Leaving on a jet plane

Okay well maybe not a jet plane.  I think it's one of those smallish planes since I'm flying out of BMI on Delta -- at least it's non-stop.


Have I mentioned I don't like flying?  If not -- I don't like flying.  In fact, I hate flying.  It's what keeps me from going to Maui every year.  The 10 hour flight.  Well, that and the money.  I am not afraid of flying.  I just don't find it a pleasant experience to be crammed on a plane for hours with strangers and screaming babies, and a guy in front of you who leans his seat all the way back so that his head is in my lap.  This flight will be about an hour I suspect.  I can probably survive that.


I am due to arrive in Minneapolis around 2:30pm, if the flight is on time.  IF the flight is on time. Another reason I hate flying.  Flights (at least my flights) seem to rarely be on time.  Then I catch a shuttle to my hotel.  I'll be staying in style at the Millennium Hotel in downtown Mpls.  They have a Martini Bar. It's called Martini's.  I plan to spend a lot of time there. At least until I run out of money.  They also have a pool.  I plan to spend some time there as well.  Maybe. I scored a single room so that I don't have to room with a random Presbyterian.  Yes, I have to pay extra for it, but it will be worth it.


The Assembly starts tomorrow with some optional activities at the nearby Convention Center (it's connected by a sky-walk from my hotel, a bit of a walk which I will likely only make twice a day, coming and going).  Then we elect the Moderator Saturday evening.  There are six candidates.  Three are women -- one elder and two ministers.  I like two of them.  It's past time for a woman Moderator so one of them will get my vote.  This, of course, means we'll get another man.  Or the conservative woman from Santa Barbara.  I love Santa Barbara. Not so much their conservative Presbytery.  The man from Wisconsin may be okay.  The man from Philadelphia, um, no.


Here are the six candidates.  


So anyway, I am voting for Maggie or Cynthia.  That will be my first official act.  Then on Sunday we start committee meetings.  Am I on the one to discuss our position on gay marriage and civil unions?  How about gay ordination?  Of course not.  I am on the Christian Education and Church Growth Committeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.  Oops, sorry, fell asleep just typing that.  Oh, and they threw in business for the Presbyterian Loan Program, called PILP.  It's gonna be a snooze fest.  But, it will be stress-less and may end earlier than the other committees, which will give me more time in the Martini bar to swim.


Okay enough of this for now -- off to finish packing!