Undercover Heathens

Note to readers If you are deeply religious, you might not find this funny. I would designate it as "Respectfully Irreverent." What I really found most entertaining about this whole museum/gift shop whatever was the complete lack of coherence and connection between displays. Maybe I just didn't get it (always a possibility with me) but this really did seem pretty damn, er, darn random.

I try to make it a point to explore and delight in the "attractions" of wherever I land. I have a book called "Day Trips from RDU" with one "place to visit" earmarked. This. Today turned out to be the day I made the trip with another adventure seeking pal, CB (name abbreviated due to the slightly irreverent nature of this whole excursion).

My money trap, I mean, my Saab was in the shop today so I was promised a loaner. It was the most underwhelming sedan ever, with a kind of funky smell. But, whoever used it last left in a CD called "Birthday 2003" that sounded more like wedding music one would play in 2003 and that was highly entertaining.

We made a quick stop another equally quirky location en route - Critters Corner. Note CB's attire. Short of a bike, remind you of anything? The outing also gave this CT girl a reason to wear her pearls - keep an eye out for them later.

Our destination was located in Southern Pines. As soon we get on this road, it became quite clear why. I am a big fan of trees that feel like a canopy.

The guidebook had double billed the museum as both a "Museum of Creation" and "Taxidermy Hall of Fame." After one of two display cases CB and I guessed that this was all just shit from someone's basement with loosely correlated bible quotes to accompany them.
Jamie checking out the knight's, um friends?

Here we come!

Ok, so the random picture of Ronald Reagan was the first tip off there might not be any sort of thesis to this museum.


I think CB and I were both equally delighted by the randomness. There were far more pictures and hilarity that I will be able to post and share. Some higlights, however.

Bibles and traffic signs


I think my absolute favorite was the display labeled "False Gods Worshiped In Place of the Creator." Here's our audio commentary.
Click here to listen to memo.mp3

Chick-fil-A in this museum I kind of understand. Golf, I do not. Unless you subscribe to golf as religion, which many do. But still.


It just kept on getting curiouser, and curiouser, as Alice might say. Plumber's first wireless phone?!


Jamie contemplating the wall of can openers.


Let's just have some of the pictures speak for themselves. Because, really, it was hard to know what to even say or think. Undertakers saw, used to cut off the ring fingers of the deceased. For real.


Jamie bonding with her alter ego, the pirhana (CB was taking the pics so therefore is in less of them).


Blissfully unaware of the world's largest Beanie Baby hovering above.


Stuffed beaver. Too bad this is a museum, not a yard sale.


Affirmation that CB and I are not an accident of nature.


What we consider buying from the gift shop. But don't.

(I had to pin my shirt by the way because it was too boobalicious otherwise).

We did make an admission donation though because we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. And heck, perhaps salvation is for sale.

Play

What strikes about this book is the paradox the author has to work through of explaining that play can be apparently purposeless and therefore purposeful. It's interesting to watch the author negotiate such a tricky point that is kind of at the heart of the book. I've put down the book and thought to myself "Must go play!" and then realized that fuck, I'm still missing the point if I make it too much of a mission. But at least I realize that.

33 years. 33 miles. Take that, 33.

My mom always calls me on my birthday (I can't say the same for the other parentals) with an glass-shattering rendition of Happy Birthday.

Incidentally, my cell phone stopped working today.

I believe the two events to be unrelated.

Before I realized my phone farted out on me I was bummed nobody was calling me on my birthday. Especially because I'm not shy about advertising it.

Dreaming of Driving

Drove to DC & back with pal Diane. Virginia certainly doesn't spend lottery funds on filling those *bounce* *thud* potholes.

There were snacks, so why not?

Everyone in my department at work was invited to join a discussion group (book club just doesn't seem like the right term for it) about "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." I've never read the book but I'll admit part of me suspected it had a high probability of being dumb - probably because it's so popular and comes with a workbook.

But, I decided to join anyway. The way work is structured I spend a lot of time with people who work on my account but barely know many of the people in my department. McKinney has a high concentration of "good people" (especially for this industry) and there were snacks, so why not?

I haven't read anything earth shattering yet but I'll admit there have been a few ideas that resonate and are well put. With that, I'll share the following.

"It's incredibly easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busy-ness of life, to worked harder and harder at climbing the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall."

The expression of "climbing the ladder" is trite, but I did take pause at the concept of the wall the ladder leans against. It brought something new to an otherwise tired analogy.

Overheard at work today

"In a nutcase..." (meaning in a nutshell, but what a wonderful slip).

Who would I invite, or would I be the one to get invited?

I think my favorite part was Jermaine from FOTC.

Shimmer Wall

I think someone else should manage my Netflix queue

Jamie is....squirrel.

But it don't snow here

It stays pretty green

Tired Tire

Just this morning I drove past Swedish Imports (the place where I get my Saab serviced) and thought to myself "My car has been trouble free for so long."

Until this afternoon. After an obscene amount of reschedules I was headed to the dentist. On I-40 and I heard a weird nose. At first I thought it was the CD I was playing but the noise didn't go away when I turned it down. Then I thought a window might be open. That didn't appear to be the case. Then there was blue smoke and a bad smell and I got myself off that highway right away. This was the state of my tire.

I was calm and cool (well not cool, it's really hot out there) and called roadside assistance for a tow. They asked if I had a spare tire. I had no idea but checked the trunk and realized there was a donut. Before I had the opportunity to figure out how the hell I was going to get it on someone pulled over and helped. Ah, damsel in distress. Dentist appointment missed, donut on and at the tire place waiting for a hypothesis as to what happened and a new tire.
UPDATE from Tire Guys: There was a nail in the time and then it was low and then it just ripped itself up.

Dancing with Myself

This is sort of embarrassing but too funny not to share
My hair had been straightened. A different, less recognizable look for me. Maybe like Sampson, without my bounce I can't dance. Nah. It's not the hair.

Poochikins, not Parker.

The dog in this video was a roommate for several months. During that time, I tried to change his name from "Parker" to "Poochikins" with some success, apparently.

This book kept me company en route to Chicago

A shout out to my fan(s) in Texas

One Day

There was too much missing in between for me to enjoy this book. I know that was the point, I just didn't like it.

So this was pretty much my Friday. And Saturday.

Perfect escape for a few humid, rainy and kinda gloomy days.

Jonsy and Jamesy

Loving my brother!

I am in LA hanging out with my brother's cat on the roof.

The cat's name is pussy. He's a good boy.

Why parallel when I can just park?

Loosh!

Work brought me to Chicago, so I brought myself here a day early to visit Lucius - the 35 day old kid you see in the picture(I am almost as many years old as he is days old) He belongs to Abby Zitin. Abby introduced me to some of her pals as "one of her oldest friends." I prefer to say we have been friends for a very long time.

Also on the scene was Brita Zitin (Abby's sister) who is a wonderful auntie.

In the past when Abby and I have gotten together we've gone shopping at Anthropologie. I'll miss that, but this was nice too.

Cold feet.

Betrayal of the Vibrams

I invented my own personal duathlon. Starting at my doorstep. It's .8 miles from my door to the pool, I swim, and then run back .8 miles. I'm a slow runner so this short little distance is a good time for me to work on picking up the pace. In my Vibrams of course.

Until tonight. I'm running faster than usual, on more pavement than usual, and downhill. Add that all up and you've got my toe caught under my foot, some blood, and a torn Vibram. I might try sneakers tomorrow.

Border has free wifi. So, I'm spending some time here.

And getting a kick out of books like this.

And this.

Jamie and Whitney Celebrating at CMH airport bar

Whitney ordered me a double.

Winter in Pittsburgh in 100+ degree weather in Cary, NC

So, I'm doing a local photo-shoot for work today. The goal is to make it seem like winter in Pittsburgh.

We'll likely have to do some retouching. Maybe change beads of perspiration to goose bumps?

Ha ha

-- Post From My iP

Location:Cary

Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. Their cousins can tell you nothing about them.

Ew

-- Post From My iPhone

Return to Rex

It's a quiet Friday night in the Foehl Household. Jamie in bed, book in hand. It was probably an equally quiet night in the Winner Household (the household formerly known as the Foehl/Winner Household). Diane is at home, preparing for a weekend with David, nesting, and hanging a picture in the new extension of her living room (my old room).

Diane drops a picture frame on her foot. Owwwwwie!

Shortly thereafter we're all back together again in the Rex ER. Diane is in good spirits. Bengt has Scrabble. The kitchen staff from Kanki is there and one of the chefs has a big old bandage on his hand.

Diane doesn't get stitches - just stickers!

Enjoyed. A lot.

It's not summer if your tongue isn't purple

Check out my flat screen

-- Post From My iPhone

Another fashion icon

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.

Whip It, Ladies

Jamie's TV Debut

In March, I posted about a TV shoot.
Here's the finished product.
Check out my look of disgust.
I was channeling my "I'm from CT" persona.