Things I realized while traveling last week.

Things I realized while traveling last week:

I could never live far from the ocean. (Nighttime walks on the beach reinforced that. Why don't I do that more here?)

That said, South Florida (i.e., Fort Lauderdale, Miami, etc.) is not for me. It's just...too much. Sarasota all the way.

Nothing beats wine on a patio overlooking the ocean. (Especially when it's complimentary wine.)

The Internet is truly The Great Connector. I've now been introduced to two real-life friends via Twitter (hi, Megan and Ashley!).

Staying in a hotel is so much fun, no matter how old you are. (Bonus points if your hotel room has a balcony overlooking the hotel pool and the Atlantic Ocean.)

I am perfectly capable of and happy to enjoy a meal alone. I still can't do it without having my phone/some reading material on me, but—like going to the movies by myself—I even kinda prefer it sometimes.

I absolutely, 100 percent chose the right career for me. This really hit home when I was listening to Pulitzer Prize-winning author/journalist Rick Bragg speak on Friday morning—I'm so glad I have a job that allows me to do that. (P.S., a tip for writers from Bragg himself, about writing with color: "The thing I've learned in my old age is that simple and powerful is probably better.")

Coming home from a few days of travel, especially when it's to your cozy apartment, soft bed and two happy, fluffy cats, may just be the best part of it all.

Photo: My own.