Regular rhythms carried on this week. The raw goods of life flowed uninhibited.
Emily and I were planning a getaway to Nashville this weekend. Childcare fell through. We responded with a pivot towards family. We all traveled to the Gaylord Opryland Marriott. We got a good deal. Even though it is a resort that collects resort fees.
Don’t ask me how resort fees work. I’ve heard it’s a charge that enables the resort to bring together all the vendors and amenities. It takes a lot of money to create an environment where staying on site is possible and even preferable. I had to pay all the vendors who are co-located within this resort that collects fees. These fees are a convenience charge. A convenience store doesn’t apply a convenience fee for regular business. But a resort and resort fees? Why not try it.
It’s fun to rant. The resort fees are fine. It remained a good deal. Me ranting about nondescript fees aren’t what brought us to Nashville. The indoor water park attached to the resort was the draw.
I’m 40 years old. I’ve been to two water parks in all those years. Neither of them were indoors. The indoors enabled winter time water slides. I now contend for water slides in all seasons.
The entire family had a blast. The lazy river received the majority of our attention. The slides came in at a distant second. I ascended 43 flights of stairs to descend the slides in pace with the children. And I never got winded, which is a practical fitness indicator I’ve monitored.
Resort food was surprisingly good. A fact that helps me swallow the cost.
I never thought I’d be a resort person. I cannot argue with the practicality during this phase of life with small children. Driving to one destination and being done with the car for the weekend is worth something. The space to lounge and talk and walk to everything we need in a three day window is not a sustainable reality. Not in the city where we live, at least. The memories I made with my kids this weekend were worth every penny and the suspension of reality. Real world travel with kids will come in it’s time.
Season four of True Detective hooked me this week. The first two episodes feel on par with the quality of season one. I’ve never made a point to watch seasons two or three based on the commentary of friends.
Codependent No More is my second book read in 2024. It is referenced enough to motivate a read through of my own. I found an old edition at Half-Priced Books for $5. It was helpful.
This week marks one month of zero alcohol consumption. I’m sleeping better. I’m more alert when awake.
Adjacent to the elimination of alcohol is a recognition that I need to increase my water intake. My friend told me “your insides are like a dirty fish tank if you don’t drink enough water.” That’s an image that has compelled me to drink sufficiently.
My first climb of the year was brief. Thirty minutes at the bouldering gym. I flashed a few yellow routes that were set since I’d last been. I was in and out in less than an hour.
Published: 2024-01-28