back from ak

two more pleasant first class flights (no, we didn't pay for them, we used miles) on AcK Airlines. typically, the first flight (ANC-SEA) was late, for two entirely different sets of stated reasons. at check-in, and only after inquiring, i was told it was potentially delayed to accommodate late-arriving passengers on another flight(s). then at the gate, it was annouced to be late just so that mechanics could check one little thing. i was left to wonder if AcK Airlines employees are just told to make up whatever will sound best at the moment.

and actually, the end of the first flight wasn't so pleasant: i was hit with apparent airsickess for only the second time in my life. (the first being when A was taking, ahem, liberties with the two-seater Piper Cherokee he was flying me around in in Massachusetts.) that first time wasn't bad, however, since i followed the directions on the airsickness bag, which told me to focus on the farthest away stationaryt thing i could. within about ten seconds, i felt better. yesterday, however, i woke up from drowsing/napping, and felt the violent need to go to the bathroom. while sitting on the toilet in the ridiculously cramped forward lav ont he 737-400, i was suddently glad for how tiny it was, since i broke into a complete body sweat, and sort of collapsed against the wall. within a few minutes, they announced we were in our final descent into seattle, so i had to struggle out.

we arrived home via a ride from mom's brand spanking new hyundai elantra 5-door hatchback, and i read for a while, then promptly went to sleep, with directions to J to not wake me up in the morning. i slept soundly until 11 this morning, finished my book, and caught the last few innings of the excellent Cubs -- Blue Jays game.

the book, Fortunate's Rocks, by Anita Shreve, reminded me repeatedly of Dar Williams' lyrics from the unfortunately named song "Teenagers Kick Our Butts":
"We read junk novels on the plane..."
the book itself was fine, reasonably interesting, and an easy bit of intellectual junk food. i think Shreve was attempting to sympathetically discuss class consciousness at the turn of the 20th century, and in this she failed except for those who might be completely unable to do any bit of historical or class analysis. but it was an entertaining novel, albeit with an outrageously trite ending, which seems to be Shreve's forte. (i won't indulge myself in spoiling it, unless you want me to. e-mail me for details.)