Cruisin' State of Mind

Right before Christmas this year, I'll be heading down to Florida to start to beginning of my vacation - a cruise to the Caribbean. I can't wait. Now that my work trip is over, I can fully concentrate on something much more interesting... what I might do & see on my week in the Western Caribbean. The possiblities are endless.

It's true, I have been to all these ports of call before. But ya know what??? That just means even more relaxation for me! I don't have to be rushed to keep a sightseeing schedule. What could be better than that??

This will be my 5th cruise... all have been in the Caribbean. You can't beat cruisin' down the islands while everyone else is bundled up in their winter gear. I think I might even squeal with delight at the thought of it!

With 4 cruises under my belt, I'll be more than happy to see things such as those below again... It'll be greeting an old friend. (An old friend that requires me to save to see her, but it's ok... she's worth it!)

Almost Forgot about ‘Em

It’s possible I have so many cameras that I might forget about pictures I take with them… possible, anyway.

I just found these shots from my time in Puerto Rico. Who knew these little gems were just waiting for the flash of “what happened to those pictures…” I might have at some point.

Observations... & then some.

Most of you know that i was in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the last week. Unfortunately it wasn’t for vacation… it was for work! Cop’er, on the other hand, came with me & HE managed to have a relaxing time. Lucky him.

While in for PR, it was impossible not to notice things, make observations, assumptions & conclusions. Now I would like to share those things with you. Buckle up.

1. Even though the temperature seemed to be a reprieve from the 100+ degrees we were having in my neck of the woods, it was not to be. With temps in the 85+ range & 100% humidity, I was actually wishing I was home to cool off! Lower temps there = deception! Even the people who live there complained about the ‘heat’ & it’s like that all the time!
2. Because of #1, I would have to say open air hotel lobbies & bars are NOT a good thing.
3. Puerto Rico is in the “Caribbean” – both location & attitude. That said, they move at a MUCH slower pace than anyone on mainland US & that includes the snail-paced people of the southern states. If you were at a restaurant & in a hurry, you would have had faster service by going into the kitchen & preparing your own meal. I have NEVER been anywhere with slower service.
4. But let’s not stop there… everywhere we went, it was SLOW—the airport, the hotel, the restaurants, the services, the response time, the attitude.
5. There were lots of homeless people in the city.
6. Puerto Rico is a territory of the US. The people are citizens, but are not allowed to vote for President. They do not pay federal taxes. But even knowing all this, I have come to the conclusion that they really aren’t part of the US. The majority speak Spanish; they drive like all the other Caribbean islands I have been to(without real rules and structure); etc.
7. The citizens of PR… they like their Crocs!
8. You can buy alcohol in the drugstores and even some fast food establishments.
9. The water at the beach of the resort was so warm it was ALMOST too warm. I thought I was working up a sweat just floating!
10. There are lots of lizard-ish things walking around… as frequent as squirrels here!
11. If you are thinking about buying rum at the duty-free shop on your way INTO PR, don’t bother. It’s not going to happen.
12. When you are leaving PR, you have to have all your bags checked by the USDA. No produce or exotic animals are allowed to be packed into your luggage. That was a first for me.
13. Cop’er & I have thought about cruising out of San Juan, but after this trip, we’ve marked that off the list of things to do. I can really say I don’t have much interest in going back. I might be southern, but I like my life a little faster paced.

I managed to take some shots of the hotel. And before you say I had time to ‘sightsee’, I’d like you to know that my sightseeing was a day and 1/2. The rest was working (long hours) or too tired to do anything. Good thing Cop’er saw enough for both of us… + we’d been there before!

Open Letters to My Family

Mi madre mom has always, since my sisters & I were old enough to stay home alone when they travel, written us notes, letters, emails to tell us how much she loves us. I think it might be something to remind us that no matter what happens, she loves us & we know that’s the last thing she was thinking about when they left for vacation. You know the sentimentality behind that – no regrets.

I have done my fair share of traveling, as we’ve talked about before. I don’t leave letters, unless you count the notes for the pet sitter. I don’t think it’s going to make her feel all warm & fuzzy inside though. Not that I’m mean or anything, but I don’t sign them ‘Love.’

My folks are leaving on a trip to Seattle & Vancouver the same time Cop’er & I will be in Puerto Rico & my sisters will be here in town. So, to switch things up, I’m going to write letters to them as my ‘parting thoughts’.

Dear Madre & Padre-

It seems as though you have decided you can’t stay in town when I’m not here. I totally understand. Hope you enjoy your time away. Try not to think about me too much, you’ll get homesick and the whole trip out west would be a waste. Since you know my tastes, I won’t rehash the kinds of things you should bring back for me, but know I am looking forward to receiving them! It’s a real downer that you won’t be here to check on my house & the ‘kids’ though… I’ll have to pawn that off on a sister. Have fun on your trip & we’ll compare vacation notes when you get back! Ok, I’ll let Cop’er tell you about HIS vacation. Love, your firstborn, the light of your life, the best thing that ever happened to you.

Dear Sister Fantanimal -

Thanks for watching my youngest child. You know he’s a little troublemaker, but when you look at the face, it all goes out the window. Try not to let those big dogs eat him, stomp on him, or use him like a stuffed toy. For the most part, I like him in one piece. Also, thanks for coming to check on my other kids. I’m sure Moodles is going to talk your ear off. He doesn’t like so much alone time, so bring a book & humor him for a while. Lastly, I have a pool that needs cleaning & tomato plants that need water. Can you see to those things too? If this works out, you might get a little treat upon my arrival home. Of course, this all depends on Lil Guy still being in one piece & Moodles not keeping me on my first night back talking about how you didn’t give him any quality time. XOXO Your favorite sister, the one who paved the way for your cushy life with mom & dad.

Dear Sister KidEduc8r & family -

Since you have been on vacation already, I’m sure the absence of myself & Cop’er will go unnoticed as you kick back at home with your residual relaxed feelings… However, we’ll be gone for 9 days & by then you’ll be all tense again. If you want to use the pool while we are gone, please leave a small donation on the counter. This will cover the large amounts of water that will need to be replaced after my nephews shoot their water guns. Buenas Noches, Your favorite sister, the one who allowed for your early escape from parental oversight.

Oh the packing…

Before I start talking about the packing, I just wanted to talk about the new Windows Live Writer that I downloaded. It’s supposed to allow me to different things on my blog. Right now, it’s letting me change my font to Century Gothic – it’s my current fave. I even use it for my emails at work. So far, I’m liking this Writer thing!

So, back to the topic at hand… packing. Cop’er & I like to travel. We’ve been traveling since the first year we were together. Some of the places we’ve been include: Las Vegas; Sedona; Flagstaff; San Francisco; Napa Valley; Half Moon Bay, CA; Miami; New Orleans; Myrtle Beach; Outer Banks; Chicago; New York; Dover; Mexico; Guatemala; Belize; St. Thomas; St. Lucia; and the Bahamas.

Once upon a time I was the world’s WORST packer. I’m not talking about fitting all the suitcases in the car (I’m great at that!). I’m talking about how-much-can-you-stuff-in-your-suitcase packing. I used to pack the kitchen sink, because, let’s face it, you never know when you are going to need that!

There are several things in previous years that have required me to change the way I pack. One of the things is the weight limit imposed on flights. I can’t cram as much in there anymore because that would me I have to PAY for it! No, not going to happen. As a matter of fact, Cop’er & I have been known to make shifts in luggage at the counter just to avoid paying extra!

The other thing that’s happened over the years is that I have traveled more. While I have taken vacations with Cop’er while we’ve been together, my last 2 jobs have required me to travel to conferences. When you have to pack for both business & fun while you are gone and knowing you have a weight limit imposed on your suitcase, it really makes you think about what’s going in there!

For example, when I first started traveling to conferences where I was one of the staff, I’d take the exact number of suits I needed for the time I was there. Now, I take mix & match pants & jackets (2 max) with different shirts. Shoes for work are down to 2 pair, unless there is more formal attire needed.

Even knowing all these things – the hotel has shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc; you aren’t going to be in the middle of nowhere, you can buy what you need; you can wash something in the sink if you need to… it doesn’t stop me from having a quandary every time it comes to packing.

Currently I’m starting to pack for my 9 day trip to San Juan next week. Cop’er & I are arriving 2.5 days before I have to report for work, so i have to have casual clothes for sightseeing & just hanging out; clothes for work (4.5 days); clothes for the 2 dressier nights of the conference; clothes for the remainder of my time there before we fly home (another 1.5 days).

There is a small perk with traveling for work – i can add another suitcase if I need to. I usually do since I have to pack those ‘last minute’ things from the office that don’t make the shipment with the rest of our conference items.

I know in the scheme of life this is a problem lots of people would like to have. So, for now, I think I’ll just continue to work through my issues… Happy Travels!

Maxine - the frog

Several years ago before AriCaVA moved back to VA & was living in Monterey, California, I fly to the west coast to see her. I left Cop'er back on the East Coast (please, don't give me a hard time - we'd just gotten back from a cruise!) to spend time with my BFF. Since he wasn't able to see all the sights I was seeing, I told him I'd send him shots of some of the highlights.

These shots were sent by text message and they all included something we take when we travel - a small stuffed frog we call Maxine. 

** back story on Maxine: When Cop'er & I went on our honeymoon cruise, we took Maxine on the cruise with us. I'd read somewhere that the frog symbolized "coming back soon." In other words, to come back safely. So, since then we have always taken a frog when we travel.

Of course, I shot the picture of Maxine in the backpack while Cop'er was carrying it around. I don't know that he was too thrilled to be seen with the little stuffed frog as we rode horseback through the Puerto Rican rainforest!**

I'm pretty sure as my time in CA wore on Cop'er became more & more envious that Maxine was on the trip & he wasn't back home.

Maxine on the plane to the West Coast - strapped in for safety.

Maxine chillin' at the Pacific Ocean

Maxine at Monterey Bay

Maxine outside Pebble Beach, watching the mating of seal lions in the background. (Ok, stop lookin' they aren't really mating at that exact moment.)

Maxine's last big stop on the trip - Big Sur.

100 Things about Me (that you did or didn't know)

1. I’m the oldest of 3 girls.
2. My parents are still married—celebrating 40 years this year!
3. I’m 2.5 years away from the big 4-0 myself! But… in birthday years.
4. I’m married to a cop.
5. I have 3 dogs (I usually only claim one of them & the others in the generic “our” sense).
6. I have 2 cats—all are completely mine!
7. I love the autumn; ‘tis my favorite season! I was born in the fall!
8. I’m a Libra—highlights of that sign are charming, balanced (emotionally and mentally), artistic, romantic. Sounds just like me!
9. I’ve lived in the Mechanicsville/Richmond area all my life.
10. I’m a graduate of VCU with a degree in Communication Arts & Design; minor in photography.
11. I was a commuter student.
12. I like getting flowers, but not roses. They are so ‘everyday’.
13. I think a hammock is a great place to waste time and take a nap.
14. I have a pool at my house and I like it, but I wish the water stayed warmer longer.
15. I have a job that I really like.
16. I love all things Scottish and Celtic.
17. I have been to Scotland, Spain and many places in the Caribbean.
18. I love to travel, even for work.
19. I love cruising, but even I sometimes want a land vacation.
20. I finally saw a Broadway play last year—The Lion King. It was magical!
21. I have 2 nephews on my side of the family & 2 nieces, 1 nephew on Cop’er’s side.
22. My sister, KidEduc8r, lives 1 mile from me; my parents, 4 miles.
23. My favorite food is Mexican—chips & salsa at the top of the list.
24. My favorite color is orange—that bright, fiery orange color that runs rampant in the middle of autumn!
25. My pup, Lil Guy, sleeps right next to me at night with his FrogDog (toy) & I love it!
26. I have been watching “All My Children” & “General Hospital” since I was just a flicker of life; thanks, Mom.
27. I watched “Days of Our Lives” when I was a teenager, but couldn’t keep up.
28. I have a Pontiac G6; I think I could very well be the reason they went out of business!
29. I am addicted to blankets, bags, purses, pens, paper and lip gloss. Contrary to what some people think, I don’t have that many coats or shoes!
30. I can put furniture together (by myself) & I do read the directions.
31. I have my own craft room (also doubles for the guest room) and Cop’er has a Man Cave (I try not to step foot in there).
32. I like big piles of money, but never did I say it was the way to making one happy.
33. I enjoy a walk to the mailbox to find something other than bills. A card & letter are wonderful surprises!
34. I don’t like how the dryer shrinks things… especially my sweatpants!
35. I love photography and wish I was a landscape photographer for National Geographic.
36. I also wish I could live off my writing skills.
37. I like grammar rules.
38. I miss having a fire in the fireplace, but hear it’s not good for those with allergies.
39. I have allergies.
40. I get allergy shots 2x a month.
41. Our dog, Jake, snores; so does Roxy, my cat.
42. I have headaches frequently & they think it’s from the changes in the barometric pressure.
43. I have dated a police officer; doctor; lawyer; men from the Navy and the Army; graphic designers…
44. I met Greg Grunberg (“Heroes”, “Felicity”) at a tradeshow in Chicago last year. I got my picture taken with him.
45. I ‘stalked’ the cast of “Dawson’s Creek,” with my camera, when they were in town for a shoot at the University of Richmond many years ago.
46. I love a good chick flick, but also like mysteries and dramas; however, I am very picky about my comedy.
47. I can make jewelry… I like to give it away.
48. My favorite authors are Nora Roberts & Patricia Cornwell (she writes about things in VA & I think it’s cool to read about things I know).
49. I like frogs and have a collection of them in my house.
50. I also have birdhouses in my kitchen.
51. My favorite candle scents are citrus varieties and cinnamon.
52. I don’t have a favorite book.
53. My favorite movies are Titanic, Beauty & the Beast, Man on Fire, National Treasure (1 & 2).
54. This blog has been ‘alive’ since 2007.
55. I love to write. I have kept a journal since I was a freshman in college (if you are doing the math, that’s 20 yrs).
56. I’m not a computer genius, but I can find my way around one.
57. My desk at work is very organized; my house is not except for the closets & cabinets.
58. I like it when women are strong role models – especially when up against men.
59. I think it’s ok if a woman just isn’t meant to be a stay-at-home-mother.
60. I voted for Obama and I’m not ashamed of it. I still think the guy needs a chance to make things happen. If I have to, I will re-evaluate in 4 years. All I know—it’s not as bad as a Bush!
61. I used to like watching the Olympics. I can’t get into it now.
62. My favorite shows on TV are: House, Bones, American Idol, Paranormal State.
63. I love all things paranormal: ghosts, spirits, hauntings, etc.
64. I have been to quite a few NASCAR races. They are actually quite fun.
65. I’ve been to Loch Ness, Scotland. I didn’t see the monster.
66. I have been to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
67. I wished I was an exercise junkie, but I’m not.
68. My given name was originally spelled with a ‘y’; it’s now spelled with ‘ie’ & it’s a legal change.
69. My dad is a pharmacist and my mom is a ‘retired’ nurse. Together they make a doctor!
70. I love sunsets, sunrises (though I don’t see many of them), and long walks on the beach.
71. I also like short walks on the beach.
72. I just like anything about the beach.
73. I had a convertible for a while (someone wrecked it for me) and I loved it! And I miss it!
74. I’ve fallen off a horse (don’t ask Cop’er to repeat that story).
75. I have a collection of over 250 DVDs.
76. I only wear silver and silver-toned jewelry.
77. I like shirt with collars or v-necks the best.
78. I hate when my socks won’t stay in place and I have to fidget with them all day.
79. I think cat and dog hair is just another thing to wear.
80. Sharpie markers with the fine tip rock!
81. We have a Florida/Sun room in our house & it’s completely opposite of Florida temperatures in the winter. I think is should change to the Alaska room then.
82. My favorite color to wear is aqua/teal/blue.
83. I’m a night person; hate mornings.
84. I like to save my change, count it and roll it into big money!
85. I think naps are wonderful ways to waste time.
86. Text messaging is a great invention.
87. I used to use Macs, now it’s PC all the time.
88. I have a Wii, but it’s not as much fun as one-player.
89. I haven’t had a soda in 6+ weeks.
90. I haven’t had (the bad kind of) fast food in 6+ weeks.
91. I wish I had a week off to catch up on my leisure reading.
92. I like “So You Think You Can Dance”… I wish I was a dancer.
93. I love my new camera. I wish I was able to experiment in farway places with it.
94. I like to get dressed up with fancy clothes and makeup… once in a while.
95. I enjoy hosting parties but not the clean up or prep work.
96. I think the invention of the DVR has totally changed the way I watch TV.
97. I like to support breast cancer and wear the pink ribbon. I know there are other cancers, but this one is the closest to my heart & my family.
98. I would like to see Josh Groban in concert several times a year.
99. I love summer thunderstorms.
100. I want to see all of the states in the US before I die.