I left my home at 12:30 today, went downtown, then to a mall and just got back online

a few minutes ago.

All of a sudden everyone on DU's talking about a "balloon boy" and a crazy family. And I have no clue what they're talking about. (Don't worry, I can figure it out on my own.)

Suddenly, I feel like freaking Rip Van Winkle.

Just saying.

:rofl: That'll teach you!!!!! :rofl:

This story has it all.

It wasn't quite so funny when the whole country thought he'd fallen out of the balloon, though.

That's what we get for going shopping!

I was busy busy busy at work all day and got home to see this. :crazy:

and found out the biggest story from the US was people crying in the WalMart parking lot over the president telling their kids to do good in school.

:crazy:

dg

Well at least you still had your Vampire Wars to keep you company. ;)

Whereas we are all now POST-BALLOON-BOY DUers. You will never understand. It's like Woodstock.

Got a flu shot, had lunch with a friend and then a pedicure.

So sorry I missed the festivites. Not.

...the whole flight took up less than an hour in the news cycle??

Then it took slightly longer to figure out where the kid actually was...safe at home, hiding.

Holy shit.

Yet for that less-than-an-hour, people were on the freaking edge of their seats. Unable to pull themselves away from their TVs. Terrified for the poor kid. Crying, praying, agonizing over him.

In another few minutes, Sting would have been sending his love to the sky. (This really is the real-life embodiment of that "Simpsons" episode in which everyone thought Bart was trapped at the bottom of a well because he dropped a microphone down it and they heard his voice coming up from the well.)

It's just incredible...the power of this one nutty story to galvanize the nation's attention.

Just unbelievable.

;-)