Come on, ride the train

I took Amtrak for the first time last week (to southern New Jersey), and let me tell you, it was complete heaven. A co-worker of mine once described it as "a civilized way to travel", and boy was she right. The steps involved with traveling on Amtrak go something like this:

1. Purchase your ticket online
2. Arrive at station a mere half hour before your train (and that's a generous amount of time)
3. Print ticket at the kiosk
4. Relax and wait for the train. Don't worry about checking your bag, going through security, if you've packed liquids larger than 3 ounces, yada, yada, yada.
   
5. Board the train. Relax some more
6. Relax. Oh and if you forgot, relax some more. Enjoy the beautiful scenery, sleep, do work on your laptop, savor the loads of leg room (and snicker when thinking about the poor suckers currently stuffed into an airplane seat), buy something to eat in the cafe car. You get my drift?
7. Marvel at how much happier you and everyone around you seems to be when the causes of road rage and the hassles of airports are removed from travel.
   
8. Arrive at your destination.
   

Ahhhh, it's making me calm right now just thinking about it. While riding the train, I began thinking about the other situations I would be in had I chosen another form of travel. We all know about the perils of airplanes. The other option would be driving four and a half hours with no traffic, and up to 6 and a half hours with traffic. The common theme is stress, stress and more stress. Yes, Amtrak is not cheap. It was $216 for my round trip ticket. But it's so worth it. And in the words of a very wise woman, so civilized.

Mommy, we're flyyyyyyyyying!

So I am doing an absolutely horrible job at blogging regularly. Seriously, how do you guys do it? Once I get writing it seems like I just can't stop...but it's that whole pesky STARTING thing that I seem to struggle with. Anyway, I've been wanting to write about something for a while, and I'm surprised that I am only doing it now, considering the amount of traveling I've been doing since...hmmmm...it's been so long I need to ponder it...MAY. Since May I have flown Southwest (the best airline known to man, and I need to write a separate blog entry about that another time) enough to rack up one free round trip flight, and I'm halfway to my second one. Oh and they also include 4 FREE DRINK COUPONS with each free flight earned. Yeah, I'm psyched!

Now, on to the real purpose of this blog...to discuss my feelings on flying. I HATE IT. I really don't know when this happened. I remember being younger and acting exactly like the kids I see every time I fly. They make all sorts of delighted noises as we thunder down the runway and become airborne. Sounds like, "Wheeeeee!" "Ooooooh!", and "Mommy we're flyyyyyyyyyyying!". Oh and the best one: "We're going to see Mickeyyyy!!!" I hear these carefree children, and it does make me feel slightly embarrassed as I clutch the arm handles with white knuckles and say the Hail Mary over and over again until we reach a reasonable altitude. I relax slightly when we hit the cruising altitude, but whenever we hit the slightest bump or sign of turbulance, I again retreat to this position and look anxiously around me. Usually the people surrounding me look very relaxed, either sleeping or reading magazines or books. Meanwhile I can feel my palms sweating and my heart pounding. I desperately look at these people, thinking "how are you not concerned? Why are you not in fear of your life?" And forget about landing...we always seem to hit some freak "weather cell" (I love that term) that just happens to be hovering over good ol' TF Green. This leads to circling the airport, wind, and therefore lots of bumps as we barrel through the clouds. I must say about 1,000 Hail Marys when this happens.

The thing that kills me is that I will arrive at my destination, or arrive home, and thinking about the plane crashing eventually leads to me looking at youtube plane crashes caught on tape. Very smart of me, I know. The whole point is that I find it fascinating that children have no fear of something that can be very scary, and I would love to get back to that point. If anyone has any tips of flying, I would love to hear them. Right now my best option seems to be seeing if I can get some Xanax, and I'm not sure I want to go down that road.

Luckily my trips to Orlando are over for now, but my next project is in southern New Jersey near Philadelphia. I'm going to try Amtrak, but it would be nice to get some more Southwest miles while I can.

Oh...and happy Election Day! I voted today, and I hope you did too!

For all you Hockey Moms and Joe Six Packs

Politics has never been something I've been interested in. Arron can watch Election Center, then Lou Dobbs Tonight, followed by Ballot Bowl, and still not be sick of it. A night like this usually ends in me yelling at him about how these shows all broadcast the same exact clips over and over again with a bunch of bumbling idiots commenting on the importance of said clips. This year's election has been getting pretty interesting though, and I actually find myself watching the debates and all of the CNN shows analyzing the candidates every step. Now, without going into details or getting on a soapbox, I am going to present to you a reason why John McCain should never be elected President:

Anyone who picks a fool like Palin as his running mate doesn't deserve my vote.

Today in FLA

This week there is some insanely huge convention at the Orange County Convention Center (which just so happens to be right down the road from the hotel in which I usually stay). Thanks, National Business Aviation Association. Due to you and your massive excuse to get together and get wasted every night, there were no rooms available at the Embassy, so I've been pushed to a hotel on the "other" side of International Drive...otherwise known as the cheesier, even more touristy area of town. I went for a jog around the area this evening and thought I'd mention some of the more interesting and amusing things I happened to run across.

1. A man sitting on the sidewalk making very realistic looking roses out of dried palm leaves, presumably to sell to sightseeing couples.
2. Not one, but two "British pubs". One of which which had an outdoor patio. Along with a sign advertising "Now with full liquor bar!" Very realistic, huh? These establishments are clearly aimed at...
3. More British tourists than I could count. Why is Orlando such a draw for English people? Maybe it's the sunny weather? Or the palm trees? OK, OK, yes those are legitimate draws...but to travel 4,000 miles to come here? I will never understand it.
4. At least six different groups of people walking towards me on the sidewalk, shoulder to shoulder, refusing to make way for me in the slightest, and forcing me to zig and zag to find a way around them. Yes, again, they were walking TOWARDS me. Reminded me of this amusing but oh-so-true blog entry by Caitlin.
5. No less than five restaurants boldly advertising "ALL YOU CAN EAT!!" Pizza, pasta, lobster dinner, the famous Ponderosa Steakhouse...is it any wonder that we have an obesity problem in this country?
6. Two other lone runners coming in the other direction that I passed not once, but twice (running loops in this area are few and far between). They both waved at me of course. People here are truly so friendly and I am having trouble getting used to it. A blog to come on that subject in the near future.

In the meantime, I am coming home on Friday, and am off for an entire week, going to Maine with the hubby for 5 fabulous days! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Cat Lady

I've said it before, and I'll say it again (and mean it). I would like nothing more than to be a cat lady. I bet I could comfortably live with 10 cats, no problem at all. It's funny because whenever my intense love for cats is brought to someone's attention, I automatically cringe. I just KNOW that the reaction is either going to be "Ooooh, I would love nothing more than to share my home with a mother cat and her 5 bastard kittens!", OR, the alternative, "CATS? I hate cats. They freak me out. And they just seem evil. What's wrong with a nice dog?"

Why do cats evoke this love/hate reaction? Maybe it's because they are independent. They can be aloof, but when they want attention, food, or cuddles, they want it now. Dogs are more consistent...they want love 24/7. But let me wax poetic about why I love them so very much.

They're clean. They never require baths. They're furry and soft. They always smell good. Watching them chase bugs around the house is possibly the most amusing thing you will ever see. The fur growing out of their ears could not be any cuter. They're as loyal as dogs, just the strong, silent type. They never need to be let outside at 6 am. Or walked. Watching them doze off into a catnap will make your heart melt. Ones with double paws are adorably clumsy. Oh, and see the pictures of my parents cat (when she was kitten) below. I don't see how anyone could look at that complete cuteness and still dislike cats.

Ptown signs

So here I am in the airport in Orlando in the worst possible situation that I could be in. Now once I describe it, you will probably say, "Eh...not so bad." But for me, of course it's a cause for stress. My flight is delayed. And I have plans tonight. Not only plans, but a surprise birthday party. Which means if my flight gets in too late, we will roll in late to the party and either miss/crash the grand entrance of the guest of honor. Again - not something that everyone would find to be highly stressful, but anyone who knows me can probably imagine how irritated I am getting at my lack of control of the situation.

So to calm my poor nerves, I am trying to take advantage of the situation and post some soothing memories of my little Labor Day vacation. Ris and took lots of pictures in Ptown last week, and at least half of them were of funny signs that we saw as we strolled Commercial Street. Hopefully they will make you giggle a bit.







Hedda Lettuce - of Project Runway fame







Sweet rowboat sign spotted by Rissy...and her favorite.







No such thing as Burger King (or any chain for that matter) in Ptown.



I am not entirely sure whether this sign is directed at dogs or late-night drunks.

Happy Friday everyone!!

Labor Day. Family. Adventures.

Has anyone ever done anything for you that just makes you appreciate that person in a way you never have before? Something that makes you realize, wow - this person is truly awesome. And I can count on this person. Not that you didn't appreciate he/she before, but it just makes you see them in a new light. Well this happened to me this weekend. I wanted to go on a road trip to Cape Cod but due to it being Labor Day weekend, had to resort to going Monday & Tuesday...not days that are easy for anyone to go. I've got some vacation left so it wasn't an issue, but I couldn't think of anyone who was available.

My sister and I are almost 6 years apart in age and have never been terribly close. We love each other, but aside from the age gap, we are just two completely different people. Those who know us do not need any explanation, as I am sure they are unconsciously nodding their heads right now. We rarely spend time together outside of family events, but something kept saying to me, "Rissy might want to come...she would have fun." And so I asked her to accompany me...and in typical Rissy fashion, she said "OK". Over the next month or so, I bombarded her with emails of things I wanted to do and see on our trip. She just said everything looked cool to her. Sometimes I wish I could be more laid-back like that. I am a champion planner and have trouble letting others take control, especially on vacation.

So to make a long story short(er), we went this past week and had a fabulous time. We wandered the streets of Provincetown and laughed at the funny signs on Commercial Street and took lots of pictures with her fabulous camera. We walked across the breakwater to Wood End and admired the clear water and different types of wildlife. Despite her hatred of all lighthouses, think Rissy may have even appreciated the one at Wood End. We stayed at the most adorable little B&B in town and had bagels and peanut butter for lunch. Top it off with a bike ride through the Province Lands and you have yourself a little slice of heaven in the world according to Lauren. Anyway...the whole point of this lengthy blog is that Rissy probably has no idea how much it meant to me that she just agreed to go with me. And after the delicious bagels, laughing over the little crying girl on the wharf, and bonding over our love for the Secret Garden Inn, I'm starting to think we have more in common than we may have thought.

Here's a few pictures to start from the trip...more to come in the next few posts...

Here we are at Herring Cove Beach at sunset.

Perfect lunch for the Kelly girls.

Garden at our B&B.

Love you sister!!

Work Trips to FL

I've been traveling to Orlando for work quite a bit this summer. Although the airports wear me out (see one of my previous entries), and it would be nice if I was going in February as opposed to July, it's really not all that bad. I can get a nonstop flight from PVD on Southwest (best airline EVER, by the way), and there's quite a bit to do in the area. In fact, the hotel that I stay at is about 5 minutes from Universal Studios and about 10 minutes from Disney World. It does get a bit depressing when when I am at breakfast getting ready for a long day at work and 99% of the people around me are in their shorts and tank tops getting ready for a long day of fun at the theme parks. Here are some pictures I've managed to take of the area so far. I'm on a bit of a hiatus for now, but in September and October I'll be going back for 3-4 more weeks.


Block Island from the plane


Shadow of the plane as we land (look closely)


Much bigger!


Intersection in Dr. Phillips - one of the nicest neighborhoods in Orlando


Atrium of the my hotel - the fabulous Embassy Suites on I-Drive


Thunderstorm moving in from the left - a daily occurance


Sitting on the deck at the restaurant across the street. I guess there could be worse places to travel for work :)


Yum. Guess what I am drinking?

Little Obsessions

I've had an obsessive personality for as long as I can remember. I'm never just interested in something...I'm completely engrossed. First it was whales. Then hurricanes. Oh and let's not forget Keanu Reeves. Wait, maybe we CAN forget about that. Anyway, once I become interested in something, I will read everything I possibly can get my hands on regarding that subject, and you can only imagine how much easier this has become since the internet has become so easily accessible. Here's a rundown of what I'm currently "interested" in:

1. Chowhound.com
This website is a godsend to anyone who enjoys food and/or dining out. It's basically a forum too discuss any food topic you could possibly imagine. One can discuss the dining scene in New England...or switch boards and talk about BBQ and Mexican in Texas. One of my favorite guilty pleasures is talking about the previous night's episode of Top Chef on the Food Media & News board. And I can't forget to mention that there are boards for wine, spirits, and beer.

2. Provincetown, MA
No, it's NOT just for gay people. It's one of the most stunningly beautiful places you will ever see. It has old, narrow streets filled with traditional New England homes. Some of the friendliest people in the world reside and work here. There is a mingling people like you will see nowhere else. More than anywhere else I've ever been, this town embodies acceptance.

3. Blogs
It doesn't matter who - friends' and acquaintances' blogs, or ones I've randomly run across in my internet travels. I love to hear what other people have to say and what is going on in their lives, and adore picturing what it's like to live in other areas of the country and the world. It's a glimpse into everyday life that was never possible before this trend began. Among my favorites are Caitlin's and KJ's. They always manage to make me think or put a smile on my face.

4. Restaurants
Whether I'm home in RI or on vacation, I will do extensive research to find the best dining options. Ironically, my two top methods of obtaining informations about these restaurants are other obsessions - Chowhound.com and the various food blogs that have recently begun popping up across the country (thankfully, Providence has quite a few). Some of my favorite RI restaurants - Tucker's Bistro in Newport, CAV and Ten in Providence.

5. Unique Inns
Not hotels. I'm talking about small B&Bs and old houses converted into inns. Places that are independently owned and provide character and hospitality that no big hotel could. I used to be scared of these places (must be my anti-social nature), and I'm still not a fan of having to share a bathroom, but set me up in one with a private bath, and I can actually have an enjoyable breakfast with the company of perfect strangers.

6. HG TV
Oh, where do I begin? House Hunters, Flip This House, Hidden Potential, and Get it Sold are just some of the many shows on this channel from which I cannot tear myself away. It's probably an unhealthy obsession, and it certainly aggravates my husband when I watch these shows over and over again...but I say life is short...do what makes you happy :)

I'm sure I could think of some others to add to the list, but I suppose it if doesn't pop into the brain immediately, then it's not quite an obsession and more of a traditional "interest". TTFN!

Airports

I've been subconsciously pondering the many types of people that I observe or interact with at the airport. Since I've been traveling for work a lot lately, I've been spending far too many hours of my life in airports, and it really is quite the place to people watch. Here's a rundown of the many "types" of people that I typically see.

The important business man - comes in many forms. He can be so important that he simply cannot get off of his phone (usually in the form of a bluetooth), and some are so important that they are constantly talking about something very stressful, to the point that they need to pace back and forth nervously while talking loudly on their phones. Many of these species have clear separation anxiety when they are forced to turn off their blackberries before the plane takes off...they frantically type emails up until the last second, and resume the madness the second the wheels touch the ground. Maybe I'm just not career driven enough, but I don't understand how every interaction can be seemingly life or death.

The talker - no definition needed. You know who I'm talking about...the one who sits next to you and immediately makes small talk. Only it's not just small talk...it turns into real talk, and if you're extra lucky, it can last the whole entire plane ride. You get to hear all about her husband Bill and her son Donald. You get to hear stories about dear Lucy's wedding. From my experiences, most talkers especially love to talk about themselves, and rarely ask for input from you. Maybe that's why it's so easy for the conversation to continue on far longer than it should. Being of an unsocial, taciturn disposition (bonus points to anyone who can identify where that quote is from), I dread sitting next to these people. Would it be rude to put a sign on my forehead that says "Planning to listen to Ipod and sleep"? Yeah, I thought so.

The clueless traveler - this is the person who clearly flies about once every 5 years. He/she has no clue that a license is required, along with boarding pass at the security checkpoint. They argue with airport personnel about removing their shoes. It's news to them that they can't take their extra large Dunkin Donuts coffee through security. They have no clue how the boarding process works on their airline and constantly try to board at the incorrect times. They sometimes bring carry-on bags that are far too large to fit in the overhead bins. Overall, these people are extremely talented at driving us frequent travelers insane.

The "very late" traveler - typically a businessman. He is shocked to discover that, at 5:40 am on a Monday morning (probably the busiest time at TF Green), there's a rather long security line. He begins loudly saying that, at this rate, he'll never make his 6:05 flight to Philadelphia. He clearly feels that he should be able to skip the entire security line in order to not miss his flight. The lines of separation between the very late traveler and the important businessman can often be blurry.

I could probably write about 5 more "types" of people, but I'll end it here. I'm thankfully flying home tomorrow and I'm sure I'll find some extra inspiration at some point in my travels.

Simple Pleasures

Last night we had a birthday party for my mom, dad and Arron (since my sister and her boyfriend were gone on a road trip for all of them). Sometimes there's nothing more fun than relaxing with family with some good drinks and conversation.


Here's a delicious red, white and blue sangria that my mom made.



Here's a better shot since the pictures I took were terrible. It had white wine, citrus vodka, triple sec, simple syrup, and strawberries, pineapples and blueberries. Even Arron loved it (and he hates wine).



We had a fire on the deck and made smores.



Rissy (my sister) and her boyfriend sang some songs for us.

I'm off to Orlando again for work tomorrow. Hopefully I will finally have some pictures of the tourist paradise to share.

Priceless...

This evening, as I jogged onto Jamaican Court off of I-drive in Orlando...I got a whiff of a very strong and unmistakable odor...

POT.

Made me laugh. Hehe :)

Just one of those days...

Today was one of those days that starts out with so much promise. I was flying out on yet another business trip, and Arron needed to use my car so he was dropping me off at the airport. First good thing - not having to park my car and drag all of my luggage through the parking garage. Then my flight was not only on time, it was 25 MINUTES EARLY. With air travel in its current state, when does this ever happen? Thank you, Southwest Airlines. To top it all off, no one sat next to me on the plane. And I'm not just talking about an empty seat next to me...there was no one in my entire row. Again, how often does that happen? To end my fantastic morning, I breezed through the car rental process and ended up with a Jetta. Yes, it's not exactly a Mercedes, but compared to some cars I've gotten, it sure seems like one. The sun was shining. It was 80 degrees. Life couldn't be better for a Monday morning.

Then...the day slowly degraded. I found out that I will be spending the week at work doing meticulous data entry. I began realizing I need to go back to Orlando next week. And the week of the 18th. After work, trips to CVS and the grocery store took far longer than normal...and the traffic was bad even for Orlando standards. Due to complete inefficiency by the staff at Subway, it took 25 minutes for me to get a sandwich for dinner. 25 MINUTES. I guess that made up for the time I gained this morning. Then I arrived at the hotel, and after lugging my suitcase, laptop bag, and groceries into the room, I step in and smell...smoke. This meant I needed to switch rooms, and move everything all over again. So, here I sit, in my new room, which is blissfully without the smell of smoke, but also virtually without air conditioning. In Florida. In July. Oh, the day held such promise. Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better!

A Confession

Today I did something that made me feel guilty. Really, really guilty.

I cheated. On my hairdresser. Ladies, which of you has ever done this? Admit it. I see you timidly raising your hand. And I bet you felt as bad as I do.

It's a funny relationship that women have with their hairdressers. Although we are simply paying for a service, it becomes almost traumatic if we decide that we want to begin seeing someone else. Thus, my use of the term "cheating". We behave a lot like we're cheating in a relationship. We sneak around, we worry that our hairdresser will find out, we stress about whether we should do it or not. Whatever the reason for going to a new stylist, it is every client's right to shop around in an effort to get the best service. So why the overwhelming guilt? Maybe it's due to the fact that while we are sitting in that chair, we end up sharing more with her than we planned to. Perhaps it's because we worry that we wont like the new girl as much as her, and we don't want to deal with the embarrassment of crawling back.

Whatever the reason, I am glad that I tried someone new, and I intend to stick with her. For the time being at least :)

Musings on Traveling

When I think about things I am truly passionate about, traveling jumps right to the top of the list. I highly doubt that many people check the TripAdvisor website more than I do (it's at least a four-to-five-times-a-day addiction). I am lucky to live in New England, which is a true tourist heaven. Travel just a few hours and you can find yourself in the rolling mountains of New Hampshire, the gorgeous fall foliage of the Berkshires, the sandy dunes of Cape Cod, or the rocky shoreline of Maine.

Despite my love of New England, the pictures I am about to post are from my first (and certainly not my last) trip to Hawaii. I don't think it's possible for anyone to visit this magical place and not love it.



This was taken on the North Shore



An open air shopping center in Honolulu



Cloudy sunset at the Turtle Bay Resort



Look in one direction, there's a beautiful beach...



Look in the other direction and see towering mountains



Pearl Harbor



Bustling Waikiki Beach



Friendly peacock at the Audubon Society



The most amazing Mai Tais



Blue skies that never end...



Mahalo...for visiting my blog!

To blog or not to blog?

I have been apprehensive about starting a blog for a long time, although I am unsure as to why. I'm not entirely sure why...maybe its the fear of exposing myself to criticism, especially given the fact that I haven't written anything non-engineering related in at least four years. However, I've psyched myself up enough over the past few months, and I think it's time I started one. Here's a few reasons why:

1. I spend an inordinate amount of time surfing the web and reading blogs. Friends, acquaintances, complete strangers - it doesn't matter, I'm addicted to them.
2. If I spent half of this "lurking time" doing something semi-productive, I am bound to gain something from it.
3. With the bulk of my days revolving around math, computers, and general engineering "stuff", I would like to do something creative. Is writing about your life and your thoughts very creative? Probably not, but it's more than I am doing now.

So there it is...more to come...hopefully...