Thursday, May 20, 2010

Traveling

I was traveling in the eastern U.S. last week, and seem still to be jet-lagged now that I’m back in California. I hope I’ve posted this when it’s supposed to be, but my mind is still arguing with itself about what day it is.

I returned home on Monday. I know this. But I nevertheless thought it was Monday again when I headed for the library on Tuesday at a time it’s always closed on Tuesdays. Or maybe my mind thought it was Wednesday already. I didn’t ask. But I also didn’t get into the library then. I managed to do that yesterday--right in the middle of a huge traffic jam that affected my ability to get home quickly. It was caused by an incident on a nearby freeway in which a school bus caught fire. Very fortunately, the only injuries were to the traffic flow both on the freeway and on lots of nearby surface streets.

Okay, I know I’m griping, but I’m still trying to settle back down to my usual schedule. That has some snags. Last night, I was on a panel at a local library about writing paranormal stories. I also had to go pick up my husband at the airport, and instead of coming in at 9:30 at Burbank, his flight was delayed and I had to go pick him up at 11:00 at LAX (Los Angeles International).

Oh, and one other factor. I’m probably going to have to travel again soon. This trip was devoted to family... and no sooner did I get home than I learned that my father, a frail but upbeat senior citizen, fell and broke some ribs. He’s improving and has others to keep things under control, at least for now. But depending on how things go, I may be traveling, and jet-lagged, yet again in the near future. It’ll be worth it, though, to assure myself that he’s healing well.

For now, I’m back with my dogs, and I’m writing again and not just editing, as I did while on the road. I’m enjoying it, and the California weather, and... Hey. Maybe I’m recovering now after all!

How about you--do you get over jet lag quickly when you’re traveling?

11 comments:

Betty Hechtman said...

I seem to adjust to whatever time zone I end up in pretty quickly.

It sounds like you need a little time home before you have to travel to see your father.

I hope your father heals well.

Dru said...

I hope your father is doing better.

I always take the next day off when I return from traveling just to decompress. On the second day of my return, I'm moderately okay, but wished that I took that day off as well.

Linda O. Johnston said...

I usually adjust better than I did this time, Betty. I'm determined to be fine today! Thanks for your wishes about my dad. He's in rehab already, so I think he's improving.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Thanks, Dru. You sound more efficient about getting over jet lag than I am, but I'm not used to having to deal with it.

Terri Thayer said...

Sometimes traveling takes a bigger toll on me than I realize and I don't feel it for several days after.

Glad the news on your dad is good.

I'm off to Colorado but since it's only a one hour time difference, I'm hoping no jet lag.

Camille Minichino said...

I read somewhere that it takes one day for every hour of time zone change to get back in synch, so I allow myself that and it seems to work.
Unless you have your own jet, traveling itself is never fun -- you just have to want to be there!

Hoping good news about your dad, Linda.

Linda O. Johnston said...

I did better going to and from Australia than I did this trip, Camille. I suspect it's because I caught a mild stomach bug while traveling this time. I've been awake for a couple of hours now today and I'm definitely doing better than yesterday.

signlady217 said...

Hope your dad continues to heal well and is back to his normal activities soon.

It's not just time zones that mess with me, it's the seasonal one-hour time changes. Spring Forward, Fall Back; they both mess me up for a while.

I think it's partly because I get motion sickness so easily. On a plane, if I look out the window too much while we are still on the ground it makes me funky, so I try not to (I let my husband have the window seat); if I can get off the ground ok, then I can read on the plane, otherwise I'm in trouble. When I worked on the 16th floor of a 33-story office building, I could feel the slight swaying of the building. That one's weird, I know. Another odd one I've noticed is the direction my bed is in relation to the earth's rotation: if my head is west and feet are east (like somersaults) I'm ok, but if I'm north/south, then I tend to have a slight icky feeling all the time. It's like being on those merry-go-round things at a park; ugh! I can't. I get really sick on those.

And I can't read in the car at all, never have been able to, which is really frustrating on long trips. I guess that's why audiobooks were invented!

Linda O. Johnston said...

Thanks, signlady. And wow! Here I've been complaining about my little bit of jet lag and discomfort, and it sounds like you go through a lot every time you're out and about. I do like those audio books, too, though.

Janie Emaus said...

It depends how far I've gone and what I've done on my trip. Coming home from Mexico is always the hardest because I get Margarita Lag.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Margarita lag sounds good, Janie!