Tag Archive for 'travel'Page 2 of 5

Post Traumatic Ferris Wheel Disorder

So, I’ve been thinking…

and, no, it wasn’t too painful!

…anyway, I’ve been thinking about my fear of flying. Where did it come from? I mean, I flew a ton when I was younger - small planes, private planes…I shudder to think of it now. One time I was in the back of a tiny commuter with the luggage packed around my head! No fear!

So, what happened?

Well, I’ve never liked certain feelings…like the dropping feeling on a roller-coaster. I rode them - I just didn’t particularly like them. Then, in high school, Byron and I went to the Texas State Fair - it’s where we took the saloon pic on my “Album” page (I’m holding a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and I didn’t even know what that was at the time…) - anyway, Byron wanted to ride the double-Ferris-wheel. I told him I would probably get scared and might embarrass him…

…so, that turned out to be the understatement of the year!

Anyway, we got on and the first level was okay - he kept saying “See, it’s not so bad…you’re fine.” Then we went to the second level and began to drop both stories…that’s where things began to go a little awry…I’m not sure what happened, it’s a little…fuzzy. But, apparently I decided at the very top of the 5 story ride that I was going to get off…immediately. So, I proceeded to do just that. Byron had to try to restrain me - which I didn’t care for either…so, I began to scream hysterically. This only made the Ferris wheel operator speed the whole thing up as it was drawing a significant crowd and great for business…

After that, we didn’t ride any more Ferris wheels…Byron didn’t even get on an elevator with me without thinking twice. But, my “issues” didn’t really translate to airplanes until I had Kayleigh. I was flying with her by myself - she was 3 months - listening to the safety instructions, and it hit me…how would I crawl out of a smoke-filled plane and use my seat as a floatation device with a baby in my arms!!!! The panicky feeling was back. After that, I felt every bump - every tilt and clutched my infant tighter as I counted the emergency lights on the floor in case the lights went out and I had to make an escape in the dark…

A couple of years later, we were flying over the Gulf - hit a wind sheer - fell out of the sky twice…

…and here I am today, just waiting for it to happen again.

I just know I have to figure out a way to get past it. There are too many things I want to do that involve flying…

Go see Hillsong in Australia, visit the orphans in Africa…Mother Teresa’s home for the dying in Calcutta…London…see the Eiffel Tower…bring back a child from Moldova….see the Swiss Alps…

Anyway, I will get over this.

I think I’ll just take the bull by the horns and take flying lessons. I’ll either die of fright, or get over it!

So, that’s what I’m thinking. There you are.

Peace.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on February 20, 2008
in life, random and travel
. 0 Comments

Comfort Food

So, being in Dallas is like being “home” for Byron. You can take the boy out of Texas….

Everything’s big here. My hair even seemed bigger when I fixed it this morning…oh well, when in Rome….

There are all kinds of great restaurants here…of course, tons of fabulous steak houses. But, when we decided to eat an early supper (would that be “slunch”?), I felt like having something…comforting. Maybe because I miss my kids who are home sick, maybe because I’m not feeling so great myself - but, for whatever reason I chose…

Cracker Barrel - that’s right, of all the places in the world…well, in Grapevine/Fort Worth/Dallas, I chose chicken ‘n dumplin’s, corn, carrots, cinnamon apples, biscuits, and hot chocolate at Cracker Barrel! Then, after a few bites, I had them pack it all up to go…lost my appetite.

Not sure why…and not sure why I’m blogging about it either, but there you are.

There’s a whole field of Longhorns at the entrance to our hotel…they’re gorgeous. But, the sky’s not as pretty here…no pink and purple sunsets.

So, it was sweet of Byron to indulge my strange need to eat comfort food tonight…I think he definitely deserves a steak tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll eat mine in the restaurant - our little mini fridge is starting to fill up (I did the same thing at dinner last night!).

At least I won’t gain weight with all this eating out - now if I could just make myself go to the work-out center…

Baby steps, baby steps…

(I better start taking some of those “baby steps” down to the work-out place, or Amanda’s gonna “tough love” me when she gets here! I think I’m just trying to rest up, so that I can keep up with her - who am I kidding? There’s not enough rest in the world…)

Gotta run go take another bubble bath before she gets here and puts me in “boot camp” and tells me things like “No pain, no gain!” and “Get moving, sissy-girl!” and various and sundry motivational phrases like that…

Ugh! I think I’m coming down with the flu…Peace out.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on February 19, 2008
in exercise, friends, life, random and travel
. 0 Comments

Don’t Taze Me, Bro!

So, there are very few things in life that really scare me…

I faced one today.

I’m not afraid of snakes…grew up in the country, and dealt with them often - so they just don’t scare me.

I’m not afraid of the dark…being home alone….strange foods….trying new things…any animals - even big ones…heights.

One time, Byron and I heard about this guy who was chopping down a tree by himself (not the best idea), and it fell on his arm pinning him to the ground. After enough time went by and he knew he would die if he didn’t do something drastic, he decided to cut his arm off…with a pocket knife. I was horrified, but then Byron said, “You could do that!”.

So, back to what does scare me.

I got on an airplane today. And I left my children at home sick….my baby (he’s 7 now, but still my baby) has a fever. And I not only had to leave them, but had to get on an airplane.

I hate airplanes. I hate flying over the Gulf…too much warm air and wind-sheer possibilities. I hate sitting on the tarmac and breathing stale air. I hate taking off. I hate landing. I hate it when the pilot says that we’ve reached our “cruising altitude”, but he’s decided to leave the seat belt light on because of turbulence. I hate it when you freak out and start screaming at the flight attendant and they taze you, hog-tie you, and throw you in the airplane bathroom…okay, so that hasn’t happened to me…yet, but I would hate it!

Anyway, I faced one of my fears today. And now I’m on the ground…yea!

And my kids are feeling better…yea!

And two bubble baths can erase a multitude of traumas…yea!

So, now to sleep and dream…hopefully dreams that involve no tazers or airplane bathrooms.

Peace out.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on February 18, 2008
in family, life and travel
. 0 Comments

Don’t Taze Me, Bro!

So, there are very few things in life that really scare me…

I faced one today.

I’m not afraid of snakes…grew up in the country, and dealt with them often - so they just don’t scare me.

I’m not afraid of the dark…being home alone….strange foods….trying new things…any animals - even big ones…heights.

One time, Byron and I heard about this guy who was chopping down a tree by himself (not the best idea), and it fell on his arm pinning him to the ground. After enough time went by and he knew he would die if he didn’t do something drastic, he decided to cut his arm off…with a pocket knife. I was horrified, but then Byron said, “You could do that!”.

So, back to what does scare me.

I got on an airplane today. And I left my children at home sick….my baby (he’s 7 now, but still my baby) has a fever. And I not only had to leave them, but had to get on an airplane.

I hate airplanes. I hate flying over the Gulf…too much warm air and wind-sheer possibilities. I hate sitting on the tarmac and breathing stale air. I hate taking off. I hate landing. I hate it when the pilot says that we’ve reached our “cruising altitude”, but he’s decided to leave the seat belt light on because of turbulence. I hate it when you freak out and start screaming at the flight attendant and they taze you, hog-tie you, and throw you in the airplane bathroom…okay, so that hasn’t happened to me…yet, but I would hate it!

Anyway, I faced one of my fears today. And now I’m on the ground…yea!

And my kids are feeling better…yea!

And two bubble baths can erase a multitude of traumas…yea!

So, now to sleep and dream…hopefully dreams that involve no tazers or airplane bathrooms.

Peace out.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on February 18, 2008
in family, life and travel
. 0 Comments