Christopher

I was hoping to get home to Kentucky tonight, but it's not going to happen. Work had me deadhead down to Tampa, Florida and wait here for about an hour and a half and then work a flight back up to Baltimore. The sad thing is that the flight I'm working was supposed to push at 6:25pm (about 55 minutes from now) but is delayed until 8:55pm now. How cool is that? This means that I won't be back to the crashpad until after midnight sometime.

On the flight down here, I sat next to a guy named Christopher. He was dressed up in his Sunday best and said the was moving back from Maryland to Florida to "start over". Christopher is a 23 year old, professional BMX rider who has just been handed more responsibilities and freedoms by his parents. I'm not sure all the details of what he was referring to, but what jumped out at me was that he was going to for a new start.

I love new starts! This may be why I get so excited when it comes to moving (which I get to do tomorrow). I think life is filled with so many cool experiences, as long as you look for them. I chatted with a new friend online recently who tells me that he hates large crowds- to the point where he gets very nervous in public situations. He says he doesn't even like to go out with friends because he's too worried that they'll leave him alone and he'll have to fend for himself. I'm very thankful to have never suffered with a social phobia like that.

New starts are great! When it comes to The Gospel of Jesus Christ- they're wonderful. It doesn't matter what you've done. All that matters is what you're doing now, and what you do tomorrow. You do need to right old wrongs, however. This may require something as little as an apology, or may be as big as answering to the law. The important thing is that you do it. 

We all make mistakes...Your mistakes do not define the person you are. What defines the person you are is how you rise after falling. We're all going to screw up sometimes, but what's important is that we learn from those screw-ups.

I hope Christopher makes the best of this new responsibility and these new freedoms he's been given. 

I sound like some kind of minister... I'm not. To prove it, I'm going to end this blog entry with the words: Boobs, Ass and Hell.

Strangers And Friends/ Thanks

I feel sorry for the person who sits next to me on the plane. Here's the problem: I love to talk. You've just set by me, and I assume, even though it may just be a full flight, that you want to hear my life story. But it's not all about me- I really want to hear YOUR life story too. I figure a stranger is someone who may not know it yet, but they really want a new friend. Who doesn't want real friends.

So, to Kevin, the dude I met on the plane the other day, I apologize. You probably wanted to read, on your way to Baltimore, or even sleep, heaven forbid. I saw a new friend sitting there, and I had to chat. In my defense, you did ask me a few questions, so I guess you brought this on yourself.

I was given the exciting job of airport standby today (and yesterday). If you don't remember, this means that I get to sit around the airport, for up to 5 hours, waiting for the call, just incase another flight attendant can't show up, or there's some kind of delay in the system. I'm the go-to guy for the morning, I guess.

Standing By/ Emeril Live

I've been hanging out in the airport lounge all morning. I've been hoping that they'd call me for a trip, but really don't want to work a PM trip. If I can get an AM trip, this means that I'll most likely be home on Wednesday night. This will let me pack up some things and get ready to start moving on Thursday. The missionaries from my church are going to help me move a couple things too. This is great, because there's really only  2 things that I need help lifting.


So I'm pretty much addicted to the food network. I was watching Emeril Live this morning and it makes me laugh. Anytime he adds spices or pepper or butter or bacon to anything, the audience goes wild. Seriously, people... I know these things taste good, and I love to eat, probably more than most, but get a life- adding a Jalapeno shouldn't be THAT exciting.

Home for a bit.

It's time for an update. I'm doing well. I just got back from a good visit to Utah. The folks are doing well. I did get a migraine headache while I was there, but that wasn't caused by the folks, like you're thinking.

Today I took the dog into town and got some more food for her. This is a milestone: Shelby has moved from puppy food to adult dog food. Yes, it's true. According to the bag, she's supposed to be on the puppy food for the first year, and even though she's only over 6 months old, we're switchin her over. She's just getting so big!

It's good to have a few days off before I go back to work.

More blog entries are coming soon. Thanks for checkin' back!

Getting ready to move... 6 days and counting.

Time to make the donuts

Good morning! I took Shelby out for a walk this morning and it is really starting to feel like Autumn. It makes me want to go hiking and see the leaves.

This morning I'm cleaning house, later I'll pack my bags and fly back to Baltimore. Only 2 days off this time and here I go again.

Hope everyone is having a great day!

New Orleans, Louisiana

When I first arrived in New Orleans earlier today, I had to take a nap. Having not slept very well in Baltimore last night, it was a necessity.

When I awoke, rested, I grabbed my dirty laundry and walked about a mile to a laundromat to wash my clothes. After that, I went back to my hotel and packed away the clean clothes.


I had a delicious New Orleans meal this afternoon. I went to a restaurant called "The Harbor" and ordered some blackened alligator, and then some blackened catfish with a creole red shrimp sauce on top. I may be ready for another nap now.

Okay probably not. I'm sure I'll end up chatting on skype for awhile.

Burbank, California

Salt Lake City, Utah

This morning, I woke up in Salt Lake City, Utah. I normally work the AM shifts, but because this is a PM, I didn't do anything last night. This morning, however, I woke up and ran on the treadmill for about 20 whole minutes. I know, you're impressed. After that, too distracted by my thoughts, I went for a walk to find breakfast somewhere in downtown Salt Lake City.

I ended up at the Marked Street Grill. Was a very good breakfast of french toast. Was also a great restaurant. I'll have to go back for lunch or dinner sometime.

Not too much to report right now, perhaps I'll have more by tonight or tomorrow.

Last night, in my sleep...

A few minutes ago, I took Shelby outside to do her doggy-business. When we went out, I saw that all the grass was frosted over and crunchy. I do believe that this is our first frost of the season. Yay! It just means that I need to start putting on shoes when I go outside- and no more shorts.

So I had a dream last night. It's very weird that I remember my dreams at all, so I figure maybe it's worth blogging about.

First off, I was in a really nice cabin up in Idaho somewhere. I believe that we must have been having a family reunion there, because there were other members of the family there. Also there was my brother's father inlaw, Lynn. He was sitting there, showing me how to use the TV remote (apparently this cabin wasn't really 'roughing it'). Next thing I know, I was in another part of Idaho. I believe it was some place like Idaho Falls, or something like that. We were on our way up to Canada to look at grave sites to find family members (now that I'm awake, this seems odd, because our people didn't come for Canada). But anyway, I knew I was supposed to be meeting family there, but was driving by myself. So I was at the grocery store, Albertsons. I was getting flowers, and for some reason I was renting a wheelchair.

I recognized the gal who was checking me out as a friend who went to Utah State with me. I asked her if she was done with school and she told me that she was, and that she'd come back to Idaho to live with her family.

She rang me up, and I was gone. When I got out to the parking lot, I threw the wheelchair in the back of my truck (I was in my old ranger, that I got rid of years ago, by the way) and was getting ready to leave, and this guy came up to me and asked me if he could have a ride up to Montana, on my way to Canada. I asked him if he had any money and he told me that he had $9. So I gave him a ride.

Next, I'm at the home depot getting something else. I recognized two more friends from Utah State. One was ringing me up in line, and another was the person behind me in line, waiting to be rang up.

About this time, Shelby barked and woke me from my sleep.

Pretty weird, huh?

Incense

So... I'm really into incense now. I found an online store and bought a bunch of sticks that I've been burning. I found one that smells just like rain. Now my apartment is really smelling great- kind of like if I was a druggy. haha

Today I'm watching the first season of The Muppet Show. Also, I've already cleaned the bathroom, next I'll be hitting the kitchen. I wish dishes would wash themselves.

It's also laundry day.