Well, the last tequila shot has been drunk; the last new years chant has come to an end; the last glass of sorrel is sitting next to me, right beside the last piece of christmas cake. Yes, it is the end of the holiday season and time to get back to some serious work! The time in Jamaica was really well-spent, and I must say that I had a nice opportunity to lime with a wonderful set of folks on many occasions this season, therefore I am well satiated in that department. In addition, the fact that I was able to strengthen old bonds of family and friendship and forge new ones is a welcome bonus to a vacation well spent.
So, work begins once again, and I am quite happy to say that I'm really excited about the prospect of a brand new semester with a whole new set of students and an opportunity to impart my knowledge into their minds and have the process reciprocated. Yes, the only major dilemma this year will be driving back and forth in the winter, but as is noted in my syllabi, if the roads are too bad to drive, mi nah go a rass! Pebbles is still suffering from a cold or a flu, but she has to go to work anyway; poor thing. The most I can do is hope that I don't contract the virus and make all efforts to care for my ailing sweetheart.
Anyhow, don't really have too much to blog about tonight, so I'll leave you with a little note as to how my trip went. First of all, I made it to the airport really late, simply because I was too dumb to read the correct portion of my travel itinerary and I actually thought my flight was leaving at 4:26 pm, as opposed to 3:45 pm!! So, here I come strolling in to the airport at around 2:35 pm, after driving around all day with my brother trying to get his applications in for the university, followed by a few idle stops here and there. Now, do you know that arriving late for a flight has several advantages? for one, the people who were co-ordinating the lines for American Airlines actually made the folks who were headed to Florida cut in front of the other passengers who were headed to New York on a later flight--never seen that happen in my life!
Made it through the 2 million security checkpoints just in time to get to the boarding gate. Fortunately they were boarding by group numbers and I was in group number 1, so I was one of the first people on the flight (see what you get for being nice to the clerk). This is the first time that I can ever remember leaving Norman Manley Int'l Airport on-time! Spent the flight hunkered into a corner next to the window watching the Junior Water Polo team carry on with their antics on the flight. I was sitting next to the manager lady for the team and how my heart wept to see said woman filling out immigration forms for 40+ kids!
Touched down in Florida with well over 2 hours to spare before the next leg of my trip to Pittsburgh. Customs wasn't too hard either; had a nice little Latina mamacita with a really big glock on her waist process me and get me to fill out a new immigration form (since I'd written my old admission number into it). They did the biometric thing to me (i.e. thumbprints and photo) and I'm alive, so I guess it went well--though Uncle Sam now has me in his crosshairs.
Once I got through customs, I walked down to immigration. People, I have to tell you all that Miami Int'l isn't the most efficient airports when it comes to getting around! In fact, it was a good 15 minute walk to get to customs, followed by another brisk 10 minute walk to get to immigration! Anyhow, I won't complain too much, since I was about the 4th person to get his luggage...yet another perk of arriving late for your flight!
Made it to Pittsburgh in a little bit over 2 hours, so I was well content with mineself. Pebbles had already arrived and we had been in regular cellphone contact, so we knew each other's moves. Our friends had arrived from long before to pick us up, so I knew that the journey was a cakewalk after that! Would you believe that I was the 4th person to get my luggage once again!! (Note to self: arrive late for flights more often!). The only dilemma was that Pebbles' luggage had been delayed in Chicago, so that pretty much meant sitting around for an extra hour or so.
Well, the rest is history, now it's time to be back at work and productive...but I tell you all something, as soon as summer rolls around again, I gone to Jamaica! Anyone else out in blogland planning to make it down? We can link up and have a fun time y'know!
So, work begins once again, and I am quite happy to say that I'm really excited about the prospect of a brand new semester with a whole new set of students and an opportunity to impart my knowledge into their minds and have the process reciprocated. Yes, the only major dilemma this year will be driving back and forth in the winter, but as is noted in my syllabi, if the roads are too bad to drive, mi nah go a rass! Pebbles is still suffering from a cold or a flu, but she has to go to work anyway; poor thing. The most I can do is hope that I don't contract the virus and make all efforts to care for my ailing sweetheart.
Anyhow, don't really have too much to blog about tonight, so I'll leave you with a little note as to how my trip went. First of all, I made it to the airport really late, simply because I was too dumb to read the correct portion of my travel itinerary and I actually thought my flight was leaving at 4:26 pm, as opposed to 3:45 pm!! So, here I come strolling in to the airport at around 2:35 pm, after driving around all day with my brother trying to get his applications in for the university, followed by a few idle stops here and there. Now, do you know that arriving late for a flight has several advantages? for one, the people who were co-ordinating the lines for American Airlines actually made the folks who were headed to Florida cut in front of the other passengers who were headed to New York on a later flight--never seen that happen in my life!
Made it through the 2 million security checkpoints just in time to get to the boarding gate. Fortunately they were boarding by group numbers and I was in group number 1, so I was one of the first people on the flight (see what you get for being nice to the clerk). This is the first time that I can ever remember leaving Norman Manley Int'l Airport on-time! Spent the flight hunkered into a corner next to the window watching the Junior Water Polo team carry on with their antics on the flight. I was sitting next to the manager lady for the team and how my heart wept to see said woman filling out immigration forms for 40+ kids!
Touched down in Florida with well over 2 hours to spare before the next leg of my trip to Pittsburgh. Customs wasn't too hard either; had a nice little Latina mamacita with a really big glock on her waist process me and get me to fill out a new immigration form (since I'd written my old admission number into it). They did the biometric thing to me (i.e. thumbprints and photo) and I'm alive, so I guess it went well--though Uncle Sam now has me in his crosshairs.
Once I got through customs, I walked down to immigration. People, I have to tell you all that Miami Int'l isn't the most efficient airports when it comes to getting around! In fact, it was a good 15 minute walk to get to customs, followed by another brisk 10 minute walk to get to immigration! Anyhow, I won't complain too much, since I was about the 4th person to get his luggage...yet another perk of arriving late for your flight!
Made it to Pittsburgh in a little bit over 2 hours, so I was well content with mineself. Pebbles had already arrived and we had been in regular cellphone contact, so we knew each other's moves. Our friends had arrived from long before to pick us up, so I knew that the journey was a cakewalk after that! Would you believe that I was the 4th person to get my luggage once again!! (Note to self: arrive late for flights more often!). The only dilemma was that Pebbles' luggage had been delayed in Chicago, so that pretty much meant sitting around for an extra hour or so.
Well, the rest is history, now it's time to be back at work and productive...but I tell you all something, as soon as summer rolls around again, I gone to Jamaica! Anyone else out in blogland planning to make it down? We can link up and have a fun time y'know!
Comments
Time to make some money so you can return and buy me more liquor!
And BTW, Miami International sucks big time. Me nuh land dere if me can avoid it! Ft. Lauderdale is a far more pleasant encounter! Back to work my yute! Dr. D.
Mad Bull