World Traveller

Flying home from Tampa – CO 1807 Seat 16A 40,000 feet

I was fully expecting to spend my flight home IMing with Lisa, Mikey, Carlos and whoever else was online.  However, this aircraft is one of those that they’ve taken the airfones out of – since no one was really using them, they figured it was added weight they didn’t need.

I have my little study book to prepare for tomorrow’s talk at New Vision – I have to go through it, and do some prep work – also get ready for my class on Thursday, for which I’m behind, and start getting ready for classes on Tuesday nights at NV.  I am going to probably head straight from the airport to EJ’s to have a cocktail; then, home to get some more sleep.

Tomorrow after church, I’ll be shredding seven years’ worth of receipts supporting tax returns that I no longer need to keep.  I’m sure the shredder will be burning up by the end of it.

Helped my parents get themselves a new car; we spent nearly a full day working on it, and went to four dealerships.  Mary wanted something that sat up high, like an SUV, and my Dad wanted something that would ride well, and was a large car for long distance travel.  They bought a 2005 Ford 500 Limited with 10,000 miles on it.  The car is nice, and is more fully equipped than any my dad has had since his 1972 Olds 98 LS.  Hopefully, this will be more reliable than that car was.  My sister and my aunt Roxanne both were extremely critical of the choice; my sister wanted them to buy a Honda Accord and my aunt a Toyota Avalon.  Both of those cars were significantly more expensive than this one.  My folks are quite happy, and that’s what matters in my mind.

This aircraft is barely loaded – only about 60% of the seats are full.  I’m in an exit row, but I’m mashed up against the window wall and the seat is too narrow.  I need to do some more work on my self-belief structure about body and appearance, and get this weight off of me.  This particular aircraft is one that they use to fly to Dublin, Hamburg, Berlin, Brussels, Iceland and Scotland from Newark.  I’ve read so many internet conversations belaboring that this aircraft is too small for such service; it’s true that it’s narrower than a larger aircraft, but it feels taller, and more spacious than a 737.  The seat is narrow, but it is the same size seat that I’d be using if I were on a 767 or 777.  Being in this exit row gives me nearly four more inches of legroom.  It comes down to my body size that’s making me uncomfortable on this airplane.  So, before I buzz off to Berlin to celebrate the end of my oral boards this summer, I’ll have to drop the weight.

My folks are moving out of their house on Tuesday- I helped them pack up a number of things, including the stereo and the computer.  They had jerry rigged the stereo so badly that I was about to gasp – so, I volunteered to come to Ocala in March and help them set it all up.

Using the lappy with my Treo as the modem worked just fine; had I had a decent signal out on my folk’s island, it would have worked even better.  No Wi-Fi at the Tampa airport, and no internet connection on this aircraft.  Strange.  Sooner or later, we’re going to be surrounded by wifi signal, and our computers will be connected all the time, even as we fly.

My sister was here during my stay, and we had a very short but fun interaction.  She went home Friday morning EARLY, and had to work today.  Most of my family (other than Liz, whom I talk to quite a bit) were shocked that I have some official capacity with NV and that I’m taking on more studies and licensing with them.  They had quite the squint going.

My folks gave me some money, but it’s done in such a way that I can only use it for my licensing this summer.  Blarg.  I was hoping for something I could use to bridge some other obligations and choices, but this will do.  I have been working on my thinking in that regard today; they gave me the gift last night.  It’s sitting in my wallet, unusable until the right time.

The testing for this license is seeming more difficult the closer to it that I come.  I’ll be spending some months preparing, have the oral boards and the written tests, and then I hop straight into ministerial school.  I assume.  I’ll be spending the entire year of 2006 studying, testing, licensing and being examined.  Interesting.  It should be quite the challenge.

I still think that Florida is an ugly state, people wise.  Bad hair, damaged skin, bad make up, and bad clothing choices.  Houston is a much more attractive place; at least the part I’m in.

It’s amazing that I just spent nearly a day with my entire living family, save my mother’s sister, and there were no hiccups nor hurts on any part.  What a transformation that has occurred there; this idea itself used to just terrorize me.  

I guess this stuff works.  

I’ve had Travis on the mind, still..

I had a dream last night about a black Boeing 707-320 that was somehow associated with Fabulair.  I also had an email from the saleswoman that I had visited with a few months ago – she who represented the townhouses near EJ’s that I liked so much.  They have designed their homes for the front of that project – four patio homes that have back yards.  She gave me some direction as to their floorplans, but I couldn’t examine them on the Treo connection with one bar of signal.  I’ll look later tonight.  They won’t be ready for occupancy until the end of 2006, and will have about 2600 square feet, which is somewhat larger than the patio home that I had originally discussed with her.

Overall, this has been a very interesting trip – my entire life just ceased to exist, and all I was doing was hanging out with my family.  I slept a lot at night, and just existed.  I didn’t do a whole lot of thinking, good or bad, and hardly talked to anyone from my reality.  I had a nice conversation with Rosita last night, and we talked about the new pedestal that they bought for the church, and the latest folderol with the ex-minister.

I have eight “sermons” planned for March and April – the seven deadly sins, followed by the mechanics of forgiveness.  I have to plan those out on the calendar, actually – I think I may start in February.

We’re planning an arrival in Houston that will be nearly fifteen minutes early; that could put me at home before 8:45 tonight.  I may just stop at the apartment first, and unload my stuff before heading out for a cocktail.

I wish I had had the internet connection here onboard.  But, thanks to my friend Buhz for getting me the exit row seat!

I hate losing a bunch of free cell games in a row.  It makes me feel stupid.  Sometimes, though, I think it’s a gauge of how well my brain is working.  I haven’t had to do much critical thinking in the last few days, and maybe I’m out of practice.  Or I’m tired.  Or, I haven’t had enough vitamin “V,” as E calls it.