Friday Fragments, inspired by gravity

So I'm sitting in the airport in Chicago. My flight, previously scheduled to leave at 7:40, is now scheduled to leave at 8.

Yeah, I got here three hours early.

Part of that was kind of unintentional. I had an awesome, awesome lunch with my folks and my cousins (who just got back from Mexico last night, and were very tan and still on South of the Border time). We met at 2, ate freakin' awesome stuffed pizza, and chatted and visited, and then, you know, it was a little earlier than I'd planned on getting here (I usually aim for 90 to 120 minutes before departure time. After the Christmas day loveliness, I thought I'd shoot for 2-2.5h), but, fine, whatever. So I got here around 4:40. I cleared security at 4:56. Aaaaand....so.....now.....here I am.

I bought a couple of books. I browsed in a bunch of kiosk stores. Starbucks got my drink wrong. I finally succumbed and let myself be robbed at gunpoint bought in to the ridiculous expensive airport wireless. So, while I'm at it, let's do a little Friday Fragments. Quickly, before my battery dies.
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I'm sitting on the floor against the window. It's 14 degrees outside. I finally put my coat on just now. But during this visit, I also acquired a lap blanket that my grandmother knitted. When I checked in my bag, it was 1 pound overweight, so I took the blanket out and put it in my backpack. I'm thinking about whipping that thing out...
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I've been watching a lot of men and women (mostly men) in fatigues in the airport today. And to them I'd like to say two things. 1. Thanks for serving. We feel safer with you around. And 2, couldn't you have worn your dress uniforms today? I know they're uncomfortable, but they're just so scenic...
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This guy sitting next to me at the gate doesn't know it, but I've been watching the movie on his laptop for the past 30 minutes. I'm thinking of asking him for an earbud.
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I struggle with the question every time I come home of whether to move back here or to stay in NC when I'm done with residency. I don't have to make this decision for at LEAST two years. I think, more than anything, it represents me being homesick.
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I really like the internet. It amazes me that I've been able to meet people all over the world, can share pictures and words, thoughts and experiences, philosophies, observations, and amusement. I can feel close to people who are nowhere near me, to some whom I've never met in person. The world is getting smaller by the second.
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My good friends introduced me to Skype this week. I've always been sort of like, yeah, yeah, Skype, I have a phone, whatever, but they regularly eat dinner with their parents/in-laws over Skype. I think this is very cool.
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Have I mentioned the adorableness of my friends' kids? I'd tell you more, but I'd hate to have to shout over that loud, infernal ticking...
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The title of today's post is a reference to an Indigo Girls song, "Airplane." Which is one of my all-time favorites and is quite likely my favorite travel song. You know, when I'm flying.
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In other lyrics-related news, Barb mentioned on FB the other day that her daughter was cracking up at her misinterpretation of the lyrics to Jay-Zs "Empire State of Mind." Google says the chorus starts with "Concrete jungles that dreams are made of." But I was listening to this on the radio today, and I'll be damned if it doesn't actually sound like Alicia Keys is talking about "wintry tomatoes."
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That story also reminds me of this SNL sketch, which I find hilarious.

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Alright. I think I'm going to go read something now....