It’s Make My List Monday once again… but since I’m headed off to Chicagoland this week, my “regular to-dos” are a bit shorter. Thus, I thought I’d share my trip planning list with you guys. After all, my mama doesn’t call me her little Travel Agent for nothing!
Travel Agent Meri’s Trip Planning Checklist (in chronological order)
The place: Whether its a monthlong trek through Asia or a day long road trip close by, you need to choose the location! After all, for all of your hard work ahead you need to be inSPIRED!
The timeline: How much time off do you have? What time of year is best for your location? Consider festivals, weather, tourist seasons, and more. At this stage, you can start pricing out tickets to see what a good price is, and when the prices drop…
Buy those tickets: (Plane, train, boat…)Because once you’ve committed financially, you will be able to plan everything else. It helps to feel like things are set in stone before you can relax and plan the details! If you like, you can sign up for ticket companies’ emails for info about flight sales.
Preliminary neighborhood research: Because to choose a hotel, or do any further planning, you need to know the best place to stay and where you will mostly be during your days… get thee to a library to check out a guidebook or two!
Secure lodging: You can wait a bit longer for this… and check into friends/ family you may be able to stay with. If you choose hotel or hostel, I like tripadvisor and lonely planet for recommendations.
Sightseeing: Make a “top 5” list (or longer list for longer trips) of things you CAN’T miss when you go. Assure your other traveling buddies have made their own needs known up front too. All other time outside of the “must sees” is up for grabs/ flexibility. That way you can be organized without being an annoying itinerary drill sergeant.
All the rest: Start asking fellow travel lovers about their favorite restaurants, bars, coffee shops, parks, concerts, and more. Get advice from fellow bloggers about ways to save money or where to grab that vegan food you’re craving.
MERI SAYS RELAX, MAN! I’ve gone on trips before where I barely knew what language they spoke, much less where I’d be staying or where I’d be going. And I had a blast. At the end of the day, keep your head screwed on straight and take a deep breath. and maybe grab a glass of wine.
What do you do to plan a trip? Any tips for other fellow travelers?
Happy Sunday Everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend.
After getting home from some errands this afternoon, man-go-round popped a pizza in the oven. It was sort of a deep-dish/ pan crust concoction, and I began asking him questions about his favorite style of pizza, and what kind of crust/ sauce/ etc. he prefers.
We got into a discussion about what “makes a pizza,” more or less. I discovered that for me, I don’t care if it has cheese, I don’t care if it even has bread ( I sometimes make “pizzas” atop veggie burgers, for example), but there is ONE thing I need…
I called this one the "tomato stoplight."
tomatoes! I love the toppings (green peppers, mushrooms, green olives, onions, artichokes, roasted red pepper to name a few!), I like the cheese and bread fine, but deep down? I love tomato… anything!
Thus, “pizza eggs” might just have salsa on top. “Pizza bagels”? Bagel with salsa or tomato sauce and various other toppings on top, but if nothing else- the tomato.
Which part(s) do you think “make” the pizza a pizza? Which do you like best- the crust, sauce, or cheese? What’s your favorite style of pizza?
Hi Friends! Today is Feature Friday and I want to share something with you all written by a blog friend of mine, Anthony Recenello, who blogs at The Charismatic Kid.
Anthony wrote a free e-book called “Let’s Let Kids Do Something Big” and he shared it with me. I’d like to encourage you guys to download it. It caught my attention because of the work I do with children, but upon reading it I actually ended up finding a lot of the relevance for my own self, and my future.
The book is about 45 pages long, but reads easily like a speech, and I was through it in no time, sucked in by the inspiring stories of kids and adults alike. I finished it, ready to take on the world both for myself and for the kids in my life. The main themes that resonated with me are:
You cannot simply expect to get what you want from life by being “smart enough” or going to school for the right thing. You MUST TAKE ACTION!
Taking chances and making mistakes or having “flaws” and “weaknesses” is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, weaknesses can lead to your most unique strengths.
I asked Anthony to answer a few questions that I had after reading the book, and he gave me some answers. You can tell by his answers that the man is passionate about helping others. I hope you enjoy his responses, and do check out his book- for the benefit of the youths in your life, or if you are like me- for yourself!
Q: Anthony- My favorite part of the whole book is the analogy of a “dirty high” obtained through materials or vicarious thrills, with the “clean high,” of doing something passionate. Do you have any tips for remembering to seize the day on a daily basis?
A: It’s not easy reminding yourself that this “dirty high” is unhealthy, and that going for that “clean high” is MUCH more fulfilling. The dirty high is accessible anywhere you go. Constant ads for the new toy, shoe, movie, cheeseburger, etc. are saturating your vision, that focusing on the good stuff can get pushed out. As stated in the book, even I am subject to this and constantly struggling to keep proactive in my life. But the one thing that keeps me on my path is not JUST my passion, but the fact that I know this life ain’t a dress rehearsal, it’s THE FINAL PERFORMANCE. I am constantly in the final performance, I have only one shot to KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK, and then I’m gonna be dead.
So if I want to live a good life, and to nail this one and only final performance, I MUST act with extreme commitment to my passions, my purpose, and to my path. There have been times I have let weeks go by without doing anything great, and when I wake up to see all of the time I’ve wasted, it disappoints me thoroughly. I have a promise to myself that I will do GREAT things in this world, but nothing comes without extreme hard work.
Q: You talk about weaknesses in the book as well. I was struck by your pronouncement that our weaknesses or differences are what can make us the most successful and strong in the end. It’s similar to what I teach my kids with Aspergers, Autism, Anxiety, ADHD, etc… but I don’t do it for myself. What about the people like me who don’t have a disability or diagnosis or obvious weakness… does this still apply to people like me?
A: Of course it still applies to you! It applies to every body! Like I said above, humans are made to be imperfect. It’s what makes us so perfect and so beautiful. Flaws are amazing. There is always something you can find that you are feeling uncomfortable about. Most women tend to get uncomfortable about their wrinkles and gray hairs as they get older. Maybe someone has a big nose they are uncomfortable about, maybe a big butt. Or maybe your voice is abnormally low for a female. I have no idea, but those things are what make you special. Think about it, would you rather be part of the crowd, where no one knows who you are, where you can hide anonymously? Or would you rather stand out? It is the confident ones that take their flaws and make them the most attractive thing about them, and it is the insecure people that take their flaws and get nose jobs.
Look at Sarah Jessica Parker. That girl is gorgeous, and she is all-around attractive. But how many times have I heard jokes about her nose? Tons. Horse face, whatever. But if she didn’t have that look about her, she wouldn’t be who she is. Ever notice that the women acting in soap operas all have normal, dull features? Ever notice how no one ever talks about them in pop culture? Because they are BORING!
Accentuate your flaws and insecurities, put them up on stage with a spotlight for everyone to see. Be PROUD of them. They are what make you sexy and attractive and amazing and spectacular! And guess what? All that confidence in your flaws will rub off on your kid. Your son or daughter won’t feel bad when people tease her about the mole on her face, but know that it is a beauty mark and flaunt it like Cindy Crawford.
So there you have it, my friends- take life by the reins! Embrace your quirks, your “flaws,” and do something big. If for no other reason, don’t we need to inspire the kids in our lives to “Do Something Big?”
What do you do to take action in your own life? Do you see your differences as flaws or strengths? Inspire me with your stories of greatness and putting yourself out there!
Brrrrr today was a chilly one! I might need to bust out my gloves tomorrow (or, as a co-worker suggested, use socks on my hands until I have time to go to the storage unit…).
In the interest of warming up for awhile, what say we spend Travelin’ Thursday in steamy Arizona? Not in Phoenix, not at the Grand Canyon, not even in Tempe or Tucscon…
but at Montezuma’s Well!
Deep in the desert (The Sonoran Desert, I think?) there is this limestoney well…
See those cave dwellings in the wall? Not actually Aztec, but Sinaguan I think. Strange name, since “sin agua” means “without water…” well, I guess they found their water! Although if I do remember correctly, this water isn’t potable because of the carbon dioxide or something…
Beautiful, right? And very close to another cool site, Montezuma’s Castle (not actually your standard Euro castle, but more like the cliff dwellings over the well seen above).
and a little reptile friend- not as exotic as the bobcat or lynx or javelina or whatever man-go-round and my dad saw…
Anyway, all in all it was a neat place to visit. We had the grounds almost completely to ourselves, and we walked around the well and down by the river nearby. It wouldn’t necessarily be something I’d go way out of my way for, but if you’re headed to Montezuma’s Castle or the Grand Canyon or Lake Pleasant, its just a short drive away!
A desert oasis.
Enjoy!
Do you enjoy going to less popular and more out of the way sights? Or do you stick to the heavily popular tourist attractions? What is the most surprisingly fun little side trip you’ve ever ended up on when your expectations weren’t very high?
Lately, I’ve been making a point to make life a little more beautiful, a little more bedazzled. A bit more flair, if you will…
Whether its a brand new jazzy cup and straws for work to replace my one that got moldy while I was in the hospital…
…a set of matching red porcelain dishes to serve the cupcake man-go-round bought yesterday instead of just eating it out of the wrappers…
…choosing the sky blue wrap instead of the plain black one this morning to fight the cold cloudy weather…
…buying the fancy art stamps at the post office instead of the boring liberty ones (and I have a recent conversation with a friend of mine about stamps to thank for that!)
..so what about you? Do you bother with the little things to make life more beautiful? Do you think it makes a difference? I can go back and forth on this, and whether its worth the time and effort, but lately I definitely do.
As promised, I have a “recipe” (though I use the term loosely as I can’t seem to ever make a precise meal or dish or even replicate the same thing twice…) for the squash quesadillas I mentioned yesterday.
I know, I know, we’re all adrift in a sea of pumpkin/ squash/ sweet potato recipes each fall. But did you know that mine is actually the EASIEST recipe to make? like, ever?
Meri’s (Napoleon) Dynamite Squashadillas
1 small acorn squash, or about 1 or 1 1/2 cups. Substitute any squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato. I’ve tried all 3, and all are deelish!
about 1/2 cup shredded cheese (this is where I show how badly I estimate. You look at the picture and tell me how much cheese that is?) I used pepper jack, but blue cheese or parmesan would be DIVINE!
2 tortillas
salsa for dipping
Now go make yourself a Gosh Dang Quesadilla Squashadilla!
What’s your favorite kind of squash? What do you put in quesadillas?
Okay, ten ’90s bonus points if you opened this post for that title/lyric.
Cheers! It’s Monday (I mean, Make My List Monday) and I went back to work today… hence the title. So what’s on my list this week?
Get my hair cut! Yesss! I have been putting it off for a day when I can sit upright for long enough without getting tire… that day is HERE!
More squash! Yesterday’s recipe (below) will be up tomorrow!
Chicago planning- this week I’m looking at RESTAURANTS: Bin 36, Atwood Cafe, Argo Tea, Bistrot Margot, Corner Bakery Cafe… thoughts?
Library– to return some of the nine novels I read while homebound. Not including the hospital. I’m probably going to go blind.
Enjoy the nice days with neighborhood walks while there is still time before the clocks get switched and the DARKNESS comes.
Review a blog friend’s e-book- keep your eyes out for more info!
…and now, since no one asked… a BONUS LIST! I call this one
“Meri’s surgery recovery by the numbers…”
6 hours I waited in pain before going to the ER
12 (approximately) inches of intestine they removed
15 staples holding my incision
5 inches of incision, and 5 days in hospital, 5 new stories written.
4 craft projects I worked on at home.
10 (estimate) games of Scrabble with Momma
9 (and counting) novels completed (see above)
7 (Breaking Bad, Dirty Sexy Money, Melrose Place (that’s right), Nip/Tuck, 30 Rock, Sports Night, Ugly Betty) shows I watched at least one episode of on Netflix.
3 new forms of protein I tried for “operation re-beastify”. More to come on that.
Innumerable Friends and Family to get me through!
What are you doing this week? Do you ever focus on numbers when looking at events, details, or accomplishments?
That’s right, time to announce the winner of my Owl Giveaway…
The winner is…
Christianna, who blogs for the Girl with the Blue Bow! I have to say, it couldn’t happen to a nicer gal! Congrats Christianna, just send me your mailing info at merigoesround@gmail.com and you’ll get your goodies soon!
Today I was out with my gals (or as we called it, “two and a half moms,” plus my nieces, and we did a little dining and a little shopping. After completing a purchase before the rest of the gang was ready, I wandered off to a specialty bead store next door to see about some beads for projects. I was alarmed at how expensive they are, even though I’ve seen it before. I didn’t end up buying anything today, vowing to go to Michaels or Joann or garage sales before I move onto my next project (macrame with beading). But it got me thinking… I’m super cheap with money about some things (like some clothing at ahem a certain Grand Avenue boutique, but I’ll spend a dollar on a bead at times? Bizarre.
What is something weird you’re willing to shell out more money for? Clothes? specialty food? electronics? Craft stuff like me?
Hello everyone! Happy Feature Friday! Today I have three things to feature for you all:
1. The moon! There are nothing like these harvest moons of the last week:
RIdiculous phone camera flash... well, the moon is right in the center.
2. Trader Joe’s Sparkling Sake: I tried this one out at a friend’s house this evening. I bought it back in the summer and hadn’t gotten around to trying it.
I found it to be quite tasty, but probably too sweet for me to buy very often. While sipping this bubbly, we started to discuss Netflix, and TV shows that everyone had been watching. The lovely hostess mentioned a show that man-go-round and I also had started watching in the last week. A show which was recommended by MANY of you guys during TV month! Which brings me to my final feature:
3. Breaking Bad. This show is pretty great. Basically, its about a Chemistry teacher who finds out he has cancer and ends up cooking meth to make money for his family before he dies. We’ve quickly become sucked in. In typical Meri-goes-round fashion, I’ll list my pros and cons of this show:
Pros:
A pretty solid main character in Walter. You root for him.
The plot moves pretty quickly, and although quite predictable it keeps me intrigued
Susan (Carol’s wife from Friends) is in the show.
A fairly realistic, I think, portrayal of the American Southwest.
Walter Jr. has some pretty great lines.
The Jesse character… he’s unfolding into a pretty complex dude, I’m thinking.
Cons:
At times I have to go hide in the kitchen and get a cookie to hide from the gratuitous scenes of drugs, death, Walter’s tightie whities…
I get a bit tired of the sort of moral relativism/ issues of what is “really” right and wrong that after only 3 episodes was being continuously hammered in. We get it.
Walter’s Wife, his sister in law, and brother in law are all pretty excruciatingly obnoxious. Actually, jury on the brother-in-law is still out.
Did I mention all of the scenes of Walter with no shirt or pants on?
So there you have it. Give it a shot, it’s streaming on Netflix!
Have you ever had sparkling sake? Does it bother you to watch shows with graphic violence or gore? Did you gaze at the moon this week?
Today was a chillier day. It didn’t seem to rain, but it was damp and cloudy and misty all day. As I walked through my neighborhood, I was reminded of the trip I took with man-go-round a few years ago to San Francisco.
So for this Travelin’ Thursday, I’ll take you back there with me.
Our weather throughout our stay was remarkably sunny and warm, except for the day of our arrival. We landed and rode in on mr BART to mildly cloudy weather, and then the skies opened up on us and our luggage as we headed for our lodging. We were completely soaked by the time we got settled in, but we weren’t afraid of a little rain.
Now armed with umbrellas, the rain stopped. Through the leftover mist, we trudged north from our borrowed condo digs near the Ferry Building, up towards telegraph hill. We covered Coit Tower, Lombard Street, and some freaky deaky green parrots overlooking the bay. We had walked for at least a couple of hours now, and we were having a great time. Happy, but in need of a break and a warmer upper from the foggy damp air.
We were in North Beach by this time, tooling around beat style bookshops and muraled alleys. We befriended a goateed employee in a shop, and he directed us to Tosca. A rich, wooden bar with an impressive yet amicable looking bartender stood before us, and so we happily pulled up a stool near the open front door, just out of the cold.
The bartender must have heard us debating what sounded good to drink, and he cooked up a warm beverage for me without a second thought. I can’t for the life of me remember what was in it, but there were bits of chocolate, rum or brandy, coffee, and something rich and creamy. It was just what the doctor ordered- a little relaxation, a little pick me up, and a little bit of warmth from the misty, damp day.
With a toast to our trip, and a wave goodbye to the friendly barkeep, we were on our way to our next adventure.
Do you let rain spoil your plans (travel or otherwise) or do you take it as a challenge? What’s the best hot toddy you’ve ever had? Did you enter the giveaway yet?
Hello out there! I'm Meri. This blog has had a few incarnations in its day, but the latest one is my "slap happy" project. Each day I will spend at least 5 minutes focused on something that brings me happiness. A meditation, a reflection, a photo, a poem or a dance. This blog will catalog some of this journey. Please join me if the spirits move you :)
