"I sat under a world-renowed economist in college and you know what he told me?" said the President.

"Never have an airline strike at Christmas?" replied his Chief of Staff.

"Yep. I am going to St. Louis."

This is a scene in one of my favorite movies, The American President. And if not having an airline strike at Christmas is the #1 rule of holiday travel, not having the lights on in the parking deck forcing everyone to loop has got to be #2.

That was the scene last night at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. It was a disaster. Sitting on 85 forever, only to loop around the airport and then be forced to get back on 85 south of the airport. Then only to come up Camp Creek Pkwy and sit there with out moving. Finally I had my family take MARTA up two stops and I met them at East Point.

I wish I would have thought of it from the get go as the East Point option was so amazingly easy. Ohh well.

This trip highlighted what I love about Google Maps on the iPhone (the ability to find new routes easily) and what I hate about Google Maps on the iPhone (the traffic feature isn't nearly as reliable as WSB). Thank you Mark Jackson of News/Talk 750 WSB for your traffic report last night. It was your report where I realized ATL was a lost cause and this wasn't "normal" Thanksgiving traffic. I'd still be sitting in traffic this morning if it weren't for you.

Take a look at the crazy route (you can zoom out for the entire picture).


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But I am thankful for my family being in town. Which reminds me. Everyone head over to the "ABCs of Thanksgiving" section at allenhuntshow.com. Every year Allen and I come up with 26 thinks we are thankful for - some profound, some trivial - and list them. We also allow you to join in the fun by listing 26 things you are thankful for as well. I'll blog on a couple of these on Thanksgiving.

No, I did not have this same thought. But I do often wonder if some of us have crazy, illogical talents that we don't know about just because God wanted a little fun and disorder in this world.

Think about it. What if this little girl did have the ability to change stoplights. And she loved it. But God was so moved by her desire to give up her super-power just to save her parents marriage that he intervened.

But on a more general note...

...What if somebody only breathes when they think about it because they don't really need oxygen to live, but they don't know this, and they breathe just because everybody else does it.

Or...if someone could actually survive jumping off a cliff or a building because their bones don't break

Or...if someone could "jump" from one place to another anywhere in this world (yes I know that is a movie, but I ran out of ideas and I am not that creative).

I definitely think if I were God I would build some of these anomalies into culture just to see if anybody would figure it out.

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

Ohh...and one more thing. I created a secret and sent it in. We'll see if/when he puts it up.

I often feel like the least forgiving place in this world is the place that should be the most. As the saying goes, "the church seems to shoot their wounded."

This saddens me how few people recognize how imperfect we all are, and how all sin is equal in the eyes of God. When will we try to be as forgiving as God.

I know I can't post them all, but if you follow Post Secret, you will be astonished how many of them are about carrying around guilt and shame years - sometimes even decades - after something happened.

...Women who are vegans because egg yolks remind them of their abortions

...Men who feel bad about the way they treated people in high school

...First time sexual experiences that were not what they expected

...Mothers missing their daughters because they don't speak after and event

...Fathers knowing they should never have left their kids

...Business deals that fell through

...Friends mistreating and taking advantage of other friends

Stop carrying the guilt around with you. God forgives - even if we don't.

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

There is little in this world that makes me angrier than this mindset. People are so lost to the idea that a.) God is an pro-American, and b.) God is a pro-Republican that I am sure the mindset above rings all too true in millions of homes around the country.

It makes me want to vote Democrat for no other reason than to send the message to the Church that God is bigger than their political ideologies.

(Although I am sure this rings true in Democrat homes as well, so if that is the case, then vote Republican).

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

My mother used to tell me every time I wouldn't feet the cat or when I would throw stones at the geese in our yard that "it has been proven that those who torture animals become serial killers." I knew from a young age that logic was wrong. Classic example of if A implies B, B doesn't necessarily imply A.

Just because serial killers probably tortured animals, doesn't mean those who torture animals become serial killers. Thank you post secret for reaffirming my thoughts on this topic.

Although.....on a side note, I do wonder more than I should if I could kill someone and get away with it. I am pretty sure I could. But I think that thought is more of a challenge to our legal system than it is a true desire to end someone's life. But then again, maybe mom was right all along.

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

Andy is looking for both of these in his future wife. However, Andy is willing to compromise on #2 if #1 is true.

Also, I have a surprise third post-secret for this post but it is in response to a comment that I feel is looming by Sarah (probably) or Erik (maybe) or Allen (long shot). But don't leave it up to them - as all three might fail. It will only come when expected comment is said.

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

I started snow skiing when I was 3 years old. Since then I have skied at 9 of the 28 ski resorts in Colorado - including Vail (boo!), Aspen (good), and Snowmass (my favorite). At least once every time I get on a chair lift the thought of jumping - and my pending survival - crosses my mind.

No really sure why to be honest?

But the same rings true when I approach cliffs. I don't think it is that I am suicidal or anything. But there is always something in the back of my head saying, just try it, you'll probably live.

Needless to say, I stay away from cliffs. But I am looking forward to a Colorado ski trip with Cassie (my sister) in February.

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

It might be because I think I am going to die at 40. Or in a classic chicken or the egg question, maybe the fact that I feel I am going to die before I am 40 is because I always feel like I am running out of time and I just arbitrarily picked 40 as the year time runs out.

Either way, I might be six years older than this person, but since as long as I can remember, I have always felt like I too am running out of time.

Be sure to visit Post Secret for more interesting looks into the human condition.

It past by and I didn't even realize it. I was planning to realize it, but I missed. At the time of this writing it has been 1 year and 6 days since I closed on my first house. I still go back and forth every day if I made the right decision.

On a "head" side, I know purchasing this place was the right long-term financial decision. It set me on a path to have my house paid off by the time I am 55 - and that's a great thing - for me and my future family. Even despite the softening housing market, in the long term, it will be a positive financial move.

Also...I have been surprised how fun it has been to fix and install things around the house. Strangely enough, it has been really affirming.

Also...I have enjoyed that it has become a hang out hub for the few single friends I have up in the "Soccer-Mom Capital" of Alpharetta.

But on the other hand, the "heart" side, I have to admit I feel a bit trapped. Which is illustrated in a couple of ways.

The past seven years I have averaged 24,581 miles of flying when traveling or doing missions. This year I flew only a third of that: 8,312. I know some might not understand - and that's ok - but not traveling the way I have in the past has really made me feel claustrophobic.

Also...I bought the place knowing that Alpharetta was "older" than Buckhead/Midtown/Virginia Highlands, but it wasn't really until this past trip to see Michael were I realized what a difference living in the "younger" part of town can make.

Also...I am not planning on switching jobs. I love my job. But since purchasing this home, I do admit the complications that come with taking a job that is offered outside of Atlanta make that idea incredibly unattractive; no matter how good the job is. I sort of resent that feeling.

On the "let's smack Andy across the face side," I do know that there are literally billions of people around the world who would love to have the good graces to be able to purchase a home, and that I should consider myself fortunate (which I do). But that still doesn't help the back-and-forth in my head a year later.

You'll want to check back on the post starting Monday. I found some archived Post Secret's that I have never seen before, and everyday I am going to post a Secret on the blog that I personally relate to.

Some will be funny, some will be profound - but all will probably be telling as to why I am a bit nuts. To give you a little tease, I thought this one was somewhat relevant to the above post.

Last weekend I visited my brother in Chicago to watch his play. It was fantastic and my brother was brilliant. But at 36,000 feet on the way home I did something I have never done in all the 202,011 miles I have spent in the sky: I asked the flight attendant out to dinner.

She was beautiful - not slutty beautiful like she was doinking all the pilots on layover - just classically beautiful.

Typically I would talk myself out of asking her to dinner for two reasons: 1.) I assume she probably gets hit on a lot and 2.) I typically fly United or American who don't have any flight crew hubbed in Atlanta. But this was Delta, so there was a good chance she lived in ATL, and about 2/3 the way through the flight I said to hell with the other reason.

So I got out of 10C and walked to the back of the plane and asked if she was based in Atlanta. She said she was for now, but in a couple of weeks was getting moved to the Honolulu-hub. I told her that I thought "that was unfortunate as I think she is a very beautiful woman and I just wanted to see if she wanted to go to dinner sometime." We talked for another 10 minutes, I gave her my card after she told me she was moving back in a year, and that was probably the last I will ever see of Kate.

I told this story to three people upon my return to Atlanta and all three said something along the lines of that was ballsy. But what woman, even if she thinks you are hideous, doesn't want to be told they are beautiful? The worst thing that happens is you feel a bit embarrassed, and she goes home with her day made. What's the loss?

The opening line of the movie Hitch is: "No woman wakes up saying: 'God, I hope I don't get swept off my feet today.'" Now that doesn't mean she wants to get swept up by me or you, but nevertheless she wants to be desired.

And men are really no different.

I know absolutely no one who doesn't want to find love. Don't read that so fast.
I know absolutely NO-ONE who doesn't want to find love.

Think about that. We all differ on religion, politics, financial desires, sexual orientation, how many kids to have, and what movies we watch. We all differ on everything from the trivial to the profound. The one thing we all share is that we all want to love and be loved. I think that is beyond profound.

In a somewhat ironic twist, I came home later that night after the show and saw Taylor's Swift's new music video Love Story for the first time. In a risk of embarrassing myself like I always do, I love Taylor Swift's music. And at the risk of sounding gay, Love Story is both incredibly well-written, and a phenomenal video. It captures the Shakespearean desire every single one of us share even in the trivialist of all moments like walking from class or riding on a plane 7 miles above the earth.

This flight didn't end in a Love Story for me or Kate - but I saw a beautiful woman and took a risk and tomorrow hopefully I'll get the chance to do it again.