Tag: vacation

It’s a day off for me, so why am I blogging?

I actually wrote this a couple weeks ago as I was prepping for this trip. I’m in Amsterdam today, taking a few days with my wife.

I came over to the UK on 1 Sep and I won’t go home until 16 Sept. With a very long trip, I decided to break this up in the middle. My wife joined me on the 7th, and she will go back on the 14th. It’s a vacation for us both from work, and taking advantage of the work trip means that I don’t feel quite so worn out from a long trip.

If I’d stuck around this week in Cambridge and worked, which was something I thought about, I’d be pretty tired when I went home. Plus, I would really be missing my wife. We are rarely apart for more than a week, and it’s hard when we are.

Not everyone travels for work, and many of us have other family commitments. However, my wife and I are always looking for opportunities to travel, and when things line up with work, we try to take advantage of them.

Hopefully your day is going as well as mine.

I’m very lucky in that I get to travel all over the globe for work and see many places. It can be hard, and this year has been a challenge. Through the first six months of the year, I’ve taken 13 trips (not all business).

However, this week I’m off on vacation. In a new place I’ve never been: Alaska. My wife and I booked a cruise and we’re somewhere today on our way to a state neither of us has ever visited.

Enjoy the week, and I’ll be posting pictures if you follow me anywhere else. I might write about it there, but I’m offline the rest of the week.

For the trivia nerds, and because I like data, this is my 46th state. Four to go. Here’s my list:

• Alabama – driven through, never stayed. One I’m missing
• Alaska – This week!
• Arizona – Been here many times, Grand Canyon 3 times
• Arkansas – Never been here. Not sure I’ve even driven through
• California – I love Cali. Fortunate enough to have been north, mid, and south here.
• Colorado – I live here
• Connecticut – I had a client here a long time ago, so I’ve been here quite a few times
• Delaware – Driven through a few times, spent time at Assateague Island with my wife.
• Florida – three trips to Fl this year.
• Georgia – Visited
• Hawaii – lucky enough to go twice.
• Idaho – Been here twice, once for volleyball, once to see a horse
• Illinois – Went to Chicago this year, going back again. Not sure I’ve done much else
• Indiana – Been to Indy twice
• Iowa – Driven through, stood on the border in Omaha, but never stayed here
• Kansas – Driven through, spent time in a few cities lightly. Stayed here for a volleyball tournament and commuted to Kansas City
• Kentucky – Family living here. Been a few times
• Louisiana – not sure I’d have been here except for SQL Saturday. Love Baton Rouge
• Maine – never been
• Maryland – Family here, been many times
• Massachusetts – Love Boston and been to quite a few cities
• Michigan – Traveled here a couple times and spent time in Traverse City
• Minnesota – Only been to Minneapolis. Want to go back
• Mississippi – Spent a few nights here driving cross country. Jackson only
• Missouri – Lots of events in KC
• Montana – Family trip to Glacier. Highly recommended
• Nebraska – A few times for various things
• Nevada – Three times in Vegas this year
• New Hampshire – Wanted to go to Dartmouth. Didn’t get accepted, but been here a few times
• New Jersey – Quite a few times. Used to go stay here and commute into NYC for fun.
• New Mexico – Lots of trips, and good times at Taos.
• New York – Usually go once a year since my daughter is in uni here.
• North Carolina – Used to skip school to surf here
• North Dakota – Only Fargo, but went for SQL Sat
• Ohio – Been to Cleveland a few times. I think that’s it.
• Oklahoma – Think I’ve only been for SQL Sat
• Oregon – Quite a few trips here. It’s beautiful
• Pennsylvania – Lots of trips here.
• Rhode Island – One trip to Providence in college
• South Carolina – A few trips
• South Dakota – Love to go camping here
• Tennessee – A few SQL Sats and other events here
• Texas – Been four times this year, more scheduled
• Utah – Only one trip here, SQL Sat SLC
• Vermont – Been here playing ultimate frisbee
• Virginia – born here
• Washington – Summit many times
• West Virginia – Stayed here a couple times, but mostly driven through
• Wisconsin – Visited family here and SQL Sat Madison
• Wyoming – Lots of trips across the CO boarder

I’m in the air again, hopefully. I should have taken off about 20 minutes ago for Orlando. This time, however, it’s not work, it’s personal.

This is a short break, heading off to the AAU Girls Junior National Championships. My last few days with a team of girls I’ve been coaching since January, and many of whom I’ve know for many years. It’s a bit sad to think that I won’t see most of them again on a regular basis

However, that’s the way it goes. Hopefully this week won’t be too stressful as we’re likely placed in a division a bit too high for us, especially with two players unable to make the trip.

In any case, I’m gone the rest of the week, with a scheduled blog for Friday (another new word), but otherwise, see you next week.