summer vacation?
yeah right!

i'm laughing as i write this because my recent trip home was anything but a vacation. it was more like a never-ending, somewhat exhaustive journey of discovery.

i discovered i had the guts to sing donna summer's "last dance" in front of a crowd of people chilling at an upscale restaurant bar.

i discovered that some people--most of whom were still seemingly sober--actually thought that i could sing.

i discovered that some older women really, really like their liquor.


i discovered that i had an adorable little cousin whose personality is as big as cyberspace.

i discovered that i could actually enjoy spending my monday nights watching aging athletes and classmates drink beer and play softball. it's fine family fun.

i discovered i really need to lay off the carbs.

i discovered, with the help of my cousin bishop clay, that there really is a difference between faith and hope.
i discovered my parents really do need to get out more.

i discovered, finally, that my mother has a movement disorder and what we must do to deal with it.

i discovered that there really are never enough hours in a day.

i discovered just how frustrating life can be when you're staying in a house with no dsl.

i discovered that i need to spend more time mentoring and less time bitching.

i discovered the need for medical power of attorney forms.

i discovered that my parents are ready to give up their house.

i discovered how high gas really is.

i discovered that talking about the lack of diversity on television on npr with a couple of colleagues is really enlightening. check the link!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92223523

i discovered that there are a lot of photo opps in downtown cincinnati and i missed them all.

i discovered that the amish are good cooks.

i discovered the right way to begin each day.

i discovered that good friends always know what you need without you having to ask for it.

thanks mam and jap for all the medical advice. thanks cat, bl, bm, dd, memc, br for all the support. thanks mrs. waller and cousin marg for telling me what i must do. thanks docjr and hvk for bringing it on home. thanks mm for ringing at just the right time when i needed a diversion from all the madness. thanks ctw for exposing me to new things. thanks bnyc for the amusing text. thanks mw for the free legal advice. thanks kmb for that amazing photo that our girl angela took--it was just the one i wanted. and thanks jm for the ride home.



photos: 1. me with my cousins tierre and stephen; 2. me with my high school classmates and friends steve fletcher and barb richman; 3. my cousin steve "bro" bell; 4. my uncle chicks and cousin bishop donald "pepe" clay jr.; 5. my cousin eric bell; 6. my cousin joann with my mom