> So how was your week? Inquiring minds want to know.


My week was two parts worry, two parts exhaustion, three parts prayer, four parts hope, and one part an Adventure Game Live: The Parking Lot of Doom.

It's midnight. You've just left your child resting uncomfortably in the hospital's intensive care ward. You're on your way home for a quick stop to feed the cats and run a load of laundry. But first, you must pass through the Parking Lot of Doom.

To exit the parking lot, you must pay for your parking pass at one of the automated kiosks. Chose one:

· pay at the kiosk near the side door
· pay at the kiosk near the main entrance
· pay at the kiosk near the parking lot

You chose to pay at the kiosk near the side door, which is closest. Alas, it does not accept the new bills with the large portraits. All you have on you are the new bills with the large portraits. So, you choose to pay at the kiosk near the parking lot instead.

On the way to this kiosk, you notice the parking exit gates are open! On previous visits, a security guard has told you that if the gates are open, especially if it's late at night, they "aren't collecting" and you can go through without paying.

You go to your car, and drive to the exit gates. They are closed.
You re-park you car, and walk back towards the kiosk.
But then you notice the gates are open again! And staying open!
You go back to your car, and drive to the exit gates. They are open. The car in front of you passes through the exit gate.

The exit gate closes before you can exit.

You re-park your car.

· pay at the kiosk near the side door
· pay at the kiosk near the main entrance
· pay at the kiosk near the parking lot

You chose to pay at the kiosk near the parking lot.

The kiosk is out of order.

· pay at the kiosk near the side door
· pay at the kiosk near the main entrance
· pay at the kiosk near the parking lot

You chose to pay at the kiosk near the main entrance.
It is working! It accepts the new bills with the large portraits!
...um, sort of. You insert your bill. The machine spits it back out.
You flatten the bill out a bit, and reinsert. The machine spits it out.
You re-flatten the bill, and reinsert. The machine spits it out. You fold the bill lengthwise, reflatten, and reinsert. The machine spits it out.

· Whimper
· Find another bill, and insert
· Re-flatten the bill and reinsert
· Turn the bill upside down and reinsert
· Re-orient the bill so the portrait faces the other way (contrary to the picture on the machine) and reinsert.
· Kick the Indian

You whimper, but the machine still does not validate your parking pass. You do not have another bill. You re-flatten the bill and reinsert. The machine spits it out. You turn the bill upside down and reinsert. The machine spits it out. You re-orient the bill so the portrait faces the other way--it works! The kiosk validates your pass and even gives you change back!

You walk to your car and drive to the parking exit gates, which are closed.
You insert your validated pass into the gate mechanism.

It does not open.

You do this three more times.

It still does not open.

You back up and drive to the other exit gate.
You insert your validated pass into the gate mechanism.

Your validated pass disappears into the mechanism, all except for a sixteenth of an inch which remains hanging outside.

The gate does not open.

You cannot retrieve your pass, to try again, because a sixteenth of an inch is too little to grab onto. You notice, however, a button nearby labeled "intercom".

You push the button.

Nobody answers.

HOWEVER, the gate does open! You exit. You have passed through the Parking Lot of Doom! ...for now. You will have to do this five more times before your loved one goes home.

koala" child home now, parents exhausted, Happy New Year"mom