I still treasure the time when right prevailed. I was coming back from the New Orleans F2F and it was early in the morning. The airport was fairly crowded; I'd unloaded my two bags (this was before they started charging) and the nice man by the curb was checking them in. A woman comes up towing a flatbed handtruck piled with luggage and pushes past me, starting to tell him which flight she was on and how she needed to get everything checked. He told her that he had to finish with me first, which seemed to be something that had never happened to her before.

A little later I was in the security line. The really, really long security line. They went through pulling the people with early flights so they could go through security first. Of course, that same woman went with them. Then - the good part - not too long after she came back because, of course, she didn't have an early flight ... just figured she'd go to the head of the line. Not.

I still feel mildly guilty over the security line coup I pulled. I'd shown up ridiculously early because I'm that kind of flyer, and the security line was small. But I wanted to chill for a while and I knew that the past-security part was really limited for food. So I ate, hung out, and used the internet map I'd downloaded to find a cushy seat with a power outlet. It happened to be all the way at the other end of the pre-security area...where I realized there was a second security section. Both went to the same place according to the map. I finished my meal and walked back to the original security line which was now completely saturated. People were already volubly bitching. Turned right around and walked straight through the second area.

Flying into Kenya was hysterical. They had a line that included US citizens, and it was really long.

And then the line where the Jamaican passports went? Was really short.

I have no idea why, but I'm not complaining. Every now and again, being Jamaican has its perks.

The travel gods have forsaken me. Screaming kids in the row behind me. Screaming kid in the row ahead of me. And I think we're going to be late enough that I might not be able get Kittenish from cattery jail.

I did get a flu shot though. So my arm is sore for a good reason.

I feel sorry for people traveling with kids but I wish I could book flights without them.

Ok, I just got back from spending a few hours with Daniel. I got to speak with the doc. He says there is distinct improvement. Not a heck of a lot, but he believes it has turned the corner. Daniel will still need to be in the hospital for several days yet. I can say that the swelling appears to have decreased. But the skin of that leg is not a pretty sight. I am continually reminding myself that that mess is part of the process of healing. And the doc said that once the infection is beaten, the tissues are still going to have to heal and rebuild, like with a burn.

Daniel asked me to ask the hivemind for help. He desperately dreads having to go back to his job. He feels like it is killing him. But he does not know where to start on finding something better (I kinda get the feeling he might like a change of fields, too). He is hoping for ideas on how to get motivated, as well as ideas on practical steps to take. Casual searches of job postings on Craigslist and other online venues including classified ads on local newspaper websites have yielded very little, and it all seems to be contract work.

What sort of field would Daniel like to be in?

Andi, my place of work has started opening up more positions where people can work via remote access from wherever. I can take a look to see if there's anything open right now. As ND asked, what field? Something computerish, yes?

the tissues are still going to have to heal and rebuild, like with a burn.

I still have scarring from my bout of stupidity-aggravated infection. My shins look like I've been severely injured, and I sometimes catch people staring at them in horror. It took a couple of years to get the gumption to say "Fuck it, I'm wearing shorts."

But it is slowly receding. Slowly. I have a private bet with myself on whether I'll be dead before the red areas have faded, but I'll always have the round scars that look like I was in a gunfight with gnomes.

As ND asked, what field? Something computerish, yes?

He's currently a help desk guy. I think that perhaps one of the things he needs help with, is to brainstorm ideas for getting away from the tech world, while maintaining a decent level of income and benefits.

What does he want to do?