Category Archive for ‘Travels’ at Becca’s Cyber Home

Archive for the 'Travels' Category

STC in Philly

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2 years, 1 month ago

. 2 Comments

I’m at the 55th Annual Society for Technical Communication Summit here in Philadelphia. I’ve been attending since 2002–it’s my annual working vacation. But I wonder if I should stop coming to these conferences… During 4 of the last 6 conferences, my team at work has been reorganized. It’s a real pain (and slightly unnerving) when that happens and you’re traveling!

So far it’s been a good conference. I’m on the program committee this year, so I’ve missed a couple of sessions I really wanted to attend. The wonderful thing about STC, though, is that most folks are happy to share their materials and discuss the topic outside of the conference. And I purposely am trying for a laid back schedule this year. For the last 6 conferences I attended almost all of the lunches and banquets. This year it’s nada.

That’s been nice because I ran into the contingent of students from my alma mater, New Mexico Tech. It’s been fun to hang out with them. I tried to impart some wisdom and help them decide which sessions to attend. Tried to point them to some of the events they should definitely attend. And then last night they treated me to dinner. Nice kids! Sheesh, I say “kids” like I’m some old geezer. Though I think they might suspect that!

We’re in downtown Philly, and being in downtown areas always seems like a new experience. I’m a suburban dweller so the noise and people are novel each time I encounter it. And my hotel is across the street from the Reading Terminal Market. Talk about a new experience! It’s like a Texas farmer’s market on steroids. I ate my lunch at a counter. At a counter! *squee* And sat next to a rather talkative fella from Philly, who when he found out I was attending a conference responded with, “Yeah, most of yous ah.” (ah = are, in case you need the translation)

The conference is over tomorrow. I’ve got tickets to go to a Phillies game tomorrow night, and plan on doing the hop-on-hop-off bus tour on Thursday. So for now, a few quick pictures of the area. If you’re interested, pop on over to the conference stream on Twemes.

The opening session stage:

Welcoming STC to Philly:

Funky esclator in the convention center (yes, those are oriental soup bowls and spoons):

My hotel is in a historic building:

The counter at which I ate on Monday for lunch:

Sunset over downtown Philly from my hotel room:

Windy bliss

Published

beccataylor

3 years, 1 month ago

in Friday felicitations, Musings and Travels

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My Friday Felicitations this week aren’t in list format, but rather in this thank-you note to an ordinary, lovely day in my life.

We’re in Rockport for the weekend to celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as a family. Right now Daddy, Nathan, and Jo are out on the pier fishing together. I love it. I love that we are a family, and I love that my birth family and my marriage family have merged so well.

I went to the pier with them for a while tonight, although my chosen sport was reading. I have this new book I’ve been eager to read: Holdfast by Kathleen Dean Moore, the keynote speaker from the SCN conference I attended in San Marcos. She’s a philosophy professor and a naturalist–a potent combination. And I have not been disappointed by the book.

And what better place to read a collection of essays about connecting with nature than sitting on the end of a pier in the Gulf of Mexico at sunset? It was fabulous.

I grew up in the desert of New Mexico, landlocked and dry, surrounded by mountains and mesas. For the last eight years I’ve lived near Houston, anchored by the pine forests that are occasionally interrupted by meadows and pastures. The Gulf Coast is a whole new experience. It’s flat. So flat I start to feel a little unanchored if I think on it too long. But as soon as I get to the beach, I revel in the wind, a constant bath of moist air. Having grown up in the desert (and possessing a deep fear of water for most of my life), I am always surprised at my immediate at-homeness when I’m near the ocean.

My element, somehow, is water. When I reach the end of the pier, I choose to face the water instead of the setting sun. It’s easy to believe myself insulated in solitude even though several fishermen are within a few feet of me. The water is slightly choppy, so all I hear is the rush of wind and lapping of small waves. Only the occasional whish of the line and clack of the reel remind me I’m among my fellow creatures.

I read Moore’s words, which remind me of my own current blissful existence on the pier:

“Life directs all its power to one end, and that is to continue to be. A marsh at nightfall is life loving itself. Nothing more. But nothing less, either, and we should not be fooled into thinking this is a small thing.” (from “The Testimony of the Marsh”)

My train of thought derails right there and my mind stills. Sitting here on the edge of this endless expanse, there is nothing better than just being in this moment.

It’s a topsy-turvy world

Published

beccataylor

3 years, 1 month ago

in Musings and Travels

. 1 Comment

I’m at the SCN Land Full of Stories conference in San Marcos. I had thought about refusing to come–and now I am SO glad I didn’t do that. It’s been another great conference so far. And the keynote by Oregon State University philosophy professor, Kathleen Dean Moore, was amazing. Life altering. And I was able to do some power schmoozing that resulted in at least three fantastic interviews lined up for my podcast. Woohoo!

Too bad my hotel ruined the happy bubble feeling of the conference. It’s really friggin’ hot here. Heat index of 100 degrees this afternoon, and I can’t imagine it’s much less even by now (10 pm). So I check in around 9:30 and am told I should be able to park by my room. NOT. And, of course, my room turns out to be at the ass-end of the hotel. The lighting by the rooms is so dim I have to circle twice to find the room, then a third time to get a parking space about six rooms down. I haul out all my stuff, which includes an iced tea (because, like I mentioned, it’s really friggin’ hot!), and shuffle down to my room. I juggle my bags, prop up my tea on the door jamb, and put my key in the door. The turns green, I push, and nothing happens. I try again. Crap. I put down my stuff, try again, with some weight behind it–still nothing. By now I’m slightly irked. *sarcasm dripping as much as my sweaty brow*

So I angrily shuffle back to my car, load everything up, and decide to walk to the office so I don’t lose my parking space. I make my way to the office to get my key checked. It is so muggy that by the time I get to the office, I feel like my boobs are boiling in their own juices. Yes, it’s that damned hot. The clerk smiles sweetly at me and asks how she can help me.

“I can’t get in my room.” *growl*

“Did the light turn green?”

“Yes,” I reply thinking I’m not an idiot, ya know.

“Oh!” She says, thumping the heel of her hand to her forehead (no joke), “you have to turn the handle UP.”

*blank stare*

Keep tabs on our travel, if you dare

Published

beccataylor

3 years, 1 month ago

in Musings and Travels

. 1 Comment

Or maybe I should say, if you care. We’ve set up a blog for our upcoming trip to Britain in October. I’ll be posting periodically about our planning. Then we’ll be posting regularly while we’re on our trip. What?! You thought we’d go on vacation without our digital camera and laptop!? *gasp* Silly you.

Jump on over to the Taylor Travelogue. Or click on the countdown you see on the right.

Going batty

Published

beccataylor

3 years, 2 months ago

in Musings and Travels

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I went to another major league ballpark tonight! There is just something about that moment I first go from the concourse to the field–that first glimpse always takes my breath away.

We stayed until the top of the 8th. It was 13-4, so we figured we wouldn’t miss much. By the time I got back to my hotel, it was 16-4. The only bummer was a confirmation that I am indeed going batty… In the bottom of the 6th, I swear I smelled bologna sandwiches… The beeping noise is solved. It’s the TV in my room, but apparently I’m the only one who can hear it. Kinda like the dog whistle my hubby bought for our puppy. Tex doesn’t bat an eye, but it sure gets my attention!

My visit to the Minnesota Twins and the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome was otherwise uneventful.