June 11, 2008

confliiiiiiicted

ok first of all, while i'd love to bathe in the accolades of having set up a blood drive all by myself (note to self: "bathe" and "blood" in the same sentence CANNOT WORK, no matter how you try to arrange it) i have to admit that there was very little actual effort involved. the blood centers are essentially DYING for people to set up blood drives, so really all i did was call them, picked a date, and then did a little bit of organization on my end to ensure people actually showed up. it, uh, sounds more impressive than it was. honestly.

so after my grand announcement that i was Considering Attending Blogher, i mentioned my theoretical travel plans to my parents during our weekly call. which was when my mom chimed in that she had ALSO been considering san francisco as a destination for this year's Family Vacation, over labor day, to coincide with slow food's first slow food nation event.

labor day weekend = august 30. blogher = july 18. that would be 2 transcontinental flights within a month and a half of each other, which does not seem like the smartest idea. i'm also wondering when my mom was planning to inform me of this family vacation that's supposedly happening in less than 2 months, requires a plane ticket, and falls on a weekend for which people tend to make plans far in advance...??

so now i have no idea what to do. it doesn't really seem like i can bail on Family Vacation, but it's still tentative at the moment and also blows my theoretical labor day plans. and slow food events tend to be pretty awesome (and tasty). but i was pretty excited about heading out to CA next month to visit my friends. GAH. i have to make a decision pretty soon, because apparently blogher tickets are nearly sold out. do not like. i like when things are easy! and fall into place with little to no effort on my part! boo!

18 comments:

  1. What you'll need to do is have a layover in Denver. That way you'll get to see at least one friend... ME!!

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  2. I have o negative and they love me, but I fainted for the first time of my life in February after giving...it was a bad morning...and have taken a break. I will give again at the end of summer. I wish the snacks were better.

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  3. Laughing at gr's comment - Because earlier this week I also posted my comment at the post after the one I intended. :)

    Never having had a family vacation as an adult, anyway, I would totally go with BlogHer.

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  4. I'm a little mad at your family for not telling you earlier and then only informing you because it came up in conversation. I would say don't worry about bailing on the vacation they didn't tell you about. Friends + BlogHer sounds like fun to me... Also TWO TRIPS TO CALI. YAY.

    Sorry, I'm no use.

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  5. Seems like a headache to go to both, but if you can afford it, it's probably the best thing to do! Will your fam be pissed if you don't attend their vacation?

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  6. Ugh - I would love to go to both events! Slow Food Nation!!1 Blogher!!! And SAN FRANCISCO. Awesome.

    There isn't any way to swing both plane fares? I know it would be hella expensive, but so worth it.

    I just looked up the prices for Blogher. Between registration and the hotel I don't have a chance. Bummer. It would be REALLY hard to swing that and the trip with the family.

    Maybe your folks would agree to cover your hotel, or split your plane ticket, or even cover your plane ticket for the Slow Food trip? Since you've already been planning a trip out that way? Would they go for that?

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  7. "Bathe" and "blood" in the same sentence CANNOT WORK, no matter how you try to arrange it.

    Vlad the Impaler could make it work.

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  8. Here's the thing. By choosing the family vaca over Blogher or, at a minimum, not telling your mom how utterly disappointed you are that the family vaca is going to disrupt your plans, you are enabling your family to do what they do. So, I'm not telling you what choice is right (because none of us truly know), but I am saying if you don't want this to happen in the future, you need to do something about it now. And choosing Blogher over your family vaca is one way to send a strong message. :-)

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  9. Urg. Family drama. I'd tell them you already made your Blogher plans since no one (HINT HINT) gave you any idea about a family vacation, and then say you don't have the money to do the family vacation. See what happens.

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  10. If it's possible to do both, I say go for it! You only live once...

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  11. ugh! but i'm with cheryl, if it is possible to do both i say go for it. i mean what do you have to lose?

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  13. I'm with Shauna. Tell them about your plans and your dilemma and see what happens.

    Oh, and YOU WON!! YOU WON!! I'll email you later.

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  14. I love that everyone is advising you to bail on your family vacation. LOL! I think I would wait and go with my family, if I had an awesome family that took family vacations.

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  15. I did not expect people to be on "my" side when I came in here to comment. LOL. I don't have a real family so I would bail and go to BlogHer but you do have a real family (I'm assuming) so it's your call.

    I wouldn't want you to come to BlogHer and then be all miserable because you were stressing over the family issues the whole time anyway, you know?

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  16. If you're like me and really hate frequent traveling, bail on the blogher. But if you're like most other people, it seems, a little extra travel is sometimes viewed as FUN. Plus it gives fodder to blog about.

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  17. You still deserve props for calling the blood bank, don't sell yourself short.

    As for which time to go...can you get the time off work? I realize they are on weekends, but if the only flight you can catch means taking 1/2 day off at either end of the weekend, which is easier to do it for?

    I would mention to the family that you had other plans and changing them at short notice is inconvenient. Families are good at assuming that everyone is okay with the plans that are made without consulting everyone. Let them know that you do have a life outside the family and courtesy requires that you be consulted if they want you there.

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