What's the deal with flying?

I'm not talking about the delays or the upcharges or the overcrowding. Everyone hates that.

When I was a teenager I loved to fly. It was amazing. Get in a big metal tube and two to four hours later you were somewhere else. Along the way you got a view of another world up there. The clouds, the ground so far away. Crazy adventure. And then came cheap flights on discount airlines and it was even reasonably priced.

I can remember once flying somewhere and there were maybe 20 people on the flight. The flight attendants spent most of the trip in the back hanging out and talking to me about tattoos. I had about 10 rows to myself because everyone else crammed the front so they could get off quickly. But the flight was so empty that everyone got out quickly.

Now I dread it. Odds are good that I'll get motion sickness during takeoff and landing. Nothing like getting to your destination feeling ill. And with most flights having multiple connections anymore I'm likely to get multiple doses of nausea. Nice. I've tried eating and not eating before flying to try to deal. The only thing I've learned is that if I eat at least that way my stomach churn doesn't have heartburn too. But it does increase the feeling that I have something worth throwing up.

Beyond that I get sinus issues from all the pressure changes. Lucky me. I think I got it from my dad, he's got sinus problems. Something for me to look forward to as I age..

It's to the point now that just a whiff of that recycled airplane air leads to dread. I pray the little air jet will help. Part of me hopes that we deplane somewhere cold so the cool air is soothing for a little while. Last time I flew I went to Colorado which resulted in altitude sickness combined with the flight sickness. It took me a week to recover after I got back home.

Though if I being perfectly honest. The flight back from the job interview where I got my current teaching position was great. Maybe I was just to happy to notice anything else. Plus I had a really big seat right by the front door. So there is something to be said for getting out first.

Winter Break

Yes, I'm being lazy. I'm trying to get over it but no promises.

I'm loving the video game Okami. I highly recommend it. I'm up to 26 hours of playtime and the end is not in sight quite yet.

I apologize for bringing this cold snap to our area. Wife and I tried to go for a scooter ride yesterday and watched the weather change from fall to "winter" within the first five minutes. We turned back for safety sake.

And in news you already knew, itunes store is a dangerous, dangerous thing.

Paying off on the vote

I got that shaving thing done over the weekend.

Thanks to all of you who voted.

I now look ready to tool about the countryside in my Duesenberg J Walker Legrande Torpedo Phaeton or to attempt to convert my textile firm to the new methods of assembledge line production. Perhaps over the summer I will visit the continent by steam ship.

Look, up in the sky.

I was walking Dog just now (it's in the sixties in December by the way for those of you wondering). I looked up in to the sky in the twilight. And overhead flew a pair of pelicans.

Not the kind of thing you see everyday. Except for now it is.

And so you learn something from this post, in Medieval Europe the pelican was believed to use its own blood to feed its children when no other food was available. As such it became a symbol of the Eucharist. It was often used in heraldry to signify self-sacrifice.

And Dixon Lanire Merrith wrote "The Pelican" in 1910.

A wonderful bird is the pelican
His bill will hold more that his belican.
He can take in his beak
Food enough for a week,
But I'm damned if I can see how the helican

Pretty sweet.

I need a ruling on this

Please, someone help me with this decision. I can't make it on my own.

Thanks to Pandora I get exposed to bands or songs I'm not familiar with from time to time. Sometimes they rule and sometimes they suck.

But I can't decide on one band. Interpol, do they blow are they actually secretly talented? My opinion varies wildly from song to song. Somebody help a brother out here.

I didn't mean to do it

I finished the grading I was going to do last night. Dog sat next to me looking sad since I was ignoring her to get work done. So I said to myself,

"Self, we'll just watch a little TV and give Dog some attention."

TMC was showing The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. Next thing I realize it's 3:30 in the morning. Yay, 4 and a half hours of sleep.

But how can you say no to the combination of Dog hugs and Robert Shaw?

You don't. Robert Shaw will hurt you if you do.

The joys of pet ownership

Wife left for work while I was upstairs in the bathroom taking care of business, if you know what I mean. I could hear the sound of plastic rustling shortly thereafter. I knew one or both of the critters was up to now good. Possibly they were even working in cahoots.

I called Dog's name. Normally she drags herself upstairs just in case I'm calling her for a good reason. Today, nothing. I called again. Pause in the rustling. Then it continues.

I finish and head downstairs. Dog comes running up to me as if I have been away for years. Now this is not too far off from normal behavior but she was overselling it considering she didn't show up when called.

It is at that point that I notice the bag of candy on the floor. I walk up to it. Dog follows and tries to act surprised.

If she could talk I imagine it would sound something like this, "How did that get there? You should pick it up before someone figures out how to rip it open and get to the yummy, yummy goodness contained inside.... By the way, any thoughts on how someone without thumbs would rip it open? I'm just curious. Not for me of course, the cat was asking."

The bag was still intact though a little wet with slobber. Dog then changed tactics and acted like sleeping on the couch was all that she cared about in this world. Since no one was caught in the act, no punishment was given out at this time.

Why I'm behind on grading

Wife received a very generous gift from her family, a new mp3 player. It's huge.

So of course she doesn't really need her old one. And mine is ever so small.

So I'm a little distracted right now updating it. I think I can squeeze another 30 albums on to it or so.

And grades are not due till next Tuesday morning.......

Just a quickie

You know what is frustrating about a new computer (or new to you as the case may be here)?

Trying to remember all your internet bookmarks.

I'm working on that anonymous favorite comedian question. If you know me, that's a lot more complicated than it is for most folks.