Travelling Day!

[Joe Gensle]

At the moment, I'm sitting in 1F, a 1st-class aisle seat and I'm getting jostled and bumped in the arm and leg by elbows and the carry-on bags of the herd headed for the coach section, having passed me off as some rich alcoholic bastard (cognac 'n coffee at 5:10AM!) with more money than brains.

I'm enjoying that free ($8) libation before take-off, a hot breakfast ($15?) served on fine china once we power out,  and two mimosas (another $16 in coach section charges that don't apply), smug that I got online exactly 24 hours and 10 minutes ago to check-in for my flight and bought an $89 upgrade to 1st-class, eliminating checked bag fees ($25 per), had my luggage specially marked for the 1st class cargo hold this morning, and I'll be one of the first to deplane ahead of all of those in the rear cabin who roughed me up trying to make me spill my drink.

The sneaky part is that I am changing planes in Houston, going to an extra legroom seat in coach class,  while my bag continues to enjoy its status, 1st-class tag intact, one of the first to clunk onto my arriving flight's assigned carousel at Louis Armstrong International Airport.

My buddy's picking me up from the airport and driving me to the hotel after his wife, he and I demolish a fabulous lunch somewhere (on my nickel, of course).

The trip's dinner reservations are set, my birthday's itinerary is set to "Celebrate," and the half-day cooking school's schedule might have only been better if Edward Dean were in the role of Master Sommelier to do the pairings.

With all the creature comforts I could want in a terrific hotel, I'll soon find out if the moon and time and tides are right to pour 25,000+ more words of Cookie Ivarsson's life and adventure onto this screen.

[Joe Gensle]

Thanks, friends © Twas 98° on arrival in ’Nawlins and I felt like the ricotta and meat between the lasagna noodles but managed to hit my fave ‘Rita bar (margarita) for happy hour and their dinner special, returned to my digs and ate amoxycillin like they were M&Ms, and collapsed into a nap, awakening to goosebumps from my 64° thermostat setting… At the moment, I’m now as old as Michael-the-MuDJoB-Brown (and concede I look much older)

[bolton carley]

great idea about using 1st class to get out of baggage fees.  gonna use that.  happy birthday!  and love your description of coach people's thoughts of you.

[Edward Dean]

WTF Joe...........I'm into bribery! Fly me first class and I'd even go to Wasilla:)

[Stephen Torelli]

Cognac and espresso will make my day even in 2nd class. Have fun at cooking school and happy birthday.