Tag: mentalhealthbreak

Day 1 of Mental health/networking break: Travel from OK to MA

22
Oct
2018

So yesterday marked the first day of my mental health/networking break in the Boston area. The day was spent traveling—I got up at the early, early hour of basically 3:30am and got to the airport by 4:15 and was through security and sitting at the terminal by 4:40—a full forty minutes before boarding was going to start. Both flights ended up being full, so I checked my duffle bag (with the hopes that it would make it to Boston on time—and it did).

Today was the first time that I’ve flown into Atlanta, Georgia (nice airport for the little that I saw of it—luckily I didn’t have to go to far for the connection to Boston).

                 Souvenirs from Atlanta

I did buy two little souvenirs—a magnet for the fridge, and then a quirky little shot glass. I was very lucky with both flights, that I didn’t have a center seat; I had a window seat from Tulsa to Atlanta, and then an isle seat from Atlanta to Boston. Also with the trip from Atlanta to Boston, I can now say that I’ve flown over most of the upper east coast to get to Boston. The most trying time was waiting to get off the planes (both seats were in the back of the plane), especially in Boston. I think that from the time the plane landed to when I grabbed something to eat it was an hour (that’s how long it took to get off the plane, get to baggage claim, get on the bus to the T stop, get my ticket, get into Boston, and then find something to eat). So I’m currently not that hungry as I’m sitting in my hotel room writing this.

So once I got to North Station to connect to the commuter rail to get out to Salem I noticed that my cell phone had basically died—which meant that I didn’t have my map to pull up to find my way to the hotel (needless to say I did walk probably a quarter of a mile in the wrong direction before asking for directions). Steps are better than yesterday—but still below my average goal (but that is just the way it’s going to be for the current weekend).

So—finally made it to the hotel, and it is a very nice one at that (though missing a few things—namely a microwave in the room (I can do with taking showers since there are no tubs). Since I was late on booking my rooms for this trip, I was very lucky that I was able to find a room for two nights, and decided that I would stay in “The Hotel Salem”. This is a very nice posh hotel basically right in the middle of anything one wants to do in Salem (in terms of sightseeing). There is even a restaurant connect to the hotel, which makes it very easy to go and order an sandwich and take it back to the room (only to find out that the door lock batteries died and you now get to use an actual key to get into your room). Their sandwiches are superb—I ordered the roasted turkey and it was more than enough as it also came with an order of fries. I now have half a sandwich to eat later this week at some point (luckily the room does have a refrigerator so that is where the sandwich is [and hopefully if I don’t eat it tomorrow—I won’t forget it when I check out on Tuesday]).

             Looking down from the loft

Tomorrow’s plans are just sightseeing around Salem, relaxing, and all the other fun stuff one does on a mental health break.

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Start of Mini Vacation and Networking Trip

20
Oct
2018

Well it’s the start to my mini mental health break & networking week out in the Boston area. While it’s been a rough couple of months (due to issues at work), it has been a very hellish two weeks (post coming later) and this is a much-needed break.

One of the problems about trying to fly long distance from Oklahoma is that you either need to stay at the airport the night before (because really—who wants to try to drive to the airport at one or two in the morning???) or arrive at your destination extremely late. Therefore I’m spending the night at the Clarion Inn at Tulsa International Airport so that I can make my early morning flight. This will be the first time that I fly into Atlanta, so I’m thinking of possibly getting a small souvenir at the airport (I’ll have a little over 2 hour layover—plenty of time to find something [plus coffee & food]), since who knows when I’ll be passing through the state of Georgia again (also the first time to fly Delta).

Then tomorrow I’ll be back in the Boston area, in October—therefore that means some time spent up in Salem (because one cannot be in the state without trying to make it to Salem in October). This is part of my mental health break—having a hotel room for two nights, and then spending basically a day touring around the city (or a small area on foot), and trying out one or two new restaurants while I’m there.

Then Tuesday will be back into to Boston, and heading to the hotel and maybe meeting up a friend for dinner. Then spending some time looking into the companies that are going to be at the networking event the next day. Wednesday will be spent at a seminar in the morning, then probably around the Harvard/Kendal Square areas for the afternoon to be local for the networking event.

Thursday will be another mental health break—probably doing the Freedom Trail, maybe going to the aquarium, or a tour of the harbor again (basically being outside and playing with my camera).

Friday will be hopefully going to a science symposium (and being able to check my luggage, since I’ll be switching hotels), and then after it is over—going back to the North End to grab something to eat for dinner, and then catching a cab to the hotel near the airport.

Saturday will be another long day—early morning flight (refer back to the top for why it is a pain to travel to or from Oklahoma) to be home by the early afternoon.

Then depending on how this goes, I’ll probably try to make it to a national conference in the spring, along with maybe networking events in large cities that are a little closer to travel too.

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