I don't like flying. This is something that started about 2 or so years ago. Actually it's not the flying that I mind. It's the take off. I don't like the take off. I grip the arms of my seat and hang on until the seat belt sign goes off telling us that it's okay to move around the cabin. As I said this started about 2 or so years ago and I know exactly what caused it.

I was flying home to Kentucky. Since I lived in New York getting home to Kentucky often took me through Cincinnati 's Airport which is actually in Northern Kentucky. It's the hub of Delta Airlines and so I flew Delta most of the time to get there. On this particular trip I was seated in the back of the plane next to this very attractive young girl. It turned out that she had recently started working for Delta as a flight attendant. So as we flew home she told me all about being a flight attendant including what training involved. Seems in the safety part of the training they had been taught that the take-off and landing are the most dangerous part of the trips. She then went on to be more specific, which I don't remember. All I heard was take-off is the most dangerous. This conversation has stuck with me and my fear of flying began.

I bring all of this up for two reasons. First I am flying to San Diego this week. I was supposed to go tomorrow. In fact if I hadn't changed my flight I would be an hour away from getting in the car to get to the airport. I changed my flight till Sunday for a number of reasons, but at least it put off the flying part of the trip.

The other reason I bring this up is because of the plane crash on Sunday morning. I am actually from a small town just a few miles north of Lexington and my mother now resides in Lexington. I have flown in and out of that airport many times. I also know many people who live there and have been watching the passenger list to find out if there is anyone on it I know. So far there has been no one, but they have yet to release all the names. This one was a little too close to home for me.

I know that I am being silly. I also know all the statistics that say I am more likely to be hit by a car crossing 8th Avenue than I am to die in a plane crash. I also know that if I talk about it, the hold it has on me is loosened. It's how I am feeling today.

By this time on Sunday I'll be in San Diego and this flying thing will be behind me.