Hello Austin! Goodbye Fear of Flying!

I have been flying around the country (and out of country) since last summer for work. I go to a lot of great places: Eugene, OR; Vancouver, British Columbia; Newport Beach, California; Berkeley California, and best of all, Austin, Texas.



If you know me, or read this blog, you probably know I am a touch trepidatious about flying. Here are some links to pieces I've written about air travel:

A confession: How I slipped through the NSA metal detectors. . .with some heavy metal!
Fear Of Flying, Fear of Dying
Poem: Falling
Poem: Notes On Flying
One More Reason Why I Am Scared Sh**less To Fly: Video Of Fixing A Jet's Wing With Duct Tape
Airline passenger restrictions, hip replacements, and why the Executive Branch goes unmolested, while I am scanned, probed, poked and patted down

I haven't written about my gradual improvement. Until very recently, I needed to be half-baked (and before that, fully baked) to even look at a plane. Lately, I've been eschewing Xanax, red wine, Vallium, etc. I can even get to sleep the night before I fly. Eventually. I no longer get off the plane completely devastated (and toasted). I am still no fan, but somehow the serenity in other parts of my life is oozing into my airborne life. That is goodness.





In a few hours, I fly to one of my favorite cities in the world: Austin, Texas. I am looking forward to all of it, and will grab the chance to go out for music and barbecue, as well as sneak in another trip to the LBJ Library. I will also get a chance to swim outdoors at my hotel, since the temperature this week is in the 80s.

Forgive me. I don't usually treat this as my diary, or neuroses forum, but writing about helps me realize that perhaps I am making headway with the demons of flight. More tomorrow! Selah. ---o0o---