One month to go!

July 12 I will be on my way to Paris!  One month to go and it's going to be a busy and difficult month.  But oh then ..... ah yes.  You know, I have been trying NOT to think about it because I start dreaming about all the places I'm going to go, and the little special things I miss that I'm going to be able to enjoy, however briefly.  The sounds and the smells, my favorite streets and my favorite people.  Ten days to cram all that wonderfulness into my brain to remember and take out and examine.  Oh --- warm goat cheese salad at a nondescript cafe and gorgeous coffee and surprisingly good wine at the most unlikely places, smoked salmon on a baguette with sweet butter and champagne.  And my people - my friends that I see oh so briefly and oh so rarely.  If I start thinking about those things I cannot sleep.  But I can indulge myself in a little daydream the daytime once in a while.  Soon. 

In the meantime I had a trip to Nashville.  Oh dear - what a slog that was!  First of all the shuttle picked me up at 3:30 am for a 6:30 flight.  One of the wonderful things about getting older is being TSA pre-screened.  That means I generally zip right through the lines and there I was with plenty of time before the flight.  The Starbucks was open, thank goodness, and I was able to fortify myself with a tall skinny vanilla latte before boarding the airplane full ... FULL ... with families with cranky and sleep deprived toddlers.  Crying and complaining and generally being uncomfortable children.  Seattle to Atlanta, then two hours in the airport before heading to Nashville.  I got there at around 4:30 and a quick shuttle ride took me to the meeting hotel, Sheraton Music City.  Right in the middle of an industrial park.  No sidewalks.  No businesses.  And a long way from downtown and anything else to do or anyplace else to eat. 

The meeting was not great.  I can't put any more shine on it than that.  I did learn a few things, but other than that it was one of the less stellar IAMSE meetings.  The worse I've been to, in fact.  I did manage to get into town on Monday afternoon, taking a shuttle that dropped us off at the corner of 5th and Broadway, right at the top of the Honky-Tonk row. It might have been fun had I not been alone, but as it was it was just tawdry, hot and stinky, and full of the worst kind of tourist. 

Seriously, I've got to stop complaining, don't I?  In that case I am not even going to start with the trip back home.  I got in very very late/early and stayed away from work yesterday, trying to recuperate.  I've done quite well and I'm looking forward to a good run this afternoon.  Back on track, one month to vacation.  I've got my work cut out for me and I'd better get to it!