Drawn to Scale

This is a random post, but I was going through my pictures and found one that jumped out at me for some reason.

Air Force One is easily in the top five when it comes to mammoth structures I have seen. I don't know that its true size can be captured unless you've seen it in person and even then you've got to be pretty dang close to appreciate its girth. To give some idea of how large it is, take a gander at the photo below; paying no attention to the phantom ghost-like Casper individual handing out schedules under the wing. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have been any whiter had I rolled around in talcum, flour, and zinc oxide. Had Air Force One landed at night, I could have been the beacon that brought her down and directed her to chalk on the T, though now that I think about it, it would have been a challenge for Col. Tillman to discern between me and the chalk.

Thank GOD for my friend, Rachael seen just to my right, for supplying the contrast of mandatory White House dark suit and Jon Hart dark luggage. Otherwise, I could have been mistaken for a landing stripe. You know it's bad when you fade in the presence of chrome. Please note: The notion of wearing white to look tan only applies if you have PIGMENT IN YOUR SKIN.

Note: Thank you to Donny Jones, Belton, TX, for supplying this footage.

Pajama Pants: Not Just for Bedtime Anymore

I was packing for my trip to the beach and as I stocked up my "loungewear", I started thinking about the evolution of the pajama pants. (Yes, I know this sounds like a Creative Writing 101 topic.)

The pajama pants have not always had a stand-alone identity. When the footie pajama peeked complete with footies and back flap, there was no separation of pant and top. When the pajama set rose to popularity, there was no mixing or matching and there was definitely not the option to buy one without the other. We wore sets of pajamas...flannel, silk, and has a child, who could forget the Chinese pajamas? I don't have children, but I'm curious to know if Chinese pajamas can still be referred to as such or are they now Asian pajamas? Just sayin'...

It appears that the pajama pants have broken off from the band and gone single. Like Sting did from The Police. Like Phil Collins did from Genesis. The dress code for pajama pants is much more lax than it used to be. I remember wearing pajamas (the set) to bed and if I was sick. And that was it. I didn't come home from school and change out of my Catholic school girl uniform and into a pair of pjs. Those were reserved for sleeping.

Now, all I can say is, God bless the stand-alone pajama pants. I love that when I shop on-line, they have their own category and I'm not committed to the pajama top AND the pajama bottom. While I have yet to bust out in public with them on, it is good to know that they are a fairly acceptable means of attire. I'm not going to get tossed out of my local grocer for cruising for produce in pajama pants.

When it comes down to settling in for a cozy night or weekend in your abode, there's nothing better than pajama pants. I don't know what it is about them, but for me, they are rising to prominence similar to that of the black pants...you can't have too many pairs.

Photo Album

As promised, I am posting pictures. Thank you to Rachael for supplying the footage!

The Crew and Thomas for Girls' Night at my humble abode:



Memorial Day Dinner at Iguana Grill with Susie, Rachael and Kevin:

Vaycay

There are many obvious benefits to being employed. I won't insult your intelligence by listing them. A couple of the not so obvious benefits of being a contributing member of society are being excited about Friday and taking a vacation.

When you're unemployed, every day feels like Saturday. That can get quite depressing...sort of that feeling you get when you're in casino where there are no windows and clocks. You lose track of time and days altogether and I find that to be rather depressing. (Another reason I find casinos depressing is because I have no money...another causality of being jobless.) I love being able to appreciate Fridays and the weekend. That sort of appreciation only comes from working hard all week and reaping the rewards of two days of downtime.

Planning a vacation is another upside to holding down a job. It gives you something to look forward to and you relish the time off. Not only is this not the case when you don't have a job but for me, it's hard to completely downshift and relax when I am not working. There's a little bit of guilt there and it just doesn't feel right.

Last week I managed to suck it up and join my family on the coast of North Carolina for a little bit of R&R. Unfortunately, the entire family couldn't join us but those who were able to make the trip were lucky enough to bask in the sun and eat and drink well. There's something about a beach vacation that just can't be beat. It's a mind clearing, low overhead getaway that does wonders to take the edge off.

As most of you know, I am not a sun goddess. I have fair skin and I burn just opening the sunroof to go to the grocery store. My makeup has sunscreen in it and I can't go on the beach without SPF 50 on my face. The rest of my pasty self is slathered in 35 and I am an OCD re applier. Until Neutrogena emerged with their sunscreen for pasty and sensitive skinned folks, going to the beach usually was a good idea turned bad. If I did apply sunscreen correctly, I usually was allergic to the brand so while I may not have been sunburned, I would most definitely have had a rash or some horrible reaction. Thanks to the skin freaks at Neutrogena for coming to my rescue. It is because of them that I was able to join my family out on the actual beach last week.

While it seems almost laughable to take a vacation while you're unemployed, I will say that there is a certain stress that comes with pounding the pavement in the middle of a 30% unemployment rate. If you've never had to do it, be glad. If you have or if you're weathering the storm right now, I feel your pain. It's a roller coaster and it's maddening.

Getting away for a few days with my family at the beach was a welcomed reprieve. I needed a change of scenery and time with my people. Thanks to my parents for planning such a wonderful time for everyone and thanks to my sisters and bro-in-law for being able to make the trip.

Below is a photo of my pops with some of the girls in the family. My brother in law, John, has about 852 hobbies, one of them being photography. He brought along his spiffy new camera and snapped this one of us on my last night there. Cheers!