correctiveshoes621

O M G. I guess we're gonna do this thing. Leaving in a couple hours for the shuttle to Philly.

I'm 65% terrified and 35% excited. Won't lose that fear 'til I touch down in Frankfurt tomorrow morning, lol.

My luggage is full of surprises and boots and weighs an approximate shit-ton. My niece lent me a phone-that-is-only-a-camera, now, and THANK GOD I figured out how to put music on it, as the charger for my wee Ipod-thing literally broke yesterday.

I just talked to Anita on the phone and she sounds lovely. My brother (the hero in all of this, and I mean that sincerely) google-earthed her place and it's a wee adorable brick house with a neat-as-a-pin front garden. Thank God, again, that she has a peacoat that will fit me, so I don't have to try to stuff mine into the overhead bin, LOL.

Pete just started screaming at me, last night, when I tried to call him -- some emergency he was having...IE: his dvd skipped a pause or something..I balked and he heard it in my voice and launched into Lecture #1431: "You don't take anything I say seriously", and was screaming so loud, I just hung up. He fluctuates between pretending I'm not going and calling me with 'Plane disasters', and I just can't afford the negativity. I hate to leave things this way and may still try to call him to say goodbye - because I'm stupid, like that.

My daughter popped in - when I'd JUST left to go get water - - and left me a sweet note, with a feather and a rock from Hibernia Park, to take for good luck. ♥

DJ, of course, is Mr. Casual.

Still can't believe this is happening. Must be brave.

Love, PPLs. Love.

Happy Thanksgiving to all those that celebrate <3

All that remains is the return trip to Philly, tomorrow, to pick up my passport, then, some last minute laundry/packing. Then, I fly out on Sunday, the 27th..Touch down in Frankfurt, Germany for a few hours..then, on to Birmingham, which is huge.

My daughter. Made me look up schedules online, and *gave me a hundred dollars cash* to take the train to Solsbury Hill. I get a bus to Batheaston, from Bath, blah blah blah..

Yes, I cried.

If we time it right, I will be there at sunset..Twilight, the Magic Time *goosebumps*..when we saw that, we just looked at each other and I knew that she knew.

Christmas gift, indeed. LIFE gift.

You should see the hotel that Anita has booked for us in Manchester. Pretty lah-dee-dah. The Cure will be playing on the 28th, right across the street...and WHOO-HOO! I'M TAKING THE CUREJACKET ™ FOR HER TO WEAR AT THE SHOW.

I can't freakin' wait.

TICKETS ARE BOOKED.

NOW IT ALL HINGES ON PASSPORT PROCESSING.

OMG.

K R A F T W E R K.

Perfect night, perfect venue, perfect company.

I could barely take the bliss, was almost in tears. I *love* their opening and couldn't believe that I was actually *there*, witnessing it live - the vocorder welcomed us, and the hairs literally stood up on my arms. The music was just melting and shimmering, all around us. Such absolute joy. I'm still so high on it, I can't really speak, yet. I want to remember it so -
( Read more... )

Just because it's such aching perfection ♥:

OMG, you guys. Last night - it was a BIG SECRET, but I can tell you all now - my son did his very first stand-up comedy set at the open mic night, here:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g53518-d1494702-r129432159-Reading_Comedy_Outlet-Reading_Pennsylvania.html

Annnnnnd he KILLED it! He said one guy almost literally fell out of his chair, and that they didn't believe that it was his first time. He's a natural, and I've always known it, but it's good that others know it, too, now. I was *finally* allowed to tell the fam, and my mother was actually supportive - remembering the school show where he played Santa and stole the show ♥ It was HILARIOUS. I am 100% supportive - do it NOW, when he has a safety net, here at home - he's been writing in a billion wee notebooks, compiling for ages, and knows that he has to pay his dues..and handle the eventual hecklers, etc, but I am so thrilled for him and proud. What cajones. Now that he has had a taste, he can't wait to go back next week.

So you all read it here, first :)

OMG, so late, but Happy Birthday to, mercystars!

Onwards.

You all know what day it is - my nerd Superbowl, the anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

Watching, Rocket Men to celebrate, and it's fantastic. Tears, here. It's amazing to me, still, how this stuff never gets old - seeing 'my boys', they feel like family, to me. Not enough time spent on the Mercury and Gemini programs, nor on the Apollo 1 tragedy, but, that's just me.

Still bits, here and there, that I've never seen, and that's thrilling - and so much that's become familiar canon, to me. Jim Lovell, walking that walk with Frank Borman; how exhausted, they must have been. Tough little Gus Grissom, Ed White's elation during his, 'million dollars'-spacewalk, Wally Schirra's perfect hair and John Young, lying on his back to get the water out of his spacesuit..Geno Cernan, 'down among 'em' - still one of my favorite home-made ringtones. Gene Kranz' vest. The look of absolute wonder on Chris Kraft's usually-terrifyingly-stern face and Charlie Duke's jerk!flomp of relief when the Eagle touched down - and his endearing-as-hell flub, 'Twanquility'..

And Neil Armstrong. Can't touch that. His voice - as wound-up as I imagine he ever got, yet calm as glass to us, 'normals' - still fills me with warmth and pride and such affection and admiration. The perfect man for the job; there simply are no words. And yes, I still remember watching it live, as a newly-minted six-year-old, allowed to stay up and witness this event, lying sideways on the back of our fabulous aqua sofa, marveling. That that was a MAN, up there. On the MOON. Walking AROUND. A man, like my father, like the mailman, like our neighbor, Mr. Quinn, blah, blah, blah. But still incredible, to me.

I know you guys hear the same thing, every year, on this day, but y'know - You can skip it. You can. I understand, and it won't bother me. But it won't change, you know. I still feel it, just as strongly, and for that, I am grateful.

For all mankind.



Good stuff:





My absolute all-time favorite:



And this one's next - as I've actually NOT SEEN IT:

Behold, Pluto!



http://www.google.com/doodles/new-horizons-pluto-flyby