I’m pretty excited to link up with Listicles today, not because it’s my first time, well maybe a little, but because I’m doing NoBloPoMo where you write a post a day for 30 days, with my friend Abby, and I’m running out of Blog fodder. She challenged me, and usually I’m not competitive but, I don’t want to be aced out by her, so now I’m scratching for something great to write about.
I’m not going to be like some people and blow the list off altogether just to write about what I want, although I do love some people’s posts because they always make me smile.
Here’s my list of things that make for a great vacation:
This is the lobby at the Benson, you can stay here for $100 per night.
1. Time- Not necessarily quantity of time, but quality of time. We went to Portland Oregon the last weekend of October, for my birthday weekend, it was a Friday-Sunday deal because I was out of vacation time, and short on cash, and because it was a weekend, I didn’t feel guilty for not being at work, and not taking care of Henry. And because of that I was able to relax and focus on just being in a new place and taking it all in. We stayed at the Benson Hotel, if you go to Portland, stay at the Benson.
2. New Experiences- I had never been to Portland to hang out, when we go it’s to get something, or do something, then turn around and go home. It’s about a 2 ½ hour drive from my house, so when we do go it’s rare. We parked our car with the Valet, and didn’t get it out until it was time to go home. We walked everywhere, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry was a mile and half walk from the hotel, they were showing The Bodies Exhibit, and I always wanted to go. Steve isn’t down with museums, but it was my Birthday, so he went, and he really liked it, to the point where he wanted to bring other people to see it.
3. Doing Nothing- Vacation is the best time to do nothing, when it was raining we watched one of the Jackass movies and just hung out in the room, and Saturday night was so warm we walked through town looking for a lounge that had some live music, but it was early, around 8 and nobody had started playing, so we sat on a bench under these huge trees and watched people and cars, and just soaked it all in.
4. Appreciating the Simple Things- Nothing tastes better than a latte in the middle of a park. Ok, lots of things probably taste better, but when you’re kicking back watching the world and you are with the person that you love the most, in that moment, nothing tastes better.
5. Smelling the Flowers- Literally, how often do we take time out of our busy lives to smell the flowers, or the grass or watch the birds, when you are on vacation, you have all the time in the world to do that.
6. Not Answering the Phone when Work Calls – I love my job, and I love the people I work for, it is really hard for me not to answer the phone or text back when they contact me, when I’m on vacation it’s easier for me to not respond as fast as I would if I were home.
7. Not Coming Back Early- When work does call, they always tell me I don’t have to stay on vacation, I can come home early. And sometimes before I go, they say I don’t have to leave, I can stay instead. Sometimes they are joking, most of the time they’re not. Aubrie can handle most anything now; I don’t know why they worry.
8. Maid Service- Seriously, what else do I have to say here?
9. Eating Out- Again, if somebody else is doing the cooking, and the cleaning up after, I’m all for it.
10. Letting My Tattooed Freak Flag Fly! - I have tattoos, and recently I got a quarter sleeve on my right arm. I am always conscious not to let my tattoos hang out at work or work functions. If I am at a party where I know there will be clients, I am also careful. Tattoos still carry a stigma, and I don’t want our clients to think less of me as a person or think that my boss has low standards of professionalism. When I’m on vacation, I just let it all hang out, I don’t care what people see or feel, I am who I am, like it or don’t.
