I have pondered the idea of proposing that they get a larger ocean-view room and my getting whatever the cheapest interior room is. My other theory is that I can spend a lot of time in a shipboard bar.

Ginger, to be serious, a friend recently went on a cruise with her mother. Now ... her mother is in excellent health and they get along very well together, so it's a different situation.

Would you like me to ask which cruise line? I do remember her saying that the median age on the cruise was older, to put it nicely.

Shipboard bars are awesome.

I remember internet access as being expensive on the cruise.

My only concern would be what is going on in the ports, relative to mobility. I imagine most would have some sort of bus tour available (for an additional price), but you should pay attention to that ahead of time.

That would be great, Todd. I've been looking at all this stuff online and feel, well, at sea.

Not a cruise, but my mom and her friends all love these kinds of guided bus tour thingies. [link]

Amych, a woman in my neighborhood has a giant pig that she dresses in a tutu. I swear. Weirdest thing I've seen all month.

Gore endorses Obama.

Ginger, there are plenty of other places to be on a cruise -- like a casino, a different deck, one of the myriad shows.

I actually really like cruises more than I thought I would.

I remember you mentioning the pig - just not the tutu! It seems like the sort of detail I'd remember, but who knows where my brain is these days.

It is scary that your neighbor is not alone. [link] [link]