I’m diving from Cincy to NY and who knows if I’ll ever get there…or back! Yikes! What am I dong? I’m one of those people who walks around the block and gets totally lost and now I’m off to NY. Pray for me.
If I go out of a department store at another entrance than the one I came in I never find my car…the security guy and I now exchange Christmas cards…and I’ve quit shopping in Target as I always get lost in that place. As my husband used to say…When God was handing out the direction genes you were last in line.
I have little tricks to help me look not quite so inept. I finally put a flower on my car antenna so I can find it. The really bad part is if it’s snowed while inside and I come out and everything is white, even the flower! I once pushed a grocery cart around a parking lot for an hour looking for my car. Least I didn’t have to worry about food thawing or spoiling.
I think this condition is basically genetic. I have a wonderful daughter, Ann…the one I’m driving to NY to drop her stuff off to ’cause she’d never find cincy…and she’s as bad as me. My son’s not much better but my other two daughters seem to be pretty good at finding their way around. Got their daddy’s genes.
I couldn’t even find my oldest daughter’s rehearsal dinner. Where the heck was that blasted restaurant? So, I called the place and the dear sweet lady who answered the phone stayed with me all the way till I got there. Now that’s customer service! Least I remembered to charge my cell phone…another of my little quirks. Duh, you gotta plug the little suckers in!
My brother was at the rehearsal dinner and felt so sorry for me that he went out and bought me one of those Garman thing. And it is terrific. I really mean it. If you are like me…and I really feel sorry for us…get a Garman or tomtom or another one of those GPS thingies.
We’ve named our Garman Audrey. Ann and I share Audrey. Mail her back and forth when we’re going places. And if we don’t do what she says she actually sounds pissed when she says “recalculating.” One of these days she’s going to say…What the hell do you thing you’re doing!
So, here I am, a lost soul and my question to you today is, are you a lost soul too? And what little tricks do you have for finding your way around. I need all the tips I can get. Do you have a story about getting lost? That would make me feel a little better in that I’m not the only one wandering around out there. I’ll give away three copies of I’m Your Santa from the answers.
Hugs
Dianne Castell
DianneCastell.com
Hi Dianne!
I am definitely directionally challenged and it’s been a joke in our family for years. When I go shopping in a store with multiple entries I immediately look at the clothes near the entrance and think about who they’re for. This helps me remember which exit to go out. I’ll think about what clothes I saw and then remember the exit.
Hi, Maureen.
I do the clothes at the entrance of the store but connecting them to the person I’d buy them for is a great idea…because I forget what the clothes were. If they’re personal then I’ll remember. Genius!
Thanks for the tip
Dianne
Well, I’ve never been on my own like that (bus rider when alone), but after all these years I still don’t actually know the names of the street around here. LOL I just know how to get someplace, but really couldn’t tell anyone else how to.
But yeah, I feel lost every once in a while. . . I guess more figuratively than actually. 
Lois
Hi, Lois. I’ve lived in Cincy all my life and still can’t think of the streets in town and in what order. There’s a little saying to remember them and I can’t even think of the saying. I’m meant to stay home and write.
Hugs, Dianne
I’m going to be no help at all to you. My way of dealing with it is just not going places and that really sucks. My dad had no sense of direction either so I think you are right. Luckily both my daughters got their directional genes from their dad who could figure it out no matter where he was. My parents didn’t drive much so I got that from them too. I made sure that my girls weren’t afraid to go places like me but they don’t understand what a phobia it is sometimes. I didn’t learn to drive until I was 30 which didn’t help either.
I always look at the row number at Wal-mart. I did walk up and down several rows one time before I started looking at the number. I’m pretty good with following driving directions, but I like to use the same route each time once I find one I like.
Hope you have a great trip!
I seem to have a pretty good sense of direction. Seldom get lost and have never lost my car in a parking lot.
Hi Dianne,
Have fun in NY. I live in NY and I still manage to get lost every once in a while. If you do get lost just ask someone on the street for help.
Honestly, I don’t get lost quite as much now that we have GPS in the car (I’ll have to name ours–Audrey’s a lovely name
) Before I used to keep a stack of AAA maps for the surrounding cities handy. And in general, I try to find new places while it’s still light out–I remember agreeing to pick up a couple kids for a youth group meeting and running a bit late. OOPS. Trying to find a house in a new-to-me neighborhood in the dark was just a nightmare! Having GPS helps a lot for things like that, although one thing our unit does that bugs me just a little is that it tends to be a tiny bit ahead, so it’ll say, “Your destination is ahead on the right. Your route guidance is now finished” BEFORE we’ve actually pulled up to where we’re going. Every so often, that isn’t good enough! Argh!
And GPS doesn’t save me in parking lots obviously–I really try to make a mental note of the floor/section/level/color/area, but God help me if we’re running late or otherwise in a hurry!
I don’t do a lot of traveling but very seldom do I go anywhere without MapQuest directions. We are pretty lost if there is a detour or any other kind of setback, but I am not afraid to stop and ask for directions if I must.
I am directionally challenged…I am always annoyed when people give directions like this…go north for about two miles and then head east. This drives me crazy…for Heaven’s sake just give me directions that involve words like left and right.
I get lost more often when I have a passenger along. I spent my first years as a driver driving alone so I get totally thrown by having a passenger distracting me with conversation. This is one reason I would never consider talking on a cell phone while driving. I’m also terrible on unfamilar highways. I often miss my exit so I have to be prepared in advance and stay alert. I’ve also started to use the internet for directions. But I have to warn you that not all maps on the net are up to date or correct, which is something I learned the hard way.
Hi, Ladies.
Sorry I wasn’t around as much as I should have been. I’m off to NY tomorrow and had to pack up the car. Gads, will I ever find NY!!!
Anyone on this blog so far who’d like a copy of I’m Your
Santa…if you don’t already have one and live in the US…email me with your address and I’ll send you a copy.
Hugs, Dianne
That is extremely generous of you and I wish you a safe and uneventful trip (getting there that is)!
You’re such a sweetheart, Dianne! Best wishes with your trip! Can’t wait to hear all about it!
Oh my gosh, thank you lots!! Off to email you now. . . and have fun in NY!
And bet you can find it, it’s pretty hard to miss! 
Lois
Thanks for being so generous, Dianne.
That is so sweet! Thank you!
Wow Dianne!!
That is so amazing and I am off to email you right now.
I hope that you have a wonderful time in NY!