Reagan Library, Airport Rant.

This is an entry that I am making on my IPAQ. I am on my way home from LA in seat 17B of an American Airlines flight. Let me say first off that American Airlines is nothing like Jet Blue. For one thing American Airlines overbooks customers on old crampy buses of the sky. The Jet Blue planes are newer, cleaner and have better, wider seats. Those would really come in handy at this moment. I’m a bit squished and wet (I spilled my drink, first time ever), but luckily my headache is gone.

Today after a great breakfast, Peter and I headed to the Simi Valley to see The Ronald Reagan Library. It was a trip across the LA highways with more cars and lanes that I have ever seen. I have to apologize to Peter for the constant ‘inertia’ of my brake foot. We got to the Ronald Reagan Library around 10:00am. Have you ever seen a kid entering Disney World for the first time? That would be Peter’s reaction at seeing the library. His eyes lit up like a hundred Christmas Trees. And me being the dutiful Sherpa and amateur photographer took to my duties, well, dutifully. Below you can see the pilgrimage’s progress through the library. I have to tell you that, Peter’s enthusiasm was infectious. I was very excited to see the tribute to a man whose life had been such a part of America.

At The Ronald Reagan Library there is a piece of the Berlin wall. You’ll have to ask Peter what it feels like to touch it, though. I was to slow in capturing that Kodak moment. I did get many other photos however (see below). The library has many items of memorabilia. There are also lots of videos and displays of pieces of Reagan’s life.

Whatever your politics, Reagan was a man who earned the respect of a nation. He was steadfast in the face of adversity and his moral compass. He also made himself accountable to himself and the American people for his actions. Maybe I am looking backwards through rose colored glasses but he was certainly a man I admired. One of my favorite Reagan quotes was after he had been shot, he said, “Nancy, I just forgot to duck.” Nothing says more to me about character than how someone faces tragedy, disappointment or failure.

After the tour of the library we hit the gift shop. I got few things for the Republicans I know, plus a thing or two for myself. Peter had a great time in the gift shop. I didn’t know that one could use the value of the rental car for collateral. We both had to get jellybeans, of course. There is a portrait of Ronald Reagan made entirely out of jellybeans hanging in the gift shop. But I noticed that there were no jellybeans in the replica of the Oval Office. It is well known that Reagan had jellybeans in the Oval Office. I was disappointed in the lack of that detail.

So after the gift shop the Clandestine plan for an actual photo of Peter touching the wall did not pan out. It is ironic that a wall is now kept behind a wall.

After we left The Ronald Reagan Library we took to The Ronald Reagan Parkway (CA-118). That was a beautiful drive. Then we hit the 405. The beauty ended there. For the rest of the ride we crawled along in fits and starts. Then we got to the airport and realized that we would be in middle seats. Peter had better luck than I in getting his seat changed. Oh well it wasn’t that bad.

However, being back on the road again reminds me that some people should not fly. So many people take forever to get through security because they are so inept at following simple directions. It floors me that I may miss my flight because Beauford ain’t so good with them there book lernin’ and can’t read a simple sign that has PICTURES on it. There should be a line for folks who can prepare themselves to go through the line quickly and efficiently. That of course won’t happen but it would be nice.

All in all this week was one that was very successful. Thanks very much in part to the guidance and mentoring I’ve been receiving from everyone at work and a special thanks to Peter for taking me along on this trip.

Just landed in Boston’s Logan Airport, the armpit of air travel, and our gate is not ready, sur-FREAKINâ€™-prise, we are sitting on the tarmac for another 10 minutes. Ah, the efficiency with which this airport is run, it staggers the imagination.