Holiday Travel
I've come realize that with each year that passes time seems to go by faster than the previous year. I guess if you take into account that when you only get 3 waking hours of time at home a day and the pressures of relentless work schedules with no hope of pleasing your client time isn't going to really stop for you. It is usually around this time of year, one week before Thanksgiving, that one starts to ask, "Where did the year go?" Or maybe the constant countdown of shopping days until Christmas has you asking those close to you, "Didn't we just get done with Christmas?"
Of course with the arrival of the holidays the question arises of who's going where and who's bringing what. For us these questions have been easy. Our families have lived within twenty miles of each other for all of our lives and we gave up on trying to visit everyone we wanted to spend time with on Thanksgiving a long time ago. It was just too difficult to do and we ended up eating way to much food. So we have Thanksgiving at our home each year with an open door policy for anyone that wants to visit. On good years my friend and I like to get up early and head out to the desert to sling some lead at tin cans for a couple of hours which helps ease frustrations and is over all just a blast. Pun intended. This year, however, is a different story.
My brother is in Chicago. My friends and family are in Salt Lake and we're in California with no way out this year. So no shooting this year, buddy. We'll try again next year. It's a new experience for us and I have to say that it's a bit of an adjustment. So what are we to do? The same thing we always do. We're here and anyone's welcome. We won't see everyone this year but we'll be happy to see our parents at least and I'm hoping that next year we'll be able to make it home for at least one holiday so that we can start easing ourselves back home permanently but that's too far away to get exited about right now so we'll just not think about that right now.
I admit that it makes me wonder if traveling for the holiday's would be something worth trying, though. Why do I continue to sit at home and spend half the day cooking and lounging around each year? Probably because I like to do those things but that seems to be getting boring. Would I find Thanksgiving just as enjoyable if I were on a cruise ship in the Caribbean? Maybe. Would I enjoy myself at Disneyland? Absolutely not. Thanksgiving week is the busiest time in the park and I promise you that I wouldn't be caught dead withing ten miles of that place during the holidays but some people don't seem to care so I'll let them enjoy each others company.
Maybe it would be worth checking out Australia. The weather warms up down under while we cool off so it only makes sense to visit while the weather is in our favor right? Kangaroos, crocodiles and sunshine what more could you ask for? I suppose if Australia is too far to go there is always Florida. We exchange kangaroos for old people and alligators rather than crocodiles but the weather is still nice. Folks from Florida don't have fun accents like he Aussies but them's the breaks.
For now the thought of traveling during the holidays is just that, a thought. I'm still happy being at home with my family while I vegetate for a few days. Sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered but I'm learning that I'm open to more ideas as I get older and there's no telling what I'll come up with next. I will think of all of you that are traveling this year to see your families. I'll think of heavy traffic coming in and out of Los Angeles and the horrible, long lines and no place to sit at the airports across the country. I will think of you lugging around your luggage while trying to keep an eye on that one child of yours that likes to wander off when you aren't looking. Yes I'll think of all of this and smile knowing that I'm sitting at home stress free and enjoying the constant sunshine that Southern California has to offer. Yup, staying home doesn't seem so bad when it comes right to it.
Good luck to all of you who will be traveling next week. Let your travels be fun and safe. We'll be here to occupy a few minutes of your time if the need arises. Have a good weekend and we'll see you next week.
Brandan
Of course with the arrival of the holidays the question arises of who's going where and who's bringing what. For us these questions have been easy. Our families have lived within twenty miles of each other for all of our lives and we gave up on trying to visit everyone we wanted to spend time with on Thanksgiving a long time ago. It was just too difficult to do and we ended up eating way to much food. So we have Thanksgiving at our home each year with an open door policy for anyone that wants to visit. On good years my friend and I like to get up early and head out to the desert to sling some lead at tin cans for a couple of hours which helps ease frustrations and is over all just a blast. Pun intended. This year, however, is a different story.
My brother is in Chicago. My friends and family are in Salt Lake and we're in California with no way out this year. So no shooting this year, buddy. We'll try again next year. It's a new experience for us and I have to say that it's a bit of an adjustment. So what are we to do? The same thing we always do. We're here and anyone's welcome. We won't see everyone this year but we'll be happy to see our parents at least and I'm hoping that next year we'll be able to make it home for at least one holiday so that we can start easing ourselves back home permanently but that's too far away to get exited about right now so we'll just not think about that right now.
I admit that it makes me wonder if traveling for the holiday's would be something worth trying, though. Why do I continue to sit at home and spend half the day cooking and lounging around each year? Probably because I like to do those things but that seems to be getting boring. Would I find Thanksgiving just as enjoyable if I were on a cruise ship in the Caribbean? Maybe. Would I enjoy myself at Disneyland? Absolutely not. Thanksgiving week is the busiest time in the park and I promise you that I wouldn't be caught dead withing ten miles of that place during the holidays but some people don't seem to care so I'll let them enjoy each others company.
Maybe it would be worth checking out Australia. The weather warms up down under while we cool off so it only makes sense to visit while the weather is in our favor right? Kangaroos, crocodiles and sunshine what more could you ask for? I suppose if Australia is too far to go there is always Florida. We exchange kangaroos for old people and alligators rather than crocodiles but the weather is still nice. Folks from Florida don't have fun accents like he Aussies but them's the breaks.
For now the thought of traveling during the holidays is just that, a thought. I'm still happy being at home with my family while I vegetate for a few days. Sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered but I'm learning that I'm open to more ideas as I get older and there's no telling what I'll come up with next. I will think of all of you that are traveling this year to see your families. I'll think of heavy traffic coming in and out of Los Angeles and the horrible, long lines and no place to sit at the airports across the country. I will think of you lugging around your luggage while trying to keep an eye on that one child of yours that likes to wander off when you aren't looking. Yes I'll think of all of this and smile knowing that I'm sitting at home stress free and enjoying the constant sunshine that Southern California has to offer. Yup, staying home doesn't seem so bad when it comes right to it.
Good luck to all of you who will be traveling next week. Let your travels be fun and safe. We'll be here to occupy a few minutes of your time if the need arises. Have a good weekend and we'll see you next week.
Brandan