QOTD #18

"SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (oh yeah, I'm that excited - 24 exclamation points worth of excited. Take that Regina!)" -Suze, via email

After numerous (read: everyone) people have told me I need to take a real vacation, I have finally listened. Shocking, I know. As of today, I am working on not only a vacation, but a relatively elaborate plan to visit two cities and four friends. This will include Austin, TX where I get to see Susan and J. Brady, and Orlando, FL where I get to see Josh and McKercher. The trip will put me out of Tallahassee for a little over a week. SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (24 more!)

In telling the whole story, I have to admit I have told Suze for the past two years I would come visit Austin. Yet, as life often goes, things kept me from going. Then, J. Brady (a.k.a. Best Spuddy Ever), moved to Austin last fall. I again starting promising to visit but have not followed through. Why? Money. Time off. Waiting on my sister's wedding. I am a terrible friend. You know, the typical excuses. This morning I finally decided I needed this visit. Period.

I emailed my Austin friends, and relatively received the reply above along with the beginnings of a plan. As I started searching flights and comparing prices between Florida airports (because Tallahassee is insanely expensive), I thought to look at the Orlando airport. (For anyone not in Tally, Jacksonville is typically the fall back international airport for us.) And who lives in Orlando? Josh and Adam. Granted, I get to see relatively more often, but of course not enough. Then my wheels started to turn, and I am now in the process of coordinating what will become an awesome vacation.

So to my supervisor, mentor, graduate assistant, colleagues, and even my students, I am taking a vacation. Be proud. And to Susan, Justin, Josh, and Adam, I cannot wait to see your faces!

Sidenote: I had to include the note about the exclamation points for Regina (see previous post and comments). It made me laugh.