My dad was stationed in Germany during Vietnam. He worked in the Army motor pool. On his down time, he bicycled around the countryside visiting castles and eating all of the food. He brought back beer steins that are still in their house somewhere.

I don't have any college t-shirts (any I owned as a student have been lost in one purge or another. And were probably highly inappropriate, really) but now I kinda want to buy some to send to Kat. My various alma maters are probably not getting a lot of representation

One of my uncles was a wildcat pilot in WWII in the Pacific theater. Some things he talked about, other things I only learned about after he died. He liked being in the Navy and rejoined after a few years as a civilian. Dad didn't rejoin, but after going to college on the GI bill, he went to Germany to teach Army brats in Augsburg. He rambled all over Europe during holidays and breaks. Mom went to Central and South America to teach at mission schools in the early 50s. It's kind of surprising that neither of their kids have spent more than a couple of weeks overseas at a time. It's not like they made it sound bad or anything.

The Cooper-Hewitt museum is back open! But since when does the Smithsonian charge admission?

Zenkitty, would it help any to shorten the trip?

Jesse, no, alas, I've already made it as short as I can without hurting feelings that don't deserve to be hurt. It's not them, it's me.

My uncle (mother's brother) was a POW in WWII. He never talked about it. It must have been a horrible time, unimaginably so for him, and horrible for his family at home not knowing if he was even still alive. But no one in the family ever talked about it; I didn't even know until I was a teenager. I don't know where he was stationed, or held, or when, or anything. My grandfather was born in 1899, so I guess he was just young enough to escape having to enlist in WWI. As far as I know, he didn't serve, but hell, maybe he did and no one ever told me that either.

Does anyone remember what part of Fl Laura lives in?

The house she's selling is in Delray Beach.

I've passed my 30th high school reunion. I've never been to reunion, high school or college. Probably never will. I never really knew anyone in my class in college, and never really liked anyone in my class in high school. I've seen enough of them on FB to know I don't want to talk to them.

I left my small town for a reason.

And never going back.

I am at the optometrist. Apparently my depth perception is pants.

Um, did you guys know that the Vulture Countdown-to-streaming Friends advent calendar is actually an advent calendar?? [link] Click on the days! And then on the pictures!

We had our "party". Food brought in, basically no stoppage of work. Drew names for prizes with the majority of the employees not present for it. I got one of the 3 or 4 worst gifts. Not that really any of it is of interest to me. The target of the gifts is truck drivers. Did get a $50 gift card - to a chain restaurant of course, but $ I won't spend.

The company also gave everyone a $50 gc to Walmart. Do I guess I will hold my breath and go buy groceries.

Grump.

My employer is big on giving gift cards, which I gift on to other people for whom I would have probably bought a gift card.

I used to work at a place that did the Secret Santa/mandatory gift buying. It's just a bad idea. I gave and received a lot of Yankee Candles. (I'm allergic to candles.)

msbelle, I noticed that my supermarket has a Redeem Your Unwanted Gift Cards machine now. I'm not sure what cut it takes -- don't forget, you can trade cards on Ebay/Craigslist and so on.