Maybe it's one too many of my Grandpa's slide shows, but it used to be really hard for me to listen to other people's travel stories (along with other people's live music experiences, other people's religious experiences, other people's dreams).
I think it's because these are such experiential, in-the-moment, personal events that are too hard to convey to others.
But once I read a magazine article on Reese Witherspoon, the type where everyone who has ever worked with her made some sort of statement about how awesome she is.
And I remember Selma Blair saying that she'd just gotten back from a trip with Outward Bound and was overly pumped about it. While other friends casually asked about her trip and cut her off after a few minutes, Reese sat down to look through all her pictures and was genuinely interested in the horrors and glories of the backpacking excursion.
This trivial anecdote made me put more time and effort into my relationships, especially regarding listening: when someone you love cares about something, when something's important to them - that's what makes it interesting, that's what makes it important to you.
(p.s. My celeb judgement is decidedly awful. Please see earlier post on Sandra Bullock).
(p.p.s. If your name is Meg and your rambling dreams require a half hour description, you are specifically excluded).
So I guess I'm asking you to bear with me as the numerous posts about my trip trickle out over time. And I'll try to channel my inner Anthony Bourdain.
Movies I watched over a span of 9 flights:
The Young Victoria
Bright Star
Up in the Air
Blind Side
Annie Hall
Driving Miss Daisy
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Yup, thank you Quantas Airlines for having a vast and awesome movie selection and for serving popsicles mid-flight.
Books I finished:
Pillars of the Earth
A Reliable Wife
Gourmet Rhapsody
The Elegance of the Hedgehog: a new favorite. so good.
In Defense of Food
The Worst Hard Time: whoa. puts a lot into perspective.
Kate travel essentials:
Pack light. I can't stress the importance of this enough.
Licorice.
Enough Qtips to make it to the moon. Seriously, I always run out no matter what.
When you spill coffee all over your white shirt on the way to the airport, a boyfriend with a replacement shirt featuring a screen print of Mr. T's head . Mr. T, now an international travel tradition.
Jewelry from my Grandma, my airplane superstition.
Swimsuit.
Everything in miniature.
