Like many North American TV viewers in the 80's, hubby and I spent years of Friday evenings glued to the television watching our favorite "soap opera". I would hazard to guess though, unlike many viewers, we made it an event each week -- dinner was always something fancy like steak and red wine as we took our places on the couch just before the familiar theme music began...

I loved Bobby.

Hubby loved Pam.

We both loved to hate JR.

Yep, I admit it. We lived in "Dallas" one hour a week for thirteen years.

Fast forward nearly thirty years. Last winter I found the first and second seasons of "Dallas" at Walmart, so I thought it would be a blast for us to watch the show once more. I was right (surprisingly, sometimes that does happen). As we swiftly neared the last of those first episodes, I found six more seasons pretty cheap at Amazon.ca. A few short days later, we were the owners of Seasons 1 to 8, with Seasons 9 to 13 next on my wish list.

Needless to say, we've spent the past few months in the company of the Ewings once again. And when I read stories like THIS recently, it just proves we're not the only ones who still love "Dallas".

Then I received an email last week at work that nearly caused me to fall out of my chair.

I've been told I'm off to a conference / meeting in two weeks to (you'll never guess):

DALLAS!

(okay, perhaps you guessed)

OMG! I can't believe it. I'm being paid to spend five days at the Dallas Hilton, partake of a genuine Texas BBQ and of course will be heading out to walk the grounds of the real Southfork Ranch where all the exterior shots were done for the show (the inside scenes were done in California). Oh yeah, I guess I'll have to attend a few meetings while I'm there too.

Holy crapoly! Coincidence? I think not. After all these years, this is just way too freaky.

I have just one pressing concern, however which I am a tad nervous about.

Anyone out there know of a Texas-drawl to Canuck translator?

I think I may need it, eh.

With the purchase of anything new that's electronic/mechanical, you can bet that it will come with the requisite User Manual. You know: those books that men ignore, that women file away and that geeks actually READ.

I, as you should know by now, fit neatly into that last category. So it's no surprise that I'm experiencing flashbacks to high school with the mountain of "homework" I've been assigned since the purchase of my new Outlander:

User manuals, warranties, maintenance schedules, operational books... all in an effort to teach me:

1) How to use my new toy's car's features
2) How to use my new keyless entry and security system (and believe me, it works... no you don't need to know HOW I know that, but that sucker is outfitted with an earsplitting wail.)
3) How to use my navigation system
4) How to use my Bluetooth
5) How to use my Sirius Satellite
6) How to use my remote Command Start

Geesh. I hope there isn't a test at some point.

At least with the iPad they threw in, it only came with barely a pamplet and teenie card highlighting all four buttons...


But I read that "Important Product Information Guide" too.

And I now I know that if I get it wet, I should not "attempt to dry iPad with an external heat source, such as a microwave oven."

See?

Good thing I studied. Now if I come upon any men attempting to mic their wet iPads, I can stop them and save the day (along with their computer and quite possibly, their microwave).

Yep. I'm going to ace that exam alrighty.