Sunday, November 21, 2010

From Delta Flight DL3 - Seats 39 A, B, & C

Pin It Don’t you just love New York in the fall?

I am not sure if I will or not, but I can only assume that I will do so – after all – I loved it in the summer.

I am composing this post from 30,000 feet aboard a Delta 747, a flight bound for New York City. Duration? 3 ½ hours.

Did you know that Delta offers free wireless on their flights until January?

Yeah, I didn’t know that either.

Last night I commenced packing for this trip; it was about 8:00. As I started deciding which items were essential and vital, I suddenly felt the incessant desire to have my home ready for Christmas for when I got back. You know, to walk in from my trip and to have that warm Christmassy feeling - to have my house be cozy and welcoming.

I retrieved the decorations I’d stored since Christmas in September and began to place these strategically around the house. From my iPod I began a playlist of Christmas jazz.

It was such a good feeling.

I lit a pumpkin spice candle and allowed its scent to permeate my home as I festooned the house with the customary seasonal adornments. Small white lights burned from the tree and the counters, glossing the room with subdued light as the ornaments and decorations filled my living room and kitchen.

I checked the weather outside; the rain that had been falling from the heavens earlier turned into a medley of tumbling snowflakes. I have to admit that at this point there was a distinct feeling of Christmas which seemed to be alive and well in my home.



I stood on the porch and watched the drifting flakes fall from the darkened skies in the light of the streetlamp. I stood there for several minutes breathing in the cold of the evening.

It was invigorating.

I went back in the house and started to pack for my trip, deciding which items would be important, and which would not. I made sure that I had enough underwear and socks to last for seven days…it’s always nice to have clean underwear when you’re away from home.

I thought of New York.

I thought of my brother and my sister-in-law whom I’d be visiting soon.

I smiled.

I awoke early to a gray sky morning. It was cold and dank. I set out for the airport amidst snow, gray clouds, and gutter slush thrown up from other vehicles on the freeway via my good friend, Julie, who’d willingly braved the elements to get me to the airport.

Aren’t good friends amazing?

At the airport I was privy to a full body scan.

Seriously.

I felt like I was a contestant on one of those game shows where the person is allowed into the glass box full of money which blows all about them and they flail all about trying to snag as much as humanly possible (and looking like a complete buffoon as they do so). Only this great glass box looked far more Star Trekian than the one on The Price is Right.


Having passed my shortwave x-ray (which – as you can read here – gave the viewers to the screens an unabashed view of my all) I moved through the concourse to the right gate, arriving 5 minutes before boarding. The deicing of the wings and exterior of the plane added an extra 15 minutes to our ground time, but I didn’t mind. The Sky Mall magazine kept me entertained with items that made me wonder just how in the world I’ve lived my whole life without them: self cleaning dog lawn mats, insect vacuums, giant cupcake molds, and secret pen video cameras.

Totally James Bondian…yeah, all items.

When I found my seat on the plane, it came to pass that the flight was only about ½ of the way full. As a result, I ended up with three seats to myself. I’m currently stretched out leaning against the airplane wall and writing this blog post with a full can of Minute Maid Cranberry Apple Cocktail and a full cup of ice.




Could life possibly get any better?

Yes it can…I’ll be in NY in just a few hours riding the spidery network of subways to get to my brother’s house.

Life, my friends, is good.

P.S. (Funny to say that in a blog post, isn’t it? However, since it means post script, I suppose it’s appropriate). Since I plan to be in New York for a few days, if you live in the area I’d love to meet you. Please click on the Z-Mail link and shoot me a message. If not, I can always entertain myself in the Big Apple…

22 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I am aching to get back to NYC. And I haven't flown Delta since the Wifi. Now that's flying in style.

Yanet @ 3 Sun Kissed Boys said...

Wow, you mean to tell me you actually put the Christmas decorations away in September after your party?! You're so much better than me. I would have totally have left them up until at least January 1st.

Hey, do not mock the giant cupcake mold. I've been wanting to get one of those for the boys. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a secret pen video camera either.

Enjoy your time with your fam.

Anonymous said...

Way better than first class! Have a wonderful visit.

CB said...

New York City is SO great this time of year!! I hope all the Christmas decor will be up - it is so beautiful!!
I am also glad you have somewhere to stay other than a hotel - the bed bug situation there sounds dire (then again we only know what the media says).
I love that you had someone on the plane take your picture - You are cool.
Have a GREAT Thanksgiving in New York and may your flight back be as awesome!
P.S. I did the full body scan thing in Sept. when I flew to Chicago and I didn't think it was all the bad - better than a full body pat down in my book!

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Did u realize u had a huge gap between paragraphs around the top half of your post? did u hit turbulence? or hiccuped?

Connie said...

You really have a flair for writing. Hope your trip to NYC is awesomely fun! I've only been to NYC in the spring and summer. Enjoy!

You're so smart to have your house ready to welcome you with Christmas!

Great song!

mamahasspoken said...

Jealous here, I have to teach Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday :o)

Rachel said...

YOU!!! YOU!!!! YOU!!!! Listened to Christmas music BEFORE Thanksgiving. BEFORE December...... HA!!!! Welcome to the dark side.

Natasha and Jesse said...

Have an awesome time! I've never been to NYC, but I'm saving money to go! Sooo excited!

Omgirl said...

I LOVE getting a whole row to myself!!! Score!

TisforTonya said...

pretty sure the WiFi thing was actually brand new today... I've been hearing the scuttlebutt a lot from pilots and the like :)

and I was "this" close to hitting New York this winter - want so badly to get there to visit my sister before she bails on the place :)

Cari said...

Give my regards to Broadway! :) Have a great time and I'll try not to be too jealous.

Make Do and Mend said...

Cool! Have a great time. How nice to get to see you family. NY is a bonus. Thanks, by the way, for sending me the link to the Joey stories. I might just convert, if only to read about Joey.

Anonymous said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the airlines are dead to me. Have fun in New York! If I were going, it would have taken me considerably longer to get there. :)

Stef said...

Oh, snow falling and decorating Christmas trees, candles and music. It doesn't get much better than that. Except if you didn't have to share a seat with anyone on a three hour airplane ride. Wow!

But the whole taking naked pictures of me while I am fully clothed, a little disturbing!

Farscaper said...

Only been to NY once. It was in the late 80's. It was dirty and within 5 minutes of emerging from the parking garage I was introduced to my first live suicide. Guy jumped from a 7 story building onto a Caddy. Got some important stuff stolen (important to me - used 35mm film from earlier in the trip - waiting to be developed). Got to stand in long lines and sweat. Subway was nasty.

You can have it. I didn't see much worth visiting again for. Granted, I now have several in-law siblings there that I could visit. The buildings are cool to look at. Don't see that kind of architecture out west much.

imbeingheldhostage said...

Awesome. Not just the post and the fact that you get to be with family in NY or that you have three seats to yourself and free wifi served up with cranberry juice. It's awesome that you are a fellow Mac user. I knew I liked you.

Jenny Lynn said...

Your going to miss the Blizzard! Enjoy your time in NYC.

tammy said...

You left your seat belt on though, right?

Luvpilot gets a discount on Skymall catalog items...just in case you decided you really couldn't live without something.

Unknown said...

There is so much I love about this post. Let me see if I can remember all of the little things that made me smile or go "yay!" as I was reading.
1) decorating for Christmas. I want my house decorated, NOW. Particularly since I had so little energy in October I couldn't even decorate for Halloween. I tried to get my husband to get my tree down, so I could get started before I went out of town, but he didn't bite. So, alas...I will have to live vicariously through you.
2) SNOW! Christmas music! Pumpkin spice! What comfort in those things.
3) Delta flights. Delta is so much cooler than US Air, which doesn't even have tv for purchase, or in 1st class.
4) Stretching out on a Delta flight. With a can of apple cranberry. And a Sky Mall to laugh over. If you do the crosswords, we'd get along really well.

Hope you have a great trip.

mCat said...

Your Delta flight sounds much better than my Southwest flight.
And I am feeling SO RIPPED OFF! I got NO body scan, no fondling or pat downs! GYPPED I tell ya!

tiburon said...

Next time take me with you.

And I would take the full body scan as opposed to what happened to me. Suffice it to say - I was detained. And it wasn't pretty

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...