the woeful and lamentable tale of the forgotten external hard drive

So Ross and I spent the last week and a half having truly grand adventures. We went camping and rock climbing at Joshua Tree National Park, we celebrated Christmas, we went to a New Year's Eve Concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall featuring my favorite band, Pink Martini, and we drove up to Sacramento to visit my Dad's side of the family, stopping overnight in San Francisco on the way to visit my step brother, Pete, and his partner, Kevin. Thanks for the hospitality, guys! And, thanks to Ross' mom, we took tons of pictures on her digital camera. All of which are safely ensconced in my external hard drive (I always call it a zip drive, But Ross says that's not correct), which is, in turn, locked away in my step mom's computer. Which is in Sacramento. Which completely sucks. 

For multiple reasons, really: First, it means I have to admit to my Dad and my step mom, Judy, that I've made another ditsy mistake. It seems so unfair, but I've found that there are people in my life (my Dad and Judy are the premier examples, but there are others, as well) around whom I can't seem to help but be constantly clumsy and gauche. I hate that. Second, and more importantly, forgetting my flash drive (is that correct terminology?) sucks because I deeply enjoy posting "The Adventures of Haylie and Ross" albums on Facebook. I love everything about it: writing the captions, the comments, and the opportunity putting together the album affords me to reflect on our relationship and how much I love the adventures we have together. Third, it means I have fewer pictures to add to this blog. I hate that, too. 

Anyway: thus concludes the woeful and lamentable tale of the forgotten external hard drive. Sorry this post is devoid of pictures. Devoid, that is, but for this one: