Monday, February 8, 2010

Letter from my Mexican vacation

Hi everybody! I'm still in Mexico. Until Wednesday! But as a blogger, I know all the world is eager to know my every move and experience.

Crabbins airport reunion
My mom and two sisters came down on a flight from Chicago, and I came down from Minneapolis. So, I’m waiting outside the Cancun airport and they come out. I’m like, Hi! Yay! And they’re all like, grrrr. The Crane women can be a bit moody, so I was thinking, uh-oh, regarding the trip in general, but they cheered up soon enough. A case of long line and travel delay trauma.

It is so gorgeous here.
What a relief to be here. The air smells alive, and not like the inside of a freezer. And the sand on the beach is really soft and cool on the bottom of your feet, and water is blue and almost crystally when you swim in it. The cold and snow of Minneapolis feels like a bad dream I don’t want to think about. I am also totally relaxed, to the point where I’m shocked at how not relaxed I am in my real life. Basically, I am vegetating on the beach and pool, so I have nothing to say about the actual country of Mexico whatsoever.

The mesmerizing fountain
There is this fountain in the pool, like shooting water coming up from spouts in a circle. The fountain does this random thing where random droplets go oddly high, and you never know which area the high droplets will pop up from. I watched it for a really long time; it was SO strangely mesmerizing, I could barely tear my attention away from it. It reminded me of a StarTrek episode (Next Gen) where the whole crew is mesmerized by these video game headsets. It was one of the few episodes where Weseley wasn’t annoying.

Totally unproductive
I thought I’d think of some blog guest post ideas, since I do have an upcoming release and all, and plan to go bloghopping and all that. And I brought a hotel pen and hotel notepad out to the pool and all I could do was to wonder why some people use black ink, and others prefer blue. And how much I like little hotel notepads. Clearly not the frame of mind to work in. That’s probably a good thing, since all I do at home is work. Still, I find blogging recreational, so you’d think I’d be up for that. Too lazy minded to blog, yet, I am making this post. This reminds me of another Star Trek episode. Old Star Trek. Can anyone guess what episode I mean? Ooh, whoever gets it first wins a copy of Mind Games once I get my finished copies. Vacation Carolyn is making a contest!

Reading material
So I brought Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn, Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler, Spellbent by Lucy Snyder, The Devil Inside by Jenna Black, and Night Tides by Alex Prentiss.

So, I’m reading Tempest and Spellbent concurrently, and I had this dim idea on the beach this morning for a post comparing the levels of realism in Spellbent and Tempest, and what those levels mean in terms of what each of these authors can and can’t get away with. Or like, what pact it sets up with the reader. It would be a really cool post. Or would it? My whole mind is sort of on vacation, and I think my judgement might be off. At any rate, that sucker won’t be written anytime soon.

Sharon's scrunchie
This photo above shows my sister on the beach with her scrunchy, the source of some merciless teasing from my other sister.

What is happening in blogland?
I feel like I’m missing all sorts of stuff in blogland, and Jessica's stepback isn’t there. Jessica! People depend on your newsgathering acumen! I will be on the beach clueless now. What’s new, people? Ah, according to a latebreaking email from my homegirl Chris, still the Macmillan Amazon thing. Okay, okay. That's something I don't want to think about.

20 comments:

Chris said...

So jealous. *looks out the window in Minneapolis and watches the snow fall*

Hmm... Maybe the "Shore Leave" episode?

Lori said...

Sounds like you're having a great time!! Only 11 days till I leave for Mexico!

December said...

I just got back from Mexico on Saturday the 6th. boo hiss.
I need to figure out how to make it Big with my writing, so i can live on the beach.

Hilcia said...

I'm using my imagination here, CJ. I'm attempting to relax by staring at the blue sky and the ocean on those pictures... I'm trying not to think of the upcoming snow storm.

So glad to hear you're having a wonderful time. :)

Renee said...

Oh, no clue about the Star Trek episode. I'd have had more chance if it was TNG. :-P

Love the vacation update! I LOVED Tempest Rising. Nicole Peeler's voice is really fun reading. I still have Silent on the Moor on my TBR. Must get to it!

We had a So Cal Bloggers get together, with 19 of us! Lisabea was in town. Yard House, ubs, then bookswap. Much fun was had by all. (Already thinking about seeing you @ RT 2011!)

Have fun in the sun! Have a piƱa colada for me!

Stacy~ said...

Oh man! You look like you're having a wonderfully relaxing time. Stuck in Chicago waiting for the big snowstorm to hit...

We need to have a midwest blogger event! Are you coming this way in April per chance????

orannia said...

Sounds like you are very relaxed (which is good for a holiday :) I hope you, your mother and your sisters have a wonderful time!

As for the Star Trek episode...I saw it is any of the episodes in which they spent the entire time in the holodeck...on the ship perhaps?

I can't wait to hear what you think of Silent on the Moor!

Donna said...

Love the braids and hat! Cancun is a beautiful and fun place, I wish I was there too.

Darn! Now, I wish that I was more of a Trekkie. :(

Enjoy your time in the sun. :)

KT Grant said...

Lovely beach...

Carolyn Crane said...

Hey everyone! Hey, thanks for stopping by. Oh, so sorry about all the storms up there! I just got an email for a snow emergency in Minneapolis now. Hmmm, maybe my plane won't be able to fly back. EVER!!!!
Hope all of you are doing well.

Chris said...

Hmph.

Carolyn Crane said...

Chris: LOL. I saw that just now and I was like, uh. You encouraged me to sign up for it and I never thought of this use.

Lori: You are going to have the best time.

December: Do you miss it already? I will the minute my plane takes off!

Hil: Snow alert! Oh, I hope it's not too awful.

Renee:Tempest is so riveting right now.

Stacy: We have to make something like that happen.

Orianna: The old Star Trek!

Donna: It is just gorgeous. We're actually in Tulum, nearby

KB: It is!

Chris said...

I had never considered the use for taunting, either. ;)

Anonymous said...

It's true! We do want to know your every thought and move. But then, we're pathetic.

I did not do a Stepback last week, because I had an Epic Flounce, about which you may have heard. But I was back in semi-action this week, although nothing newsy to report as I nuked by feed reader and de-twittified my life.

I will likely be adding those back now that things -- or at least I -- have calmed down.

So glad you are enjoying yourself, you greedy first world tourista.

Leslie said...

So relieved to hear you’re okay. Thought maybe you’d been kidnapped and sold into service in some Mexican bordello. Good to hear you’re just being lazy on the beach. :D

Joanna Chambers said...

Sounds blissful *sigh*

Ladytink_534 said...

Sounds like fun! Hope you're return trip is easy.

Holly said...

My mom and I took a trip to Cancun several years ago and I feel in love with it. We stayed at a resort off the main strip and it was lovely. Quiet, serene and gorgeous. I don't think we moved from our beach chairs the first 48 hours we were there.

Best vacation ever.

(Obviously I'm a little behind in my blog hopping...LOL)

Sheila (Bookjourney) said...

I have been having fun reading your blog.... love the Mexico pictures!

I see you are in Minneapolis and I am a blogger in Brainerd Minnesota.

Akumal Mexico said...

I'm so glad you've had a wonderful time in Mexico, there really is no place like it :)
-Micah