As a pre-emptive strike JUST IN CASE Joe gets the job that starts in April, I decided that we should get in a long weekend to replace the 10 day road trip. I was thinking about ways to condense the road trip, maybe use 3 days to get out to NC and 3 days to drive back. But I can’t take that much time off this month; it would disrupt work schedules too much. And then I thought about a camping trip since we didn’t go camping for his birthday. I’ve been wanting to go back out to Big Bend National Park. We only hiked about 3 trails when we went in 2006, so there’s still plenty to explore.
So, in two weeks, we’ll head out early that Friday morning to make the 8 hour drive to west Texas. I’ve reserved a campsite for 2 nights. And we’ll stop in Marfa (I just want to check out the Thunderbird Motel) before making the drive back to Austin. There are probably a few more interesting spots along the way, and I’d love to check them out. Should be a good time.
We also have a few more exciting events ahead of us this spring:
SXSW Happy Hour for my company
Zilker Kite Festival
More SXSW free events (Cheap Trick anyone?)
Noah’s Birthday Party
Phantom of the Opera
Meeoak & James’s wedding
Forty Acres Fest
Chloe’s Dance Recital
CONAN O’BRIEN
I’ve gotten off to a slow start this year with the travel. This is only my second trip, and it’s already March! I have a LOT of miles to fly if I am to maintain any level of status. All I need is one round trip flight to Chicago every month plus 1 or 2 more flights maybe to Atlanta to get Gold. Anywho, since I had such a long break from flying, I had major packing failures. I forgot to pack my contact lens cleaning solution. I only had saline solution with me, and that doesn’t work in the disinfecting vials. Of course, I didn’t pack a regular case either. That would’ve solved that problem. No worries though. I found a rip in one lens this morning, so I couldn’t even wear contacts. The second failure was I forgot to pack my cell phone charger. It’s a good thing this was only a one-night trip.
While I sat here at O’Hare waiting to board my delayed flight home, I wondered what would have happened if this flight got cancelled. This is the last one leaving Chicago. I didn’t pack extra clothes (just a set of pajamas and yoga/workout clothes). That could’ve been slightly disgusting or embarrassing if I had to stay an extra night. I just was not prepared at all.
There’s a chance we won’t be able to go on our road trip to the southeast like I had planned. Joe had an interview this morning for a job! He will hear back in the next two weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for him! If everything goes well and he takes the position, we obviously wouldn’t be able to be on the road for 10 days, driving around the country. Unless… does someone want to go for a long drive with me in my new car??? :oP No, that’s cruel and mean to Joe.
So if this trip is no longer a possibility, it got me thinking about vacation time. I need vacations. I love vacations. I thrive on vacations. I always come back feeling renewed. I saw my cousin had posted about all the PTO time he has accrued over all the years he’s been working (and I’m amazed they didn’t cap him at a certain number of hours!), and he has something close to a YEAR of PTO. Either he accrues time off at a fast rate or he just hasn’t spent any days off… or a combo of both. I personally could not do that. I track my PTO so that I can spend my PTO. I need it to stay sane. Besides, I gotta get all my travel in before a bunch of kids come and ruin it. Haha! Extra packing, extra airfare, 2 queen beds instead of 1 king. Guh. Let me enjoy it while I can!
The Skinners have been talking about a trip to San Francisco this summer to celebrate Richard finishing his MBA. We haven’t been able to settle on dates yet but looking at early August. Joe probably won’t be able to go on that trip because he and his old high school buddies are planning a trip in mid-August for Indianapolis. But, if Joe can’t go on the SF trip, I’m wondering if I should save that money and put it toward an even bigger vacation. My yoga teacher is organizing a yoga retreat in COSTA RICA with another teacher for a week following Thanksgiving. The airfare right now is $715, which isn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. There’s a chance the price could drop as summer promotions near. The cost for a week of accommodations plus all meals included and yoga classes included is $1,665. I know it’s a lot of money, but again, if I skip our other tentative trips and save all year, this might be my best opportunity to attend a retreat like this!
As much as I want to go on a vacation with Joe, I’m thinking a solo trip might be the only way to go somewhere cool this year without blowing our vacation budget.
Okay, they should be starting boarding soon. FINALLY.
My sales guy (Jeremy Heuss, if anyone is interested in buying a VW – go to Boardwalk in Richardson, ask for Jeremy and tell him I sent you!) was so excited to take pictures of us in front of my new car. It was almost like having my dad there!
We got there a little before 10 this morning and found Jeremy at his desk. Since we had done all the negotiating and ordering 3 months ago via email and phone calls, today was pretty much about making sure everything was perfect with the car and getting the papers signed and money exchanged. He had my car detailed and gassed up, ready to go. We popped everything open, took the car for a spin up and back on Central, and he showed me all the ins and out of my radio and dashboard functions. We got my cell phone hooked up via Bluetooth in the car, and that works nicely. I also have 6 months of free Sirius radio, although I think I’ll be enjoying my iPod connection much much more.
My little GTI has so many more bells and whistles than any other car I’ve driven before. It’s almost overwhelming! The ride is so smooth. And I have way more horsepower under my right foot than I’m used to. Sweet. Once we got through the ins and outs of the car and got everything set up, it was time for all the fun finance/paperwork stuff. Of course, they try to upsell you on extra packages, like sealant to protect the paint and tinting and splash guards, yada yada yada. And in the finance guy’s office, they try to upsell you even more on extended warranty and all that jazz. The only thing we went for was Gap insurance, but that gets refunded if we pay the car off early (which we plan to do).
Once the papers were signed, we got our picture taken, received a little goodie bag and were on our way! I took Mom and Dad on a little test drive around the block. They approve. Grandpa and Grandma got to go for a ride, and they like it too. They also said George should’ve gotten a car like mine since it’s so much more practical. Hahaha! Two door cars aren’t really comfortable for anyone trying to access or sit in the back seat, although I do have to say the Mini is still up a notch from Joe’s MR2, the most useless car of all. :oP
I did George’s list of things to “break in” the car. Hope it works. Beyond that, we’ve enjoyed a warm day in Dallas. Visited the Chius at lunch time. Patrick is so expressive now. He still doesn’t say much, but he points and makes faces and is so playful. He really loves patting his sister’s head. Brooke was awake enough in the last hour we were there. I fed her a couple bottles. I forget how tiny newborns are!
Then, we went to watch my Uncle Charles sing with the Formosa Chorus of Dallas. My dad was videotaping the event, and my Aunt Jenny was ushering. We sat with Michael, Grandma and Aunt Kathy. And just to keep in the Taiwanese spirit, check out this video to encourage fellow Taiwanese Americans to write in TAIWANESE on the 2010 Census. Sandy found where to order the t-shirts they’re wearing and is getting one for me. I love the mentions of “shioh bah-tsang”!
Lately, whenever we’re just hanging out on the couch, Boo Boo likes to come over and shove his head under our legs. Once he pushes his way through, he comes back around and does it all over again.
Boo Boo peeking under Joe's legs
Making another pass
Shoving his way through
Tomorrow, we head for Dallas!!! I’m sooooo excited about my car; it’s making it really difficult to concentrate on anything. I’m just so stinking excited.
On Saturday, Joe and I got to experience the Austin Symphony at the Long Center – for free and purely by accident. I had originally won tickets to see Mary Stuart from KUT. The email said my tickets would be waiting at will call under my name. When we arrived at the Long Center, we went to the only windows that looked like the box office, and I found the will call line. With my luck, they didn’t have any tickets under my name. I told them I had won tickets and that the email said to go to will call. The kind woman ushered me to the next window, which was for sponsors. Same story, lots of confusion. In the end, they gave us two tickets from the Student Rush tickets line, and we were on our way. When I looked at the tickets, they said Austin Symphony – not Mary Stuart. Hmm… I’m still trying to figure out what went wrong. Was there a separate will call for the play? Was there a separate entrance for the theatre? Everything is located at the Long Center, so I’m not sure where else we would have needed to go.
In any case, we quite enjoyed the Symphony. The featured performer was pianist Barbara Nissman. To my surprise and delight, she performed Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concert No. 3 as made famous by the movie Shine. (Man, I haven’t watched this movie in forever. I need to find a copy.) It was so complex and amazing and moving. We were up in the balcony seats, but the sound was so crisp. You could hear the soft notes flutter and feel the music swell. I definitely want to go watch more performances in the future! Being enveloped in that environment and experiencing all the layered sounds make me want to bring my piano down from Dallas ASAP. Anyone want to pay for an extension of my home so there is room for it? :o)
The new Long Center was beautiful. I still remember when it was the old Coliseum. I was worried Joe would be bored; he was yawning in the first half of the performance, but a little bit of coffee and a giant cookie during the intermission helped. I always forget that not everyone knows how to play an instrument and therefore may not have the same understanding and appreciation for classical music.
I’m sad the Olympics are over. I guess we go back to life like normal and resume regular television programming. I’m looking forward to warmer weather this spring, my new car, our road trip and whatever else is in store this year. March got here way too fast.
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