And here we go...

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I was up for 24 hours before I even started this trip.

You know how sometimes you just don't think things through? When I bought my plane tickets many months before, a 5:30 am flight sounded like a great idea.

However...a 5:30 am flight leaving from DIA this morning translated into needing to be at Stapleton to catch the DIA bus by 4:00 am, which meant leaving my humble apartment by 2:30 am. By the time I had run, fixed my bag, packed my bag, run to K Soopers for food to pack, and watered my plants, it was 1:30 am. I spent the remaining hour watching Arrested Development - even funnier when you're delirious.

So keeping in mind that I haven't pulled an all-nighter in a long time (was Clinton in office?), I show up and get on the plane. I fall asleep for about 5 minutes, then get jolted awake as everyone around me gets up and starts leaving their seats! My foggy head can't make sense of such developments. Were we there already? Did I sleep through the entire flight?

Hardly. The plane apparently had 2 flat tires! Thus began the journey.

Needless to say, I didn't make my connecting flights until way later than I should have, and ended up stranded in Newark for the night. It's almost midnight, and I walk outside and find the first hotel shuttle that comes by. Price and location ceased to have relevance hours ago. Fortunately, they have rooms. I won't tell you what mine cost. I'm still pretending it was less than my credit card statement tells me. It lies to me often.

While waiting in line to check-in at the hotel, I spoke with a girl and the youth group she was leading - they were also stranded, trying to get back home to Chicago. She lived in Costa Rica for the past 6 months while leading teams from the States. They had a great attitude about the whole thing - after all, what youth group wouldn't want to bum around NYC for a day?

Finally, I should explain the picture below - I scanned it in from my journal, which I purchased last year at 10,000 Villages and goes everywhere with me. It represents the upper limit of my sketching/artistic abilities. I drew in my journal when a picture wouldn't adequately describe a situation. Enjoy.

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Photos

Scenic Newark
The unearthly Newark from my hotel window.

This Was My Morning.
An illustrated depiction of my morning, reproduced here for your enjoyment. (Click to enlarge!)

Comments

[Brtian]

Steve you are a talented artist!