Survivor? In Life--Absolutely. On TV--Not Hardly.

Sometimes, my mind gets to going 90 to nothing, and one thought quickly leads to another and that leads to another and before I know it, what started out as thoughts about what to make for dinner ends up with what the heck was I thinking wearing a white dress to prom my junior year of high school (sadly, that is true--I was all Gone With the Wind and stuff; it was as bad as you're envisioning).

Today, I was thinking about how Fox News reported this morning that there were some brief indicators showing we might, just might--nobody jinx this--be nearing the end of the economic catastrophe. Things like the increase in new homes purchased, existing homes bought and sold, refinancing homes, goods ordered in the month of February. That last one is key when it comes to trucking, because goods ordered must then become goods shipped. And we all know most of our stuff--whether you wear it, drive it, eat it or just show it off--got to us by way of a truck. One with 18 wheels. Hallelujah for us. And when trucking picks up, the rest of the country follows--this is proven.

From that thought, I considerd all the good folks who would benefit by the increase in goods ordered and needing to be moved. How these guys and gals in trucking are survivors (along with their families) and will be able to look back and go: wow, now that was bad, but I made it through.

Which then lead me to the show Survivor, a favorite of my son's and mine. And while I am a survivor in the real world sense--no matter what's dumped in my lap, I'll handle it. Don't know how necessarily but I know I will--I would actually be a horrific candidate on the show Survivor. Here's why:

1 - I prefer to be clean

2 - I hate bugs. Living with them would be bad enough but having to eat them, like in a challenge? Just vote me out now.

3 - I'm not a fan of flashing my chest for food--although I'm sure I would end up doing it because

4 - I like food. And if that's what it took to get something to eat after weeks of rice, beans and mud pie, what's a couple boobs between me and several million of my closest friends. But then would I have a job when I got back to the civilized world? I mean, who employs a girl willing to flash a national audience in exchange for pizza or a moon pie?

5 - I hate fish. Hate seeing them, smelling them, swimming with them, touching them, or trying to catch them. Just recently, I've learned to eat them (breaded or blackened) but if I had to see it gutted first, count me out.

6 - My tolerance for idiocy is slim. And then I'd have to speak up about it but everyone knows the person who tries to direct the rest of the clowns gets axed. Quickly.

and 7 - My idea of making fire involves matches, not flint and a knife.

Safe to say you won't see me on that show, but I do love to watch it. And I love even more that the survivor days for those of us in trucking might be approaching the final days. There's a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel anyway. And I know this: those challenges filmed for television in some remote part of the world sure didn't hold a candle to the one we all endured right here. Bug eating or not.

Personal note here: my nephew (and one of my son's best friends) Brody's birthday is today and I'd like to send him a big cyber smooch and tell him Happy Birthday. Also earlier this month was my neice Rileigh's birthday; I missed talking to her that day (bad Aunt!) but think that announcing it on this world stage might get me back in her good graces. Happy Birthday to the pair of you!

Brody and his mom/my awesome friend, Heather:



Rileigh (on the right) with her sister Sydnee and cool cousin Chase: