Safely home
from my sojourn to LA for Kristin's memorial. The trip to and from LA was mercifully uneventful. I was selected for enhanced screening on Sept. 11, but it was because I was standing in a section of the line of about 20 people that was diverted, so it was nothing personal. I politely informed the TSA agent that as a cancer survivor I couldn't take the radiation risk, so I got the enhanced pat-down. It was intrusive, but the three agents I dealt with were both professional and kind.
The weekend itself was...draining. I'm not sure how else to describe it. I needed to go to say goodbye to Kristin and to support my brother and nephew, and I'm glad I went, but my emotions are now in turmoil. In addition to the expected sadness, there was of course family drama, which I may or may not examine in writing later. We'll see if I can process it on my own.
I did like the mariachi band down the mountain playing for a quinceañera which provided the music for Kristin's memorial. And I had several fascinating conversations in Spanish while I was there.
I watched a fair amount of 9/11 coverage while in my hotel room. That also stirred up quite a few emotions. The juxtaposition between the public mourning for the 9/11 victims and the private mourning for my sister-in-law was surreal. They've become inextricably linked in my mind.
On the way there, the in-flight entertainment included the unpleasant romantic comedy Something Borrowed, and the insipid sit-com Cougar Town. On the way back, I watched a Spanish-language version of an after-school special and Monsters vs. Aliens. The entertainment was much better on the way home.
I'm glad I went, and I'm glad to be home.
The weekend itself was...draining. I'm not sure how else to describe it. I needed to go to say goodbye to Kristin and to support my brother and nephew, and I'm glad I went, but my emotions are now in turmoil. In addition to the expected sadness, there was of course family drama, which I may or may not examine in writing later. We'll see if I can process it on my own.
I did like the mariachi band down the mountain playing for a quinceañera which provided the music for Kristin's memorial. And I had several fascinating conversations in Spanish while I was there.
I watched a fair amount of 9/11 coverage while in my hotel room. That also stirred up quite a few emotions. The juxtaposition between the public mourning for the 9/11 victims and the private mourning for my sister-in-law was surreal. They've become inextricably linked in my mind.
On the way there, the in-flight entertainment included the unpleasant romantic comedy Something Borrowed, and the insipid sit-com Cougar Town. On the way back, I watched a Spanish-language version of an after-school special and Monsters vs. Aliens. The entertainment was much better on the way home.
I'm glad I went, and I'm glad to be home.