Organization
The one thing I really despise about going away on vacation are all the things you need to do upon your return. Since our return, Sweets and I have …
- Unpacked two massive suitcases plus a few carry-on bags; the suitcases still stand empty in our kitchen, waiting to be returned to our storage room in the basement
- Completed 5 loads of laundry, with two more waiting in the wings
- Went grocery shopping at three different stores, even returning to one of them the next day to pick up some items I forgot
- Waded through a week of mail, plus the 3 weeks of mail we tried to ignore before leaving
- Toured our property, which has become a tagging haven for some of the local gangs (i.e., reckless high school students)
- Cleaned up the tornado that seems to have hit our condo before we left (seriously, I’m not sure how clothes and magazines and mail and random pieces of paper can be strewn so carelessly around the house – clearly natural disaster must be the cause)
- Realized our DVR is 99% full and tried to watch some of the shows (only to further realize this week’s version of those same shows are being recorded at the same pace we’re watching last week’s shows, so we’re still at capacity)
- Still reconciling the fact that some team whose name aptly rhymes with Puke with a player whose name aptly rhymes with Cryer won the NCAA National Championship; it was a dark, rainy, maliciously ugly day in Chicago yesterday and I swear it’s the gods protesting that stupid game (and all the bad or no calls)
- Wrote a three-page recap of the restaurants, activities and general knowledge I picked up from our trip in the Caymans. Partly because a sorority sister of mine requested some info for her upcoming trip. And partly because I want to add some reviews to Trip Adviser.
I won’t even mention the insanity that has been work the past few days. It’s been exhausting and of course now my throat is scratchy and my nose is runny (though, sadly, I think that’s because of allergies).
I’ve been largely absent from the blogging world. My feed reader sits at over 1,000 posts, but I haven’t yet brought myself to Mark All Read. Forgive me if/when I do.
However, I have heard tittlings about what’s going on in the blogosphere (thanks for the updates, you know who you are). My two reactions to what I’ve heard so far?
- I don’t understand why bloggers hate on one another – when one blogger does well, it is actually good for the community as a whole.
- I don’t see how on earth a Ford Mustang is more fuel efficient than a Honda, unless they’re comparing a 2011 model to one from 1963. Just saying.
So, this is my way of saying I’m slowly returning to the real world. Kicking and screaming, of course. It’s been widely awesome to be communicating with you again, even if it is only as email responses to your comments. It feels good and makes this whole transition a little bit easier.
April 7th, 2010 at 7:19 am
Easing back into the real world after vacation is BRUTAL. But, in just three days, sounds like you have been tremendously productive! I’m impressed!! :)
April 7th, 2010 at 7:55 am
No matter how hard you try to prepare for your trip you always walk back in your door and swear that a tornado ran through!
Good luck with getting all of your things done, it will happen don’t stress out too much. Embrace your inner Cayman!
April 7th, 2010 at 8:07 am
You’ve made more progress than I would have. Coming back to reality from such a wonderful trip is never fun or easy. Glad that you’re easing yourself back in. I’ve been a bit absent from the blogosphere as well, its just too goregous out to be tethered to the computer. We’re having unseasonably warm temps here so I’m embracing it while I can. More blog drama? Le sigh.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:12 am
Oh goodness you’ve done more than me -- and I went away in January! I still have half an unpacked suitcase on my bedroom floor! And I’m with you on the hating thing -- I don’t understand why blogging has to be so high school sometimes. The thing that’s disappointed me most is how quick people are to turn on someone because they’ve just heard a rumour, without even bothering to ask them their side of the story. *Le sigh*
April 7th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Don’t worry, take your time, do what you need to do.
I’m sorry, did you say that a Mustang is more fuel efficient than a Honda? I bet you Sarah Palin is somehow behind those reports and misinforming everyone.
I discovered my neighbors are Duke fans during the game because I could hear them cheering each time Duke scored and when they won. I think I may kick them next time I see them.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:35 am
Hi Nilsa!
It looks like your vacation was fabulous, what a great time! We look forward to being able to follow up on your blog more often now that we have internet again! We will “skype” in the near future, but glad all is going well!
Take care!
S and J
April 7th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Welcome back!
As for your bloggy observations:
1--I don’t really know what you’re talking about, but agree. And kind of happy I am missing out on some possible drama.
2- Once again, agree…not buying that argument at all.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:57 am
I always, always, ALWAYS leave my (emptied) suitcase sitting out for a few days. No idea why. Currently it’s because the basement is in disarray as we prep it for the contracting work that’s about to start and that’s where I usually house it.
I feel you on the allergy situation; woke up to a car covered in pollen and every other surface outside is yellow. I love spring but hate the symptoms it brings along with it.
1,000 items? I’d definitely mark all as read. I do it when it’s at 200!
April 7th, 2010 at 10:11 am
That is the part of vacation I hate. The 24 hours before where you’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off and the return. I love going away…I don’t like the reality that waits for you when you get back. It would be nice if your work, etc worked like the DVR…press pause and then resume when you return. But alas life goes on…
April 7th, 2010 at 10:30 am
Ugh. Just thinking about that Puke/Cryer situation makes me want to both puke and cry.
April 7th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Yup. Theoretically, you need another -- let’s say -- 5 days of vacation when you return from a trip, just to transition back to your real life. It’s insane really.
I hear you about the drama that sometimes ensues in the blogger community. Why?
April 7th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
I still have a suitcase full from 3 weekends ago. Oops.
April 7th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Coming back from vacation is so tough… I hate how everything piles up when you are gone -- especially at work. Of course, I never regret going on vacation but I always wish I could come back to a job that ‘paused’ while I was away!
I get so stressed when my Google Reader has a huge number of unread posts. Sometimes the best thing is to just push mark as a read to give yourself some sanity. Feel free to do it on mine. Here’s the recap of what you’ve missed: I left my job. I’m going back to my old employer. It was a really difficult decision, but I was so stressed and it was just not a good fit. Actually, you had left a comment on a post about how you can view work like a relationship and have to reassess whether or not it is still working (ok, I totally paraphrased that because I am too lazy to go look it up -- I actually quoted your comment in my post on Tuesday). Anyways, your comment really hit me, and made me think about things. So I will be back with my former employer, but doing a completely different job than what I was doing when I left. Which is good because it would be weird to go back to exactly what I was doing before…
So that’s what I’ve been up to!
Good luck getting caught back up!!
April 7th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
i still have a half-empty duffel bag on my floor from when i went to the OBX with the boyfriend a week and a half ago. for one night. sigh.
April 7th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Oh man, I know how you feel, the team that won the football championship? PUKE for sure, although it doesn’t (OMG I can’t figure out how to spell rhyme) with anything funny. Best we can come up with is Buck Fama, and that is a little over the top. But not too much, because, well it is them.
And, I hate it when I miss drama that I have nothing to do with…it is like reality tv that I can read.
April 7th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
According to Ford, the V6 in the 2011 Mustang will achieve 18 city/29 highway with a manual transmission and 19 city/30+ highway in automatic models. The 2010 V6 Accord is rated at 18/29. Obviously these are ratings and a 4 cyl Accord is capable of 22/31 but what fun is that? Thanks free market!
April 7th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
The return after a vacation is never, ever fun…good for you for getting right back on top of things, though!
April 7th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
I hate the transition of being on holidays to being back to real life. Relax, take it slow, and don’t worry about us -- we’ll all be here waiting for you!
April 7th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Wow, that’s a lot of tasks completed after returning from vacation. I know how much things pile up over the time you are gone. Laundry is one of the biggest, since you want to get your clothes clean and put back in their place.
We always leave out suitcases out to air them out before putting them away. It helps, or at least I think so.
As for why bloggers hate one another, I’ve never got that. To exert that much energy and time into disliking someone that you most likely have not met or may never meet, I can’t see that. I tend to think it’s some sort of insecurity about one’s self that you need to tear down someone else.
I don’t give a shit what’s gone on, it’s not worth the time and effort to hate or bad mouth the other person. If I don’t like a blogger because they made me mad, then I simply don’t visit their blog anymore. Much easier than the alternative, which is spending my efforts on someone more productive.
April 7th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Um, that list is muy impressivo in my opionion. When I get back from a trip I basically just sleep and recoup for a week, and have a staring contest with my suitcase. It always wins. Getting all that in order will undoubtedly make you feel so much better about coming home. I love vacation but by the end I’m always so happy to be back in my bed and my bathroom. It’s just the settling back in thats tough. And if you’d like to skip the DVR’d shows I’d be happy to give you a last week in TV recap — I watch everything. Except Lost. I know, i know.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
“i.e. reckless high school students” This is exactly what happens to my neighbourhood every spring! We’re right by a high school and while most of the kids are great the tagging is silly.
You guys are doing so much! Oh, and my solution to be blogger thing is to sit firmly outside of the loop, reading people’s blogs who I adore and opting out of the drama. =)
April 7th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Ugh, Duke.
And I feel for you on the week away from work catch-up. Horrid.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
LOL I just hit all the ford posts in my reader and broke into hives. Seriously. I don’t get this part of blogging. *shudder*
April 7th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Drama!?
Here’s hoping the week goes by quickly so you can recover from your vacation reentry this weekend.
April 12th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
i am completely out of the blogosphere loop and i think i like it better that way. too much drama, reminds me of high school.
my dad owns a 1965 mustang…it’s a gas guzzler for sure, but if i had to pick between a brand new honda and the bright yellow show pony, i’d definitely go with the more ancient of the two.