Boston to Chicago to San Jose

Mom,

I was up very early this morning to make a 7:00 am flight out of Logan, with the first stop Chicago, to change planes, and then on to San Jose. After two days of meetings here, I will hop over the Sierra to Reno on Thursday afternoon. This will be my first trip back since your memorial service. Lori is flying out Friday, and we'll spend an extended weekend organizing and sorting. No doubt that we won't get everything finished, but that will just give me another opportunity to return in a few weeks.

It was a perfect day for flying. Although there was some high cloudiness, the skies were quite clear, making for a smooth ride across the continent. The route to Chicago skirted Lakes Ontario and Erie and descended over Lake Michigan. I was sorry that I didn't catch a glimpse of Chicago's tall buildings, a city where we both spent some time. The high peaks of the Rockies already have fresh snow, while the Sierras still show just the remnants of last winter.

There are many memories for us in various cities stitched across this land: Chicago, Denver, Dallas, San Jose, Reno. We have full lives in these places -- but for such short times compared with history. Wasn't it Robert Frost who said life goes on? How should we measure the legacy of one life? Or is that entirely the wrong question?

Gary

P.S. Today was the first day of the TSA's relaxed restrictions for bringing liquids and gels on board aircraft. As instructed on the TSA web site, my deodorant, shaving cream, tooth paste, and contact lens solution were in two clear sandwich bags, which I placed in the bin with my laptop. After passing through the X-ray machine, there was a slight delay -- apparently because I hadn't filled out a form on the entry side of security ( I didn't see that part on the TSA web site). The agent was in a quandary and checked with his supervisor, who agreed to send me on with my various potions. It seems rather strange that a multi-billion-dollar transportation system and the technology of multi-million-dollar aircraft is so easily stymied by a tube of toothpaste.