Travel

My brother is now officially in Hong Kong. Probably picking up Dom at the airport about now. His job remains amazing. Work long hours all year on your weekends, but then as a reward, get 2 months of down time to do whatever he would like. Last year was Africa, this year China and India. I would love to go on a holiday like that. Finances sadly don't allow it. He makes probably over double what I make. But the next year won't be barren in terms of travel. The three options on the table are as follows : World Cup in Germany, a visit to Heidi's castle in France, or a cruise through the glaciers of Alaska. But those aren't until next summer. This winter we will perhaps go on a skiing trip, or do another package to some place warm like we did to the Dominican Republic last March. No matter what, I get an itch to leave the country every six months or so. And with our happy tax money next year, we are going to travel like we're incredibly wealthy. Volleyball money won't hurt either. In fact, I think volleyball money will go towards skiing this winter.

This past weekend, I was supposed to hang out with my friend Courtney. She just arrived back from spending the summer traveling through Asia. Courtney and I lived together in Paris back in 2002 while we were modeling. I've only kept close relationships with two friends from that world. Marko and Courtney. (Although I'm still invited to many of the parties taking place constantly, I'm rude- I never go) I was told by miss Elana on Thursday night while we were out to see "The Constant Gardener" that she couldn't picture my personality fitting into the modeling industry. And it's true, I never completely fit in with that crowd. I was modeling full time in the summers and part time during the school year, heading straight from classes to Manhattan for castings or shoots. It had it's perks. You don't pay for a damn thing while out and about. You don't wait in lines at the trendiest clubs. And you sit with the club owners in the VIP sections with other models, or various celebrities. However that isn't the job. That's just the perks of this society. If you're a model or simply look and dress like one, you get a free ride in that world. What I miss about the job, besides the clothing, is the travel. Your agency calls you and says, "You're going to Ibiza today" or "You're going to Belgium today." And you pack a bag and are off. You work with new people everyday in a large variety of locations. I love reading poetry, but it does not have the perk of constant change, and I do not get to meet new people daily. However, I can also cut my hair when I want to, and plan weekends without them being destroyed by my agency calling on Friday telling me what I have to do. I think the theme is travel. I miss it. One good thing is that even if I'm no longer a model, the clubs and life are still open to me. Free food and drink in Manhattan is not something to thumb your nose at. Sadly for this weekend, Courtney was unable to hang out due to some mid afternoon fun she had on Friday. I hope I get to see her before she heads to Colorado. But the weekend turned out wonderful anyway. Plosk and I spent a great deal of time goofing off and enjoying each others company. Today, we're going to take a lovely long walk, since it's a beautiful september day. It has been a weekend we needed.


On a side note- this time a few years ago, I was standing on 6th Ave and West 11th watching the two towers burn to the ground. Dumb struck in a city under attack. Wandering downtown trying to find friends with a cell phone that didn't work. Today, I'm in my apartment, comfortable and happy. In any case, I'm doing better than the people who have lost their homes most recently. We all go through cycles of tragedy. New Orleans and the surrounding areas, some worse than the city, avoided the terrorist threats unlike NY, but nature can do more harm than human beings can. And a sad truth remains that Hurricanes and Tsunamis and bombs take place. It's the way you deal with the after shocks that matters.