This morning a little after eight, Joel and I left for Tennessee. The drive between Pineville and the Mississippi River is rather dull and slow, but through conversation the time seemed to go fairly fast. We discussed the needed balance between values and priorities and the difference between positive and constructive feedback. We talked about direction, competence, opportunity and motivation, otherwise known as DCOM. By the time we reached the mighty Mississippi we had touched on ABC, which stands for antecedents, behavior and consequences. When our little green Outback touched down on the east side of the river, we were pretty much through with posing as intellectuals.

By the time we got into Alabama we were getting hungry. According to the signs, there was a Sonic nearby. We didn’t want to waste time driving around looking for it, so we took advantage of a tower used for scenic overlooks.

We decided that if we couldn’t see it from the tower we would head for the next town.

We never did see that Sonic.

About the time we got to Gadsden, our conversation went something like this: “That’s number one. What are you talking about? The Ruby Falls sign, that’s number one, but I’m not going to count them. You have to count them, it’s a tradition. Alright, let me find something to write on because I’m not keeping count in my head. We never come up with the same number anyway.”

So, I got out a pen and the check book. Not long after that, we reached Fort Payne where we got a room at a Hampton Inn, and evening and morning were the first day.