From time to time, you run in to those days that you really want to go to work.  Sometimes it's because of some great new project you are looking forward to working on or because of some recognition you are about to receive.  Not me.  Nope.  I'm looking forward to it because I am only going in for part of the day.

How terrible does that sound?  I want to go to work only because I'm there for a half day.

Why, you may ask?

Because I am heading out to Florida tonight with my parents. 

My grandmother's 80th birthday is this coming weekend and I've been looking forward to celebrating it with her.  My parents will be there as will my brother and his girlfriend and my aunt and uncle.

The only problem is that Katie can't be there and I'm going to miss her terribly.  There are a couple reasons that Katie can't go.  1) She doesn't quite have the required vacation days to go, and, 2) her cousin is getting married this weekend and one of us needs to be there.

I really wish she could go and, even though I know there's nothing that can be done, I just keep looking for ways to make it happen. Or, in the immortal words of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, "Make it so."

I'm sure it will still be fun going despite her not being there, but I'm just afraid that I'm going to feel guilty if I have fun.  Weird how that works out.  Either you don't have fun and you look like a frump or you have fun and then feel guilty about it.  Sick, sad Catch-22.

Now I just have to hope that some new hurricane doesn't develop while we're there.  You gotta admit, it seems as though Florida has been pretty lucky this hurricane season, eh?  Usually you always hear about that state getting hammered.  This year, it's been every state except Florida.  Yeah, there's been some damage done, but nothing like what happened in Louisiana and Mississippi by Katrina or what's about to occur in Texas courtesy of Rita.

I hope you pull through, Lone Star Staters.  Stay strong.