My first flight

What was the first plane flight you ever took?

My first flight was in July 1989 to Finland.  I had been saving for three years to go see Mervi in person.  I pretty much had made up my mind that when you are best friends with someone you need to meet them.  At that time, we had been writing to each other since 1982.  I had just completed my first year of college and Mervi had graduated high school.  We had decided in a way that I would go there first since Finland didn't have a drinking age of 21 and being young, well we wanted to have some fun.  Then in 1991, once we were both 21 Mervi would fly to see me in the US.

My flight was out of Syracuse.  I packed this full sized soft sided suitcase that I had purchased for schlepping clothing to college.  It had wheels, but it was pulled by a strap and was prone to falling over!  I was going there for three weeks and I figured I would need to have lots of clothing!  I honestly can't remember the airline that I flew.  All I know is that I simply did what I always do:  fake it till you make it!  I know my big bag didn't weigh much and I checked it.  I followed signs and got on the plane.  In those days you had some paper ticket that I bought at a travel agent in the mall.  I had a passport that I got in fall 1988.  The picture of me was butt ugly!

My flight from Syracuse went to JFK.  I have literally no recollection of it being stressful.  I remember the take off felt pleasurable the way amusement park rides do and I knew at that moment that I would be doing lots of traveling in my future.

This flight happened in the golden years of actual on board food service, but in the years when there was one movie on a screen above the middle of the aisle.  We bounced around a lot.  The plane wasn't very still.  It was really bumpy, like driving a car on a dirt road.  And this is the biggest thing I remember about my first flight.  You see, I thought that was normal, how all flights felt.  It wasn't until I look at the guy next to me and he's turning green that it dawned on me that maybe we were experiencing a LOT of turbulence.  Still, after uttering the traveler's prayer:  "Lord, if I have to die on a plane, can it be on the way home after I have my fun?" I felt pretty calm about it all.  Think about it, it's not like you can do anything about the situation now can you?  So, roll with it.

We landed in Sweden on a bright sunny morning and we didn't have to get off the plane.  Then finally we flew over to Helsinki where I got to touch Mervi for the first time and really see her and be with her!!!  Fantastic!

BTW, that hideous luggage?  It was lost, but they found it the next day and sent it to our hotel.  I only carry-on now-a-days, but that's another post about another topic for another day.

Time Keeping

Clocks, watches, church bells, calendars, sundials, hourglasses, stopwatches, and metronomes all help us keep track of time. What is one interesting or unusual timekeeping device that you use or that you happen to see during your regular routine?

This prompt comes from tenthousandquestions.

Love this one!  I don't wear a watch.  I think I stopped wearing one around 2004.  I was taking one of those classes that teachers can take about loving the teaching life, minimizing stress, finding your zen or whatnot from these two really cool guys.  Cool guy one was a married teacher and cool guy two was his BFF who just happened to look a lot like Keanu Reeves and who could also do yoga.  Both men never wore a watch and yet could tell within minutes what time it was.  The whole class was fascinated and wanted to know how this was accomplished.  Their answer:  simply stop stop wearing a watch and your body starts to naturally know the time.

Of course I had to try this!

It works wonderfully and is one of those silly things that amuses people.  I am usually within 20 minutes or less.  Often, within one or two minutes.  I've even noticed that after crossing a time zone I will come into the rhythm of the new location, however, when we change the clocks I will be that hour off!

If I'm using the timer in class, I can usually tell the seconds as they are decreasing.  But I do use electronics to tell me the time.  Cell phones are more than happy to oblige as are cars and computers.  I would never try to wake without an alarm although I know with training I probably could.  I had a friend way back in high school tell me to repeat the time I wanted to wake and then my subconscious would make it happen.  Hmmm, I've done it some, but I need practice.

And now I have this really cool Philips Wake-Up-Light.  The light gradually comes on just like the sun would and then birds sing.  Ahhh, just like in spring and summer.