<p>WRT music, I’m fortunate that geek_son and I share a great deal of our musical tastes. Both eclectic, both love to sing along. There is some Finnish folk fusion in there (Varttina), along with a metal group, some instrumentals, some folk, and old show tunes. Anyone who drove across the country with us would probably be pretty confused by the end of the trip. :D</p>
<p>Varttina - geek_mom, I recognize the name! My child’s music collection has that, too! She sometimes listens to the weirdest stuff on Earth, like modern Swedish pop music (it is OK)and Russian rap (it is disgusting). It is very entertaining to plug her ipod into our car’s stereo, put it on “shuffle” and listen to her random collection! Time just flies by when we do that.</p>
<p>red vines.</p>
<p>BB - yeah, Scandinavian music is pretty different. The harmonies (and I use the term loosely!) are jarring when you hear them for the first time, but it really grows on you and it’s very energetic. Great for staying awake on a long drive. Also a lot of fun to try to sing along! :o</p>
<p>I don’t think I could stomach Russian rap. 
Listening with interest to your kid’s music is a great bonding experience, though!</p>
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<p>OMG!! We’ve always called them “happy pills”…even now when the kids are home they will ask if we have any happy pills…never heard them called pinkies, although it makes sense.</p>
<p>p.s. and no we are not pill happy in our house. it was just whenever the kids ate them it made them happy…hence the name “happy pills”.</p>
<p>abasket, I’ve got all the ingredients on hand right now. Do I have to get into my car to give the combo a test drive? It sounds yummy. </p>
<p>What are “red vines” anyway?</p>
<p>red (raspberry) licorice. (3 pounder from costco, cheap)</p>
<p>Red is to licorice as white is to chocolate.</p>
<p>^ I’ve never figured out why American Licorice calls Licorice, licorice and Red Vines, licorice as red licorice.</p>
<p>I agree w cartera</p>
<p>The only kind of licorice I like is black- my naturopath recommended it for lung congestion
[url=<a href=“http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/licorice-000262.htm]Licorice[/url”>Page Is No Longer Available]Licorice[/url</a>]
( I also have a few licorice ferns- haven’t eaten them though- although I know they are edible)</p>
<p>Only red candy I really like are cinnamon hearts or hot tamales- but since I try and limit consumption of wax & red food dye- I just try and eat stuff that won’t get the steering wheel too greasy. :p</p>
<p>Gosh, you folks who limit sugar, wax, food dye, carbs, sodium, etc. make me wanna go hang out in the students’ message board :o</p>
<p>you know what they say about the best laid plans…</p>
<p>Was going to hit up Trader Joes tomorrow and try out some of the other suggestions people had. The plan was to leave Saturday and make the drive in one day. Ugh! Now we have a weather system moving in, so we’re possibly leaving tonight (if we can get our act together), in order to get ahead of the lake effect snow in Indiana and Ohio. So we may succumb to junk food once again. At least if we leave tonight, we will be breaking up the drive by staying at least one night, and maybe two (depending on the weather we encounter) in a hotel vs. 770 miles in one day. </p>
<p>I did call the housing office at her school and explained the situation. They gave her authorization to get back into her dorm earlier, if necessary. I just need to get there in order to catch my flight back home Sunday afternoon!</p>
<p>Good luck with the weather. It may affect my plans too. D and I were hoping to go Saturday so she could pick up her books from the bookstore and those ordered from other sources. We would then spend the night and she could avoid the Sunday afternoon arrival chaos. Now, there is a call for ice and snow along the route on Saturday. </p>
<p>I missed that you were driving one way and flying back. Now I see why you aren’t keen on the books on tape. I thought you might be traveling back alone - that is when I have to have those books - much too lonely without them.</p>