Jan 29 2008
Never Made it to Thirty
You see that boy sleeping back there? I miss him right now because I’m traveling for work, and I miss his mother, my wonderful wife of more than 15 years. The dog has managed to grow on me a little, too.
Today should have been my 30th post in the Wordless Wednesday meme. For a couple of reasons, it isn’t.
The “official” Wordless Wednesday site now proudly boasts that it covers every day of the week. I was cool with the separate Tuesday and Wednesday editions, due to time zone differences, but this latest change dilutes the game too much for me. Not that anybody really cares, but I don’t fault those who still take part. In fact, there are a few whose blogs I might still visit.
In addition, I already spend enough time at the computer without clicking around to various WW sites. I don’t like to do things halfway, so I always made sure to sincerely consider and comment on each picture I viewed. I’m going to give my WW browsing time to people more valuable to me.
I might still post in the Wordless Wednesday category occasionally, but it will be for those who visit here regularly, not for a few extra hits per week from those hoping for the same.
Oh, and happy hump day. I hope if you’re with your family, you give out some big hugs and more than a smattering of kisses.
I miss my hubby….he is in India for 2 and a half weeks….YUCK. Next time he knows I am going so I can take my camera and take pics! :)
As far as WW, I have never officially done it. But every now and then I do a Wordless Wednesday (or Sat, Sun, Tues, Thurs, Mon, Fri) when I feel like it. I have decided that when I feel pushed…it isnt fun anymore. :)
Anyhow, have good work trip! I am sure you wife and son are anxiously awaiting your return!
Good post Mark… I don’t post a WW every week either (even though I’m not part of the WW club type thing).
I’m sure your family misses you too bud.. but as I’ve found in my last job when I did a lot of traveling.. absence truly DOES make the heart grow fonder! (in other words, a few days away here and there does wonders sometimes)
I use WW as an excuse to post a picture and the discipline to actually do it. I visit others to discover new blogs outside of what I usually read - there are a couple with hairless cats that post and their lives are different from mine - single, no kids and somehow exotic - but there is certainly an expectation that you will visit and comment and that is a burden in our busy life. Lucky for me that you did participate in the past and I have found your blog. Write on - I’ll read even if there aren’t pics.
We miss you like crazy, babe! And I think what Dave said is true - even though I miss you, it has been nice to have our long nightly phone talks where we’re not interrupted by everyday life. We don’t seem to find time to talk like that when you’re home, so I feel like we’ll be even closer when you get home (finally!). I’m not saying that I want you to be gone more often, though - don’t get me wrong!
That’s a sweet picture of our kids, by the way.
Question: why is Wednesday called hump day when most folks get laid on the weekend?
And if absence makes the heart grow fonder, it should also be known that abscess makes the heart grow fungus. So be careful!
Now hurry home to your wife and son so you can also be caught up in the flurry of hugs and kisses that are sure to abound.
While I envy your job’s ability to wisk you around the country and expose you to fascinatingly small towns in obscure areas of our great land…I don’t envy your time away from family. I’m glad to hear that there are upsides to the trade (better conversations, etc), but here’s hoping you can train those banker types quickly and get back home where you belong.
Also, the WW meme sort of ran it’s course for me. Then again, I’m not posting squat right now, so my saying this doesn’t really count for much. But overall, it was a cool way to pressure me to post fresh images, but the hit counter insanity was just a bit much for me. And since I’m pretty sure you’ll keep posting images…I’m not too concerned whether or not you call them Wordless Wednesday.
Welbynator…just rolled in and we’re about to start getting ready to go eat and then to see Van Halen. It won’t be the same without you there, but at least we got to see them earlier in the year. I can already hear it now, “Honey…that’s just too loud. I can’t even tell what they’re playing.” Come to think of it…I might ought to take a cue from you and go find some earplugs for A.
I never understood Wordless Wednesday. Just guessing, but isn’t that probably the product of people who just wanted a break from feeling like they were tied to submitting something interesting on their Blog? Or, maybe there was a faction of “bloggers” who just enjoy photographs, and it was intended to have everyone post their best shot so that they could see more pictures without the need to read a caption?
Not that pictures aren’t interesting, but they are more interesting to me when they have some background to them, or if they help with the content of an entry.
I guess what I’m saying is that I would rather read an extra “normal” blog entry, than to see just a photograph.
By the way, you’re going to have to start finding some time for the “straw” saga to continue.
Anna - Wow! India. I can imagine you would come back with some great images from that trip. I think I would have a hard time deciding whether I missed my wife or just felt left out of an exotic trip. Probably both.
Dave - It definitely does that, but with Ben it’s a little different. Although he and I talk on the phone sometimes (he often doesn’t seem to care to), it isn’t the same. Plus, even when I’m at home I only get to see him about an hour and a half to two hours each day during the work week. I know, I know, “quality time.”
MomOnTheGo - I’ll still visit a few people (mostly the ones who actually blog about something and don’t just post a WW picture of their cat lying around the house). Thanks for hanging around here.
Shan - I know how you feel. And you know how I feel. So, we feel each other. (ahem)
Simon - Ah, wordplay after my own heart.
I hope my hurrying home isn’t held up by the snow that’s coming. Crap!
Moksha - Yes, after that first really cool trip to California, the destinations have become decidedly less… attractive. Plus, I don’t like flying very much at all. Besides that and what I mentioned in my post, I love it!
I got tired of WW fairly quickly, too, and for that reason didn’t do it every week (until recently again).
Charles - I think for me the appeal was throwing a picture out there, remaining truly wordless (which most of the WW’ers do not), and seeing what kind of guesses people made as to location, methods used, etc. Or, captions, sometimes. It turns out that I don’t take near as many pictures as I once did, so I was digging through past pics to find something that might intrigue folks.
Then, I said, “screw it.” And that’s where I am today.
I hope you enjoy(ed) Van Halen’s show. Earplugs would be a great idea for A.
Charles - Oh, and don’t worry, the next installment of the “straw” saga will not be at all what anybody expects.
I TOTALLY FEEL BOTH…I have a trip up my sleeve soon and it I am the only one going….all I can say now is….PAYBACKS ARE HELL! (Not that I am bitter or anything)
:) Curious yet? Actually before I go on my trip I am stopping over in Dallas!
It isn’t a “layover”….I am actually staying the night there before a flight the next day. Maybe I can meet you, Shannon and Ben. That would be crazy!
Anna - We’d be game for that. Just keep us updated.
Will do!
What a great post.
I love that pic. I don’t travel on business very often but when I do there is no question, the absence definitely does make family life all the more special when you get back.
Thanks for sharing.