NB: I don’t use the word “random” in the title because it’s often misused. I find people use “random” to indicate what I would call “miscellany”. Anyone interested in the semantics can look up the differences in the OED.
The very best corn maze in the state of Washington is in Snohomish, WA. The place is unassumingly called “The Farm”, and if you are headed north up the 9 take the Snohomish exit right past the bridge over the river, turn left off the exit and drive about 4 miles. You can’t miss it. It’s a giant corn maze.
In the shape of Washington State.
And the maze is made of accurate highways — all marked… including country roads, also accurate, also marked. Cities and interests (Grand Coulee Dam, The Space Needle) are all marked with actual edifices and both “Quick Facts” and a longer set of paragraphs about the history of the part of Washington you are in. It was incredibly fun and I totally recommend it. I may force the Male Person into going some weekend.
Our group got lost trying to find Vantage.
You see, the maze was so accurate it included Road Closures. The 90 was closed in a part of it, as were two other major highways (mercifully not the 5, because we had to hightail it down from Everett to Olympia). And we spent our life driving walking around in a hellhole trying to find Vantage, between the broken bits of the 90 and highway 97. I think I actually want to drive out to the REAL Vantage, WA in order to make myself at peace with the experience.
During the field trip I had the joy of watching 3 boys (one of them my son). I have a friend who now has three boys, I really have no idea how she will keep her sanity. That is all.
In other (see? not random, ‘cuz we’re still talking about me, but miscellaneous, because this is a complete non-sequitir) school is both more and less than I thought it was. Believe it or not, listening to the Freakonomics podcast weekly and reading the Economist will still leave you with some knowledge bits lacking and so you actually do have to read your course materials and respond to the class discussion items. Fortunately, I seem to be able to do so. I psych myself out before every “problem set” that is due, and I leave each one going “Oh. That’s all right, then.”
Finally (again, miscellany, not randomness) I have not at all determined what I want to be for Halloween. Now accepting suggestions. In the past (recent) years, I have been: Elphaba, a Catrina doll (bride), a dominatrix, a Knight, Zorro, Alice in Wonderland (complete with blonde wig), and (when pregnant) someone with an Alien chestburster (a little lower, thanks to the BoyChild). Oh, and a Vampiress and I think there was a witch in there somewhere. Rules: no massive face paint (Elphaba was impossible to clean — myself and then the items I cleaned with). Must be work-appropriate. Points for creativity.
And if you are saying, “But you promised us legal poo!!!”, well, I’m sorry, but that’s still (STILL) going on, and looks to be through the end of the year. Maybe you’ll get some dish for Christmas.
Bobbie Conti 