Write a paragraph or two about your ideal weekend/time away from work. Include location, sights, smells, food, activities, and people.


Hmmm.  I have a lot of ideal weekend ideas.  And I have had some ideal weekends.  So perhaps one of each.


Anaheim, California.  Summer.  Alexa, Nichele, and Justin.  I want to go to Disneyland with my three best friends.  I don't know how well they would interact with one another and I am worried Justin would make fun of everything I love about Disney, but this is my ideal weekend and they will all behave.  We stay in the Disneyland Resort and we get to eat all our meals through Disney.  Money is no issue.  Souvenirs for everyone and every family member.  I don't know if you know this about me.  I may have mentioned it once or twice.  But I love Disneyland.  More than any place in the world.  More than New York, DC, or Switzerland combined.  I really do.  And I have no shame in admitting that.  I feel happy at Disneyland.  I feel safe.  I feel so much joy that I can't even begin to describe it.  And I want to go with my best friends and experience this joy together.  Dressed up like Disney characters.  And I mean decked out.  Gowns for girls and something for Justin.  I honestly don't know who his favorite is.  But I will be Aurora and Alexa will be Pocahontas and Nichele will be Belle.  And we will all four run around like crazy children and take pictures and get balloons and eat whatever we want.  And then we will go to the beach.  In our costumes.  Then we can change and swim.  And it will be perfect.  


One ideal weekend I have already had was spent alone in New York City.  I took a night bus from DC and got there at 2 in the morning, pepper spray safely concealed in hand.  I checked into a hostel and got switched from my all girl room to a mixed room and I was too tired to complain.  I woke up early the next morning and drank orange juice on the roof.  I went shopping.  I saw In the Heights on Broadway and Our Town off Broadway.  And even though I missed the first act, I still cried all the way through.  I walked through Central Park, ate pizza, and passed for a citizen.  I felt like one.  I found peace in Strawberry Fields.  One of my bunk mates was an English fellow named Mark.  He wanted to go to a bar.  I was too embarrassed to tell him I wasn't 21 so I said I was tired.  We are facebook friends now. I miss being able to do this.  It was a perfect.