How to Survive Yourself

 I have this habit and it has grown over time.  In the beginning, I would get a hotel room at the local conference center for a night.  I would order food, watch premium TV, swim and layout.  No cleaning, cooking or worrying about what I need to get done for 24 hours.  Heaven, right?  But my staycations evolved into something I honestly don't know if I could do without.  I have always traveled alone because I was single for many years.  I guess I go used to it over the years and now I rely on it.  Rarely, do I leave my own town.  Life doesn't stop right.  I still have dogs, kids and a partner.  Responsibilities I can't afford to leave for any real length of time.  So I go to where I'm happiest. Whenever there is some stress in my life or I need a reset, I check in.  Usually, it's on an impulse.  I think I get to a breaking point, although subtle it is definitely burnt out and maybe the beginning of depression....

 I recently spent an absorbent amount of time trying to help my oldest child find her wings.  She graduated from college around the time of the pandemic and "failure to launch" affects her generation.    The jobs are not readily available for these graduates.  The pandemic disrupted their college experience, and they have accepted themselves as the "failure to launch" generation.  I feel bad for their timing but there is an overall attitude that they got screwed when it comes to adulting.   So I tried to help my little bird find new ways to invent herself.  I invested time and money and we both came up short.  What I thought would be a learning experience, completely turned on me.  In the end, I wasted thousands of dollars and a ridiculous amount of time on a project she just discarded.  To make matters worse she now seems to blame me for keeping her from making personal progress.  I was trying to help the child find her b...