It sure is hard to find time to write when life gets busy. We returned from vacation in London last week only to plunge into work preparing for the Secretary of State's visit to Baku. Then this week at work I had to do an audit of a part of our inventory. Now tomorrow I have to fly to Budapest, Hungary (I get up at 2:30 AM...ugh!) for a week. It's for work, so I won't get around much.
Fortunately I've been to Budapest before, way back in March 2003. I went there for two weeks to play in a chess tournament. It was a blast, and Budapest is one of the prettiest cities I have seen. Prague and Dubrovnik are a little prettier, in my opinion. Sadly, I had a really bad camera with me the last time I was in Budapest, so the pictures I have are not great. Perhaps I can get some better ones this time!
Oh! How's this for irritating and unbelievable -- the hotel where I was placed gives me a choice of having breakfast OR having internet! Since when did such things become an either/or decision? I don't operate well without breakfast, so I will choose that, but it is insane in these modern times for a five-star hotel to not offer internet as part of the room package. So, that means no blogging for the next week.
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You have a totally cool job! Too bad about the dumb hotel. I would have a hard time with that decision. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThat is weird but I have to agree with Angie. If you start complaining about getting flown around Europe for work I may have to kill you.
ReplyDeleteBTW are you on facebook? I plugged your blog on my writer profile on there but I can't find you because I used my yahoo spam mail account to create the profile. Let me know if you have an account.
hmmm... no internet sounds like much less distraction from that writing you are having trouble getting too, and there's the flight and waiting time at the airport! half full the glass is! have a nice vaca from the blogosphere!
ReplyDeleteI stay in a lot of hotels, and I can tell you the more you pay the less you get. Five stars don't usually come with much more than some fluffy pillows.
ReplyDeleteI don't need fancy hotels, but they often give us no choice.
ReplyDeleteMatt, I have avoided Facebook and MySpace. I procrastinate enough just with the blogs.
Facebook and MySpace are indeed time eaters. I'll miss you for this week. Enjoy. And the hotel where I stayed during Hurricane Rita had both a free breakfast and free internet -- but it was during a harsh time where they even allowed pets in their plush rooms!
ReplyDeleteTake a moment just to draw it all in, Roland
Not for nothing Ted, but there is such a thing as pen and paper, and I know they're not as conducive to writing as they once were but in a pinch they'll do. You could write the old fashioned way when you have your breakfast.
ReplyDeletePlease stay safe on your travels, this is such a crazy world. Have fun too. I've heard Budapest is a lovely country. Lucky you. and I agree with Matthew, if you start complaining about all the amazing places you get to go while the rest of us are stuck, we may have to form a posse.
I haven't stopped by for awhile. And I can't claim to be busy, not with all the globe trotting you're doing.
ReplyDeleteI used to write everything out on pen and paper. Now I'm so used to the computer, pen and paper seems like trying to chisel The Great American Novel into slabs of granite.
The one exception to this seems to be those odd moments - on an airplane, waiting in a doctor's office, stuck in a parking lot wondering if my daughter will EVER come out. I try to bring a notebook with me wherever I go so I can take advantage of those moments. My writing takes on a decidedly different flavor when I use a notebook. Give it a whirl!
The act of traveling is drudgery, but to witness first hand all these rich, historical places is priceless! Enjoy!
I am far too lazy to write with pen and paper, not to mention that my handwriting is all but illegible. I am taking a laptop with me and hope to do some writing, it's just that I won't be able to keep up with any blogs.
ReplyDeleteI agree that travelling has its charms, but after nearly twenty years of it, it starts to wear you out. I keep dreaming of Red Lobster and Costco! Taco Bell! Arby's! Someone stop me!
Safe travels, Ted!
ReplyDeleteI have the perfect idea: You can come to my house and write for awhile, and the State Department can fly me to Budapest. See? Problem solved.
ReplyDelete(and I'm sure no one will notice if Canada steals a few major European trade concessions from the U.S.)
I would think a roll and coffee would be cheaper than alternate internet, but that's just me. All these places sound SO wonderful! I really envy the places you get to spend time--yeah, I get that you're working hard, but STILL... Cool stuff!
ReplyDeleteLucky me...I arrived and found that the information they gave me was wrong -- I do have internet!
ReplyDeleteRef: ...I do have internet!
ReplyDeleteWhew! That was a close one. LOL. I was debating which one I would have choose.
Glad you arrived safely.
Thank you, though it's so nice outside that I'm not spending much time on here!
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