OK City

This past Monday and Tuesday I was in Oklahoma City for work. I went with my boss to visit a call center and to meet face to face with a candidate for an opening on our team. Overall it was a good trip. We left Monday morning and returned Tuesday night, so it was a quick trip as well. Speaking of quick trip (QT), I would highly recomend their flavored coffees and cappucinos. They have a good selection, taste good, and are significantly cheaper than Starbucks! Anyway, here are some highlights of the trip.

• Security-since we were at the airport just before 6 a.m., the security line was not too long and it kept moving. I had not travelled by air since 9/11, so I had heard of all the new precautions, but not experienced them first had. It really wasn't that bad, the guy with the rubber gloves was relatively gentle, which always helps. I'm kidding, I didn't get pulled out of line at all. I took off my shoes, took out my laptop, emptied my pockets, and placed everything on the belt to be passed through the machine. And I felt no more secure than any other time I had traveled by air.
• The first flight was easy enough. Again, I had not traveled by air in about 5 years and while I don't mind flying, there's still that little part of me that is very nervous when suspended 30,000 feet above the ground. I find comfort in two things: One, God is in control and I "cast my cares" on him for comfort. Two, I have to believe that the pilot would like to remain alive as much as his passengers and will do all in his power to keep everyone safe.
• We had a conneting flight in Memphis with about an hour or so to kill at the airport. I'm sorry to say I didn't buy any cheesy Elvis airport souveniers although there were plenty to chose from!
• The second flight was terrible! The plane was a 25+ year old DC9 and it was packed. It seemed like it would only hold about half the people that were on it. It was also loud. I was sitting in the back row, a window seat, but with a window that was permenatly covered because the engine was located right outside. It took a couple of hours for my hearing to return to 100%. I was reminded of the commercial when the guy imagines all the people who have sat in the airplane seat before and all their germs. I actually never put my head back on the headrest.
• The one funny thing about that flight was the guy in front of me looked back and asked me, "Where ya headed?" We were about 30 minutes from landing in Oklahoma City at this point which would make me think that my destination was pretty obvious. So, even though every fiber of my being wanted to say anything other than Oklahoma City, I said with as little sarcasm as possible, "Oklahoma City," while adding, "here's your sign" in my head. He seemed to be satisfied with that answer.
• Oklahoma City was nice enough. Life was a little slower, or maybe more laid back is a good way to describe it. It was very flat and since they had just had a winter storm the week before, there was still snow on the ground! So that was cool.
• When we got to the airport to leave Tuesday night, there was a neat scene at as we entered. Of course this was after we asked if we were in the correct terminal, to which the airport employee said that we were in the only terminal. It's interesting to see other airports when you are used to ATL. Anyway, when we got in and were going through security, we heard a crowd of about 20-25 people start cheering. They were holding signs and clapping and hugging and all this attention seem to be directed toward one person. Then we saw the recipient of the attention. It was a soldier, whom i would assume just got home from Iraq or Afghanistan. Some others in the airport clapped too. That was pretty neat to see.

Well, that's about the trip in a nutshell. The flight home was smooth and normal. I was home at about 9:30 and could not have been happier to see Lana and Jackson.