I’m not a good flyer.  I don’t really like planes, I just like that they get me somewhere other than home; but the whole process of checking in, sitting with strangers, etc., isn’t any fun.  It’s worse when I’m traveling alone because there are fewer eyes to watch for signs and more chances of me getting distracted and getting lost.

Today was no exception.  I stopped to rearranged my bags as SeaTac and didn’t realize I needed to take the tram to my gate.  After a quite a few minutes of walking in the wrong direction, I realized my mistake and begrudgingly backtracked, and headed off in the right direction.  I made it to the gate with just about 10 minutes to spare.  That little detour took a lot of time.

So I finally get to the gate and check for an upgrade – nope, the plane is full.  I ask if anyone would like to switch my exit row window seat for an aisle seat.  The surly customer service rep says, “Not likely.”  So I relegate myself to the window seat….that is until I saw it.  It was TINY!  It was obviously smaller than the seats around it and the bulkhead was inches from my face.  Now I’m claustrophobic on a good day, but this seat threw me into a panic.  I did something I’m not proud of…. I used my bum knee, the one I injured on my last trip to LA and said I couldn’t sit there.  As it turns out, I ended up needing to get ice for my knee because that little detour I took earlier made it swell to the size of a grapefruit, so I wasn’t really lying, but I would have to get out of that seat.

Luckily, a guy who had a middle seat in the back of the plane was thrilled to get my window seat (of course he was thrilled before he saw it – I scampered back to “his” seat without looking back to see if he experienced the same disappointment as I did).  “His” seat ended up being in  front of two babies.  I love kids, even when they’re fussy, so I didn’t have a problem with them.  But my seatmates were a very grumpy old man who kept looking back at the mother to silence her babies and a man who zipped his pants up mid-flight.  I’m trying to convince myself he just noticed it was down.

The grumpy old guy was even grumpier when I got up to use the ladies room.  Now mind you, it’s almost 6 hours from Sea to MI so I didn’t think it was unreasonable to use the facilities  one time during the flight.  He evidently did and to make matters worse, he didn’t get up so I had to step across him to get out into the aisle.  Unfortunately, when I did I looked down to see where his feet were to avoid stepping on them and when I did, the old glasses I’m wearing (my glasses got smashed in LA after the knee incident and during the puking fiasco) fell off my face and whacked him on his little bald held.  I was so flustered that I dropped the CD player I was holding (I have several audiobooks I’m listening to to review) and that clunky thing fell in his lap.  Yea, I know how to make an impression.

So, finally I’m here.  The Domino’s Pizza people are fantastic.  I’ve met some amazing bloggers (see the list below) and I’m really excited to be able to check out the real working farm at the Domino’s headquarters here in Ann Arbor, MI.  The weather here is very much like it is at home – gray and cloudy – but the leaves are turning so it’s pretty spectacular.  I’ll have photos for you tomorrow – today I didn’t think to take a single one.

Mom Start & MiscFinds4u Connie
West Michigan Mommy Melissa
My SLC Mommy Jodi
My Memphis Mommy Shana
My CNY Mommy Andrea
SheKnows Alicia
Life with 4 Boys Kathleen
Just Short of Crazy Deb

I haven’t harmed any of the bloggers, yet.  But I’m prone to accidents and there’s still time.  I’m just going to apologize upfront for anything I might accidentally do to you over the next 24 hours.  There, that should cover it 🙂

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