Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself

Observations from my Portland vacation, Day 1:

I generally don't sleep well before I fly. I toss and turn and check the clock and mentally gripe about how I need to be sleeping. I have no idea why this is. Maybe I'd be better if I traveled more.

I thoroughly enjoy the destinations. I thoroughly detest the travel to get to the destinations. Doesn't matter if it's a car or a plane or a bus or van or whatever else you can envision. I'm one of those people that the vacation begins when I get there, not on the journey to get there.

For some reason, on airplanes, my left ear gets clogged about the time we begin the approach to the aiport. It takes several hours for this to dissipate. Like hiccups, I've been given a bunch of ways to prevent it (i.e., chewing gum) and to get rid of it once it happens (i.e., hold your nose and blow). None seem to work.

Arriving in Portland was glorious to me: A drizzling rain and chilly temperatures. I don't know why this type of weather does it for me, but manalive does it.

Whatever airline execs thought up fees for checking bags likely had no idea of the unintended consequences of that action: I was on one flight in which there were 40 empty seats and the flight attendant threatened to make people check bags if folks didn't obey the rules by putting stuff under their seats. They complied. Either way, folks will save $50 round-trip per bag to cram stuff in carry-ons and push limits of the definition of "carry on."

Not much happens at Phoenix's SkyHarbor Airport at 7:50am local time.

How come every other airport has free Wi-Fi but not DFW?

I was blessed to have an empty seat next to me on my first flight, and had the entire row on my connecting flight. I actually slept on a plane...which was needed with the 3:45am wake-up call to get to the airport on time.

I'd forgotten that Fall involves colors in other parts of the world.

My hosts had their version of minichurch (called home groups) last night, held in their home. Their church doesn't have groups by various "affinities" (say, young-marrieds, or empty-nesters, or dual-income-no-kids, etc.) but it's by simple geography. So, it allows for singles, college kids, young marrieds, and empty nesters to be in the group. This fits with my belief in a "converging" church where the generations mix, and it was interesting to see first-hand. I can see some drawbacks to this methodology, but my guess is they'd be balanced by the advantages of life together--no matter what stage of life you're in, you're doing it together.

For some reason, I always underestimate my fatigue level when I go on vacatation. My mind-set is, "Well, it'll be good to get away, but I don't really need it." Then I haul off and sleep 10 hours and don't feel like it's enough (re: I'll take a serious nap later).