Making the Flight - God is good (again!)

Well, first off I agree with you that pulling an all-nighter the day before I have to catch an early morning flight to Minneapolis probably wasn't the best idea...but you have to remember what I said earlier about passion and my intense focus and all that jazz (See "Setting Up My Blog" post for details)

I was supposed to leave the house at 5:30am for a 7:15am flight out of Newark airport. I went to sleep at 3:30am, no sweat...ever heard of an alarm? I set the alarm for 4:15am so I could do some work before I left , but decided that I could actually sleep some more and work on the plane. I told myself to reset the alarm, and kept telling myself that until I woke up again at 5:33am. Oh, 5:33am? I mean that's good, right? That's considered early morning in most situations....wait!!!, in this panic-ridden situation I am actually 3 mins late for the airport car service. After a couple seconds of more panic, I call the driver who is waiting outside the house - on time as usual - and let him know I am late. Alright, now I dash to the shower (thank God I already packed and had put out 3/4 of my clothes to wear...the remaining 1/4 were downstairs in the dryer). Proud to say, I am out the house in 20 mins flat, with 100% of clothing on.

In the car, I simultaneously

• cuss myself for oversleeping (I mean it is day 2 of the new year...sheesh!)
• put on lipstick and watch
• fix hair
• zip up boots
• check time on the clock in the car and on my watch
• pray to God that I make the flight
• calculate the impact of not making the flight

while my wonderful driver is carefully speeding to Newark. (Oh yeh, I of course apologized to him for being late - he was so cool about it)

We arrive at Newark airport in 25 minutes, at around 6:34am (typical travel time: 35-40 mins). I have not checked in, the lines are looong, so I walk to the ticket booking desk to try and get on the next flight. Oh ye of little faith! Next flight is fully booked. I spin my wheels for 45 seconds and then decide to do self-check in for my 7:15am flight. It is now 6:45am.

For self-check in you are only allowed carry on luggage. No problem - I quickly trash every drop of liquid in my suitcase, probably somethings I didn't even need to trash. Goodbye lovely hair lotion from Cape Town, South Africa!!! I run to the security line - liquid free - and get through that mob by 6:53am. My gate is C130, I run passed C123...*pant*, *pant*, I think I can, I think I can. I hear the announcement reminding all passengers for my flight that you really must be on board 20 mins before the flight or else you risk...I couldn't hear the rest because I was still running to my gate.

I make it to my gate and there are 3 passengers still with the agent. THANK GOD. Wow. I calmly show my crushed boarding pass to the agent and walk to the plane doorway. My suitcase can no longer hold on the plane so I check it at the door and walk to seat number 20E, a middle seat behind already crying young kids. I sit, put my bag under the seat, zip my boots (which had to be unzipped during security clearing) and thank God again for helping me to make the flight. I am so grateful, and happy and sleepy...ZZZZZZZZZ