If you use Twitter, feel free to take any of my travel posts – if you have a favorite, even better (!) – and repost it on Twitter with the #TravelTuesday.
Much appreciated.
Monthly Archives: October 2011
Unlikely Places to Sustain Injury
Yep. I have gotten hurt at all of these places.
- The gym
- The supermarket
- On 6th Avenue in Manhattan, twice
- Work
- Home
- On a glacier
I had the bullets of my injury-sustaining locales saved as a draft post for some time. And I sustained injury over the weekend. So perfect. Here goes.
You know you have a tendency for injuries when your orthopedist says ‘what now?’ as he walks into the examination room.
Here’s my criteria to see if you have a tendency for injuries:
1. You must have a go-to orthopedist (check)
2. The reception desk staff knows your first name when you call to make a same-day appointment using your last name (check)
3. You get that same-day appointment (check)
I may not be able to get a table at the hottest restaurant in Manhattan, but damn, I can get a same-day appointment with my orthopedist.
As a recovering hypochondriac (RH) it’s kind of a bummer to hear the doctor tell you everything is fine because as a RH I only go to the doctor now when I am 90% certain there is a problem. Today’s visit, I was 100% sure there was a problem because the range of motion in my right arm wouldn’t even allow me to get dressed and wash my hair using both of my upper extremities.
Number 4: you use phrases like ‘range of motion’ and ‘upper extremities’ as part of your regular vocabulary because you have been injured so much. This one I realized today when I told the doctor that I had limited range of motion as part of my injury description.
There was an issue once he took a look at the x-rays. It’s sort of my ‘I told you so’ when he found something wrong (a busted fluid sack in my shoulder).
At the end of the visit, my orthopedist sent me to my regular doctor. You may think I did this backwards, but my shoulder was in such agonizing pain that I just skipped the regular doctor step because I had gone to the orthopedist thinking that I would need emergency shoulder surgery in order to reattach it to my body – and who better to do it, than an orthopedic surgeon.
My regular doctor wound up sending me for another round of x-rays, of the chest this time. I went into this second round of x-rays thinking he would find something like a punctured or collapsed lung or internal bleeding — okay, maybe I am not a completely recovered hypochondriac, but I do have a very good imagination.
When I went for this next round of x-rays, I basically forced this tech to agree that if he found something seriously wrong that he wouldn’t let me leave the office. He wouldn’t commit to this fully (insurance and legal obligations I am sure) but he didn’t stop me from leaving so I felt pretty darn relieved walking out of medical facility number three today.
While the injury I needed to tend to today was more about bad luck, at least my injury on the glacier makes for a better story.
Have you heard that…
every US state makes wine.
Here are some regions you may not have heard of.
Where have you had wine in unexpected places? I’d say my most unexpected places for wine were in Arizona, both around Sedona, and way south, close to the border with Mexico. And in Missouri – which happens to be on this list.
Do tell. Are they hidden gems?
“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller
How do you feel about Ten of the Most Dangerous Destinations (And Which Ones Are Worth the Risk)?
What about these Six Countries on the US State Department Alert and Warning Lists That You Should Visit Anyway?
And closer to home, what about America’s Most Dangerous Cities?
Some of these countries are no surprise that you may want to wait a bit (for example, war zones for the less adventurous (!) travelers out there)…but others, just require street smarts and being a smart traveler.
South Africa, Brazil and Colombia all make the ‘dangerous’ list. Honduras, India and Israel make the State Department list. Yet, I know plenty of people who have traveled to each of these amazing destinations.
What’s your travel style? How do you determine where your travels take you?
Do you ever visit the State Department’s website? Do you use the State Department as a loose guide for your travels? Do you shy away from any that are on the State Department’s list? Or are you so adventurous that you create your itinerary based on destinations that the State Department deems dangerous?
As for me, I regularly visit the State Department’s website. I do use it as a guide but I am also well tuned to international news. Google has a setting where you can see the news based on your location — from time to time, I check out headlines from countries I am interested in visiting and I also check the BBC and other international news outlets than just those based in the US.
Personally speaking, I wouldn’t go to an active war zone but I know of people (Wandering Earl, for example) who have. And he brings back stories of kind people, memories of undiscovered places and a bullet in his pocket.
None of the above
What’s your inflight fashion?
Are you any of these types of travelers?
I’ve mentioned before what I like to travel with.
What kind of traveler would they consider my category to be if I dress in leggings, a soft tee-shirt and a hoodie sweatshirt? One that probably won’t get upgraded, that’s for sure!
apple.com/stevejobs
RIP Steve Jobs.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” — Steve Jobs
WHY Isn’t There a Cure?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Most of my WHY Wednesdays are complaints and most are silly and in good fun. But this post, this is for real.
I don’t think I know anyone that doesn’t know anyone affected by cancer — breast or otherwise. I know far too many people affected by this horrible disease.
Here’s my plea today. Be aware. Get checked. Take care of yourself. Ensure you are aware.
And if you are so inclined, make a donation to one of the many organizations that look to find a cure for any cancer of your choosing – there are plenty.
Just because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month doesn’t mean you can’t be aware of all the cancers out there. There are plenty of organizations, including the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Uniting Against Lung Cancer.
Because the biggest question should be WHY. WHY isn’t there a cure?
Full disclosure: A close friend of mine works for Uniting Against Lung Cancer. I have not been asked to include her organization, and I receive absolutely no incentive for doing so.
I know breast cancer survivors and I have a very dear friend whose mother lost her battle. Both of my ‘poppys’ battled with lung cancer. Eradicating cancer is very close to my heart.
Donations In Another Nation
As part of one of the challenges on the Amazing Race last night, teams had to donate funds they earned, as well as all their travel money, to a local Indonesian orphanage. Their contribution was financial, but have you ever donated your time or talents to those less fortunate while traveling?
Share in the comments below.
Favorite places
One of my favorite places to be. Here it’s restful, peaceful and pretty. And there’s some really great wine to be had too!
We were supposed to visit with family this weekend for fall foilage but foul weather forecasts fumbled that formulation. How’s that for alliteration?!
simply three cents 