Tag Archives: vacation

Travel in Italy

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The Adventure Begins

Thanks to a couple free airline tickets from my Sister and Hilton points gained through frequent work travel, my husband and I were able to travel Italy for the past 7 days. We first visited Rome, seeing the Vatican, especially the Sistine Chapel – one of my bucket list items, Parthenon, Trevi Fountain, and several other smaller sites. Next we visited Sienna and saw a Medieval Village and imagined how it’s citizens of past centuries lives their lives. The City Center in Sienna is one of the best preserved Medieval villages in Italy. The original wall surrounding the city still stand and the central church dates back to the early 12th century.

Today we are on our way back to Rome where, tomorrow, we will visit the Coliseum and view the place where so many Gladiators fell, and, where many Hollywood films were made. Friday we are going to travel around on our own and just see what we can find. Saturday, the torture tube known as an airliner, will whisk us back to the USA.

One thing I have discovered about travel, first in Germany, then in Japan, and now in Italy, is that most of the people in these countries are very much like people in the USA. Most are good, want a home to live in, food on the table, transportation, jobs, an education for their children, and for their children to grow up safe and become successful adults. Not much different than me. Of course there is always the bad element, the pick pockets, the thieves, etc., no different than in the USA.

And I find people in the service industry unfailingly polite and willing to help the American who does not speak their language. If they don’t speak English, they will tell you so, politely, and offer to find someone who does speak English.

The food in Italy has been fabulous. Europe in general seems to eat more pork and MUCH less beef than the USA. Having said that, I have had the most tasty pork and beef on this trip. European pork and beef has much more fat and thus more flavor than I find in pork and beef served in the USA.

For that matter, I found that higher fat content in beef, pork and chicken is more highly prized in Japan. There, a chicken breast is cheap as it has no fat content. The legs and thighs are more expensive due to their high fat content and better flavor. Interesting contrast to the USA where lean meats of all kinds are more expensive and more highly valued.

If you have the chance to travel to a country, other than your home country, I highly recommend it. Take in the culture, the food, and the people. Once you see what is out there, the world does not seem quite as threatening or horrible. Yes, there will always be bad elements in every society, race, and religion. But overall, I find there is more good in the world that we give credit.

Family Toads

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Another family visit & some much needed down time! This time I am visiting my Uncle, Aunt & Cousins out west in Arizona. We celebrated my Uncle’s 80th birthday on Friday. He had no idea I was coming to town & was quite surprised when he walked into my cousin’s home & saw me. Big hugs all around! Wonderful. My cousin & I made him his favorite desert and meal for his birthday dinner. Chicken & dumplings the way my Grandma made them and pineapple upside-down cake. To say my Uncle was happy with his birthday would be an understatement. He also received a gift card for the local golf course from my Dad & I. My cousin gave him his fishing license and a Salt Blaster gun – it shoots tiny bursts of salt to kill insects. Interesting device.

Sunday Unc and I went to his local golf course & enjoyed 9 holes of golf on his gift card. We had a great time! I even scored my first birdie in all my times playing golf. Seeing as how I only play golf every few years or so, my Dad would chalk this up to “even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every now & then!” So it is with some sort of blind, dumb luck I achieved a birdie and two pars on the 9 hole course. The remaining holes were boggies and then some! Like I said – luck. I did have lots of fun & so did Unc.

If you can’t tell, I adore my Unc! He was 16 years old when I was born & has always spoiled me. I spoil him too – there is no food I won’t fix if he wants it! Over the years he has given me many things, mostly his time but also some very cherished trinkets. I call them trinkets not to minimize their value, they are far from that – beautiful Native American jewelry (he knows how much I love it), a gold locket with engraved flowers on it, and gold, intricately carved pendants and matching earrings. He also gave me his time and experiences – driving a car at night when I was 16 & not normally allowed to do so, visits to Native American ruins, working in his t-shirt store in Durango, NM and at the big flea market in Denver, CO. He also gave his time to my daughter and allowed her to learn whether or not she wanted to be a photographer. She did!

And then there is Auntie – or my big Sister as I like to think of her! She is a scream. We have such fun together – mostly ganging up on my Uncle to get our way! Auntie has worked hard her entire life – running the various businesses she & Unc have had over the years – photography studios (yes, they are both photographers), t-shirt shops, and other ventures. She is tough, smart, savvy and wise.

This afternoon we are going over to my cousins for a Memorial Day cookout & visit. It will be my last night in town. I am looking forward to the chance to visit with my cousin again before I fly home tomorrow. This time spent with family is just so wonderful and so good for recharging my batteries! Nothing can beat it!

Tomorrow I fly home to MY Toad and the 3 little dog Toads.Then on Tuesday I start dealing with the Work Toad again. Oh Joy!

 

 

 

The Work Toad

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The Work Toad is often a four-lettered word; sometimes it’s actually a happy word but most often it is not. Instead it is just a means to an end. That end is food on the table, a roof over our heads, a vehicle to take us where we want to go, clothes, our children’s well-being, and the chance for a rare vacation. In today’s world of employers demanding ever increasing levels of productivity with fewer and fewer resources, it frequently means 80+ hour work weeks, time spent in airports and on airplanes, missed birthdays, anniversaries, and children’s programs, and a general lack of anything resembling a life. It is commonly referred to as “the daily grind” for a reason. It grinds us down, making us old before our time, and dissatisfied with life.

For some, the Work Toad brings satisfaction, a sense of purpose, and is their life’s calling. They actually love their chosen job. Some of these fortunate few actually achieve some semblance of a work-life balance. Others, do not. However, it is a conscious choice on their part, their job consumes them and they love it. Personally, I think these people need help, but I respect the choice they have made.

For others like me, my job is just that – a job. It is a means to earn money to support my family. I am very competent at my job but it is not a job that I love. I have had a couple of jobs that I truly loved and enjoyed going to work every day. And sometimes I even let it take over my life. But alas, jobs in the IT world change based on market and government conditions. My current job is one of those where no matter how many projects I complete; more is always expected. The work days are long and more often that not, spill into precious weekends and holidays. We are told to take vacations and spend time with family, but only so long as it does not impact the company’s profit margins. On the positive side I earn a very good salary which allows me to provide for my family – not extravagantly, but well above the poverty line.

I will continue this job and the life it provides for another 6.5 years and then I will retire. On that day, I will leave IT and Project Management behind but I will not stop working. You see, in the day of 401K’s being your only retirement and a late entry into the work force, I will have to continue to work to supplement my retirement income. The next job will be for love! Something I truly enjoy. It may not pay much but I will be rich in the satisfaction achieved by doing a job I truly enjoy. I will have finally reached the point that eastern philosophy says “Find what you love and you will never work a day in your life” or something like that. My next job will also be a four-lettered word – LOVE!