Friday, September 17, 2004

Chapter 19: Sort of Vacation

Maureen and I will soon be traveling to Las Vegas. I'm going to be involved in a presentation, ostensibly moderating it though that will involve asking a few easy questions and pointing out who the experts are.

What matters most to me is that Maureen is able to join me. We're celebrating our eighth anniversary during the week and I couldn't imagine not being with her. And because of the wonders of "Saturday stayover" costs, we are paying less by staying until Sunday than we would have by leaving three days earlier. So, we'll actually have a couple days to ourselves in Vegas.

We'll visit one of Maureen's friends she hasn't seen in years and whose child we've never seen in person. Luckily neither of us are gamblers, so we should be able to hold our money to some degree. I'll probably lose a quarter or two while I'm there.

It's been so long since we've had a real vacation trip that this business trip will have to do. I feel guilty knowing that some of the days she'll be alone while I stand in uncomfortable shoes in an exhibition hall and smile happily at people I don't know and likely don't care much to know.

But we'll have Friday and Saturday. I expect it will be a trip we remember forever. Not because it's Vegas exactly, but because it's us together a step removed from the constant calls and pressures of living pay check to pay check. (Maybe only half a step.)

This year has been one of transition, and as we head into the home stretch of 2004, I hope it'll be a good transition where we look forward to 2005 and real progress. I've got deadlines for my novel and aspirations for the second one. I need an agent, I of course need a publisher, but I have reasons to hit that ground running. If all goes as we believe it can, 2005 will be the year in which some of our dreams come true. Then the hard work really begins...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Haaallo! i am the cleening ladee from thee hotel in las vegas. Man oh man what a goood time. whambo bambo. come back soon.