5/06/2007

Now the Bangles are Stuck in My Head

I'm not a "vacation" kind of girl. In fact, I eschew the idea, as it takes me a week or two to even acclimate to a country; so the idea of being someplace for less than that is really a mindfuck.

As is the villa and as-yet-to-be-seen butler. I'm writing this right now because I've returned home after some seriously heady adventures today, and the silence is killing me. There's no television here; but there is i-net.

When did I become a part of the "stressed out executive needs a forced break" crowd?!? My idea of travel is to shove my Kelty into a stuffsack, throw some socks and undies into my backpack and just GO.

So as is my wont, I met up with some crazy Aussies and Brits to run amuck with. We took a boat out to some *mad* diving, followed by spectacular grub and fully-boozed nightlife...dancing on the tables and now I'm having to backspace every other word because my hand-eye is fucked.

I'll tell you the details when I'm far more sober, but just wanted to say:

dumbfounded: totally lucky, YES, and you get the murst crown!

kirk, sprezzie, dumbfounded, and anon: I'm totally fucking shite at pictures. My norm is that I'll pick up a disposable or ten at duty-free on my way out, as I don't want to be stressed about keeping track of the camera. (This is one of the only pleasure cruises with a laptop, and that was only because I ditched the office with very little notice.)

Beyond that, I always seem to blow it on having the film developed (I've got at least fifteen undevelped disposables in my posession as is)...mostly because I'm such a *crap* photog. The last disposal camera I had developed was, based on the folks in the phots, taken on a surf trip to either mainland Mex or Costa Rica a few years back. There are no distinguishing features to tell me which one it might have been.

Which brings me to kirk's comment about "can we trade clients?"....this comes full circle because this is the reason the client gifted the amazing trip. They were doing a photo shoot a few months back (in the dead-ass of winter) and at least one of the models was supposed to have been able to 'moderately' surf. They were all pissed about the cold water (later figured out that the agency had fudged thier ability to stand up on a board) and the co was screwed.

Basically, that element is outside of what we do for the client. But I had worked with that photog before, when I was putting mysefl through college. We had done similar sjoots, so he called my office... I was there, I could reschedule my day, and throw on a bikini and freeze my ass off in the Pacific.

Because we have no way of really billing for somehting like that, it falls into the category of client relations. Meaning, we don't necessarily bill for every second we spend with a firm; there's a grey area where you just do what you have to do to make a project work for them.

So the shoot fell into that. For me, it was an awesome way to escape the office and ride a board for a few hours. I was already stoked. Little did I know, they colluded with one of my assistants to find a way to repay me!!!

Back at comments.....

dumbfounded....gets props for the 'girls without bikinis' comment. That came tonight with the dancing on tables, and there's no fucking way I'm posting those :)

anon...if you think I'm going to see a sunrise, you're high! Yes, my jet lag has be a bit twisted, but that's what rum is for!!!

Akubi....you'll have to catch me up on crazyworld when I get back....I have NO idea!!! But, yes, "There is absolutely nothing better than "having no concept of time" and those occurrences are generally rare." I couldn't *ever* say it better.

Schnapps... :) Sorry. Does it help to know thta this is the first time I"ve taken even a *day* off in over a year? Plus, my weeks are regularly six days long. But, yeah, I understand...this kind of sucks to read about at home. I actually wasn't going to say anything about this, and was trying to load up on posts before I pissed off, but had too many things to do before takeoff and couldn't really make it happen.

Lucidiocy...I know, right?!?

PMSPMS....YES (lol) I read your blog! I know that you're enmeshed in incredible adventures everyday. I miss those days, and truly find myself living vicariously through your world on countless occasions. Christ, if I could be here for another four months or so, I would only start ot come back to equilibrium. Thank you for the armchair adventures in lieu :)

8 comments:

Schnapps said...

Well, it sort of sucks even worse because I am working the next 8 weekends straight (on top of my day job). Plus a couple in July and August, and a couple of weekend evenings in June.

I know. Envy me.

But the money is quite good since I dropped one guy who wanted me to help him with contracts but paid about 1/3 less than everyone else :>

Oh and setting my own rates? "Sweet" :>

Akubi said...

And you can surf too. Awesome! I wish I had some of those photos on my award winning blog.

Gypsy Pete said...

No worries Aspeth - glad you could meet some of my countrymen on your leave as well! Thanks for the comments you've posted... And I still think "Aspth" is what Cleopatra said to Mark Anthony....

Sprezzatura said...

We're so strapped for cash these days that the closest thing I'll have to a vacation this year is a trip home to visit the family.

Which isn't all that bad, my family's a good lot, but it's also not the same thing as a proper vacation.

Anonymous said...

No pics, eh? I guess we can't even vicariously enjoy this vacation.

*sigh*

Anonymous said...

Aspeth, you have the most informative and funny site when it comes to Casey Serin, douchebag extraordinaire. I really like how you researched all the places he visited and the time frames. Have you ever considered private investigator work?

Schnapps said...

I have to say, anon there seems to have it bang-on.

Aspeth said...

Schnapps...I understand the schedule from hell. You're absolutely right that if you're going to log those kind of hours, that you need to dump clients who don't make it worth your while.

Akubi....LOL!!!

PMSPMS...I have to say, some of my fondest travel memories have been spent in the company of your countrymen. A couple of them might have even saved my life as I was racked with dysentry in the Himilayas. (as for the other, I keep thinking about Cleopatra calling for security because there's an "ASPTH! ASPTH!" in her quarters.

Sprezzie...I guess the upside is that a trip home can be really good for the soul.

Dumbfounded...We'll see how long it takes to dig the disposables out of the suitcase. Or, for that matter, how long it takes to unpack the suitcase.

Legion...What? And abandon my exciting life as an Award-Winning Blogger?!? Surely you jest!

Anon...the floor recognizes your motion and notes Schnapps's second. Duly passed.