I'm so sorry

One of my favorite stories is of the time that me and Nathan got wasted and passed out in North Asia. The next morning, tired and hungover, we trudged back to 17 Thayer in the windy, blistering cold. On the way, Nathan explained to me how he spent the previous night vomiting in the bathroom. This would be bad enough but apparently he missed the toilet a few times and had to clean up the mess with some mouthwash he had found. Tired, hungover, and his hoodie stained with vomit he turned to me and, as only Nathan could, said simply, "I'm so sad."

Now I know how he felt.

I'm sitting in a hotel room with my parents in Cape Cod. My mom's here for a seminar and it seemed like it'd be a good idea for a final family vacation. The plan was for me and my Dad to drive from Cleveland to Arlington, VA (just outside DC) with my stuff, move it in, and then fly out to Cape Cod the next morning for a week of fun and sun.

Here's what ended up happening:
Saturday: Driving from Cleveland to DC was no problem but getting from DC to Arlington was fucking awful. What should have been a 15-20 minute drive turned into a 2-hour struggle. The Hu finally navigated us over the phone via Google Maps to Dominion Towers.

Of course, it was raining when we got there. Frustrated, tired, and wet, we moved the stuff into our room and passed out on my new floor. Hat tip to Smallberg for helping us move in and get us to the airport the next day.

Sunday: We get into Cape Cod and I get a call from Smallberg - my car has been towed. It will cost me between $100 and $450 to get it out.

Monday: At this point in the post, I would like to make an apology to anyone I ever met. Spending these last two days with my parents I've realized two major things:

1. I'm just like my parents.
2. My parents are fucking annoying.

Here are just a few of their habits that are driving me nuts. Do any of these sound familiar?

• Speaking only in catch phrases.
• Repeating jokes from TV and movies that weren't particularly funny the first time.
• Making the most mundane events sound like an adventure.
• Expecting people to care about stuff that's either boring or irrelevant to everyone else but them.
• Not hearing anything the first time.
• Telling the same stories over and over again (see above).
• General incompetence.

I've been looking for things to keep me occupied while I'm here but this a selection of the findings:

• Birding for beginners
• "Creature Feature" - Hear a story and hunt for a special native creature. Meet at 9am.
• Historical reenactment of events that led up to the American Revolution
• Fashion Show and Tea at the Osterville Library
• Quilting Group
• 6 Different Bingo Games Around Town

So to recap, my car has been towed and I will have to get it out with money that I don't have, I'm about to start a job I'm completely unqualified for, I'm stuck in my own personal hell, the best years of my life are past, and the people who bring joy and intellectual stimulation to my life are scattered across the country. I am so sad.