Why I Carry My Passport Everywhere

When I first got my passport three years ago, I stared at it and realized “THE WORLD WAS MINE!”. I felt I could go anywhere I wanted, all with a flick of the wrist to the customs agent. Though I didn’t get it because I knew I would need it, I applied for it, because I had to in order to visit a friend in Edinburgh. I had promised I would get the money, get the passport, and visit her ASAP.  All of this came to fruition after she lived there for 5 years…the time was nye.

I haven’t traveled in a year.

Now, for the past few months (March, April, May….) I have be lagging in the when and how part of my trip! Should I do a month? Two, Three? What about my job, my apartment, my dog! Sublet? Move out? Move back to Dallas….? Make it a turning point in my life? Not too sure.

Well the kick the  ass has arrived!

A friend came out earlier this week and stated she would take her already approved 2 weeks off and head to Europe and Poland.  I just stared at her. Was it really that easy?

I have the passport.

I have the money.

I have the time available!

What was I waiting for!?!?!?!?

“Just do it Anna. You just have to do it!” She told me, after repeating my mantra that though I still wanted to continue on my trip, I also wanted to focus on my savings in this economy. What if something happened between now and then.

Our census at work is so low. Health care is supposed to be immune to world issues…people still get sick and the insurance still pays.

So I bit the bullet today and requested Aug 17th through Sept. 7 off. 3 weeks and a few days and travel! I think I can do it! I think it’ll get approved!

I went grocery shopping today and my passport almost fell out of my wallet.

A sign? I hope so!    Fingers Crossed!

You Know You’re From Philadelphia If……

• You’ve never referred to Philadelphia as anything but “Philly.” And New Jersey has always been “Jersey.”
• You refer to Pennsylvania as “PA” (pronounced Peeay).How many other states do that?
• You know what “Punxsutawney Phil” ( A Ground Hog ) is, and what it means if he sees his shadow.
• The first day of buck and the first day of doe season are school holidays.
• You can use the phrase “fire hall wedding reception” and not even bat an eye.
• You can’t go to a wedding without hearing the “Chicken Dance,” at least 1 Polka and either an Italian song (sung in Italian,) or “Hava Nagila.”
• At least 5 people on your block have electric “candles” in all or most of their windows all year long.
• You know what a “Hex sign” is.
• You know what a “State Store” is, and your out of state friends find it incredulous that you can’t purchase liquor at the mini-mart.
• You own only three condiments “salt, pepper and Heinz ketchup”.
• Words like “hoagie”, “crick”, “chipped ham”, “sticky buns”, “shoo-fly pie”, “pierogies” and “pocketbook” actually mean something to you.
• You can eat cold pizza (even for breakfast) and know others who do the same. (Those from NY find this “barbaric”.)
• You not only have heard of Birch Beer, but you know it comes in several colors: Red, White, Brown, Gold.
• you know several places to purchase or that serve Scrapple, Summer Sausage (Lebanon Bologna), and Hot Bacon Dressing.
• You can eat a cold soft pretzel from a street vendor without fear and enjoy it.
• You know the difference between a cheese steak & a pizza steak sandwich and a Primanti’s, and know that you can’t get a really good one outside PA.
• You live for summer, when street and county fairs signal the beginning of funnel cake season.
• Customers ask the waitress for “dippy eggs” for breakfast.
• You know that Blue Ball, Intercourse, Climax, Bird-in-Hand, Beaver, Moon, Virginville, Paradise, Mars, and Slippery Rock are PA towns.
• You know what a township, borough, and commonwealth is.
• You can identify drivers from New York, New Jersey, Ohio,or other neighboring states by their unique and irritating driving habits.
• A traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a horse-drawn carriage on the highway in Lancaster County.
• You know several people who have hit deer more than once.
• You carry jumper cables in your car and your female passengers know how to use them.
• You still keep kitty litter, starting fluid, de-icer, or a snow brush in your trunk, even if you live in the south.
• Driving is always better in winter because the potholes are filled with snow.
• As a kid you built snow forts and leaf piles that were taller than you were.
• Your graduating class consisted of mostly Polish, German, & Italian names.
• “You guys” and “ynz” is a perfectly acceptable reference to a group of men & women.
• You know how to respond to the question “Djeetyet?” (Didyoueatyet?)
• You learned to pronounce Bryn Mawr, Wilkes-Barre, Schuylkill, Bala Cynwyd, Conshohocken, and Monongahela.
• You know what a “Mummer” is, and are disappointed if you can’t catch at least highlights of the parade.
• (http://www.emmitsburg.net/humor/archives/ykyf/ykyf_3.htm#You%20know%20you%20are%20from%20Philadelphia%20when…)