Coming Home

I love traveling. I love the anticipation before a big trip, the packing (well, okay, maybe I don’t love the packing so much), the planning. I love getting to the airport, boarding the plane, buckling my seat belt and preparing for take-off. I love settling in for a long (or short) flight, digging into my book or magazine, turning on my mp3 player and enjoying some time away from, and high above, the “real world”. I don’t so much love the landing part, but that more to do with my ear problems and the altitude changes.

I love arriving at a new place, exploring the sights, seeing loved ones or friends. I love taking pictures, learning new things, being a guest in a place different, yet the same from home. Because although I may be on vacation, here, in this place I visit, everyone else is going about their business, work, school, errands, “life”. And as a guest in their world, you get to glimpse a bit of that life, and realize that although different, we are all so much the same.

I love traveling.

As much as I love traveling, boy do I love coming home.

No one wants a vacation to end. The end of vacation means a return to “the grind”, to work, to duties, responsibility, schedules, deadlines, to do lists. And yet, even though we mourn the end of our time away, there is a certain pleasure to knowing that soon we will be home. Back in our comfort zone, our safe haven. There is something to be said for routine, is there not?

We spend much of our time complaining about our busy schedules, our running around, our hectic lives, and yet…this is life, isn’t it? And perhaps only when we take a break from it, when we step away on a short vacation, a small trip, do we realize how much our routine, our “life” is such a vital part of who we are.

I don’t think words can do justice to the feeling, but anyone who has traveled away from home for any extended period of time can probably relate. You know the feeling, don’t you? When you put your key in your front door, walk through and drop your bags. You walk through the house, turning on lights, opening the drapes, checking phone messages, maybe feeding the pets, yes…you’ve arrived back home.

Soon enough the whirlwind of daily life will take over, but for that one moment, there is comfort there. You are home.

Nowhere like it in the world, is there?

And just like coming home, after a short unplanned absence from blogging, due mostly to a busy schedule and hectic life, I am back. Feels good.

NaBloPo...Nah...

If you're looking for the "full" story of how I met my teen idol this weekend, and to find out what the verdict is on the Tattoo situation...stay tuned, I'll have that for you later, promise!

However, I've decided that since I'm only "un-officially" participating in NaBloPoMo (not having actually signed up at the official website, and only doing it because I needed to revive this blog), it is completely okay if I take a vacation from posting while I'm on "vacation" this week.

At first, I thought I would pre-write a bunch of posts and have them ready to post throughout the week, but then I got busy, and well...I didn't. Therefore, depending on my internet availability this coming week, I may or may not post here and there, but I will NOT be posting daily.

I don't feel guilty about it. I will be on a beach or poolside in Fort Lauderdale all week.

I will, however, be taking a journal with me, and keep track of my vacation, so that I can share all sorts of anecdotes with you when I return next week.

I will also be on my blackberry, so if you're on Twitter, you can certainly follow my adventures there. You can find me here.

And yes, I do plan on continuing with my NaNoWriMo novel while down there. There will be some down time when I intend on doing a bit of writing. Even if I end up writing in my journal and having to type it in when I return...because I'm leaning toward leaving the trusty laptop at home. It is, after all, a vacation.

My first vacation in almost 3 years.

I will not stress, I will not obsess, I will enjoy myself.

I will miss all of you, but I promise to come back with goodies!