Ask and You Shall Receive

One of my goals for the New Year was to make more things happen for myself, especially when it comes to my travel writing. Over the last month, I have had more freelance projects than ever before, which has its positives and negatives. While it is a lot of extra work on top of my full-time job, and there are times where I get very stressed out about interviews and deadlines, it is also an indication that my editor and publisher at Premier Toursim Marketing really trust me to write their content, and like what I produce. Of course, the extra bit of money every month is certainly nice, and being able to add to my writing portfolio is priceless, but there is another perk that I greatly hope to take advantage of by working for them: Traveling!

So, when my publisher reached out to me yesterday to assign me yet another project, he mentioned how he was not blind to the fact that I had been taking on quite a lot, and that he greatly owed me for it. And so I took a shot, and asked if there was a chance that I could be sent somewhere for an actual editorial assignment. And guess what? HE SAID YES!!

So, now I have to choose among more than a dozen different destinations stateside that I would want to visit and he agreed to arrange an editorial trip! You cannot imagine how excited I was when he made me this offer. Not only do I get the chance to travel somewhere comepletely new, but I get to write about the experience, and enjoy it pretty much free of charge. Now the only question is, where do I want to go?

My options are:

• Alaska
• Utah
• Arkansas
• Kentucky
• Idaho
• Oregon
• Vermont
• Louisiana
• Hawaii
• Arizona
• Maine
• South Carolina
• Tennessee

There are a few other states in the Midwest that I could visit, but I can go to those anytime I want, really, and most of them I've already been to.

At this point, Alaska and Hawaii are at the top of my list. Yes, I have been to the tropical islands, but why not go back again, especially if I get sent during one of the colder months of the year. I think Alaska is up there just because it is so exotic and different compared to what I am accustomed to. Plus, I would love to see that sprawling landscape of soaring mountains, thick forests and artic deserts; it all seems so magical on television and in pictures. And who wouldn't want to check out the glaciers and the ocean wildlife? Sign me up for a whale watching tour or polar dive any day!

As far as the other possibilities, I am sure I would have fun in any location, though Oregon, Maine and Louisiana seem to be calling my name more than the others.

Even though I get to select a couple that I really want to go to, where I inevitably end up will be up to my publisher, since he's the one who has to organize the trip. But I will be happy with whatever he arranges for me, because, let's face it, he's giving me a great opportunity, so it really doesn't matter where I go.

So what do you all think? Which ones should I go for?

Packing Prompts Inspiration

Graduate school classes have resumed. Back to the grind of reading 300-page books in two days, writing paper after paper, and sitting through three hour lectures and workshops. Luckily, this is what I want to do with my life, so I find most of it pretty enjoyable--with the exception of speeding through books without getting the chance to really enjoy them. But what I really like is when I get a good writing idea compliments of my professors or something I heard in class or read in one of our various assignments.

This time it came from my memoir writing class. One of the writers we are studying is Abigail Thomas, and in one of her books she talks about how to write a personal story. In one chapter she provides prompts for writers who may be struggling with getting their story started. I was reading through some of these prompts--write 2 pages about a time you were dressed inappropriately, 2 pages that take place in water--and I came across one that I thought was really interesting, something I had never thought about before: Write 2 pages about what goes through your mind when you're packing for a trip.

Personally, the process of packing can be stressful. First, I make out a list of everything I think I'm going to need, writing down numbers next to each to indicate how many I plan on taking. 4 t-shirts. 3 long-sleeve shirts. 5 pairs of pants. 1 dress. It appears anal, borders on obsession. But I like to have a plan, and with a list at least I can check things off and make sure that I have them in my suitcase.

Then it comes time to actually grab that bag and put everything inside. I lay out everything I am going to need, grabbing one thing and putting something else back. When everything is laid out on my bed, I scan it to make sure I have everything, plus extra just in case. Then I think, "what's the weather going to be like where I'm going?" I lunge for my laptop and enter the weather channel website. I look at the weekend forcast, the 10 day forecast, the chance of rain, etc. And since I'm on the internet, why not check some of the places I might want to visit, restaurants, bars, monuments. So I need to make sure I have outfits appropriate for those outings, as well as any necessary accessories or toiletries. Sunscreen for a long day at the beach, hats and boots for a day of hiking, jewelry and makeup for nice parties and dinners.

Somehow I get lost in the excitment of everything, and I'll start thinking about how much fun I'm going to have on my trip. And while packing is my priority at this point, I take a moment to appreciate that I can pack a bag and jet off to somewhere unknown. When I place that dress in the suitcase, I wonder what memories it will collect as I wear it. Will that sunscreen protect me, or is a burn in my future? Will my camera even be able to capture the moments of my trip, the experience I will ultimately come away with? Packing no longer becomes a quest to assure I have everything and how to pack it practically. It turns into a game, guessing where an outfit will take me, or better yet, where I'll take it.

What do you think about when you pack for a trip?