A State Without Denial

So we had out first up north vacation this weekend, which has apparently, inducted us into true Wisconsin resident status. I never realized that vacationing in the northern part of the state was such a big deal, but from what we gathered talking to other vacationers (ie conference attendees) is that it is an affront to the local economy that Chad and I don't have a cabin in the woods or a timeshare in Door County. It was beautiful and relaxing for Olivia and I, poor Chad worked and, well, worked.

What I found most striking about this vacation was all the little things that you do in your life and house that you are suddenly willing to let go on vacation. I am talking about little things like not making your bed, but also some fundamental things like how you set the air-conditioning. At home, it is an iron-clad dictatorship and I keep down the sweating, begging masses with an eighty degree thermostat. Partially, so that if i ever meet Al Gore I have something to put out there, but also because it is part of my stay-at-home regimen of guilt about not making any money, therefore I must keep all expenses as low as possible. Well, Al is probably sending me YouTube clips of the melting polar ice caps as we speak because we had that AC on so cold i wore as sweater inside. We left lights on, I threw nothing in the recycling bin, I used every towel in the joint and, yes, I ate red meat and drank caffeine like there was no tomorrow. I let Olivia eat french fries and potato chips and fudge.

It was startling to me all the little things that you deny yourself in normal life, all the things that you force yourself to do because you know it is the right thing. In the end, though, I was more relaxed coming home and turning down the AC and starting back to order. I had coffee today, but I don't think I'll eat another sweet for about a week. We get two weeks at home now so that Chad can go to trial, then it is back on the road for the Magical Mystery Tour of Horrors in strange beds and putting even more miles on the car. Can't wait.