Vacation prep

I'm on a plane to Mexico tomorrow for 5 days in an all-inclusive hotel with my Carolina girls. Its the emotional vacation I've been needing.

The problem is that work's deadline doesn't stop and a huge deliverable of mine is due the day after I get home. The other problem, I don't have all the source material I need from the client to complete my piece of the deliverable. So inevitably I will have to bring my laptop and do some work over vacation. I am most definitely not thrilled.

I'm also not happy about the stress that I go through in the days/hours before I take off. Planning for dog care, packing, do I have all my meds, taking care of work and personal responsibilities before I peace out.

I won't be able to breathe comfortably until I'm past TSA security and sitting on the floor of the gate waiting to board. But then I'll have to whip out my laptop and do some writing.

Need a getaway

Ever feel like you need a time-out? A break away from life just to breathe in nature and recharge your batteries?

But where to go? Beach or mountains?

Drama-Free Girls Club

I have been extremely lucky to have met a group of women who's company I enjoy and where I fit in nicely.

This past weekend I spent at the beach with 10 women in one beach house. What was great is that we all got along, with no drama.

We are all, except for one, transplants to North Carolina and the group formed out of a MeetUp group whose purpose was to simply meet new people. This splinter group formed because they bonded outside the random happy hour meetup.

I think it's difficult as you get older to find good friends; those who are like minded, intelligent, independent free-thinkers.

We rented a 6-room beach house at Nags Head, NC for a few days. The house was really great: across the street from the beach, hot tub, pool and a good floor plan that allowed us to hang out together as well as find secluded places when we needed alone time.
I am so thankful for being accepted into this group. It has made my conversion as a North Carolinian much more easier.

Souviners

I'm back from my roadtrip to Florida. I have had the most amazing time and I will need time to write it up.

But the most incredible time was my evening in Key West. I picked up a little something while I was there.

That turned into an unplanned stop in Raleigh, NC.

Good times, indeed!

Today's Horoscope

This is only fitting since I'm in the middle of my road trip right now.

Give yourself a break. A brief one, anyway, because if anyone deserves some downtime, it's you. You've been trying to get away from it all -- or perhaps from 'them' all -- for some time now, but your fans (aka your family and friends) haven't been willing to let it happen. It's time for you to take matters into your own hands and let them all know only one thing: you'll go where you want to, when you want to. It's called personal freedom, and you insist upon it.

Today's Horoscope

Think about it: Exactly how long has it been that you've been thinking, wishing, hoping and actually dreaming about taking off for parts unknown? (Unknown to only you and possibly one lucky companion, that is.) If you can't remember not feeling that way, it's definitely time to stop dreaming and start making plans. Get together with your sweetheart and firm up some dates. Do your homework on flights, hotels and travel plans in the meantime.

This is awesome! Not only did I book my July vacation to Greece yesterday but I think I'll wind up doing my cross-country road trip at the end of the month.

Time for another road trip?

It was like any other Friday. Quiet. Boring.

Then I got called into the office. "Claudine, do you have a minute?"

I got laid off. Maybe I'll go into it in another post, but don't feel bad for me. I have something else lined up.

But my first thought is Road Trip. Here's my idea...

View Road Trip in a larger map

For now, it's just a thought in my head. Still have some logistics to figure out, mainly where to keep the dog since my parents are on vacation until next weekend. Then there are some other things that are planned. The earliest I could take off would be June 24th-ish -- still about 2.5 weeks away.

So much to think about. But for now, I think I'll take a nap.

Wide Open Spaces

This reminds me that I have my road trip to Orlando to look forward to in 2 weeks. Yeay!

In August 2004, I went to Las Vegas to celebrate Cyndi's 30th birthday. On one of those days we rented a convertible and drove out for a day trip to the Grand Canyon. We took the interstate most of the way to save time, but every once in a while we'd change over to Rt 66 for some nostalgia. It was worth it. I love to drive as long as the road is open, the weather fine, gas cheap and the music good.

I'm Superman

Just got back from my Canada road trip yesterday. I was glad I went. Quebec was beautiful, but f'n COLD!

The best part... jumping on the hotel beds and taking pictures in mid-leap.

You can see the rest of the pics here.

p.s. more to come...

I do want to write a recap on 2008, just like Chelc and Viv did, but I need some time to really think about it and form those thoughts into words. And I certainly can't do that while in a hotel in Canada while my cousin sleeps in the next room. Right now I'm focusing on how to squeeze in the sights of Montreal in 4.5 hours before we start the drive up to Quebec City.

So know that they're coming. Soon.

Snowtubing

Monday the family spent the afternoon at Camelback Tubing Park. It was fun, but I could do without the long lines waiting to get to the top of the hill.

What was the most interesting was the people watching. There were a large group of Orthodox Jews who were there enjoying the snow. It was just odd seeing the women with their long skirts and ski pants underneath.

Reunion Video

The songs used in this video are:
"Bruises" by Chairlift
"Leave Your Mark" by Jessie Baylin

Back to real life

I'm back from vacation. I arrived Sunday morning at JFK airport and was stuffed into an SUV with 6 other people and all our luggage wedged in between us for an hour ride home.

I wish I could be more enthusiastic about telling stories about my trip. But I'm too tired. My body aches, my stomach hurts and I just want to sleep. Funny that these symptoms didn't show up until I was home.

I did have a good time, don't get me wrong. Hanging out in an apartment with my brother, my cousins and one of their boyfriends gave me a closeness with actual humans that I've been longing for for a while. Even our annoyances with each other became funny. We were the '5 Assholes' who were quick to pull away from the rest of the group to do our own thing.

I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't even write in my journal while I was there. I had no desire to remove myself from 'being in the moment' to stop what I was doing to write down the stories of the day. Now I might forget the drama that went on the whole week.

Being home, I have to concern myself with my homework again. I'm not motivated. I have to get back into work mode. I can't decide if I like my job today. I have to think about working on those home improvement projects that I've been letting slide. I don't feel like figuring out where the money is going to come from. I would rather just float on a raft in the warm waters of the Caribbean ocean letting the waves rock me to sleep.

Vacation: Day Five

I've been totally lame and not posting, but whatever. I'm on vacation. I am mad at myself for not even journaling because I am going to forget the ridiculous things that has happened so far.

Most of it has been stupid 'in the moment' things that us cousins will probably only find funny. There's been a lot of laughing, and drinking and swimming and more laughing. But there's also been plenty of drama. I attribute that to the merging of families and the stress that goes along with that.

But my Blackberry isn't working here and it's pissing me off. No phone service, no text message, no nothing.

Off to get some dinner.

More later.

Vacation: Day One

I’ve been up since 5am. It’s now 7:42 am. I didn’t go to bed until 1am last night. Do you see where this is going?

I’m at JFK airport waiting to board my plane to Puerto Rico. There’s a family wedding there tonight. I was at a family wedding in NJ last night. I’m already all wedding’ed out.

I love to travel, but I hate… let me repeat. I HATE the whole check in process.

I arrive to the airport curbside, loaded up with luggage, backpack, dive bag, two parents, aunt & uncle and a million other clueless passengers. Already, there’s a line out on the curb for curbside checkin. Inside is another line weaved in and out among chaos.

Being in an airport changes you. It turns normally sensible, logical people into babbling idiots. It turns me, a normally sweet, thoughtful and caring person (Mike, stop laughing) into a raging, homicidal maniac. I want to kill every stupid person next to me, in front of me, behind me, who breathes the wrong way or asks a stupid question like, “What do you mean I have to show my boarding pass?”

The security check in line is the worst. Security is a stupid name to call it, because the yahoos who work there look like they just got off their night shift at McDonald’s.

There was one woman who had to keep going through the metal detector because she kept setting it off. I wanted to smack her. First off with the shoes, then the belt, then the change in the pocket. “Your earrings!!” I yelled to her as she went through the third time, holding up everyone waiting behind her – like me. Finally she made it through without setting it off and I clapped.

I can see my stuff already through the x-ray machine, laptop sitting on the conveyor belt vulnerable. I just want to get through so I can claim it before someone else does.

Now that I’m through and on the other side of the gate I can breathe a little easier. I’m starving and dehydrated, but the first thing I spot is a free internet hot-spot and the addicted cyber-geek in me practically drools and my first instinct is to blog rather than find some sustenance. Sad, I know.

I’ll be on my plane in about an hour. I’m still waiting for my cousin Christine and her family to arrive. Her parents are already here and waiting for her at check in. Me, I just have to keep my cool, read some cheesy magazines and listen to my iPod. It will be a long week. I’ll keep you posted.