Day 1 -- Terminal 3, United's Terminal at SFO always interesting!!

It's 30 June 2015 and heading out on my Oaxaca Culnary Cooking Adventure :-). Little did I know when I started this post what the day would entail (see towards end of this post :-)

Good thing I left at 8:30 a.m. and traffic was moving.  The car service driver whose name now escapes me, was delightful to chat with and carefully moved us through the morning traffic.  Arrived SFO in a timely fashion.

Stepping from the sidewalk into the terminal with my luggage in tow, I was met with not the usual snaking S line of travelers with luggage queuing up for the next gate attendant.  Instead each gate attendant 'kiosk' had a line in front of it.  Oh well...I have one hour and 15 minutes to get my one bag checked.  And then 45 minutes to go through security before the flight leaves.

Thank you gate attendant 'person' who came up as I maneuvered through the kiosk screens to assist not just me, those lined up after me.  She was cheerful.  As was the attendant behind the counter busily moving to and fro to grab the luggage tag(s) from the printer while attempting to match them with owner & luggage & check ID.  Envision about 10+ kiosks and three attendants behind the kiosks.  Dance amidst the chaos :-)

Thank you Source...as my boarding pass said I could go through the TSA pre-screen line.  Wow, that line was only several folks...

10:10 a.m. and I am through security.  My flight leaves at 10:56 a.m.

I always love the Terminal 3 United walkway past security and before you get to the gates...because they have interesting and informative displays.  Just wish I had more time to browse and read :-). This time it's Art Deco.

These suitcases are great for car travel.  Not when they are full & I am walking through an airport :-)

How's this for pick nicking in style!!

Loved this one as I am a waxed paper user :-)

These little black glasses make me think of the little green ones I received from my mother.

This one's for you June!

Love this dress!!!

Next stop..change plans in Houston.  If we ever take off...we boarded and not leaving the gate.

12 noon SF time and Houston, we have lift-off.  Source...have my Oaxaca flight wait for me in Houston as we are delayed in  leaving SFO.

Welcome to things beyond my control!

Welcome to Life!

Welcome to Traveling!

The adventure continues!

3:31 pm SF time and we are landing soon in San Antonio.  Air traffic is backed up in Houston.  Yup it's June and thunderstorm weather.  Been a long while  since I lived in VA with this type of weather.  Oh well, we need to land, re-fuel, and wait for further instructions.

Back to playing Rummikub on the iPad Mini :-)

6:31 San Antonio time.  Good news...the flight from Houston to Oaxaca is also delayed to leave in 30 minutes.  Alas, I am still in San Antonio.  Good thing I have snacks and water :-)

9:05 pm Houston time..we landed and all are waiting patiently while the EMT assists a passenger off before we de-plane.  I later learned that security escorted a passenger off the plane who shoved a stewardess.

9:26 pm Houston time -- here I am waiting in the Customer Service line.  Alas the flight from Houston to Oaxaca left without me :-| Yes...that is the line behind me.

Not bad...10:35 pm...and I have progressed from the very light sign hanging in the background (beyond the very visible black and yellow) to the S area :-)

12:41a.m. Houston time...at last a place to stay. Super 8 in Humble near the airport.  Will make standby tomorrow and be in Oaxaca tomorrow night!

Heavens...the price of this Super 8 room...and I thought the discounted price of $70 plus tax was high :-)

Good Night All!!!!

español and practice...

It's 20 June 2015...so much for my thoughts of blogging after my birthday :-)

I have to smile and laugh at myself...as I reflect on where I've spent my time and energy since 12 April.

Mostly taking two beginning Spanish classes at City College of San Francisco from January to May.  Three nights a week..two hours each night.  What great classes even with the homework, language lab, posting en español on the class internet-forum.  Great because I am taking this class to learn the language not to satisfy some requirement.  I reminded myself of this (as did Tom) whenever the old thoughts creeped in before taking a test.  The test results just showed what I had learned and what I had not -- that's all.  I do not need to make an A.  And taking the classes showed me that as with all things...practice assists with getting it in my bones.

Mostly I write simple present tense sentences so that covers my writing practice.  And what I have learned this far -- we ended the semester with preterite (past) tense and I am still wrapping my brain around the conjugation!

Conversation is another story--¡estoy nervioso!  And have not gotten a fluent conversation buddy...yet...to challenge me.

Next month will challenge me -- I will be in Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, México.  Most of the time will be in cooking class (City College of San Francisco's culinary study abroad program) --taught in English.  And when there is free time -- practicing my Spanish conversation!  I find when I am immersed in a place where English is the second language...I fair much better in conversation.

Yes...practice makes things easier...and less daunting.  I have found that with a lot of things.  Cooking for one.  Replacing old non-beneficial habits with beneficial ones is another.

Cooking -- I consider myself an improv chef now.  Mostly because some nights I look at what's fresh in my icebox and put together a meal of mostly protein and veggies...healthy :-) ... pleasing presentation .. tasty ... easy to prepare.  The other night I had tilapia, so I mixed up 2 TBS of avocado oil and 1 TBS of goat milk yogurt and put the tilapia fillets in that mixture.  Then dredged the oil/yogurt coated fillets in a mixture of pecorino cheese, dry chervil (since I did not have fresh or dried parsley), and paprika.  Baked at 400 degrees for about 15 or so minutes.  The veggies - raw summer squash and carrot spaghetti tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper.  I must remember to take photos of what I cook :-)   Definitely in cooking class :-)

Replacing old non-beneficial habits -- that's a whole other blog post :-)  The short version:  this article Walking Your Talk:  The Path Of Personal Integrity...certainly had (and has) me reality check -- are my deeds and words in sync?  Am I allowing the Inner Bully, the Inner Doubter to rule my deeds and words?  And what about the External Bully or External Doubter?  As I like to say...Awareness Is A Great Teacher...and I continue to learn from this awareness.  And practice replacing old non-beneficial with new beneficial.

Link To Article

Next stop....Oaxaca CIty...