Worlds of Fun - 15 Years (at least) Later

Today my son and I went to Worlds of Fun. The last time I went was sometime before his birth and that was almost 15 years ago. At least I remembered how to get there.

We took cans of food to donate to Harvesters, so that got us a reduced rate. I paid $10 to park, so that parking lot had better look good for years to come. We parked close enough to walk to the park entrance. I don't even know if they still run the trams. I didn't see any while we were there.

Our first ride was the Spinning Dragon. Not only was it a rollercoaster, but the car also spun on the tracks as it hurtled up and down and around. I found out later that the Spinning Dragon is a double-black diamond ride, the most thrilling ride rating. We also rode the Timberwolf and Prowler rollercoasters. My son would not consent to riding the Mamba, and I really can't blame him.

Le Tour Taxi was our destination for adolescent driving practice. We went there twice. The second time I wanted to keep silent and just let my son drive without interference. I couldn't do it, though. There was a little girl right on our tail toward the end. A future speeder in the making.

Food and drinks are still expensive. We split a personal pan pizza and large drink for a late lunch. It was a good pizza, though. I don't know if it was just today, but the concessions didn't appear to be very busy for the most part. Something new that I noticed is vending machines for drinks and candy.

We had a pretty good time. A thunderstorm rolled through in the early afternoon, so we waited until the weather cleared to continue our fun. We ended our day at the Fury of the Nile, where I was the recipient of the most water in our rafting craft. I was absolutely drenched.

So much has changed in the last 15+ years, but so much has remained the same. As we went around the park I remembered how I got my brother to go on the Zulu before he could really see what it was all about. I remembered going on what is now Cyclone Sam's with a classmate years ago and being crushed against the side of the ride by the force of her weight. I remembered going on the Finnish Fling (which is still there) and determining that I would NEVER go on that ride again. Some rides are not there anymore, including one of my favorite rollercoasters, the Zambezi Zinger.

I'm glad I went and got to relate some of those memories to my son and make some new memories that he and I can share.

So Many Books!

My first taste of adult Christian fiction was Grace Livingston Hill and a few other authors my mom had on her bookshelf. That was many, many years ago. Then came the prairie romances. They seemed to be the staple for quite awhile, and still seem to have a stranglehold on Christian fiction along with bonnet stories (Amish fiction). Oh, and I read and owned most of the House of Winslow series by Gilbert Morris and the Zion series by Bodie Thoene. There didn't seem to be a whole lot to choose from when it came to Christian Fiction, but what there was seemed to be quality reading.

How times have changed! Now there is Christian fiction in just about any genre one wants to read - suspense, romance, mystery, international intrigue, drama, comedy, tragedy, chicklit, ladlit, oldladylit, the aforementioned Amish and prairie/western, and any combination thereof. There is so much more to choose from, how can one read everything?

Allow me to recommend some authors. If you like suspense, check out Brandilynn Collins. If you like books about military criminal investigation, Mel Odom has the excellent NCIS series. For those who want to read romance from a guy's perspective (and so, so funny), I recommend Flabbergasted, A Delirious Summer, and Lost in Rooville by Ray Blackston. Want something from a different ethnic perspective? Try the Sushi Series by Camy Tang or her newest, Deadly Intent. Kristin Billerbeck is a favorite writer of chicklit. Siri Mitchell has written fiction that has challenged and entertained me. Other authors I would recommend include Linda Nichols, Jan Karon, Jackina Stark, B.J. Hoff, and Francine Rivers.

I remember when I first started reading the Zion series by Bodie Thoene. I was impressed that the characters who were not Christians acted like non-Christians. They were not sanitized just because they were in a "Christian" book. These were authentic characters. Christian Fiction has become more authentic, and that is a good thing, in my opinion. Maybe I should say that the grace that Christ offers us all has become more apparent in Christian fiction.

I can't read all the books, but I've certainly found some good ones!

Cheap! Cheap!

We will be on vacation this week. Where will we be going - London, the Pacific Northwest, Chicago (again)? None of the above. One day will be used to visit my mother-in-law in Topeka. At least one day will be devoted to erecting the new shed in the backyard. I had thought we could go to Worlds of Fun one evening when the price is lower. Then I found out that "lower" price is $25 per person plus $10 to park. I can't imagine that only a few hours of riding rides is worth that price.

I have at least two handicaps when it comes to special events, such as vacations and birthday or other celebrations. One, I am planning-challenged. I have some good ideas, but I don't do well in implementing them. Two, I am basically a cheapskate. When we go out to eat, I will choose something in the lower price range. When going to a movie, I like to go to the first showing, which is $5 (and forget about anything from the snack bar).

My son's birthday is coming soon. I would really like to make it a great one for him, but don't know what to do. I've asked him what he would like to do and he hasn't come up with anything yet. It takes him quite a while to make some decisions. I am open to ideas and anyone who would like to take on the job of party planner.