The Longest Way Home

The Longest Way Home

by MichelleMcHatton

I’ve started reading Andrew McCarthy’s book “The Longest Way Home:   One Man’s Quest for the Courage to Settle Down.”.  I haven’t gotten too far into it yet (okay, I’ve only read the dust jacket), but if it’s as well written as some of the travel articles he’s written, I’m sure I’m in for a real treat.

In comment to McCarthy’s statement about Americans being afraid to travel, I have to ask “why shouldn’t we be”?  One minute you’re on a plane flying from Boston to wherever and end up crashed in a skyscraper in Manhattan.  You can hop a train in Switzerland during your vacation and become a bombing victim.

Don’t get me wrong.  Traveling is a great thing.  I love to do it myself.  But it’s become a much higher risk for people today than even 20 years ago.  The world is a much scarier place today than it was back in 1992.  It’s enough taking a risk traveling to work every day, not much to a far off destination somewhere halfway around the world.

Aside from fear, another reason so many Americans, and people in general, may not travel so much anymore is financial.  When the airlines are charging $100.00 a bag, what average American family can afford to fly to Orlando?  With gas prices the way they are, driving there isn’t much cheaper.  And forget international travel.  It’s costly enough to travel within the United States; what average American traveler can afford to fly OUTSIDE the U.S.?

No wonder so many people are opting for “staycations” these days.  Besides, it’s a great way to relax and enjoy reading “The Longest Way Home” and dream of your ideal travel destination.

Rockin’ and rollin’ with Irene

Rockin’ and rollin’ with Irene

by MichelleMcHatton

On top of the looming Hurricane Irene due to hit us probably some time this weekend, Mother Nature decided to throw a new one our way today and gave the east coast a few shakes here and there.  And I didn’t have the opportunity to feel a damn thing.  However, someone I know who works in Marlborough said that the floor he works on (fourth floor) shook for about ten seconds, enough to make coat hangers move and throw a few people off-balance.  Then they got word about the earthquake in VA.

So now we prepare for Irene’s visit.  And when she comes knocking, we’ll be ready….

 

Two tales from true life…

Two tales from true life…

by MichelleMcHatton

1.  One person is driving down a road going in one direction; another car is driving down the same road in the opposite direction; one car slightly crosses the yellow line for a moment, causing the driver of  the other car to veer off the road to avoid hitting them and then that car crashes into a tree.  Driver of the car hitting the tree wants to pin the blame on the car that slightly crossed the yellow line.  Driver of car over yellow line gives all their info to the tree car and even offers to pay for the damages.  Until the tree car driver comes back and says the damages amount to $2,000. 

No police were contacted and driver who hit the tree has no collision coverage.  But driver of the tree car cannot understand why the yellow line car driver can’t be blamed for the car hitting the tree.  Uh, duh.  Learn how to drive.  First rule when you are behind the wheel:  you are to be in control of your vehicle at all times!

2.  Libraries wonder why fewer and fewer people are visiting them.  Today I found out why.  A friend of mine went to get a library card for her 5-year-old and was told that she couldn’t have one because she had to be six!  On top of that my friend was told that she herself couldn’t get a library card because she never returned a book to the library that she took out over 20 years ago!  Hm…sounds like a “Seinfeld” episode…

Why just love one day a year?

Why just love one day a year?

by MichelleMcHatton

What’s the big deal with Valentine’s Day? Do we really need an OFFICIAL day to allow us to show our affection for one another?

Why just show it one day a year? Love is something that should be experienced EVERY day of the year, not just on February 14.

Forget the flowers…forget the candy. Just take the time every day to tell that special person in your life that you love them. Words, feelings and the power of touch mean so much more than material things.