For reals.

Let's see, it's been since MARCH that I've updated this thing. Well, if you count the non-stop twitter feed, then heck, I've been updating daily -- and rather regularly.

What does that say? I really don't have time to sit down and pound out anything relevant that's more than 140 characters. But limit me to 140 characters of random musings - and I'm all over it.

So, this blog will be a collection of random; indulging on more than that 140 character restriction. First, how annoying that I could be leaving work right now -- this very second -- but instead, for some reason, I've logged on here and decided to dive in. Is this really the best use of my time? Meh. I'll type fast.

Age has been on my mind a lot lately. The people I work with seem to be getting younger - I make jokes based on cultural references, then have to explain. Someone "brags" about being in the business for 7 years ... and I snort....I've been working here in KC for longer than that, and made several other stops before getting here. Ouch!

I used to eat cake at the retirement parties of journalists who'd put in the long haul at one place and think "Why would you EVER stay in one place that long?? That'll never be me." Hm. I'm getting pretty close to a 10 year anniversary. Wow. I'm gonna blame that on kids. Not a bad thing, I suppose. There's something to be said for longevity (knock on wood. no seriously, knock on it RIGHT NOW.)

I'm finding more gray hairs in the once tiny gray hair farm in one spot of my head. Not a fan. I have actually made myself late to things because I've been playing "catch the gray hair w/tweezers" at my mirror. Nothing's worse than noticing one in the car - and trying to pull it with my fingers only spiral it up like curling ribbon....taking it from blendable to a wiry spring coming out of the top of my head.

I could go on about the age thing, but I've suddenly grown bored with that. Again - another reason Twitter & it's 140 rule is good for me. I'm easily distracted. Short attention span.

Anyhoo...I'm really looking forward to the trip we're taking Memorial Day weekend. We're going to ... wait for it ... Arkansas! Did you just wrinkle up your nose? Stop that. Seriously. I wanted to hit the road. I'm made to travel - and it had been too long - so I INSISTED we take SOME sort of trip over the holiday weekend. We got a touristy-flyer-type thing in the paper begging folks to SEE ARKANSAS! And I checked it out ... and thought: perfect road trip. We won't waste too much time in the car .. but still get far enough away to feel...well, away.

And that's the thing. I'm really looking forward to that "away" part. We're gonna stay in a cabin in the woods. So, seriously AWAY. No plans for all sorts of activities and events etc etc that normal family vacations entail. We just go and be. Go and be. You know, just go there and HANG. Not rush to this thing and that and must see this and that. Nope, just be.

I am seriously considering leaving my cell phone at home. Correction: freakin' awesome iPhone that totally feeds my short attention span. Just typing about it right now makes me want to pick it up and mess. But - it comes with the drawbacks of work emails. Dong! Another email is in. Dong! Look, a red number on top of email icon envelop counting how many emails are sitting here. Waiting to be read. Dong! Could it be the boss making big changes? Dong! Could it be someone with a question only I can answer? Dong! Some email just landed about someone misunderstanding something and when you read it it'll put you in a bad mood and hang over you 'til you return to work. Dong! Yeah...that's not a good thing when you're TRULY trying to be on vacation.

Ok. Seriously I should go home now. Hm. Maybe if I took my phone w/me on vacation I could blog from there....complete with pictures of us relaxing. And then I could foursquare every move we make. I could be mayor of some tiny coffee shop in a tiny Arkansas town.

For reals.