One year ago at this time, I was sitting behind my desk at the Department of Buildings gearing up for my first of two vacations that I was taking, which were only a week apart from each other. The first was a trip to Colorado to attend the first annual South Park Convention, and the second was a trip to Juneau, Alaska to meet Montel for the very first time. I can remember my excitement growing as each day passed and I came closer and closer to getting on an airplane to begin my vacation.

This year, I am sitting behind my desk at the Taxi & Limousine Commission once again gearing up for my first of two vacations that I will be taking, but this time – I will be flying to Chicago on Friday, May 24th – and to the second annual South Park Convention on June 19th. And while the fact that I am taking two vacations so close together around the same time as I did last year may be like déjà vu all over again – this time – the vacations are different – and so is my life.

Despite the fact that only one year has passed since my last round of dual vacations – so much has changed. For one thing, I have a different job that is so much better then my last job – due mainly in part to going from one end of the supervisory spectrum to the other. In one year, I went from a boss that threw my vacations in my face every day until I left – to a boss that is encouraging me to go and even asking if I needed more time off. Also, when I booked my two vacations last year, I had done so before dating Christine – and had to leave her behind. This time, she will be joining me in Colorado – and the South Park Digest members that are going are as excited to meet her and they are to meet me.

And this year, while I may not be going to see Montel in Alaska, I am instead going to meet someone that I have been looking forward to meeting for the past nine months – my Godson Cole. When Dan and Kandice met at last year’s South Park Convention, I could tell there was something there – and now they are the proud parents of the first baby born to two Digest members – and I am his Godfather. And as his Godfather, I am to be at his baptism, which is on Sunday, May 26th – which explains my trip to Chicago.

But besides the differences in my personal life from last year to this year – the biggest difference is that this year – I have to worry when I board the airplanes I will be taking to get to my destinations. In the time between these vacations and my last ones – the world was forever changed by the attacks perpetrated on September 11th. Those attacks not only changed the very fabric of our lives – but it also changed the airline industry completely. Nowadays, armed guards patrol the airplanes and you can’t bring something as simple as a nail file on the airplane with you. And what’s worse, at least once every few weeks there is an “incident” at one of our nation’s airports that sends everyone into panic – and reminds us all just how different our world has become.

While some things may be different in the three hundred and sixty-five days since the last time I had two vacations ahead of me, one thing remains the same – the fact that I am counting the days until I can head to the airport, board a plane – and get away from it all.

Only eight more days until trip one.