Journey Home, Lessons Learned.
Back at the Albert Hotel… I pack my clothes in my suitcase and sort through all my power converters, adapters and chargers. I stuff my boa and wings into the front panel of my suitcase and finally – after replaying the night’s show in my head – go to bed. I stop by the breakfast buffet in the morning for a quick bite and bid “adieu” to the Albert Hotel. Zigis drives me to the Riga airport which seems surprisingly pleasant today – I have quite a different attitude then when I arrived here a few days ago.
I walk through the Riga airport with a queasy feeling in my belly – literally – and it’s building into a churning and burning sensation. I start to feel worse. There is some kind of intestinal disturbance going on and I begin to panic:
What if the flight from Copenhagen to Chicago is filled and I am assigned a middle seat that I have to maneuver out of my seat every fifteen minutes to go puke or poop or BOTH?!
Oh God Help Me!
I am so miserable on the flight to Copenhagen (for a two hour lay over) that I don’t even notice the flight or how many stairs I had to climb to get on the plane or the amount of snow on the tarmac. I arrive in Copenhagen and I am as sick as a dog. I decide that the best strategy is to get to my gate as soon as possible so that I might scout out the nearest toilet and remain there ’till boarding time – that is after I check with the gate agent and try to obtain an aisle seat by the toilets on the nine hour flight to Chicago.
I am literally dragging myself through Copenhagen’s airport, stopping every few steps to sit down and rest my head on my carry-on. Suddenly, my mouth starts to water, my belly burns and I know that I am about to throw up on the floor in the middle of the airport. OH GOD HELP ME!!! I fight the urge and search frantically for a sign for the women’s toilet. I ask some young hot security man for the nearest toilet. He starts to mull it over and I tell him:
You better tell me quick or I’m gonna puke all over the floor!
He quickly points me to one directly across from where we are standing.
There is a God!
And I run my ass to that bathroom and into a stall where I sit on the toilet with the wastebasket (thankfully a nice Danish Designed clean one) in my hands. What’s wrong with me?
I start silently reciting lines from the Bible:
Why hast thoult forsaken me?
I haven’t thrown up in public since I was in third grade when I puked in the hallway at Corpus Christi Elementary.
I make it to the SAS gate and the lovely gate agent mercifully informs me that the flight is not full and reassigns my seat. I have an entire row to myself again.
Thank You Lord!
I wait with my head on my lap for the the plane to board. I board the plane, tell my flight attendants that I am sick and wait for the Captain to turn off the “fasten seat belt sign.” As soon as that sign turns off I stretch out across my four seats, pull a blanket over my head and sleep for a solid three hours! I never sleep on planes, until now.
I wake up and the Belly Demon has left my body and I feel a whole lot better!! I nod off a couple more times but mostly I spend the rest of this flight writing this blog in longhand.
I am glad that I took this adventure on. I learned a lot about myself. I remembered how much I love singing Blues music. I also proved to myself that fear is the biggest obstacle of all: fear of the unknown, fear of making mistakes, fear of life. And I discovered that I can count on this gift – this talent – this ability to reach people and I am truly, truly grateful. I must not squander it. I have to get into the best physical shape that I can so that I have the energy to perform well on stage. I must go forth and accomplish all that I can because it makes me happy. I feel good when I perform. Singing and performing makes me whole. Wow. I said it. I have a mission in life.
Power Bracelets: ON.
P.S. Shana Punim is pissed that I left her. She follows me around the house meowing constantly for days. She’s over it now.
Tags: air travel, albert hotel in Riga, bites blues club riga, blues music, chicago blues women, empowerment, Latvia, latvian blues band, Lynne Jordan, lynne jordan & the shivers, lynne jordan and the shivers, riga, riga latvia, shana punim, singing the blues
Filed under: In the Life of a Diva
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1 Adrienne Williams | Web Manager said this (February 27, 2010 at 9:29 pm)
Thanks. I was just glad to feel better…
2 Lynne said this (February 27, 2010 at 9:49 pm)
Thanks for this series about your adventure, Lynne. I haven’t commented all the while, but I have been reading them as you’ve been writing them.
So talented, great singer, performer and a writer too. I feel lucky I get to enjoy the last one.
3 BobMeade said this (February 28, 2010 at 5:41 am)
Thanks so much!! I swear that I am thinking as I write: why do I bother with this? Nobody gives a damn! It is great to hear that “no comments” does not mean no one is reading this blog. And I am trying not to let readership dictate whether I write or not… But it sure is nice to get such positive feedback!! Thanks so much!
4 Lynne said this (February 28, 2010 at 6:45 pm)
Thank God you were not as sick as it as first seemed you were. You were spared and so was everyone else on that flight – phew!
You are a powerhouse and anything that makes you feel it and know it is a good thing! Like Nelson Mandela said,
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Lynne, you inspire me! Thank you!
XXOO,
Carla
5 carlasoreyreed1 said this (March 1, 2010 at 11:58 pm)
Amen. That is it exactly. Who am I to feel so powerful and gifted and… dare I say it – special… Thank you so much for that quote. Thank you, thank you, Thank you! I got to read some more of Mandela’s writings. where did you find that?
No, honey, didn’t you read the blog? YOU inspired me!!!! Love ya! xxoo
note to readers: See! isn’t she awesome?!
6 Lynne said this (March 2, 2010 at 12:05 am)