It's Good to be Back ... Now -- onto Honolulu

It's been eight days since my return to Chicago. Last weekend I saw most of my family and several friends for the first time since October and, through a strange twist of self-determination, this Friday I'll be heading to Honolulu for the weekend.

First a Summary of Last Weekend
Last Friday I donned my trusty mullet and went out to celebrate a good friend's half-life at a bar in Old Town. The instructions for the gathering were to dress as a celebrity or rock star; I bent the rules a little and went as Joe Dirt. Not only did I enjoy the night a little more thanks to my mullet, from the comments and looks I observed from onlookers, I think many others at the bar went home with good memories of their own.

On Saturday night, Chico Blanco and I went out with a friend to a Pueblito Viejo, a Columbian restaurant. Arepas, salsa, merengue and good company were enjoyed by all. On Sunday, I had breakfast with a friend, went to church, and visited a friend's house where I saw the Chicago Bears pull off yet another victory, this time against the Green Bay Packers.

And Now for This Weekend
It's complicated and somewhat embarassing, but in the last week I was looking for a reasonably priced way to fly about 8,000 miles before the end of the year. The most reasonable solution I found was a trip to Honolulu, HI for only $540. So, Waikiki Beach, here I come!

As far as I can recall, this will be the first time that I leave town on my own for purely pleasure without a companion, and without going to visit someone. Of course, I end up travelling alone a lot while I'm working, but that is not purely pleasure.

And So
And so, I'll visit Hawaii for the first time. And then, maybe then, I'll come back and settle into the Palacio for a few weeks in a row. But this cold weather already has me thinking about how I might escape once or twice more to warmer air. But for now, all I can think about is lying on Waikiki with a mai tai in one hand and a good book in the other...