The last time I escape from work, life, etc., was last fall. I flew to Norway in October for a week and had a pretty nice time with Ryan. We really didn’t do much, but it was nice to be back in Europe and actually have some time that didn’t include the dreaded ‘w’ word that fills my every waking hour every other week of the year.

Seven months of that ‘w’ word and I’m a bit fried, which is why I am once again escaping the state of Arizona. My path this time around will take me to Atlanta for four days and then to San Diego for five days. I absolutely loathe flying. I get all sketchy days before I’ve even left, and unfortunately, that means my dog is also restless and pacing. He tends to mirror whatever anxiety I have, which in turn makes me wonder, ‘Why I’m am going some place I have to fly to again?’

But even with the anxiety, there is nothing like escaping the routine and the stagnation that comes with having a routine in the first place. It’s also nice to know that for the next week and half, there is no such thing as the ‘w’ word — just good friends, Shakespeare, waterfalls and then crazy So. Cal, where I’ve never been before (unless you count Disneyland and I really don’t think it does count).

I’m vowing to take pictures, but like Norway, we’ll see how many I actually take.

Dani