Small Talk: The Cabana

[Bronzedog]

Lisin, You're lucky the dogs are cooperating although I would think the Rottie mix might love it. How's the little guy handling it? I'm doing a search and recovery mission. My dog won't go out when I open the door and although he has a dog door, I haven't seen him use it. Btw, you have a really nice yard.

I thought the snow would be lessening by now but it looks worse than it did a few hours ago. Enough!

Edited January 23, 2016 by Bronzedog

[breezy424]

It's finally stopping.  Yay.   We didn't lose power.  Yay.  There's a whole lot of snow out there and I doubt we could even drive either SUV down the block.  Boo.  We did have a plow come by a couple of times but apparently one hit the street signs on the corner.  Oh well.  At least they didn't hit my mailbox.  I had that happen when we lived in NJ.  There's almost two feet of snow plastered to the sliding glass doors in the back.  Did I say we didn't lose power??????

 

Hope everyone is making out ok.  This one is going to take a while to dig out of.  Can we now say we filled our quotient of Winter snow?  Please???

[WireWrap]

It's finally stopping.  Yay.   We didn't lose power.  Yay.  There's a whole lot of snow out there and I doubt we could even drive either SUV down the block.  Boo.  We did have a plow come by a couple of times but apparently one hit the street signs on the corner.  Oh well.  At least they didn't hit my mailbox.  I had that happen when we lived in NJ.  There's almost two feet of snow plastered to the sliding glass doors in the back.  Did I say we didn't lose power??????

 

Hope everyone is making out ok.  This one is going to take a while to dig out of.  Can we now say we filled our quotient of Winter snow?  Please???

A few years ago, we got 29 inches (only 3 inches this time) and had to dig out an area for our 2 big dogs, a 150 lb. newf and our 190 lb. GP! The snow was too high for them to muscle through but the GP did love jumping in and out of the deep snow like a huge rabbit! LOL Our Malt. will use puppy pads with no problems Thank Heavens, we would have lost him in the wind! LOL Good Luck digging out and stay safe everyone that got hit in this storm.

[breezy424]

Thankfully, we brought the Craftman's big boy snow blower with us when we moved.  I tried using it once in NJ when my husband was on a business trip and it self propelled me out into the street.  I don't touch big boy anymore but thankfully the husband is home.  Otherwise I'd be struggling with the electric snow shovel.  That would be a 'joke' in this snowfall.

 

Three inches??? You suck Wire.  Just kidding you know.  

 

These are the times I'm kinda glad we don't have a dog anymore.  Just these times because I love dogs.   

[Lura]

I LOVE the pictures, and I love the doggie stories!  And to think I'm a cat person!  This snow reminds me so much of growing up in New England.  We had one snowstorm that dumped enough on us that the stop sign at the corner couldn't be seen.  Another storm broke down my beloved cherry tree right at the base of the trunk.  Boo hoo!  And yes, kiddies, I walked a mile to school and a mile home every day!  I'd move back in an instant.

 

I'm really, really glad that none of you have lost power (yet).  That's the worst.  Keep sending the news. 

Edited January 24, 2016 by Lura

[Bronzedog]

Awwww.  I'd love to see this.  Could you make a video for YouTube?   It sounds like something that would go viral in two minutes!

I'll work on this since God knows I have plenty of time in the house. My current issue is that the dog has made the area under the dining room table his fort. He's mostly there but occasionally comes out to glare at me and, of course, to eat, but he lets me know he might go all cocker spaniel on my ass at any moment.

[Lisin]

Lisin, You're lucky the dogs are cooperating although I would think the Rottie mix might love it. How's the little guy handling it? I'm doing a search and recovery mission. My dog won't go out when I open the door and although he has a dog door, I haven't seen him use it. Btw, you have a really nice yard.

I thought the snow would be lessening by now but it looks worse than it did a few hours ago. Enough!

 

1) Thank you! I love our yard, especially considering we live in a townhouse so it's kind of crazy how big the yard is. 2) Unfortunately the Rottie mix is is 14 years old and for some reason which the vets have not been able to figure out he goes kind of blind and bulgy eyed in the cold. It's been happening since last winter so he's super confused about this much snow (total for my town was reported as the "winner" of this storm at 40.5 inches... ugh.) 3) My husband dug a big hole because both the Rottie mix and the pup were refusing to poop in the area we had dug out... guess it wasn't big enough, and now they go off the deck into the big hole and Charlie (rottie mix) just does his thing and comes back in while Murphy (the pup) hops around trying to figure out how to jump up on top of the snow. It's hilarious. I think by this afternoon he'll have figured out how to climb out of it, but then yeah, he's gonna get stuck and we'll have to go rescue him. There's so much snow y'all. 

 

A friend of mine made this gauge to measure the snow. I thought it would be a good fit for this forum to illustrate the amount of snow we got ;) things to note, those are the big bottles (of course) and it's hard to tell but the snow comes up about 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the label on that top bottle.

[walnutqueen]

Yesterday morning I flipped to the local San Diego news to check if there was any chance of precipitation here (the promised light rain never arrived).  Caught the tail end of some idiot newscaster declaring the big blizzard had begun, and overnight, Washington D.C. had received "10 feet of snow. Is that right? 10 feet.  Yes 10 feet".  Somebody needs to learn the difference between the symbols " and ' on the teleprompter. 

 

I am ever so glad y'all aren't digging out from 10' of snow.   :-)

 

Meanwhile, my friend in Alaska experienced a 7.1 magnitude earthquake this morning; fortunately with no damage to her home.  Yikes!

 

 

ETA - Lisin, I watch way too much crime on the ID Channel, because that pic looks like an icy grave!

Edited January 24, 2016 by walnutqueen

[Lisin]

ETA - Lisin, I watch way too much crime on the ID Channel, because that pic looks like an icy grave!

 

May as well be! And yes. Thankful it isn't 10 feet! Whew! 

[zoeysmom]

1) Thank you! I love our yard, especially considering we live in a townhouse so it's kind of crazy how big the yard is. 2) Unfortunately the Rottie mix is is 14 years old and for some reason which the vets have not been able to figure out he goes kind of blind and bulgy eyed in the cold. It's been happening since last winter so he's super confused about this much snow (total for my town was reported as the "winner" of this storm at 40.5 inches... ugh.) 3) My husband dug a big hole because both the Rottie mix and the pup were refusing to poop in the area we had dug out... guess it wasn't big enough, and now they go off the deck into the big hole and Charlie (rottie mix) just does his thing and comes back in while Murphy (the pup) hops around trying to figure out how to jump up on top of the snow. It's hilarious. I think by this afternoon he'll have figured out how to climb out of it, but then yeah, he's gonna get stuck and we'll have to go rescue him. There's so much snow y'all. 

 

A friend of mine made this gauge to measure the snow. I thought it would be a good fit for this forum to illustrate the amount of snow we got ;) things to note, those are the big bottles (of course) and it's hard to tell but the snow comes up about 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the label on that top bottle.

I don't know beans about snow-but I do know wine-holy guacamole that is a lot of snow.  Very creative snow gauge. 

 

To one and all in the path of blizzard, stay safe and don't hurt yourself trying to dig out. 

[Wings]

Love the wine bottle measure!  Very cute.  Ah yes dogs and snow.  I have lived in a warm climate for 10 years now but I have not forgotten.  I have never had one of those youtube dogs that tunnel under the show and leap around loving it.  Nope.  The Trauma Team is what we called our 4 dogs.  

Edited January 24, 2016 by wings707

[AnnA]

total for my town was reported as the "winner" of this storm at 40.5 inches... ugh.

 

Ugh is right!   I'm sorry you got 40" but at least you won.  LOL

 

We only got 26" - I haven't ventured out yet but I'll have to do that tomorrow or take a day off work.   There's three steps leading up to the front porch but they were lost in the snow.  Thankfully, there's a cute fireman who plows my driveway, clears the walk and steps.  

 

Stay safe out there everyone!

Edited January 25, 2016 by AnnA

[Lisin]

Heee. My husband just built a "race track" for the pup. Here's a teeny instagram video of the fun. That's the pup growling. He does it when he runs. He's a bit of a weirdo. 

[walnutqueen]

Lisin, on 25 Jan 2016 - 2:13 PM, said:

Heee. My husband just built a "race track" for the pup. Here's a teeny instagram video of the fun. That's the pup growling. He does it when he runs. He's a bit of a weirdo. 

 

That is hilarious, Lisin!

[FairyDusted]

Heee. My husband just built a "race track" for the pup. Here's a teeny instagram video of the fun. That's the pup growling. He does it when he runs. He's a bit of a weirdo. 

Thats's awesome! Sorry but now I have to follow your ass;)

[Lura]

Lisin, that video of the pup racing around the square is wonderful!!!  LOL!   That tunnel also seems like a great way for the dog to get some exercise. Little did Murph know that he'd get a belated Christmas present -- a special track all his own!

[breezy424]

So... I had my eye doctor appointment on Thursday.  Everything is no change.  I've been dreading this for weeks and this is a good report.  So how come I've been wired for the past three nights?  I hate insomnia but love getting on my new mattress.

 

Anyone else following the Steven Avery story?  I've been avoiding it forever but started watching the Netflix series the other night....because I've had insomnia.  It's so compelling.  Loved that my daughter binged watched it.  I have someone to talk to about it with.  I'm up to episode three.  The husband thought I was nuts but now he's getting into it.  Between that and all the new OJ stuff coming up on ESPN and FX, it will get me through Winter. 

[talula]

Just for you Breezy...congrats on good news and comfy mattress. Thanks for TV recommendations.

I just love the baby smiling...so restful.

[Lura]

Awwww.  *smile*  There's nothing like watching a baby sleep to make your eyelids grow heavy!  Great pic, Talula!

 

I hope you get over your insomnia, breezy.  Ir must be frustrating.

[breezy424]

Awww.  Thank you all. :)  I did sleep last night.  Six hours straight.  Of course now my 'clock' is all off and I'll probably be awake till 3.  Not the end of the world but so frustrating at times. 

[Wings]

So... I had my eye doctor appointment on Thursday.  Everything is no change.  I've been dreading this for weeks and this is a good report.  So how come I've been wired for the past three nights?  I hate insomnia but love getting on my new mattress.

 

Anyone else following the Steven Avery story?  I've been avoiding it forever but started watching the Netflix series the other night....because I've had insomnia.  It's so compelling.  Loved that my daughter binged watched it.  I have someone to talk to about it with.  I'm up to episode three.  The husband thought I was nuts but now he's getting into it.  Between that and all the new OJ stuff coming up on ESPN and FX, it will get me through Winter. 

 

 

I have been avoiding that too.  I have not been able to sleep due to a bulging disc sitting on my sciatic nerve.  Maybe I will start this too, I need to occupy my mind to get above the pain.  I have doc appt on Wed and hopefully I will get some narcotics.

 

 I watched the 2 episodes on Dr Phil about it and it resolved nothing.   All of her bones were found, burned, in his backyard.  Is there an argument to support someone else disposing of her body in his yard?  

[Jextella]

Heee. My husband just built a "race track" for the pup. Here's a teeny instagram video of the fun. That's the pup growling. He does it when he runs. He's a bit of a weirdo. 

 

I don't know who I love more....dogs and babies or the people who love dogs and babies.  Sheer joy on all fronts.

[EVS]

Awww.  Thank you all. :)  I did sleep last night.  Six hours straight.  Of course now my 'clock' is all off and I'll probably be awake till 3.  Not the end of the world but so frustrating at times.

Breezy, I thought of you when I woke up at 4:00 am this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. I had to be up at 6:15. I had a bad bout of insomnia last winter and ended up going to a sleep clinic. After ruling out apnea, I saw a sleep behavior specialist. If your insomnia returns or persists, I'm happy to share some of the tips she gave me.

[breezy424]

I have been avoiding that too.  I have not been able to sleep due to a bulging disc sitting on my sciatic nerve.  Maybe I will start this too, I need to occupy my mind to get above the pain.  I have doc appt on Wed and hopefully I will get some narcotics.

 

 I watched the 2 episodes on Dr Phil about it and it resolved nothing.   All of her bones were found, burned, in his backyard.  Is there an argument to support someone else disposing of her body in his yard?  

Fortunately, I've been pretty lucky in the pain department but one thing I do know is distraction can help immensely.  I would suggest watching at least the first episode and go from there.  I also thought episode two was good, three was kind of boring and four was very good.  So far for me it's a telling story about the justice system, people who are not able to afford the best lawyers and people who don't have the sophistication to understand what their rights are when it comes to the law.

 

Good luck on your dr's appointment on Wednesday and getting those discs healed.  I hope you don't have to have surgery.  Nerve pain is one of the worst.  Hang in there.... 

[breezy424]

Breezy, I thought of you when I woke up at 4:00 am this morning and couldn't go back to sleep. I had to be up at 6:15. I had a bad bout of insomnia last winter and ended up going to a sleep clinic. After ruling out apnea, I saw a sleep behavior specialist. If your insomnia returns or persists, I'm happy to share some of the tips she gave me.

Ah, thanks EVS.  That's so nice of you.  I was better last night but I'll keep you in mind if it comes back again.  I get really bad anxiety about certain things and it's just so hard for me to calm down.  I think it has a lot to do with OCD which my mom had and I think I inherited the tendency.  And I don't talk about it to anyone except my one child who is just like me in this department. 

[EVS]

Ah, thanks EVS. That's so nice of you. I was better last night but I'll keep you in mind if it comes back again. I get really bad anxiety about certain things and it's just so hard for me to calm down. I think it has a lot to do with OCD which my mom had and I think I inherited the tendency. And I don't talk about it to anyone except my one child who is just like me in this department.

Good luck, breezy and I am here if it comes back. I have a sibling with ocd, and a child with anxiety. He is doing much better now, thanks to a good therapist. Now he only sees her a couple times a year when he feels that an issue is causing him more anxiety than he can handle alone.

My problem isn't anxiety, but my mind does race with a dozen thoughts when I wake up. The doctor said that, after 10 minutes, I should read or watch tv in bed. I usually watch tv because my mind then eventually focuses on the show until I relax and fall asleep. Some nights it is harder than others.

Edited February 2, 2016 by EVS

[walnutqueen]

This talk of watching TV to distract you from the pain (which I do, too) reminds me of the Grey's Anatomy episode where the patient had to watch porn for pain management.  :-)

[Almost 3000]

This talk of watching TV to distract you from the pain (which I do, too) reminds me of the Grey's Anatomy episode where the patient had to watch porn for pain management.  :-)

Is that why the purple dino grins?

Edited February 2, 2016 by Almost 3000

[walnutqueen]

Almost 3000, on 02 Feb 2016 - 3:03 PM, said:

Is that why the purple dino grins?

 

No.  If she were watching porn her eyes would be rolling back in her head from exasperation (or she'd be fast asleep from sheer boredom)!   ;-D

[Lura]

So, THAT'S what I've been doing all wrong!  When I start to go crazy with pain, I should turn on some porn!  Then I s'pose I'd either attack my husband or fall asleep before I cared!

[breezy424]

So welcome to the world of today's electronics.  We have a DVR from the cable company that's hooked into the TV.  Then, a couple of years ago my DH bought a Blu Ray thing with a DVD player and surround speakers that connects between the DVR and the TV.  Why?  I don't know because he's not that big of a TV or DVD watcher.  Then, I recently bought a Roku because I like to watch Netflix and the although the TV is internet capable, sometimes it doesn't connect that well.  Sooo, we have all these freaken devices.  Tonight, for some reason the Blu Ray thing kept switching the input to DVD player while I was watching TV.  The DVD drawer kept opening and it would bounce back to the 'hub'.  I would try to go to the correct HDMI import but it said I had to close the DVD drawer.  This literally kept happening every few minutes.  Of course, DH went to bed before this all started happening.  It was an electronic nightmare - welcome to the 21st century.  My daughter just kept saying what is going on?  I disconnected the Roku but it didn't stop.  I then looked behind both the cable DVR and the Blu Ray thing and there was literally a total of fifteen wires connected into both of them.   WTF?

 

I finally figured out which one was the HDMI cable that hooked into the Blu Ray, disconnected that and found the correct plug for the DVR.  Success.  Blu Ray is disconnected. 

 

Oh, add to that playing with four different remotes.   Gosh, I remember when you got up and turned the dial to change the stations.  Now a days you have to take a course to understand it all. 

[walnutqueen]

I hate electronics, breezy, but I am in awe of your determination!  I have no patience for wires and small print instructions.  The DVD/VCR combo from about 10 years ago has yet to be hooked up.  Same with my printer.  I just can't with these infernal machines!   :-)

[Mrs peel]

Oh, add to that playing with four different remotes.   Gosh, I remember when you got up and turned the dial to change the stations.  Now a days you have to take a course to understand it all. 

Let me know the name of that course! 

 

When I got my sound system and blue-ray player (worst investment I ever made!), I got one of those universal remotes.  It has never turned on the DIrecTv dvr, no idea why.  Now that I bought a new TV, somehow every time I use that remote to turn on the receiver it turns on the receiver, TV, and the blue ray - then switches the TV over to channel 8.  Which I can only correct using the TV remote!  Then I go over and manually turn on the DVR, since I refuse to have 3 remotes out.

 

None of this was an exciting as the day my parents bought our first color TV.

[breezy424]

Let me know the name of that course! 

 

When I got my sound system and blue-ray player (worst investment I ever made!), I got one of those universal remotes.  It has never turned on the DIrecTv dvr, no idea why.  Now that I bought a new TV, somehow every time I use that remote to turn on the receiver it turns on the receiver, TV, and the blue ray - then switches the TV over to channel 8.  Which I can only correct using the TV remote!  Then I go over and manually turn on the DVR, since I refuse to have 3 remotes out.

 

None of this was an exciting as the day my parents bought our first color TV.

That's sooo funny.  

 

I remember the day my parents bought our first color TV too.  And it came with a remote.  I was pretty young and that remote just fascinated me.

[ParadoxLost]

That's sooo funny.  

 

I remember the day my parents bought our first color TV too.  And it came with a remote.  I was pretty young and that remote just fascinated me.

 

When I was a kid, my parents rented a car with power windows one vacation.  My fascination with this new method of rolling down windows led to me spending the better part of the afternoon making the windows go up and down. Until I burned them out.  Luckily, after they were given a rest for a while they started working again and my parents were never the wiser.

[Bronzedog]

My golden retriever started a small explosion with lots of smoke in my Mazda playing with the power window switch. It was Christmas week and about 18 degrees. He kept putting the window down, I kept putting it up. I then locked the windows and he kept hitting the switch with his paw until it exploded and smoke came out the door. I learned from that experience that you can trade in and buy A new car really fast on Christmas Eve.

[ParadoxLost]

My golden retriever started a small explosion with lots of smoke in my Mazda playing with the power window switch. It was Christmas week and about 18 degrees. He kept putting the window down, I kept putting it up. I then locked the windows and he kept hitting the switch with his paw until it exploded and smoke came out the door. I learned from that experience that you can trade in and buy A new car really fast on Christmas Eve.

 

That's kind of taking my dog ate my homework to extremes.  My dog blew up my car.

[imjagain]

RIP Maurice White. I adore earth wind and fire. Sorry to hear he passed. I love love to dance, as he obviously did too, so I'm sure he loves, that tonight we (me,my sister and a couple great friends danced our butts off, while cool and the gang, early MJ and of course earth wind and fire played.

[breezy424]

RIP Maurice White. I adore earth wind and fire. Sorry to hear he passed. I love love to dance, as he obviously did too, so I'm sure he loves, that tonight we (me,my sister and a couple great friends danced our butts off, while cool and the gang, early MJ and of course earth wind and fire played.

Earth, Wind and Fire had so many great songs.  I think That's The Way of the World was probably my favorite even though it wasn't a 'dance' song.  I have so many different memories of that song and they're all good.  

[WireWrap]

That's sooo funny.  

 

I remember the day my parents bought our first color TV too.  And it came with a remote.  I was pretty young and that remote just fascinated me.

Our first color TV, my siblings and I were the remote control for our parents! LOL

[EVS]

Replying to this from another thread:

Heading off for vacation and praying I don't die in a fiery plane crash.....did I mention I hate to fly and I have to do it all the time? Got the biggest laugh this morning as I handed my husband his new beats headphones I purchased just for this trip .....he asked so earnestly what kind of Dr. ,Is Dr. Dre? I replied his subspeciality is rapology but he's board certified in mixed tapes too. It was then that I realized he was dead serious. LMAO. Oh NC hubby can't think of anyone I would rather crash in the ocean with....did I tell you I'm afraid of flying ?

Lol at your husband not knowing Dr Dre. I'm terrified of flying also. We flew several times a year when I was growing up, but I developed a phobia in my late teens. It got worse after I had kids. We don't take many vacations so I only have to deal with it every few years. A couple years ago, I searched for websites for people with flying phobias. I found several good ones and even a message board that I didn't join but did read thoroughly. I wish I could remember them. They helped quite a bit. I'm sure you can find some good ones if you search. I highly recommend it.

A couple things that stuck with me:

One had a detailed explanation of normal airplane noises. It said to give yourself permission to worry if you hear anything abnormal. I realized that all of the noises that freaked me out were normal. I have yet to hear an abnormal one.

Another one described how a plane can still land safely, even with complete engine failure. Understanding plane mechanics helped me a lot.

Any turbulence terrifies me. I read that the plane is not bouncing nearly as bad as you think it is. I found a suggestion to keep a drink on the tray or water bottle with you. If you look at the liquid in the bottle or glass, it is usually not moving very much at all, even if it feels like the plane is bouncing a lot. That reassures me a lot.

Takeoff and landing also terrify me. I count to 30 on the way up. If everything is fine by then, I can relax. The long descent still scares me, but we flew last summer and had a really bad landing in a storm. Several people were freaking out, but I was surprisingly calm. I knew that a lot of the turbulence was normal in that situation and pilots deal with it all the time. Of course everything was fine. I was very proud of myself. I've come a long way, but I will never be comfortable flying!

I don't know if any of this helps or if you already knew it since you fly a lot, but I thought I'd share anyway. There may be more posters here that share our phobia. I'm sure everything will be fine. Have a great vacation!

[JennyMominFL]

I freaking love to fly and i find turbulence exciting. Not a big fan of small planes though and I have been on more than a few military ones. I'm flying to LA on Wednesday for my annual Doctor Who convention.

[EVS]

I freaking love to fly and i find turbulence exciting. Not a big fan of small planes though and I have been on more than a few military ones. I'm flying to LA on Wednesday for my annual Doctor Who convention.

I wish I could enjoy flying the way you do.

My husband would be very jealous that you are attending a Dr Who convention! Have a great time!

Eta: I just check and there is one here in Chicago in November. Maybe I will surprise him with tickets for it this year. I will look into it in more detail as it gets closer. Thanks, Jenny! You didn't mean to, but you gave me a great idea!

Edited February 7, 2016 by EVS

[JennyMominFL]

I wish I could enjoy flying the way you do.

My husband would be very jealous that you are attending a Dr Who convention! Have a great time!

Eta: I just check and there is one here in Chicago in November. Maybe I will surprise him with tickets for it this year. I will look into it in more detail as it gets closer. Thanks, Jenny! You didn't mean to, but you gave me a great idea!

I actually work at the one in LA. Been attending since 2002 and working there since 2009. I got married at the one in 2008, and the 7th Doctor walked me down the aisle. I also sometimes attend Chicago Tardis. I am friends with the people who run it. There is also a major convention on Long Island in November. I'm not sure  where you live , so I am giving you options.

   The one in LA.. Very tough to get tickets too. It's capped at around 3600 attendees and last year tickets sold out in 3 minutes. I believe the Chicago One usually has tickets for quite a while and the venue is good. I still suggest making plans for any sooner rather than later.  Or send me a message of you can't get tickets. I might be able to help. Will likely go to the Long Island one, but probably not CHicago this year.

Yes, I'm very very deep in fandom.

[EVS]

Thank you so much! He will be crazy jealous that you were walked down the aisle by a Doctor. I think I'm going to try to get tickets for the Chicago one. If I have trouble, I will let you know. I appreciate the help.

Edited because JennyMom was walked down the aisle by a Doctor, not married by him.

Edited February 7, 2016 by EVS

[JennyMominFL]

OK, so I have been told that last year they still had tickets at the door. So I wouldn't worry about that.

[EVS]

I saw that on the website. I told my older son (he's 20) and we came up with a plan to surprise my husband. My son is really excited. He thinks it is a great idea. We wish it was sooner but it gives us something to look forward to next winter. My 16 year old will love it too because he is a Dr Who fan also. Thanks again!

[JennyMominFL]

I saw that on the website. I told my older son (he's 20) and we came up with a plan to surprise my husband. My son is really excited. He thinks it is a great idea. We wish it was sooner but it gives us something to look forward to next winter. My 16 year old will love it too because he is a Dr Who fan also. Thanks again!

You might want to like/join their facebook page, because then you can see if any of the tickets or hotels are close to selling out. Guest announcements will probably start coming this month, because usually at the LA convention they announce the first guests for Chicago

Edited February 7, 2016 by JennyMominFL

[EVS]

Thanks for the tips!

[kokapetl]

Replying to this from another thread:

Lol at your husband not knowing Dr Dre. I'm terrified of flying also. We flew several times a year when I was growing up, but I developed a phobia in my late teens. It got worse after I had kids. We don't take many vacations so I only have to deal with it every few years. A couple years ago, I searched for websites for people with flying phobias. I found several good ones and even a message board that I didn't join but did read thoroughly. I wish I could remember them. They helped quite a bit. I'm sure you can find some good ones if you search. I highly recommend it.

A couple things that stuck with me:

One had a detailed explanation of normal airplane noises. It said to give yourself permission to worry if you hear anything abnormal. I realized that all of the noises that freaked me out were normal. I have yet to hear an abnormal one.

Another one described how a plane can still land safely, even with complete engine failure. Understanding plane mechanics helped me a lot.

Any turbulence terrifies me. I read that the plane is not bouncing nearly as bad as you think it is. I found a suggestion to keep a drink on the tray or water bottle with you. If you look at the liquid in the bottle or glass, it is usually not moving very much at all, even if it feels like the plane is bouncing a lot. That reassures me a lot.

Takeoff and landing also terrify me. I count to 30 on the way up. If everything is fine by then, I can relax. The long descent still scares me, but we flew last summer and had a really bad landing in a storm. Several people were freaking out, but I was surprisingly calm. I knew that a lot of the turbulence was normal in that situation and pilots deal with it all the time. Of course everything was fine. I was very proud of myself. I've come a long way, but I will never be comfortable flying!

I don't know if any of this helps or if you already knew it since you fly a lot, but I thought I'd share anyway. There may be more posters here that share our phobia. I'm sure everything will be fine. Have a great vacation!

I flew Malaysia Airlines in September 2014, after they lost 2 777s earlier that year. Air travel is so very, very safe. Edited February 7, 2016 by Kokapetl