Chronicles:
This trip is the first time I fly to Ireland less than excited. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I’m going. I’m extremely excited to see my friends again. I’ve been trying to recall images of Galway: Shop Street, Eyre Square, Lower Dominick Street, Salthill, etc in an attempt to make myself realize that I’m actually going…this is for real. “Diana, be excited.” But it’s yet to happen. Perhaps when I finally board my Aer Lingus plane, or wake up after a few hours of restless sleep and force down that scone (that already sends a feeling of nausea to my stomach), and look out the window to see the green and stone landscape that I love so much will it all finally sink in, and I’ll be as excited as people expect me to be. Surely, as I walk into the shop, luggage in hand, exhausted after a day of traveling and several hours of listening to Ger talk… surely then I’ll be excited. To get a big Megan hug—that kind that only Megs can give. To be verbally attacked with “Diana!” by Maren, and Megan…probably Tommy as well… Then I’ll be excited… I’ll get there at the lunch rush—and it will all come back. The reason I love this place. The excitement that dwells somewhere, deep inside me…excitement about the opportunity to work at ATN again…only this time, on slightly different terms. …unhindered by an agreement to sign my life over to the ministry, body and soul.
Anyway…Despite the fact that I don’t quite believe that I’m leaving today, and I feel almost guilty for my lack of anticipation and excitement…I find myself at the airport. Waiting. And decided to begin the chronicle of this journey.
It started…well…back in November. But that’s another story. Today started well…sleep as much as I can, get up and force myself to come to terms with the reality of the upcoming travel—and all that it means. My morning was a flurry of activity: repacking my suitcase with the requested “American”/Kentucky supplies. Find my passport and stick it in a place I’ll be sure not to leave…print out itinerary w/ necessary numbers/codes, etc. Pack both carry-ons. Yes…two. One as an ‘in-flight’ bag to be stowed at my feet, leaving as much room as possible to stretch out during the flight. One containing the essentials: camcorder, batteries, tapes, lav mic, and misc “overnight” stuffs—an attempt to ward off Murphy’s baggage thief. A trip to the post office revealed that Final Cut had arrived which meant that I had new programs to play with/learn while waiting at the airport…
…Laura helped me remember my meds. Thanks Laura! I would NOT have been a happy camper to not have my “sleeper”…and ATN and Laura would not have been happy for me to miss my meds…
And then I arrive at LEX. I go to the United counter, and they give me a piece of paper to give to American—apparently I’m now flying American. Ok. No big deal. I simply walk a few yards to the American Eagle counter and hand her the paper. …And stand there, as she can’t seem to find my information on her system at all…apparently it’s not an easy task to transfer a passenger from one airlines to another. Or at least it wasn’t for her… And then…she just gave me my LEX to ORD ticket—not checking me into my Aer lingus flight (which she SHOULD have been able to do). Thankfully, she checked my baggage all the way through—that would NOT have been fun. So…I get to ORD (O’Hare) and want to get checked into my flight (I’m anal like that)…but, not thinking, I leave the securited area to go to the international terminal, and get there…only to find that the counter doesn’t open for another hour and a half. Good going, Diana. And…I won’t be able to get back to the rest of the airport to get decent food…or as decent as airport food can get—so I’m stuck at the international terminal (which is enitably the “worst” part of the airport), with greasy pizza in my stomach, trying to cram down the reminder of my Diet Coke in order to take the –empty- bottle through security so I can not pay out the wazoo again for something to drink.
On a much better note: I am thoroughly enjoying Apple’s documentation to DVD Pro. Seriously—most manuals are crazy hard to read and should only be used as a reference. This thing has some really good information and is technical without being technically worded. Obviously written for the type of person who would read a software manual: me. J
What I have written 