An A+ from the Transportation Security Administration

I might have gone to a college without grades, but I worry I still live for other people's approval. I was worried last night about my trip to Seattle because I had heard all sorts of scary things regarding bringing liquids and gels on your carry on luggage (you can tell most of these people are men - what woman could face airline travel without moisturizer?). So, being a librarian (duh), I went to the TSA website and studied the excellent materials they have about what you need to do. The pdf pictures of the quart size ziplock bag of items less than 3 oz. was super helpful and I managed to get everything absolutely vital in my ziplock. (Note: Lipstick or lip gloss can always do double duty as blush in a pinch!) It's harrowing to think about what you would do if your luggage was lost or "rerouted" as the airline likes to say, but I think I thought of everything. I think. I have a travel list of items as a Word document, and I actually highlight the items in different colors according to where they go (yellow=purse, pink=computer bag, blue=checked suitcase). I'm sure an anal retention siren just went off somewhere, but it works for me. "It's not causative," as Dr. Schoetz said.

Anyhoo, I got my ticket at the Delta counter in Avoca and what a nice group of people work there!!! So helpful and we had a lovely conversation (no one was around) about teenagers and how great they are. The counter and baggage person both asked if I was always this chipper. Why do people always ask me that? Am I really significantly more cheerful than other people traveling? I was glad I wasn't headed to Atlanta as I gather there was a delay, but Cincinnati is due in on time, so I should be okay. Unfortunately, this airport is so small (and so cute and clean) that there are no kiosks inside the gate area to buy water or magazines, so I had to have some peanut butter crackers and ice tea before going through security, but I got an Oprah magazine and was pretty happy.

Hydrated and fed, I was ready to go through security and I excitedly told the nice woman at the xray machine how I had studied the website. She seemed to think I was very funny and said she'd let me put everything in bins and see if I studied well. Out comes the boarding pass and ID, off goes my jacket/blazer and boots, out goes the computer, and out comes my awesome little "caught on a desert island" ziplock. She laughed and said I got an A+. Woo-hoo! Of course, it seems to take 3 minutes to reassemble everything, but it's the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport so there's no such thing as a line behind you, so no one was breathing down my neck.

I found my gate easily, got a great picture on my cell from the wonderful Ms. Kier, former assistant librarian at Kirby Library, in which her adorable daughter, Phaedra, is wearing one of the hats I knit her. Such a cutie pie! That really made my day. I thought I'd check out my iTunes in case I wanted to update my shuffle and the airport has wireless!!!! Well, welcome to the 21st century, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Airport - you are awesome!!! So here's my first blog entry. I don't remember if Cincinnati has wireless or know if I'll have time to write since my planes are close together, but we'll see. I also am using my wicked new Bose headphones and all I can saw is - WOW. They are so comfortable and are doing an amazing job at completely shutting out the unfortunate Kenny Loggins-esque "jazz" playing over the speakers here. I will not board the plane mental.