And away we go...

So it’s the day of our … okay, I’m not sure what to call it. It’s an overnight trip to LA for a movie premiere, which is not something that has a simple name. It’s too short for a vacation, it’s not a business trip, it’s… just different. My wife Becky and I still can’t easily wrap our brains around it, so we decide just to treat it as a movie date. An overnight, multi-state, Hollywood premiere, movie date.

We say goodbye to our sons – it’s Wednesday and still a school day for them – and head out the door at 8:00, for a 10:30 flight at D/FW International Airport. My dear, sweet parents, who live a few blocks away, are kind enough to chauffeur us there. Apart from a little traffic along the way, and then almost taking the wrong exit at the airport (I said Terminal “D as in dog,” Dad, not “B as in dog”), we are at our terminal at 8:45. We tell my parents goodbye and head inside.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve flown. We’ve been through TSA screening many times, but not since they adopted the new back-scatter screening technology. Since this is just an overnight trip, we’re also not checking luggage, and just have our carry-on bags.

Screening is uneventful – we are scanned in one of the circular, clear, booth-type of scanner, which looks like something out of a Sci Fi movie – and I get a little additional patting, but nothing major or uncomfortable. I collect my shoes, phone, belt, and other pocket stuff from the conveyor and head out into the terminal – and then realize that I’ve left our luggage on the conveyor belt!

Fortunately Becky is paying more attention than I am and hauls it out herself.

We grab a quick breakfast from a nearby McDonalds. With the 2-hour time change and our weird schedule today, regular meals will be a challenge, so we get what we can when we can.

After the food, we head to the gate. We spent a few hours in this very spot in Terminal D back in December 2007 on our way to Walt Disney World when our initial flight was canceled, so we’re in familiar territory. Fortunately, today’s flight is still showing as on time, and we board soon after 10:00 and find our seats.

When I checked in online yesterday, I was able to change our reserved seats to an empty row – the one empty row remaining on the plane. I’m hoping no one else has claimed the third seat since that time so we can have the whole three seats to ourselves. I’m a big guy, and appreciate room to spread out – especially since I’m also tall and I’m not going to have enough leg room regardless.

Hey, the doors are shut, and no one has taken the third seat! Yay! We push back from the gate right on time, and our flight to L.A. is on its way. Hollywood here we come!