Loop and conquer!

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm terrible with directions. I get lost going in a straight line. I need maps in triplicate if I'm going to go anywhere.

My lack of directional skills is legendary. Just ask my any of my friends about the purple Mexican restaurant. I have a general idea of where things are, it's just the fine print that throws me. God forbid there's road construction... Then I'll never get there.

I've come up with a system for getting to places though. I call it "loop and conquer!" I get in the general vicinity of the place I want to go, then I drive around in circles until I find where I need to be. I basically loop until I conquer the location.

I've tried for years to improve on my direction comprehension. I've gotten to the point where I can tell East from West and North from South. Especially at sun rises and sunsets.. Since the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Dad taught me that North is always to the right of West. (To help during hunting season... The swine deer are headed North, coming from the West..) I set landmarks on maps to help me find places. Like anything on the same side of the state as Grand Rapids is west of where I am and anything one the same side of the state as Detroit is east. Anything headed towards Traverse City is North and anything below where I live is South.

I could really use one of those Tom Tom portable GPS car navigation system thingies. Something that will tell me "Turn left here," "Go 75 miles north," and "You have reached your destination." Either that, or I need to find a rich boyfriend who has a limo that can drive me around. (I'd settle for a bus driver or a cabbie, just kidding...)

Tomorrow I am headed South East to visit my brother and go shopping in the Detroit area. Then I'll head North West to my parents house to water their plants and bring in their mail while they are in Chicago for the weekend. If I'm not back by Monday, send out the search parties. It means I'm driving in circles lost somewhere.