eldest niece recently spent some time in southern France and had a wonderful time. Plans on returning, in spite of my attempts to discourage any positive thoughts concerning France.
• The middle niece (the graduate) was causing concern for her parents because of her coffee drinking (Starbucks disease). I suggested to the niece that decaf would be a good alternative. Her reply was, "What would be the point?" Another addict is born - espresso maker for Christmas.
• Youngest niece uses instant messenger like young women in the past used the telephone. This while searching for a song by the Omaha band "311" on the internet. Multitasking or ADHD?