ABCs of a Nursing School Grad Trip + FL Keys Mini Report;D is for: Dang! Last Chapter of this TR...

Well, it's a depressing story for me, but maybe not for others. I was selected for a 4 year assignment to Germany, but I only had about a year or so left on my enlistment. I started learning German and learning about the culture and was looking forward to many aspects (beer, food, driving fast on autobahn, scenery, castles, seeing WWII battle places --- and not necessarily in that order). I was given the choice to re-enlist and get a bonus or to extend my current enlistment for 3 years. I believe all the services (except maybe the navy since they spend 6 months at sea and then 6 months home in general) have a concept called retainability. I had to have 4 years of retainability for the assignment and only had 1. Well, since military folks are not the best paid, I opted for the money (duh!). Exactly two weeks after I re-enlisted, they cancelled my assignment to Germany with my family and sent me for a year to Korea by myself. If I had extended to take the assignment and the assignment was cancelled, then I could cancel the extension. Because I had re-enlisted, I was stuck (and that, in my mind was spelled s c r e w e d). So, I never got to see Germany and spent a VERY long year in Korea. I got selected for another assignment to Germany when I had about a year left on that enlistment, but a) I had already made up my mind I no longer wanted the military as a career and b) fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Well, that totally sucked.
"Re-enlist! Do it! We'll let you go to Germany!"
"Okay!" <signs on dotted line>
"Oh, did we say Germany? We meant Korea. All them foreign places look the same to us. Sorry!"
 


I know I'm way behind but I have to comment on this subject.

Don't give up. Have you ever seen Diana Gabaldon's books? Those things are huge. She used to write comic books for Disney and she too is a Disney lover.

I'm a big fan of Diana Gabaldon.

I love her books! I had not idea she was affiliated with Disney at one time. We listen to books in the car, we still have to get to the last two Jaime and Claire books.

So happy to see more fans.

When Disney used to put out educational comic books she wrote the captions for the pictures. I love her books. Do you watch the show on Starz? When she needs to get away she often goes to Disneyland.

I love the series too. It's different from the books but still good.

Yes, we do watch the show on Starz! It been so long since we "listened" to the first book, that I'm relearning the lore!

I find I have to reread the books before the new season starts.


I have not! Don't know her work. My understanding is that you have to earn your way up to writing longer stuff. I'm sure she put in the time.

Someone already replied with how she got her start. Her books are very long.

I'm a big fan of the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon. She wanted to figure out how to write a novel so she did one "for practice", now she's working on the 9th book in the series and the 3rd season of the Starz adaptation airs this fall. Her books are 1000-ish pages long...keep on writing!

Well said Tanya.
 


I do not have the time for that! Between my busy schedule, huge DVR commitments, the DIS, and my day trips to DL, I'm lucky to sleep!
That's why I'm thankful for a 45 minute each way drive...and audible! Right now I'm listening to the Outlandish Companions. Diana actually reads a lot of it, not the Synopsis for the books, but all the other trivia stuff.
 
That's why I'm thankful for a 45 minute each way drive...and audible! Right now I'm listening to the Outlandish Companions. Diana actually reads a lot of it, not the Synopsis for the books, but all the other trivia stuff.

Huh. I'll have to put that on my list. We love our Audible subscription! We're waiting for the next book in our series to be released. The editor compiled it posthumously and it's like 14th in a series of 20 books. The author went back after writing the "last" book and filled in some gaps in the time line so we are listening in order. So now we're checking out a new series in the interim. I find it odd that most of the books we like are all based in the past!
 
Okey dokey Kiddlywinks,

This lady is back from a very nice vacation out and this TR will now resume. I'm taking the next couple of days to get caught up around here and give this old and tired TR some attention.

It's great to be back amongst my friends here and will be getting to all of your threads over the next days- meantime...

HOW IS EVERYONE? Anything exciting happen in your worlds while I was gone? What are you all doing/(or did) for the holiday(s) (yes, Canadians, you can chime in too, as I know you had a fairly big deal Canada Day this year!)?

We're going to my FIL's for a BBQ and then walking to our pedestrian bridge to watch our city's fireworks over the river. Low key for us this time around. :)
 
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Good. That last place sounded like a great place to find a chalk outline of someone.

It all worked out very well. The drive up wasn't too bad at all, and I made it in plenty of time to grab a coffee even. The connection was an altogether different story! Yikes!

Maybe... but up here... $$$. Don't think I could justify it.

I wonder why it's more, and if that translates into fewer Private Pilots in general.

It's in the plans.

:banana::banana::banana:

Count me out I'm afraid. Ruby does not do groups. Strangers especially.

Her loss. ;)

Turtles.

Not tortoises.

Here's a photo I took on my trip (t made me think of you):

19657180_1597588403586757_5493204603427132874_n.jpg


Nope. Just meant that sometimes I can't watch it because I run out of time.

Ah, time. Something I wished I had a crapton more of.

No worries Liesa. You've got your hands full right now.
Sounds like just the right time to take a vacation. :)

Life is almost always full to the brim of stuff I've taken on. Work hard; play harder is a good motto for me. And yes, this vacation was exactly what I needed... perfectly timed.
 
I know...I've got grandchildren, so I do know! Happy for you (except the separation thing).

Thanks, Doc! While I'm excited, it's also a bit removed from me in some ways (literally and figuratively). Maybe it'll become more "real" to me once I've gotten to hold Little Peanut.

Is mishmash also spelled insanity? :crazy2:
If talking to someone who's been through it would help, PM me and I'll give ya my email and cell to pass along to him. I was stationed in Korea away from my family (when I should have been in Germany with my family), so I understand all too well the sadness. At least he's got his immediate family with him. That's helps.

Thanks so much! I think they're doing ok, and slowly making acquaintances. I can't believe that the army did that to you after saying they'd do differently. That's so not right. :( I will keep it in mind that you're willing to be a support to them, but for now, I think they're good. Then again, I haven't talked to them in over 2 weeks, so who knows. LOL!

I don't recall the site(s), but I think maybe pricewatch.com (not sure?) allows you to track the prices for the flight you want and it will send you alerts if the prices rise or drop. If you do a search for airline ticket price watch, you should find some.

Oh good to know!! I'd not heard of that one. I will for sure check that out!

I see you're responding, so guess you're back. Hope it was wonderful.

Just got back on the 1st. It was definitely wonderful! Saw quite a bit of my family and got to re-connect with them.

Well, it's a depressing story for me, but maybe not for others. I was selected for a 4 year assignment to Germany, but I only had about a year or so left on my enlistment. I started learning German and learning about the culture and was looking forward to many aspects (beer, food, driving fast on autobahn, scenery, castles, seeing WWII battle places --- and not necessarily in that order). I was given the choice to re-enlist and get a bonus or to extend my current enlistment for 3 years. I believe all the services (except maybe the navy since they spend 6 months at sea and then 6 months home in general) have a concept called retainability. I had to have 4 years of retainability for the assignment and only had 1. Well, since military folks are not the best paid, I opted for the money (duh!). Exactly two weeks after I re-enlisted, they cancelled my assignment to Germany with my family and sent me for a year to Korea by myself. If I had extended to take the assignment and the assignment was cancelled, then I could've cancelled the extension, but because I had re-enlisted, I was stuck (and that, in my mind was spelled s c r e w e d). So, I never got to see Germany and spent a VERY long year in Korea. I got selected for another assignment to Germany when I had about a year left on that enlistment, but a) I had already made up my mind I no longer wanted the military as a career and b) fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Well, that's just about the biggest shaft job I've ever heard. Seriously, that really sucks. I'm so sorry that they did that to you and your family. Shame on them!

And I totally understand your disdain and unwillingness to re-enlist again or make Army your career. I'd have said no thank you as well. :(

I think I'd rather take my mom to Ireland first...before it's too late, then Germany, then NZ. Unless of course someone in Germany or NZ is seeing this and wants to offer me a job!

I imagine Ireland as a very beautiful country with loads of green hills and stone fences, and countryside dotted with villages. I really hope you get to get your mom there soon and make that dream come true!
 
Well, I totally had you in mind back when I used it, so it's kind of yours!

OH! LOLOLOL!!

Well I haven't tasted too many varieties in order to be able to distinguish one from another. o_O :P

Hmm.... maybe I need to go back to Kaz and bring back a nice large variety for you to sample. ;)

I don't want to know how you know what their poo tastes like. :crazy2: :scared:

No, no. No one's eaten any poo. ;) But there was plenty of joking around back in 2010 when I gave those salted cheese curds to the folks who made it to the DISMeet we had in D.C. when I was on my way home from Kaz.

I know I'm way behind but I have to comment on this subject.

Look like you all were very busy chatting it up while was away!! YAY!! Glad you were able to find a place in the living room to pull up a space of couch and make yourselves comfy!
 
Welcome back, Liesa! I haven't gone anywhere, but I did manage to squeeze in a Dismeet while you were gone. But, you may already know about that? If not, it may eventually end up in a TR...

We did go to a parade yesterday, which was fun. We haven't gone to one in years, after a few times of marching with Scout groups. Also fun when you know lots of people marching.
 
Letters K-R!

Whelp, took me a fair bit, but I finally had a spell to sit down and spend some time (quite a lot) finding pictures to get us caught up on The Contest Photos. I had to go alllllllll the way back to Letter K and go up through Letter R. I'm such a lame Trip Reporter :( Sorry!

But, this should be fun! Some are super easy-peasy, others are, I admit, a bit tougher. So, here's how this is gonna work:

PM me your answers. Yep, it's that simple. :)

Here are your scores so far of the 10 Letters we've done:

@Captain_Oblivious 9
@mom3sonstt 9
@pkondz 5
@Flossbolna 10
@amberg93 2
@MAGICFOR2 5
@KathyM2 0
@DonnaBeeGood 5
@franandaj 7
@irene_dsc 2
@Terra Nova guy 10
@Malia78 10
@afwdwfan 7
@DISNEYMOON10121991 8
@Chrystmasangel 10

@glennbo123 2
@Poolrat 2


Here are 7 more now to challenge your Disney knowledge!! Have fun!!

You will find this in Jungle Cruise, but there is a Disney character that begins with
'K' of this species.

IMG_0950.jpg


If you were to see this guy and his friends, where would you be headed that begins with
'L'? (This is a "place", not an attraction).

IMG_0022.jpg


Here is your gimme for Letter
'M':

IMG_9858.jpg


This one for Letter
'N' may not be quite as easy as it would seem:

IMG_1250.jpg


Hidden VERY well on the Tree of Life (especially in this photo) is an animal for your Letter
'O' (which in and of itself is a HUGE hint!). What is it?

IMG_0879.jpg


If you know this ride really, really well, you might know where this place is found on a popular attraction. What ride am I on? *** Bonus point available if you know what is happening at the "Mercado" on this attraction!! For Letter 'P'.... GO!

IMG_0157.jpg


I gave up on Letter
'Q'. Everyone gets a freebie! Yay! See how easy this is?!

Lastly, take a stab at Letter
'R'. If I were riding this, where would I be headed?

IMG_0730.jpg


Remember... ALL your answers must be PMd (please use your old threads with guesses to keep my inbox clutter free) and all of your answers should begin with the Letter for the clue. ;)

Good luck!!

**** A note to the Lurkers: you are loved! And we'd love to meet you! Ummm.... it's never too late to join in and play along. Just PM me your answers and you'll get on the scoreboard. There very well may be prizes for participants in any fashion. ;)
 
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Welcome back, Liesa! I haven't gone anywhere, but I did manage to squeeze in a Dismeet while you were gone. But, you may already know about that? If not, it may eventually end up in a TR...

We did go to a parade yesterday, which was fun. We haven't gone to one in years, after a few times of marching with Scout groups. Also fun when you know lots of people marching.

Thanks, Irene! It was a nice getaway for me. Nice to visit family in better circumstances for sure. :)

I actually DO know about your DISMeet, as I had one very similar, if not identical. Hehe! ;)

That sounds like fun! Marching in them is even more fun! Takes me back, wayyyyy back to Marching Band days. I hope your 4th is magical as well with lots of memories made. :)
 
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I am now officially caught up. Just wanted to say a big congratulations on being a grandmother in waiting. I am sure you will be fantastic in that role. That's great you had a good vacation. Have joined in the photo contest - have PM'd you.
 
HOW IS EVERYONE? Anything exciting happen in your worlds while I was gone? What are you all doing/ (or did) for the holiday(s) (yes, Canadians, you can chime in too, as I know you had a fairly big deal Canada Day this year!).

Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful vacation. :) And that's right, we did have a pretty big Canada Day this year! (Though a controversial one, since Canada is much more than 150 years old for the Indigenous people who lived here before us!) We got rained out, but we had some fun times in between.
 
I am now officially caught up. Just wanted to say a big congratulations on being a grandmother in waiting. I am sure you will be fantastic in that role. That's great you had a good vacation. Have joined in the photo contest - have PM'd you.

YAY!! (I adore the feeling of being caught up! It only lasts about 14 seconds, but it does feel good.)

Getting more and more excited to meet Little Peanut. This Grammy's gonna take him or her to Disney someday!

Got your PM and will be tabulating scores for a little bit. :) You done good though!
 
Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful vacation. :) And that's right, we did have a pretty big Canada Day this year! (Though a controversial one, since Canada is much more than 150 years old for the Indigenous people who lived here before us!) We got rained out, but we had some fun times in between.

Hey Lady! :)

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that aspect of the holiday. I suppose that would put a bit of a damper on things I guess. Glad you got some breaks in the weather to still have fun though! What do Canadians do for a celebration like this? Fireworks? Parades? Special foods?
 

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