Tuesday, April 5, 2011

I Woke Up Pointing

Before GPS was invented, there were human navigators who sat in the front passenger seat shouting directions guiding the driver.  These helpful people were known as spouses, significant others, or (questionably) friends.

My husband and I do not have GPS.  Therefore, I am still the navigator.  Norm does not read maps, due to dyslexia.  He does have an uncanny ability to remember landmarks, whereas I do not.  But if we have never been somewhere before, I am the designated map and sign reader and navigator.  "Just tell me where to go," he says.  And you better believe I do.

And here is where I apologize to my daughter for all those car trips where her father and I raised our voices with each other. Okay, we argued.  Right there in the front seat, in front of God and everyone who wasn't already flipping us off or honking their horns as we momentarily drove the wrong way in traffic and had to jump the curbed median to change lanes (I am not making this up).  I have learned over the years that telling a dyslexic driver "left" and "right" needs to be accompanied by the appropriate hand gestures.

So I've been doing a lot of the driving lately (go figure), which is fine but it leaves me to both navigate and drive in unfamiliar territory, and that's not always easy.  Now I really do need that GPS.

But my point is (pun intended) that I woke myself up from a vivid dream this morning, right arm and index finger extended, pointing to "THAT LANE!"  The lane Norm needed to be in, in my dream, the far right lane that was exiting at that very moment, and for Pete's sake, what about "Just stay in the right lane" did he not understand?

Hmm...do you think this dream might have anything to do with the Paper Piece Quilt-Along I'm starting on?  It's certainly true that I'm about to navigate some unfamiliar territory with paper piecing.  And...there are rules.  

Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski"This is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules."
 
Shay at Quilting in My Pyjamas mentioned that the directions seemed to her to appear in a foreign language, and I could only laugh in agreement.  They are well written, don't get me wrong; it's just my own paper piecing mental block/dyslexia that is the issue.  Thankfully, our fearless navigator, Becky, has also posted videos (yay!), for those of us who are thus challenged.  After watching all three of them this morning, I am happy to report, it made perfect sense.  Now to just put theory into practice.

Exit lane! 

10 comments:

Keetha Broyles said...

My hubby LOVES GPS, I HATE it.

He says I'm just "jealous" of Dreadful Penny (my name for the GPS voice) because she has taken over my navigator's seat.

I tell him that I have a BRAIN in my head and can read a map and find my way WITHOUT a
dreadful Penny.

Dreadful Penny has caused us many MORE navigational arguments than when I sat in that seat like a queen waving my scepter.

Larri said...

Um, I think I meant East instead "of West" is usually how my end of the conversations went. ;o) Now that I do all the driving, we just go my way and get there when we get there. LOL

Good luck with the paper-piecing! In my book, you rock just for trying! :o)

Vicki @ DottyJane said...

I can't remember landmarks either, but my husband does. I like to use the GPS just going into Nashville even though I should know my way around better by now. It's comforting in a weird way:) If we're in unfamiliar territory, we both like it!
Good luck with the paper piecing! The videos would be my salvation.

Ann Marie @ 16 Muddy Feet said...

When I would tell my husband take a left and he would turn right, and I would have say your OTHER LEFT. Now I say turn your way or turn my way, so he quits getting lefts and rights mixed up. I would rather use a map to navigate, but we do own a GPS too.

Angie said...

I felt the same way when I got coned into paper piecing, I was pretty sure they were all high on something! lol

Oh and it was the hubby last night that was doing the pointing and yelling...still haven't figured out what it was all about. Lesson learned...don't fall asleep watching inception during a thunderstorm. :/

thea said...

We must all be riding around in cars navigating (and arguing and pointing) -- it's a wonder we haven't bumped into each other! The gps is great but when you rely on it too much, you don't learn where you are.

My niece has trouble with left and right so I have to say this way and that way and point. Love your post!

Shay said...

I dont have a GPS -Im still using a map book and my ability to read maps is right up there with my pattern reading ability. Once I've been somewhere once I never have to look at the map again but boy - have I had some fun times without a clue where I actually am!


Those videos made paper piecing make sense for me too.Thank Goodness! Now I just have to do it !

Sarah Craig said...

My husband always wants to drive, but gets lost in a strange house at night - so I'm the designated navigator. He calls me Sulu......

Miss Hillbilly said...

I have a GPS...and before I did I was always lost.

When I first started paper piecing it was so confusing and frustrating to me. My husband had to figure it out and show me how.

Elizabeth said...

P., you are so awesome! It is interesting what our dreams tell us. I really loved hearing about your life intruding in your dreams in such a way.

When I'm stressed, I dream about places that feel safe to me, like my childhood home, or the home of my best friend growing up. I also have that dream where it is mid-terms and you haven't been to class all semester and the big history (or math) test is today and you can't remember the combination to your locker (although why they have lockers in college, I'm not sure). Or, I'm in some sort of locker room, with rows and rows and rows of stalls and lockers and I can't find a clean one to change in. Weirdness.

Well, anyway, you'll get the hang of paper piecing. I find it very tedious, but love the results that you get! Can't wait to see your project!

xo -El