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DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
The Pl,ans...Or Lack Thereof...Are Changing....
Ok, so when we last left off, we had just moved in to our 3rd temporary living place and as we set our few boxes and suitcases on the floor, my husband left for a job in Florida.
Michael and I were on our own in a new state, a new city, a new apartment.
And the only thing in the fridge was a big ole jug of Kinder, Gentler Kool-Aid.
Yep thats right. I wasnt just sipping the Kool-Aid this time. I was practically chugging it from one of those 5 gallon jugs. I just didnt have it in me to plan every moment of this trip. I was too stressed out and too darn tired.
And too busy frankly. Finding daycare #3 for Michael. And hoping our house would sell so we could move to place #4. And commuting to job #2. And playing the single parent on top of it just left me worn out and not at all inspired to plan.
Off Topic for a moment Mad, mad props and applause for you real single parents out there I dont know how you do it. Tremendous respect for all of you. You dont just deserve a Mothers Day or Fathers Day you seriously deserve an entire month for a holiday and not just one day. I am in awe of you. And not worthy.
That said, back to our TR
In fact, by 3 weeks prior to the trip wed been basically planning for just shy of a year, the only ADR I made was OHanas. For real. I had let my subscriptions to TGM and UG lapse and hadnt renewed.
I couldnt focus on planning. Can you believe it? Me. The Mominator.
I decided that The Plan was there would be no Plan. I knew where T & V would be. That would be good enough for me. Id just go wherever the girls would lead me.
And seriously since were all usually drinking from the same planning trough anyway, my Plan would be virtually the same as theirs.
Except for Animal Kingdom.
Yeah, I hate going there in summer. ICK. I may as well just go out into the hotel parking lot, get in my car and sit with all the windows closed and no A/C running.
At noon.
On a clear, cloudless day.
So coming into this trip, my dates were August 2nd thru the 8th, slumming it in a studio at SSR. With the 2nd thru the 5th on points and the 6th thru the 8th on cash at the DVC member discount.
But, with school starting early in Georgia, I needed to tweak my plans a bit. BUT...thats where it gets sticky. Tweaking the dates meant having to borrow more points, which A) I really didnt want to do and 2) Would I be able to pull the wool over the Mouses ears a second time? Doubtful very doubtful.
So I had to do some shuffling around.
First the dates. Id change my dates to the 31st thru the 6th and leave at the crack of dawn to get to Michaels new school for orientation on the afternoon of the 6th.
So I called Member Services and altered my cash dates. Booked the 31st thru 2nd and the night of the 5th on cash. No problem.
Then it was brought to my attention by my friendly neighborhood enabler (coughcoughVcoughcough) that there was a great rate on Mods.
When I priced it up, I could get pretty much get 2 nights at a Moderate for the price of 1 night at the DVC discount in a studio at SSR.
So yet another change needed to happen.
I called CRO and booked the 31st thru the 2nd at CBR requesting a water view in the Jamaica section. Then I called Member Services and cancelled the 31st thru the 2nd cash nights at SSR.
V and Leo would be staying at CBR so the location was the obvious choice. Although I must admit, I had my moments of weakness and almost booked AKL. Booking a Moderate was the smart, sensible thing to do anyway. I was watching my money anyway, remember?
Then V told me the extra money for the water view was no necessary so I called the following day and changed my reservation again.
Phew finally set my dates it feels so good when everythings finalized.
Then it started.
The itch.
You know the itch right? Its nearly as bad as the itch that Morphine gives and scratching it feels so darn good
Yep addonitis. Worse than dry skin in a New England winter, it wouldnt stop itching.
And it only got worse when the planets seemed to align for me. Turns out that my jobsite was going to be closed on the 31st so Id have the day off.
Seemed like a perfect waste of a good vacation day, right? I didnt need to use a vacation day so I felt like I had a perfectly good vacation day just burning a hole in my pocket.
Obviously I couldnt add on to the end of my trip thanks for nothin State of Georgia so I decided to use it on the 30th rather than bank it for later. See? Im not good at saving money OR vacation days
So, I casually mentioned this idea to the girls. Probably looking for validation of my insanity. Which they usually gladly provide.
Then the email came.
Michelle (TheDISneyFamily) said that she knew a DVC member whod rented her points, but the person cancelled and she was trying to re-rent them.
Hmmmm using Fuzzy Disney Math, I was able to deduce that renting the 13 points necessary for 1 night in a studio at SSR was actually cheaper than the DVC member cash price.
So I considered adding the night of the 30th at a studio at SSR.
But that was just silly. Moving 3 times in a week? Even me, a big fan of split stays, couldnt justify that.
So I asked the DVC member to see if she could book me a studio at SSR for the night of the 5th. If she could, Id cancel my cash night, link the 2 reservations and add a cash night at CBR for half the price of the cash night at SSR.
Youre all keeping up right?
So sure enough, it worked out. I rented the points from this awesome DVC member, cancelled my cash night and booked the 30th at CBR.
Now, you might think that I was actually spending more money by renting points and booking another night, but theoretically, Id already paid for the initial cash night with my deposit so I considered the money already spent. And the money saved by renting the points would pay for the night of the 30th.
I was actually ending up with money left.
A virtual refund if you will. Heh heh.
Thats how I justified it anyway. Thats my story and Im sticking to it.
Fuzzy Disney Math at its finest.
So within 10 days of departure, I did the online check-in. Sweet.
All I needed to do was pack and show up.
Tony, already working in Florida, would meet us at CBR after work on the 31st. I may or may not have mentioned that Michael and I would be arriving a day earlier to enjoy some pool and drink time with V and Leo.
Ok, so I didnt mention it. There. I said it.
Until ummm the night of the 28th.
When I started itching.
Yep. Addonitis was back.
You know when you have an itch that you cant quite reach to scratch? Well, it was now suggesting that if I left right after work on the 29th, drove until I got tired and grabbed a cheap hotel somewhere, Id have a super short drive on the 30th, thereby allowing me nearly a full day to enjoy myself and the company of my little man and my dear friends.
Almost an extra day was how I justified it to myself, since really itd take at least 7 hours to get there on the 30th. Id almost be wasting my added day just driving there.
Crazy? Yes. But foolish? No.
I have a problem.
I need to take a meeting. I know this.
But its all part of my charm.
Perhaps my addonitis was so bad this time due to my lack of planning. I needed something to occupy my head.
I dont know.
In the end though, I ended up deciding to keep to the plan and leave the morning of the 30th. Michael and I could use a good nights sleep. Desperately actually.
So we ordered a pizza, packed the car and relaxed. We checked in with Tony and thats when I sprung my added night on him.
He wasnt surprised.
At all.
I think hes gotten to the point where he just becomes numb to my itchy/scratchy issues and lets me work them out myself.
And of course, as usual, I couldnt sleep that night.
I was too excited.
As was Michael.
And so, the next morning we slept a bit later than Id have liked. I wanted to be on the road by 7, but we didnt even walk out the door until 9.
But having had some Kinder, Gentler cream in my coffee that morning, I didnt care. I was on vacation as of 4pm the day before really.
No waking up at 3:30am, no rushing around for me and my boy this morning. No fighting 6am traffic.
We were Southbound and Down baby!!
It was all smooth sailing on this bright, sunny morning
Or was it???
I don't suck!!! I ROCK!!!
DIS juices are a flowin'!!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Near the original House of Mouse
Posts: 6,750
OMG, I think that all gave me a headache! Or maybe it was those Mojitos last night?
Either way, that was a whole LOT to process, LL! How the heck did you keep your head straight? But I do think you're right - you didn't have "A PLAN", so you had to keep yourself occupied. And that, my friend, is why I LY/MI!
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
Yeah...ummm...I can almost guarantee you it was the Devil's Juice that gave you the headache T...call it a hunch...
Actually all the resort changes and stuff are pretty easy to keep straight in my head...it's the every day crap that I have a hard time keeping straight!!
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
Conversation overheard at the Grandstand pool this August...heh heh....
She squished her baby on BTMRR!
Oh wait, it's not 1947, is it?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: West on I-4, stop at the Gulf.
Posts: 8,859
But, in truth, for me, being a single parent is about 1000% easier than it was being a married parent, lol!
V's Fuzzy Running. Updated 11/14: Race Recap: 2014 Disney Wine & Dine Half-Marathon!
I run Disney!
WDW 10K, 2015 ~ WDW Half-Marathon, 2014, 2015 ~ Royal Family 5K, 2012, 2014, 2015 ~ Princess Half-Marathon, 2013, 2014, 2015 ~ Glass Slipper Challenge, 2014, 2015 ~Expedition Everest Challenge, 2012, 2015 ~ Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler, 2012, 2013, 2014 ~ Wine & Dine Half-Marathon, 2014 ~ Jingle Jungle 5K, 2012
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: California
Posts: 76
OMG! I am loving this! I just found your trip report and am sitting here reading with the biggest grin on my face my DH must think I am losing it
I love how diligent you were in getting exactly what you wanted! (you SOOOO deserved this trip).
Can't wait to read more!
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
I don't suck!!! I ROCK!!!
DIS juices are a flowin'!!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Near the original House of Mouse
Posts: 6,750
Live, love, and laugh!
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Central Indiana, rural home
Posts: 1,731
I was with you until you wrote, "That said, back to our TR "
Everything is fuzzy after that!
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
To be referred to in next year's TR...
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,173
I still don't know how you're doing it
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
Ok, I'm going to go work on my next update...cleaning is done today, laundry's nearly done, kitchen's cleaned, dishes done...secretly planned M's birthday party for next weekend on the phone this morning...now it's ME time...
Soon it will be Wii time...I busted it out last night! Bring on TSM baby!! Just a couple more weeks!!
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: St. Charles, MO
Posts: 1,892
Ooh, this is fun - I'm now following V's TR and yours - I guess I need to see if Tracy has started one....
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
We've finally arrived!!
So with the car fully loaded and our clothes laid out for the morning, all Michael and I had to do was order a pizza and chill out and we could leave at the crack of dawn in the morning. Wed leave between 6 and 7 and get to CBR early afternoon and enjoy a day of sun, swimming and adult beverages with our favorite buddies, V and Leo, all day and into the evening. Ahhhh sounds like pure bliss doesnt it?
Yeah, it didnt quite go like that.
We suffered a bad case of Im too excited to sleep on Wednesday night. So much so that I actually considered packing the little guy into the car and just driving until I couldnt see straight anymore.
Finally sleep came for Michael.
But it mustve zigged when it shouldve zagged as it missed me completely.
I dont know what time I finally fell asleep but it was late. So much so that it couldve been considered early for the next day.
Needless to say we overslept. We didnt get up until nearly 8, but we needed the sleep and we were officially on vacation so I tried my hardest not to freak out and rush Michael around. He gets that enough during the week.
By the time we were walking out the door it was nearly 9am. GASP! So we got gas and hit the road, where I proceeded to ummm shall we say, drive it like I stole it, down Interstate 75.
I now know why I never see cops on I-85 on my way to and from work. Its because theyre ALL hanging out on 75. DOH! Luckily they appeared to either have been sleeping or not concerned as I went un-noticed all the way to the Florida state line! Phew!
Speaking of the Florida state line, it was right about then that we saw it the wall of water we were about to drive into. Yep thats right. You could see it in front of you. Strangely Fay-esque.
The rain came down so hard that even with the wipers on full blast, I could hardly see. The water was building up on the Turnpike and vehicles were creating waves of water which were making visibility even worse. Then I saw it. Just barely. A sign for a rest area.
I pulled off and decided that despite this additional delay, better to be safe than sorry. Id rather arrive later than not at all.
So with the rain gushing down all around us, I decided to test out the internet on the new phone. Oh did I not mention the new phone? The Focker Hotline it has been aptly named. Sadly, not an iPhone, but rather a Motorola i465. Havent heard of it? Probably wont either. Its really nothing special. See, I decided to get a Boost Mobile pay as you go phone so that I could text the girls and take pictures if I needed to. Last year the texts were flying fast and furious but my only cell phone is my work Nextel and I cant text from it. Nothing worse than getting texts like Its AIS time bus is here where are you? and not being able to respond.
So a couple of days before leaving I ran into a Nextel store and bought the phone. For $50 a month you get unlimited texts, internet, calls and it has a 3mp camera. Good enough. No commitment necessary, which is good. Im trying to put off getting a home phone or anything until I know where well be and when so this phone would be the perfect solution. I could throw $50 on it, use it to my little hearts content and then either switch to a pay-as-you-go plan or just shut it off.
So whilst waiting out the rain I tried out my texting and internet and it kept me amused for a while. Not the greatest internet well, the connection was fine, but it wasnt exactly an iPhone. I texted V and told her we were on our way and before long the rain let up and we were back on the road.
It took much longer to arrive than Id have liked, but finally we pulled into CBR. Michael and I went to the online check-in area and seriously, we were in and out in less then 5 minutes. Really. Its THAT fast! I love it! We got our Jamaica request and were happily on our way back out to the car. I talked to V and she was at Old Port Royale so I just drove straight there to meet up with her and Leo.
Hugs all around it was so nice to see them again! Itd been 8 months. Far too long since wed seen each other last. And as if itd only been 8 days and not 8 months, the four of us picked right up where we left off V and I cruised the racks at the store, enabling each other and the boys were off causing mayhem together. Ahhh good fun! I loaded a gift card with the loot from Michaels piggy bank $79.00 all for him to spend. Wed spent the few nights prior discussing money and its limits, etc. so I was hoping hed understand that once he spent it, it was gone and thered be no more toys bought, etc The boys each got this lollipop-slash-fan combination that they were just going to wither and die if they didnt have. Hey it kept them busy and quiet and happy.
After messing around in the store for awhile, we decided to grab a bite. It had started raining again so pool-thirty was going to have to wait.
Oh - we hit the arcade. I nearly forgot.
The boys had a ball and even us girls took a spin on some retro games!
We cruised through the food court considering all of its yummy offerings and somehow found ourselves at the podium checking in for Shutters. We were seated faster than you say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious which is probably spelled wrong, but Im in a hurry so Im not even going to go back and check it. Oddly enough though, Im typing this in Word and it wasnt picked up as a misspelled word. When iPhone was. Go figure.
Anyway, Shutters wasnt busy at all and we were seated at a nice corner seat where we wouldnt bother anyone and could catch up uninterrupted by other diners chatter. We ordered drinks an Agave Nectar (of the Gods) Margarita for V and a Hurricane for me. Ahhh .finally. Nothing like the first drink on vacation.
Vs Margarita was a party for your mouth, I must admit. And it would become, short of a few exceptions, my drink of choice for the rest of the trip. Yes, it was THAT good!
V got soup and salad and I ordered the skirt steak, which was really good. The boys well, I cant remember what the boys ate probably chicken or pizza. Hmmm now I have to go look
Leo had a little mood issue when the time came for the boys to put their toys away, but really short of a snarly face he was making, he wasnt bad. Once he got some food in his belly he was the same old Leo, fun-loving and happy. The boys really enjoyed being together again and we all enjoyed a nice long leisurely dinner while the rain poured down and the wind howled outside.
And V tweeted.
Or Facebooked.
Or both.
I teased V about her iPhone addiction...errr...use. Later I found this on my camera...
I may have been taking a picture of her drink and just got lucky with capturing the "Hi, I'm V and I'm App Addict" look...heh heh...
The boys even split a build it yourself Sundae and no punches were thrown. They really do play well together. So cute to watch!
After dinner, we decided to call it an early night we had to still bring all of suitcases, etc to our room and it was still raining so we stopped and grabbed some stuff for breakfast and headed out to our room. Wed be heading to Epcot with V and Leo tomorrow morning bright and early.
After all my trips to and from the room and car with our luggage, groceries, etc I was pretty well soaked and worn out. Our room was nice though. For a Moderate. Hey Im sorry. Im a Deluxe/Villa kind of girl. But will sacrifice in the name of addonitis when it flares up. I may be a resort snob, but Im not stupid.
It doesnt take fuzzy math to realize that you can get 2 nights at CBR for the price of 1 at SSR And its been about 13 years since Ive stayed here so I didnt mind checking it out again. The last time Tony and I stayed at CBR, we had a mini-bar in our room that was a God-send after way too many Margaritas in Mexico and other illicit adult things we did back in those days.
The room was really clean and had a lot of Nemo accents with some Hidden Mickeys thrown in.
I would stay here again. And Id forgotten how much I enjoyed relaxing at the beach in a hammock. Although Id like it even more at the Poly. Just sayin
I had my Owners Locker delivered and we were all set for our stay here and ready for the morning. With the exception of clothing, everything I need for a trip is in here...from makeup to coffee to toiletries. Owner's Locker rules. I'm sorry I didn't think of it first, but it's an idea whose time has come and I love, love, love it!
As I was getting Michael ready for bed, something dark and moving caught my eye in front of the bathroom vanity.
It was one of those tiny little frogs! ACK! Well, it had to be caught. I couldnt sleep knowing it was in the room and could hop in my mouth at any time. Ewww
So it took awhile, but Michael finally caught the frog trapped it under a glass and then he slid a coaster underneath it so we could pick it up. He just thought that frog was the greatest thing and wanted to name him Squishy and keep it.
I shall call him Squishy and he shall be my friend...
Squishy was what hed become though if I didnt get it away from Michael though so I made him take it outside and let it go.
He did. He released it right outside of our door.
Later that night, I made myself a nice big Jack and Diet Coke and was going to go out and finally sit and enjoy a quiet smoke break. I opened the door and Squishy jumped right back in the room! It took me forever, but I managed to catch him again and this time, me and my new friend went out to the DSA together where I released him back into the wild.
I bid Squishy goodnight and then called it a night...big day tomorrow...
Last edited by Lauralee131; 08-30-2009 at 12:58 AM.
DIS Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 2,340
The following morning I was up bright and early and it took some doing to get the little man up. Typical. I can never sleep at Disney World and Michael can never get up early. I went and sat down at the beach and had my coffee and watched the daylight arrive.
I enjoyed the quiet beauty of this place...and thought about booking the bounceback offer so I can come back and enjoy it again...
Eventually however, I remembered that Michael was still sleeping so I headed back to the room. I got him up and got the two of us dressed and ready to go.
I knew it was going to be hot and sticky so I wore the lightest, thinnest clothes I could think of. Not the most attractive outfit. I asked Michael, How does this look? Fine was the answer I got. Again, I spun around in front of the mirror and said, I dont know, Im not sure. Really. Do you think this looks alright?
Without missing a beat, Michael comes out with, Its not like youre going to a prom. Those days are long gone.
And so the Michael-isms started flowing
They got so fast and furious this week that I actually considered writing them down as they were too numerous and too stinkin funny
Sadly, I didnt write them down, but a few, like the prom one, Ill probably never forget.
So I spoke to V and we agreed to go together in her car to Epcot. Shed be ready in a bit, so Michael and I went out to the beach so I could show him how pretty this place was in the daytime, when it WASNT raining.
He climbed all over everything, little monkey that he is.
You could really see he was all excited about spending the day with our friends. And the cherry on top of his sundae (on Friday) was that his dad was coming up that afternoon. He hadnt seen him in nearly 3 weeks and he was really looking forward to a whole week of all dad, all the time.
On our way to meet V and Leo, I remembered my little run in with our dear friend Squishy and told Michael about how he had jumped back into the room because he dumped him right outside the door and I had to catch him all over again. His response? Sounds like a personal problem. Yours, not mine, so leave me out of it.
Yeah, great. Love you too, kid.
Boys buckled in the car, we were off to Epcot and got a great parking spot. Ok, Im used to bussing it, but V may be on to something with this driving thing. Its fast, it required no hand sanitizer and the company was lovely.
Honestly, I dont mind taking the bus most of the time, I enjoy the people watching and hey Im on vacation, I dont necessarily like to drive.
But V was driving, so this was great. A shorter wait to get to the magic and I didnt have to drive. Saaa-weeet!!
So V and her trusty iPhone had the Ridemax plan, the weather, the horoscope everything you need for a day at Disney World. All I had to do was make a quick stop to renew our APs (with a sweet discount thanks to Vs referral card!) and then in just a few short minutes Id be enjoying the company of my friend and her son.
The last time we had an outing on our own was back in January 08. And it was awesome. Having V and Leo along back then was so much fun and it truly made our vacation. It was then I realized just how great it is have a friend on vacation. And for Michael it was amazing. He really enjoyed having a buddy to ride the rides with and play with at dinner, etc they walked together, each keeping the other moving at a nice quick pace. There was even a time when he and Leo even shared a double stroller together and they had a ball.
And so they would again. As soon as I had my passes. Just a few short minutes.
Only it wasnt really a few short minutes.
It was a lot longer than that.
The CM in the ticket booth, bless his heart, was in no hurry. He was an older gentleman and really was the sweetest thing. But he was S L .O .W. So after what felt like an eternity, Id had our new passes hand.
Where to first? Why it just so happened to be one of our favorites. Mission:Space baby! Leo had decided to ride it. So he and V, being Mission:Space VIRGINians would be perfect ride companions for us. Theres 4 people to a shuttle whatdya know theres 4 of us.
So off we went .got Leo measured at the start of the queue and headed on in to join the Green Team.
And thats when I noticed it.
The nervous look on Leos face. Right about here .
He's got that deer-in-the-headlights look about him, no?
I think at one point he wanted to back out but I could be wrong. So with little to no wait at all we were being briefed by Gary Sinise. We were given our assignments Pilot, Commander, Navigator and Engineer. Wed promised Leo he could be Commander, but I think he ended up going with Pilot.
It was a great Mission and Leo got through it with flying colors. I so enjoyed being there when he had such a big first, and to be able to see and celebrate his joy. So big and brave and so proud of himself.
It was refreshing to see that kind of joyous new discovery. You tend to lose that childlike happiness when youve ridden everything. You still get excited to ride your favorites, but then again, been there done that, know what I mean?
To see Leo experience such pure, unadulterated excitement and happiness made my whole day.
And pictures were taken all around to commemorate such a huge occasion.
So, with the Mission behind us, we continued to follow Ridemax. So far, it was pretty much right on. And we even got a later start than V was planning. I dont recall the order in which we did things I think, but dont quote me that we went and like, totally, surfed the EAC with Nemo and the gang where the boys rode all by themselves...
It's pictures like this that I was dreading with that hockey player smile of his...if you open his mouth he could be a bottle opener...MOTY 2009, thank you very much...
And then I think we went to the Land and rode LWTL and picked up Soarin FPs. After that, Im not sure did we get food? I dont think so. Perhaps we then went to Spaceship Earth...This picture was next in my camera...The Jammitors are pretty cool to watch. I don't often take the time to enjoy things like this.
Hmmm...between the 2 of them we could possibly come up with a full mouth of teeth!
After SE we then went back over to ride Soarin. V and Leo had plans for a lunch at Coral Reef and Michael and I would make a quick stop in Mouse Gear and get CS for lunch. Something quick. Then wed grab the bus back and see them back at the hotel in time for pool-thirty.
Notice I said quick stop in Mouse Gear
Theres no such thing.
We were in there for quite a while. Browsing. Having fun actually. We then lost time wandering around trying to decide what to do about lunch. One moment he was starving and was going to die any second now if I didnt feed him immediately.
The next wed decided to go back to CBR and get our suits on, eat at OPR and wait for V and Leo to back. Eventually we settled on the EU for a couple of burgers. And then we made our way to the exit, via a Mickey Bar cart where Michael proved once again that he can actually get some of the Mickey Bar in his mouth and not just all around it .
Several napkins later we headed to the exit. As we were walking through the Legacy graveyard V called. They were already back at the hotel and heading to the pool. We had a good laugh over the fact that she had table service meal at CR, not the fastest place in town, and was already on her way to the pool. I was just now leaving the park. So much for a quick stop and getting back early! V will tell you its all because she had a car. Ill let her have that one. It sounds better than I spent an hour wandering around in Mouse Gear and all I got was this lousy t-shirt
Back in our room we quickly changed and headed to the pool. Tony was on his way up, our buddies were waiting for us and I could hear the blender from the pool bar it was a good day!
We caught up with V and Leo and hit the water! The boys went down the slide and enjoyed splashing around for awhile and then it was time to dry off and get something refreshing to drink. Michael had been craving his world favorite Orange milkshake and Id been waiting for my first Pina Colava of vacation. And the first Michelob Ultra.
What can I say? The heart wants what it wants. Mine often wants to chase a beer with a mixed drink.
Before long Tony had arrived and we went back meet him at the room. Wed split with V and Leo on the walk back to Jamaica, but not for long. We were going to Epcot that night for a counter service dinner and then wine and cheese with Tracy and family.
And we were bussing it.
And of course, itd started to rain.
I swear were like Focker Forces of Nature when we all are within a few square miles of each other. It doesnt just rain, it pours. And there was no bus for Epcot for quite a while. One and two buses for every other park showed up. No Epcot.
At one point a man who didnt speak English very well came up and was talking to Tony. Tony then got our attention and I heard something about a cab. I said something like, Sure, if you want to take a cab thats fine, but we have cars here or something along those lines, but as it turned out, the man was asking Tony about where he could get a cab or something. Strange. Whatever. Finally a bus arrived and we were on our way. Tony and Michael and Leo sat together doing their guy thing. Bonding over noogies and fist bumps.
V and I were busily trying to come up with a plan for dinner. Yet again we settled on table service (something about the rain makes us totally fine about wasting an hour and a half in a restaurant). I called Disney Dining and ended up securing an ADR for Nine Dragons. Again I was going to TrustV. She said that shed eaten there before and it was really good. So I was good with that. I think this was the time it happened a family got on the bus an older couple and a teenaged girl and they sat directly across from me and V. Or should I say V and I?
Well the girl looks strange. She laid across the womans lap and looks like shes really ill. I lean over to V and whisper those 2 little words shed been hearing a lot of lately Swine Flu Remember the movie The Cutting Edge with the ice skaters? The snotty figure skater doesnt want to work with the hockey player and hes having a hard time keeping up on figure skates and every time he cant stop and falls, she goes toe pick thats kind of how I said it. Swine Flu but as funny as it was, it was kind of skeevy too. I was sure to pass everyone the hand sanitizer as soon as we stepped off the bus.
Now I should mention that when Tony and Michael get together they gang up on me and do everything in their power to both amuse themselves and irritate the crap out of me. So much like herding cats, I tried to get Tony to go up to the window and upgrade a 7 day MYW ticket we had to his DVC annual pass. But noooo he cant do anything like that on his own. So even though he was able to bypass the stinkin guests with bags line, he chose to just stand there and wait. See? I have no patience for time wasting.
My husband doesnt really see much need to split up in the interest of time. He refuses to be a Fastpass runner. If we cant all go, then no FPs for you. UGH clueless.
So anyway, hes wrestling the boys and Im aggravated because he wouldnt listen to me and take the stupid pass and by the time I get to the ticket window Im so stressed out that I dont even remember that Ive got a ticket to upgrade! Luckily V stepped up and reminded me .DOH! After upgrading, Tonys annual pass only cost $127. Woo Hoo!!! Ok, I forgot all about how aggravated I was. He was here, having fun and Michael was happy. They deserved their play time.
Later on he would only add to his little group of followers...like the Pied Piper...or The Kid Whisperer...
Off we went towards China. And you know me, I cant walk past Mexico without having to have a margarita so I scurried off to the Cantina to secure Tony and I our treasured margaritas.
Completely mindless of the fact that in about 5 minutes wed be at the place we were going for dinner. One short brain freeze later and wed arrived in China and checked in for dinner amused that we were having Chinese food with a Mexican drink heh heh
And V was right about Nine Dragons. It was excellent! We ordered appetizers I remembered getting some yummy potstickers and I think we ordered something else too, but for the life of me I cant recall and I got the General Tsos chicken for dinner while Michael got Sweet & Sour Chicken. Whatd Tony get? Have no idea. But our dinners were delicious. The only I can think of to describe my chicken other than great, was really, really fresh tasting. I will definitely go back there again.
Anyway, dinner over with, we headed to Norway to catch up with T and family. After searching everywhere (a less stressful version of Wheres Waldo), we finally caught up with T and our little gang was back together again.
What's this? We're looking at the same camera at the same time??
Hugs went all around and the kids all picked right up where theyd all left off as well.
Some of Ts gang was off riding Maelstrom so we waited for them.
And wondered if they knew it was a Fastpass.
Heh heh
We wandered around a bit and just like I said, the kids just gravitated toward him...
We ended up in Japan for our sake shots and sent the Tony and Andy into the store with all the kids they were totally outnumbered and went into the store like lambs heading in for slaughter. I honestly didnt think theyd have a chance. Two of them against 4 tiring, punch-drunk kids would you take that bet?
I laughed it off, and headed with my girl friends to the sake bar, but not before taking a group photo showing Kate how much we missed her its on Vs TR if you havent seen it yet a sadder looking bunch Ive never seen
I took pictures in the sake bar, but I can't find them. They must be on my camera...
Sake shots done, we headed back to find the rest of our flock, waiting outside and not running around like bulls in a China shop. But in Japan.
We continued walking around and all decided to call it a night and headed our separate ways. Completely forgetting about wine. And cheese. And Grey Goose slushies
Ah well. It was great to be back in the company of friends and we had a big day (and night!) ahead of us with everyone the following day...Woo Hooo!!! But would we make AIS? And has anyone seen the Spirit??
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Are there supplements that will help burn fat and curb my appetite?
- Q: I'm hungry all the time. What are some supplements that will aid in burning fat and curbing my appetite? Is this something I should ask my primary physician about?
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Nude fitness babe Susana from Kissak.com flaunts her spectacularly sexy athletic body. Damn, this smoking honey manages to instantly captivate with her amazing nude legs. So tantalizingly smooth and feminine while simultaneously being impressively powerful. In this they carry an impossible to ignore seductive intrigue; what would it be like to find yourself wedged between them? The thought is almost intimidating, like some antelope caught in the overwhelming embrace of an anaconda, she could constrict those delicious muscles and siphon the life from you.
Just to set the record straight here: the benefits of having those spectacular legs wrapped around you would far surpass any dangers associated with that activity. All kidding aside, from the moment this gorgeous brunette stripped out of her elegant black see-thru dress it was clear she had a astonishingly tight hourglass figure that any man would count himself fortunate just to stare at, never mind actually touch. The naked splendor of her taut torso, firm round breasts and strong sporty legs are a marvel of the shapeliness humans are capable of.
Nude fitness babe Susana and her spectacularly sexy athletic body are fine indications of the quality of work done at Kissak.com and its free tour.
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Zillow Just Expanded its Reach Again With E-House
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Zillow (Z) announced it's teaming up with an affiliate of E-House Holdings (EJ), Beijing Yisheng Leju Information Services Co., to power Leju's U.S. home shopping experience, as the online real estate platform continues to expand its lead over rivals.
Starting in early summer, visitors to Leju's site looking for U.S. properties will be directed to a site co-branded by Zillow and Leju, with access to "Zillow's robust home search experience, rich data on homes, millions of for-sale listings, and unique pre-market inventory," the company said in a press release. The site will be translated into Chinese and operated by Zillow. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We're excited to announce this exclusive partnership with Leju," said Errol Samuelson, Zillow Chief Industry Development Officer in the press release. "Brokers and agents with listings on Zillow are now able to reach Chinese home shoppers who are ready to invest in the U.S. market, with no additional cost or effort. This is another example of how Zillow is continually providing new ways for real estate professionals to market and grow their businesses."
As China seeks ways to temper it housing market to curb inflation, Chinese buyers have looked elsewhere, particularly the U.S., to park their excess cash. Seattle-based Zillow noted Chinese buyers spent more than $11 billion on U.S. properties, spending an average of $425,000 per home, with 69% of them being all cash purchases.
"We're thrilled to provide Leju visitors with Zillow's unparalleled real estate search experience," said Geoffrey Yinyu He, Leju's CEO. "Many of our more than 60 million users are interested in U.S. properties and now they will not only have access to information on U.S. homes that they can't find anywhere else, but they'll also have the ability to quickly connect with a local real estate expert who can help them through the home buying process."
Zillow has been working to power almost all of the major real estate sites. Zillow already has partnerships and powers Yahoo! (YHOO) Homes, HGTV's FrontDoor.com, and recently announced it would be the exclusive provider of AOL (AOL) Real Estate.
Zillow shares gained 0.37% to close at $92.61, while E-House was slipping 0.63% to $12.74.
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text: Summary: ''I have had occasion through the years either to critique or review . . . a number of Western Civilization texts. Few, if any, equal this text for comprehensive coverage of the subject; none surpass it. This is a quality text in every sense of the word.''Edition/Copyright: 8TH 12


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What a pisser.Striker
I've got to concentrate! I've got to concentrate!Striker
I guess the foot's on the other hand now, isn't it, Kramer?Striker
The oil pressure, I forgot to check the oil pressure. When Kramer hears about this, the shit's gonna hit the fan.Striker
Mostly, I remember the nights when we were together. I remember how you used to hold me and... how I used to sit on your face and wiggle andóElaine
Ladies and gentleman, this is your stewardess speaking. We regret any inconvenience the sudden cabin movement might have caused. This is due to periodic air pockets we encountered. There's no reason to be alarmed and we hope you enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?Elaine
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking.McCroskey
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.McCroskey
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines.McCroskey
Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.McCroskey
They're coming right at us!McCroskey
The last thing he said to me, "Doc," he said, "Sometime when the crew is up against it, the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to get out there and give it all they got and win just one for the Zipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Doc," he said, "but I won't smell too good, that's for sure."Rumack
I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.Rumack
Loneliness, that's the bottom line. I was never happy as a child... Christmas, Ted, what does that mean to you? It was living hell. Do you know what it's like falling in the mud and getting kicked, in the head? With an iron boot? Of course you don't, no one does, that never happens. Sorry, Ted, skip that, it's a dumb question.Kramer
All right, Striker, you listen, and listen close. Flying a plane is no different from riding a bicycle; it's just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes.Kramer
Airport management, the FAA and the airlines. They're all cheats and liars. All right, lets get outta here.Kramer
Off to the tower? Rapunzel! Rapunzel!Johnny
Mayday? Why that's the Russian New Year. You know, we'll have a big parade, we'll serve hot hor'doevres...Johnny
MCrosky : Johnny, what can you make outta this? (hands him a piece of paper) Johnny : This? Why I could make a hat, or a brooch, a pterodactyl. . .Johnny
Reporter : What kind of plane is it? Johnny : Oh its a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the window and wheels. It looks like a big tylenol.Johnny
MCrosky : Bad news, the fog is getting thicker. Johnny : And Leon's getting laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrger.Johnny
Towergy : (holding up a newspaper) Captain, look at this! MCrosky : Passengers certain to die! Kramer : Airline negligent. Johnny : There's a sale at Penny's!Johnny
MCrosky : Alright, I'll need 3 men up in the tower. You Newbower, you Maceias. . . Johnny : Me John! Big tree.Johnny
All right, give me Hamm on five, hold the Mayo!Capt. Oveur


text:
p53: The Gene That Cracked the Cancer Code reveals the tale of the search for this gene, as well as the excitement of the hunt for new cures - the hype, the lost opportunities, the blind alleys, and the thrilling breakthroughs. As the long-anticipated revolution in cancer treatment tailored to each individual patient's symptoms starts to take off at last, p53 is still at the forefront of the game. This is a timely tale of scientific discovery and advances in our understanding of a disease that still affects more than one in three of us at some point in our lives.
Distinguished authors like Daniel Kahneman, Dan Ariely, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb have written much about the flaws in the human brain when it comes time to make a decision. Our intuitions and passions frequently fail us, leading to outcomes we don't want. In this audiobook, Eyal Winter, Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the Study of Rationality at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, wonders: why? If our emotions are so destructive and unreliable, why has evolution left us with them?
One cannot enter into a study of psychology without coming across the name of Sigmund Freud. Even in popular culture, his name stands in common with others like Albert Einstein and Karl Marx. There are downsides to this level of popularity. One often encounters the criticisms of Freud's work before ever reading his texts. The works of Sigmund Freud are the foundation of modern psychology.
Turn to Science News for the latest coverage of biology, astronomy, the physical sciences, behavioral sciences, math and computers, chemistry, and earth science. This 75-year-old publication is known for its sharp writing and up-to-date coverage of the latest scientific research. Since its debut in 1922, Science News has been committed to providing reports on scientific and technical developments that the layman would find interesting and easy to digest.
All too often CIOs can get caught up in all of the technical details of the job: boosting uptime, replacing servers, guarding against cyber criminals, etc. What we tend to forget is that IT exists to serve the rest of the business and they are there (in most cases) to make money. This means that there needs to be a business side to IT and that is one of a CIO's key responsibilities.
Elon Musk is the man behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, multi-billion dollar companies he founded. Although he is now a multi-billionaire, his objective has never been to amass great wealth, but to save humanity. Writing in the Smithsonian, Carl Hoffman noted: "He does not laugh or crack a smile when he says this. There is no hint of irony."
"Read it! Don't listen to it."
Kelly Johnson designed the Blackbird, a plane that flew non-stop from London to Los Angeles in less than four hours, outracing the sun and landing four hours before it had taken off, a remarkable feat - and this was more than 35 years ago. Johnson was the innovative genius behind Lockheed's "Skunk Works", and played a leading role in the development of more than forty aircraft, including some of America's most sophisticated planes such as the Constellation, Shooting Star, F-104, U-2, and the SR-71 Blackbird.
The name of Charles Darwin is known to nearly all who have had the benefit of a Western-style education. It is synonymous with the theory of evolution and due to his perspective of man as an animal, his worked ushered in a new paradigm of understanding of the physical and mental behavior of man. However, because of the immense impact of his best known theory, most know only of his work through reviews and historical reports.
Although for the most part altogether unconscious of it, man glides by the whole of his life in the thick of a vast and populous unobserved world. During sleep or in trance, if the insistent physical senses are for the time in abeyance, this other world is to some extent opened to him, and he will occasionally bring back from those circumstances more or less faint memories of what he has encountered and heard there. Listen to this audiobook and get the info you need here.
Home remedies have grown in popularity especially as an alternative to traditional or regular medicine. You can find certain remedies for common problems and some of those problems are discussed in this audiobook like: acne, allergies, asthma, arthritis, body odor, bad breath, and burns. Some people have these problems but going to the doctor isn't always a viable option for them. There are things in this book that will help deal with these conditions.
Miracle Survivors provides that lifeline with a collection of stories of cancer survivors who were given a terminal diagnosis but shocked everyone by thriving years past their prognoses. These miracle survivors have different cancers and circumstances, but share a poor prognosis and incredible drive to overcome it.
David Carson's personal story of his initiation into the mysterious healing rites of the Choctaw with medicine woman Mary Gardener. Through her teachings and his own mind-bending experiences, he gives us a glimpse into an alternate reality.
With all the information out there in the news and on the internet most people are at least aware of pollution problems. The issue is more serious in some areas but the fact remains that we all contribute to it. The concern is that with more people on Earth now and more pollution we are harming our environment. Since we breathe the air that is out there, what is in it should be a top concern for each of us. Yet we often don't think twice about it.
What if all the Traffic Lights you encounter for the rest of your life would always turn to Green as you approached the intersection? First of all - you would think it was your lucky day. Next, you'd wonder how they did that. Next you'd wonder why the government couldn't do more things right like this. This book is not really about how to get all your traffic lights to go Green as you approach, but is a road map to how to make all the government rules and regulations work for us at all times, not only in the way that our Traffic Lights work.
Simply put, Dark Data is stored, largely non-inventoried, unstructured data not currently used for the purpose of conducting data science, but which is nevertheless maintained on a "just in case" basis - either to meet regulatory requirements, or in the hope that the data will prove useful for research purposes at some time in the future.
The audiobook, How to Build a Computer (For Beginners), outlines step-by-step instructions on how to build a computer from the bare bones to the finished product. The book includes a list of choices for tools and supplies necessary to successfully build a computer on your own; using the author's educated knowledge and background on computer software and hardware.
If you are not familiar with online scams, you should listen to this entire book carefully. This book will teach you how to spot and avoid con-artists. Scams are growing more and more each prevalent day. This book will help you fight scams. Instead of becoming a victim of it, This book will inform you on where to report a scam if you come across one. It will also teach you the five major scams that are going on in today's world as we speak. This book is a life saver.
This book is about using psychological concepts for political activism. It is intended for politicos of all stripes, left or right; green, black, or white; Christian, Jew, or Muslim; male or female; fundamentalist or pacifist. It is primarily informed by the work of Dr. Carl G. Jung, who many regard as the greatest psychologist of the 20th century. The sole purpose of this book is to show by example how to "change the frame" so that political issues can be understood in a new way, in a new context, and beyond the same old tired rhetoric that we see on our cable television channels.
Russ Harris offers a surprising solution to low self-confidence, shyness, and insecurity: Rather than trying to "get over" our fears, he says, the secret is to form a new and wiser relationship with them. Paradoxically, it's only when we stop struggling against our fearfulness that we begin to find lasting freedom from it.
In 1929, Edwin Hubble announced the greatest discovery in the history of astronomy since Galileo first turned a telescope to the heavens. The galaxies, previously believed to float serenely in the void, are in fact hurtling apart at an incredible speed: the universe is expanding. This stunning discovery was the culmination of a decades-long arc of scientific and technical advancement.
Following his blockbuster biography of Steve Jobs, The Innovators is Walter Isaacson's revealing story of the people who created the computer and the Internet. It is destined to be the standard history of the digital revolution and an indispensable guide to how innovation really happens. What were the talents that allowed certain inventors and entrepreneurs to turn their visionary ideas into disruptive realities? What led to their creative leaps? Why did some succeed and others fail?
"A History of the Ancient Geeks"
Everything we now know about the universe - from the behavior of quarks to the birth of galaxies - has come from people who've been willing to ponder the unanswerable. And with the advent of modern science, great minds have turned to testing and experimentation rather than mere thought as a way of grappling with some of the universe's most vexing dilemmas. So what is our latest picture of some of the most inexplicable features of the universe? What still remains to be uncovered and explored by today's scientists?
"Great Learning Experience"
Based on Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal's wildly popular course The Science of Willpower, The Willpower Instinct is the first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. Informed by the latest research and combining cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, The Willpower Instinct explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters.
"life changing one of the best I read"
Millions of people visit xkcd.com each week to read Randall Munroe's iconic webcomic. His stick-figure drawings about science, technology, language, and love have a large and passionate following. Fans of xkcd ask Munroe a lot of strange questions. What if you tried to hit a baseball pitched at 90 percent of the speed of light? How fast can you hit a speed bump while driving and live? If there were a robot apocalypse, how long would humanity last?
"Good in Smaller Chunks"
At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, raising exceptional children, becoming more productive, building revolutionary companies and social movements, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. Habits aren't destiny. As Charles Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives.
"Nice! A guide on how to change"
Sparked by a provocative comment to BigThink.com last fall, and fueled by a highly controversial debate with Creation Museum curator Ken Ham, Bill Nye's campaign to confront the scientific shortcoming of creationism has exploded in just a few months into a national crusade.
"Intelligent and Enjoyable to Listen Too"
In Being Mortal, bestselling author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending. Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming birth, injury, and infectious disease from harrowing to manageable. But in the inevitable condition of aging and death, the goals of medicine seem too frequently to run counter to the interest of the human spirit.
"Powerful message"
In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks. Gladwell begins with the real story of what happened between the giant and the shepherd boy those many years ago.
"The Art of (Unconventional) War"
At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts that we owe many of the great contributions to society--from van Gogh's sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.
"Thought provoking and Uplifting.... A++++++++!!!!!"
Bill Bryson has been an enormously popular author both for his travel books and for his books on the English language. Now, this beloved comic genius turns his attention to science. Although he doesn't know anything about the subject (at first), he is eager to learn, and takes information that he gets from the world's leading experts and explains it to us in a way that makes it exciting and relevant.
"Very informative, fun to listen to"
The guru to the gurus at last shares his knowledge with the rest of us. Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman's seminal studies in behavioral psychology, behavioral economics, and happiness studies have influenced numerous other authors, including Steven Pinker and Malcolm Gladwell. In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman at last offers his own, first book for the general public. It is a lucid and enlightening summary of his life's work. It will change the way you think about thinking. Two systems drive the way we think and make choices, Kahneman explains....
"Difficult Listen, but Probably a Great Read"
There's an art and science behind how doctors diagnose and treat medical patients. Where do doctors get these skills? The Grand Rounds experience, where they practice how to make accurate diagnoses by examining real patients. And with Dr. Benaroch's 24 unique lectures, you'll explore how a master physician solves medical problems just like a detective.
No skill is more important in today's world than being able to think about, understand, and act on information in an effective and responsible way. What's more, at no point in human history have we had access to so much information, with such relative ease, as we do in the 21st century. But because misinformation out there has increased as well, critical thinking is more important than ever. These 24 rewarding lectures equip you with the knowledge and techniques you need to become a savvier, sharper critical thinker in your professional and personal life.
"Clear thinking is valuable beyond measure!"
In The Tipping Point, New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell looks at why major changes in society happen suddenly and unexpectedly. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a few fare-beaters and graffiti artists fuel a subway crime wave, or a satisfied customer fill the empty tables of a new restaurant. These are social epidemics, and the moment when they take off, when they reach their critical mass, is the Tipping Point.
In Your Best Brain, Professor John J. Medina - an award-winning scientist, New York Times best-selling author, and leading advocate for brain research - delivers 24 exciting lectures that probe the origins of consciousness, memory, emotion, attention, intelligence, and beyond. He focuses on five key areas of study in neuroscience: the brain's physical structure and function, and how it enabled us to become the planet's apex predator.
What did Charles Darwin, middling schoolboy and underachieving second son, do to become one of the earliest and greatest naturalists the world has known? What were the similar choices made by Mozart and by Caesar Rodriguez, the U.S. Air Force's last ace fighter pilot? In Mastery, Robert Greene's fifth book, he mines the biographies of great historical figures for clues about gaining control over our own lives and destinies. Picking up where The 48 Laws of Power left off, Greene culls years of research and original interviews to blend historical anecdote and psychological insight, distilling the universal ingredients of the world's masters.
"Mastery is both a goal and a destination..."
In his landmark best seller The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell redefined how we understand the world around us. Now, in Blink, he revolutionizes the way we understand the world within. Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant, in the blink of an eye, that actually aren't as simple as they seem. Why are some people brilliant decision makers, while others are consistently inept?
Why we think it's a great listen: You thought he was a stodgy scientist with funny hair, but Isaacson and Hermann reveal an eloquent, intense, and selfless human being who not only shaped science with his theories, but politics and world events in the 20th century as well. Based on the newly released personal letters of Albert Einstein, Walter Isaacson explores how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos.
"Surprise: Two books in one!"
This landmark book is for those of us who prefer words to equations; this is the story of the ultimate quest for knowledge, the ongoing search for the secrets at the heart of time and space. Its author, Stephen W. Hawking, is arguably the greatest mind since Einstein. From the vantage point of the wheelchair, where he has spent the last 20 years trapped by Lou Gehrig's disease, Professor Hawking has transformed our view of the universe. A Brief History of Time is Hawking's classic introduction to today's most important scientific ideas.
"Great book, but...."
We will soon be able to meet and exceed the basic needs of every man, woman, and child on the planet. Abundance for all is within our grasp. This bold, contrarian view, backed up by exhaustive research, introduces our near-term future, where exponentially growing technologies and three other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions of people. This book is an antidote to pessimism by tech-entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist Peter H. Diamandis and award-winning science writer Steven Kotler.
"A catalog of positive innovations on the horizon"
Richard Dawkins' brilliant reformulation of the theory of natural selection has the rare distinction of having provoked as much excitement and interest outside the scientific community as within it. His theories have helped change the whole nature of the study of social biology, and have forced thousands to rethink their beliefs about life.
"Better than print!"
Oliver Sacks' The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat tells the stories of individuals afflicted with fantastic perceptual and intellectual aberrations: patients who have lost their memories and with them the greater part of their pasts; who are no longer able to recognize people and common objects; who are stricken with violent tics and grimaces or who shout involuntary obscenities; whose limbs have become alien; who have been dismissed as retarded yet are gifted with uncanny artistic or mathematical talents.
"A Clinician's eYe, but a Poet's HEART"
In this groundbreaking book, journalist and innovation expert Warren Berger shows that one of the most powerful forces for igniting change in business and in our daily lives is a simple, underappreciated tool - one that has been available to us since childhood. Questioning - deeply, imaginatively, "beautifully" - can help us identify and solve problems, come up with game-changing ideas, and pursue fresh opportunities. So why are we often reluctant to ask "Why?"
"A better Answer is to Look Elsewhere....."
Superintelligence asks the questions: What happens when machines surpass humans in general intelligence? Will artificial agents save or destroy us? Nick Bostrom lays the foundation for understanding the future of humanity and intelligent life. The human brain has some capabilities that the brains of other animals lack. It is to these distinctive capabilities that our species owes its dominant position. If machine brains surpassed human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become extremely powerful - possibly beyond our control.
"Colossus: The Forbin Project is coming"
A leading science writer examines how the brain's capacity reaches its peak in middle ageFor many years, scientists thought that the human brain simply decayed over time and its dying cells led to memory slips, fuzzy logic, negative thinking, and even depression.
"Recommended for all Ages"
Why do people dodge responsibility when things fall apart? Why the parade of public figures unable to own up when they screw up? Why the endless marital quarrels over who is right? Why can we see hypocrisy in others but not in ourselves? Are we all liars? Or do we really believe the stories we tell? Backed by years of research and delivered in lively, energetic prose, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) offers a fascinating explanation of self-deception.
"Insightful study of human behavior"
Since Darwin's day, we've been told that sexual monogamy comes naturally to our species. Mainstream science - as well as religious and cultural institutions - has maintained that men and women evolved in families in which a man's possessions and protection were exchanged for a woman's fertility and fidelity. But this narrative is collapsing....
"too much focus on academic in-fighting"
Dr. Philip C. Plait sets the record straight on many modern hoaxes and myths. Appalled that millions of Americans don't believe in the moon landing, or that an egg stands on its end only on the vernal equinox, Plait hilariously spills the truth and informs us of scientific inaccuracies in our everyday vernacular.
"Answers to the astronomy questions that matter."
From elicitation, pretexting, influence and manipulation all aspects of social engineering are picked apart, discussed and explained by using real world examples, personal experience and the Science & Technology behind them to unraveled the mystery in social engineering. Kevin Mitnick - one of the most famous social engineers in the world - popularized the term social engineering. He explained that it is much easier to trick someone into revealing a password than to exert the effort of hacking.
"Social Engineering Savvy"
Few companies in history have ever been as successful and as admired as Google, the company that has transformed the Internet and become an indispensable part of our lives. How has Google done it? Veteran technology reporter Steven Levy was granted unprecedented access to the company, and in this revelatory book he takes listeners inside Google headquarters - the Googleplex - to explain how Google works.
"Great for the stories."
Three years ago, 32-year-old Markus "Notch" Persson of Stockholm was an unknown and bored computer programmer. Today, he is a multi-millionaire international icon. Minecraft, the "virtual Lego" game Markus crafted in his free time, has become one of the most talked about activities since Tetris. Talked about by tens of millions of people, in fact.It is the story of unlikely success, fast money, and the power of digital technology to rattle an empire. And it is about creation, exclusion, and the feeling of not fitting in.
"A decent depiction of a fascinating story"
Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrdinger posed a simple, yet profound, question: What is life?. How could the very existence of such extraordinary chemical systems be understood? This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists both before, and ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology?
A dazzling tour of the universe as Einstein saw it. How did Albert Einstein come up with the theories that changed the way we look at the world? By thinking in pictures. Michio Kaku, leading theoretical physicist (a cofounder of string theory) and best-selling science storyteller, shows how Einstein used seemingly simple images to lead a revolution in science. With originality and expertise, Kaku uncovers the surprising beauty that lies at the heart of Einstein's cosmos
"Relatively Wonderful"
The Blind Watchmaker, knowledgably narrated by author Richard Dawkins, is as prescient and timely a book as ever. The watchmaker belongs to the 18th-century theologian William Paley, who argued that just as a watch is too complicated and functional to have sprung into existence by accident, so too must all living things, with their far greater complexity, be purposefully designed. Charles Darwin's brilliant discovery challenged the creationist arguments; but only Richard Dawkins could have written this elegant riposte.
"Challenging textbook more than an enjoyable listen"
To these seven narratives of neurological disorder Dr. Sacks brings the same humanity, poetic observation, and infectious sense of wonder that are apparent in his bestsellers Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. These men, women, and one extraordinary child emerge as brilliantly adaptive personalities, whose conditions have not so much debilitated them as ushered them into another reality.
Chaser has a way with words. She knows over a thousand of them—more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation.
"Wonderful Book - nice mix of science and heart"
In this thrilling journey into the mysteries of our cosmos, best-selling author Michio Kaku takes us on a dizzying ride to explore black holes and time machines, multidimensional space and, most tantalizing of all, the possibility that parallel universes may lay alongside our own.
"Don't be afraid"
How Dogs Love Us answers the age-old question of dog lovers everywhere and offers profound new evidence that dogs should be treated as we would treat our best human friends: with love, respect, and appreciation for their social and emotional intelligence.
"A must for all animal lovers"