OK. It really is Friday, not Thursday! Jor and I appreciate that everyone held off til Friday, it means alot to us. We are traditional I guess.

Rant and rave: Had the worst day of my professional life of the last few yrs. today. My integrity and reputation were called into question, and I am self-employed. I stayed even and handled it well and came out on the other side, in the midst of 1000 maniacs.

Rave: Mended fences w/another fodorite whom I respect but still managed to get into a snit with.

Rave: NYC trip ready to go w/daughter next weekend. God I need it.

Rave: Free FF Japan tickets booked for April '05 w/son. Enough said, I'm leaving that one alone- it's done.

rant: Life is too short. This is not just a quip. I was confronted w/my own mortality this week. Reminded me not to sweat the small stuff, and to not leave anything unsaid or in a negative place. Those are the things that haunt us. That's the kind of week it's been, over and over again.

How about you all?

Topping for Friday a.m. I can't believe I stayed up that late again.

Rant: Its going to rain again today and right now its foggy and murky out. My son is in rehab and my mood matches the weather.

Rave: My other son is graduating from college this weekend and I am so proud of him. (Plus I get to get away to see him graduate and celebrate) Way to go, Mike!

Rave: Free FF Japan (2 weeks) and Bali (1 week) tix booked for departure on Wednesday!

Rant: My itinerary is busy; will be moving a lot. This is due to my attempts to perfect the logistics of the itinerary, and to maximize the value of the FF award. Constrained by when to go, I agonized over where to go. How long to go, etc. Wanted to go to Japan, but been there already, should go someplace else. With award, can go to Japan and someplace else, but where? Coach, Biz, or First? Checked airfares twice a day for two months after I booked the award: why use miles when I can earn double miles on United when flying at a very low price. Decided on a FC award, but choosing Bali as the "someplace else" when using the award means flying in "only" Biz class between Tokyo and Denpasar, but could go to Bangkok in FC.
Plenty of room for second guessing myself.

Rave: About my basic itinerary, I will take the good advice of a friend: I'm leaving that alone. It's done. How bad can it be? This is how bad: very good & good enough.

OK, I'll join in. Haven't done this for a little while.
Rant: It's too yucky outside with rain and storms and hail for me to drive my little Mercedes with the top down.
Rave: My retirement party is in 10 more working days!
Rave: The day school starts up once again in August, I'll be on the Barrier Reef in Australia. Just starting to book this one, with another retiring teacher.
Carol

Rave: My first horse show with my new horse is this weekend in SC.

Rant: He's young and it is liable to get "interesting," but hopefully not injurious

Rave: The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the grass is green, and it's Friday

Rant: It is supposed to be a record high 92 this weekend, and I will be out in it both days all day

Rave: I still have most of my two-weeks-in-Mexico tan left (we got back last Monday)

Rant: I saw my dermatologist at the grocery store last night - heeg...
(I hid behind a produce aisle.)

Congrats to everyone else with their interesting raves!

Rave: I woke up this morning
Rant: Nothing today

emd, I feel your pain as I'm sure others do--I'm sorry for your trouble and hope you enjoy a peaceful weekend!

Rant: I had to come to work this morning after having an official holiday yesterday.

Rave: At least I had the day off!

Another soggy weekend in the northeast.
I'm also growing weary of images of torture and death. I'm going to give up on current events and start living in the past more. The question is, how far back do I have to go to find a better time?

Sorry about my rants...I've got the cold that's going around and have been working every day for the last four weeks. I need to balance my rants with some raves.

Winter is over and the ice and snow are finally gone. The world is green and flowers are bursting forth everywhere.
The lotto is up to 52 million $ and I have a ticket.
Memorial Day is in a week and all of summer lies ahead.

rave--dh is taking a long weekend and we are headed to a cabin on a lake. The forecast is fo rain and possible snow (yes I love that stuff!).

rant--nothing

OK Rant: Another dank and dreary day here in NYC

Rave: My neice's birthday is tomorrow (9 years old!) Geez I'm starting to feel old!

Rant: I'll be 30 2 weeks from today and have no clue what I'm doing. Maybe dinner with the family, but we're already going to a baptism that Sunday.

Rant: I believe I'm about to get the ax at work. Let's just say there were too many things I noticed and overheard to give me this impression. So I have my resume out there now, but I'm wondering should I confront my bosses about it or just stay smiling while I look elsewhere in the meantime?

Rave: Boss is out today, so at least I can't get the ax today if it is going to be done.

Rave: It's payday.

Rave: Beginning to plan the next trip for September.

Rant: Agreeing with emd that life is too short. Once you get past 25, life flies by you. Remember the days of being in school when it seemed the day would NEVER end? Now they go by in the blink of an eye.

Rant: I switched my wireless carrier from AT&T to Sprint and already it looks like my monthly bill will be higher.

Rave: Knowing I have a great family, friends and BF even though I have to worry about them all the time! (most of them are part of the NYPD!) Having that means more than anything.

Rave:
Whenever Bad things happen in life, something reeeally Good seems to always happen too.
Going to be in the 90s this weekend and I am going to the beach.

Rant:
No matter how you think you know someone or trust them in Cyberspace, be prepared for betrayal.

Darn...thought I had no rants today...but we just noticed our sons frog that he has had for 6 1/2 years died. That frog has survived two moves, including one cross country one...and survived being hunted by our cat! DS doesn't know yet...will tell him after school. Why do I have a feeling he will want another???

Hi all, sorry its been such a tough week for so many of you. Must be the state of the world, the weather, life...??

RANT: One of dd's classmates died unexpectedly of natural causes. Very tragic and sad, words defy. Puts all things into perspective.

RAVE: The dear souls here on Fodors!

RAVE: I really have no rants other than the one i just posted. Life is sweeeet, i am blessed. Where there is life, there is hope. And i hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Rave: Good things DO happen to good people!

Rave: Everything is blooming here in Indianapolis and it's just lovely to look at.

Rant: I'm not anywhere near a beach, though the humidity today makes me wish I were!

Rant: I wouldn't mind seeing 30 again (missjanna, you're a sweet young thing & happy birthday soon)

Rant: I, like others on the post, had a week from hell. emd - hang in there - things will get better.

Rave: I getting two new dogs tomorrow!!!!I can't wait to see them.

Rave: it's my anniversary and I'm still in love with my gorgeous husband after 16 WONDERFUL years!!! Life is wonderful.

Rant: NOTHING!!! I'm on my way to the beach for a day and night of relaxation and high-times. Ciao!

(actually, I could complain about this darned key that's sticking on my keyboard -- but I won't!)

Now I'm sorry that I was so insensitive to everybody else's down-in-the-dumps posts. Things will be better next week. Sometimes life changes open up whole new possibilities.

That's all I'm saying as I walk out the door...to the beach on a sunny day in glorious Florida.

Rant: I could probably rant about all the major happenings around the world today but (cause it's friday) I won't. My only rant is this dratted cold I have.

Rave: All of the nice things that are happening around me!! Went to a great concert at the Baltimore Symphony yesterday Swingsational!! with a new conductor - Andrew Constantine. Almost had me dancing in the aisles.