Winter time-out

I keep thinking back to 1995 when I and a few others from the church went to Atlanta to the AYC (Atlanta Youth Convention) a few days after Christmas.  I was tired, and sick with pnuemonia from working 12 hours days at the newspapers since Thanksgiving, as the mailroom was learning to operate their new 18-1 inserter equipment and working bugs out of the system. 

I drove the sedan to Atlanta, as the pastor and parents requested, as I was the oldest one, and have the most experience.  It was quite a trip with 4 teen girls ranging in ages 15 to 17 years and my brother.  I was recovering from pnuemonia, but a fierce headache was setting in during the drive from the sinus problems and stress of dealing with the Atlanta traffic. By the time I got us to the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, I was quite nauseated from the headache and went to the bathroom. 

We got checked in and was assigned rooms.  There were supposed to be 4 guys to the room, but two guys from elsewhere didn't show for some reason, so my brother and I had a large bed apeice. I was so ill that I took a good swallow of the codiene based cough syrup that I had and some tylenol, and went to bed. My brother attended the orientation program and recieved the convention packets with tickets to meals, etc. as the fee we paid took care of everything, including food.

I rested quite well that evening alone in the nice, upscale hotel room, as such luxury accomodations were often unaffordable due to our income levels. It was nicely warm too.  I was in euporia from the codiene and watched television after having a pleasant nap.  I slipped out later and picked up a snack at the snack bar, using one of my meal tickets, and watched other friends from churches around the Atlanta area fellowship and cut-up, then I went back to the room and crawled into bed for a long sleep.

I really didn't attend any of the convention's classes and sessions, but showed for the meals, and retired back to the room afterwards as I took more medication and slept periodically.  It was one of the most restful retreat or vacation I ever had.

I'd love to do that again, with my wife this time.