Training Mode started early!

Today= $200 raised, 10% of my goal of raising $2500 has been reached! Keep it going everyone!
I just got back from a very enlightening vacation in FL. I thought training mode was going to start when I got back yesterday, but I was certainly wrong. How you may ask? Well, a few tests were thrown my way at the very beginning of the trip! Here is how the vacation started with one of my BFFs Kelli.
Tuesday night, was our initial flight to Tampa. Direct flight. Flight was cancelled and re booked for the first flight out of O'Hare Wed. morning. Show up, guess what? If you guessed I was flying AA, you guessed right! Of course, being a MD-80, the flight was cancelled. We patiently waited in line with a slew of really upset passengers. We had such a great time cracking jokes and staring at the news crews that were there covering this huge event.
We finally got to the counter, where we had a very lovely lady help us out with getting on another flight. Meanwhile, the lady next to us is screaming at the poor guy who is really trying to help her. She actually demanded a letter be written to her boss! Flashbacks of school hit me. Apparently in this situation, the AA employee is the parental figure and her boss is the principal/teacher.
Low and behold, the words come from the nice AA lady's mouth, "I have you on a flight to Hartford CT airport. From there, you have a flight to Tampa with Delta. You will have to check-in, but you have seats on that flight." Yay! We skip away after checking our bags, which we would reunite with in Tampa later. Go through security for the first time mind you. Grab a Starbucks once inside and wait for our flight.
We landed safe and sound in Hartford, CT. We arrive at the Delta counter very happy. Little did we know that the turn of events was about to unfold and that we would soon be very intimate with the layout of this airport. We hand over our tickets to get our proper boarding pass, to the really nice Delta employee. The look on his face said it all since it was the same look back at O'Hare when we were trying to find a flight. We hear the words, "I'm sorry to say, you are on stand-by. They booked you as stand-by vs putting you in the system."
One would think that we would get irritated. Nope, we laughed. We could not do anything but laugh. How funny is it that we fly from Chicago O'Hare, one of the largest hubs in the USA, to Harford, CT? We were told our chances looked really good to getting on. Just check-in at the Delta counter, where we were to get on the stand-by list.
So, we went through security. We won the special award to get probed. That was a really fun experience. A lot of laughter for sure. We patiently waited until the Delta counter opened up. We grabbed a brew at the airport lounge. I had a really good local lager and we talked to two guys going to CO for a bachelor snow boarding trip.
4:00pm hits, we go to the counter to get on the list. This is where things get hairy. Flight is overbooked by 5 and the chances do not look good of us getting on. So, we run back to the AA counter, which is clear on the opposite side of the airport in the older side. Now the fun really begins. AA eventually found a flight for us with US Airways. We run to US Airways to get a ticket. That lady had to write us a ticket to get on since the flight was closed out due to leaving in 10 minutes! Yes, in 10 minutes we had to grab the plane. After the worlds slowest lady checking the id, we rush through security and run to the gate. Guess what? The plane had just started to pull away. I let the staff know that was our flight, stop the plane! 30 seconds. We missed it literally by 30 seconds!
Through all this running around, we kept saying that we are on a path of seeking enlightenment. We are really being tested. Normally, we would laugh. But, after missing a flight by 30 seconds, it really was hard to see the humor. At this point, we had been through security 3 times in one day with a stack of boarding passes getting thicker. We grabbed our stuff, got to the SW counter, our last hope. Bought actual seats to the next flight to Tampa. We ran back to the AA counter with one hour left so that they could begin the refund process.
At this point, every airline employee asked what we were doing since they saw us run back and forth repeatedly. The security knew us by name, normally not something you want at an airport. We got put ahead in line to get the refund paperwork started so we could grab our flight. Back to the other side of the airport, we bid farewell to the employees of the airlines and security of the Hartford, CT airport. Got on the SW flight and cheered when we took off. When we landed, I broke out in laughter when the flight attendant said, "Thank you for choosing SW airlines today." Not much of a choice on our part. It was certainly a last resort.
Arrive in Tampa. Reunited with our luggage. Day ends with 4 security checks and 4 airlines and a very eventful story of how we got caught up in the AA fiasco. We could have been angry and upset the entire day. Instead, we chose laughter as we dropped 5 lbs each running from one end of the airport to the other. This was our true test of enlightenment and the beginning of my Training Mode. Not only were we tested physically but mentally as well. I am proud to say, we passed with flying colors!
Vacation was packed with adventure. We packed in a lot each day. But the great thing was going on a real vacation with a great friend. The first vacation in 10 years. Certainly an adventure I will not forget. A vaca that kicked off training mode with high spirits and a highly positive attitude.
It just goes to show you, there will always be obstacles to overcome to get to your destination. Never let someone tell you that you are incapable of doing anything your heart desires. We were determined to get to Tampa and got there in one piece safe and sound.
I have been told over the last 3 1/2 years that I cant/shouldn't do this or that due to my injuries. I used to listen to those doctors. Last year, I was blessed to have started treatment with a local Chiropractor who really has allowed me to get back to who I truly am. He opened a gateway, a path, I did not think was possible 3 1/2 years ago.
Now, when someone tells my I should not do something, my response is always to fight for what my dreams and passions are. A true Scorpio to the core, I am a born and natural fighter. I am rather fortunate to have a terrific and strong support network which is filled with positive energy. I know through this ride, I will hear in my head, You CAN do it! You WILL do it! Go Mo Go Mo. Just keep ridin just keep ridin! No matter how tired I get, no matter how hard the ride is, I won't quit. I will overcome and keep ridin. I WILL GO ALL THE WAY!

Stay tuned....This marks Day 1 of training mode. The vaca was a great way for me to jump right in and get going. Queue Mission Impossible theme music...

Make it a great day y'all!
Your blogger,
Mo