The Year of Living Dangerously … Close to Home

Song Lyric of the Day:

Come away with me / Come, let’s go away to be / On a new adventure for two / We can fly across the ocean / Or take a train together / I don’t care as long as it’s beside you

Tim McMorris / “You’ve Got My Heart

I’ve been fortunate in my life in that I’ve traveled a decent amount. My freshman year of high school, my mom scrimped and saved to send me to Europe with my French class (six countries in 16 days). For my honeymoon Rich and I took a Caribbean cruise. We made several trips to New York City over the years. In 2008 we met up with our friends Richard and Donna in Uruguay. In 2009 I took a solo vacation to the Toronto International Film Festival. In 2010 Rich and I visited Caren in Colorado right after learning we were pregnant with Coraline. In 2011 we took Coraline to Iowa to visit Rich’s extended family. In 2012 we took a long weekend in Asheville, N.C., exploring the city and visiting Biltmore (twice, but that’s a story for another day). Last year we took a long overdue visit to see friends in Ohio.

This year? Well, it’s already mid-May, and I have zero travel plans for the year. That’s right — nada. I’ve got nowhere to go and nothin’ to do. Travel-wise, that is. Due to various issues that have arisen and others that will need to be dealt with in the near future, traveling to, well, pretty much anywhere seems like more of an extravagance than ever. And I admit, it’s a bit depressing. It’s undoubtedly a first-world problem — boo hoo, poor me, I can’t take a vacation — but I’ll be honest and admit that yes, it’s got me down a bit.

One of the many beautiful, exotic vacation destinations which I will not be visiting this year.

One of the many beautiful, exotic vacation destinations which I will not be visiting this year.

A couple of months ago, Rich was encouraging me to go back to Toronto for this year’s festival, but I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen now. Which sucks if for no other reason than I got my hopes up. I’ve written before about how being optimistic, as opposed to my naturally pessimistic self, is something I have to work at. So getting the shit kicked out of my excitement at the mere thought of going back to Toronto has not been fun. Maybe next year. We’ll see.

I’m trying to be optimistic (what can I say? I’m a dumbass who never learns.) that maybe we can at least take Coraline to New York City this year. I haven’t been since 2006(!) so that is definitely on my shortlist of places to go whenever we can afford it. And no matter what we can afford right now, I’m just scared to spend money on things — vacations — we don’t need, because who knows what other things will need to be dealt with. See? That’s me being pessimistic. And practical.

Still, I do have things to look forward to this year: a new baby niece on the way, a nephew starting preschool, Coraline’s 4th birthday, a nephew starting 1st grade, time spent with family we are fortunate enough to live close to, a new X-Men movie. (Hey, if I can’t travel, you can bet your ass I’ll at least be drooling over Hugh Jackman on the big screen.) So despite not having any international or domestic adventures on the horizon, there are still good things happening this year.

Staycation, anyone?

2 Comments

Filed under personal, travel, traveling

2 Responses to The Year of Living Dangerously … Close to Home

  1. If flights weren’t so expensive I would have loved to work out some way of exchange – it’s often the getting there that costs the most. Luckily here in Europe we often have complete change of scenery only a few hours drive a way (or not even). That helps. We figured out that very low-budget trips are not really our thing, so we’re happy my parents invite us in France for a week (a different region every year), we spend one week at the Belgian cost (overly expensive in my eyes, but it’s a childhood tradition of my husband) and that way we (or he, depends) can sneak in a skiing trip too. For now I’m really happy about that, but sometimes I wish we could save up a bit for a longer stay far away. Maybe when Little Boy (and possible siblings) grow up.
    I think you might end up enjoying your staycation more than you imagined.

    • Pattie

      I am so jealous of you right now. 🙂 I’ve always thought that’s one of the most wonderful things about living in Europe, that you can drive or take a train or a ferry to another country with relative ease (barring excessive expenses, that is). Little Boy will have some great adventures no matter how far you travel.

      Thanks — that’s what I’m hoping. If nothing else I can make headway on my DVR queue. 😉

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