Oh, The Places I've Been

So many people chose to travel when it comes to the holidays. Some travel for business, some to get away from it all and some to visit loved ones. I thought I’d share some of my recent journeys with you.

Last Friday I drove on the Washington Beltway. This “superhighway” is known as Interstate 95 and Interstate 495. Confusing? Sometimes, but an experienced metropolitan DC driver can learn to navigate this modern monster.

It’s hard to believe that even though most humans have two good legs to walk on inventions are still being created to help us transport ourselves. I came across this device at a local Metro station. It is called an escalator and it helps you to go from one level to another. One bonus to this newfangled contraption is that it may be used for rising or lowering. The escalator still has some bugs to be worked out as it stopped while I was riding down and I was stuck for almost three hours before they got it started again.

Stop beating your clothes against a rock down at the creek! As I opened my mail yesterday afternoon I was regaled by an envelope from someone I had never met or even heard of. A person named Coupons Express sent me approximately 45 short missives, which informed me of offerings that local shopkeepers were making (I think the offers were only to me). I’m not sure why I was selected to receive these “specials” but obviously I had done something in the past to warrant this honor. The one that immediately caught my eye was for a new business that is called Dry Cleaners. I know what you’re thinking, “that’s an oxymoron!” Much to my surprise, they actually clean your clothes inside! The system is fascinating, you bring your clothing to their place of business, hand them over to a nice Asian woman and she asks you when you would like to pick them up.

I must admit that I was skeptical about whether my clothes would have that fresh “just-beaten-on –a rock-in –the-local-stream” look. When I picked them up I was astonished, not they only look cleaner than when I wash them but they were dry to boot! Additional bonus alert – If you smile at the nice Asian ladies they will give you free plastic wrap that is hung on your clothes. I’m not sure what the plastic wrap is for but I found a nice use for it when I glued it to the outside of my windows, it’s insulation time folks!

As the sun was going down, my body needed rest after such an exciting day so I wrapped myself up in my raccoon coat and snuggled in for a good sleep. Wow, modern technology has really jumped leaps and bounds since the wheel was first invented. Where will it ever stop? Now if only someone would invent a way for me to be able to go to the bathroom indoors I’d be a happy man.