Mid-flight.

I am on my way. After a very late night of packing and final goodbyes, I'm actually on the plane. The airport was something of an adventure: my one-bag method was immediately nullified when the SkyCap flatly refused to let me check an 82 pound bag for a domestic flight. I tried to persuade him by my unique circumstances, but he wasn't very impressed. We compromised by digging my large backpack out of my suitcase and transferring approximately 15 pounds of luggage into it. So, now I'm running with the totally un-original two-bag method. Sorry Signe—the suitcase was an example of genius packing, but just way too heavy...

After getting through security with my chest x-rays in tow (we have to hand-carry our x-ray films into
China), I proceeded to my gate, F6, only to discover that the gate was changed to one on another concourse. OK, I thought, no problem. I trekked to C6, to find that the gate had been changed yet again, to D2. I felt like I was taking a tour of MSP International. To top off all the misadventures, my flight was delayed an hour. On the bright side, this gave me plenty of time to talk on my cell phone for the last time. My service ends today, friends, so if you want to call, now is the time!

Sitting here thinking, as you do on journeys, I am moved by the amount of help and support I've been given by you all, my family and friends. If in the next two years you ever think of me, know that you (yes, you!) were likely a part of enabling me to go, whether by listening to me obsess over the amount of stuff I had to accomplish before departure, telling me I'd be great when I was nervous about leaving, helping me pack and move out of my apartment, or running mundane errands for me. All of your excitement has magnified my own, and reminded me why I'm so happy to be off to China. For all of that, I thank you. You know who you are.

OK, time to shut down the laptop for a while. Hasta la proxima.

mjb, blogger.