Homecoming 2014!

[Plenum]

Hah. Let's talk about the monsoon that hit us last year. :p

you planning on attending this year GR?

or still too many things up in the air, to commit to attending.



(don't worry - that was a totally random gif and no comment on nothing here )

[GentleReckoning]

Hah. Let's talk about the monsoon that hit us last year. :p

you planning on attending this year GR?

or still too many things up in the air, to commit to attending.



(don't worry - that was a totally random gif and no comment on nothing here )

The decision is easy, it's the contemplation of potential consequences that causes me stress.

It's in the cards.

[Steppingfeet]

Hah. Let's talk about the monsoon that hit us last year. :p

Oh, yes. I was about to begin building an ark to house two of every kind animal...

Plenum, that gif is ridiculous. And hilarious.

[Lodro]

Hi everyone!

We are still trying to see if we can make it to Homecoming. My first question is: is it too late to register?

Also, I'm not really sure what to expect. I'll admit I'm a little nervous about meeting a big group of people I don't know I did take a look at the pics of last year and it looks like a bunch of friendly people just enjoying each others company, lots of smiling faces.

Has anyone that's been before going again this year?
Is there anyone that would like to tell us a little about their experience?

thanks in advance.
J

[Steppingfeet]

Hi everyone!

We are still trying to see if we can make it to Homecoming. My first question is: is it too late to register?

Also, I'm not really sure what to expect. I'll admit I'm a little nervous about meeting a big group of people I don't know I did take a look at the pics of last year and it looks like a bunch of friendly people just enjoying each others company, lots of smiling faces.

Has anyone that's been before going again this year?
Is there anyone that would like to tell us a little about their experience?

thanks in advance.
J

Hi J,

Definitely still time to register! Drop a note to the "contact" address (http://llresearch.org/contact.aspx) to do so or to ask any questions.

Nervousness is to be expected, especially in a group of those who generally feel a sense of alienation, not belonging, difficulty socializing, etc. But I most if not all find that it is a very relaxed atmosphere. No pressure to put on a show or dazzle the other participants, just a humble being of your normal, everyday self.

The atmosphere is very loving, very non-judgmental, and very open. It is an event unusual in most seeker's lives in that they are able to be in a group of people openly and mutually sharing their love for spirituality and the many non-conventional ways of approaching the path.

When I first attended these events I was so handicapped with social anxiety that I could barely speak. To this day I still go into Homecomings with a bundle of nerves, but it always melts when I feel in the company of family and like hearts.

I'm of course quite biased so hopefully you can get some feedback from others.

With love and light, GLB

[Plenum]

Has anyone that's been before going again this year?
Is there anyone that would like to tell us a little about their experience?

this will be my first time visiting this year (flying all the way from the Great Southern Land of Australia!), but I've only heard good things about the event.

xise and Tanner were there last year, so maybe you can PM them for a personal recommend.

I'll be getting on a plane in a week's time. 24 hours and 3 plane trips later, I should arrive somewhat dazed and in a metaphysical stupor, ready to enjoy my complimentary glass of Kentucky Bourbon. (just kidding - a glass of water should do fine guys, it doesn't take much to revive Aussies; we are used to drought conditions).

the Monday after the event (Fri evening -Sun afternoon is the official schedule), folks can hang around to help cleanup after the aftermath, and it's a good chance to socialise. (points finger at Defkab).

[Lodro]

That's so awesome! that's quite a long trip. Have you been to the US before? One of my best friends lives in Adelaide. He just made the first trip here last summer (we are in Nashville) and has now been 3 times. Those flights are no joke. I think it took him 24 hours to get here and another 12 to start making sense again. It was so much fun exploring the cultural differences (he never quite got the hang of tipping and i gained so many new and creative ways to swear). Best of luck with your trip! If we can make it to homecoming i guess i'll see you there

Has anyone that's been before going again this year?
Is there anyone that would like to tell us a little about their experience?

this will be my first time visiting this year (flying all the way from the Great Southern Land of Australia!), but I've only heard good things about the event.

xise and Tanner were there last year, so maybe you can PM them for a personal recommend.

I'll be getting on a plane in a week's time. 24 hours and 3 plane trips later, I should arrive somewhat dazed and in a metaphysical stupor, ready to enjoy my complimentary glass of Kentucky Bourbon. (just kidding - a glass of water should do fine guys, it doesn't take much to revive Aussies; we are used to drought conditions).

the Monday after the event (Fri evening -Sun afternoon is the official schedule), folks can hang around to help cleanup after the aftermath, and it's a good chance to socialise. (points finger at Defkab).

[Plenum]

Hiya Lodro ... yeah, will be first time in US, and I'll be testing my endurance with that 24 hour flight

[Ankh]

Is there anyone that would like to tell us a little about their experience?

Hey J,

Here are some threads about other's experiences of Homecomings:

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

I've been at Homecomings twice, and my advice to you - GO!

[Plenum]

this is going to be an a strange homecoming without the mainstays of Ankh, Aaron, and Brit (the AAB club).

no Mr Greek either.

I'll have to indulge in talks with JustLikeYou to compensate

[Lodro]

Thanks Ankh! That is exactly what i was looking for. I didn't see them when clicking around earlier. Now i really want to go! But i also just read that you and a couple others aren't going to make it this time.

Is there anyone that would like to tell us a little about their experience?

Hey J,

Here are some threads about other's experiences of Homecomings:

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...homecoming

I've been at Homecomings twice, and my advice to you - GO!

[Matt1]

I will try and make next years homecoming based on if i still have a job at that time. I don't think the trip from the UK is to difficult if you goto Ireland first.

[Plenum]

will be on a plane in about 5 or 6 hours.

USA - here I come!!

- -

plot point: Plenum on a Plane. Random catalyst strikes. Enlightenment ensues. End story.

will be back in a week. Don't mess up the joint while I"m gone

[Steppingfeet]

will be on a plane in about 5 or 6 hours.

USA - here I come!!

- -

plot point: Plenum on a Plane. Random catalyst strikes. Enlightenment ensues. End story.

will be back in a week. Don't mess up the joint while I"m gone

Have a safe and good flight, Plenum! See you in about 28 hours.

[Nicholas]

It would be great if you guys came into chat for say 20-30 minutes during Homecoming!

A bit late to organise now but maybe next year?

[isis]

will be back in a week. Don't mess up the joint while I"m gone

don't worry, we won't

[Aaron]

I wish I could be there. Love and light to all who are attending.

[xise]

I hate you all. I have a finance midterm, tomorrow - Saturday morning - at 9am

[Plenum]

I had an interesting experience getting back home from the USA. I had 3 planes to catch, but this only affected the first flight leaving from Louisville.

The Story of the Cursed Flight

as I said, I needed to get from Louisville to Los Angeles to catch the final leg of my journey back home to Sydney.

I was originally scheduled to fly out to New York (JFK Airport) at 1pm on the Tuesday. That was how it was when I booked the flights about 5 months ago, and even with all the various timing updates that I received (an adjustment of ten or twenty minutes here and there) I was going to get to LAX via JFK Airport. That was my understanding anyway, when I got to Louisville airport to begin my long trek home (a 24 hour trip end-to-end).

well, I get to the self-check-in machine, and scan my passport. To my surprise, I find that I am going through Atlanta rather than JFK. No probs there. This will just be a reverse of the way that I flew in. But the flight that I am booked on leaves at 2pm rather than the 1pm I was expecting, so I have an hour extra wait. That's cool too. I don't mind waiting. It's just an opportunity for further introspection and quiet observation. So I end up rocking up to the waiting area around noon, with a 2 hour wait. Cool beans.

The plane arrives, we board, and we get airbourne. No probs there. About 20 minutes from landing time, the Captain informs us that there is a problem. Apparently, a big storm is sitting right over Atlanta Airport, and landings are not possible. This is the start of the chain of events I call 'The Cursed Flight'.

Ideally, we would hold a circling pattern around Atlanta until the storm passes, and then planes would be cleared to land. Unfortunately, we don't have enough fuel on board to stay in the air long enough to meet our place in the queue. We have to be diverted to another airstrip, and then take on board fuel before coming back to Atlanta. The pilot takes us to Huntsville, Alabama.

We land at that airstrip, and there are already 2 other planes requiring refuels as well. We join that queue.

When it comes to our turn, and tanker empties everything it's got, and we get to 18000 gallons of fuel. The Captain says we need 20000 gallons to make the trip back to Atlanta, and so we are just short. We have to wait for another fuel truck to come out. That's more time passing in addition to the above delays.

When we finally get enough fuel, and are ready to take-off, we get delayed another 12 minutes because the on-board flight computer has sent through the wrong weight information to the air-traffic control folks. We miss our scheduled take-off spot, and are sitting on the tarmac for a little while longer.

We do finally get airborne, and make it back to Atlanta. When we land, the Captain says that some other plane has taken our docking port, and we have to taxi around to another terminal so that the passengers can disembark. So we have the situation of a large plane driving around very slowly, and looking both ways before crossing the road into some other space (I'm sure it was all guided by the ground-control folks though).

We do finally make it into large space at Atlanta Airport, and I have to find a Delta agent (I flew Delta) to reschedule, because I missed the connecting flight to LAX by over 2 hours. All the readjustments are handled by computer - to find the optimal connections - but I did end up having to confirm by one of the phones they have available, and that wasn't the easiest experience trying to hear someone talk in the middle of a crowded area of other people who have also missed their connections (plus all the background noise of announcements and the general flow of people through the concourse).

that get's confirmed, and I hurry to get my flight to LAX. When I get there, they are just boarding, but there are a lot of other people who have been rescheduled to that flight as well, because the storm earlier had affected a bunch of other people too. I manage to get on board, but the take-off time is delayed because so many other people are being redirected to that flight as well.

Atlanta to LAX flight goes well (no curse), and when we touch down after 4 hours, I have to race to the international gate for my Sydney flight. Luckily, it was only like 10 gates from where I had disembarked at LAX, and they have already boarded half the passengers for that flight. When they scan my boarding pass, it comes up with a big red light, and a buzzing saying something is wrong. Am I ever going to make it on board this flight??

the person working that station types all this random stuff into various unix-style windows, and I finally get a new boarding pass, with a slightly moved seat. And I do finally get on board, and make the final 14.5 hour trip flight back to my hometown of Sydney, Australia. The flight from LA left at 1030pm, and we got into Sydney at 630am (but not the next day, the day after), so they kept the cabin dark most of the time, apart from meal times, to simulate the effect of one very LONG night and sleeping session. It worked pretty well actually. That final trip was pretty effortless.

- -

if I had originally gone the route of flying back via New York (rather than the mess that was Atlanta) maybe there wouldn't have been any dramas. I don't know. I don't even know why I got rescheduled like that. But it was a fun experience of the 'cursed flight', and I eventually got the two subsequent connecting flights with the barest of margins. I did contemplate having to spend the night in LA if I missed that final 1030pm flight out, but I didn't invest a lot of thought power into that. I had my credit card, and I'm sure something would have been arranged to fly out the next day if that happened.

I thought it was quite neat that I stayed pretty balanced throughout (regards things and situations and circumstances outside of my direct influence) when 10 years ago I would have become much more anxious and started entertaining all sorts of negative scenarios.

It was a good 'test' overall, but it certainly felt pretty good when I sat myself down on that final flight home. By the barest of margins, I had gotten to that seat

[Jade]

Plenum, I definitely think "we" (those of us who try to actively draw love/light into trying situations) are put in situations like that to ease the strain on others who probably were more anxious, not only as a test for ourselves but as a service to them! You were all loaded up with Homecoming lovey-ness, you had to do something with it!

As a small world note, I have a good friend who works as a Delta agent in Atlanta. I'll have to ask her if she worked during the storms (she gets called on when they need her so most likely she was there) and commiserate because I know her job can be trying sometimes.

[xise]

In my experience of flying hundreds of times and going through Atlanta dozens of times, Atlanta always sucks. Always.

[AnthroHeart]

I flew through Atlanta on my work trip. I was already cleared through security, it was my first stop, so it didn't seem bad to me.

But we had to ride the tram from concourse D to concourse A. It's a huge airport.

[Steppingfeet]

HC 2014 photographs avec de bonnes personnes.

https://plus.google.com/photos/114621626...9780129617