Well yes… to top everything off this summer My parents invited us along to join them on the “Family” vacation to Maui.  They have been doing this for the past few years and amazingly enough it always has coincided with my first week of school so Sue and I were unable to attend.  I’m just glad that my school district moved the start date of school one week later.

After I returned from Comic-Con I was able to spend part of the week with my brother Mike (who was not going to be joining us on Maui) and then Sue flew in.  My father has been notorious in the past for always arriving hours before the flight left to make sure we wouldn’t miss the flight.  While we did all arrive together the image I have stuck in my mind is my dad after going through security with his belt outside his untucked shirt telling us all to go ahead.  I guess it is funny that I have come up with a system and even purchased specific items for when I fly.  I have a belt with a plastic buckle (purchased in Alaska), wear my Sanuks and I always remove my wallet, signet ring, watch, steel plate in my head, etc. and put them in my carry-on.  I carry my Passport as ID.  This makes getting through security a breeze.  Unfortunately for some (the illiterate traveller) security can still be a hassle.  When returning from Maui I was amazed at the number of people who were shocked… yes shocked… that they couldn’t get through security with 1 quart bottles of water, or (my favorite) the woman who was trying to get a fancy cork screw (the kind with a knife to cut the foil) through in her carry-on.  Of course all of these people were running late and were holding us up arguing.  Oh well when you travel to or from paradise you have to pay for it some time.