Things I learned tonight at a local carnival/fair... →[More:]A little town slightly North of me has an annual festival based around the local Catholic church as sort of a community fundraiser. Live bands, carnival rides and games, and on some nights, a homemade spaghetti dinner than unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, starts tomorrow. My observations mostly center around the rides. I'm over 40 now and have always been more than a little skittish of riskier seeming rides.

1. Be leery when the friend who tells you, "You HAVE to go! It'll be so much fun!" then mentions how she loves the creaky, screaming rides.

2. Apparently I am a pushover for the phrase, "Oh, come on. It will be fun!" uttered by a dear girlfriend. She got me onto rides my husband couldn't have convinced me to go on, although he went on most, too, and went on one with her that I refused. The first one even had her saying she was ready for it to be done as it slowed... and then they ramped it up again.

3. Stay clear of anything named after a mountain range, as it will leave you feeling like you were beaten up in an alley, and listing to your left for a good 20 minutes.

3a. However, the Gravitron, or whatever they call it in your area, later in the evening, may just be the chiropractic adjustment you need to not be totally ruined tomorrow after your mountainously named earlier adventure.

4. Apparently, two women bracketing the age of 40 can totally rock the open-aired Tilt-a-Whirl and spin faster and with more revolutions than anyone else on it at the time. Maybe even for the evening if you can get your timing right. Laugh maniacally. It makes the carnival workers look at you with a worried expression and demand that you apply the brake when your car won't stop at the end. This adds to the fun.

5. My first ever trip on a ferris wheel. I took some incredible pictures. And by that time, I wasn't afraid of the heights at all.

6. Listen to a very fine local-ish bluegrassy band do a damn near miraculous cover of "I'll Fly Away" at the end of their long and hot set.

7. And then buy some locally grown grapes to snack on for the next few days.

I'm sore all over and have a mystery bruise on my knee. I had a blast.