Monday, June 13, 2011

What I Learned on My Summer Vacation

Mary and I kicked off summer with an 8-day Caribbean cruise with three of her friends and their moms. This was way beyond our usual vacation, very fun and interestingly enlightening. Before I return to my regularly unscheduled Creative Instigation posts, let me tell you ...


What I Learned on My Summer Vacation
  • I can turn my phone and computer off for eight days and the world continues to revolve. Apparently, I'm not turning it.
  • It's possible to love something (let's say writing), stop doing it and not miss it. At all. 
  • It is also possible to turn anything into a competition: Mary can complete three Word Search puzzles in the time it takes me to do one.
  • I don't mind losing to my daughter. If you are not my daughter, beware.
  • People rarely encourage good listeners to talk.
  • I belong on a beach. This Kansas thing is a mistake.
  • I love to read. I love to read on a balcony. I love to read on a balcony overlooking the ocean. With room service.
  • Tina Fey's memoir has laugh-out-loud moments, but it's not great. It's self-indulgent. On the other hand, True Grit is a wonderful novel.
  • Some people can be unhappy anywhere. Even with room service.
  • My hubby has my back. I knew this, but I was reminded of it: Tom took care of Mom while I was gone. Mom survived without me just fine.
  • When you say, "I want Sex on the Beach," everyone laughs. Even when they know you're ordering a drink.
  • Money can buy happiness. And Sex on the Beach.
  • 80 gazillion people have tattoos. Most of them are ugly. (We'll just leave that purposefully ambiguous.)
  • Kate is right: Everyone has a story. I don't want to hear the stories about the tattoos.
  • You can be alone on a crowded beach if you're underwater.
  • I LOVE to snorkel. Or, as Woody Allen says, I LERVE to snorkel. Because "love" really isn't strong enough. 
  • You can find a new passion at any age.
  • On a cruise, the steward will call you by name after meeting you once. This will make you happy.
  • My permanent claim to fame will be that I knew Wes Powell before he was a rock star. Click. Listen. That is the sound of my vacation. This is the look:
  • It's possible to be so relaxed you can't remember what day it is.
  • I'm ready to be home. I'm ready to write.
  • I'm not ready to be insanely consumed by work and life again. So if you need to reach me this summer, don't expect me to be sitting at the computer, waiting for an email. Just call. I'll be at the pool. With a good book. And, very possibly, a snorkel.

5 comments:

Bud Simpson said...

Welcome home.

By the time I go back to work on Wednesday, I will have had eight days off. I'm not sure what this might have done to my office-politics doofus-tolerance speech filter. Maybe it's time for a new job, anyway.

Angela@RecipesFromMyMom said...

Here's my take-away from your summer vacation:
- It's good to have people who have your back.
- It's lovely to have a daughter who will vacation with you.
- You have learned some great lessons and you should have them tattoo'd somewhere on your body so you live them everyday :]

Barb said...

One of your most creative and insightful posts ever! And I'm not saying that because you included my rockstar son in it -- but that was a very nice touch too!

Unknown said...

Very interesting summer you had. For sure, you have learned a lot. Also, interesting information for me.

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