Spring Break

 

It will be 86 degrees tomorrow in Tampa, FL.

That is where you'll find me.

I did the script pre-read this morning for the upcoming Hunt Scanlon Conference in New York City on Mar 16 and just produced a new edition of their "Talent Talks" podcast.

With that, the office is closed and I'm officially on vacation.

I was asked yesterday if I'm excited and, normally, the answer is tepid. There's always something missing. 

Now, don't get me wrong. Whether it's London, San Francisco, North Carolina, or anywhere else I may roam, I'm always happy to travel.

I'm always happy to get away.

Still, there's always something.

Tomorrow is just different.

I first visited Florida in 1969 and, as you might imagine, I have no memories of it. There were subsequent trips during the first half of the 70s and the 80s.

Return trips to the Tampa Bay area have been few since 1986.

Tomorrow, for the first time, I get to show Sean where his great-grandparents lived and hope he can slightly understand what was so great about the region.

Being with Kris, Lori, and even me should add to the experience.

He seems as excited as Sean can appear. It will be his first time on a plane since we went to New Orleans in 2006. Needless to say, his memories are few.

Being concerned about him has minimized my own dread of being on the plane. I've said it before but I'll repeat it: it's basically a feeling of claustrophobia that bothers me. I don't mind the flight otherwise and I appreciate the work of the crew.

It's being smooshed in seats, etc. 

But, in this case, it's a short flight by comparison to going to either London or San Francisco -- both of whom I'll visit later this year.

My hope for this trip is to relax and have fun. I'm hoping this becomes a potentially new tradition of heading back to Florida so that we don't go nearly 12 years without being back in Tampa Bay.

I also hope to drive it again. That, combined with going to Tampa Bay, would an overload of nostalgia.

You know we're heading to see the Yankees at spring training. We might also get to a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game and whatever else. As I told Sean, he has to speak up if he's getting "sports'd out" because Kris and I will just keep going.

You never know what kind of trouble we can wind up in.

Oh, yeah, speaking of which, I have to get ready.

I'm going to a hockey game.

So, the experience begins. I told Sean that, one day, he'll tell his kids how his dad took him to Florida when he was 21 and how "my Dad was a maniac."

Traveling will always be an event to me. I've been packed for days. I'm doing the last laundry now as I type. We're ready. Very much.

I should mention in advance that I plan to keep the posts coming but, obviously, I can't guarantee that. Such as the inherent danger of such an enterprise.

I could have a post written tomorrow before we fly or I'll try to find a few minutes tomorrow night.

Or not.

So it goes.

Effective now, I'm on vacation.