Tales and snails...

For the most part, my comfort zone is pretty close to Hagerstown. I do venture out occasionally, and so far I have survived most of those junkets with minimal emotional scarring, but usually the best part of any trip is getting home.

Susan and I went on a cruise for our 35th anniversary a couple of weeks ago. We flew to the west coast to get on the ship. I've never been a big fan of flying, probably because I like to have a little bit of control over my own fate. I never really feel like I do once the plane is in the air. It's the same feeling I get whenever congress is in session.

I did enjoy the cruise, though. I think it is the only place anybody ever called me sir, and then didn't follow that by saying "We're going to have to ask you to leave."

We met a lot of nice people and learned a few things that we might not have learned if we hadn't left Hagerstown.

I learned that most people from California don't think California is going to make it, and that people from up north think I talk like I'm from down south.


I learned that this is what one guy in Mazatlan thinks the Statue of Liberty looks like:

I found out a lot of waiters from Indonesia have names that I can't pronounce, but that the waiter that was taking care of our group was named Willis. That was simple enough. I think he appreciated that my name was Rex, too.

I also learned that if you can't read the menu, you had better ask someone who can, or you're liable to end up with a bunch of snails on your plate.

And that's way out of my comfort zone.