I had originally planned to keep a hand written journal under my bed of my adventures on the southern half of this peninsula, and thank God my bed rests on a frame just off the floor because I still may. That could have been quite uncomfortable.
I fortunately made it on one of the only non-cancelled flights out of Indianapolis to Chicago-O’Hare and found it quite odd that the plane was about 50% full. Ironically so was my glass. Once we began to taxi, a flight attendant mentioned to me that if I was more than welcome to find an empty row to spread out in, so I obliged. 2 seats, row 5 here I come, carefully opening the overhead bin as items tend to shift during taxi. I noticed a very attractive girl followed my lead to the row behind mine, reinforcing my belief that I am, indeed, a trend setter.
Upon landing in Chicago, I turned on my phone as soon as the flight attendant told me I could. (I must interject, because I have a hard time believing that the ability to pilot a plane with 200+ people on it could be interfered with by a text message from my mom wishing me a safe flight. Epitome of irony I’d guess.) I placed a call to a friend regarding my flight delay and transfer which the attractive girl rudely eavesdropped. I know because once I hung up she asked me “Are you going to LA?” All I could think was “Just say yes” but it’s hard to elaborate on a lie at the airport. Plus our lives were really going in different directions. A simple “No” was all I could muster, but deep down what I really wanted to answer is detailed below in was is my first journal entry of my trip.
“Well here I am, back in Chicago. I spent 3.5 years in my Chicago apartment, the longest I have lived in any one place aside from my parents current residence. Thus I find it fitting that I depart from this city I have grown to love. So here it is, my first journal entry. It’s amazing how wonderful and grandiose this all seems until I am actually departing.
Literally putting the plan in motion is quite daunting and emotional. I look back on specific times of excitement during the planning and approval process, and a slice of nervousness accompanies each one. None of those moments however, come close to the magnitude of what lays in front of me. I can’t even say it originates in the fear of the unknown as much as in the known and abandoned. I know what I am leaving and the beautiful part is that I do not need to be without it to grasp the impact of leaving it all behind.
I must remember I am not on a journey for a better life, a better opportunity, a better place. Rather I am on a journey for a better me, and I seek a peace on that journey because it is a goal that I will undoubtedly attain.”
-km
Written 26 Dec. 2009. 9pEST
