funnystrange.com

Today we're going to go out and see if Georg can learn to drive stick shift. If he can't get the hang of it, I'll end up doing all the driving. Which won't be that bad the way we've broken up the trip, but it will still be much easier if we can share the driving.

The title of this entry comes from my five-year-old friend Carina. She and her friends were checking out my car, and one of them asked, "why does it look like that?" Another one explained, "It's a notion." Then he turned to me and asked, "Why do you want a notion on your car?" I thought he was talking about the conceptual nature of the car, and using the word "notion" where I would have said "design" or "theme." I told him I did it because I thought it was cool, which seemed to satisfy him.

Later that night I told Georg about this exchange. I was remarking on how odd that was for a group of five year olds to be talking about the car's conceptual theme. Rather more sophisticated a conversation than I would have expected. He gave me a look and said simply, "An. Ocean."

In case you're curious, here's my list of things to do before we go:

--recode photolog

--travel sizes of car cleaners

Here's the list of things that have been done:

--address book

--pack computer

--color hair

--mount web cams

--pay credit card bills

--pack clothes

--make wire stands for inflatable trout

--easy-pour bottle for bubble juice

--buy dog food

--clothes shopping?

--travel sizes of shampoo etc

--grocery shop for Rob

--finish decorating car

--web cam trial run

--talk to eco and Charlotte

--paint for hubcaps

--pack CDs

--set up + test web server

--set up applescripts

--clean up laptop

--new CD player for car

--extra pillow

--pick up Rob from airport

--write dog instructions for Rob

--ethernet cable

--cup holders

--pack extra glue

--have oil/coolant changed

--get window repaired

--books for trip

--new cell phone

--get photo card reader

--add pgs to web site

--new wallet

--big CD travel case

--figure out itinerary

--fix alignment

--taxes

--set up OS X account for Rob

I'll keep this list updated (adding things as they occur to me, moving things to the second list as they are completed) as I go.