The Challenge...

Hey - I'm Laura. I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. I've recently found myself living very close to where I grew up and I've noticed something...every time I give someone directions to my new house, the directions somehow include "Broad Street".
Don't get me wrong - I don't have anything against Braod Street - you know - Route 40...The National Highway...It's great. It's FINE.
But seriously? There are other ways to get where you need to be that don't include "Take Broad to _____."

I tease my dad relentlessly about his travels down Broad to get wherever he needs to go. Heck - my grandma, rest in peace, would take Broad Street from Central Avenue all the way to Pataskala to visit her sister.

My best friend has even fallen prey to the Broad Street directions - so much so that he feels he needs to take the Broad Street exit from 70 to get ANYWHERE on the West Side of the CBus.

I understand that for some people, Broad Street is comfortable. They know where the speed limit changes from 45 to 35 to 30. It's like Macaroni & Cheese. They know where you need to change lanes to avoid having to get on 270. And where York Steakhouse is. And where K-Mart used to be. And how you need to angle to turn from Broad into the Spaghetti Warehouse parking lot.

But for me - Broad Street is a LONG drawn out road with too many slow drivers and too many traffic lights.

I get annoyed with the directions of taking Broad places.

So...
After listening to my incessant whining and watching me roll my eyes at the mere mention of Broad Street - My best friend has issued a challenge....

"I bet you can't go a week without getting on Broad Street."

I'm not really one to back down from a challenge...Heck - I live for them.

So - I agreed.

HA! I can make it - a week without driving on Broad - EASY.

Or is it as easy as I think it is??

There are some ground rules - I have to commit to being TOTALLY honest and not cheating. Heck - I'm even getting my kids in on the action - They just *love* the chance to bust me out. They get to ask me at any turn, at any stoplight, and at any chance they want the name of the street I'm on. My oldest has crossed the threshhold and can finally proficiently read street signs and such, so he'll keep me honest.

If (HA! More like WHEN!) I complete this challenge, I'll be expecting a really incredible reward - so feel free to leave me ideas of what Syed can do for me.

And if (HA! FAT CHANCE!) I fail - I'll certainly need to pay up.

So - welcome to my week.

A week without Broad.

The challenge begins on Sunday 4/18/10 and ends Saturday 4/24/10.

~Laura