Sigh. We have hit the vacation doldrums. We just planned the trip to New York; my return to work is rapidly approaching, and we have no idea what the vacation future holds, or really what the future past New York holds. Vacation planning keeps me going. It’s a way of exploring while living daily life.

Steven would like to go to Asia. Hmmm, can he be more specific? I have been to China, but nowhere else in Asia. He hasn’t been there at all. Perhaps in a few months, when frostbite seems inevitable here in Chicago, heading to south Asia in the summer will seem like a brilliant plan. Now, not so much.

Vacation unknowns open up a world (literally, used in the correct sense) of possibilities. Where in the world to go next? So many options; so many wonderful places yet to explore. What’s down that road? How can we get there from here? What’s nearby that we can explore? What will tomorrow bring? These are the unknowns I am comfortable with. Those same questions when applied to my daily life, I’m not so comfortable with. Why can’t I engineer my life to the degree that I engineer my vacations and then sit back and enjoy the ride? Steven is much better at this than I am.

I’m trying to learn from him. Really, I am!