A few observations from this week (so far!)
When air travel works, it works. I feel like I’m jinxing myself here, but my flights from PHL to Toronto and then from Toronto to Salt Lake City via Detroit were all on time. They were all early! It is amazing to think that one can leave a hotel in Toronto in the morning and be in Provo, UT, by lunch-time (with the time change, but still).
When I go to bed at 8:30, I wake up at 3:30. I knew I had to be up early in Toronto (6:15 a.m. international flight) so I took my melatonin and got into bed figuring it might take a while to fall asleep. Nope. It is odd to wake up at 3:30 a.m. (before my alarm) and feel well-rested.
The McNamara terminal in DTW is literally a mile long. I decided to get my steps (2500) in and walk it.
Provo, UT is really beautiful. The mountains – the blue sky – wow. I grabbed lunch at a place called Sensuous Sandwiches.
Book launches always involve racing to the post office. I have a memory of mailing out copies of 168 Hours years ago, trying to get them to people on time. My box of Off the Clock copies arrived, and now I need to send them to various influencers. I have very narrow windows of time available when the post office is open over the next few days. Side note: the book launches in less than 3 weeks!
Weather forecasts can change wildly. We planned to make our maiden voyage to the beach this Sunday, since the forecast was 80 degrees. I just looked at the weather and now the forecast is in the mid-60s. Not the same thing at all!
Angle of Repose is not my favorite Wallace Stegner book. More on this in my book review round up later this month, but I finished it this week, and while it was memorable, I’m left with a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe someone can tell me why it is their favorite!
As I Lay Dying is…strange. I’ve never read (as in completely read) anything by William Faulkner — I started Light in August at some point and abandoned it. Modern Mrs. Darcy listed this one as more accessible. It is short, so there’s that, but hmm. Perhaps one needs to be in the mood to write a term paper on the short chapter stating (solely) that “my mother is a fish.” Not sure if it was airplane reading material!
As I Lay Dying! We had to read this for summer reading before high school and write about it. I distinctly remember “My mother is a fish” and the whole thing making absolutely zero sense. I have no desire to re-read this or any other Faulkner after that introduction.
@Ana – I’m 70% through, as unfortunately I forgot my other book and I was flying a lot this week. So… I’m still stuck on “my mother is a fish.” And they seem to be having some trouble getting across a bridge that washed out. I think.
I enjoyed hearing you speak at the Small Business Summit in Toronto! Glad to hear your travels are on time – I am sure that is a small miracle.
@Raegan – thanks for coming to the talk! And the flights mostly worked, except home was delayed 45 minutes. And then I hit the worst traffic I’ve ever seen on I-76. At least it made me grateful that I don’t have to commute most days!
Re: the post office stress – might you hire someone inexpensively through Task Rabbit to help with getting to the post office for you, so that you’re not so dependent on the narrow windows in your own schedule? I’ve had good luck with using Task Rabbit this way to deliver something that I needed to personalize but didn’t have time to be the person physically transporting it to where it needed to go. I just built into the task agreement a way for them to bring back to me a confirmation of delivery so I had the assurance that the thing got done – I feel like this assurance and accountability might be helpful for peace of mind in the case of sending your books to such key readers.
I was completely amazed on my first visit to the Detroit Airport. So huge, so many fancy stores, so many international flights. I had not even realized that I had so many (incorrect) preconceived notions about Detroit until I walked through that terminal.
@June- it is quite the place! I would have been more annoyed by its length if my connection had been tighter, but fortunately, we got in half an hour early so it was a leisurely experience.
I don’t fly a lot, so whenever I DO get on a plane, I’m always amazed at the speed of travel. That you can get clear across the country in just a few hours still boggles my mind.
@Kristen – yep, I had a few moments today of thinking huh, I woke up in Utah this morning. And in Toronto the morning before that!
Lol. I loved both As I Lay Dying and Light In August. Go figure.