yes, I am back in Pennsylvania.

so this morning I went out to breakfast with robot and the two coworkers and they gave me some really nice gifts that involved candy, which is always welcome and encouraged. I jumped in a cab and got back to my apartment just in time to shove a few last things into my mammoth suitcase and immediately run back out the door to start the trek to O'Hare. I got to the airport and onto the plane without incident, settled into my nice, roomy bulkhead seat, and then heard the pilot announce something about one of the engines not something something.

I've had a torrid relationship with air travel in the past that I'm mostly over since I've done it a lot in the past three years, but this announcement brought back those little waves of doubt that can turn into panic if not quickly calmed. I kind of just ignored the announcement since the pilot didn't mention anything about a delay, and after a doze through the taxi to the runway, the plane took off.

take-off is probably my least favorite part of flying because I've always heard it's where the most chance is involved or something like that. so when it felt like we had just gotten to cruising level and the plane then started jerking around, my mind raced back to that engine comment and I felt all the blood rapidly drain from my face. for about 30 seconds I thought, "Christ, I acutally am going to die in a plane crash, like I've always dreaded."

of course that was an overreaction. it was just really turbulent and I had worked myself into a stupid tizzy. I calmed down pretty quickly after the pilot announced he was climbing higher to avoid more of what we'd just gone through.

but for what it was worth, that blood draining sensation was pretty trippy.

I made my connecting flight just fine and my dad picked me up and brought me home and I promptly stuffed my face with tons of food since I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast apart from the teeny bag of pretzels they sometimes toss to you on the planes nowadays. I always forget how the food is plentiful around these parts. it's a nice change of pace.

so here I am, back again. I felt such a thrill seeing forests and hills from the air this afternoon. and there was snow on the ground at one point. my parents have all the Christmas stuff out around the house and I'm so happy to be home.