The 100 Years Club Installment #79: The Staycation

Returning from my lengthy trip to the East Coast (the kick-off to the HWS — Hot Woman Summer) was rough.

Once my suitcase was unpacked, the laundry was done, and the packages were collected from the apartment lockers, I found myself in Peggy Lee mode. (The 1969 song is one of the most depressing tunes ever recorded, and her voice often plays in my head when I’m bored and lonely.)

So, I simply repacked and took off for a long weekend at a resort that was offering great discounts for locals. It was almost as much fun as my cross-country trip.

The temps were 110+ degrees, so some venue with a combination of water and air conditioning was essential!

Among the highlights:

• I liked having my bed made and coffee refreshed every day. These days, I definitely have an Eloise at the Plaza fetish (without the pug and the turtle). Plus, I picked up some more Hyatt points that I can apply to a future excursion or experience.
• I met some new locals and visitors from Colorado, LA, and Atlanta and had fun conversations. At least half the people in the pool were wasted from poolside cocktail service, and I found myself being dragged into a dance circle and off-key singalong to “Street Caroline.”
• Reading two books poolside and taking myself out to see a fun, breezy summer movie fueled my love of pop culture. I also watched Looking for Mr. Goodbar one night. It was as awful as it was the first time (61% Rotten Tomatoes score), but it was an interesting period piece, and seeing Diana Keaton, Richard Gere, LeVar Burton, and Tom Berenger in their youth was entertaining.)
• Two local friends came to hang out with me during the weekend. They appreciated the opportunity and bought me food. 🙂
• I practiced shooting some selfie videos. Although I despise the whole “Look at Me!” social media movement, building my “fan following” (UGH!) and engagement is important to my future business goals. I tend to blink my eyes on camera, so I’m working to fix that.
• Although I was a mere 20 minutes from my apartment, I truly felt like I was on a whole other planet, away from responsibilities. I never even turned my laptop on while I was there! Plus, my phone kept overheating, which compelled me to unplug.

So, what’s the point of all this?

Even if you can’t take a three-day weekend, even a little “escape” (massage, cultural event, day trip) is good for the soul. Just remember these three things.

1. You don’t need to have lots of advance plans or travel companions to enjoy a holiday weekend.
2. When you feel self-pity or boredom, focus on the things you love to do and do more of them. But resist the temptation to do work during those moments unless you have hard and fast deadlines.
3. Remember that people who are with family or lovers are not necessarily having a better time than you are. (In fact, some of them may actually be jealous of your freedom.) Build your own social circle, even when you may be feeling a tad anti-social.

I’m back on the road next week to Iowa.

Watch for my social media posts and podcast episode about how a city chick adjusts to the heartland. The state’s new brand is “Freedom to Flourish,” which seems totally on-point for the summer of 2024.

I’m actually going to Des Moines, but I like this pic because this is how most NYers probably picture Iowa 🙂