My De-Icers

Let me just say, I don't see any of anyone enough. Not nearly enough. And therefore, I have so much I want do discuss with people: theological and spiritual revelations, funny experiences, thoughts about the future.

I suppose, since I've told this story the straight way once, I can get away with telling a bit more.

Our classes wrapped up on Thursday, and we all headed out to the airport. Seventeen people from KC flew out of Orlando; fifteen of them flew the same Southwest flight. As for myself, I somehow must have thought it would be fun to have a layover, as my total travel time was to last five hours (compared to their three). No...that's not really interesting, is it?

Anyway, we went our separate ways. Let me just say, right now, that being a pilot makes me incredibly aware on airplanes. I have millions of questions I want to ask the pilot: Why did you turn right instead of left? What kind of checklist do you go through? Do you let someone else count all the bolts, or do you do that yourself at the beginning of the day? Can I see the cockpit?

Of course, when I'm flying, I control the two most important aspects of the flight: the yoke and the throttle. As a passenger, I hear the pilot make all the little adjustments to power that I myself make when I fly, but since I have no control over it, I don't like it. I want to know WHY we're doing this now...

Anyway, the pilot had told us that there would be thunderstorms, and that he was going to try to fly around them. As I was looking out the window, about half an hour into the flight, we banked to the left. I figured we were making a sharp left to avoid the storms.

Shortly after that, we banked to the left again. I couldn't look out the window anymore because the sun was in my eyes. Ouch!

Now, I'm not always the best at knowing which way I'm headed. Ever since I've moved to Kansas City, going east feels like going south, and vice versa. But I do know that the sun sets in the west. And if west is to the right, then you are facing south. And even though my team only correctly free-handed 41 of the 50 states this week (we had to draw a map of the US and put all the states in it because we were making fun of Miss South Carolina), I know that Cincinnati is NOT south of Orlando.

The pilot came on the intercom and announced that the de-icers were not working. Big whoop, right? Well, because of the thunderstorms, the air was very moist. At the altitudes we're flying at, moist air + cold metal = ice. Ice is bad. Especially when the de-icers don't work.

So we turned around and went back to Orlando. At this point, I realized that I had missed my connection in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to get in line fairly early to inquire about my next steps. Delta had already made arrangements for me to have a hotel in Cincinnati (hooray, I can say I've been to Ohio now!) and fly out the next morning.

The strategy was to take everything from my flight and put it on a plan sitting right next door. We all had the same seats and everything! Oh, but this plane's de-icers worked. Anyway, that's mostly the story of my trip. A lot of people were annoyed, but I was impressed with the response and attention to safety issues. I had also had a good experience getting my seat changed back to a window seat (it had mysteriously been changed to an aisle between April and August...and no, I didn't hit the wrong button...it really had been changed...)

So Delta got a nice letter from me (and no, there's no sarcasm there). I was super impressed, if not ready to get off planes and home. Funny...I'm getting back on one on Monday! So...fly Delta! :)

This was longer than I thought it would be...but it's my first air adventure. Actually, it seems that in my family the first time we fly by ourselves, this happens. My sister had the same thing happen (weather, not mechanical breakdown) the first time she got a flight by herself. Although, they gave her the royal treatment because she was a kid flying alone.

Ok. That's it. No...seriously...I'm done.

My Week

Okay, so I thought I might actually do something rational for once and post what I've been up to lately.

Sunday I flew down to Orlando, FL to attend training for my company, KPMG. Every day from 8:30-5:30 we attend class (and from 8-3 on Saturday). My class consists of 34 people from offices in KC, St. Louis, and Minneapolis. There are 15 people from my office, and our instructors are also from KC (including my performance manager - she's not exactly a boss, but the person I'll ultimately be accountable to for setting goals and getting raises and bonuses).

Class is half lecture, half hands on. We also do a lot of random fun activities. We created a fake accounting department, which sounds really dorky and nerdy, but it was my favorite part: mostly because people got really creative with it and came up with problems not in the scope of the activity, but still very realistic. We had customers "cheating" us.

For the Harry Potter fans out there, I've noticed some similarities. We are called "first years," and every time I hear the phrase I think of the books: Hagrid calling, "Firs' years! This way!" and little first years running around having no idea what was going on. Also, we're divided into tables for classes, and we have a running point tally going on. So every time points are awarded (for the same reasons as in the HP books - answering questions correctly, being on time, etc.) it feels a little Hogwartish. Yes, I'm a nerd. But then again, I'm an accountant, has anyone ever really doubted it?

My group sticks together for pretty much everything (just the KC office). Every night we go out to dinner, and they usually go out drinking afterwards. I try to tag along as much as possible...
On Thursday night our teachers took the office to a Tapas restaurant (called Tu Tu Tango). Each person orders a couple of appetizers (out of a list of at least 30) and then we share them all. It was pretty good. They also had flamenco dancers.

Anyway, that's all the excitement that's been going on. Tomorrow I'm going to Universal Studios, but I don't know how long I'll stay there. It just depends on who all goes...

Sorry this wasn't very intellecutally stimulating.

My Scatterbrain

So I have had in my head many "backup" ideas for what I could post here. However, I seem to keep finding plenty to discuss as it is.

Actually, there are a few odds and ends that I would like to mention. The first is probably an inappropriate glimpse into my mind. There are many strange impulses that I sometimes have. I don't mind publishing them because some people already know about my odd desire to shove my face into a cake, throw food, or dance in the rain.

Right now, in my hotel, I am on the fifth floor. The rooms all open to a large atrium/lobby. And I find that when I walk to my room from the elevators, I have the strangest desire to throw my phone down five floors to the lobby below. I suppose this impulse just comes from knowing that it would be extremely easy, if I were not careful, to drop something off.

That sounded better in my head...

Actually, today I learned a lesson...or I have something to share. There was a rainstorm, and I was listening to the girls from California express wonderment at the shower, "Ooooh! It's coming down so hard!" and "It's so warm out here for a rainstorm." Well, I was a little judgmental. Coming from Kansas and having had the experiences to travel, I was thinking how easily entertained these girls were, and had they never seen rain before?

But then I thought about how it is very possible that these girls were unexposed. Not everyone has had travel experiences, so just because I wouldn't be shocked by something I saw in California because I have been there before, it does not mean that these girls have seen the entire world.

And when this became clear, I was able to join in their amusement. I mean, I personally love stormy weather. But I was just so happy that these girls had the opportunity to experience something new and exciting to them. I was even proud to be a part of it (like I had some kind of control over where we hold training and what the weather will be like when we're down here).

So anyway, that was my little learning experience about judging people. Every time I do it, I learn how wrong I was. And yet I seem to be addicted to it. I hope that the act of writing down, pondering on, and sharing these experiences will help me to curtail this addiction.

My Case Study

I don't know how to explain what I'm getting at here without possibly offending someone. However, I have noticed over the course of my life a strang phenomenon that I would like to share with others and perhaps get some feedback on.

To explain what I'm thinking, I'm going to use a case study of two people I know who, I think, embody this idea. They are a lot more polarized than most people in whom I have observed it.

We have Guy 1 who is outgoing, smart, funny, and likes to be the center of attention. On the other hand we have is best friend Alec (don't ask me why I'm not calling him Guy 2, it just seemed too mundane). Alec is shy, reserved. If you talk to him, you get the bare minimum answer. He's not unkind or unlikeable, just quiet.

Now I understand opposites attracting and complementing each other. In this case, Guy 1's ability to make conversation will more than suffice for Alec, especially in a group.

But here is what I find interesting: Guy 1 defers to Alec and follows his lead.

Essentially, the stronger presence is defering to the weaker one. Do I mean that Alec is weak? I'm not saying that he's somehow less of a person. I just mean that in general his presence is not felt as strongly by other people. If you met Guy 1 and Alec, you would remember Guy 1. Alec would be known to you as Guy 1's friend.

That's why it's so interesting to see Guy 1 defer to Alec. In a bigger picture, it would be like a spokesman for an athlete. The athlete has all the power, but the spokesman gets to talk in the interviews.

But Alec isn't using Guy 1. I was wondering if this was a case of "the first shall be last and the last shall be first." Essentially, Guy 1, with his "strong" personality and intellect has found some value in Alec. Perhaps he sees Alec as a good friend because he is so quiet. You know, "the less you say the more people will remember" and all that.

And a lot of what you see in Guy 1 could be influences of Alec coming out.

I don't know if there's a conclusion I want to make on this. I just wanted to point out this odd phenomenon. I can think of several other instances when I've seen it happen, and it makes me wonder why it is such a common occurrence.

On a final note, I have to make a statement about my perceptions of both of these guys, which may help me to figure out why Guy 1 follows Alec's lead. I like Guy 1. He's the kind of guy I want to hang out with. You might even say I find him attractive.

But there's something intriguing about Alec. He doesn't say much, which makes me want to get to know him even more. I wonder, "If this is his most external quality, what are the other quirks and qualities of his personality?" He's mysterious.

And who do I want to be? The "strong" personality with a good friend/mentor that I follow? Or do I want to be the quiet one, really pulling the strings and having that respect? They're both good choices.

My Comfort

So I was sitting in training yesterday...it feels like weeks ago...feeling REAALLLY GOOOOOD. I mean, it was freezing - it's like an icebox! But I felt so peaceful about the world.

And I want to make it clear...peaceful...not bored.

At that moment I thought back to my insane job search and how stressed I was. Then, when it came down to the choice between PWC and KPMG, I found myself feeling really good about KPMG...which had actually been my last choice when I started the search.

So what does this mean? Well, besides my happiness, I can't help but think that God may have been pushing me towards this company. And right now I don't know what that would mean for me...is there an opportunity I can find and pursue, a person I'm supposed to meet? Is it something I'm supposed to do or something I'm supposed to learn? Is it a gift to me or a calling?

Honestly, some people wouldn't put as much stock in this as I would. In fact, I think I put a lot of pressure on an internship a few years ago to mean something for me, when in fact I think it was just an internship.

But this is different. This is a peace that comes with having made a good decision. This is a group of people who are more accepting of me in a week than some people I've known for years.

And that's all I wanted to say today: that God has given me a peace about this job that I am thankful for every day. Even when things start looking hard, there's always a silver lining or an opportunity. It's like an adventure everday.

My Tie (also known as Mai Tai)

Well, I feel as though I should star off by explaining this blog. I have created it as a way to keep in touch with my friends, and also to dump the ideas - LOOK VEGGIE TALES! - running through my head. (Apparently I write like I talk, and I just noticed a Veggie Tales program running on the TV in this coffee shop).

Well, the idea came from my love of Scrubs, where every episode is titled "My Something." So I named my blog "My Account," because it is an account of my thoughts and experiences, and because I am an accountant.

I have been walking around and thinking about things all week that I want to write about. And yet, when I finally come across a semi reliable internet, most of them go out the window.

As I was sitting here, I saw an unusal occurrence: I guess there's a portrait studio next door, and a lady came in with her teenage son and asked a male customer here if he could tie a tie. The man proceeded to tie the tie around his neck and then transfer said tie to the teenager's neck.

I couldn't help but notice that pre-tie boy and post-tie boy were entirely different. For some reason, just adding a tie to this teenager not only completed his outfit, but it made him look more handsome, older, more mature, and more confident of himself.

I've often wondered what an alien culture would think of ours. Imagine coming to earth and watching us do the everyday things we do without knowing why. An example of this is brushing our teeth. If you were watching from the outside, don't you think taking a little stick, putting some goo on it, and running it vigorously back and forth over our teeth twice a day would look not only silly, but perhaps insane. And then take this silly procedure and multiply it over an entire society. Perhaps those aliens would conclude that no "intelligent life" lives here.

Now reexamine the tie again. I do not know why guys look better with ties, but can you imagine looking at the process from the outside? Men, especially the most successful and influential men, take time out of their day to tie a strip of cloth around their necks, leaving a large portion of it hanging down their front. And this strip hanging down their front is attractive - very much so.

I do not know who invented the tie, but I have to laugh. Most fashion quirks are odd to some extent. I can't think of all of them right now, but high heels are another good example. I don't think fashion has ever claimed to be practical in any sense. But for a trend that has lasted so long and is so widely accepted, I wonder if anyone ever stopped to question where it came from or why it is done.

Think about it....

In the Shadow of the Temple

I'm sitting in a coffee shop in Independence, MO, and they're having a trivia contest.

Even though this city is more than twice the size of the town I grew up in (not a small town itself even), I feel a though I am in a small, close knit community. This could be because so many of these people share a common faith - like being in a Catholic community or a city where 90% of the churches are Baptist.

I feel as though I could come here every Tuesday to witness or participate in this little trivia contest. It's just the kind of extracurricular life I had been hoping to experience, even if there doesn't seem to be a twenty-something in sight.

The thing is, I am reminded of a movie, probably a real one, where a stranger intrudes on the life of a small town community. And I can be that stranger. It's not that I want to intrude on these people's lives. But I love the idea of the unknown here.

At work people come and go all the time. But this is the start of a real story. I can impact these people and they can impact me. And for the first time in a long time, I can feel like the hero of my own story.

Perhaps I'll never come back here. Maybe I won't have time, or maybe I'll finid a better place to study - a younger place, a place with better coffee.

But the picture on the wall reminds me that I could never find a coffee shop like this in all the world, and maybe things are coming full circle. Perhaps this could be my home.