I have failed to write about S.’ recent successes at finding employment, because 1. I have failed at writing about anything, and 2. I am afraid to jinx it, because it is just too awesome.

At his particular educational institution, they have a pretty neat system with internships during the summer that are pretty much guaranteed job offers upon graduation. Internships this year have been difficult to acquire, with only 10% of his class entertaining offers a week ago (the economic climate is particularly effecting his industry), but S. has actually done quite well, with three offers on his plate at this moment. Two are quite prestigious firms, offering amazing potential for growth outside of his current specialization, and the third is more industry-centric, offering him growth upon his current trajectory. He is leaning toward one of the first two, and both are flying him out to location to woo him. Both this weekend and next, he flies out, stays in lavish hotels, gets pampered in every way possible, and these companies try hook him. It’s a pretty sweet deal. A lot of pressure for him, but sweet nonetheless.

My favorite thing about all these offers (because really, this blog is all about me :p), is that they all are in fantastic locations. The two larger firms are both in the same Southeastern city in which I attended graduate school, one with an option to live in a city even further South, and the industry gig is in Arizona. I would be thrilled to live in any of the above places. No winter to whine about – yipee!

Okay, that’s it, I just wanted a quick second to brag about how wonderful my man is, and how excited I am about future living locations :]
 

So, this vacation was pretty much amazing. The only thing that would have made it better (and it would have made it 8000 times better) would be if S. had been able to join me. I managed to catch an earlier connecting flight in, which was nice – I got to my hotel around 3, only a little buzzed from drinking a cocktail on my business class flight. My room wasn’t clean yet, so I was asked to take a seat and they’d call me when it was ready. After about 25 minutes of waiting, the woman at the counter looked at me and said “oh no! You’re still waiting!” Apparently she had forgotten all about me. I wasn’t too peeved, because there was another family waiting for the whole time I had been waiting as well. I knew they were completely sold out for the night, and these things can take a while. They however were not pleased that they had left me waiting, so they upgraded me from my king suite with a water view on the 11th floor (which was also an accessible room), to a “more comfortable” 2 bedroom suite on the top floor with a partial water view, partial city view. It was AMAZING. Not only did I have a gorgeous kitchen, living/dining room with a 42” plasma TV, but also a huge bedroom with a king bed, a second bedroom with two queens, but my favorite part of all – a balcony in full sun! Most balconies have people above them, so you only get sun part of the day, but this South facing room was not blocked by any overhead balconies, or tall buildings, because it was top floor. Looking at the fire escape floor plan, there was only one room that was the same size on the floor. They upgraded me to the best room in the hotel! For someone who loves hotels, this is a pretty nice thing to do. As I sat on my balcony, I could see the pool below in the shade, and I was so very pleased that I had full sun. Whoo hoo. Having a hot shot boyfriend who is a platinum hotel member gets you some nice upgrades :] Thanks S.!

The first afternoon I spent sunning myself, swimming in the pool, eating delightful asian food, and ended the day with a stroll down the beach. The next morning I woke up for a repeat, reveling in the greatness of my hotel until 11:58 (there was a 12 o’clock check-out). I spent the rest of the day lounging on the beach (I have the sunburn to prove it), walking through the trendy district of downtown, browsing the fancy menswear stores for ties for S. (why is it so hard to find fashionable thin ties?), and enjoying massive amounts of carbs and a glass of wine at the Cheesecake Factory. S. would be appalled that I ate at chain restaurants, but in a strip of $25 plates, Cheesecake is a nice affordable option.

I spent the late evening in my hotel, watching a documentary on Miami’s drug trafficking history with cool interviews by guys who either spent tons of time in lock-up, or who are still there now. Fascinating. I love tough guys. I would much rather work with the rough-and-tough crowd than the nauseating rich housewives whose internal problems revolve around how to best redecorate, the hardened criminals are just so fascinating (and infuriating), I love a challenge!

I am now feeling totally sunburnt (my poor chest is a deeper red than I thought possible for person’s skin to turn), and I am stupidly happy and recharged! I think I can deal with whatever Puxatone Phil throws at us for the next few weeks :]

Today I having been delightfully optimistic about everything. My taxi was early (and I was ready!), a train pulled into the station just as I was rushing down the stairs, and the nice conductor lady re-opened the doors for me, and everything is just lining up right. I realize most of my elation is my viewpoint (usually I would be groaning that the guy three seats behind me just puked everywhere, but right now I’m happy I was in the lavatory when it happened, my stuff is clear from the splash-zone, and I can’t see it, because it’s back in coach. Whooooo!), but I’m going to grab all the good stuff that I can from this week and bottle it up, so I can survive the few weeks left of winter.

Overall, I live a pretty charmed and spoiled life. This past weekend S. and I went on a Valentines Weekend getaway to New York City where we trekked up the Empire State Building (which after a trip in 8th grade I still refer to it as the Eiffel Tower), saw Bodies: The Exhibition, wandered around midtown, walked through Central Park, and were sufficiently cultured as we explored MOMA. We stayed about an hour outside the city Friday, and Saturday evening, S. used his points to get us a swanky place halfway between Times and the Park. Lovely!

I really love hotels. I never went on family trips where we’d get a hotel – we would typically do the drive-12-hours-overnight-and-stay-with-family trips. Those were our “vacations.” My dad traveled a lot for work, so he came to despise hotels, rather than seeing them as a place to relax. Other than school trips, and my solo excursions outside of the country, I had never been in a hotel before applying to grad schools. That was the start of it – I traveled to interviews and wandered around the respective cities (I was only 20, not yet old enough to rent a car…). Then when I picked a school, my friends and I roadtripped down, not really knowing how to pick a good place to stay. Looking back at it now, I laugh thinking that we just looked for road signs on the highway indicating lodging, then called when we were in the parking lot, asking about rates. Since dating S., who is a hotel guru, I am now a Priceline expert. I know all the tips and tricks to get the swankiest places for the best prices. That hotel outside of the city we scored for 50 bucks. And it was a 3 ½ star fancy thing. Sweet. S. thinks my love for such things is adorable, which is pretty nice. I don’t know what I’d do if he thought I was nuts for bursting into the room, immediately curling up on the bed with the fun book that tells you about the amenities, then doing a mad rush around the room and bathroom admiring the toiletries and the coffee maker. Such luxury!

So, fast-forward to today. Since I’m following a public school schedule, I have a full week off in both February (now!), and in April. Unfortunately, these breaks don’t line up at all with traditional university schedules. S. and I had a three-day weekend together, but now I have all this time, and he is super busy. I had been contemplating taking a trip somewhere with sunshine and beaches, because I really, really, really hate winter. I looked at my miles, examined possible destinations and flights, but when S. and I decided to go to NYC, I kind of threw the idea out the window. I had already spent too much, and I couldn’t put up for another hotel for a few days, even if it did restore my sanity.

However, I have the best boyfriend in the ENTIRE world. He used some of his points and is putting me up in a nice waterview room in Fort Lauderdale for tonight, only a few blocks from the beach, and I am currently cashing in all my miles, as well as a class upgrade that expires today, and am writing this while sitting in first class on my way to sunshine! I’m only going to be there for a day and a half (I get in around 5 tonight and fly out early Friday am), but I am SO excited to get into my hotel, slip into a bikini, jump in the pool, splash around for a while, get all dressed for dinner, go to P.F. Changs on the water, walk along the beach at night, then spend all day tomorrow by the pool and in the sand. Delightful!

I’ll try to remember to update on my flight back, but I don’t know. I may be too happy to think about things like computers and technology…. :p