Posted 11:44 AM by Lodger
Dec. 29. 3:40 PM. Los Angeles International Airport.

My journal begins here. LA. La-la land. Had the aisle seat on the flight from Vancouver, but managed to get a glimpse at the landscape over Lee's shoulder as we descended. (Lee sat beside me. Is from Prince George. Runs a trucking company. Nice guy.) I must say what I saw was not that impressive. I can accept that the barren, dull, brown landscape has its own kind of beauty, but when it is spotted with endless rows of bland, off-white, pre-fab buildings (to go along with the mostly bland, off-white, pre-fab movies that are the spawn of this place) only one word springs to mind to describe it - ugly. I saw one brilliant blue body of water just before we landed. It looked intrusive, out of place, like a spot of mold on a block of aged-cheddar.

I'm four and a half hours into a six hour lay-over here as I write this. I've read some, talked on the phone some (my father, then Lynn), had coffee, tea, clam chowder in a breadbowl, purchased the pen I'm using to write this, and now... I wait. Shall I describe some of the people here at UA Gate 68B who are waiting with me? Of course I should, or I wouldn't have suggested it. Facing me, about sixteen feet away is animated cell-phone woman. She has short brown hair, a boy's cut. She's quite energetic, seems to be enjoying her conversation. Her smile is pleasant, but slightly devillish. Possibly a passionate debater, someone who doesn't compromise? Of course I can't really know, but the vibe I get is 'I'm friendly, but don't fuck with me.' Oh... she's done talking. She's standing. Ah... she has a child, about nine years old, a boy... now that she's off the phone and talking to her son the 'don't fuck with me vibe' seems all wrong. With him she is very warm... no pretense, no barriers. They've left. Gate 69A to who knows where.

One hour before I board. I should be nervous, excited. Mostly I've been surprisingly calm. I'm reminded of some advice a friend gave me while at a trendy downtown nightclub. I felt out of place and he said, 'Why should you be? When you walk into a place like this, walk in like you own the place.' I kind of feel like that today. LIKE I OWN THIS. I'm sure as I start to face the challenges of the coming weeks - getting settled in London, finding a place to live, starting my job - this feeling will pass, to be replaced by many moments of 'Oh my God, can I really do this?' I think I should enjoy the calm while it lasts.

[Dec 29. 9:15 Pac. Time. Somewhere over Central Ontario:

Almost four hours into the flight. I have to go to the bathroom, but the bloody seatbelt light won't turn off. Turbulence. A real bugger that's becoming tough on the bladder. The movie was 'The Good Girl.' Quite good... strong performances from C Thomas Reilly (I think that's his name), Jennifer Aniston and Patrick Gyllenhall. The meal was chicken with rice pilaf and carrots, grapes, crackers & cheese in a little plastic box, salad, a bun and cheesecake for dessert. Just read a dynamite article in the December issue of 'Harper's.' 'Common Ground: Finding our way back to the Enlightenment,' by Thomas de Zengotita. He argues for a return to abstract principles or ideals as a motivating force for individual political action. He does acknowledge the usefuless of the identity based discourse that has emerged from postmodernism, but argues both are not mutually exclusive and that all of us, when the chips are down and we are faced with a serious ethical dilemna, revert to more universal abstract principles. It challenged me to identify my core beliefs, not something one does everyday!

The seatbelt light has turned off and I am now comfortably back in my seat; my previously mentioned discomfort has been relieved. I think I'll now pull out my book and read a chapter (Desmond Morton's, 'A Short History of Canada' - I'm kind of paranoid about arriving in England and not being able to answer basic questions about my nation's history.)

3:40 AM PST. 11:40 London time:

Just flew over Oxford. ETA: 9 minutes and counting. Slept ~ 3.5 hours on the plane. This will serve me well today, I suspect. Jetlag probably won't kick in at full force until tomorrow.

They've announced that flight attendants will be coming by to collect donations of loose change for The United Way. Given United Airlines' current fiscal difficulties, one is inclined to be somewhat skeptical about the ultimate destination of these baggies of loose change.

Posted 2:10 AM by Lodger
This is my first actual entry on "Lodger," my new weblog dedicated to recording/reporting my experiences teaching high school in the UK. I'm still in Canada for a few days, making my final preparations. I just finished packing and I'm pretty sure I haven't overlooked anything, but I can't help thinking I probably have. I'm a bit of a basket-case. Raw adrenaline mixed with an overwheming sense of "holy shit! am I really doing this?" Yes. Yes you are... you crazy son-of-a-bitch!. Woo-hoo!

CHRISTMAS 2002:

Spent Christmas in Calgary with the family at my brother and fiance's house. It was great to have Christmas together as a family before I head off to England. Felt sad saying goodbye to my brother, though. I will definitely miss him. When the two of us get together we return somewhat back to our childhood... we played many many games of NHL 2002 on the Playstation 2 this past week. It was quite wonderful spending Christmas with my new niece, Emalee, as well. Seeing her open (with help from Dad) her gifts was a lot of fun and she seemed to genuinely enjoy the experience. Unfortunately the week seemed to pass too quickly, as they always do. Looking forward to the next family get-together.

Tomorrow I say goodbye to the rest of my immediate family, as well as to some close friends. I must say that I feel truly blessed to have such great people in my life, and I will miss them all.

As the new year approaches, and I reflect on all that has happened over the past year, it seems unreal. My sister and I both finished university: she's now a nurse and I'm now a high school teacher. My mother left her job to go back to university to become a nurse. My brother and his fiance had a baby. Angela and I seperated. My aunt passed away suddenly without warning. Recently I found out my father had a serious medical scare and that only last week he received word that everything is going to be allright. And now the job in England. 2002 brought to my family heartbreak and loss, the rewards and satisfaction of personal accomplishments, and birth and renewal (both figuratively and literally) - there have been many changes in our lives and we've come through it all with flying colours. I'm proud of all of us.

From here on my postings will be made from the UK. Postings will probably occur weekly, or at most, bi-weekly, as I will not have regular access to a computer.

I wish all the best to my friends and family for 2003. I anticipate a great year. England awaits. Until then...