kidsmoke

Susan, for everything you do to help out the fans & improve our Wilcoing experience, not to mention all the charitable events you give so selflessly to, I salute you. You're an amazing woman. Cake is in order! Today is also Alissa's half-birthday (she's 11 and a half, can you believe it?!) and she's getting half a strawberry cake as well as some cheap, half-wrapped (either giftwrap or bows, not both) presents.....anyway, I hope strawberry cake suits you, too. Have a wonderful day and a year full of happy moments.

She has a point (Thanks, Flick).....please, guys, if a thread has a specific topic ("What's for Lunch", "Worst Political Jokes", "Favorite Shoe Leathers", whatever) then it is not "Random". Specific and random are opposites. Please do not put a thread into the random forum unless the thing is genuinely random, such as the RTT. Thanks. Also please do not duplicate threads which already exist, as they will be merged. M. Chris & gang, what a lovely, happy picture!

What a sad outlook. Bet it would matter to him if he or someone he loved were one of the 5!

Wishing the happiest day, and year, to one of VC's finest! We love you, Kate. Please, everyone, join me in some virtual cake in honor of Reni's big day! May all blessings and beauty flow to you!

Sweetie, last night I was thinking of your auto accident, and how this makes two very close calls in such a short time! I can only imagine how you're feeling. Clever parenthetical phrases. The brain plays when it is overwhelmed, doesn't it? Anodyne, I understood what you meant. It's all sad....lives are lives, wherever they are prematurely lost.

Check in, all of you locals, and let us know you're ok! How surreal the pictures are. Prayers for everyone there.

I'd like to read that! I'm already seeing Alissa falling under marketing's messages (she'll be entering 6th grade in Fall), and it bothers the hell out of me. But we talk about it a lot, and she's a pretty strong, independent kid, so....hopefully she'll continue to think for herself, and "consider the source" of these messages, as I've always tried to teach her.

This could make a pretty cool wall hanging, for the loft perhaps. And sure, my closets could always use some clearing out.

Just bought this for myself! Looks good. Also picked up "Water for Elephants". I'm currently reading "Astrid and Veronika", which is gorgeous, like walking into a Van Gogh painting. And no, I don't know what I mean by that except that it's an engrossing and beautiful story. You guys will tolerate my inability to express myself coherently, yes?

Why thank you, Jen!

Incredibly poignant. I agree.

Hear, hear!!!

Sarah, it must all seem so complicated right now, but you'll see, it's much easier than it sounds. Airports aren't so hard to navigate, and if you'll just mutter to yourself "I'll never see these people again in my life!" it will help with whatever shyness you feel about asking directions or asking any questions you have. If in doubt, ask a counter person or security guy whatever you're unsure about. They see lots of travelers who aren't sure how it all works, so no need to be shy. One thing....I always find, flying into & out of Phoenix, that the air is bumpy....don't be disconcerted

This is excellent advice and oh so true! Those little collapsible bags are a godsend.....I always throw one into my luggage, and very often wind up needing it on the return trip! Another thing I just thought of, Sarah....if you think you might buy a poster at one of the shows, it can be handy to have along one of those mailable poster tubes. They are inexpensive and you can just toss it into your bag & know that your poster will make it home unscathed & uncrushed. And yes, a jacket! I've also had one of those freezing trips Alison describes. Wear layers so you can add or subtra

Kara darling, what a lucky baby he is! You and Brian are going to be amazing parents, fun and adventurous. Max is going to be exposed to good things and grow up with love and a sense of humor and all that other great stuff in your personality! Can't wait to see him! Bring on the pictures!!! Much love to your little family!

GEEKS RULE!

Oh, I totally agree about the medications! Any necessary meds go carryon. Can't have those lost!

Sarah, one trick I do (for my own peace of mind) is, if I have both carryon and a checked bag, I always put one complete change of clothes into my carryon. That way, should my checked bag be lost, I would still have the set of clothes I'm wearing, and a backup set. Usually if I'm on a rock tourism jaunt, I carryon one of the outfits I intended to wear to the concert. Checked bags really aren't lost very often, but knowing you have a full spare set of clothes can let you relax about the possibility. I also have a policy of putting nothing into a checked bag that I'd be devastated to lose....s

Weird but excellent! I love the ending.

I think you've made a glorious mix. I hope it puts you in her mind constantly while she's away.

What a horror story, Abu! I'm not claustrophobic, but I bet that sort of situation could turn me claustrophobic pretty quickly. Glad you got through it ok.

Don't mess with a mother lionness. The loss of Fred still boggles my mind.....poor George. It's amazing how real these characters have become to me. They don't seem fictional in the least. It's like they always existed and Rowling just got to be the one to pull them down out of the ether. I loved the "Nineteen Years Later" chapter. Especially as I wasn't quite ready yet for the book to end. I think I read the final sentence about 8 times, stretching out the close before I finally sighed and realized it really was finished. Now to re-read all of them!

Kate, Alissa strongly recommends the "Inkheart" and "Inkspell" books. She loved them both. In this family, Brennan is my "non-reader"....well, not really, but he's an action-based kid and would rather, anytime, be doing something than be curled up with a good book. But when we last flew on a several-hours-long flight, I insisted he bring a book, and we settled on the first Artemis Fowl, which tom, Alissa and I had all loved. Brennan sat beside me, and within a few pages I noticed him smirking to himself, then giggling out loud, and before a half hour had passed, he was tugging at my sleeve

Yeah, that whole part was very moving. I loved that Harry worked out some of his anguish in hand-digging Dobby's grave. I had really feared that this last book, and the act of making all the events of the others make sense and tie together, would prove too much for Rowling, and the final book would be trite and too simply summarized. I didn't give her enough credit! What a great book it turned out to be! Very satisfying. I'm waiting now for Tom to read it, just so we can talk about all the terrific scenes. He and I have been fans from the beginning. Molly Weasley is great against Bellatri

Hahaha, that's pretty great. Have you guys seen this? Don't worry, it's safe to watch....no spoilers. I've just finished the book minutes ago....now Tom and Alissa are both reading it at once, using 2 different bookmarks. I foresee some arguing, when they both have free time at the same time!