If you could be anywhere ...

I'm a fan of email surveys. You know, a friend will send you a survey with their answers filled in, and you're supposed to fill in your own answers and pass it on to a bunch of your other friends. I love to read them - and I love to fill them out. I don't know why, but there you have it.

There's one question in surveys that I don't generally like. It's the "If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?" I'm not sure why I don't like this question, but I think it's because I generally think if I wanted to be somewhere, I would be. There are certainly exceptions to this rule, but maybe because of my love of surveys, when I'm filling one out I couldn't imagine a better place to be. :)

Today, I was looking at some pictures on Flickr.com and I have now twice come across two pictures where I felt compelled to be there. It had nothing to do with not wanting to be where I was/am - but I just really wanted to step into those photos.

In the case of one of them, in just a couple of weeks, I will be there.

Happy here, but dreaming of being there.

Snow Day in Portland

Snow Day in Portland
Originally uploaded by amycgx.

I tried to get to work yesterday, but there were so many other people trying to get around - who weren't equipped to do so - that it took me a full hour to get 2 miles down the road. I finally decided it wasn't worth another 2 hours to get the rest of the way, so I just turned around and came home.

Zoe and I walked around the neighborhood and played in the snow. I don't know if I've ever seen such "good" snow in Portland. There does tend to be at least one day a year where snow falls, but it's rare that it sticks and that it's so nice and light and fluffy.

Everyone we encountered while walking around must have also taken an unexpected day off of work. They were all so friendly and happy. Everyone was in the same cheery playful mood as those first days of sunshine after a winter of dark and rainy skies.

The snow is still out there this morning, no more has fallen, but I see about two inches still on the tree branches. Nothing compared to Telluride, Red Lodge, or McCall where my siblings are buried in several feet of snow all winter long. But, still ... for those of us living in Portland, it's quite a rare treat.

No longer a member.

I'm cancelling my membership to the M fan club.

The membership dues are turning out to be fairly high and I'm realizing that I'm not getting anything out of it other than a little heartache for my effort.

I also looked around to see who else was in the club and I didn't like the company I was in.

update: about 10 hours later ...

A phone call from the president of the fan club, Mr. M himself.

I didn't play my cancellation cards well. I just came across like a jerk.

Why is it that every time I try to remove myself from a situation where I think I'm being taken advantage of I end up the one coming out looking bad?

grrr ... I'm completely second guessing my resolve from earlier in the day. What if I just tell him that I need a better return on my investment? Am I a complete jerk or what?

I could really use all the answers right about now.

Need a book on Cuban history?

need a book on cuban history?
Originally uploaded by microabi.

For years I've been travelling through Cuba via books.

In less than a month, I'll be putting the books back on the shelves and finally seeing what the fuss is all about.

I'm vacillating between excitement and terror. (To put it mildly.) Roller coaster emotions are not something completely foreign to me, but I don't think I have ever been simultaneously so thrilled and horrified by something. My body, heart, mind and soul have no idea how to process it all.

I guess time will ultimately take care of it all.

Well, that and maybe some Xanax.

p.s. I'm moving this discussion here.