Where are you--this very second?
 

The "where are you" thread gives us a broad background, but I am also curious about where people are usually when they are posting. I picture people in places that are probably ridiculous, and like over the phone, it would be fun to picture people in place. I'll start. I'm in a house 35 minutes north of NYC. I am at my family room table, an old drafting table from the 19th century. At my right through the sliding glass doors and beyond the fieldstone patio is a perennial flower garden in front of a curving stone wall. (It could use some weeding, but I spend extra time on this forum.) I work at home, and although I have an office upstairs, I like to take my laptop to this table, where I can work and look outside at changing seasons. I'll stop there, but I'm sure you guys will take this where you want, and as specific or non as you want. Enjoy!

Interesting thread, Lola. I am at my computer (obviously) at work in a research tower surrounded by photos of my four most recent trips to Europe. Plus lately I dug through some old photos of Moscow (old=1989/90) when I was lucky enough to go to Russia four times while calling it *work.* Ah, those were the days, but I digress. <BR>I am running out of display space for my European photos, so after the next two trips, I may have a real problem. <BR>The photos I currently have around me are (besides Moscow) Prague (many), Berlin, Dresden, Potsdam, Bamberg, Heidelberg, Bad Wimpfen, Schwabish Hall, Bath, Salisbury, Oxford. Plus the lovely Tryon Palace from New Bern, NC, which fits in for its English Georgian style. These all make me feel closer to where I long to be. <BR>I look out on the skyline of Houston, which includes thick, leafy oak trees and too much ozone and smog (as you have all probably read, lately). <BR>Down the hall from me are scientists beavering away in their laboratories on various biomedical problems. It is a good work atmosphere. If one *has* to be at work, that is. I like the answer someone gave to the thread, top 3 reasons to go to Europe. It said something like this, Living, not working. Nicely put. And thanks for asking, Lola.

I too work from home and am in our home "office". From the window I can see our perennial garden which also needs weeding. Funny, Lola, but you're in New York and I'm in CA about 1 hour south of SF and we both need to get weeding and off the computer!

I live in Central Mass, about 70 miles south west of Boston. Technically, I work out of a home office. Only mine is in my mother-in-laws converted barn (thanks Vickie). I work on a laptop and my window looks over a field that should be gorgeous when the leaves turn. My radio is on constantly, usually with an Irish CD playing. I'm walking distance to my house (which means I can see the weeding that needs to be done when I go home for lunch). My walls are covered with snapshots of my friends and me in Heidelberg and all the Irish pubs I've visted, world-wide.

Sat at my desk and as it is 9.30 pm its too dark to see our back garden and all the weeding that needs to be done! At the moment the side table is piled high with books. leaflets print outs etc. for our forthcoming holiday to Colorado in a couple of weeks time. As for what I am listening to Youssou N'Dour's latest CD is flavour of the month at the moment.

My wife and I just got back home from an evening at the Anchor Bleu pub in the old village of Bosham, West Sussex, England. Bosham has been a village since the days of the Norman Invasion in 1066AD - an amazing amount of history for a small place. We often wonder about all the people who have lived there over the centuries. <BR> <BR>It's a beautiful evening here on the South Downs and we are very lucky to live here.

Lola, I am using my computer at work since it is so much faster than the one at home. My office is inside the Sony plant in New Stanton, PA (about 30 miles from Pittsburgh. By the way Pittsburgh is really a great place to live. I am lucky to be in an office with a window since much of the plant does not have one. I look outside at some shrubs and then the parking lot which is under construction. I am planning a trip to Rome during the first week of November and then to Germany to visit my aunt..I found Fodors forum and now I am hooked and read it too much! I really should be working, but this is more interesting. Great thread, Lola. I'll keep reading this when I have time.

I'm in hot, dry Dallas. I am addicted to this forum, so always read it during conference calls at work. I always log on as soon as I get home and read it for hours. I'm currently planning my 2nd trip to Italy in a year and will be taking my 12 yr old. On Sundays, I work at an independent garden shop 2 blks away because I love it there. Nature just makes me happy. BTW, my perennial garden needs weeding also, but it's been too hot to do so lately.

To Sandi in hot, dry Dallas...I do that, too...read this forum during work conference calls. It's a neat little trick, isn't it? <BR>Forgot to say I usually have a classical CD going, often Mozart or Bach. Fits in with the European travel thread, the photos, etc. <BR>from kk in hot, dry Houston

Guess I'll get my two cents worth before all you folks who don't work at home get on this posting. Right now I'm in our computer room on the first floor of our house and when I look out the window can see backlit foliage, hydrangeas that are that lovely hue they turn as they go by, and ground cover of mrytle. There's a thread here - as I also have perennial gardens that are in need of weeding. OUr house is also in Central Ma - about 50 miles west of Boston. I'm a potter and have the luxury of being able to check our this forum at least three times a day (would you say I'm addicted?). I might say that there is an aura of clay dust around here. Since we're planning our next trip to London and Paris in Jan., I'm surrounded by guide books, folders of things I've copied. Also - the semblance of our "home office" and I use the term loosly.

Hello, All. <BR> <BR>I'm at my home computer, which sits in my upstairs hall landing, in front of a window which overlooks my back garden. Beautiful view, love to watch the clouds roll over the field behind our house. Ahhhh, great to be here in North Yorkshire, England. <BR> <BR>We have had strange weather here in the UK today...everything from mild squalls to extreme downpours, to giant bolts of lightening, to large hail, to hail so small that parts of England look as though 4 inches of snow have fallen, and finally, waterspouts and tornadoes!!!!! <BR>Good to get to know other Fodorites better...GREAT THREAD!!!!

I am at home in our fitted study... I love this room. It used to be a spare bedroom but we had truly custom fitted furniture built, we decided to the millimetre where everything should go. <BR> <BR>In some ways it is quite restful, the carpet is dark blue, the walls pure white and the "wood" is sweet pear (very very pale colour, paler than maple, and less yellow, beautiful). <BR> <BR>One wall has a desk all along it with two leg holes, to my left is Pete and the window, to my right is the door (without a door in the frame as that would mean getting off the forum and doing something). <BR> <BR>My PC is ancient and I am plotting a new one as we speak. <BR> <BR>I wish I could surf at work but they have very strict access guidelines and I darent risk it after a few were sacked for email and internet abuse a few months back. <BR> <BR>By the way home is in North Finchley, half way between Woodside Park and West Finchley on the Northern Line for you Tube afficionados, and a 25 min tube from work at Mornington Crescent in Camden... <BR> <BR>

Good question Lola, and the answers brought to mind a different question. <BR> <BR>But first, to answer yours, I am at my desk at work (faster access). My office is in Pasadena, CA. I am probably on here about an hour or more a day. My work (an executive for a quasi-insurance related company) has become so boring after 25 years, that I spend most of my time thinking about travel. <BR> <BR>My next trip is back to Italy for the second time this year. I spend a lot of non-work time reading books, watching movies and hanging out here, in preparation for the trip. Mostly wishing I was there already. <BR> <BR>Which brings me to my follow-up question: If all of us, and there seem to be quite a few of us sharing this thought lately, wish we were somewhere else, why aren't we? <BR> <BR>I mentioned a while back a back a book by Alan Epstein called "As the Romans Do". He decided after he and his new wife went to Italy on a honeymoon, that someday he would like to live in Rome. In 1995 they sold their business and picked up their stuff and two kids and moved. Eventually, when it worked out, they sold their home in Northern Cal and seem to be very happy there. <BR> <BR>What is stopping all of you/us from acting out on the fantasy? Or is it just that, and the reality is, we are really happy enough where we are, as long as we get to travel once in a while and talk/read/think about it the rest of the time? Or are we wasting valuable time sitting here talking/ reading/ thinking about it and one day we will wake up too old to do anything about it? <BR> <BR>Just my thought for the day. <BR>Ciao. <BR>Luigi

Third floor of our Colorado home, in the bedroom/office/ironing room/library/whatever else we need this room to be. House is like a cracker box sitting on end -- goes up instead of out -- built that way mainly to take advantage of mountain views. Am watching out the window as the neighbors build a new barn for their new horse and their kids jump on a trampoline. Fortunately they are several acres away so I can't hear any of it. <BR> <BR>The thunderheads are rolling in, as they do every afternoon, so I'll have to turn off the computer soon so we don't risk a zap from the inevitable lightening. <BR> <BR>Never surf at work, never have the TIME. If my boss caught me surfing he'd just dump more work on me than I already have, believing that I actually had down time or something.

Luigi - I would move tomorrow if my family would just try something other than our very small town! They won't even travel with me.

Hi Luigi <BR> <BR>Well, for me I am not wishing I lived elsewhere. <BR> <BR>To summarise my wishes (I think about these a lot, dont laugh, incase I find a magic genie one day, I want to know what to ask for, and also incase I win the lottery) <BR> <BR>I wish I didnt have to work for monetary reasons <BR> <BR>I wish I could sing, really sing like Cher, Celine, Shania etc. <BR> <BR>I wish I could buy a huge plot of land, hold a design contest for architects to design the perfect house for me according to all my wishes, and then have this home built (and cleaned and maintained by someone else) <BR> <BR>I wish I could afford to travel first class all the way, having seen it once or twice it would really make a difference to the whole jetlag/ travel exhaustion thing. <BR> <BR>I wish I could study and perfect pottery. <BR> <BR>I wish I could live as long as my closest friends and family. Not longer, not shorter. A good healthy life for all of us without the sorrow for the longest living of losing one at a time <BR> <BR>I wish I could have the body I had when I was 21, actually I wish I could have that one with better hips. I wish that body would be impervious to disease, fat and illness and pain for the duration of my life, and I wish the same for my loved ones. <BR> <BR>I would still live in the UK but I wish I could travel to warmer climes in winter, coming back just to visit with friends and have christmas in england... <BR> <BR>so anyway, if anyone ever finds that small special lamp, you just pass it my way OK?

We Brits seem better represented than is usual. I too am at home, it being 11 at night- although that is not a given these days. <BR> <BR>I was just about to check out Micki's original question so I can fill in all the stuff we missed in the first 12 days of her fortnight here. <BR> <BR>Aberdeenshire had a normal sort of late August day; I always think you can tell the season change and ithappened here last Saturday. Friday was summer; Saturday early autumn. Still warm, but crisp now. <BR> <BR>Plotting fortnight's tourism in October somwhere in the Southern Med. Thank goodness!

Although I am a frequent poster, I have chosen to rarely (almost never) disclose that I am physician. It is not all that relevant to my observations here, in the context of my travel experiences, and when I have wanted to post something medical, I have chosen not to identify myself. <BR> <BR>But it is relevant to my telling you that I am in the "computer resources" room of the medical library room of the hospital where I am working tonight. I work at a variety of hospitals (I am semi-retired, and I only work as a "fill-in" or "locum tenens" doctor), and no matter where I go, it is usually easy to find the time and hardware to go online. <BR> <BR>And this is one of only two or three places I (generally) go every day. Addiction to this site can strike anyone, in any profession. <BR> <BR>And as they say (paraphrased) at the end of movie credits these days... "no patients were harmed in the posting of this message"... LOL!

In my office (love that speed!) in Costa Mesa, California. My desk is very messy (I was going to say exceptionally messy, but it's not the exception, it's the rule!!). It's been pretty here lately-- a little cooler than the recent heat wave, with very blue skies. I flip back and forth among "real" projects and Fodors-- right now my open windows are: my company's internal info system, a Word document that is a proposal to a client, a letter to another client, and some research. I work on all of them concurrently, including Fodors! When I'm doing serious travel planning I usually do it at home, but you guys are a wonderful diversion at work! Thanks!

Sitting in my office (work from home) staring out the window at the gorgeous day which I'm missing out on. Daydreaming about my upcoming trip to Toscana in about 20 days.....!

I am at work in Chicago ... using this forum to plan a week-long getaway to Florence for late October and thinking all of my friends and family will be happy to get Italian Christmas presents this year. (Last year they were given German and Austrian gifts and were pretty pleased!) Ciao!

Goodness but a lot of us are on this Forum at work, aren't we?? I too post regularly but do not want to give away my office identity -- you never know who is lurking out there! Let's just say it's a large educational institution in the west.

sitting at my desk doing alittle day dreaming thinking how wonderful it is travel. I leave in two weeks for my annual visit to France (my 10th trip). I'm checking other's experiences checking for additional information...this a hobby ...a compulsion...but a fun one. Travel like all of us ...stays on my mine...a continue to day dream when I have time. <BR>I check the forum preparing me for this trip and my next.

Hi Anne...

Hi all, I am in Alpharetta,Ga(Atlanta suburb) sitting in the great room. CNBC is on , and I all I can think about is where I will be going next, thanks to you, my fellow travelers! I go to this site at least twice a day, and I dream...... British Fodorites, HI!And they(who?) say the sex sites are addictive,,,,this has it all over them any day!!!!!Boy, you can tell I am getting old!

Hi! I’m at home now. Saw this thread earlier from work but wasn’t in an inspired mood to reply. I’m from New Jersey and we’re finally having some good weather. It’s warm and dry, this morning was idyllically cool. What a relief after the rainy summer we’ve had. I’m in my den with my travel books at hand and a huge Shaker basket full of travel reading material. I’m alternately reading Fodor’s, working on my Italy trip report from April and planning next summer’s trip to Germany while gathering inspiration from a framed print, above my computer, of Claude Monet in his clown suit that I bought at the Musée de l’Orangerie. As I look around my home I sigh nostalgically as I see all the things that remind me of other trips. I don’t have a garden (unfortunately) so I don’t have to feel guilty about not weeding it but I have geraniums and non-stop begonias and herbs on my deck and the geraniums are reblooming after all the rain repeatedly wiped them out. <BR> <BR>Best to all, <BR> <BR>Adrienne <BR> <BR>

Adrienne, Sometimes a garden is a blessing and sometimes it's a curse! Right now, I'd trade mine for your begonias! There's a little cutie out there called Santa Barbara daisy that is about as invaisive as they get! Going to have to go after it soon, meanwhile I'm thinking about Ireland next month and Northern England the next year. This is a fun thread. I like picturing all of us in various locations. I often wonder what the average age of Fodor's posters is. The few I've come to know personally are mid 50s--just about where I am. Any thoughts?

Posting from home-office (wow, a lot of us work from home!), which is really cluttered. Son just spilled water on my mouse -- hope it still works. Office is terribly cluttered as I hate to file stuff. I cleaned it for the Millenium, but hey, it's August, and it needs another good overhaul. Perennial garden is also very weedy, but Suburban D.C. has been very wet and the mosquitos eat me alive whenever I go out. Tough summer!

Hi...I am sitting at my desk in Dover, Delaware...the capitol of the first state. It has been an absolutely glorius day with low humidity, low temperatures, and beautiful blue sky. I hope it is likewise for everyone wherever you are.

I am sitting at my desk in my office in Hollywood CA. Looking out at the fantastic stucco wall which blocks out any sunlight or what otherwise would be a stunning view of the Hollywood hills. I am calculating the number of working days, (30 as of this moment) and how many working hours (240, incase you are interested) until we leave on vacation to Greece. I have lots of travel photos stuck all over my cube, mostly of my good looking husband!

It's 60-mile visibility today out here at the ranch, with great cumulus clouds making like fists as they roll toward us, bringing the promise of needed rain. <BR>We had a sizeable fire up on the mountain this past week, but lots of hard work by the fighters and a provident rain one evening helped put it out, leaving only the smell of pine smoke trailing into the valley. Going to have a gorgeous sunset this evening, judging by the clouds and the blue patches of sky.

I work self-employed at home (or is that I live at work) one day (and a few nights) a week, and in an office (for another, rather more tolerant, employer) the rest of the time. Today’s a home day, except a contractor is presently turning our old bathroom into something more fitting the 20th century (oops), so instead of productive, i.e., compensated, work, I’ve been schlepping off to the plumbing supply shop periodically to hear the newest excuse and listen to the most recent clever work-around solution to the missing (oh, it’s somewhere around here but just look at this mess) – flange extending-O ring riser reducer junction valve murgh biryani bit. With raita and some popadums please. But I digress. <BR> <BR>The home office is in the “daylight basement” of our old house (with missing bathroom) in Seattle, about a mile north of the University of Washington. The room was a former “knotty pine” paneled “den” from the 1950s (the house is 90 years old), but I much prefer the former name of such spaces, “rumpus room.” Perhaps someone can enlighten me as to what a rumpus is. <BR> <BR>We converted the room a few years ago to be our son’s world headquarters, but when he moved on to his own place (in LA) a couple of years ago I colonized it as my office; my wife’s home office (which she uses 6 days a week) is two flights up. Fortunately we’ve networked our computers to a cable modem so both of us have zippity connections out. I have a DSL line at my other office, so speed is not usually an issue, only time management. Oh, the guilt. <BR> <BR>Today has been a lovely almost-end-of-summer day here, blue skies and Mt. Rainier looming above everything, looking positively volcanic, which fits. If it ever erupts (statistically a certainty) we’ll be glad we’re not in Tacoma, which is downstream of a couple of rivers fed by glaciers on Tahoma, the native name for the mountain. <BR> <BR>My office is a mess because we just returned from a week in the Canadian Rockies (fortunately not fire-engulfed like Montana) and once again noted that the UN did the right thing in naming Banff, Jasper, Yoho, et al. National Parks as world heritage sites. Wanna feel small? No worries. Saw bears, elk, moose, deer, sheep, goats, eagles, and two friends we haven’t seen in years, who happened to be in the next cabin. Odds less than winning the pools AND being struck by lightning while being interviewed by Larry King. I know, this is the Europe forum, but it’s the end of the day and I’m actively avoiding the half-finished proposal residing on the window below this one. <BR> <BR>And I’ve skived off another half hour composing this, refer to time management, above. <BR>

I'm sitting in my typically tiny Manhattan apartment, where my "home office" shares the room with the living room, dining room, and kitchen (sort of). It's after-hours now, but I also work at home. The view to my right from a 4'x 8', ninth-floor window, is of a large brick buildign covered with scaffolding, waiting for the no-longer-on-strike Bell Atlantic construction crew to return. It's not as bad as it sounds; there's a street between me and the building. And my bedroom window has a view that extends out to a slice of the East River. The weather is wonderful, cooler than usual and not humid. Sometimes I wish I had a garden, despite the weeding (mostly so I could grow tomatoes and herbs), but no; I do need to water the houseplants, though!

Hi, everyone! I am in our office/second bedroom. I can see out the back door to the small garden where this Iowa summer has made the tomato plants go beserk. Need a basketfull, anyone? I found this site when I was planning my first overseas trip to England/Wales, and I've checked in every day since! Have a good one, all!

At this very moment I am in my hotel room in Downers Grove, a "village" in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Not a bad place to be at this time of year; just hope to avoid the winter here. I have been working in this area for about 6 weeks. Tomorrow will be my last work day for 2 1/2 weeks. I will be flying home (northern Alabama). Then, my wife and I will be leaving Saturday for Manchester, England, whence we will drive northwest to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland for two weeks.

Lola-Here I am - in the Ozark Mountains, sitting at my computer desk-which is actually an old wooden postmasters desk from our local post office. Our home is mostly furnished with old family pieces so when my boys wanted a computer several years ago I just couldnt't see something ultra sleek fitting in. Found this piece at a local flea market and it has worked perfectly for years now. I just couldnt' resist responding to this thread - not only are so many of us enamored with travel but so many gardners on this post!!! I just finished my Master Gardener Training this spring and I am having a great time with volunteer hours. As for the music I am currently listening to - Something ??? that my 16 has chosen for tonights homework.

For the past 8 months I have researched England and watched this forum. For preparation for mine and my daughter's trip, leaving in 5 days. We are from the beautiful Pacific Northwest,Oregon,living in small communities. What a wealth of knowledge and fun this site has been. How anyone can go on a trip without reading and investigating is beyond me. I know this trip will be everything I have hoped for, during the past 30 yrs. And, I am not that old yet either, in my 50s. Thank you, to all of you who post here.

Hello: <BR>I'm sitting at my pc and looking out a <BR>french door to the perennial garden my <BR>husband is presently weeding....or is <BR>it the weed husbanding the garden.... <BR>in any case, he is, I'm not. <BR>We've been back from Tuscany, Alsace, <BR>and the Pfalz for a month now so the <BR>Fodor Addiction is not quite as urgent; <BR>however, we are formulating preliminary <BR>plans for our next foray abroad - may be <BR>to Basque country or the southwest of <BR>France. In the meantime it's very nice <BR>here in this calm green oasis that is <BR>Vancouver, Canada!

Discussion board hell, apparently

I'm sitting in the study of our home in an apartment building in HongKong. The tack board on the wall has cards of some of the hotels/ B&Bs we loved in Europe - La Fenice, Pod Roza, Pensione Nonntal,Hotel Jolanda and some bits of wrapping paper from ceramics and other souviners. One has 'Vietri in Amalfi' written on it and another has a picutre of the castle in Hiedelberg... <BR> <BR>Well, the view from the window comprises a few trees and the some other apartment buildings! But down the hall is the spectacular view of the HongKong harbour. I can hear my 3 month old daughter at the back who has just learnt to roll over. Quit my job about 4 months ago and am at home full time for the first time in a long, long time. Visitng this forum everyday really helps.