World of Coke and a World of Hurt

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Tuesday in Atlanta turned out to be a beautiful, nearly cloudless day. The floodwaters receded leaving a mess around town, but did not deter me from seeing some sights.

I headed to the new World of Coke, a gigantic advertisement for the planet's favorite beverage. It is single-focus TaT on a giant corporate scale, as opposed to the single-focus TaT on a small-town scale in Mt. Airy (Mayberry). Here I am outside. The giant bottle suspended in the tower just right of my head is quite impressive.


Gotta love folk art. I seem to be attracted to it on this journey. Here are some of Coke's version.









We all know Coke is a big part of pop culture. For instance, this is the sofa used on American Idol, Season Five. I wish now I had someone take my picture sitting on it.

I enjoyed the bottling and the tasting area. We were encouraged to try the various beverages from Asia, Latin America, and Europe, especially one named "Beverly" from Italy. It was horrendous. My favorite was Braq's Red Creme Soda (North America). I will be looking for that one.

Afterwards I drove by Centenial Olympic Park, and was debating going to the CNN Center. Unfortunately I got rear ended right outside CNN. Not much damage, but a pain in the rear. Literally and figuratively. The claim is already in, and I will get it repaired in Texas.

I was hit by a Honda Element, not this Hummer.

Tuesday night Fontaine and I headed out into the countryside to visit with our high school friend Chip McIlvain, who neither of us had seen in thirty years. Chip has been working for years as a special ed teacher, and is a successful lacrosse coach (despite never seeing a stick until he started coaching). He and I were soccer teammates in high school, and soccer opponents in college, as he played at Furman.

Chip gets the award for having the youngest children among my high school and college friends, with boys Will, 5, and Sam, 3. Here are Fontaine and me (left) with Chip and his wife LeighAnn (right).

And here is the McIlvain's pound puppy, Moose. Always gotta get a puppy fix. Should I feel guilty not photographing Will and Sam?

Wednesday I am visiting with George McKelvy, my collegue when we both taught at Woodward Academy.