the big apple

My firm flew the summer associates to New York City headquarters for a litigation seminar and various work and social events.

I didn't think I'd be able to go at first, because when I first inquired about flying, the doctor I talked with was not enthusiastic.  "It will be really uncomfortable," she said, "and will depend on how you are doing at that point." This wasn't my normal doctor, but I went back home and scared myself silly with Internet research about cosmic rays, pregnancy, and flying. I was, however, loathe to miss an opportunity to see firm headquarters and, more importantly, meet the partners and associates there.

A few weeks later, I saw my regular doctor. By then I'd finished all the routine pregnancy tests, passing all with flying colors. "You have a normal pregnancy," she said, and my husband and I were thrilled to be boring. My doctor was far more relaxed about the entire prospect of flying, though she confirmed the "really uncomfortable" bit. She, however, was unconcerned about cosmic rays or early labor. "Don't get on the plane if you're in labor," she shrugged. "That's the basic rule."

"But how will I know?"

"You'll know. Besides which, it's your first baby. Even if you start labor on the plane, you won't give birth before it lands." Yikes.

I took the plunge and flew to New York on Friday. My doctors were both right.  Flying while seven months pregnant is very uncomfortable. The lack of legroom in steerage class seating is even more noticable when there is a big belly that has to fit there too. Thankfully, my husband was there to help, and flights, like labor itself, do eventually end.

My husband and I spent the weekend being tourists in New York. We walked for miles in the hot, humid weather, meandering through Central Park, Greenwich Village, Times Square (a.k.a. Disney York), and the waterfront.

We started off on Saturday morning at the New York Public Library, mecca for bibliophiles. Just being in the reading room alone made us happy. On top of that, we saw the Gutenberg Bible and a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was hand-copied and signed by Thomas Jefferson.

I am pleased to report that no less a writer than Thomas Jefferson has problems with his contractions. His handwriting was neat and easy to read, making the following fragment jump out immediately: laying it's foundation on such principles, & organizing it's powers in such form.

Editors always have the last word. The final version fixed the contraction: its foundation, and its powers. They also removed an entire anti-slavery paragraph that Jefferson included in his original draft.

[more later]