Wine on Computers

Two weeks ago, just a few days into our vacation in San Diego, Tegan spilled my entire glass of wine onto my netbook. It wasn't a splash, it was a flood, and the computer promptly responded by making a sizzling sound, followed by a whoosh and a whine as it shut off into silence.

Now, aside from the obvious lesson - move glass of wine before two year old approaches, or better yet, no wine by the computer! - there were two other lessons to be learned as well. First, the one that's been the recurring theme my entire life: Don't sweat the small stuff. Yes, I was bummed about my computer, as well as the fact that we don't currently have the money to replace it. But in the grand scheme of things, a fried netbook is small stuff! It just doesn't matter. Secondly, it told me in no uncertain terms that I didn't need to be on the computer while I was on vacation. I needed to be with my family, live life, and let my little online world continue to spin without me. Even now, back home with 3 desk tops at my disposal, my computer time needs to be more carefully managed, planned, and balanced. And it's good.

Some other insights from the trip, in no particular order:

You need to stop to enjoy the flowers


Sometimes, you just have to eat straight from the carton


Elephants are cool even when they're made out of legoes


Japanese gardens are beautiful


Roller coasters are so much more fun when you share them with the people you love


So are flumes


And rides that go up and down


Baby animals, of any kind, are to be enjoyed and appreciated


Bugs are interesting



Learning about the Marines, aviation, and World War II is interesting too





Even pretending to sit at a school desk bores Paxton


Good friends, the kind that you can see twice a year and still pick up like no time had past, are rare, and precious






The ocean is beautiful, peaceful, and awe-inspiring











And finally, it really is about the little things in life: