GYST Project, Week Two

I am already backsliding. Last week was a whirlwind. I spent three days in a van with seven other tourism professionals from various institutions, "blitzing" the media outlets in western Texas and Oklahoma with information about what to see and do in central Oklahoma. We hit lots of radio stations, a TV station (at 5:30 a.m., tragically), and a bunch of newspapers along the way. Naturally, my budget went all to hell. I'll be reimbursed for my expenses, but the outlay will put a kink in my tracking system, to say the least.

Traveling with tourism folks is always entertaining. Even in West Texas. By nature, tourism professionals are interested in travel and always want to experience the local whatever in any place they go, so there are no chain restaurants (with the exception of the required stop for Blizzards at a DQ in some tiny Texas town... a cultural experience all its own), and we always seek out the local curiosities, if we can find them (which, in the case of the statue of Buddy Holly in Lubbock, we ultimately were unable to do, sadly). But also just because tourism people - public relations tourism people, are fun and energetic, positive people, and when you're trapped in a van with folks for up to 8 hours a day, that's important.

Here, for example, is a photo of my friend and colleague, Michael, trying to get comfortable in the back seat of the van.


I was home for only one day, however, before I was on the road again, this time for the second annual end-of-summer river float with Bob and the boys. We spent a lovely, lazy seven hours on the Illinois River on Saturday, just drifting along, enjoying the water and sunshine. No pictures yet, they were all on Grayson's little waterproof throwaway camera, and I haven't had the film developed yet.

Unfortunately, all that travel seems to have taken its toll. Today I'm definitely under the weather. An allergy cough has turned into a complete loss of voice, so I'm home today, trying to re-charge my battery for the week ahead.

Which brings me back around to my original subject: The Get Your Shit Together Project, Week Two:

Booze

This shouldn't be a problem this week, since my throat is so raw from coughing that wine feels like liquid sandpaper going down. Not buying wine should help with the budget planning, as well, assuming I can get the numbers straightened out enough to know where I stand. On the other hand, since wine is my primary source of entertainment in the evening, it may be more challenging than I currently anticipate. This is why I bought two pulp novels yesterday, one of which I have already finished (it was slim). So we'll see how I do. Onward, to week two...