poisonwood's Diaryland Diary

Date: Dec. 26, 2008 . Time: 1:35 p.m.

on christmas and reproduction Entry:

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on christmas and reproduction

I'm still fighting off a cold, but generally feeling better than a few days ago. I've gotten lots of books for Christmas, like last year. In addition, I got a lens extender which will basically make a telephoto lens 40% more powerful. I'm pretty excited about it; now all I need is a telephoto lens to use it on. ;)

The weather is nice and warm here. We must be in one of the few places in the country without snow. I like it. I haven't been exercising due to not feeling so hot, but I'll probably try and run tomorrow. It's nice just relaxing and not thinking about work. I'll meet another friend today, back from Ho*ng Ko*ng. I have three friends living in As*ia, and due to the distance, I don't keep in great touch with any of them. I've found out in the last 2 weeks that two of the three of them are pregnant! They are the first of my close friends, present or former to get pregnant. It's very weird to me. More than half of my friends are still unmarried, though that is starting to change. Pregnancy is just a whole different cup of tea.

Because B is 5 years older than me and perhaps because his friends are less behind the curve than mine, most of his friends are not only married but have kids. Most of them are in fact working on their second or third kid. Because of this, I've gotten used to the idea of having children. I think for women, it's different, though. It's different to see a female friend physically transformed by pregnancy.

I want to have kids, but I'm not sure I'll be "good at it." I'm not a big fan of screaming and louds noise. I love to play with the dog, for example, but our dog does not scream - or even bark. I'm just not sure I have the required energy level. I guess that's why some people have kids at 21 rather than 31.

1:35 p.m. - Dec. 26, 2008

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another night in Chicago

Getting to Roa*noke was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. The day of my flight, I woke up sick. Fever, chills, sore throat, nausea. I've definitely been worse; it was a fairly mild fever and not a terrible sore throat, but still, I really hate flying when sick, as I'm sure everyone does.

My flight was delayed, first a little bit, then more, until there was no way I'd make my connection. SFO was a complete zoo, and after hours standing in line and on the phone, I eventually realized that my only real choice was to fly to Chi*cago, pay (out-of-pocket) for a hotel, and catch a flight the next morning, so that is what I did. I got a discount, courtesy of the airlines, so my hotel cost $70 including tax, annoying, but not too bad. Chi*cago was really, really cold. From what I could see, it was a barren, snowy wasteland. This was the third unplanned night I've spent in Chi*cago in the last 6 years. I just hope that it doesn't turn into 4 on my way back.

Normally, this would have been annoying and unpleasant. Since I was sick, it was hellish. In order to make my flight the next morning, I had to get up at 2:45 AM Sea*ttle time. The landing was extremely painful on my ears, due to being congested, I imagine. The second day, the one on which I got up at 2:45 AM, also happens to be my birthday. That morning I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the airport. By the time our departure time had come and gone, the plane we were suppoesd to be on still hadn't arrived, yet our flight was still listed as "on time." Weird. Anyway, eventually our plane got there, and was unloaded. We all piled on, and they de-iced. We headed out but unfortunately passed too close to a snowplow, which blew snow all over us. We found another gate and de-iced again. After waiting in line for a while, we finally took off. I was amazed that they were willing to fly in that weather. There was ice and snow everywhere, and it was snowing moderately.

This is the way travelling goes in the winter, at least if you aren't taking direct flights, and particularly if you're not flying to a major city. There's often bad weather, I get sick regularly between November and March, and Uni*ted customer service in most places and over the phone generally sucks.

I think it's time to think about having our annual family get-together some time other than Chr*istmas. As I waited in the airport during my 24 hour journey, I often thought to myself, "This is not a vacation." I don't get much vacation time, and I don't want to spend it in travel hell, and then recovering from travel hell. Life is too short when there's plenty of other options. I think an April meetup might be perfect.

The evening of my birthday was much better. I got together with my best friend from high school, and we had a nice dinner and coffee afterwards. It's a little weird to be 29. I'm not the best about remembering birthdays - in fact I'm terrible about it - so it's always weird to me when people make a big deal about my birthday.

1:27 p.m. - Dec. 24, 2008

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