Project Pretty-Tree

The project I am currently working on ((Hepatitis education for prisoners) is ending next Wednesday. Which means mid-October, I will officially be between projects. Which means... it’s vacation time!

I thought long and hard about where I would like to take my mid-October vacation… Journey back to Cambodia? Hike Machu Picchu in Peru? Navigate the fjords of Scandinavia. And then it occurred to me – the perfect Autumn destination…

Exotic, exciting… New England!

It’s prime foliage watching time, the season when the leaves turn into all the colors of the rainbow. (I’ve heard tales of this thing called “Autumn” during my 29 years in California). I’ve never been up to New England, and what better time than when I’m living in New York – I’m only a few hours’ drive from the gorgeous forests of the Northeast, and my incredibly wonderful friend Michael is lending me his car!

Totally perfect right?

Until the project I’m working on got extended, cutting right into my vacation time. Thus sparking this chat:

Shauna: My boss always said, the beauty of freelancing is that you can make your own schedule; rearrange if a project comes up. Just tell your boss a project came up. Project Peak Foliage Time.

Me: Exactly! And you never know how long those PFT projects will take – could be weeks.

Shauna: Project Pretty-Tree

Me: I’ll just tell her that I can’t be in on Friday because I have an important operation… Operation Falling Leaf.

Shauna: Yeah! In any case, PENEL is a priority, any boss should understand that. (Project Enjoy New England Leaves)

Me: PENEL is a once-a-year opportunity and we are required by the ALA (Autumn Leaf Association) to take advantage!

Shauna: Yeah didn't your boss get the memo about this year's PAFOP (Proper Autumn Foliage Observation Protocol) regulations?

Me: As if leaf-peeping wasn't dorky enough, we're currently winning the MPLD (Medal for Prime Leaf Dorkage)

Shauna: Totally

But, all that being said, it truly will be peak leaf time next week, as you can see here in the Foliage Color Report #9.



Therefore, Shauna and I are taking the only appropriate action in this circumstance and leaving for New England next week to peep some serious fall foliage! Hooray, Mission: Autumn Enjoyment is in full effect!