2013-0706 Letter/Audio

06Jul13

Hi All –

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!  If you have any travel plans, try to get into the spirit of the adventure by reading about and perhaps even adopting some of the local customs of your destination.  Remember, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Of course the Romans wore togas and spoke in Latin.  I’m not suggesting that you do either – I mean it’s just so hard to find togas in the stores these days and, really, how do you accessorize a toga?  High heels are definitely out as are those Coach purses which seem to be surgically attached to young women everywhere.  Well, I’m sure that Rome in the old days was no utopia (there was not a single shopping mall to be seen!) but it wasn’t the worst place either.  If you wanted an example of a dystopia, you could visit Pompeii after the volcanic eruption.  They had to spend all day, every day just dusting the house!  Anyway, don’t become too enamored of your destination.  Remember that the grass is always greener on the other side.  It may seem like a better life to move there but you’ll be happier staying put.  Sure, Rome is pretty and all but on some days, the heat is just stifling!  Do enjoy yourself, though.  Don’t plan every detail, just play it by ear.  Go shopping, find a fun little gift shop and buy everything in it, lock, stock and barrel.  Just keep an eye on the prices so you don’t get taken to the cleaners by two-faced proprietors who tell you one price and charge you a higher one.

 If you are leaving your kids alone for any length of time, just beware!  They may get up to some mischief when you are gone.  “When the cat’s away, the mice will play” is the thought to keep in mind.  In our case, when we were away, our offspring liked to vegetate on the couch playing video games. We never begrudged them their video game time unless it became excessive, at which point we felt the need to confiscate the game controllers.  Being guys, they usually played games in which they were trying to extricate some radiant and buxom princess from an embattled empire which was surrounded by hostile and avaricious aliens.  I think all these games have zaftig maidens in dire straits needing rescue by chivalrous adolescent male couch potatoes who are too shy to talk to real girls.  Sigh.  And now you must pardon me while I savor the moment when I first talked to a real girl!

Cheers!

Kevin