Does this mean we're rich now? Yes, I think it does.

Every once in a while John and I do something so pretentious and extravagant that we find ourselves asking "Does this mean we're rich now?" It happens each year when we book our "big trip." It happens on our anniversary when we see the triple digits on our dinner bill. And it happened today, when our cleaning service started.

For the next year, someone will come to our house every two weeks and put back what we've spent a fortnight mucking up. I wasn't originally planning to have someone come so often. Really I was just thinking, quarterly would be nice, sort of a spring (winter, fall, summer) deep cleaning. Turns out biweekly cost the same amount, so I figured what the heck.

In theory "having a maid" is something that sounds totally awesome. What could possibly be the down side? But it feels weird to have someone doing something you were raised thinking of as "your job." It feels a little like we're cheating.

I'm not sure why. I pay someone to cut my grass, to fix my car, to paint my nails, to do any number of chores that I just don't want to do myself. So why is cleaning the house any different? Maybe because it feel so extravagant, maybe because it is so intimate having someone in your home, maybe just because it's new.

Regardless, I'm sure I'll get used to it. I mean, how else will we manage the jet setting  the fundraisers, political life and the constant entertaining? Now, where's my butler, I need a martini. 

Samantha with a Southern Accent

I've been cast in the upcoming Town and Gown production of "The Dixie Swim Club." Between my two jobs and half a dozen volunteer boards, I decided "Hey, why not add another 10 hours a week of rehearsals?"

Really, it's because I could not resist at least auditioning for this hilarious script. I only went out for one role, my favorite. I picked the character because in reading the script, I thought she was the funniest. Now, that we are rehearsing with a team of very funny ladies, I see each part has big laugh potential.

I'll be Lexie Richards, a vain, husband-collecting, flirtatious, plastic surgery addict. The director referred to her as Samantha from "Sex & the City," with a Southern accent. There will be wigs, four costumes and what I am calling "prosthetics."

We open Oct. 4 and run for two weeks. Come see me, maybe?

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Tomorrow, I lecture on blogging. As I prep, I find myself popping back and forth to my blog for examples, and boy, am I a shoddy role model.

I find myself wishing I could rewind the blog to one of those months when I was really cranking out the content. Students, maybe you should go look at April 2011. That was a productive month. Or, maybe check out my entries tagged PR, those should be, you know, relevant... and stuff.

But seriously, who am I even kidding? Only my dad and my employees read my blog. So, if any of my students take the initiative to find my blog, leave a comment on this entry. I'll give you some extra credit for being a go-getter (or a creepy creeper, depending on how you look at it).

Bonus: if you look through enough entries, you'll find some "fat kid" pictures of me in my blast from the past entries. 

Day 11: Last Stop Mumbai

A pre-dawn flight lands us in Mumbai, the last city of our Indian adventure. After a short nap we’re back on tour bus for a whirlwind of Mumbai highlights. I’d thought Mumbai would be like Delhi, a big, dirty, brown dump full storage building-style store fronts. I was so wrong.

Mumbai is colorful, with beaches and islands, skyscrapers and slums, museums and gardens. Mumbai is what you picture when you picture India, and with good reason. Mumbai is home to Bollywood, which churns out more movies each year than the rest of the world combined. Its largest slum was also the site for “Slumdog Millionaire.”

One of the most striking things about Mumbai was the contrast. We drove down one street where to the left was the richest area in the city, high-end shops, luxury apartments and five star hotels. On the right was the largest slum in Asia.

Day 9 & 10: Udaipur

I got behind with the from-the-road blog posts. So I cut my loses and decided to jump ahead. I didn't want to slight Udaipur, though. So here are some highlight photos.

We decided to roam the grounds at the Royal Retreat where we were staying. We found actual stables! With horses! 

This carving was right outside our door. How sweet, that lion wants to play him. 

At the gates of the city palace. 

We took a boat ride across Lake Pichola. The views were beautiful and we saw so many people swimming, bathing, and doing laundry along the shore. 

We took a break from the boat to stretch our legs at this floating building called Jagmandir Ghat. 

She looked so pretty, set up with her little water stand. We snapped a picture, but decided to stick with our bottled water. 

Day 8: A Night in a Palace? Don’t Mind if I Do

We had a single night in Kota. It’s a pretty little riverfront town, but the highlight of this stop was actually our hotel, the Umed Bhawan Palace. Throughout India, they have what are called “heritage hotels.” Each state still has a Maharaja, although they are merely figureheads now. The Maharajas still own the family palaces and properties. Many properties have been converted into museums, and some are now hotels and restaurants.

Our suite at the Palace was definitely the largest of any we’ve stayed at, ever. It was bigger than the first apartment John and I shared, nearly as big as our house. It was easy to imagine decades of Maharaja guests having the identical experience we were.

As we arrived, we were greeted with marigold garlands. 

At this point in the trip we were so exhausted and these beds were so comfy I slept for  about 10 hours straight. It was the best night's sleep I got the whole time. 

The flatscreen and AC unit were a little out of place, but everything else was quite authentic. 

View from our interior porch. 

The upper floor was closed because the royal family still lived there, but we were free to roam the first floor, courtyard and grounds. 

Day 7: Tiger Spotting in Ranthambhore

There are 41 tigers living in the Ranthambhore National Park and Tiger Preserve (according to our park ranger), and we spotted two on our safaris through the park. We went out twice, once in the morning and once in the late afternoon. We were lucky enough to spot a tiger each time.

The ranger told us Ranthambhore staff had recently given this tiger a lifetime achievement award. She's had seven cubs so far and each has lived. That's a remarkable mothering record, even for a tiger in the preserve. 

We toured the park in an open-top cantor vehicle. Both times the tigers strolled along less than 20 yards from us. You’d think they would shy away from the big jeeps full of people, but they could care less about us. They didn't even give us a glance. I guess a 550 lb predator isn’t scared of much.

The tigers are certainly the big draw for Ranthambhore safaris, but the park is full of other wildlife as well. Dozens of bird species, monkeys, sambars, mongoose, barking deer and crocodiles all made the safari a worthwhile excursion even if you didn’t see a tiger like we did.

Sanbar eat water plants in the drier months when there is less foliage. The building in background is now referred to as the Tiger Palace because the cats like to hang out there. Our ranger said you can often see them in the windows. 

Baby crocodile sunning himself on the large flat rock at the water's edge.