Directions

My weekend was jam packed with sight seeing, poking fun at protesters and Cats.

Sprinkled throughout all of this fun, were hour-long conversations on career choice and life-long goals.

For the most part, I’m a planner. If there is something I want to accomplish or purchase, I research what I need to acquire it, learn the best and/or fastest way of obtaining it, and then come up with a plan based on my research. Of course, there’s always room for modification, but I have some kind of sketchy idea of where I want to end up and how I’m going to get there.

My friend is not a planner. She has a destination in mind, but no concept of the best way to get there or what alternatives are out there. That may work for some people but it drives me crazy. Especially when she asks me for advice.

I try to help, but I think I confuse her – throwing out lots of ideas, providing options and different scenarios. And at some point, she always looks to me and asks, “Well, which is the best route to take.”

And of course, I can’t provide her with one answer because hell, it all depends. Does she want to take the scenic route, enjoying the sights along the way? Maybe she’s in a hurry, perhaps to arrive at the destination in four days and go 5-star all the way, even if it means accumulating debt? Or maybe she’s still at a point in her life where she can strap on a backpack and hitchhike from one place to another, limited to a strict budget but no time constraints?

And the destination is a little fuzzy – she tells me, hypothetically – “Well I want to end up in California.” Well… is she going to Sacramento? Or maybe she’s thinking Los Angeles? Or perhaps she wants perfect weather all the time and is thinking more of southern California. To me there is a big difference between planning for a trip to San Diego and a trip to San Francisco.

I’m really at a loss on how best to advise her. How can I best be a true friend and help her? I’m at a loss……….

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Country::air travel
   

2. G::string
   

3. Offer::job
   

4. Connection::reach out and touch someone
   

5. Quest::for happiness
   

6. Lighthouse::New England
   

7. Sycamore::tree
   

8. Inhumane::Chinese water torture
   

9. Sneer::Colin Farrell
   

10. Weapon::words
    

A big mistake

Everytime I read about how Abe Pollin let the greatest basketball player on earth go, I want to hit something (or someone) HARD!

Thanks to James over at Why I Hate DC for bringing it to everyone’s attention today!

It’s another gorgeous day in DC.

Spontaneity

I subscribe to over a dozen bargain travel e-letters including one for every airline, Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, and site59 among others.

This little deal arrived in my inbox today via USAirways:

ROUNDTRIP

FROM: TO: FARE*:

————————————————————-

Boston, MA Paris, France $209

Charlotte, NC Paris, France $269

Columbus, OH Paris, France $269

Hartford, CT Paris, France $249

Los Angeles, CA Paris, France $309

Philadelphia, PA Paris, France $209

Pittsburgh, PA Paris, France $209

Richmond, VA Paris, France $249

Rochester, NY Paris, France $249

San Francisco, CA Paris, France $309

Washington National, DC Paris, France $209

I just paid almost $300 to fly roundtrip for the Christmas holidays from National to Providence Greene airport. For a little over $200 I could be in PARIS! Of course, there ARE restrictions ….. I must depart Fridays through Wednesdays, between October 27 and November 16, 2003. Return travel is Mondays through Saturdays, between November 3 and November 22, 2003. Departing travel is not permitted to Paris October 31 through November 2, 2003 and tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, October 29, 2003.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm…. tempting. I could always leave on a Friday night – say November 7th – arrive on Saturday morning and stay through… how many days can I afford to take off (?)… Wednesday the 12th…. Four full days in Paris. And I know of this cute little hotel right by the Eiffel Tower – one night is the equivalent of US$60. Definitely doable.

How many of you travel on the spur of the moment? Or do you prefer to make detailed plans?

Tired of subtle

Went to the ATM at lunch and got my first stack of new US$20’s. The new look wasn’t a big surprise – bloggers have been writing about it and posting pictures of the new bill way before the October 9th rollout date.

But they’re already counterfeiting the counterfeit-proof bills!

I am disappointed by how subtle the coloration is. You would think that if the US was going to redesign its money, it would use something flashy, patriotic…… why not something in red, white and blue? WHO decided that this pond-scum shade of green was the way to go in the first place? Other countries have *pretty* and FUN paper money. Why can’t we?

You learn something new everyday

I was over at Driving with Dawn where I learned about illegal restaurants.

Does anyone know of any underground eating establishments in DC or Boston? Or how about in Seattle?

Maybe I’ll start one of my own……….

Things we talk about at work

Ulrich Weiser of Tuebingen University is a member of the German research team that discovered the secret of ancient Egyptian mummification.

The team successfully replicated the mysterious concoction which includes “cedar-wood juice.”

This got a group of us thinking…. will this become a new funerary option here in the States. The few times the topic had come up, Id always advocated donating my organs and then settling for a traditional burial. Lately I’ve considered the benefits of cremation.

Oddly (?), most of my colleagues were opposed to cremation. Two were visibly excited about this new discovery (excited at the prospect of modern day mummification?). Three were sure cryogenically freezing their heads was the way to go. (Are you getting the gist of the type of people I work with?). And the rest seemed most comfortable with a regular burial (with no organ donation).

Do you ever think about it? If you could instruct your loved ones of your preference, what would you tell them? Are you an organ donor or opposed to the concept?