Quality Time

And the merits of travelling with people who "get" you...

"My, what a huge lightsaber you have there"

I just returned from 11 days away with my family. 11 long, busy, totally overstimulating, intense, frustrating days of "FUN". Hey, I'm fun, I can have a good time, I'm actually one of the most fun people I know. Ask my friends! But I'm also a bit of a spaz. Add a group of non-smokers, a bunch of NOISE, some crowds and a tight schedule, and I become less and less fun as the day wears on. And ultimately, I end up feeling like (and acting like) a total jerk because I can't handle the over-stimulation and excitement, and ruin it for everyone else.

So glad we could make it- The fireworks at the end of the first day.

Disneyland was huge. It was noisy, it was crowded, it was spectacular, and I wish I had MORE time to spend there. (5 days wasn't nearly enough). I wish I had gone with more people, it would have helped spread the spaz out. As it was, we hurried through the nicely designed cattle chutes, from one attraction to the next, and often, my husband forgot to make time for us to sit down and EAT. Lunch was always after the next ride, the next show, just after this or that. He was SOOO excited the first day that more than once, he forgot to check whether we were even behind him before taking off into the crowd on his way to the next thing.

I get it, it's freaking DISNEYLAND- I was supposed to be shaking and weeping with awe and anticipation at the gates. My husband and his family have been there like 5 times, and he's brought previous girlfriends, and they've all been trembling and wide eyed and bubbling with joy. Yep, I had to ruin the streak didn't I? I wanted to cry, but not like that. I wanted to tear off all my skin in the middle of Main Street USA and scream and scream and scream.

Top down, tunes cranked, can't talk- choking on the wind in the back 

 It was fun to see my husband get that excited about, well, anything. I loved the look on our son's face when we got there. But my favorite moments were the ones in between everything. The stop and smell the roses kind; watching the fireworks, cruising the freeway with the top down and the music loud. My first decent cup of coffee in 4 days... Our shortest excursion was Lego Land, and we put the 8 year old in charge, we slowed right down.

 Once in awhile, I forgot myself and relaxed. Whatever remains of my inner child broke through and I just had a good time. My son and I did Star Tours like 10 times, and my husband and I rode Space Mountain over and over and over again. We got to see my FAVORITE sister get married in Palm Springs, it was beautiful, and we had a chance to reconnect with some long lost loved ones.

Yes, it was the moments in between all the excitement and the madness- those were the most fun for me. Maybe next time I'll go by myself?

'But it's the pelvic thrust, that really drives you insa-a-aane"