Tag Archives: flying

flying, photography, travel

Airplane mode

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I flew from Nashville to New Orleans to Austin today. It was a full day of travel, but it was made much more amusing by a change by the FAA.

I got to leave my cell phone on the entire time. In airplane mode, of course. But no need to power down or back up. I could read, play games, whatever from start to finish. Both my flights happened to be Wi-Fi enabled planes, too, which was just… BONUS. I was able to play on Twitter, Facebook and Words with Friends the entire time I traveled.

It was kinda awesome. It made the time pass much faster, and, like I said, it made the trip a bit amusing. Tweeting from somewhere over Mississippi. Craziness.

But here is my favorite part. I could finally take photos coming in and out of the airports… images I’ve wanted to capture for years now will finally be captured. I am positively giddy about that fact.  Twitter, Facebook, etc. is awesome if the flight has Wi-Fi. If it doesn’t though, I can snap my photos and listen to downloaded playlists off Spotify, happy as a clam. Thank you FAA for making this change!!

A few photos from today:

2013-11-20 13.44.12
Coming into New Orleans
2013-11-20 13.52.01
Over Lousiana
2013-11-20 13.54.17
Which way on I-10 do you wish to travel?
2013-11-20 13.54.29
Plane shadow
2013-11-20 15.57.19
Coming into Austin
2013-11-20 15.58.38
AUS

life, optimism, point of view, travel

How I’m honoring 9/11: By Living

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I would be remiss to not post some thoughts on September 11th. I’ve posted the last several years regarding this day…

I missed 2009 due to my 10-year class reunion landing around the same time.

Here it is 2013, and here is how I plan to spend the day:

I’m going to fly. I’m going to board a plane and fly. When I booked my flight back to Nashville for this trip, I hesitated a moment when I realized my return flight would land on 9/11. Did I really want to fly on this day?

Yes. Yes I did. I would fly on 9/11, and I will take time on that flight to sit and remember. I’ll remember those souls lost that morning in 2001. I will honor their memory, and take a moment to grieve the loss of our innocence that day. I will remember where I was that day. I will muse over how much has changed in the years since… both in our country as well as in my personal life. I will look down on the Earth from my window seat, and I will marvel at being alive. I will marvel at being such a small piece of the larger picture.

I will pray. I will pray for those left behind by those lost that September day. I will pray for safety of all those traveling. I will pray for strength to face my fears but to also accept what life brings to me… the good and the bad. I will pray for wisdom and understanding. I will pray for faith to trust in God. I will pray for our country, our soldiers, our government leaders, and all the world’s leaders. I will pray and have a nice conversation with God while I fly on 9/11.

I will hug my parents extra tight as we say good-bye at the terminal. I will do the same with my husband when we greet each other at another terminal. I will say, “I love you” with an extra conviction to those I love — family and friends. I will strive to love more today, praying for the patience I sometimes lack with others. Today is not the day to get frustrated. Today is the day to strive to understand.

I will never forget 9/11/2001. But I think the best way I can honor that day is by simply living… living the best way I can.

 

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