Trying to enjoy the moment
If all goes well, in exactly 3 hours and 19 minutes, I'll be somewhere else.
My family and I are leaving for a trip to Austin and San Antonio. Texas wasn’t our first choice, but these damn gas prices certainly made travel inhospitable. Not as inhospitable as the airlines though.
I woke just after 6 am to do last-minute prep before we left the house at 6:30. At 6:05, my wife comes into the room and tells me that our flight was canceled. There’s only one JetBlue flight between LA and Austin per day, so our vacation was in turmoil before it even started.
These tickets were actually vouchers for when we tried to go to Texas in April of 2020, and we all know how that turned out. Our original tickets had insurance, but our vouchers did not.
In short, we’re screwed.
Thankfully we were able to get a new flight out with a different airline, with a connecting flight. And because the universe had decided to mess with us today, this new flight has already been delayed 30 minutes… which means we may not make the connecting flight.
Good times!
Considering the existing political climate, I’m surprised I’m saying this, but one way or another, I’m going to get into Texas today if it’s the last thing I do.
Right now, my wife is cleaning the house. Yes, before we go on vacation, she’s cleaning the house. She was doing this last night before we went to bed as well. I thought she was nuts last night, but now I’m realizing it’s a coping mechanism.
She handles stress with some cleanser and a dust rag. I choose to write out my feelings, and since nobody is reading this feed just yet, why not overshare.
Once we are on the plane and in the air, I’m sure we’ll breathe a collective sigh of relief. It’s important to remember that this trip should not be dictated by the moments in transit. It will be defined by the look of wonder on my son’s face as he gazes out the window of the plane, the feeling of touching down at our final destination, or the scent of our hotel room and a view of the Austin skyline.
There will be visits with family, dining experiences, live music, and lots of time doing nothing but sitting by a pool or river.
I have a lot of work to do these days (much of which you’ll experience firsthand if you subscribe, but I am not taking my computer on this trip.
I have an iPad for some drawing and watching movies, and I have a sketchbook that I plan on filling up, but the work will be limited to emergency items only.
Post-vacay hustle
When I get back though, look out. So many changes coming and with ferocity. What could that mean, you ask?
My current online shop will change from being centered around my work, and more about providing tools and resources for creative people, with the new moniker SPRLTV.
I’ll be looking for my first partners to collaborate with on this new site.
My primary domain (daveconrey.com) will convert back to its blogging roots with limited e-commerce capabilities.
This space will become more active as a byproduct.
My current email newsletter (theArticl) will convert to a separate Substack and be attached to SPRLTV.
And of course, lots more YouTube content.
For now, though, I’m enjoying one last cup of homemade coffee before we toss our bags into the trunk of an Uber transport. But I’m not waiting to get my free pretzels and Diet Coke on the flight before I relax.
I’m already feeling better about everything. Thanks for letting me work this out.
See you soon.