Travel notes 10/23/02
Memories about Airports
I think there are some great moments that have been lost since only ticketed passengers can be at airport gates. I am thinking about my some of favorite memories about being at airports. They are both things that could not happen now.
Kathy at PDX
When I lived in Portland my sister Kathy came to visit me. It was March and she was the first person to visit me. I had only been away for five months, but it seemed like a long time. I was doing pretty well, but I did not have that many friends. I did not have many people that I was I close to. I have been very close with my sister Kathy since I have been junior high school. She is 13 year older then me and that has always framed our relationship. I was just so happy to see someone who I had known for a long time. I could make in jokes and know the response I would get. It was like a little bit of home was coming out to me. Seeing her come off that airplane was a great thrill to me.
Kathy and Dot at PHL
My first visit home after moving to the West Coast was also one of those moments. I had just flown a red-eye from San Jose to Philadelphia, via Chicago. It was one of the worst flights I had ever been on. It was packed and bumpy. The woman in front of me was almost in my lap and my seat did not recline. I could not close my eyes because I felt so airsick. I just sat there with my hand over my eyes.
When I got off that plane I was so happy to see my sisters. It was like a big weight was being lifted off my back. If was my first sign that I was really home. I knew that I would be seeing a not more people. That moment just felt great. I knew I made to right choice to come back to Warminster for that Christmas.
Cathy and Jeremy at PHL
That trip I was only in Philadelphia for 56 total hours. I did not get to see everyone I wanted to see. I had a few hours to hang out with Cathy and Jeremy before I left. They drove me to the airport and waited for my flight with me. The airport was really empty and it was just the three of us hanging out. We took pictures with my digital camera. It was silly and meaningless and I would have not given that time up for anything in the world. There is part of me that I will always think of our friendship in those moments. It was great fun just doing nothing.
For the foreseeable future I will not have those moments anymore. There is a little sadness there.
Vacation Timing
Most of the time I put my vacations off until I really need one. I press myself until I need to leave town. Part of this has to do with our current economic climate. I have tried to keep a one month cushion of vacation time. That extra money would mean something if I got laid off. I also want to save my vacation time for a long trip.
This vacation does not have that feel. My last couple of days at work were not spent thinking about leaving town. I was not trying to get through those days before totally shutting off like most vacations. Instead I was thinking about all the projects that I wanted to finish before I left. I was thinking that I was going to miss important meetings while I was away. I almost wished that my vacation was coming at a different time.
This happened because the vacation was not on my timetable. I was on vacation last in early August. I usually put more time in-between vacations. I wanted to be around awhile for the wedding, that is why I extended my time down there. I could have gone down just for the wedding. I knew that Steve and La are happy I am around for more of the activities. There are plans for every night I am in town. that makes it clear that this was a good choice.
Is it good to wait until I am burned out to take a vacation? Is it good to push as hard as I can and turn away just before something breaks? There are something very satisfying about those vacations. This vacation seems different. I also have a lot of things scheduled for this week. Most of my vacations I spend most of my time relaxing and I move at my own pace. This vacation is more about being places on time and following someone else's schedule. I wonder how all these ideas change the way I view my vacations in the future.
Memories about Airports
I think there are some great moments that have been lost since only ticketed passengers can be at airport gates. I am thinking about my some of favorite memories about being at airports. They are both things that could not happen now.
Kathy at PDX
When I lived in Portland my sister Kathy came to visit me. It was March and she was the first person to visit me. I had only been away for five months, but it seemed like a long time. I was doing pretty well, but I did not have that many friends. I did not have many people that I was I close to. I have been very close with my sister Kathy since I have been junior high school. She is 13 year older then me and that has always framed our relationship. I was just so happy to see someone who I had known for a long time. I could make in jokes and know the response I would get. It was like a little bit of home was coming out to me. Seeing her come off that airplane was a great thrill to me.
Kathy and Dot at PHL
My first visit home after moving to the West Coast was also one of those moments. I had just flown a red-eye from San Jose to Philadelphia, via Chicago. It was one of the worst flights I had ever been on. It was packed and bumpy. The woman in front of me was almost in my lap and my seat did not recline. I could not close my eyes because I felt so airsick. I just sat there with my hand over my eyes.
When I got off that plane I was so happy to see my sisters. It was like a big weight was being lifted off my back. If was my first sign that I was really home. I knew that I would be seeing a not more people. That moment just felt great. I knew I made to right choice to come back to Warminster for that Christmas.
Cathy and Jeremy at PHL
That trip I was only in Philadelphia for 56 total hours. I did not get to see everyone I wanted to see. I had a few hours to hang out with Cathy and Jeremy before I left. They drove me to the airport and waited for my flight with me. The airport was really empty and it was just the three of us hanging out. We took pictures with my digital camera. It was silly and meaningless and I would have not given that time up for anything in the world. There is part of me that I will always think of our friendship in those moments. It was great fun just doing nothing.
For the foreseeable future I will not have those moments anymore. There is a little sadness there.
Vacation Timing
Most of the time I put my vacations off until I really need one. I press myself until I need to leave town. Part of this has to do with our current economic climate. I have tried to keep a one month cushion of vacation time. That extra money would mean something if I got laid off. I also want to save my vacation time for a long trip.
This vacation does not have that feel. My last couple of days at work were not spent thinking about leaving town. I was not trying to get through those days before totally shutting off like most vacations. Instead I was thinking about all the projects that I wanted to finish before I left. I was thinking that I was going to miss important meetings while I was away. I almost wished that my vacation was coming at a different time.
This happened because the vacation was not on my timetable. I was on vacation last in early August. I usually put more time in-between vacations. I wanted to be around awhile for the wedding, that is why I extended my time down there. I could have gone down just for the wedding. I knew that Steve and La are happy I am around for more of the activities. There are plans for every night I am in town. that makes it clear that this was a good choice.
Is it good to wait until I am burned out to take a vacation? Is it good to push as hard as I can and turn away just before something breaks? There are something very satisfying about those vacations. This vacation seems different. I also have a lot of things scheduled for this week. Most of my vacations I spend most of my time relaxing and I move at my own pace. This vacation is more about being places on time and following someone else's schedule. I wonder how all these ideas change the way I view my vacations in the future.
Comments