Happy reunion show

One nice thing about the airport is due to its relatively small size, all the returning travelers must exit
through one set of stairs and there are a bunch of chairs set up in the "waiting" area/lobby.  You can
sit there and immediately see the person(s) you are waiting for.  It makes meeting people very easy.
And while you are waiting there, like I was yesterday, you can watch the "Happy Reunion Show". 
Little girl runs up to happily greet mom, mom scoops her up, very touching.  Older folks pick up
returning college kid.  Too cool dad greets wife & young kids.  Other family and friends reunite.
It's a great show to watch and you get front row seats to all the drama! 

an observation

Reading upside down for extended periods of time sort of makes my head hurt and
to me, makes the words look like another language.  Trying to follow along with what
someone is reading (ie. if you are giving a reading test) and looking at said passage upside down,
kind of messes with my eyes and brain, and after a while the words don't even look like English to me.

first snow

First brush of snow, Veteran's Day... more notable for the fact that yesterday it was 60 degrees during
the morning/early afternoon and dropped about 30 degrees...

addendum

I forgot to add this quote:
"Pigs outnumber people 6-1 in Iowa..."
I'll have to double-check that but could be true.  Good thing our newly elected senator is
all about cutting "pork"...

more pork

and returning to the category of " I can't make this stuff up... "
under a local story about today's bacon expo

" also feature a bacon eating contest, where 20 participants will be asked to eat half a pound of bacon as fast as they can. Finalists will then be required to eat five bacon cupcakes, and the fastest eater will be crowned the winner. " (Ames Trib)

Apparently the 3 components being focused on in this year's event (the 2nd annual one), are:
education, vendors and entertainment.

I know I am always heard to be decrying the lack of "bacon-education" in this state... Won't someone
please think of the children...

Also, accompanying this article, a candid shot of woman eating bacon (in case you wondered how it was done.  Insert in mouth, close teeth, etc.) 

where everybody knows my name...

Today I discovered there is a SE Karen Drive in my neighborhood. 
I found it accidentally, while taking a "short-cut"...

adventures in (mis)translation

Instructions from our (Taiwan-made) rice cooker:

"As a safety feature, this plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way.  If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug.  If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician.  Do not attempt to defeat this safety feature."

(you will not win!)