We learned the year of the first beach trip that it is a huge help to be able to wash clothes part of the way through, because otherwise you eventually get the beach-funk-mildew smell in your dirty clothes. And the beach towels are a horror.

But it's also fantastic on how much it lets you cut down on packing. (Although I always pack too many pairs of socks, even for a July trip to the beach. Though that came in handy when I conned Tim's whole family into going roller-skating and one of the nieces hadn't packed socks. Lo and behold, I had clean socks to loan!)

I don't know why I'm obsessed with VRBO but think AirBnB is sketchy somehow, but it's the truth.

I guess it's because I think AirBnB is a room in someone's home, or for when they are out of town, but that's not necessarily true, is it? VRBO IME is just places for rent.

I guess it's because I think AirBnB is a room in someone's home, or for when they are out of town, but that's not necessarily true, is it? VRBO IME is just places for rent.

I kind of feel that way, too, but then the apartment we rented in SF was the bottom floor of the owners' home (separate entrance and everything, like a 2-family home). That's a step beyond being a room in someone's home, but not a huge remove.

The cottage in Mendocino was next door to the owners' cottage, so very similar. And we lucked out with fantastic friendly owners, so it was nice having them nearby (though they weren't intrusive at all).

AirBnB has a better website than VRBO. So I think of it as less sketch, actually. Or younger. But I've never stayed in someone's room, just rented a whole place.

AirBnB and VRBO seem to be on the pricy end if you're alone and can't split the cost with someone. Otherwise, with AirBnB you're renting a room in someone's place while they're there. Which I've always thought about doing because, hey, having local advice is good, but the introvert in me has always chickened out in the end.

I've looked at Air BnB in both London and Dublin and I think some of them may be investment properties for people. My friends stayed at an amazing place in Brooklyn with a roof deck that was allegedly owned by Russians. Between the four of them, it was very reasonable for NY.

I stayed in a hotel in Barcelona, but my friend's family rented two apartments through AirBnB. It was perfect for them, and definitely cheaper than a hotel for 6 people. It wasn't sketchy at all. The owners had a property manager, and they took payment via handheld card machine.

We've used airbnb and vrbo, only ever getting a place to ourselves through both, and it's worked great so far. I agree that the airbnb website is nicer looking, though.

The case against hugs

The case against hugs

Represent!

I'm afraid I'm kind of weaselly when it comes to declining hugs from people I'd rather not hug; I kind of just do the "hug" that's really inclining the top half of my body towards the enthusiastic hugger and then limply putting one arm on their shoulder/upper arm and patting ineffectually a couple of times.

Your basic passive-aggressive hug. I own it. I just don't want to have the conversation yet again of "You don't want to hug? WHY??? *I'm* big hugger! I hug everyone!" Mostly because my answer is generally "I don't like you/don't know you well enough to hug you," and nobody wants to hear that.

Plus, one time, someone actually got shirty when I declined a hug, saying, "I just saw you hug [person]! My turn!" And I was all O_o GET AWAY CREEPER.