This week, am in Ettlanta, Jaw-ja (translation: Atlanta, Georgia). Last week, arrived to DFW on Monday, rented car, and drove two hours to Lindale, Texas to the Hampton Inn (it is lovely and exceeds expectations. Unlike Northwest Airlines -- which should be shut down.). It was slightly mind-bending to get off a flight after 21 hours travel and then start driving on the right-hand side of the road on I-635, which is one of the major highways in Dallas. At points, there are six lanes in each direction.
However, Atlanta has Dallas way beat. On Tuesday, a study was released with Atlanta tying for second-worst traffic city in the US (along with D.C. and San Francisco). After being here for almost 24 hours now, it seems that a significant part of the problem could be the complete idiocy of signage. There are places with seven lanes in each direction and this is entirely possible to deal with were one able to spy signs with even the most mundane of information. Today, I even made it onto the interstate successfully after a completely blind and non-posted left-hand turn (however, this made me quite furious).
One of my journeys today took me completely past an entrance to the interstate, since the sign indicating the left turn is directly above the light at which you turn and with no advance warning. My alternative decision was to muddle my way through the back streets (which was successful in the end, but which leads me to a handy-dandy tip to non-native US persons if driving in the US: generally, and I am tempted to say uni-continentally, if one either intersects or finds one's self driving on Martin L. King Drive/Boulevard/Highway/Street or Avenue, one has reached and entered the Ghetto. If one suffers from a poor sense of direction, one should exit the area. You might even see shopping bags sitting at a bus stop with no person in sight, and as you drive past, you might see a man pulling his pants back together and re-buckling his belt as he walks from the side of the bus shelter.)
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Last week, spent in Shreveport, suffering chronic back pain that appears to come with age (and probably lack of exercise) and eating. Also
spent time talking in funny voices to Flee. And visiting with various and sundry lovely persons :)Picture 1: Emily and Evangeline (who is 8 weeks old and belongs to Katie S)
Picture 2: Clairie (and Melanie's forehead)
Picture 3: Lisa and Madison
Picture 4: Katie S. and Harrisen
Picture 5: Katie B.Loom and moi
Things I have missed about the US:
* Tex-Mex food
* Southern men who open doors and help ladees with luggage
* customer service
* mocking people
Things I have not missed:
* incoming cell phone calls using your minutes
* tax not being on the price of things
* the insane number of commercial breaks on both radio and t.v.
Things I am horrified by in the US (and yet so tantalisingly tempted):
* The Whataburger Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit (for breakfast!)
* the line, 'I'd like to check you for ticks' in a country song (titter)
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Another thing I have missed is Southern hospitality. Today, I have visited two schools. I even got a hug at Spelman College from the Administrative Assistant! After my gift welcoming me to the Residence Inn yesterday, and two gifts from schools, I now have:
* 1 snack bag of Famous Amos cookies
* 6 peanut butter snack cracker sandwiches
* 1 snack bag Oreo thin crisps
* 1 snack bag Goldfish
* 1 snack bag Milano cookies (drool)
* 1 Nature Valley Trail Mix Fruit and Nut snack bar
* 1 snack package of Skittles
* 1 snack bag of Welch's Fruit Snacks
* 1 small snack tub of Pringles
Now, if one ate all of this, one would consume:
220 g carbs
60 g fat
1520 calories
If we take the NHS general recommendation for a 2000-calorie per day intake for women, this leaves 500 non-crap calories for you to fill. The Univ of Maryland Medical System recommends 59g fat intake for a sedentary 34-year-old female (yup. got that.). Iowa State University Extension uses the recommendation of 130g carbohydrates daily for adults (Whoa, Nellie!). And this doesn't even include the chocolate minis that are scattered over my car after a rather sudden stop earlier today (also, it is really not too sensible to give people chocolate that is going to be sat in a 120*F parked car).
Just looking at this pile makes my clothes feel a bit snug.
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