guestrooms

There are 16 posts tagged guestrooms (this is page 1 of 3).

my year in cities and towns, 2025

bed at my sister's place which is a nice antique bed with a tall stack of seven pillows on it.

What even is a hotel anyhow? I was talking to a friend and saying that in some way I’ve “retired from public life” meaning that I do talks locally but I do not hit the librarian circuit anymore. It’s been pretty good. I gave one online talk which I really enjoyed and a few more which I liked. I’d like to do more of that sort of thing. I miss seeing as many people, but I do not miss airports, hotels, and trying to find something to eat in some new location at 9 pm. One of my goals was to see my sister more. I did that and it was time well spent. Four trips down to MA, two of them were last month. kDid not make it to Westport but there’s still time. Got some home improvement stuff done and that’s made staying here at home even nicer than it was before. I’ll keep counting the places just because I love my routine, but I’ll feel okay if there aren’t many of them.

Past years: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

my year in cities and towns, 2024

photograph of a bed in a small guesrtoom. There is a small cat on the bed and a large chicken head from a mascot costume

I’ve been doing this guestroom tracking for twenty years! Last year I went one place, twice, for one night each. I am enjoying staying put, still. No hotels at all. The longer I stay away from hotels and airplanes, the more they seem mysterious and unpleasant to me. There’s a rhythm to local life here, one that I wasn’t as in tune with when I was traveling as much. I’d still like to get out and about a bit more, go down to Westport, see my sister more than twice, do fun things with Jim in distant locations, see my non-local friends more than rarely.

Past years: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

my year in cities and towns, 2023

An antique bed with a lot of blankets on it and two folded comforters. There is a small black cat sleeping on it.

I am enjoying staying put. No hotels at all. I did spend ten days down at my dad’s place (which needs a better name since my dad has been dead since 2011 and if I tell people about it who don’t know me well they think I’m going to go and see my dad and that is not what is happening) doing some unpacking of my mom’s stuff. What a journey! But useful. Saw my sister a few times which was great and she came up here which was even maybe a little bit better. I hope you got out as much as you wanted to last year. RIP Hank, you were a great cat.

Past years: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

my year in cities and towns, 2022

an unmade hotel bed at a fancy looking hotel

Another slow year. I stayed at exactly one place that wasn’t either my old place, my new place, or a family place. That was a fancy hotel in Montréal where the neighboring building was under construction that started early in the morning, so I slept half in the fancy bed and half on a couch cushion in the bathroom. A few nights at my sisters and a few nights in Westport and that was basically it. I did move to a new place a few blocks up the road so there was definitely something to break up the “monotony.” No idea what 2023 will bring yet. I’m glad I like being at home.

Past years: 2021, 2020, 2019 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

my year in cities and towns, 2021

a bed which is really just a piece of plywood up on milk crates in the middle of an entirely empty room
Slightly more exciting than last year, but not a lot more. I stayed at my mother’s house as we were cleaning it out a LOT this summer. Most weekends for two months. And I stayed at my sister’s place a few times. And I stayed at my dad’s place twice. That’s the report. Compared to last year–zero days stayed anywhere else–it felt like a lot, but still no weird hotels, quirky AirBnBs, or any other fun travel. I have a tentative plan to go give a live talk, pandemic willing, in New York this summer, will be interesting to see how close I get to it.

Past years: 2020, 2019 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

my year in cities and towns, 2020

picture of my bed taken from the foot of it, featuring a comfy looking comforter and some groovy looking pillowcases.

Well this post is pretty simple this year. I stayed at my dad’s house on December 30th last year, woke up and drove to Randolph and have not slept anywhere besides my own bed since then. I haven’t gotten on an airplane since late 2019. I’ve only left the state four times and that was just to go hiking or walking with Jim. Am not thrilled about most of this, but mostly resigned to continuing to try to do the right thing and see what I can do to help other people’s 2021 not be as much of a shit show as 2020 was for so many.

Past years: 2019 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

my year in cities and towns, 2019

guestroom in the meredith NH hotel I stayed at.Interesting to look at, bad for sleeping

Really serious about staying out of airplanes now. Two airplane trips this year. A low key summer not feeling terrific. Lots of time doing more local stuff and not regretting it at all.

Here is the short list of places. Four states. Stars indicate multiple visits to the exact same place. Past years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 2007, 2006, 2005.

  • Westport MA* – here most of the summer, in many of the beds
  • Stow MA* – visiting my sister
  • Cambridge MD – a great quickie trip to a great conference
  • Meredith NH – another great location for a conference, less-great hotel
  • Grafton VT – weird old inn, intensive conference
  • Burlington VT – staying with friends for an overnight for a humanities conference
  • Tampa FL – really quirky AirBnB with lovely folks