Pronoia

When car #26 started driving away from Third Street at 11:00 a.m. on the nose, who knew I’d be buckled in on a plane on the stroke of noon? My flight was scheduled for 1:15 p.m., and I was braced for the usual hurry-up-and-wait game at the airport—but when I got to the gate, the woman said “Why don’t you get on this flight, we’re about to close the door” I managed to be the very last person squeezing in on the 10:30 a.m. flight that was delayed for 1 ½ hours due to weather in Cleveland. I had too much unchecked baggage, they let me get away with that too. Thank you Continental.

I’m feeling lucky. Pronoia: Pro-NOY-a: Of or pertaining to the feeling that the universe is conspiring for you. It’s a great concept. There’s even a book out with this word in the title.

I had a delightful conversation with Eddie, my driver to LGA. Not sure how we got on the subject, but there we were cruising by BAM on Flatbush Avenue talking about Herman Hesse. I told him I had only read Siddhartha, and he recommended “Narcissus and Goldman”. I will pick this up before we leave for Indonesia as English language books are something of a commodity over there, Carrie always stocks up when she visits. I packed “Shantaram” by Gregory David Roberts, which I’ve started, but no doubt got side tracked with my never-ending stack of New Yorkers I try to keep up with. Whenever I feel inadequate, I blame it on New Yorker magazine.

Last night, 12/4, I had a lovely goodbye dinner with my Mom and Popcorn after which was my “May the Fourth Be With You” Bon Voyage get together at “The Room” on Sullivan St. in SoHo (not to be confused with “The Other Room “ or “Another Room”—now I’ve been to them all). My new friend, Tammy Parish, was bartending and we had a nice posse representin’ for a cold Tuesday in December. This past week, Winter really kicked in, so I’m grateful to be skipping out now and missing most of the holiday season. Oh, Happy Chanukah.

And so the journey begins, I detour now to Austin, TX. via Houston to link up with Cheryl before really leaving. Before October, I had never been to Texas in my life, when I came in for Cheryl’s Golden Birthday hootenanny, which was when this whole Bali idea was concocted. “Gee Woo (she calls me Woo) I have all these air miles"…oh really?

Austin is a ‘blue marble in a red state” I love this Cheryl Smith testimonial. Austin was indeed the only county voting blue in the last election. Of course, the thought of being in Houston today at the George Bush International Airport does make the hair on my arms raise, but it’s only for a connection. Hee haw!