Catching up...

So, I am trying to be more mindful and intentional about this blogging experience. One thing that will help is just keeping in mind the need to share my thoughts with others, especially those I don't get to speak with on a regular basis, and the other is buying a computer. I think I my buy one tonight. I spoke with my brother Rory, and he gave me some good advice,
(as he always does) as well as some things to ask, which I did when I called. This evening, I will go over and play with the machine and check it out. In addition to a consistent blog, I will also be able to further my thoughts on wax perhaps, because the machine I am looking at is a
PC/MAC. This is done through a dual operating system so I would have the choice of either running the MAC or the PC. Pretty cool, huh? But enough about that...

This past week, I went on a tri-purpose trip to the DC area. One was an interview in Baltimore, while another was in PG county, while the third was to sell my newest design. Before I can get to the experiences though, I must take you all through the thought process of making it all happen. When I received invitations from the two programs to interview, I was really excited for several reasons, one of them being a beautiful woman. (fellas, keep that at the back of your mind when it comes to these decisions please!) So, when I was searching for flights, I had a time of finding one that was within my price range. As a result, I found one that was two hundred dollars less than a Baltimore or DC flight by flying to Philly.

My thought: TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS! Wow, saving that money would be awesome, and I could use some of that for my t-shirts. This will be great, I just have to catch a bus from Philly to Baltimore and one on the way back.

That was mistake number one, as my Mom told me in so many words. Man, was she right! I confirmed the flight, only to receive a time that would put me there late for the interview. So I decided to just try to catch an earlier flight. The night before the flight, I stayed up most of the night continuing to clean up my house, (another many blog posts in and of themselves) and as a result missed my early flight. So I caught the next one, and still saw myself as ahead because I was still catching a flight that was before my original one. So I land in Philly, heavy laden with a gigundo (I got that word when I used to read my sister's Baby Sitter's Club books!) rolling bag that had a prevailing propensity to acquiesce to gravity, along with another bag that rolled, with a suit bag from marching band in high school, and a messenger bag.

There should have another bag, my camera bag, but guess what, I forgot it on the plane! Thankfully, my mind & spirit revealed that to me as I stood with my cargo waiting on the train. So I rolled my way back across the street to the American desk, and politely informed them of my situation, whereupon they politely informed me that they would check, but would have to wait until the current flight on that plane finished boarding. Politely, I waited. A half hour later I was leaving the desk with my menagarie of luggage back across the street to catch the train to then catch the bus to Baltimore.

While waiting, I called the printing company I used for my most recent design. Unfortunately, a mistake had been made by them in the printing of my t-shirt, which was almost negligible, yet accuracy is of the utmost importance when your name is attached to things, as well as when history is being made. So I had to try and rectify the situation, and long story short (I really don't want to feel bitter by dwelling on the past too much) my order, which I thought would be shipped out on January 16th, did not end up being shipped until the 19th, and I incurred shipping charges. I included that because that had a significant bearing on the conclusion of my trip.

But back to the train, it finally came, and I almost missed it initially because I thought the door in front of me would open, but apparently there were only select doors that were being open. This was brought to my attention by a yell of, "You getting on or what man?!" from the train attendant. So much for brotherly love in Philly! So I got on, or rather trudged my way onto the train, all the while with my huge bags and growing frustration, now that I had missed the beginning of my interview. I had called the program's office and left a message as to my situation while waiting for the train. The only choice I had now was to move on. As I continued on the train, I listened for when I should get off which I think was Market East. I should have listened better though, because I got off two stops early at another station with the name "Market" in it. After finding out my mistake, I sauntered back to the stop and waited for the next train, caught it, and then walked out of the correct station to Greyhound.

When I arrived at the desk of Greyhound, I was greeted with the news of my own personal inflation experience. My ticket, which was only $19.00, was now going to have a $10.00 fee for my 2nd bag, in addition to $15.00 for me missing my first bus. Oh, but wait, it gets tastier! The $15.00 fee had to be paid in CASH! I don't know about you all, but I am big on signs being posted, which weren't, I don't believe, present for the missed bus fee. I might have to drink a Monster and write a letter. (And for my fellow Bison who attended the Mecca during my time, you know I will write a letter in a heartbeat!) So, I paid all the bills I had, literally $14.00; yet the amount was not good enough, so then I paid thirty five pennies along with a few other coins to make up the difference. After that debacle, I then boarded the bus and traveled on to Baltimore. With the events of the day, my plans were thrown off in making my way to the school after the missed connections, yet it was still my endeavor to make my presence known at the school and at least talk to someone. As he often does, my brother Mario came to my rescue and picked me up from the bus station and took me on towards the school, and now as I reflect, the journey might have taken as long to get to the point of the interview as it was a greater distance than I initially thought. Nevertheless, after several misplaced turns and a little jaunt to a building which I thought was the school, but found out that is was not the destination as I observed Hebrew inscriptions at the top of the building.

When I finally arrived at the school the front door was locked, and I was about to give up, but pressed on at Mario's encouragement. I eventually found a side door that was open, and began to walk through the school calling out to anyone who would answer. I received none, and I was about to head down the corridor, I believe a healthy combination of trepidation and common sense spoke to my spirit, saying, "do not continue walking around this school," and, "why was that door on the side of the school open in the first place?" So I left my tough guy swagger behind, and exited the school. My voicemail to the program was never returned, and so unless another few hundred dollars comes my way just for me to go back and interview, I have missed that opportunity.

Through it all though, I learned a very important lesson; do not let price be the deciding factor when it comes travel if you could help it. I tried to save money because of my "uncommon sense" and additionally my pride, which came before my fall. I should have asked a family member for some additional money, and made arrangements to pay off the difference. Instead, I didn't, and had to endure the ensuing brouhaha with the travel, and then to add insult to injury, was only able to sell a few shirts because I was coming down towards the mall, the majority was leaving. My saving grace in this situation is first of all Christ's love in the midst of my screw ups, a prevailing awareness of world situations and how my economic loss doesn't even show up as a blip compared to the suffering of people around the world, and the fact that my shirt wasn't precisely an inauguration t-shirt, but should have a great amount of longevity and relevance.

The last part of my adventure involved my Clark dress shoes (I am in no way caught up with name brands, but i wanted to emphasize that it is supposed to be a quality brand) literally disintegrating upon getting out of the car. It looks like a vicious DC rat raided my closet in the middle of the night and just went to town on it. Nevertheless, I decided to try to make it work when I went to a dinner that Mario hosted; but that turned out to be just an attempt, for after riding around for almost two hours with the Special Police re-routing us at almost every other street, when a normal trip would have been fifteen minutes, we arrived as the dinner was concluding. At least I got to see some old brothers and sisters from the Mecca and glean some additional wisdom from them by listening to their story and also that of my stomach growling.

I think I am going to see about that computer now....bonsoir!