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View of Las Vegas

This time of year lots of people travel: Travel to family for the holidays, travel to warm places to escape winter weather and more. For this TMI Tuesday let’s talk travel…

1. My favorite travel companion is _my family. Although traveling with my boss to conferences is also, I must admit, a lot of fun_

2. I pass time on a plane by _drugging up and sleeping if possible. Have I mentioned just how much I dislike flying? I’ve had bad experiences on both big airliners and puddle jumpers, and being comatose is by far the best way to get through it. I have been known to read, or watch the in-flight movie, although having to see Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – twice – had me seriously wishing for a few sleeping pills… _

3. My favorite part of my travel routine is _unpacking in the hotel. Packing is a chore – I always take too much on the way there, and buy too much to fit on the way back…but unpacking either at the destination or when back home is always the best._

4. When you travel with a companion who is the primary planner for the trip itinerary? Who is the primary planner for the days during your trip/holiday?
I usually plan out the trip in detail, no matter if we’re going on a family vacation, or if we’re heading to Sin City. The hotel, the airline, the plans when there, are all done by me. I would love to have a trip planned out for me….

5. In 2014, how many times did you travel for leisure? For business?
This year was one of the few years I didn’t get to travel anywhere for leisure (I’m not counting out-of-town shopping trips, or day trips). I traveled on business a few times – including one kickass conference.

6. In 2014, how many times did you travel more than 100 miles from home? How many times did you travel out of your county/state/region but remained in the same country?
A few. Offhand, I’d say 5 times. Only one of those was out of state.

7. In 2014, How many times did your travels take you out of your country? Where did you go?
Unfortunately, no out of country trips for me this year. I’d like to go on a trip to Japan next year – fingers crossed.

8. Do you use a travel agent? Why or why not?
No – I do my own planning online. The last time I used a travel agent was when I got married – it’s so easy to do everything online now. I might use an agent for a cruise or other special trip, but otherwise it’s online sites for me.

9. For the holiday season, do you prefer to travel/go away or do you prefer to stay home and have friends/family visit you?
I’d like to start traveling on the holidays, but for many years now, Santa was not about to haul gifts to some exotic locale. It is nice to be home and have others visit.

Bonus: Which all-expenses-paid travel destination listed below works best with your interests and why?
a. Walt Disney World ?
b. Tigh-na-mara Seaside Spa Resort A nature lover’s wonderland–hiking, biking, kayaking, wildlife viewing, beachcombing, and health farm amenities.
c. Macau, China The top gambling destination in the world, experience gambling and casino life excess on an unprecedented level
They all sound fun. I’ve been to Walt Disney World a few times – I prefer Disneyland, but between Disney and Universal Studios, I can have a great week. Macau would be interesting, and I think exciting, to visit for the experience. I think Tigh-na-mara would be fantastic as well….that would really be my prefernce…but can I just do all 3 next year?

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By Benson Kua from Toronto, Canada (Seriously?Uploaded by tm) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

“Step into any living room, office, studio or den of just about any engaged, imaginative, passionate person and you will find an item that, although it may not appear particularly valuable, is reverentially displayed as though it were a precious and irreplaceable artifact.”
For example: scraps of movie posters scavenged from the streets of NYC by ‘Low Life’ author Luc Sante. A WWI prison camp hunk of bread forced upon photographer Rosamond Purcell by an elderly neighbor…you get the idea.

1. Think about your environments–home, office, vehicle, what sort of inanimate objects hold special meaning and significance for you. List/name the objects, tell us why they hold a special place. Share some photos if you dare.
I have a lot of objects around – controlled clutter, I think is what I’d call it. The primary objects that seem to be breeding on my shelf are Cthulhus. For those of you who don’t know, Cthulhu was one of the Great Old Ones in Lovecraft’s pantheon, sleeping under the sea until the stars are right to awaken and devour mankind…which is, of course, why they make plush toys of him. I have them dressed in all manner imaginable, including a festive Cthulhu Santa with jingle bells on his tentacles, a puppet, and even slippers. Lots of other themed items are on my shelves as well. Why do I have them? I think it comes from reading Lovecraft at a very young age (6 or so), being fascinated with how the references (subtle or in-your-face) permeate horror, and the idea of him being a plush stuffed toy just amuses me.

I’ve got Star Trek items everywhere: you name it, I probably have it. I am a bit of a Trekker,  having watched Star Trek (TOS) since I was three. There’s still nothing better. I have miniatures, an Enterprise phone, lots of plates, a 3D chessboard, and even a V.I.B that is Mr. Spock.

I’ve also got a lot of Godzilla items – stuffed animals and the like, even some of the Ty Beanie Babies as Godzilla, Mothra, and Ghidorah on the shelves. Yes, I love my monster movies. And a lot of other odd but fun stuff.

2. Are any of your treasured items worth a lot of money?
Hmmm…a lot? Probably not. Some of them might be to the right collector, but I wouldn’t say an exorbitant amount.

3. Would you ever part with that item? If yes, under what circumstances.
I might part with a few things, but never the entire collection of any of them.

4. What is the oddest or strangest item that you covet and proudly display?
I’m not sure what the oldest would be…or really the strangest. I suppose up on the list is Santa Cthulhu for being strange. And adorable. And the Vincent Price Shrunken Head Kit. That’s definitely an odd one.

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