I can't imagine living anywhere else besides here in Florida (at least at this point), but I've also finally come to terms with being able to admit that aside from a boat load of good beach days, I'm not happy at all.
There are a LOT of people that I've come into contact with throughout this 7 year stint here and they all say the same thing: weather is great, people suck. Yes, I know, I know. It makes me miss the great friends I have in New York - the people whom I'm truly happy around. I noticeably feel like a completely different person with them than I do here, and that's not to discount the few friends I have here. I'm happy to spend time with anyone who has substance!
With that said, I booked my trip to New York for this year's Odiepalooza! Three days of sleeping in a tent, no showering, peeing behind trees, beer, dirt, music and the people who I can honestly say I love.
The real point of this post is for me to physically note how lucky I am to have been able to be with those people so much in these past few months. I was able to see my best friend on my annual October trip, I was flown back up by our wonderful friends for New Years 2010, she drove 3 hours to see me in Boston in January for my birthday and now soon again in mid-July!
While part of me is beating myself up for spending the $260 (JetBlue only, sorry) on travel at this time with my world slowly crumbling around me, the rest of me is reminding myself that you can't put a price on happiness. And they're what truly makes me happy.
So, I was at work one day toward the end of November and I get a text from a number that I'm not familiar with. It read something along the lines of:
"Hello, miss. It's your wife's boyfriend."
Hi JJ! He went on to ask me if I would be open to coming up to spend New Years with the crew. Of course I wanted to, but it would obviously be extremely expensive. He explained that it would be a birthday gift for my bestest and he would split it with a couple of other amazing friends. I agreed that if I could get the time off approved, of course I would go.
By November 30th, the flight was officially booked and I was officially going to freeze my butt off with my favorite people. The hard part: keeping it a surprise from Allie. We tell each other everything! There were so many things I wanted to tell her and so many questions I had about New Years that I couldn't say or ask!
Lucky for me, I had E to keep me posted. I couldn't very well ask JJ, what if she was around when I sent him an email or a text? What if he forgot to delete them from his phone and she saw what I had written? I couldn't take the chance. E and I developed our own code word just in case Allie was around or for E, just in case he accidentally messaged the wrong girl. Afterall, our names both begin with "Al-" and our screen names are dangerously similar. We agreed that we wouldn't mention anything about new years without proper use of the code phrase.
"Tippy toe!"
For the next couple of weeks we talked about how we were going to surprise Al with the news of my coming up. It was especially hard not to tell her when she would constantly tell me she wished I were there, or wished that I was going to be there for Christmas or that I should be E's date for New Years (little did she know!). Eventually, JJ decided that it would be be best if he were to tell her on her Birthday (Christmas day). At that time, there would only be about a week before I would arrive. I told him just to let me know what he needed me to do and I would absolutely do it.
Christmas day, JJ texted me when he was on his way to Allie's to celebrate her 20-something birthday.
"I'll be at Allie's at around 3:30. I'll call you and pass the phone so you can tell her."
Sure thing! And sure enough, I got the phone call. We exchanged Merry Christmas' and he told me to hold on while he handed Allie the phone. After I heard her nervous, "hello?" all I could think to say was:
"Hi! I just wanted to say Happy Birthday... and I love you... and I can't wait to see you on Thursday."
The reaction was caught on tape and might I say it was quite hilarious. However, I don't have the code to embed it in this blog. Ho-hum!
See you in a couple days, love!
It's always been said that flight is the safest form of travel. Statistically, this may be so, however soaring through the sky in a 200,000 lb airbus leaves me less than assured. I've always had recurring dreams of plane crashes: planes blowing up, planes plummeting, all sorts of scenarios and locations but all with one thing in common - I'm never on the plane. In my dreams I'm always witnessing the tragic event from a distance (not necessarily a safe one) and I'm always okay at the end. I chalk the dreams up to having a fear of the unknown. I don't understand how these heavy pieces of metal can stay up in the air without coming down. Hello, Newton and gravity.
I've also always been a great traveler in spite of these somber dreams, but I'm noticing as I get older, the less of an ideal traveler I become. I've started a tradition of kissing my hand and placing my kiss on the left side of the plane as I enter making sure to protect the flight (ha). I also make sure to say hello to the captains and to thank them as I exit - they're very special chauffeurs.
Needless to say, upon departing New York on the 21st, I lugged my Orange County Choppers duffle bag (mental note: invest in a duffle bag that has wheels) onto the airbus, somehow mustered up the strength to get it into the overhead compartment and took my seat in aisle 8 at the window. Not long after, a nice older gentleman took his seat in the aisle and we celebrated the empty chair between us as the plane doors closed and we backed out to take off.
I'm used to flying at night, so being able to wear sunglasses on the plane was like a special treat and I bounced my head happily as I stared out the window and lip synched to the XM Country station. Before long, the captain announced that we would soon be starting our descent and would be landing at FLL in 35 minutes. It was then that the plane started lowering into the clouds and I glanced out there curiously like a small child on her first flight.
What's the worst thing that could happen to a nervous flyer? Turbulence. I take a deep breath and continue back-seat driving. I noted the color of the clouds which were dark and that alone gave me the indication that we were flying through rain clouds. Fine, okay. Suddenly, the plane drops. Even through my earbuds I can hear the screams of the other passengers. Simultaneously my fellow flyers and I all grabbed for whatever we could to keep us in our seats. Did you know that the first thing people instinctively try to hold is the ceiling? Neither did I until Tuesday. The plane regains control of its surroundings and we continue our descent.
I turn up the volume a little more on the XM radio. Could there be a better time for irony? Kenny Chesney, "I'm Alive" featuring Dave Matthews began to play. I laugh out loud and put my head back on the chair. Again, the plane drops and screams of horror drown out the soothing sounds of the lullaby. Although this felt like a terrifying roller coaster, there were no tracks. This time my arms went behind me and I grabbed the back of my own seat, meeting the hands of the gentleman behind me who also latched onto the back of my seat. I look up waiting for the oxygen masks to fall down. Yes, we dropped far. No, I'm not over-exaggerating. "Flight attendants, please take your seats..." the captain ordered nervously.
THAT'S IT! As the captains regained control of their plane, I grabbed my sweater, buried my face in it and leaned toward the window so my aisle-mate wouldn't witness me cry like an 8 year old. The tears flowed as Kenny and Dave finished their song. I tried not to sniffle loudly and I stealthily let the tears roll onto my sweater. Thank goodness for those sunglasses. I made sight of the runway and muttered, "thank goodness" as the wheels gently touched down. There were some claps and laughs and "thank you Jesus'" throughout the plane.
The gentleman beside me in the aisle turned to me and asked with a smile, "feel better?"
"You heard me?!" I asked embarrassed. He still smiled and shook his head yes. "I'm not a good flyer" I said as I sniffled, no longer caring how loud I was as he already knew of my panic-session. He helped me get my bag down and I waited my turn to exit the plane.
I thanked the captains.
Pack:
- Toothbrush
- Deoderant
- Hairbrush
- At least (3) pairs of jeans
- Sweaters (AE green, black, blue hooded long sleeved shirt)
- Nice shirt for outing
- (2) pairs of boots, (1) pair of sneakers (if they fit in bag)
- PJ's
- Underwear
- Socks
- Scarf and light blazer
- Makeup (only the necessities)
- Digital camera (extra batteries)
- Phone charger
- Eyedrops
Reminders:
- Remove everything in purse not needed
- Wear as much as possible to save room in bag
Make sure Allie has:
- Razor
- Hair dryer and flat iron (who am I kidding?)
So it's been sort of a tradition for me to visit the lovely state of New York in October. When I first visited back in 2005, I believe, it was at the end of October and I had to share the cold cement with snow. I don't remember being all that prepared for it. Even when I lived in New York I never really had a great winter wardrobe. I had a pair of black Payless boots with a pocket on the outside of them big enough for a quarter and a pair of backless Rocket Dog clogs. I also had a really ugly yellow Columbia winter jacket and a scarf that was given to me by my wife. Needless to say, I wasn't much of the fashionista.
After a hiatus of not going to visit or receiving many visits, I randomly booked a flight last October and again made the late-year trip. This time I was prepared. Being in South Florida and not having much to do outside of working, going to school and watching What Not to Wear, I finally had some idea on how to present myself. I excitedly packed my tight-fitting jeans and my long-sleeved shirts and my cute fashion boots looking forward to showing all of my old friends how cute I can look in brisk weather. The problem: it never got cooler than 70°. What the hell is wrong with you, global warming?! That was my time to shine!
Here we are, a year later and again I'm preparing for my October pilgrimage. Is it strange that I'm hoping for cool, crisp weather? I'm bringing my boots, damnit. Don't let me down!
