I’m in Missouri now, typing away at a familiar keyboard.
In about 12 hours, if all goes to plan, I should be back in the Mountain West working to be ready and/or conscious for work.
Upstairs, I have several bags crammed with clothes, books and mementos weighing what I hope is just under the maximum amount allowed for free. Compared to other airlines, United Way has stricter fines for pressing their baggage limitations. When you contrast the fine to what it would cost to mail certain items, I’m fairly sure I can find two pounds of knickknacks I can continue to live without.
As usual, I’ve been on a whirlwind trip to catch up with family, friends and a few former coworkers. I’ve visited my alma matter, gotten a longer look at the new family homestead and gotten to sleep in beds that are more familiar than the mattresses I’ve been using for over a year. I’ve been able to relax, veg, catch the Lost season finale, watch several TV shows on DVD (especially WKRP in Cincinnati) and comb through old papers and memories.
I’ve also gotten to deal with sleep deprivation, jet lag and humidity, thus causing me to be occasionally tired and sweaty but unable to go to sleep around 2 a.m. in the morning. Fortunately, my parents’ refrigerator is better stocked than my own, making it a pleasure to raid (Do I want strawberries or pepper jack cheese? Remember, I can’t sample both).
The standard complaint, as it has been since I first relocated out West, is that the trip was too short. That’s really unavoidable right now. Someday, if I get a Pulitzer nomination or am named to the Oprah Book Club, which would be more profitable than the first, I should get some more legal room.
In the meantime, I take some pleasure I won’t be waiting another five months for the next trip, like the previous time.
Of course, first, I have to catch tomorrow’s plane and go to work. Sleep comes somewhere in there, I hope. Preferably before work and lasting longer than two hours, which is how I kicked off the trip.
Anyway, while it means I lost another hour of potential sleep, I’m happy for the quick chance to sit somewhere familiar and work to recapture a long neglected habit.
Catch you all in another time zone, soon.
