Cross Winded

Blog 999. You didn't think I was going to stop now, did you?

I've been far away from fun and blogging. I'm squeezing you in during my 30 minutes for lunch, so I hope you feel the love. We will make it to 1,000 together, hand in hand. I know it!

I've been zipping around in airplanes of various sizes, doing work and this or that. My most recent trip was to Washington D.C. for work. It was a medium plane, not a baby plane like my last flight. It certainly wasn't a big plane but I'll take "bigger than the baby" any day. It had 24 rows. That's not a baby plane in any capacity. That's not even a regional jet in my world.

Side note: I got this kick-ass new little "under the seat" luggage-on-roller thing. I figure if I'm going to be traveling, I best get some actual albeit small luggage. Smaller than a carry on, actually fits under the seat. That's all I need for the week. I'm a simple grrrrr. Remember, I am someone who uses paper bags for luggage, so I'm proud of this purchase. My co-workers were at the weight limit for their luggage. I scoff at them.

Anyway, back on the plane. This winter weather has really sucked for doing most things. It's been frigid (no Addiversian exaggeration here, as -31 degrees is frigid), it has been icing, it has been storming and the week of my flight.... we had high wind warnings.

That is something you do NOT want to see when flying on a plane is involved. High wind warnings are not on the radar for smooth sailing. (All puns intended.)

Thankfully, the high winds had moved on by the time we were ready to take off. All we needed was a douse of de-icing and we were ready to go. Smooth and scenic. We gave a wave to Chicago as we took off.

Sadly, the high wind warning was now in the place of which we were going. I knew this. I didn't have the heart to tell my two traveling companions.

Have you ever been tossed around in turbulence? (Regular turbulence, not that scary drop 10,000 feet in ten seconds kind of turbulence. I'm talking a rough but not terrifying kind. I'd shit myself if there was a 10,000 foot drop like that.) Well, landing in a high wind warning is quite the place to find turbulence. That plane was rocking! I've unfortunately been in worse (ask my mom and sister), so I wasn't very excited. Besides, I had taken Dramamine AND I knew it was coming. I figured 50 MPH winds equals rough landing. I was ready. I was okay with it.

My two traveling partners? I daresay they have never experienced such like this. I don't think they would ever like to do that again, either. Big planes for them.

My counseling skills came in mighty handy. Thank you, Master's Degree! I'm glad to say that flying over Washington D.C. served as a great distraction when in turbulence. It was easy to point out monuments and buildings. "Hey! Look, there's the Washington Monument!" Or, "I don't see the Pentagon, do you?" I kept yipping to keep my co-worker distracted. Although very scared, she did really well.

Little did I know that my boss, seated across the aisle, was in her own little ball of terror. She was looking out her side of the plane and all she could see was water. She knew we were about to land and all she saw was.... water.

That'll teach her to watch "Sully" before flying. What was she thinking?!!!

I didn't notice the water. I didn't notice my boss. She later said she was gripping her seat like there was no tomorrow. She also said she thought we should have applauded when we landed, as the pilot did such a great job. I felt badly that I didn't give her any support but there is only so much one counselor can do at one time.

The flight home was downright boring compared to the flight there. We were on a much, much bigger plane and there was no wind to speak of. The only water we saw was Lake Michigan while in the landing pattern of O'Hare. I'm so glad because I didn't want the last flight those two took to be the terror-turbulence one.

We three have returned back to the land of work, with oodles of work waiting for us. That's the thing that transpires when you're gone for a week. Even though you're working, you still come back to a pile of work. I figure it' job security. Give me Dramamine and job security and I'm good to go.

Oh, and a paper bag for a personal carry-on item. It'll match my new rolling under-the-seat carry-on handsomely....