Yes, kiddies: I'm back. My friend and former roommate Louise gave me a gentle nudge to update this blog (apparently, a few of you do read it). Apologies for being MIA, but as many of you know, May is the busiest time of year for me at work. But now, 'American Idol' and 'Lost' and most TV shows are over, and I'm on cruise control for the summer.
However, I hope that my personal life becomes busier over the summer. I'd like to see more of the city, have dinner or see concerts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and, most of all, travel. It's sort of criminal how little I've traveled (confined pretty much to North America, one trip to Korea when I was 15 and a brief trek to London/Paris five plus years ago).
So, I'm excited to report that I just bought a ticket to Spain for a multi-city, 10-day tour with my friend Jen (and possibly, hopefully, Patricia). We'll start out in Barcelona, hit Granada (I've wanted to see the Alhambra, depicted above, since I was 15), Sevilla, maybe Cordoba and more!
Long, long ago, when I was a senior in high school, I planned on double majoring in English and Spanish at Duke, and spending a year abroad in Spain. A couple things prevented that: 1) The vortex that was The Chronicle and 2) a thoroughly uninspiring Spanish department. But Spanish is my second language -- sadly, my Korean is only conversational, at best -- and I have loved the language, literature, culture and history for over 15 years.
But what finally got me to Spain, I have to admit, is a TV show. What can I say -- I watch TV for a living. Earlier this year, PBS aired a series called 'Spain On the Road Again,' in which chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols drove from Andalucia to Catalunya, ate incredible food and saw the sights in city and country. As each episode aired, the envy built up and I finally decided to take my own Iberian adventure. So, watch for an update this September from La España ... No puedo esperar!
One thing that's become clear to me is that I need to exercise my organizational muscles more often. In my youth, I was very Type A, and needed to have everything planned out to the millisecond. Then, a few years ago, I swung completely the opposite direction and now it's like pulling (my own) teeth to make plans in advance. In fact, right at this moment, I'm on "staycation" -- mostly because I couldn't get it together enough to book a real vacation. But since I was the instigator of this Spain trip, most of the planning falls on me. I'm intrigued to see if this organizing fit carries over into my daily life.
And, because it's been so long since I last blogged, a few bullets:
- I'm moving! Again! Just told my landlord this week I'm not renewing my lease. Whereas the criteria for a place last time I moved was location, location, location -- this time, it's space, space, space. And if I can find a place with a backyard or patio, I'll seriously consider moving to the boonies (aka Brooklyn). I know ... shocking!
- Next week, I'm not only attending a fake bachelor party (with a co-worker, no strip clubbing), I'm going to Boston for a real bachelor party (an old friend, strip clubbing on the docket). I've decided if I ever get married, my non-existent future husband and I should have a joint bachelor/bachelorette party in Costa Rica, where we will surf, play poker, smoke cigars, drink lots of tequila and have a good time. Men and women together. Isn't that a novel idea?
- Speaking of men and women -- I've decided they actually can't be friends. At least, unless you've known them for 5+ years and you're both so over each other. Yup.
- Yes, my company is getting spun off. No, I haven't been fired/laid off. Yet.
- My brother Joe is moving to Austin. Actually, technically, he already moved. So, the Woo family is outta Raleigh, for good. On the one hand, great for him -- he got a promotion, he's moving on with his life. On the other hand ... where am I going to go for Christmas?
