Thanksgiving '07 presented me with a quagmire of sorts. However thoughtful it may have been to wonder if that predicament was whether to eat a turkey or donate one, that was not the case - but a special 'thank you' to those of you who thought that of me. The real question was should I go to the comfortable setting of the Grand Canyon State which afforded me opportunity to rest, enjoy nice weather and spend time with my extended family - OR remain in the Land of Lincoln for my 10 year high school reunion.
Not one to pass up opportunities, I chose them both. I planned my trip so that I would arrive at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX for those avid players of the airport code game. Don't knock it till you try it.) and be back in Chi Friday evening just prior to the commencement of the festivities. It was tough - I rarely see my aunts, uncles and grandparents...but just the same, a ten year reunion probably doesn't happen too often. After emailing a few of my closest friends to confirm that at least a handful of people would recognize me, I began to get excited for the reunion. This feeling was put on a scale as I've had many vacillating thoughts as to what my plans 'should' be. It is necessary to appreciate two things: that friends and family are very important to me and that "hearts and thoughts they fade away" (...a quintessential line from "Elderly Woman Behind A Counter In A Small Town," a Pearl Jam classic) and thus I wanted to keep both connections as strong as modern transportation would allow.
I had a short, yet great time with my relatives and was dropped off at PHX by my uncle and aunt just about an hour before my flight was scheduled to take off. Down to the wire. Already checked-in, I went to the security checkpoint and took advantage of the security line for 'elite' travelers. It didn't matter that no one was in line - period. I had earned the elite status through United's frequent flier program and love reaping the benefits - sometimes, like this time, just to take advantage of the perks on principle because I am able.
Going through security one of the TSA agents pulled one of my bags aside and took out an unopened bottle of water I forgot to discard. Ah shit - the water policy. Can't forget that the Bush administration's main effort to boost our nation's economy is to force consumers to re-purchase items in Price-Gouging Approved Airport Stores (PGAAS). But wait - my 'un-secure terrorist water' was just tossed into a bin alongside the security officers. Whaaaaa? or as some would say: WTF!? Maybe it takes specialized training and a knowledgeable security officer to make water like mine safe, but if I didn't know any better I would think that the potentially explosive material in my designer water bottle should be contained in an explosives-safe receptacle. As I was putting my bomb-free NBs back on, I asked the TSA woman a "what if" about my water. She got what I meant right away (admittedly a bit of a shocker, but kudos to her) and simply said that her kids would be really rich if something happened to her like what I was alluding to, thereby agreeing with my premise that if the water was truly threatening it should be handled as such and not like it was still just drinking water!
Other oddities include the announcement by our purser on the flight that, due to security guidelines, a minimum of one person could be waiting for the lavatory by the cockpit. Hmm - a requirement that someone is always there and possibly encouraging gatherings? I also always got a kick out of the safety video when it says "bee-bee" as in, "your nearest exit may be behind you." By the way, the purser is basically the chief flight attendant in case you ever wondered.
One's neighbor in the adjacent seat might present opportunities for more tales: a woman next to me on a long haul flight to Nairobi (NBO) years ago decided it was quite appropriate to take her shoes and socks off and put her feet up on the seat separating us. Thinking of spending my life in jail, I did not want to act on my instinct and instead let it pass. It was horrendous though. On my flight from PHX to ORD returning for the reunion extravaganza, there was a huge Bulgarian (for the sake of anonymity and unsurety) guy whose hands were just extensions of his arms - no wrists! He was very possessive of his Styrofoam cup containing his iced drink and stubbornly let out grunts and held it tight as the flight attendant attempted to exchange it with the airline's plastic cup. Next to him, and me, was his wife. It seems that she thought that the iron curtain of personal space starts on my side of the armrest. Yet she didn't give pause to rummaging through my magazines. I wanted to be like: "bitch, that's my seatback pocket!" I never get the hot, single chicks next to me...Yet one time on a different flight to AZ I sat next to a lawyeress who told me about how she would smuggle pot on flights. I was baffled - I asked her how she brought the drugs aboard a flight passed security, especially with tighter restrictions. She explained that she put the pot in a little baggie and stuffed that in her, well, vagina. Hmm...a strain President Clinton would appreciate perhaps.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Strengthgiving: An Ode To Live
I can picture the conversation moving from person to person sitting around a dinner table in what could be thought of as the Thanksgiving version of "A Christmas Story" with each family member recounting what he or she is thankful for that year. I can guess what others may be thankful for based on some of my own past appreciations: friends, family, opportunities to travel, health, presents. The list could go on of course.
Something I have witnessed recently is the uncanny strength of a woman I know. Her name is Gretchen; she is my aunt. What is not visible in the musculature of her figure is quite apparent in the stamina of her psyche. True, she is fighting a difficult battle which definitely presents its tough days and challenges. The pain is hard to deal with and the emotions she expresses are not unlike a winding road with an uncertain future. Yet she personifies hope and strength more than anyone else I have known.
Hers is a story that has the potential to make others strive to do better - it has already rubbed off on me. Gretchen knows the value of life, she recognizes the importance of family. She is a mother of a thirteen year old son who thinks the world of her. Her determination to live is constantly encouraged by her will to provide for and support her son, Justin, and to see him grow up. It makes the average person's desires, mine included, for a new digital camera or music player rather paltry. Moreover, after learning about a new staph infection she contracted, my frustration with not getting accepted to one of the business schools to which I applied was immediately erased. I would much rather never go to business school if it meant that my aunt could live longer days. And of course my plans for what may come next fall pale in comparison to my interest in Gretchen's health. Her voice is soft and her body frail - but the words that exit her mouth are only "great," "cool" and "real nice" spoken in a mellow drawl when I talk to her about feeling better and paying her visits.
Gretchen, something that stuck with me through the years is when you told one of my sisters as she celebrated her bat mitzva to always know who she was and to not feel compelled to paint her face. This mentality demonstrates the depth of your character and truly represents the meaningful lessons you have passed on to us. I always thought it was so admirable that you put yourself above the commonplace notions that society places on girls my sister's age. With that remark you taught us to be individuals and to think on our own. Perhaps that is part of what influenced your decision to shave your head (and though you might have heard this many times already, I think it looks so great and presents a very new you! I really like how it has grown in.). I respect that so much and attribute it to the strength of the person you are.
Seeing what you have been going through makes me appreciate the small things in life that we often take for granted. I want to be more considerate and less cynical; I want to enjoy the simple pleasures that can zip by if you're not looking. I want to not worry about missing the next bus or train, knowing full well that there are far more difficult obstacles in life. You have certainly had your share of obstacles and have made such strides in concurring them. We believe in you and support you and love you incredibly much - and hopefully with this powerful support network and your own determination, we can beat this.
...So what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
Something I have witnessed recently is the uncanny strength of a woman I know. Her name is Gretchen; she is my aunt. What is not visible in the musculature of her figure is quite apparent in the stamina of her psyche. True, she is fighting a difficult battle which definitely presents its tough days and challenges. The pain is hard to deal with and the emotions she expresses are not unlike a winding road with an uncertain future. Yet she personifies hope and strength more than anyone else I have known.
Hers is a story that has the potential to make others strive to do better - it has already rubbed off on me. Gretchen knows the value of life, she recognizes the importance of family. She is a mother of a thirteen year old son who thinks the world of her. Her determination to live is constantly encouraged by her will to provide for and support her son, Justin, and to see him grow up. It makes the average person's desires, mine included, for a new digital camera or music player rather paltry. Moreover, after learning about a new staph infection she contracted, my frustration with not getting accepted to one of the business schools to which I applied was immediately erased. I would much rather never go to business school if it meant that my aunt could live longer days. And of course my plans for what may come next fall pale in comparison to my interest in Gretchen's health. Her voice is soft and her body frail - but the words that exit her mouth are only "great," "cool" and "real nice" spoken in a mellow drawl when I talk to her about feeling better and paying her visits.
Gretchen, something that stuck with me through the years is when you told one of my sisters as she celebrated her bat mitzva to always know who she was and to not feel compelled to paint her face. This mentality demonstrates the depth of your character and truly represents the meaningful lessons you have passed on to us. I always thought it was so admirable that you put yourself above the commonplace notions that society places on girls my sister's age. With that remark you taught us to be individuals and to think on our own. Perhaps that is part of what influenced your decision to shave your head (and though you might have heard this many times already, I think it looks so great and presents a very new you! I really like how it has grown in.). I respect that so much and attribute it to the strength of the person you are.
Seeing what you have been going through makes me appreciate the small things in life that we often take for granted. I want to be more considerate and less cynical; I want to enjoy the simple pleasures that can zip by if you're not looking. I want to not worry about missing the next bus or train, knowing full well that there are far more difficult obstacles in life. You have certainly had your share of obstacles and have made such strides in concurring them. We believe in you and support you and love you incredibly much - and hopefully with this powerful support network and your own determination, we can beat this.
...So what are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
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