WM and I had a difficult time figuring out what to give each other for Christmas. We decided that we'd go the experience route instead and take a long weekend in Washington DC. Our goal was a balance of visiting a few museums and lazing around at a place that isn't ours. This trip was a little bit "let's go places other than Disney," a little bit "let's go someplace cool that's not far away," and a little bit "we need to get out more." Washington DC is a city that appeals to both of us and ...
Savannah 2019
I had the fortune to be able to travel to Savannah earlier this month for work -- the same PersoniFest that brought me to Austin last year -- and ye Gods, what a gorgeous city. Savannah is a very walkable city, but here's a tip from Old Lady Russell: WEAR WALKING SHOES. Seriously. There are ankle-wrenching cobblestones and stairs-of-irregular-height all over River Street. Like so: The food was so good. So good! Places we ate (not all are pictured, and most breakfasts/lunches were ...
Friday 5: Stay and Let Me Look at You
Happy Friday from Lexington, Kentucky! I'm here for work. I exhibited on behalf of TNP at a Hospital Medicine Conference for the last few days. The hotel is lovely, but set on a highway which is unwalkable. That combined with the typical conference schedule (Session breaks were for 15 minutes every 2 hours It's hard to go somewhere, see a sight, and return in 2 hours) meant I stayed on property the entire time. Don't cry for me. Everyone told me Kentucky was horses and bourbon. Being a proud ...
Floridian Friday 5 on Saturday: Games People Play
Hello from RetiredLand, Florida! I'm here visiting with Dad for a bit, pretending that I'm retired, too. So far the weather's been amazing by my standards, but chilly by Floridian standards. It snowed at home yesterday. I am SO SICK OF WINTER. Bitey McBiteface update: The vet signed Murphy's release verifying he's not rabid, and then diagnosed him with a double ear infection. Spaniels, people. Fluffy and adorable with giant stink-ears. My scar is healing. I think my lips are always going to ...
NJ Renaissance Faire and my first zipline!
This weekend, WM and I headed north to Liberty Lake Day Camp in Bordentown to attend our third New Jersey Renaissance Faire. If you live anywhere in NJ and have yet to visit the New Jersey Renaissance Faire, please go give it a try. And you're like, "Yeah, yeah, Kim. We go to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire every year and it's huge and amazing!" I know! It is! We go too. But the NJ one only runs for 3 weekends a year, and it will charm the pants/kilts/pantaloons off of you. It's ...
Florida travels
Longtime readers know that Dad retired to Florida about 10 years ago. I went down last September after Fall Business Trip #1, and decided to take a quick 4-day spring break trip this year. I mean, how could I pass up on this? The beaches there are 1) free and 2) much less crowded than the Jersey Shore. (Sorry, Jersey Shore, you are my default, but ... yeah.) These pictures were taken on an 80-degree Saturday. ...
Rabbit rabbit – back from National Harbor, MD
This post will fail my posting standards on two points: > There is no twee April Fool prank. When I was younger, I'd flip the site backward on April Fool's, but this year I basically forgot what day it was. > This is a about a trip I took, but I have no great photos. This is because Spring Business Trip 2015 was actually TNP's very own Annual Meeting for our members. ...
Fall business trip 2014: Atlanta
After the respiratory nightmare that was Las Vegas I was eager for my Fall business trip so I could have some fun without ending up on an inhaler. I was up to go to either Denver or Atlanta. I was sent to Atlanta. I'll admit, I was a little disappointed because I wanted some place different, and Denver with its lovely weather and phalanxes of legal stoners seemed more interesting than ... Atlanta. But to Atlanta I went. I left on a Wednesday morning and came back Saturday evening. Some quick ...
Virginia Beach 2014
This is the second year A-Woww and Cooki (aka Mom and I) went to Virginia Beach for a getaway. Last year we went and I felt as if I was cheating on the Jersey Shore. This year? Eff the guilt. Virginia Beach is beautiful. There are NO beach fees and yet they manage to do lovely things like rake the beach every morning. We left on a Tuesday morning and stayed until Friday. I was a bit apprehensive because I hadn't driven Molly for long distances yet. And it was raining. But we persevered. We ...
Spring business trip 2014: Las Vegas
Oh, Vegas. I've had some great travel with TNP. New Orleans, twice. Both great. San Francisco? Amazeballs. Chicago? Awesome. So when I was offered the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas to (wo)man a table at a meeting for Hospital Pharmacists* I tripped over myself leaping at the chance. It's been a while, and I was eager to get back. The itinerary was: fly in on Saturday exhibit on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday sleep on a 12:45am red eye flight home (via a layover in Minneapolis/St. Paul.) ...
Friday Five: Fireday Five
I know. It's Saturday. But it's a different kind of Saturday as I'm currently on an airplane heading to Spring Business Trip 2014 - which happens to be in Las Vegas! And I'm on the internet. This life, it's so cool. I'm in Vegas until late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, when I take a red-eye flight home. I'll land on Wednesday afternoon, drive home, and pass out with my pile of pets. I don't have many definitive plans. I'm connecting with an old friend from college. He invited me to his ...
The story of OllieBear
This is my dog, Ollie. He is the younger of my two dogs. He's one of the best dogs you could ever ask for, but he's not very bright. That's okay. He's perfect the way he is. When Ollie gets really hairy, he reminds me of a teddy bear. That's when I know it's time to get OllieBear groomed. Back in 2008, Blizzard gave everyone who was playing World of Warcraft a baby polar bear in-game pet to commemorate WoW's 4th anniversary. The bear is completely adorable, but will occasionally just sit ...