All The Fun, None of the Ambient Psychopathy

Bakken Wag’s “musings on the long ride home” from yesterday provided an insightful reflection on the value of connecting with ethernet friends in the natural world.

Once there, the angst of an internet meet and greet, privacy concerns or fear of judgement quickly fades. I’ve been to family picnics with far more tension, judgement and cliquishness. There is clearly a deep bond amongst us.

Coincidentally we were headed for a Raj-family picnic when we departed the FFF on Sunday. As Raj is one of nine siblings (#1 of 9 as he likes to point out) no family gathering involves fewer than several dozen people. With that many people - sibs, in-laws, significant others, and millennial nieces and nephews - the odds of having to interact with uninformed lefty loons increases astronomically. That’s stressful enough, butt add the three genotypes included in every family unit: 1) the obnoxiously opinionated (butt wrong), 2) the smarter-than-everyone (butt not) and 3) the inveterate button pusher and chain puller (generally their core competency) and you’ve got yourself a real bee hive. The 2016 FFF was blessedly free of all that.

So as we were cruising along the perpetually-under-construction I-94 corridor that serves as NAFTA’s primary artery from Canada to Detroit and all points west and south, we were talking about how much fun the Flyover had been. In the “great minds think alike” vein I noted that it was like a family get together minus all the drama and dysfunction. Although the MOTI do not share a genetic bond we have something equally binding: a shared value system based on freedom, justice, the American way. It’s a family thing. 

So let me just tell you that Raj and I enjoyed – immeasurably - the opportunity to meet each and every one of the flyover attendees: Bakken Wag, even though he didn’t catch any fish, Boo and Needlepointer – who have over 60 years (!) teaching experience between them, Doug Ross, whose day job would preclude a mere mortal from producing a daily go-to blog, GW, our resident rocket scientist, beautiful Noelle Bootcut Kittenpants – waiting for a long overdue break in the career rat race - hope you get good news soon,  Robin and Mr. Robin who should round up a batch of elves and open a cookie factory, Northy and Mr. Northy who run not only a first rate B&B but a great diner as well, and last butt hardly least, creeper, our den mother and constant gardener. You are the bestest, lady! The flyover could not possibly have been better – except possibly a couple million fewer mosquitos butt that’s not your fault. All in all it was, as Wags said, a fine soiree indeed.

For my part I’m honored to have met everyone and humbled to have attracted such a fine group of people to my little corner of the world. And that extends to all of the “regular” MOTI who visit and comment.

So I’ll just wrap up with a few  snapshots for those who couldn’t attend the Rock Creek, Iowa FFF. Don’t miss the next one!

The entrance sign at the Rock Creek Campground:

Robin’s cookies, as delicious as they are beautiful:

If it looks like a mouse nibbled the edges off it’s because somebody-who-shall-remain-nameless-butt-is-in-charge-of-tech-support-around-here dropped them.

Next, we have creep’s tea trolley, fully loaded (the trolley, not us):

Tea trolley and tablecloth provided by our hostess extraordinaire, creeper

On the bar behind the tea trolley is a special selection of wines from the MOTUS 2016 private label collection. It was produced by the Grapes of Wrath vineyards where all the employees are charter members of The Deplorables.

This year’s releases include a fine Sauvignon Blanc, a special Cotes du Potomac, a crisp Pinot Grigio and a perpetually popular Chardonnay:

If you examine the labels very closely you’ll note that the MOTUS seal is embedded in the design:

Do you see it? Right there under the portico? It’s me!

Since I have several bottles left we may have to hold a raffle at the next MOTUS Twilight Nocturne Lounge.

And finally, although I’m technically a gadget and generally remain invisible with the use of my various cloaking devices, I do have a few tricks I do with mirrors. So here’s a trans-image selfie I took just to prove that I really was at the flyover:

Actual mirror image of the mirror

So don’t anybody tell me that I’m not running the most transparent administration blog ever.

Should there be another Flyover you may just want to consider attending: all the fun and excitement of going home for the holidays without any of the ambient psychopathologies. What more could you ask for?

Linked By: Larwyn’s Linx on Doug Ross@Journal