Sabbatical update

Ok, the sabbatical is going pretty easy, probably too easy. I have been spending my time relaxing, getting in shape, and doing some reading (slogging through Cryptonomicon and some short story collections).

I've travelled a bit, returning to Sydney, Australia for two weeks in January, followed up by one week trips to Chicago in February and May as well as to Austria in February. Managed a four day weekend in San Francisco at the end of March as well.

I'm now planning on travelling the West Coast of the US for the month of June, ending up in Chicago at the end of the month.

July is reserved for a class in Mandarin Chinese I've signed up for at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

So far, August is unplanned though my girlfriend and I are considering another trip to Sydney.

Gone driveabout (1)

This past weekend, my girlfriend & I flew out to Phoenix and spent the weekend in Sedona, Arizona. Managed to catch some hiking around the red rock country and a drive up Snebly Hill Road (a formerly paved road now "returning to nature"...don't try it without 4WD).

I am next flying up to Las Vegas for a couple days of money losing followed by a trip to San Francisco.

After spending a couple days in SFO, I plan to drive up to Seattle, meandering my way along over the course of several days.