Monday, August 15, 2011

A Living Stereotype

My eldest daughter and I returned home last night from a quick trip to Seattle, where yet again I was confronted with one of my worst character flaws: a terrible sense of direction. When will I learn that if my instinct is to turn left, I should ignore that instinct at all costs and turn right? Of course, I always follow my instinct, which is inevitably wrong, and end up circling for hours, lost in a 17-acre maze of some industrial park that has been boarded up since 1992.

The only person in my family who possesses a worse sense of direction is my eldest daughter, who upon returning to our hotel after our first day of gallivanting about Seattle's abandoned industrial parks insisted that our room was 446. Who am I to contradict a 13-year-old's certainty? We stood outside room 446 for a good five minutes trying to open our door, inserting the key from every possible angle—even upside down, which we knew was incorrect, but thought maybe this key is the lone exception in the universe that actually works upside down. We finally gave up and shuffled down to the front desk to get a new key. TO ROOM 346.

The one and only place we found without any trouble at all was the Cheesecake Factory. I made a beeline to that restaurant with complete accuracy, like a human GPS, I tell ya.

Cuban Pork Sandwich, baby!



Dinner last night: packet of pretzels, diet Coke

Exactly one year ago:



12 comments:

Unknown said...

I got lost trying to take a shortcut to the dentist today.

Heather said...

I love it! I have a horrible sense of direction as well. I live for my GPS. I also have a horrible time with numbers and can't remember them for the life of me.

Cheesecake Factory! YUM!!!

Unknown said...

Shott I can't even operate the GPS. Love Seattle but glad we don't live there anymore.

Would you be so kind to leave a comment on my BLOG ONLY (no emails) thru the 18th, for the Miracle Makeover fund drive. Charlie, 8 yr. old, & his story are fabulous. Every comment brings us a $1 for the next person that will be sponsored.

Have a beautiful weekend.
Hugs,
TTFN ~
Marydon
blushingrosetoo.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Oops! should say SHOOT!

Unknown said...

I have no sense of direction at all, and with the health problems I've been having lately I've even gotten lost trying to come home from familiar location. I adore the GPS system my dad got me for Christmas last year. It's VERY user-friendly and I take it with me everywhere.

Traci Marie Wolf said...

I love it. I'm good with directions bad with numbers so I easily will insist we are in a room that is on a totally different floor, like your daughter. It's funny how with genetics we can't deny obvious-to others-traits. Kids are like a neon arrow. I can't wait to see what wonderful traits my children come out with so I can no longer deny that I like to drink out of the carton/bottle like a male bachelor. LOL

barbaramaarit said...

Do you think it's a "woman thing?" My sense of direction is terrible, too. I've gotten so lost that it is very embarrassing. (I never tell my husband—he'd probably not let me out of sight.)

At least two of my best friends have the same problem. Put the three of us together and it is instant disaster.

barbaramaarit said...

On the other hand, my husband will never ask directions (that is definitely a "man thing") and he (we) can get easily lost together.

I ask directions all the time. I often can't or don't follow them, however.

Katherine said...

Those Northwest cities are the worst. Portland is a city that I always get lost in without fail. But just like you, I was in a new city this weekend, and I too, was able to find Cheesecake Factory without any problems.

Mother Mayhem said...

BWAHAHA! We must be cut from the same cloth! I have a terrible sense of direction. Drives Cap'n Chaos nuts that I use landmarks instead of GPS.

Quadmama said...

I live in a city that has 100th St., 100th Ct., 100th Dr., 100th Ave, etc. Honestly, are they TRYING to see how many of us can get lost on a regular basis?! I've lived here four years and I think I may have finally figured out how to get around. Maybe.

Karen M. Peterson said...

I have a surprisingly good sense of direction.

Unless I'm just flat out not paying attention. That's when disaster is sure to strike.

Now I want Cheesecake Factory yumminess...