Safaris Big and Small

This week I went into super planning mode. I needed to figure out my safari, and in the meantime, I am pretty sure I figured out my next career- organizing mid-range travel. I was dealing with two different people, and no step along the way was easy with either of them. Every email led to several follow-ups, every question had a puzzling answer, and nothing added up. I dealt with one person who was short and kind of mean about everything, and another person who had a 10 minute answer for everything in an annoying Texas accent. In the end, everything worked out and my safari is booked. I am going on a 13 day safari to Kenya and Tanzania, including the Serengeti, the Masai Mara area, and the Great Rift Valley, among other places. After that I head to Zanzibar for four days to enjoy the sunshine and the spice plantations. Lastly, I spend a couple of days in Nairobi where I will visit the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. In the meantime, I have the safari that BF got me. For Valentine's Day, he got me an awesome craft- a pipe cleaner savanna. It now sits on my desk at work, and when market share threatens to overwhelm me, I can escape on safari. BF knows me so well!

My Bloody Valentine

This week was Marissa's birthday. It is a way better way celebrate Valentine's Day than the traditional way. We ate junk food and drank lots of the Laura. The Laura is a great drink made from oranges, Fresca, and a good quality vodka. Delicious. We played board games and in general, had a great Valentine's Day. We also have been watching tons of movies trying to get ready for the Oscars. There are so many, and they came out at all the same time. The only way to tackle this problem has been to partake in several double features. We buy a movie ticket for one movie, and after that sneak into another. It has made movie watching an epic affair. I think none of our moods are better for it either. Most of those Oscar movies are downers; it is no wonder BF keeps suggesting we see My Bloody Valentine...in 3-d.

The Republican Bailout

This week was a bit of an adventure. The snow and ice have finally gotten to me. The truck was completely immobile for days, and then when I finally got around to moving it, it got very stuck in the ice in the alley behind my house. The neighbor got all upset and then the truck was towed. When I went down to the city impound lot, I couldn't get my car out of hoc because I still didn't have the license, and therefore, it wasn't registered in my name. It then became a waiting game- waiting for the title, then figuring out which BMV was open and could do what I needed (which was a lot more complicated and time-consuming than I thought), then the huge lines at the BMV, then going to the impound lot and finally getting the truck back. I am now in a false fight with my neighbor, and considerably worried for my truck which still has to contend with lots of ice around Columbus. Good thing I have a couple of things to take my mind of that lame truck and neighbor. This weekend Jason came to town and I saw Coraline, Slumdog Millionaire, the Broadway show Spring Awakening, and the ballet Jazz Moves 2. Coraline was great, even if I can't see in 3D, Slumdog has slipped into my favorite nomination for Best Picture, Spring Awakening was a very good and interesting commentary on repression, and Jazz Moves provided that money spent on Balletmet Columbus is always well spent. Next week I am supposed to continue see the Andy Warhol exhibit. A group of us tried to see it this week but got carried on at dinner and ended up arriving for the exhibit 5 minutes until it closed. It seems that more than anything this week, I need a lesson in timing.