Roller Coaster Rides
“You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster. Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride! I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.” – Grandma in Parenthood
Hubby’s cousin had four free tickets to Six Flag’s Great America (or just Great America as we call it around here) that were going to expire on Sunday and she couldn’t use them. Hubby asked if I wanted to go on Saturday.
Of course I knew the kids would love it. I also knew at $55.00 a pop, we couldn’t otherwise afford it right now. I knew I’d have a good time too, having fun with the family and all those roller coasters to ride. I love them. The bigger the better (yes, size does matter).
On the other hand, if hubby invited a friend and his kids to go with him and our boys, that would give me one really long day alone. I do love my alone time. I also had tons of things I needed to do.
In the end, I decided that I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to have such a fun day with my family. I can get more alone time another day. Like when they want to go camping or do some other objectionable activity. And I am more than experienced enough at procrastination to know the laundry would wait too.
I think of this quote from Parenthood every time I hear the words, “roller coaster”. I think of it mostly because of what Steve Martin’s character says shortly after Grandma’s little speech in response to his wife’s declaration that she thinks his Grandma is brilliant, “Yeah if she’s so brilliant why is she sitting in our NEIGHBOR’S CAR?”. That whole movie cracks me up no matter how many times I watch it. For some reason, Grandma’s sweet little speech combined with Steve Martin’s biting sarcasm and the ridiculousness of her sitting in the neighbor’s car still makes me laugh out loud. I’m laughing right now just writing about it. ”It’s an…electric ear cleaner.”. Ok, I digress….
My point is that I love roller coasters. Yes, L-O-V-E. I could ride them all day. Anything that spins in circles (even merry-go-rounds) make me sick but those huge, terrifying, stomach-dropping hills….I can’t get enough of them.
We had a great day. Hubby likes roller coasters too, as does our 10 year old son. He even went with us on Superman, which was an unbelievable ride. Our 8 year old son finally agreed to go with me on the smallest roller coaster they have and he didn’t like it one bit. Luckily some other family members were there too so he stayed with them while we risked our lives on the thrill rides. He did like the water rides and several other rides so he still had a good day too. The roller coasters just aren’t for him…yet. I’m going to keep working on him.
This whole fascination of mine with roller coasters got me thinking. Unfortunately, I rambled for so long about the movie and the day at the amusement park that I never got around to what I was thinking about. So, until next time…
Thanks for stopping by!
Sounds like fun. Roller coasters are one of the few rides I can do without getting sick–as long as I don’t ride too many times in a row.
OMG! …and the rest of the story…hahah!
I ran out of time! Who wants to read a 4000 word post, mine are long enough as it is!
oooh, i feel a metaphor coming on, even though you didn’t go there…
i HATE rollercoasters, but don’t mind spinny things, like merry-go-rounds… figures, doesn’t it? as soon as i feel i am on a rollercoaster, i jump on that flippin’ merry-go-round!
i am glad you had a good time
now i am off to go take a long, brisk walk on my treadmill (no kidding)…
LOL – No, I am not blessed with the gift of subtlety.
I also hate the rides that go round and round.. only once in my life i was forced to sit on one and it felt the ground was moving and moving for next three days
Glad you had a good time!
that is such a great quote and such a great movie. Glad you had fun!
I’m the crazy person on the roller coaster laughing hysterically. I LOVE ‘EM! I have three boys that love them too my middle one is afraid to even wait in the line with us! It’s good you went. You’d hate for the boys to look back one day and say…My mom never went…(why do they always remember what we Don’t Do??)
I tell my boys that’s why I scrapbook…so I can PROVE they had a good childhood and that I DID do stuff!