It has been a very long time since I was last on the west coast. This week’s trip was a quick one. I spent an inordinate amount of time on airplanes this trip. Most of the flights were very benign and I had one delayed flight, Cincinnati to Boston. I don’t know if I get more annoyed when I am going to my destination or when I am returning home when this sort of thing occurs. I probably wouldn’t be as annoyed if I was heading to Providence but I am going to Boston and once I get picked up I need to drive home from Canton. I’m annoyed that prices are too high to go out of Providence. I am annoyed that I couldn’t even fly on an airline I am actively accumulating points with. From a purely status attaining standpoint this trip was a waste for flights. I am slowly getting closer to actual status at Marriott but still have over halfway to attain Gold. I have missed that by very little each year. Oh well, just keep on doing what I am doing and I will get there.

I have come to realize that I spend more than my fair share of time staring at the backs of people’s heads. Standing in line to go through security, standing behind people getting on and off the planes, and then when I get to my seat the person in front of me always reclines their seat so I get a good look at the back and top of the head in front of me. What I have learned from this is that when I start balding in the back I will most likely shave my head down to a four day old stubble length. It looks neater. The elaborately coiffed trump-like heads Iâve been staring at just look like folks are trying to hold onto something that got away from them long, long ago.

Today’s photo is another one of Mt. Hood. I took it during my first flight of the day. Luckily the person at the window seat was slumped over passed out and not blocking the view.

During my flight to Oregon the airline played King Kong. I was too wrapped up in finishing Countdown to bother watching it again and besides Kong just looks silly on a 9 inch airplane TV screen. My flight from Oregon to Ohio showed Big Momma’s House 2 and since I wasn’t yet invested in my new book Blood Lure (another Anna Pigeon novel by Nevada Barr) I decided to watch. I have two sets of headphones that I carry with me. I also have the Delta Airlines adapter to get sound in stereo. Unfortunately that is in my desk at work. So I used both sets of headphones to get the stereo sound.

But never mind about that. Why are these Big Momma movies still being made? They are ridiculous. Who can’t tell that Martin Lawrence is wearing a fat suit? And how does he change out of and back into it so quickly. This should not annoy me so much but it does. What also annoyed me was that Emily Proctor was in it and it is hard to see her in a role like the one she plays in BMH2. She is ridiculously clueless and so unlike her CSI : Miami role of Calleigh.

After the movie I dove into Anna Pigeon’s latest adventure, Blood Lure. This one has her helping research grizzly bears in Glacier Peace Park in Montana. I’m about halfway through the book now and it is really good so far. Another solid mystery from Nevada Barr.

I’ve also noticed that most of the series I have been reading and enjoying have been written by women with female main characters. I really like the different series that I have read in the past 5 years. Kay Scarpetta, Anita Blake, Anna Pigeon, Jo Beth Sidden and Eve Duncan, they are such strong characters. I look forward to each new adventure that they have. I am looking forward to getting to know Dr. Temperance Brennan in the Kathy Reichs novels. I already know her a bit from the TV show bones and am sure that I will be picturing Emily Deschanel when I read this show.

I haven’t been able to find a good male character other than those from Clive Cussler like Dirk Pitt and Kurt Austin for my reading entertainment. I am going to start with some Lincoln Rhyme Novels soon and those should be pretty good.