new york . . . well, newark, anyway

in nj, heading into new york tomorrow to check out one of the schools -- pretty exciting to think about visiting a school which has already accepted me.

flight-wise, lots of weather delays and the apparently requisite grumping, demanding, storming about, etc.

i know my trip and schedule didn't have the pressures that others' did, but i really had a good day. a couple of fun little kids and interesting seatmates on the flight. plus! it turned out christine was in the charlotte airport, too, and it was fun to know that -- even if she did choose to get on her flight rather than meet me for tea.

at the moment i'm grateful to:

• one of my seatmates in particular, a biz traveler in a surprisingly pleasant mood despite the fact that he lost his first class seat on a canceled flight and was sitting in the very back row, without even an empty middle seat next to him -- he was just glad to be transported from point a to point b (ok, i'm also grateful to him because he said i didn't look 50!),
  
• the quakers for making a space in which i could learn to be okay with not being in motion,
  
• christine for her advocacy of a complaint-free world -- it makes such a difference in my own life (when i can do it!) not to complain, and i'm sure it makes a difference for those who -- willingly or otherwise -- spend time around me, and
  
• eric for making the trip arrangements, and for making them in such a way that i don't feel intimidated by this whole going-to-the-big-city-alone thing.
  

airports and airplanes are good places to see the difference attitude makes.