My experiences of traveling with my family were 9 people crammed in a VW bus.

Heh. We used to have parents and four kids in a big-ass station wagon, a bigger-ass sedan, or in a camper. The camper was the best, as we could lay on our stomachs in the bed above the cab and watch out the front window. And we could hide candy and Mad Magazine in the cabinets or under the cushions. (Yep, we weren't allowed comic books, not even Mad. My dad must have bought all that anti-comic hysteria in the '50s.)

actual socialist candidate

did he outline his differences with Obama?

He did!

My father was a pilot for PanAm -- so I was flying from a very young age. All my grandparents were down south -- emporia , VA was the half way point -- some times we did it in two days some times an 18 hour shot. I don't remember when we were really young -- but I do remember when my sister was a baby. New toys -- like colorforms just for the trip. New books. Family song fests. licensee plate games. and the expectation that - you will be bored -- deal with it. only one of us get car sick. we all are pretty self-entertaining people. all of us love to be read to . None of us had that urge to move move move like some kids ( my nephew). all of us like to travel. And I think my parents were very accommodating travelers. Part of traveling involves going with the flow. I'm not sure all trips were fun, but I know I looked forward to them as I got older. We were a family traveling -- not parents and children.

Not choosing to have had children( so speaking only of what I observe) -- I am guessing that sacrifice is a rather dramatic word. Change is part of having kids, so with out know how, I guess that I would expect change.

and cats-- well they aren't very helpful, they don't listen , and would like more food NOW

Jesse'll tell you big orange boycats are great.

I agree!

I waited a little over an hour and 1/2 to vote. The main annoyance is that they don't offer paper ballots for early voting. I've never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes at my regular polling place in previous elections.

This is genuinely confusing to me because I've seen so many parents who integrate their children's needs into their own and everyone gets what they need. Rather than losing something by having kids, they seem only to see parenting as gaining something in their lives.

Needs that cannot be met for me on a regular basis as a parent: personal "recharge" time and space; writing/creative time; enough sleep (YBMV).

Anything that I, personally, need to be emotionally healthy and balanced that requires alone/self-centered (in the good way) time, I do not at the current time in my parenting life get. It's a trade off, and the pros certainly outweigh the cons, but I'd be a poopy lie head if I didn't fess up to the part where there are, in fact, cons.

sits close, but not too close to Plei. I will say that there has been progress for me on this front in the last couple of months.

Makes sense. The time aspect of it is something I've always wondered about. How does it get managed without a tag team effort?

And go you with the truth telling. Much better than harboring resentments that end up popping out in weird ways. t /my parents

Timelies all!

Ack, now I'm remembering the cross-country trip my family took the summer I was 16. My brother was not quite 14, and quite the pest. There's a reason I refer to that trip as the cross-country trip from hell...

So, who's watching Obama and who's watching Pushing Daisies?