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^Looking at my rankings, I'd say I "generally like" about 52-54 of my 72 woodies. I guess I'm just agreeable. I keep pretty good track of my ratings out of 10 thanks to CoasterFanatics, so I might as well check those out: 10/10: 3 (I've gotten as stingy with wood ratings as I am with steel) 09/10: 6 (mostly for rides I consider near-perfect, and generally have ridden enough times to feel confident in this) 08/10: 16 (some are clearly lacking something, some could go higher with further evaluation) 07/10: 16 (most have clear shortcomings, some have aged poorly, some just don't stand out despite their quality) 06/10: 24 (these range from good rides that were just too generic, to rides with only the slightest redeeming value) 05/10: 3 (mostly adult rides I disliked entirely) 04/10: 4 (my go-to rating for woodies in the "kiddie" and "family" categories, good or bad for what they are)

^For some reason I always see "EGF" license plates. Not sure why I mostly notice the Expedition GeForce combo since surely there are plenty of park and coaster names with 3-letter initials...

This year I received almost exclusively items I specifically asked for, including a small number I purchased for myself. I'm surprised how long the list looks when written out. -A pretty bracelet (very close to what I wanted, but different enough that I still have an excuse to buy another!) -Avon shower gels that mysteriously fail to list the scent -Two bath puffs, one plain and one in clowny multi-colors (I'm always in need of a good scrub!) -6-pack, YAY! Oh wait, of socks. Oh well. -Black opaque tights, just what every woman needs (seriously, they're a staple) -Makeup -Nail polish -Money -My traditional bag of Dutch goodies -Bus tickets (I'm a poor person) -TWO nail buffers (four-sided and seven-"sided")...I highly recommend these for pretty nails, painted or not -Fair trade necklace and bracelet made in Nairobi from magazine paper (stuff made out of magazines is always fun!) -Dark chocolate bar with almonds -Box of hard candy -Necco roll! (Love these, and I can buy them again now that they brought back green!) -Billfold/clutch purse-style wallet (red in a studded pattern). But now I want a purse that goes well with it... -New Isotoner slippers with PillowStep...I LOVE Isotoner; inexpensive but endlessly comfortable, and they last! -Neutrogena moisturizer -A snowflake pin (packaged with a dreadful "special snowflake" message) -Most of my favorite Ray Bradbury books, plus some new short story collections. Have read: Fahrenheit 451, Dandelion Wine, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Illustrated Man, The Martian Chronicles. Haven't read: The Cat's Pajamas, From the Dust Returned.

^^When you say "coaster", do you mean a powered coaster, or just a ride that's being referred to as a coaster but wouldn't really be considered one? Or is it too early to tell? Because I do count powered...

^I completely know what you mean about the walking issue. I like walking a lot of places; it's the only free form of transportation I know of, it's great physical activity, it's convenient and it also allows me to make better use of public transportation. But I've learned that walking in areas with heavy car traffic, as I generally do, is absolutely risky. And when I got hit recently, it was clear the driver thought it was my fault. (Actually, it's practically legal to hit pedestrians in my state, as it's nearly impossible to prove fault, so the prosecution rate is extremely low.) While I'm at it, I actually understand the private school issue as well. But I'll save that topic for another day...

I got 22/26...about 85%; not too bad! There was one more I almost got right, so at least I "knew" the answer for it. It helps that I've ridden a fair number of the coasters and researched other parks in hopes of visiting them.

^I think Beast is still a highly enjoyable experience during the day. The reason I feel it's basically imperative to ride it at night is not ride quality, but rather because it takes advantage of the nighttime atmosphere better than just about any other coaster. During the day it's scenic, but at night it's downright surreal.

I've only ridden Timber Wolf and Mean Streak. I should just quit while I'm ahead...although I guess I can't really say I'm "ahead" in this case. Timber Wolf still had some good airtime as of 2010, and the layout is interesting. However, it's incredibly rough and has an exceptionally painful first drop. But with its remaining intensity, I have to consider myself a casual fan anyway. I can assure you I am not a fan of Mean Streak, but I didn't really "mind" it, and that means I like it more than many (most?) other people! I really like the layout, and going through it slowly wasn't the end of the world as it meant more time to enjoy the views. Plus, I followed the ride op's advice to lean forward throughout the entire ride, so it didn't hurt me. I wouldn't particularly care to ride it again, but I enjoyed it a bit for what it is.

I'm gradually becoming aware of more examples of great architecture in Manhattan. The Chrysler Building: people love it for good reason. The design almost seems simple in a way, yet it's so artful. Time Warner Center: I know not everyone admires it, but I love it, especially in person. United Nations Secretariat Building: there is something so satisfying in its ever-so-simple shape, which is rumored to incorporate the golden ratio. And just for fun...the Sony Building: not something I would design, but the Chippendale top is rather amusing.

^Well, the fact I rode Wildcat twice probably says something. I recall it having a bit o' airtime, which practically guarantees I'll have at least a tiny bit of affection for a coaster. But for the most part it was that fateful combo of rough and mostly boring to me, so I must admit it's one of my least favorites!

Boss is in my middle-of-the-pack range. I enjoyed it at the time, but quickly realized I barely remembered anything about it (same deal with Screamin' Eagle). But I liked the hardcore helix, and there must've been airtime for me to think anything of it. That said, I know the jackhammering ruins it for a lot of people. Speaking of Screamin' Eagle, I did enjoy some airtime and a helping of old-school charm, but it seems neither aspect is too hard to come by, so it doesn't rank too highly for me either. It's been running better this year, though, right?

^^Words can't explain how proud I am to have helped inspire this discussion.

Now if only it will draw people away from the coaster queues... Oh, and quoting for truth: With their coasters they could be Holiday World Wisconsin...instead they may be one of the worst parks in the nation. Such a shame.

So I'm not the only one. I completely agree. I prefer to keep an optimistic mindset and see what happens! Couple that with thoughtful goal-setting and most people can accomplish a great deal of what they desire.

I do like the setting. Once as I was riding, some birds were showing off for us by furiously flapping their wings. The main feature I feel the ride is missing is an intense headchopper helix like on Mamba. There aren't any headchoppers on Steel Force I felt really worked for me. However, the airtime seems on par with Mamba if not better; they both had surprisingly good pops compared to what I'd been expecting based on critical reports.

I was taken aback when I first saw photos of Timberliners, but I'm fine with them now. Besides, who could resist such comfort? Anyway, my favorite traditional trains are nearly extinct, so we might as well go modern. This looks amazing.

^For me, Talon, Hydra, and Steel Force. Well, Steel Force can get a bit old since it's a simple out-and-back, but the airtime makes it worth a few rides.

You're kind of the anomaly when it comes to coaster enthusiasts because you're "little." Ha, ha, ha. Actually, I have thought about that before. There are just so many...men in coaster enthusiasm.

^I found the airtime to be unusually good, although the ride seemed quite slow. But I've also ridden airtime machines that are very smooth, or painful but not rough. It's funny because rides people say are smooth often hurt me because I fly around in the car and knock into things (Phoenix, Yankee Cannonball), but there are rides that hurt other people when they fly into the lap bar, but don't bother me at all (Coaster at Playland). Personally, I am not a fan of rough rides. I can speak well of them, but I've never felt that wooden coasters are inherently rough, or need to be in order to be enjoyable. But I don't feel they need to be smooth either. As for the maintenance issue, it's mostly a concern for me if the roughness is a symptom of other problems that make a coaster less fun. It's just not an aspect I spend much time pondering.

I must confess I am liking all this early distaste for the Coney Island Cyclone. Admittedly, I rank it fairly highly based on the good aspects, but in some ways it is easily the most terrible coaster I have ever ridden. I could've written that myself. I don't generally downgrade rides based on roughness. Most of my low rankings are for rides that did little or nothing for me.

^Since we've both done the same trips so far, that must be around how many I've ridden courtesy of TPR, too. I've gotten some from various other coaster excursions, but for the most part I'd be lost without TPR trips!

^Absolutely agreed...I feel Hershey does it best, and Lightning Racer is the ultimate example. ^^As much as I love fireworks, I did prefer to focus on other nighttime experiences at Cedar Point...like Starlight!

^Yeah, it's "little" things like that I badly want to be able to take for granted, but unfortunately have to be afraid of losing. I love lit-up coasters, too, especially tracer lights.

^Windseeker sure has an eye-catching lighting package. My group made a point of riding it just before park closing to take in the nighttime views (it's also fun to ride during the day, watching coasters run and checking for breakdowns). I was completely enamored with the peaceful, magical ambiance of the Starlight Experience. They'd better keep it up!

Love this time of year (whenever it happens to be)! I'm almost surprised to find this is my third year taking the polls...somehow I feel like I've taken either more or less. Now to tease out my rankings...thankfully I keep them in CoasterCounter, but there are always some that take me a while to finalize before I'm happy with them.