Call of duty

Jury duty, that is. If anyone tells you it is exciting, fun or otherwise awesome they are a big fat liar. It is a break from work where you can catch up on your reading and make small talk with strangers for five days while waiting to be chosen. It is mind numbingly boring. I got to leave the Big Room and see the inside of a courtroom exactly once. For about an hour.

All of the sitting around and waiting and three hours a day on transit would have been worth it though if anyone had pulled Boggle, Win Lose or Draw or Trivial Pursuit off the shelf and started a juror tournament. That woulda been AWESOME. (Apparently the Big Room's shelf of ways-to-pass-the-time hasn't been updated since 1989).

Travel rewind

In writing my last post I realized I had failed to document so many of my fantastic trips on my blog (I blame facebook). So I figured it's better late than never. Presenting Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, June 2008:

My friend Stuart and I took off for four fun filled, sun drenched days in Sin City and it was AWESOME. Highlights included being up for nearly 24 hours straight, playing in a poker tournament, shopping, lounging by the pool, 99 cent margaritas and catching Scott Weiland and The Stone Temple Pilots play the Pearl at The Palms (by fav band from high school). Fantastic show! (Just wish I'd brought my camera...)

Oh, and there was the little matter of seeing the wondrous Grand Canyon. Breathtaking.



The pool was surprisingly cold, but refreshing since it was about 40 degrees while we were there. It's a dry heat though and I loved it.











Las Vegas Blvd., aka The Strip, looking south from the Stratosphere tower. I, however, failed to actually take a picture of the tower. Oops.

The famous Bellagio fountains. The show was much more impressive at night with lights and stuff...







The Hoover Dam. Our tour bus stopped for 15 minutes en route to the Canyon. Apparently they were building a bridge across the river while we were there so buses would no longer be allowed over the Dam. (Precaution against terror attacks).



Less than a year later I saw real Egyptian pyramids and obelisks.

A good time was had by all.

Bucketish Lists

Travel has always been high on my to-do list in life. I remember getting a map of the world in grade school and wanting to tack it on my wall so I could make a mark where I've been and where I needed to go. Fast forward a few years and I made a mental list of all the places I wanted to go before I was 30. I can't quite remember all the 10 places that was on the list, but I'd say I make a pretty good dent. I turned 30 in October so it's time to get started on my new list. But, first I shall revisit my travels to date:

• New York City
  

• Paris
• London
• Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon
• Vancouver

• Egypt
  

There were a few places on the list I didn't manage to get to (New Orleans, Cuba, Ireland) so I will carry them over...

So now I give you Danielle's list-of-places-I'd-like-to-visit-before-I-*gulp*-turn-the-big-4-0:

• Prague
• Italy
• Spain
  
• San Francisco
• Chicago
• The Olympics (cheating since I'll be there in five weeks).
  
• Seattle (the hotel's already booked)
  
• Drive out to Victoria
  
• New Orleans
• Cuba

And to add a difficult one to the list:

• an African safari

(And I'll just put this thought out into the universe - I traveled to most of the places on the first list alone, I'd be happy to welcome a travel partner along for my next adventures).

Head shake

I am someone who tends to focus on the negative, to think of what I’ve done wrong instead of what I’ve done well, who lives with regret. I am well aware this is a bad trait and one I intend to change - even if just a little bit - with this post. I am going to the Olympics next month. Not just to the host city, but to three actual Olympic events to which I have actual tickets. I have great seats for two of the events. I know, right! This is awesome. A once in a lifetime opportunity. I am a lucky girl.

Problem is: I keep focusing on the negative. I am, an idiot. I am fixated on the fact that I am only in Vancouver for four full days. That I won’t fully be able to soak in the ‘Olympic’ experience. That I should have not rushed to book my flight so soon because of a low, low fare (the result is an extended journey that takes me through two provinces and three states - or two states and DC). That I should have waited and flown directly from Toronto. That I should have booked two one ways instead of a round trip. (That I should have bought more Olympic tickets when I had the chance and sold them to the highest bidder to help pay for my own trip...I am far too innocent a person for that one as it goes against the true spirit of the games).

So with this post I give my head a shake and remind myself that I AM GOING TO THE OLYMPICS!! I will get to see speed skating and aerials and short track speed skating - events where it is very possible Canada will win gold! I get to spend four full days soaking in the atmosphere of Vancouver 2010, mingling with people from all over the world, visiting with my little brother and catching up with an old friend. And then I get to spend 30 hours in Seattle staying at a very nice hotel. People would love to be in my position and I’m being an idiot for focusing on the negatives, the what ifs and the should haves. I shouldn’t be thinking about ‘making the best of it,’ I should be grateful and ecstatic that I am going to fulfill a childhood dream!

Danielle, you are going to the OLYMPICS. You are a very, VERY lucky girl.