20th anniversary...
Jan 25th was my 20th anniversary at work. Would you believe that I spent nearly my entire adult life there? O_o I was informed that the partners want to give me a luncheon at the office on February 20th (meaning a bunch of us will be squeezed around a big table in the staff room with food and a cake. ;) ) I'd rather go to a restaurant, but whatever. And even better... for 20 years of service, I'll be receiving a very nice sum to spend any way I want. Too bad I can't just put it in the bank; I have to think about what I'd like to spend it on (other people have used theirs on big TVs, home repair, computers or travel).
It's really hard to decide. It should be used for something special. My computer is fine, otherwise I'd add more RAM. So's my TV. I'd love to go to Europe (esp. Italy, France, or Auschwitz -- yeah, I'm perverse enough to be interested to visiting the camps, but it probably wouldn't be a pleasure trip) Or Australia, except I've got family there who I hardly know, and no way am I spending a vacation 'visiting' when I could be exploring instead. Egypt would be fascinating, but I bet I'd starve to death. I don't do well with exotic foods.) The point is moot, anyway. I still don't have enough to go to these places.
I hear New York is fun -- my brother really enjoyed it. He went to a Broadway show "November" with Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf (Roseanne) and was even in the live audience for the Colbert Report -- a big thrill for him. You know, when he got back and we were in downtown Vancouver to see a movie, he looked around Granville Street and jokingly said, "You know, after New York, this is kind of... quaint."
I laughed and said, "Oh, so we're a bunch of hicks, are we? Are you now a man of the world?" Actually, he may be on his way. He appreciates culture and fine food, as well as artsy films.
The South is also interesting to me. New Orleans has dangerous areas, esp at Mardi Gras. But maybe the movies made it more alluring than it is in real life.
Decisions, decisions... :D