Oklahoma, Okay!

Summer camp is over.

I recently returned from a four-day company conference in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City has always held a certain charm for me. I've never met anyone from Oklahoma whom I didn't like, and while this was only my second visit, both visits were time spent with warm and interesting people and being pleasantly surprised by the city itself.

The best thing about the conference was being able to spend time with so many of the creative, progressive, inspirational people I work with. We're spread out all over the country, but have never been reluctant to reach out and share ideas and insights with each other. I don't think that happens in many companies, and I feel very fortunate to work with such a dynamic and talented group of people. It was wonderfully refreshing to see both familiar and new faces and talk shop with fellow new media dazzlers.

Now, peep this cool snap I took in Bricktown:

One Week

I've been in Charleston for a week now. I miss Alabama.



I miss my little cottage in Montgomery. Saying good bye to those empty rooms brought up all sorts of feelings that'll probably take me a while to work through. I'm such a sentimental fool.







I hope the dollhouse is making its new inhabitant as happy as it made me.

I miss my friends. I miss my sense of security and stability.

But, I love an adventure. And Charleston has been a good experience thus far. Last Saturday, we got some serious snow. Banjo! had never been in snow like this:



He was all over it. It's been a while for me (save for visits to SLC at Christmas time), so I went for a drive. Downtown Charleston is beautiful when dusted with snow.



I was pleased that it was the light, powdery, sparkly snow similar to the snow out in Utah. I wasn't expecting it to be much more than glorified sleet, but the snow that fell on Saturday was just lovely. It glittered, flake by flake, as it fell slowly and deliberately out of the black night sky. Forgive me for waxing poetic about snow, but like I said earlier, it had been a while. I experience a strong wave of nostalgia when it comes to quiet, snowy weekends.

Also pleasing is what I believe to be the MOST AWESOME MAILBOX IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, FREE OR OTHERWISE, right here in Chucktown. I spotted this glorious monstrosity on a Sunday afternoon drive, while in search of a new domicile.



World-class tack. Not bad for a week's worth of sights, yes? Yes. And, as always, there are more to come.

Country Roads

I made it.

Return from Appalachia

I am back in Alabama. West Virginia was a great time. I will write more later. Today is a wash and I need to take some Excedrin and call it.

Today was easily one of the crappiest days in recent memory. I woke up, had some breakfast at the hotel, showered and packed up my stuff. Right as I was leaving, I began to feel kind of queasy. I dropped off the rental car, and on the ride back to the airport IT really hit me. I don't know what IT was, but I have been dealing with IT all day. I checked in, wobbled through security (behind two people who have clearly not flown in this post-9/11 world) and then ran into the nearest bathroom I could find. Barfed, got all clammy and lightheaded. Cleaned up, found my gate. Sat down. Got sick again. Rinse and repeat. My flight out of Charleston was an hour delayed, which was probably a blessing in disguise. I've never puked on an airplane, and I never want to. Airport bathrooms are bad enough but I'd rather keep it on the ground, kthx.

Usually throwing up helps me feel better. Not this time. I was a sweaty, clammy girl on the airplane which SUCKED. For once, I was grateful to have an aisle seat. Fortunately, I didn't need it... I just kept my eyes closed and breathed deeply and deliberately. We sat at the gate forever because there were weight and balance issues with the airplane. Normally, I would have been slightly nervous about that. Today, I could not have cared less.

Because of the delay, I only had 20 minutes to change planes in Atlanta. Which means Queasy McGhee had to RUN to another terminal, and then RUN to a distant gate only to make it on to the airplane with a couple minutes to spare. Again I had an aisle seat, so that was good (or so I thought). Now, I am not exactly svelte... but I fit into an airplane seat. The person next to me, however, did not. I felt horrible feeling annoyed by this, but I think it's because I was not feeling well and my patience was worn thin. Because my neighbor was spilling over onto me, I was spilling out into the aisle. Because of this, my little overhead fan was not hitting me and I was burning up. So, I spent the flight from Atlanta to Birmingham doubled over with my chin in my hand like The Thinker, praying to make it without barfing or fainting. I was able to nod off a couple times, only to be slammed into by someone walking down the aisle. Oh, and did I mention the turbulence?

Finally, I land in Birmingham only to wait at baggage claim in vain... my bag is lost. I have no idea where it is. I head back to Montgomery. Normally I would be angry as Hell, but I am so resigned right now. My roof could cave in and I would probably start laughing hysterically.

Despite today being Lousyville (not to be mistaken with Louisville), I have a lot of good things to write about. I was VERY impressed with Charleston, and took a lot of photos which I will post in the next few days. There were some things I didn't like about the city, but that's going to be anywhere. Still, I'll be making a list of pluses and minuses when I evaluate the transfer offer. Charleston is a beautiful town with a lot to offer for its small size. So, yes, more on that when I don't feel like a dying slug. Because I want to do justice to all the fabulous things going on in my life right now that have me so very happy and excited for the future.

Almost Heaven

This is Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia.



Do not be fooled that there is a terminal named after a Rockefeller. That would imply that this is a big airport; an airport which commands the naming of terminals. This is not a big airport, although it is larger than Montgomery's "Winn Dixie Regional" airport. In fairness to Montgomery, our airport underwent some remarkable improvements over the past couple years and it no longer feels like flying out of a Winn Dixie.

Back to the original point of my story: After I de-planed, picked my bag off the sole baggage carousel and walked outside, I heard the gentle strains of John Denver's Country Roads playing all Muzak-stylez like a gentle breeze for all to groove to as they waited for ground transportation. No lie.

That's right up there with Louis Armstrong International playing, you guessed it, Louis Armstrong the first time I ever flew to New Orleans.

I wonder if the airport authority in Detroit has chosen Don't Stop Believing as their official welcome music?

Anyway. I'm in Charleston, WV until Sunday. So far, so good. If first impressions count, this is a lovely and charming little city. Beautiful, with a dash of funkiness for good measure. I'd write more, but I am spent, there is one helluva rain/thunderstorm going on outside, and I have HBO and a gas fireplace in my room. More later!