My mother and I are hatching a plan to meeting up in Washington after AP UX Week in August. The idea is to tack on a few days of me being on the right-hand coast to bum around the nation's capital with her and hopefully, my nephew Nicholas.
This has gotten me day dreaming of all the places Nick and I could go and all the things we could see. I love the idea of being the eccentric aunt who broadens his horizons and takes him on grand adventures. I want to do that for all my brother's kids. It's just that Grace (2) and Anthony (2 months) are still too little for adventure seeking. Nick is 9 1/2, so he's coming up on the perfect age.
I've thought for a long time that it would be great if my mother would take each of the grandkids on a trip of their chosing when they reached a certain age - 10, maybe 12. But now I'm thinking, why should she do it? Why don't I?
It would be so much fun to take each of them to Yosemite, Monterrey (Nick loves sharks), to go to Mexico, or London or Rome. I want to help them build memories; to think back to that time in South Dakota where we saw The Giant Green Dinosaur with Glowing Red Eyes (I swear, it really does exist!) like my brother and I do.
It doesn't help that I have the traveling bug. I've been on a the road a lot lately, but it's all been for work. I want to go on vacation and relax. To explore. I want the chance to build a relationship with my nephew, who I only get to see once or twice a year.
Hrmmmm.... much planning and plotting and dreaming needs to transpire.
This plea is from my friend Erika at Mule Design, of the t-shirt and web design-foo fame. If you're able, this is a great way to spend some cash.
"I have a friend named David who is a very nice person. He is a grad student getting a master's degree in international policy, specializing in war and humanitarian crises (like genocide!). David's idea of a fun summer vacation is to go on a UN mission to Sudan.
Unfortunately, he is a very broke grad student and going to Khartoum to work with the UN costs as much as taking a much nicer vacation.
Please consider contributing a sawbuck or so to send my friend into harm's way. At least you'll be paying towards an American caring about what's going on over there.
We now return you to your regular Flickr stream.
(*actually an adult)"
Taken on "Black Friday" in honor of JJG's birthday. This was the "jazz hands" shot.
Yesterday morning I had quite the little adventure. I woke up, got out of bed and went to walk down the stairs to the first floor. I'm not entirely sure what happened next, since I was still half asleep. But next thing I know I was on my butt, sliding down the stairs, franticaly and unsuccessfully trying to stop myself. My whole right side is rather sore today and I have a huge, dark bruise on my right cheek.
I think it's time to invest in some rubber stair covers. That hardwood is just too dang slippery.
