The Worst Day on the Calendar

No, it is not a specific date. For me, it is the first day back from a week-long vacation. Getting back into the spirit of work and out of the sleep-in mentality takes more than a couple of days. I guess I suffer from some sort of vacation hangover.

Worse, too, is the excessive amount of time that I end up spending defending my choice of vacation spots. Visualize people who, without saying a word, have a look on their face that just screams "You took your vacation and went to OMAHA? Nebraska?" How about the look of bewilderment that says "Saint LOOOOOOOis???"

I guess most people think of more typical vacation spots -- Hawaii, Las Vegas, New York City...heck, even Pittsburgh would elicit less odd looks than Omaha. On the inside, though, I am the one chuckling. Friends of mine recently took a very fancy cruise through the Caribbean for a week. I guaran-damn-tee you that I had a better time than they did, and spent about 1/3 the amount of money.

People complain all the time about not being able to use their accrued miles on award flights or their hotel points for prime hotel rooms on their vacations. While some may not consider the midwest to be a prime vacation destination, I never have a hard time using miles for a flight or points for hotels, whenever I want -- even at peak times, like the College World Series, when hotel rooms tend to go for upwards of $150-200/night in prime locations -- if you can find a room.

Those who mock my vacation choices are the ones who would spend their time off battling some overcrowded area, to get into the touristy places (that are most like the ones we have here in central Florida), to do overpriced vacation-y things, I will keep my little secret. I am having more fun, for less money....so stay the hell away from where I am headed! :-)