Tag Archives: vacation

Of Finding Your Way

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Last week I traveled from Charlotte to the Columbus, Ohio area (6.5 hours on a Google map which meant about 7.5 for me who likes to stop and stretchhhhh) to visit with two of my siblings so we could, on the surface, disperse the last of the family photos (and a few personal items) from my father’s house. The photos were an excuse to get together, but the real point of the trip (for me) was to just be with my family.

cropped-play.jpgWe spent a lot of time playing games: The Settlers of Catan Star Trek version, You Pick Two, Super Mario Brothers for the WII, etc. We also talked, had meals together, went to the Columbus Zoo. It is hard to describe everything we did together, but it was a terrific visit. I even had a chance to suggest a book to my brother called Maphead. It was written by Ken Jennings whom many might know as that guy who won a whole bunch of Jeopardy, but this book is such fun. It goes into being a map fan, but it goes further into discussing things like geocaching and how Google Earth got started. I read it on my Kindle, and had such a good time with it. Fun info, and well written. Ken Jennings has a light humorous touch! The only problem was – I had to get home.

The 7 hour trip on Sunday was going quite well. was about 10 miles from the NC state line when the fog was getting really bad. I grew up where fog was a serious issue so I wasn’t driving too fast. I did note a lot of people were driving too fast for conditions (cruise control?) and that WAY too many were not driving with their lights on. Around 1:15PM I remember hearing a loud noise, and then I noted a tractor trailer impacting a blue SUV type vehicle that appeared to be turned at a funny angle. I think it was hit (or hit) a tractor trailer on its left as well. I was braking and looking to my right where there was an emergency runaway truck ramp. I got over and out of my car. I was going to try and see if anyone needed help or if it appeared that anyone was calling 911.

That’s until I heard more crashes behind me.

There was a man there who said he worked for the Myrtle Beach EMS and he said we should pull up as far as we could on the emergency ramp to make room. I ran back to my car and moved up as multiple wrecks happened behind us. Once I was parked I got out and called 911. This was all within minutes as my phone says I called 911 at 1:19PM. I thought again about running down to help, but from what I could see this was a strange accident. Further up the road (about 1/4 a mile) a tractor trailer had apparently turned over. Something involving that truck made the chain reaction, it appeared. What I was staring at were at least three tractor trailers and about 10 cars at odd angles. Because this was a chain reaction with some delay most people were actually fortunate enough that they were able to run from their cars and up the embankments before being hit multiple times. Not everyone was that fortunate as there were at least three fatalities listed (one on the other side of the highway? Think that happened just moments later).

fireInstead I stayed with my car, let people borrow my phone as many people didn’t have a signal, and I tried to smile at the children. I tried to grab a cat that ran away from a vehicle, but it was too fast.

It was a scary incident, but I have to say the rescue workers were amazing. They were serious, but good-natured; they were prompt. The people waiting were also very patient which was nice to see given the severity of the situation.This isn’t the first time I’ve been so close to a serious accident, but it makes me thankful that I stay attentive in the car. I had one bad wreck when I was commuting a long way years ago that was my fault. I don’t ever want to be in that situation again.

Five hours later (I had only two to go before this all started) I made it home. I found my way to one family to visit and home to another, and maybe that is all I ever want to ask for.

Side note on the picture included here, I shared it with some people while the scene was being cleared, and apparently a few people co-opted it and I’ve seen it on news websites where credit is given to others. Doesn’t really bother me, but kind of interesting.

Measuring Up Vacation

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While I was on vacation I didn’t get a chance to blog at all! Sorry about that. I usually like to blog on vacation so I can post regular pictures while thinking back on everything I did.

Instead I’ll try to write up what I remember and tie up loose ends. This first picture was actually taken on our last day. Well the last day for several of us who headed out of Gatlinburg, TN on Friday instead of Saturday morning. In that picture you have 5 siblings who all share the same mother along with each of their spouses and 5 grandchildren who belong to 3 different sets of parents. One grandchild stayed home.

I’m not sure when this whole tradition of vacationing started, but it has been a pleasure to make sure I see some of my siblings each year. I know back in 2003 we had Thanksgiving at one of my brother’s home in Ohio and then after that we alternated every other year, but this was our first vacation together outside of a holiday which is funny because we never vacationed together as kids. Any vacations we had growing up involved visiting family in one of the other states nearby and/or the occasional weekend trip to say Bush Gardens. We all have grown into adults who welcome things like vacations and the chance to do some travel. Agreeing on where the next adventure takes us, however, isn’t going to be easy! We’ve already started a private Facebook page for that discussion. For this trip most of us stayed in a rental up on a mountain while a few others went for a campsite down in the valley, so to speak.

The week was spent doing our own things while meeting up to do some touristy items and/or meals together. I think it was a nice mix, especially for those of us (like me!) who need downtown away from everyone (ah introverts).

Between the group there were scenic tours of the mountains taken, horseback riding, the Ripley’s Aquarium, the Forbidden Caverns, cookouts, cook-in’s, Johnny Rockets, the Titanic museum, comedy shows, Cherokee (including some who went to the “Unto These Hills” play which I’d like to see someday, the Casino etc etc etc. Too many too name. And may board games, conversations and dips in the hot tub.

To tie in with my regular measuring I came back having gained maybe 3 or 4 pounds although I haven’t been consistently weighing so who knows if that is accurate. It was a pretty active vacation although I didn’t get in a longer hike like I’d originally thought (lots of daily rain), but my biggest mistake was overthinking my eating the first few days which meant I felt like eating everything the last few. LOL. I’m such a work in progress.

We did get to the gym on Saturday and I managed to run MY FIRST MILE EVER in 21 minutes. I have a long way to go, but maybe by the time we take our 2014 vacation I’ll even be a bit smaller. I definitely had more energy on this trip than on previous vacations I’ve taken (we haven’t had one in three years!) and for that (and so many other things) I am thankful.

Oh and I may have taken my first ride in a go-kart. You are never too old to try new things.

Watching Games Shows in France

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Ok, this topic from my idea list has been around a while! Considering the last time we went to France was in the Fall of 2007.  And the first time was in the Fall of 2000 when I don’t recall watching any game shows. But, I digress already.

When my hubby and I went back to France in the Fall of 2007, it was to tour the D-day beaches.  In 2000 we had gone to Paris for a few days after having visited London for a few days, it was our first trip out of the country. Yay!

There is a lot that could be said about the trip to France in 2007, but some of that I blogged about back in 2007.  I, however, do not know how much I blogged about watching game shows.

At night in Paris, we’d leave our windows open and listen to the crowds around the Lourve and we sat around with bricohe, ham and good cheese for sandwichy dinners while we turned on the TV. Our favorite was to watch the French version of Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader.  It had a really long title involved Cinq Ans for a ten year old, I believe, and was highly entertaining.  Why?  Well because even with my very limited French, I could answer most of the questions that did not involve the metric system.  And even those, through the process of elimination, I got right about 75% of the time.  So I think I might be smarter than a French 5th grader. Maybe.

We also watched what we think was the Italian version of Dancing With the Stars which really can’t be explained and a version of Howie Mandel’s game show that had a very bo-hunky, very obvious Italian guy as the host and a strange set of rules which, perhaps, didn’t translate as well unless it really was meant to be that goofy.

As we approach returning to Japan, I actually can’t wait to watch the TV, I can’t understand.  We have video of some of the shows from Japan and this time I hope to actually shoot some on my small camera for YouTube, but then again, some secret censors might come find my video and say No!

There is just nothing like trying to watch a show in a language you don’t speak, or barely understand.  Try it.  Turn on something like Telemundo and see how much you can understand without speaking the language :)

Getting Ready for Vacation

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The next two weeks, besides the normal stuff I do, I am trying to get ready for vacation.  It always makes me sigh and laugh to think about how much you have to do just to get ready for a trip, especially if you are going out of town.

So far I have:

  • lined up my kitty/house sitters. Yay Queens MFA connections!
  • purchased some new pairs of jeans cause mine are close to being holey
  • gotten new bags for the trip so we don’t have to check any baggage
  • attempted to learn some Japanese
  • gotten a good travel guide so I have a general list of stuff to do
  • picked up a travel hair dryer cause that is the only thing not listed as being in our room
  • gotten a good pair of walking shoes and broke them in yesterday

Left to do:

  • I’d really like to get a plain colored hoodie with pockets.  The last time we went to Japan back in April of 2006, I had a great blue hoodie from Eddie Bauer.  I somehow lost it at one of my MFA residencies :( bummer
  • make myself not pack too early
  • continue to do good long walks and practice taking stairs cause we do A LOT of walking on vacation

I’m very much looking forward to the trip.  Back in 2006 when we went to Tokyo, the trip, in some ways, was more for my husband and his brother who came with us because they have been “into” most things Japanese for years.  But, I found such a sense of peace on the trip that I was very excited about trying to go back and this time we are going to Kyoto.

After I got back from the last trip to Japan, I started writing again, which has a little bit of backstory, but I’ll keep it short.

I quit writing around 2000 when I was 25.  After that we bought a house and I was focusing on work.  As I turned 30 in 2005 my life just didn’t seem to be what I wanted it to be.  I started evaluating things, I put on weight *sigh* and it took a while but I got a clearer picture after the trip to Japan.  So, yes I started writing again.  I shortly, thereafter, had some haikus accepted for publication and then I applied for the Queens MFA program to which I was then accepted.  I started that in January of 2007, I left my job in July 2007 and now I feel, in some ways, I’ve come full circle but I’m such a different person.

Sadly, the weight that I thought I’d be able to lose after leaving work just hasn’t come off but I’m dealing with it and I’m still happier then I have ever been in my life.

So, yeah, I’m annoyed I’ll be overweight *again* going to Japan but I feel like I’m in better shape and in a better frame of mind so I think that this trip will be even more amazing than the first one.

And maybe all this prep and all the walking there will put me a step forward in my last battle to conquer–the weight battle.

Oh, and when I get back, I think I’m ready to go back and do some work.  Most likely part time.  Anyone hiring?

Vlogging and Venting and Vacation and Ventures

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My vlog for this week will be posted at the bottom. I really should have made the vlog yesterday afternoon or at least this morning when the results of my haircut yesterday were still decent now the humidity got to it and BOING. Puff levels!

But seriously just a quick note to vent a little (not a venti) because after booking my vacation at the end of last month to have a good 6 months out we come to find that one of our flights has been cancelled and an essential flight.  So after being on the phone with expedia and the airline I now have a flight the day before which would give us a layover where we’d need to either get a hotel for one night and/or sleep in the airport.  I am not running out to book the hotel, however, given the likelihood that all of this will probably change with 5 more months to go.  

You can’t win with traveling.  I love to see new places but you need to book early to get a good fare and to make sure you get flights but then this kind of frustration occurs.  *sigh* There was a part of me that wanted to just cancel the whole thing but I know how much I like to travel once I actually get to my destination and we likely couldn’t get our money back anyway.  Just gonna buck up.

Also in the early stages of planning my after graduation venture: Publishing. I have set up an email for what I hope will be my small press Folded Word Press.  I still have a lot of research to do but my first project will most likely be an online zine via YouTube called Shape Of A Box.  There will be more details to follow on that.  If I get time to work on it while finishing up my thesis I might have it go live before the end of the year.

After the online zine?  I’m thinking about chapbooks.  I have researched pricing for printing and some other details so I am feeling pretty good about it! 

Hope everyone has a good weekend.  Even if here in Charlotte we now have rain and long lines at the gas pumps.  So glad I already have the gas taken care of. Oh yeah and a house to be in.