It Was An Adventure

So I do a lot of air travel. I’m 1,500 miles away from my family, so it’s to be expected–especially right now, with a new nephew and a potential career change in the works that requires some doing. And for the last eight years or so, I’ve had very little difficulty. No major delays, or really any travel frustrations (other than a lost bag here and there, and I always get them back eventually).

I think my number must have been up.

I had to fly to Houston last weekend for a VERY quick visit–an appointment that could absolutely not be rescheduled, despite the fact that I’ll be back in Texas next week for the winter break. And I usually fly nonstop with Continental, but there was a nice cheap ticket on Northwest, with only one catch–I had to stop in Detroit. No big deal, right? I got to TX with no problem, took care of my business, left Houston for my Detroit layover on Sunday, and completely expected to be back in lovely northeast Ohio by 6pm that night. And then I learned why they say never to travel through Detroit in the winter. My original 5pm flight was delayed, then canceled. Then I got confirmed on a 9:30 flight, which we boarded promptly at 9:15, only to find out that our pilot would be a while–he hadn’t come in yet. Then an hour later we heard that he’d finally landed, but couldn’t get to his gate because of the ice on the runway. Another hour later, and he finally showed up. Then they decided that because the ceilings were low in Akron/Canton, he wouldn’t be able to fly us in (I know nothing about airline piloting, but apparently you don’t get cleared to fly in lousy conditions unless you reach a certain level of experience), so we were going to swap with the pilot on the plane at the gate next to us. At around 12am, that pilot finally got on board (by now my legs were cramped and my thumb was turning red from playing too many games of Tetris on my cell phone…) and things were looking up. We taxied for a while, got sprayed down with deicer, and started going down the runway. And then we hit a patch of ice, slid off to the side and spun around 180 degrees. Seriously. We were on the damn grass. And that was the end of our flight.

Yuck. Northwest doesn’t compensate travelers for overnight stays due to weather, so I did have to pay for a hotel room, but luckily they offered us a discount. I briefly considered joining the dozens of other bedraggled travelers who were camped out in the main terminal, using luggage for pillows and huddling under their coats trying to get some sleep. After all, by now it was after 2am. But I went for the luxurious accommodations at the Best Western instead, headed back to the airport in the morning, and eventually did get home. And this is the best part: i got back to Canton Akron via ATLANTA. Yes. Detroit is three hours from CAK. But the direct flights were booked, and it literally turned out that the most efficient way to get me home was to fly to Georgia and catch a plane there.

BLEH. I never thought I’d be happy to hear the words “Welcome to Akron.” I suppose, though, that 2007 would not have been complete without an adventure!

The late November blues

So here we are, at that akward little crevice between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when everyone’s shopping like crazy and doing their best to get into the “holiday spirit.” I got a few days away from the Ohio blizzard and hung out in the Houston smog, where it was 80 degrees on Thanksgiving, which I think is just plain wierd. Thanksgiving was ok. Lots of turkey and stuffing and family drama, but we survived the first major holiday without Ed without any major mishap. We were aided in great part by the new family pet. Tequila is the craziest looking, cutest dog I’ve ever seen. She really does have a mohawk, too! She’s part Rhodesian Ridgeback. Spirits were so high that we even dragged ourselves out of bed at 4am on Black Friday to go shopping. It was worth it to wander around in Gardenridge Pottery while it was nearly empty, but by the time we got to Kohl’s the crowds had arrived and were turning a bit hostile. I think I’ll go ahead and avoid that experience in the future.
The really good news is that it’s cookie-baking time. I’m getting started this weekend, and the plan, provided that I get enough baking done and actually manage to keep my apartment clean for the next two weeks, is to invite everybody over on the 10th for a cookie party. For some people the holidays are all about tinsle and wreaths, but I’m more into gathering my friends around so we can overdose on sugar and complain about work. I’m really hoping that the smell of warm oatmeal scotchies will help get me a little more into the celebrating mood, because right now things just aren’t so hot. I’m exhausted all the time (but I can never sleep), I feel like I’m lagging behind in just about everything, and my self-esteem is really in the dumps. I’m just not keeping it together these days. I’m so damn down that I don’t even feel like obsessing about men. I realize that I’m in no way qualified to be a part of a relationship at the present time. I need to get my own act together before I start worrying about anybody else’s.
And with that, I’d better roll. One more meeting to go. Leave me some happy thoughts–I miss comments!
-pg

Well, it’s officially that time of the year–the snow has been flying since yesterday afternoon. At least it’s not sticking to anything. It’s seriously gloomy out there, though, which makes it hard to crawl out from under the flannel sheets in the morning. I need to get some of those full-spectrum lightbulbs or something. I think Seasonal Affective Disorder is already setting in. Then again, it’s hard to differenciate between my normal crabbiness and crabbiness associated with the loss of daylight savings time. Someone told me yesterday that the last time they saw me NOT in an uptight, worried, or complaining mood was back in June. Am I only seasonally pleasant? Is my job destroying my ability to relax and think happy thoughts? The career-change contemplation continues. It will last at least through December, after which I will return from the holidays refreshed and optimistic, thinking that surely I can handle one more year. I can’t decide if I keep doing this because it’s my calling or because I’m terrified to do anything else. Is fear the only thing stopping me? Will I end up getting married, staying in this career, settling in and looking back twenty years from now wishing I’d taken a different path?

Aaah, enough career contemplation for now. I think my biggest problem these days is that I’m lonely. Definitely not lonely for friends, because I’ve been blessed with probably more than I deserve. Just wishing I had a non-platonic guy in my life. My relationship with The Boy was dysfunctional at best, but at least it was a relationship. This is going to sound unforgiveably cheesy, but there are times when everything seems to be falling apart and you just need someone’s arms in which to sink. I value my independence and my ability to function as a single woman with a full-time career, and in no way do I think that I’m somehow “less than” because I don’t have a man in my life. But that doesn’t, not for a second, stop me from wishing that I did. I don’t think I was meant to go through my entire life alone. And sometimes it’s really hard for me to understand why I’ve had to face three of the hardest months of my entire life without the comfort of being able to go home to somebody. I’m certain I’ll come out from all of this stronger than before. But that doesn’t make it any less bittersweet.

Alrighty, end of reflection. Off to go on duty. I’m hoping that the cold weather slows everybody down and it’s an unusually quiet Thursday night.
-pg

Snow with sunshine, and other stuff

Right now it’s about 25 degrees outside. It’s incredibly windy, snowing like crazy…and THE SUN IS OUT. What the HELL is that? And three days ago it was 65. I know, I know, some of you are probably sick of my comments about the weather in Ohio. But come on!!! This is seriously wierd stuff! I could theoretically get myself a tan while I shovel the snow out from behind my truck. Bizzare. Is it the sign of end times?

I’m sick of this week. It started with a 13-hour drive to and from Indiana in the rain. Then I had a horrible, awful confrontation with a staff member–it’s been an ongoing problem, and in a few hours, it’s going to end. Some people are able to leave work at work. It’s a little harder for me, living on campus, but I think it would be difficult regardless. I take everything personally. When I am not able to do a good enough job of educating someone, helping them move past their mistakes and change their behavior for the better, I feel like a failure. I wonder what I could have done differently–could I have been more patient? More helpful? More understanding? I know that it’s out of my hands for the most part. But I don’t take any pleasure in having to give up on someone.

Enough bummage, and on to good stuff. I bought God’s Politics at the bookstore on Tuesday, and I can’t put it down. It’s SO right on. Buy it. Read it. Call me up and we’ll discuss it. This book actually makes me want to change the world. And my buddy Mikey introduced me to Sorryeverybody.com, the coolest site I’ve seen in a while…oh yeah, and the Knitty.com new winter patterns are up, whoo-hoo! I think this weekend a visit to the yarn store might be warranted…after all, I’ve managed to stay away for over two whole months…

Well, I’ve got a meeting across campus to trudge through the snow for, so that’s all for now. I’ll try to stay warm and upbeat, and hope this week doesn’t get any stranger…
-pg

A bit better

So first off, a shout-out to my homies Nick and Vixen, for the happy thoughts. I’m feeling a bit better today. First off, I discovered this amazing thing called a Liberal Studies master’s degree, in which I can basically take whatever classes I want, figure out a way to tie them together, and voila! Degree! And the program advisor says that my hodgepodge of English, counseling, and student affairs classes can all transfer in. Good times. I’m thinking of doing something about minorities/underpriveledged students and access to higher ed. Or something. I don’t know. The sooner I get a master’s, the sooner a few more doors will be opened to me–whether I stick it out in student affairs or go off to do something else. Still haven’t ruled out teaching. And let’s not forget that the degree will be FREE…tuition waiver, how I love you.

And let me just say, once I get that degree, unless I meet Mr. Wonderful and he’s insistent that we live in the upper midwest, I’m getting my ass farther south. This weather is fucking ridiculous. Today it was 65 degrees when I got home from work. Now it’s 25 and snowing. What the hell is that about? Yeah, the south is the home of humidity and slavery, and yes, it’s a place where people take actual pride in their ignorance (why else would they hang up the confederate flag and actual write songs to express pride in their redneck-ness?). And it does get up to a zillion degrees in the summer, and most of the people down there think Bush is an American hero. But there’s always Austin, home of good music, radical politics, and liberal hippie-wannabee UT students. And air-conditioning. And none of this freezing rain/snow/sleet/misery bullshit.

Okay, it wouldn’t be peacegrrl without a little man gossip. No, I didn’t get any bootie over the break. This is highly disappointing. However, I did hear from Blind Date guy several times and he called as soon as I got back into town. Perhaps this will progress and the dry spell will end. At the very least, he lets me borrow a lot of DVDs, so the relationship certainly does have merit. I’ll keep you posted.

Alrighty, it’s late, I’m in my office, and my building is supposed to be empty but I’m hearing strange noises and they’re scaring me. I’m going to go lock myself in my apartment now.

-peacegrrl