2003-02-28 - 12:44 a.m.

Air Apparent...

Well I am on my way to Chicago, sitting on the plane... Traveling, while sometimes a pain (especially with the bitches, I mean bosses), is at least always entertaining... And well, that is good considering I have all the time to just ramble on about nothing anyway...

I was of course running late this morning, because it is me and morning and all... I am horrible at the packing thing... Eventually I get everything packed and usually not terribly overpacked (everyone who knows how much stuff I took to VLV last year, be quiet), but the process is excrutiating... Suddenly I become a complete pack rat saying things like, "Hmm, here's a book I haven't read in 6 years, now might be the time!" or "Wow, I know it is 13 degrees in Chicago and I am only staying one night, but I just might need my capri pants and saddle oxfords"... I literally had to take 3 things of shower gel out of the suitcase this morning (yeah, I think I can manage with *just* cinnamon bun for one night)... So you can see how my packing is something best not left until the last minute, especially last minute in the mornings... I think my only major packing error this morning was that I seem to have brought my cd player but no cds or batteries for it (and yes, I know the computer has lots of music on it, I just told you I was bad at this)...

Though I have to say, courtesy of the Tardy Ho Road (Hardy Toll Road), I think I have posted a new personal best in time to the airport! No, I was not running *that* panicky late, just was really enjoying the driving fast... Sometimes, just for a minute, I miss the commute... Or I could have just been delirious from lack of sleep... Oh yeah, I am am wearing way to much eyeliner - got new eyeliner and of course it works MUCH better than the old crap I had so I had no idea it would be going on so much heavier... Okay, maybe I should have realized that had I actually given it any thought whatsoever, but of course I didn't so there you go... Oh well, guess I looked like a Ho on the Ho Road...

[side note here: Continental's coffee SUCKS!!! I should have known better... It says "Timothy's World Coffee" on the cups... If you see Timothy, smack him for me please...]

Got to the airport and had the fun of using one of those cool little electronic ticket machines!! Yes, I know, I am easily amused, but I thought it was kinda cool... Okay, part of it is redundant (why does it need to ask me to enter the city I am going to?? shouldn't it know that with my confirmation code??), but still sorta fun... And then was off to the fun that is the metal detector...

Note to anyone traveling: wear slip on shoes... They now make you take off your shoes and run them through the metal detector unless you are wearing tennis shoes... Evidently those athletic types are less likely to pose terrorist threats or something... Let me just say that docs were not the best shoe choice for the morning after all... So here I am taking off docs, with my overnight bag, my briefcase (okay, it's really a messenger bag, same difference), coat, and laptop out being a nightmare in the security line... Okay, I was not actually a nightmare, that would be the woman two in front of me who kept saying "I ain't gonna take off my shoes" (though it should be noted that she did indeed take off her shoes upon further reflection of that no shoes, no flight policy)... I just felt like it with all my stuff...

And after all that, I didn't even get felt up... Usually I can count on the underwire in my bra setting off something somewhere, and I tend to get the random security check a lot [note to self: look more athletic]... Anyway, this usually ends up in them having to basically feel me up everytime I fly... Not that I am complaining or anything, it's the most action I have gotten in a very long time... I'll have to try to look suspicious on the return flight...

Big news though, we now have a Starbucks in our airport... Not that I got any because the line was huge and I had just had almost a pot at home (a bad choice now in retrospect, in light of old Timothy's coffee)... But it is a great and amazing thing! We used to have this cool museum store in our airport too and I have even gone to the airport just to go there, but it has closed now... At least I can have my guarantee of decent coffee now... I hope O'Hare has one since we come back ungodly early again tomorrow...

One thing I really love about traveling is that people are so damn odd and entertaining... There was a guy walking through the terminal carrying an enormous loaf of bread (yeah, bet his friends will be thrilled with the souvenirs)... There is a guy a couple rows in front of me having major flight anxiety... The guy across from me is having a crown and coke (it's 9am, sir, have some juice or at least a screwdriver, come on here!!) And the guy in the row directly ahead of me who previously had been spread across all three seats napping just finished eating a lot of sushi he brought from home (I have to take off my shoes to get through security but this man is not stopped with an enormous pile of dead fish??) and finished his meal with a wet washcloth spongebath sort of thing of head, arms and face...

[side note to Sauce: there are a ton of Vermont people on this flight (all conveniently labeled with shirts that say "Vermont" on them), thought of you!]

Yeah, I am suddenly feeling very normal hiding over here in 7F...