Tag Archives: vacation

No Permanent Vacation

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Permanent Vacation - JerusalemAerosmith has a song and album called Permanent Vacation. I never heard the song but liked a couple songs off the album, particularly Angel. However, it’s the title of the album, Permanent Vacation, which intrigues me.

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In August, my family and I took a nearly two-week vacation to Israel. The trip was part of the celebration of BR’s Bar Mitzvah. As you can imagine, such a trip took a good deal of planning. Thanks Mrs. MMK – yes she did the mass majority of the planning.

Anyway, as excited as I was for the trip, I had a nagging feeling that it was too short. After all, while Israel is a small country, there were many things to see. How could we hope to see all of the country, or even a lot of it, in such a short time?

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A Family Trip to the Ocean City Historical Museum

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Scavenger Hunt at the Ocean City, NJ Historical Museum“Who founded Gillian’s fundeck? Who founded Gillian’s fundeck?” My children wanted to know. They were on the last question of a scavenger hunt at the Ocean City Historical Museum.

My family and I first vacationed in Ocean City, NJ in the early 80’s. An August vacation in Ocean City quickly became a family tradition, as we’ve been visiting the beach town nearly every year since. Over the years, the tradition has included renting surreys, playing miniature golf, and renting bikes.

However, at this point my desires for my Ocean City vacation are simple: Go to the beach, and take my children to the rides on the boardwalk. I have little desire to do anything else. Ms. MMK, on the other hand, likes to try different things. She’s the type to read travel books, view local websites, and consult local publications.  This year her research brought us to the Ocean City Historical Museum.

Thirty years of coming to Ocean City and I didn’t even know the town had a Historical Museum. Anyway, my expectations for the Ocean City Historical Museum were minimal. I figured we’d kill a half an hour and Ms. MMK would feel like we got some culture. Continue reading →

Family Vacation Time: Put Down The Damn Smart Phone!

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Smartphone

Smartphone

I was a late adapter to smartphones. I saw people constantly on their smartphone and wondered, “What are they doing?” I saw a woman on the bus who feel asleep holding her smartphone on her lap as if it were a child. She might as well have caressed it and said, “how sweet.”

Yet adapt I did. I got a smartphone after tiring of hearing my students teasing me about the stone age. Besides, I wanted another option for those long tedious bus rides.

However, I promised myself I would not use be one of those people who is constantly checking his smartphone. Communication and information does not have to be instant. In other words, the smartphone would not be my third child. The children I have keep me plenty busy.

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Our recent family vacation to Disney World was the most significant trip we ever took. Each of us was excited to go. While flipping thought the radio stations on the way to LaGuardia airport, we heard the song by American Authors. The chorus came on:

Oo-o-o-o-o-o This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)life My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife Oo-o-o-o-o-oooooo This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)life My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife

At that point, SJ said, “It’s true. Actually, it’s going to be the best week.” Yes, we were excited and the bar was set high.

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