It’s not what it’s cracked up to be.

I feel so naked without a working cellphone with me when I am out and about. Vulnerable. I did not know how dependent I have become, at least psychologically, on having instant access to the world.

They changed the configuration of the plane: I was able to get a window seat in the Economy Plus section. After I settled into my seat, I started Instagramming. I stopped when I saw a long string of rosaries dangling near my face. No way.

Way.

It was a realΒ Sister. I don’t know why I was so surprised. Sisters fly. My Sister immediately took out her well-worn Bible, with margins filled with notes in neat handwritings, and started reading silently to herself. When she put the Book away, I thought, what’s she gonna do now? She took out her rosaries and a tiny book filled with pictures of saints (I assumed) and continued to pray.

I felt so safe on this flight. And so content.

Sister is not going to steal from my bag when I go use the bathroom. Sister is not going to judge that I have not one ounce of makeup on. Sister won’t care that I have an erupting pimple at the base of my nose. Sister probably won’t judge me. Period. Besides Sister is all skin and bones and she keeps to herself physically so I have both armrests! Sign me up from now on!

Maybe it was as a test for me that soon I found out that my seat did not recline at all. And the new personal screen I was so psyched about was broken. Somehow I was not agitated. I probably would have felt really embarrassed if I threw a tantrum over something trivial like this after overhearing that Sister was flying to China to work in an orphanage. #TrueStory

Sigh.

Luckily I’d packed every single electronic gadget I have: Android phone, Kindle, iPhone, iPad, and a Mac, even though what I really wanted to do on the flight was to sleep.

So far I have seen the airport and the hotel.

I broke my glasses so I am in trouble at night after I take out my contact lenses. I have no idea what I am going to do for my return flight as I cannot wear those dastardly things in my eyes for 13+ hours. My eyes will be like dried plums.

Anyway, it is almost 2 am, and I am supposed to be up 4 hours from now.

 

But before I jump into this,

 

I need to take advantage of this:

 

 

16 thoughts on “It’s not what it’s cracked up to be.

  1. dufmanno

    Here’s something that I managed to take away from twelve years of brutal corporal punishment at the hands of the penguins – even if they are smiling, they are judging you.
    Sadly, my jaded outlook causes me to panic if there is a nun onboard my plane as I see it as a prime opportunity for god to unleash the lightning bolts from his fingertips and pay those harpies back for the systematic torture and ill will they dole out to children each day. Maybe your nun was the kind of nun I never had the opportunity to meet. The kind that helps those in need instead of taking out the anger and frustration of their lives on the small and weak.
    Ahem.
    Anyway, I should probably get another therapist to hash this one out. I seem to have some latent issues piled up…

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  2. Life in the Boomer Lane

    Decades ago, Then Husband and I were waiting to board a flight and I made a predictable and stupid joke about airline disasters. He responded, equally stupidly, that he wasn’t worried about the plan crashing because airplane disaster films always have a nun on board and there wasn’t one lined up for our flight. To this day, I am always alert to whether there is a nun onboard.
    Life in the Boomer Lane recently posted…When House Guests InvadeMy Profile

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  3. tricia

    That looks like a cool trip! If it’s in Asia, I’m sure that ashtray is well used. πŸ™‚ Growing up in Korea, it was just the norm everywhere….no cell phone sounds awesome- I gave up my Smartphone last August and love it. I’m a blogger who went backward- it may cost me in terms of social networking, but I’m okay with that. πŸ™‚
    tricia recently posted…Origami Ideas For Family Fun, Gifts & Decor!My Profile

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      1. tricia

        I DO have an ipad, though- And we had to turn on the wifi access while we were traveling and it cost so much since they charge you to connect, that month plus the following month that we’ve kept it for a time to make it worth it. BUT, it is still more cumbersome to be connected all the time without something in the palm of my hand. It’s tough- but you get used to it! A blog I love is called Hands Free Mama- and it’s about a woman who gave hers up, too. haha! Not a loser for connecting at soonest opportunity- pretty normal, I think. πŸ™‚
        tricia recently posted…Teaching Kids About IntegrityMy Profile

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    1. Absence Alternatives Post author

      The bathroom is nice. The tub is long but narrow. Snuggly when I submerged myself in it. Kind of makes up for the hotel being in the middle of nowhere. ALSO, you can’t turn on AC apparently in Beijing until a certain date. My room is constantly 29C… ugh

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