I Seem to be Blogging Back to My Roots

Ironic having Jackie Robinson's number on this idiot's stamp

I have to research something this morning; thank goodness for the interweb. When we go to Europe I wanted to send my mom and dad a postcard from Heidelberg, Germany. They are old-school and don't use the inter nets too much. My dad was stationed at the 130th Army Station Hospital there and, since I was born in that hospital, my mom was there too because that is how it worked back in those old-timey days. My dilemma is that I am not sure if I can use postage stamps from the United States to mail something from Germany TO the United States? I used to collect stamps as a kid (I still have them somewhere in the basement) so I probably should know that. Maybe I should just find those old stamp books and use some of the 1960's German stamps to mail the postcards back here. I could then get the stamps back. I would have to find some that didn't have the cancellation ink all over them. Hmmm... the things we have to relearn when trying to use something other than electronic media.

I have seen a lot of Facebook posts about religion and politics lately. I try not to comment on either of those things because I have heard, ever since I have been a young boy, that you shouldn't discuss politics or religion. I have made that mistake in the past and, after I did, I remember why you shouldn't discuss those topics. Some of the things I see I agree with and some of the things I see I could not disagree with more yet, I keep my mouth fingers shut. I am evolving though, almost as slowly as the actual evolution of mankind.

Jill and I have been watching several episodes of Rick Steves' Europe this morning. We are on our third or forth episode of Prague. We have two-plus days in Prague on our trip. I am told that we are going to watch some about Paris next (we have two days in Paris too). Like I have done for much of my life, I am taking notes. That reminds me that I used to write about our trips when I was very young. I guess I have been blogging before it was "official." Maybe I should try to get a gig like Rick Steves has. Ugly, old, dumb, fat guys are much more fun to watch travelling the world. And, add the eye-candy and charm of Cha Cha and I think we could write-off our trips for life. We will probably need: a producer, a camera person or two and a sound person so get your skills honed by the time we get around to launching this vacation loophole. We can probably get some of your family members on the crew too for convenience and harmony purposes. I am really learning a lot about what to do on our trip.

 We will probably get the airplane selfie stick! 

One of the many reasons to watch these shows is to find out how to dress and not look 100% like Americans. It seems like the guys wear scarves quite a bit. I cannot wear a scarf and not begin speaking effeminate - NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT! I know there is no way that I cannot hide being American even though I was born in Europe; I have been tainted and ruined.

Even if I dress properly and fool the fine people of Europe into not realizing I am not a foreigner Cha Cha is on the fence for ruining that for sure. She is thinking about getting a selfie stick. How long ago was it that the word "selfie" would have thrown Spell-Check into a tizzy? I have typed it twice in this paragraph, so far, and no little red squiggles appeared under either one. Cha Cha was totally against selfie sticks but this trip may change that for her for a few weeks. I think, even if she gets one, we will pass it off to someone else in an airport somewhere in the world. I see the benefits of a selfie stick for this trip but I am philosophically opposed for some reason. I do know that photos are much better when there are people in them.

We have to get some shopping done so I am going to wrap-up. We are out of bird seed and they have already emptied the feeder one time today. Thank you for letting me blab-on about Europe today. I will try not to continue to bore you with my child-like Christmas Eve excitement next time. It takes a lot or research to learn to become an expatriate ("ex-pat" I call myself now. or maybe "ex-matt"). I hope you have a fantastic weekend; it looks like it may be nice weather here. I hope it is wherever you are too. TTTMonday...MITM (out) TA!