It was often said to me that I catch planes in the same way as I would a bus. That is still true these days. I just do not get on buses any more, or trains or subways for that matter.
I really needed a break from work. Working from home has been good but it makes the days long. It is an international company so when I wake up there are always a lot of emails waiting for me from Asian and European time zones. I had been doing a lot of extra meetings early in the morning and late in the evening and I knew from my increasing irritability that I was heading for burnout.
The original plan was for us to rent a home with a pool. However, as June went on it became clear that the US was heading in a bad direction with increased cases in the south and west (our likely destinations). In fact, right now, the New York metropolitan area is probably one of the safest places in the country.
So I would still take the time off work but it would be a stay-at-home vacation.
I wanted to try a few new things and really stay away from work mentally as much as possible even though I was still in the same place I now usually work. I did know I would have to do a couple of calls because they were important and could not be moved.
To begin I varied my usual morning walk. We are lucky to live next to Central Park but to change things up a bit I headed in the opposite direction on Saturday morning. We actually live much closer to the East River than Central Park so I wandered there for the first time. It is not a very inviting place compared to the west side of Manhattan because of the highway (the FDR drive). However, I remembered that there was a bridge and I could go over to Randall's and Ward's Islands.
I have crossed over the islands many times. The main bridge from home to get to Queens (and usually LaGuardia or JFK airports) passes over. This was the first time on foot and it makes for a very interesting walk. I started walking along the park beside lots of soccer fields with views of the downriver and then walked under the arches of the rail bridge (the Hell Gate bridge).
I walked back past the large psychiatric hospital I have seen so many times from taxis on the way to the airport (I had always assumed it was abandoned but apparently not). It also gave good views of East Harlem across the water.
I really needed a break from work. Working from home has been good but it makes the days long. It is an international company so when I wake up there are always a lot of emails waiting for me from Asian and European time zones. I had been doing a lot of extra meetings early in the morning and late in the evening and I knew from my increasing irritability that I was heading for burnout.
The original plan was for us to rent a home with a pool. However, as June went on it became clear that the US was heading in a bad direction with increased cases in the south and west (our likely destinations). In fact, right now, the New York metropolitan area is probably one of the safest places in the country.
So I would still take the time off work but it would be a stay-at-home vacation.
I wanted to try a few new things and really stay away from work mentally as much as possible even though I was still in the same place I now usually work. I did know I would have to do a couple of calls because they were important and could not be moved.
To begin I varied my usual morning walk. We are lucky to live next to Central Park but to change things up a bit I headed in the opposite direction on Saturday morning. We actually live much closer to the East River than Central Park so I wandered there for the first time. It is not a very inviting place compared to the west side of Manhattan because of the highway (the FDR drive). However, I remembered that there was a bridge and I could go over to Randall's and Ward's Islands.
I have crossed over the islands many times. The main bridge from home to get to Queens (and usually LaGuardia or JFK airports) passes over. This was the first time on foot and it makes for a very interesting walk. I started walking along the park beside lots of soccer fields with views of the downriver and then walked under the arches of the rail bridge (the Hell Gate bridge).
I walked back past the large psychiatric hospital I have seen so many times from taxis on the way to the airport (I had always assumed it was abandoned but apparently not). It also gave good views of East Harlem across the water.
