Growing up, I was a tomboy. Because I was the only female among my cousins (not to mention one of the oldest), I assumed the role of troublemaker/ringleader. At an early age, I was able to convince my younger cousins and brother to dig up the backyard in search of gold coins much to the chagrin of my poor aunt and uncle who had to shell out God knows what to cover landscaping costs. Later on, I dodged other bullets doing all the things that rebellious teenagers do and a few others that exemplified my many lapses in sound judgment. I believe my love of adventure and ability to find myself in a wide assortment of precarious situations are just two reasons why I get along with the opposite sex so well. [Read more...]

Earlier this week, the itch returned. No, not that itch (gross). It started a few weeks ago but I tried to ignore it because I knew that a vacation wouldn’t be possible for me at this point in my life (financially speaking, anyway). But then the travel bug came back with a vengeance and it’s all I can think of lately. I’m not sure if I’m looking for an escape but when life gets a bit complicated and hairy, I dream about packing my bags, abandoning all responsibilities, and skipping town for a bit. (As an aside, I have no business even thinking about a vacation with credit card bills to pay and 12 concerts lined up for the summer. So far. Oh well, a gal‘s gotta have a little fun, too, right?). [Read more...]