Back to life

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

I’m ba-a-a-ck.

A week off in Reno and a week off in Puerto Vallarta, and I return to work ready for a break from the constant partying and consumption of carbo-rich foods.

I truly have one of the best journalism jobs in Nevada. I love my co-workers and bosses. In fact, this morning as I drove to work over the fairly clean roads just a day after a massive snow storm, my heart was fluttering, my mind racing to figure out my to-do list—not just for today, but for the coming months. I was chomping at the bit to sit down at my desk and start going through the volumes of emails that arrived while I was gone.

I guess that would make me a little conflicted because it’s hard to come back to work after two weeks of doing everything in my power not to think about it. No doubt, it was basically the perfect vacation. During my time off in Reno, I got a bunch of stuff done at my home (although, I’ll note, I didn’t bother to clean off my walk until this morning). During my time in Mexico, I did nothing except soak up the sun and the beach and the suds and run around to the various shops looking for the perfect low-budget piece of art to remind me of my precious time.

I ended up buying a Huichol (indigenous tribe) skull-looking thing. It’s constructed of glass beads placed in intricate patterns with symbols of peyote, scorpions and other items on a black clay base from Oaxaca, a nearby region. It’s not typical by any means, but I was trying to avoid buying an imitation piece, which many vendors told me are being mass-produced in China.

And now, the work begins again. Thanks to everyone on the staff who did extra duties to ensure I could have a couple leisurely weeks before two of my good friends and co-workers take off on maternity leave.