everything and nothing

flying in circles and "elfing"

I’m writing this in a hotel bar in London, with an almond milk cappuccino at my left and liquid IV (not spon-con just love) at my right. Chris got a commercial here so he flew out a couple days before me and I took my first solo international flight. Rallying against the late tendencies ingrained in my DNA, I arrived at the airport two hours early. I love wandering through an airport without having to rush—even though getting through security brings out my competitive side, just like grocery store lines. The rigor of pulling off sweaters and flinging laptops onto the conveyor belt is just enough to get the blood flowing, a warm up before the long haul through the terminal.

Does anyone really buy luxury items at the airport? Comment below if you or anyone you know ever has. I need to know what it’s like.

Sitting at the gate is one of the rare times in life where everyone is in limbo together. Liftoff is just beyond reach, there’s only so much work that can be done with boarding announcements crackling overhead. I live for the ways people treat the airport as an extension of their hotel room. Luggage is splayed, charging cords are tangled up by the free ports. Floppy hats and plastic bags are stacked atop one another, pushing the conceptual boundaries of personal items and carry ons.

I had a stopover in Dublin on my way to Heathrow, during which I hoped to find some sort of Irish souvenir. I’ve never gotten a clear answer on my background, but I know my dad is half Irish and I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland. We ended up circling the rocky green island for almost an hour, our landing prevented by a rouge drone hovering over the Dublin airport. Flying in circles over the steely blue water was a bit dizzying. When we’re charging along a straight path, the velocity is almost imperceptible, but you can really feel it when the plane is in a constant curve. Eventually they cleared the drone and we landed in Dublin, with only 10 minutes to spare before boarding began for the second flight.

first glance at Ireland and the "souvenir" I almost got because it was the only thing by the gate

No tacky Irish trinkets for me, which is definitely for the best. I’ll get one whenever I go for real. I tried to find the symbolism in the moment but I was too beat from the 10 hour flight. Maybe I could scratch together some tie between new tech disrupting and old systems. Don’t settle for an airport keychain? Or is it a David and Goliath situation? Sometimes a drone is just a drone…?

I landed in Heathrow at 5:30pm and went to the hotel to shower, then it was off to a dinner at a friend’s place nearby. He’d just moved to this spot with his boyfriend and we were the first guests to come over. They painted the walls a cozy dark green and the kitchen matte black. We had a roast chicken complete with stuffing, gravy and sides with putty colored taper candles on the table. We had wine and elderflower cordial, with an apple crisp for dessert. After hours and hours of tumbling through the air, finding myself in a warm home felt like a dream sequence. 

With the exception of a few dinner reservations, I don’t have any plans. I’m happy to have a change of scenery and wander around with my thoughts.  In a last minute packing decision, I brought a handful of my meditation guides along. I’ve coordinated with people over DM and will be dropping them off over the course of the next few days in the various neighborhoods. One of my favorite things to do is “elf” embodying a good-natured yet sneaky gift giver, without the industry of Santa Claus backing me up. Delivering guides throughout London might be one of my most ambitious elfing expeditions yet. I will report back. 

I’m starting up Intro to Judaism classes at the end of February. These weekly classes are the biggest in-person commitment I’ve made in a while. I don’t know what to expect, but the course goes all the way to mid-June. Get ready for Judaism recaps as I go deeper into this side of my ancestry. 

Jet lag is hitting like ton of sand, so I’m going hit the road and try to walk it off—wish me luck.

xx
James