The Writers Coin

So I was off work for several days, didn’t check my email for over a week, ate at nice restaurants every day, and stayed at incredibly peaceful, charming hotels.

Of course I feel great.

The unplugging was great, but there was also an added bonus: one of the friends I went with that I spent a lot of time with is a marketing director for a growing GPS company. We got to talking about several things and I was asking him about his job and the kind of things he does.

Eventually we got to the ad-creation process and it was interesting to get the perspective of the client. We eventually got to talking ads and from what I’ve read it would be great to have someone like him as a client. He is looking out for his company’s best interests in terms of strategy and all, but he’s also a creative person and enjoys the back-and-forth banter.

It got me really excited to hear about all this from someone who is actually working it and living it.

Vacations are the best.

Ahhh, it was great. It was a total boggling of the brain and I enjoyed every minute of it. Your mind skips out of its expected rut and freshens up completely, especially when you go to a foreign country.

Now I’m back and I’m re-prioritizing some things that I’ll update on later.

So I’ve seen this done in various other blogs and since I’ll be on vacation starting tonight, I figured I would ask my very first “blog contact” to write a guest post on holiday traveling. So here is GG via her blog, This Writer’s Wallet (my original inclination to name my own blog), with her piece:

Thanks again GG!

Over the past few years, my holiday plans have been blissfully uncomplicated travel-wise. All my family lives here, so I’m not flying out or picking anyone up at the airport. We’re not making a long drive to bring someone home or trekking across states to visit with relatives.

Yet, like most Americans, I’m no stranger to holiday travel. I spent four years of undergrad traveling back and forth across the country, and other years meant trips to Grandma’s house or picking family members up just in time for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It can be a real headache, vacations this time of year. Traffic, long lines, tired and rude people, whiny kids, layovers, lost luggage… I feel myself tense a little just thinking about it.

But there are ways to make your trip as stress-free as possible. So whether you’re heading home for the holidays or just helping loved ones come to you, do yourself a favor and keep these helpful tips in mind.

1. Pack light (and ship gifts ahead of time).
Try this exercise: make a list of everything you think you’ll need on your trip, then force yourself to eliminate 25% of that. Depending on the length of the trip and where you’ll be staying, your packing needs will vary. One thing is certain though: the smarter you pack, the easier your trip becomes. The car won’t be as crowded, you’ll have less to carry out of the airport, and extra bags will be one less thing to worry about. Also consider sending gifts ahead of time, and, if you’re flying, don’t wrap your presents! The inspectors may unwrap everything, causing you extra time and effort.

2. Flying? Book carefully.
If you’re choosing to fly, be as flexible as possible about your schedule. You’ll save a bundle by flying on off-peak days (i.e., Christmas Eve or early Christmas morning), finding budget packages (shop around online) and booking far in advance (i.e., probably should be booked already, but otherwise do it NOW!)

3. Driving? Think strategically.
If you’re choosing to drive, have your route well-planned and double-checked with more than one source. Leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or relative at home. Pack plenty of snacks so you’ll be able to avoid the cost and time of frequent stops and bring games/music/DVDs to keep passengers occupied.

4. Be prepared (to be delayed).
Fill up your gas tank the night before, even if you’re just commuting to the airport. Leave as early as you can, realizing you’ll likely be delayed somewhere, have your cell phones charged, and keep copies of your itinerary with you. Things rarely go exactly as we plan, but knowing this ahead of time puts you ahead of the game. Give yourself a time cushion, triple-check your packing, itinerary, etc., and relax. It’s time for a vacation!

I love traveling.

Yes, to get away from the job and all that, but being in a different environment is like being a child again. It gives your brain a chance to look at the world in a fresh, new way.

I call it Boggle with the Brain, based on that ever lovable board game, Boggle.

For those unfamiliar with Boggle, you shake up all these dice with letters on it, let them fall and settle into their slots, and then you try to see what words you can find within a certain period of time.

That’s what experiences like travel do to me, and I love it. It’s also the goal I have in all my writing, be it for advertising or for fiction.

What Boggles your brain?