Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight!

I have had major flight delays and cancellations on the last three trips I've taken. Each time, I've had to stay overnight because of a missed connecting flight. This last time, I was kicking myself because I thought a simple flight to Portland, OR would not require provisions. Had my hours of playing Oregon Trail taught me nothing? Boy, was I wishing for a care package at 3am in the Seattle Airport*. Needless to say, as I was sitting there stewing -- tired and hungry and dirty -- I started a list of things I will take with me in my carry-on luggage from now on. I thought I would share, for all you vagabonds out there:

1) Extra underwear. 2 pairs.

2) Toothbrush and travel toothpaste.

3) A change of clothes. If you are traveling on business, make it a nice change of clothes in case something happens to your bags and your meeting is the next morning. Seriously. See below.

4) Travel pillow.

5) Light blanket. I'm pretty sure they keep the airport in Seattle at a toasty 32 degrees. I was trying to cover my legs with a cardigan while curled into the fetal position. Next time, I'll bring a little lap blanket.

6) Eye Coverlet. This is always a carry-on must for me. As my friend Jen once wrote: "The horse needs blinders."

7) Chapstick, mascara, and any other personal care product that will at least upgrade your resulting appearance from zombie to undead.

8) Snacks. Most airport snack shops are closed between 12am-6am.



*Actually, long afterward, as well, because they lost my luggage. And then I fell in the mud (no joke).

news and lesser news

The lesser news is that I am officially 50 pages into Gravity's Rainbow, this year's BIG READ. Lately, I've been trying to read at least one major work per year, something that has been on my to-read list for at least 10 years. Take that, intimidating novels! Last year, I picked Ulysses. The year before, I geared up for future times by reading both Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Crying of Lot 49. I always have this crippling guilt about reading worthwhile things. If you read at all, the majority of it should be good quality and a big chunk of that should be a challenge. I like the way I read and don't see this pattern changing any time soon. But these two books were the bulk of my on-going to-read list, so I'm going to have to spend some time revising that.

Anyway, I am reading it now because I may not get a chance to later in the year. Onto my news: I got accepted into a grad program at Pitt. Hooray! I'll continue to work full-time and go to school...it's really scary to actually see that in writing. I'll continue to work full-time and go to school. I'll continue to work full-time and go to school. I'll continue to WORK...full-time...and go to school. oh my.

Elf-sized bed

Aaron's latest wood shop creation was the sweetest little bed for Elf:

The picture doesn't even do it justice. It's just too cute! He found a picture of a little sleigh bed for a doll and modified it to fit an Elf. And Elf just loves it. He lays on his bed with his little pillow and just has the happiest look on his face. He literally loved his other beds to pieces, so we hope this will last a bit longer.


And of course, Matilda had to give it a try.