Immeasurably More

My business travel wardrobe can be described as Black. Grey skirt, black skirt, black slacks, black heels, black flats, black jacket.  The accompanying cardigans and t-shirts are in a variety of colors (including but not limited to black and white). My China ready wardrobe can be described as Blue. Blue jeans.  Blue T-shirts.  Blue sweaters.  Blue socks.  What isn't blue is white or black. Since nothing's changed but the color, why has my vacation packing taken three times as long as the business packing ever does?

The subject line of the email read: This is a weird hypothetical question. HYPOTHETICALLY, if the family took a 12 day China River cruise this November over Thanksgiving, would that be something a person might be interested in?  The person (who is of the female persuasion) would have to share a cabin with one of their male cousins.  (twin beds, obviously) Any thoughts? I imagined each of my three cousins as a cabin-mate.  I frowned at my account balances.  I thought about my plans to visit friends in New York that I haven't seen in years.  I wondered how much I would hate working Christmas week almost entirely alone in the office while everyone else was on vacation.  I almost decided not to go. And then I remembered the family Thanksgivings we used to have - trying to fit everyone into my grandparent's house which was decorated with Chinese silk paintings and knick-knacks.  Friday always included a movie and Chinese meal.  Sometimes Grandp...