Magnetic Where?

Someone just asked me a favour, which I'm more than happy to do. I love to do favours for people.

But this favour involves going to a specific place. Again, happy to do it. But this specific place was described to me as "South of X, East of Y." Yeah. That'll get me there.

My parents give directions like this to me all the time. They've known me for 36 years, and yet they'll describe new places in Ft. Wayne to me as being "East of the Colisseum" or "Southwest of the Courthouse." It both irritates me and makes me kind of sad. Because while I respect people who have a built-in compass rose, I am neither a boy scout nor a druid and couldn't tell you compass orientation of general locales if I were tied to the mossy face of an oak.

I have great respect for people who know direction this way and don't need to navigate by landmark. When Tim and I watched the A&E miniseries Longitude* I was in total awe of the gentlemen who discovered a way to slice the globe into bite-size chunks for easier seafaring. But at the same time it was like watching a movie about folks who could lactate out their buttcheeks. While it's obviously a useful skill in certain situations, I find it slightly offputting and hope to never be in the position to need to do it myself. But I admire those who can.

So if you want me to end up someplace on time and in one piece it's best to tell me that it's "just past the Walgreens on the corner." Then again--you might have to be even more specific.

*This was the first movie I saw Michael Gambon in. He was good in this movie. I have no idea what happened to him between Longitude and Goblet of Fire, but it must have been dreadful. Cause goodness knows his version of Dumbledore was a shipwreck.