Atlanta, Freaky woman on airplane, and sugar caffeine exhaustion-induced huge airport navigation anxiety attack

The Atlanta airport is so large you have to take a subway train between terminals. Getting out of the airport was really difficult it gave me an anxiety attack. Granted I was exhausted and hyped up on sugar and caffeine. Luckily the airport and rail system personnel were very helpful, otherwise I might still be there crying over my bagel and cream cheese.

I flew back to Atlanta from New Orleans, which was a nice smooth flight. I sat next to a teacher, so our conversion was good – at first. Then she asked me if I went to church. I made the mistake of continuing the conversation. I will never make that mistake ever ever ever again – at least not while in flight.

Anyway, when I told her I didn’t, she asked me “have you ever considered what would happen if you didn’t make it off this flight.” She went from a nice pre-school teacher to a freaky Southern Baptist with the utterance of that fear-inducing question. Not about its underlying assumption that I actually believed in hell, but in the not making it off the flight thing. Sitting next to us was a guy who was flying for the first time.

This was probably what set off my anxiety that was further blown up trying to navigate the miles of the Atlanta airport.

Anyway, the only other time I have met a Southern Baptist (who told me they were one), was in Edmonds of all places, at my apartment there. The first thing she asked me when I opened my door was: “If you died today, do you think you would go to heaven or hell?” I just said “I think heaven and hell are states of mind with hell being the particularly difficult mind f**##@@,” which stopped them and made them look at me like I was an alien. I promptly shut the door.

Later, Wyatt (Jen’s husband) told me that that was one of their tactics – the shock one where they ask a freaky scary question then set in with the preaching hell fire and damnation stuff. I can see where if you already fear hell that you could pretty much be taken advantage of and freaking out even more than I did and I don’t even believe in hell. But of course I was mid-flight.

This is my limited exposure to Southern Baptists. I am sure there are many that are fine and I have met the few freaky ones.


Atlanta Hostel
I stayed one night in Atlanta at the Atlanta Hostel, which was nice and quiet and cleaner. In a veranda with couches, I fell asleep waiting for check in. The weather felt great compared to the humidity of New Orleans. The veranda and the couch (at the far end) where I napped for several hours.

The highlight of this stay was watching the opening to the Beijing Olympics, which was gorgeous and beautifully choreographed. It was fitting that I was watching an international event with internationals from different parts of the world: China, Australia, England, Austria, Germany, France and I am sure more. The woman from China gave us more information about the culture and philosophical symbolism I the opening.

Watching the opening with other Hostelers

I am going to order a DVD it to show my students when they learn of the three ancient major Chinese philosophies and various dynasties.