Observations on a wooden napkin…
June 6th, 2006 by rsm
Another trip under way and another conference. This time I am enjoying a stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, just like Bou. I got to wake up to wildebeest pooping, just like Bou. But I’ve even had visits from my northern blog-brethren, T1g of Drunken Wisdom fame. He happened to be in Florida and made the drive up for some fellowship and alcohol. He seemed to be amused by how someone with such razor-sharp focus as myself could be easily distracted on the phone: “… so what you’ll do is go ahead and park and they’ll give you a 3-hour visitor pass, and we can … oooo! Monkey!…”
It was his first time on Disney property and if you wanted to wow someone, this is the one to do it with. It’s unlike any other hotel I’ve ever seen, emanating the ambiance of the best parts of the African continent and the golden age of travel. The hand carved furniture is exquisite. To carry the theme even further, the hotel is… well… Dark. There is not an area that is heavily or brightly lit except part of the lobby when the sun shines in through the 5-story glass windows. Long corridors are softly lit, barely enough to read by and yet the place seems warm and inviting, not haunted and foreboding.
I’ve been spending a decent amount of time in the lobby just watching people.
Let me tell you, I know now I have been living an isolated life. I’m insulated in my mountain town with the military presence as well. Camouflage is a new in-thing. I’m used to seeing it, just not so much non-regulation quality and non-standard varieties. Of course, everyone had no-show socks as well. And one other thing: we really are getting fatter. Pretty much everyone I looked watched had a poofy belly, and not just something slight but noticeable, from adults, the elderly and kids. The exceptions were almost always Asian or they talked with a British accent. I guess being in a town where everyone seems to be getting up early to do some sort of physical activity and running has spoiled me there.
Oh well. I need to get out more.
It was great to hang with you, bro. It’s too bad that we didn’t get to see any kills, though.
You know… by the big lesbian cats. Heheheheh…
Disney hammers home to me, every single time, that America has a SERIOUS weight issue.
My kids have camo.
Bones’ camo shorts… I may have to burn them. I have to peel them off his body to wash them.
I really really enjoyed Animal Kingdom Lodge, but never felt relaxed, if that makes sense. The music didn’t relax me. It didn’t ’speak to me’ if that makes sense. It was warm and not forbodng at all… but I just felt very ‘alert’ there.
‘Neckson’s goin’ to Disney at the end of June… Bou, if you thought you needed to be alert before, if you’re there then, you’ll need to be “more” alert, as will the animals. RSM, ‘Neckson’s not fat, yet, and has no cammo, nor do I, unless a red shirt counts…