Where to Go to Escape Winter in Boston? Niagara Falls!

Most couples in the North would plan their winter vacation somewhere warm, like Florida, Bermuda, or somewhere below the Ecuador. Not the Plotts, however. Not for us a week basking on the beach, escaping from the Boston Cold. We're going to Niagara Falls, baby, and we say bring it on!

Not that it's been all that cold up here anyway. It seems like the average temperature has been around 50 degrees ("And they say there's no global warming!" "Yes, thank you, Bob"), so we have yet to experience the bone-chilling, teeth-rattling cold that these Northerners like to boast about ( Actually, Taylor experienced that last year, in March, when he drove down 93 in a blizzard, but I was blissfully away at home planning our upcoming wedding. ).

However, a cold front is coming through this weekend, which happens to perfectly correspond with our vacation from Cold, MA to Even Colder, NY. Fortunately, I prepared by spending too much money on knee high boots and cardigan sweaters. They may not completely practical for icy weather, but when they find my frozen body come spring, at least I'll be nicely dressed.

This will be my and Taylor's first vacation together at a couple. We each have prepared in our different ways. Taylor spent hours on the Internet planning the perfect itinerary to make sure we made the most of every opportunity of enjoying ourselves. I prepared by spending hours on the Internet buying clothes. What can I say? I also like to make the most of every opportunity ... Okay, so I'm weak.

So stay posted friends, for the next installment of the Plott's Niagara Adventure! Trust, barrels will be involved somehow.

Is there a such thing as privacy anymore?

After I post a picture of my license, my friend Taylor W. kindly emailed me and advised me to blur out my personal information "just in case." Which was really good advice, since as so many highschoolers who have posted their drunken orgy pictures on MySpace have discovered, the internet is a public place. Not that I was really concerned, because I know only one person reads this blog, and that would be Taylor W., and he's not taking over my identity any time soon. Although, if I notice that I've been purchasing a bunch of Settlers of Catan expansion packs lately then I might have to look into it our friendship.

But really, is there such a thing as privacy anymore (You can tell I was leading up to this because of the title of my posting!)? Someone could easily look up my name in the yellowpages, or Google me, or just check any of the many forms that ask for a social security number to access information about me. Gone are the days when someone could set out West, stake a claim and isolate themselves from the world. And if you do, you're likely to get tagged as the next Unibomber. It seems like the concept of privacy is more in our minds than actually in our lives. I mean, the very fact that I'm keeping an online diary illustrates my point. So, gentle readers, please don't go stealing my identity or anything. It would really put a damper on my day.

So I'm a licensed real estate agent now ... that's doesn't mean I'm rich.

I successfully passed the Massachusetts state exam and earned my real estate license. I also managed to pass the first time around, which is a big accomplishment, as I am the only one in my office to have done so.

"Wow Meghan, you are so awesome!"

I know, thanks.

I have to admit, this whole real estate agent thing is turning out a little differently than I thought. Being a commissioned employee who sets her own schedule, I pictured a life of ease showing clients apartments in the afternoon and leaving around the office around 4:00, returning home and cooking and cleaning the house, thus becoming the perfect working wife. Well, if "perfect working wife" means not leaving the office until after 6:30, not cooking and not cleaning, then I'm doing really well right now.

Perhaps it was my naivete, but I honestly didn't consider the fact that the clients I would be working with would have jobs. And most people with jobs don't get out of work until 6:00. Of course, I could try to target people without jobs, but they tend to not have a little thing called money, which I hear is pretty important if you want to do things like eat and live in an apartment.

The good news is that I'm genuinely enjoying myself. The even better news is that I'm genuinely enjoying myself out of the pharmacy. Yes, it's true! I have left the Dismal Pharmacy Job! Let me tell you, quiting a job like that is so freeing. First of all, because I wouldn't be working for practically minimum wage until 8:00 at night, and second of all because I got to spend my last week telling customers what I really thought of them. After all, it's not like I was going to get fired.

Me: "You know sir, I would be able to get your prescription faster if you would stop coming up to me every five minutes and asking if it is finished yet."

Me: "Yes, I am quiting. Why? As a matter of fact, you're a big reason!"

However, I'm starting to have a sinking feeling that the same people who got their prescriptions at Brook's pharmacy are the same ones who call me asking if I have any two-bedroom apartments available for under $900 that will take their "small" 60 pound dog. Oh, and by the way, they're in between jobs right now and their credit score is "okay." Why won't these people leave me alone? I must give out some sort of pheromone.

For instance, I'm writing this blog posting because I had a 5:30 appointment that just called me and asked if she could move our meeting up to 6:30.

Her: "You don't mind, right?"

Me: "Of course not. It's not like I have a life to get to anytime soon or anything like that. Afterall, I keep a blog."

Hopefully my new schedule will allow many more opportunities for me to allow my wit to run long. 'Til next time, laugh with me at my real estate license picture!

Um, yeah, they used a web camera to take my picutre. I swear I'm not that squatty.