I'm going to totally be a jerk and use this opportunity to vent. We've had the amazon.com gift certificate for a week but it was mailed to Adam and he chose this week to decide that opening mail addressed to him was not important. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
On the bright side, I ordered my HRM. It will probably be shipped when we are in San Diego next weekend and I'll have to pick it up from UPS. See, I am so cranky right now! I can't even be happy that it's ordered.
I also wasted $50 on signing us up for a 5K that we didn't run this morning. To be fair, I could have gone alone but I chose to sleep in and Adam is not-so-recovering from bronchitis so there was no reason to push him into running. But I'm mad at myself for registering and wasting money on it.
So in short, I am having a not so good Saturday. But it's all stupid in the grand scheme of things and nothing that a good sesh at the gym can't fix.
Showing posts with label GRRR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GRRR. Show all posts
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Gym, Tan, Laundry
Shout out to Jersey Shore (which I do not watch and have never seen, actually)!
GYM: I've been really enjoying my renaissance at the gym. After a couple of lazy weeks at the beginning of March, I've been back and really hitting it. I worked out with Adam today and it was nice to see how far I've come in a relatively short time! We were talking on the way home and I think my ultimate goal is just to be always able to say, "I'm in the best shape of my life!". I thought I was after the marathon, but I know I am in WAY better condition now. If I did marathon training again this summer, I probably could shave about 45 minutes off last year's time. We ran into my favorite gym instructor (and hopefully soon to be personal trainer), Mondale, and I had a brief discussion with him about protein powders. I'm just concerned about my protein intake, or lack thereof, with my aggressive workout schedule. He recommended a powder that I can put in my green monster smoothies and we got some after our workout. I felt like such a mega-tool walking down the street with a huge jug of protein stuff. I promise, I'm not becoming a meathead though!
TAN: We actually had nice weather this week and I did a ton of Avon Walk training outside. Which is awesome, except for the awesome tan that I end up with. Last year I had a total farmers tan and watch tan lines because of all my running on the lakeshore path and it seems I'm doomed for that fate again. Plus, when I run, I find my legs never get tanned to match my arms. I'm not going to lie, I was about 10 seconds away from walking into a tanning salon but for some reason, I didn't want to. I ended up at Walgreen's instead and accidentally bought real self-tanner instead of that tanning lotion that I've used in the past. SELF TANNER IS SCARY. Then I started having all these crazy thoughts about how I was actually dying my skin with chemicals and how could that be any worse than fake'n'baking? I'm in a wedding next weekend in a strapless dress so I guess I'll keep on with the self-tanner and see what happens. It's pretty funny because it makes me insanely glittery when I put it on!
LAUNDRY: I have extra laundry to do this week because we are finally PACKING AWAY OUR WINTER CLOTHES! So happy and thankful for that! There were days that I thought we'd never get here but it is so glorious to sit in the living room with all the windows open. I love it! The really craptastic part is that we keep the off-season clothes in our storage locker in the basement. We went downstairs to retrieve our summer stuff and discovered our lock had been cut and Adam's golf clubs (hopefully that's all) were stolen. I WAS SO MAD because we are 99% sure it was a former tenant that came back to vandalize and burglarize after he was booted out of his property by the bank. What a jerk!
GYM: I've been really enjoying my renaissance at the gym. After a couple of lazy weeks at the beginning of March, I've been back and really hitting it. I worked out with Adam today and it was nice to see how far I've come in a relatively short time! We were talking on the way home and I think my ultimate goal is just to be always able to say, "I'm in the best shape of my life!". I thought I was after the marathon, but I know I am in WAY better condition now. If I did marathon training again this summer, I probably could shave about 45 minutes off last year's time. We ran into my favorite gym instructor (and hopefully soon to be personal trainer), Mondale, and I had a brief discussion with him about protein powders. I'm just concerned about my protein intake, or lack thereof, with my aggressive workout schedule. He recommended a powder that I can put in my green monster smoothies and we got some after our workout. I felt like such a mega-tool walking down the street with a huge jug of protein stuff. I promise, I'm not becoming a meathead though!
TAN: We actually had nice weather this week and I did a ton of Avon Walk training outside. Which is awesome, except for the awesome tan that I end up with. Last year I had a total farmers tan and watch tan lines because of all my running on the lakeshore path and it seems I'm doomed for that fate again. Plus, when I run, I find my legs never get tanned to match my arms. I'm not going to lie, I was about 10 seconds away from walking into a tanning salon but for some reason, I didn't want to. I ended up at Walgreen's instead and accidentally bought real self-tanner instead of that tanning lotion that I've used in the past. SELF TANNER IS SCARY. Then I started having all these crazy thoughts about how I was actually dying my skin with chemicals and how could that be any worse than fake'n'baking? I'm in a wedding next weekend in a strapless dress so I guess I'll keep on with the self-tanner and see what happens. It's pretty funny because it makes me insanely glittery when I put it on!
LAUNDRY: I have extra laundry to do this week because we are finally PACKING AWAY OUR WINTER CLOTHES! So happy and thankful for that! There were days that I thought we'd never get here but it is so glorious to sit in the living room with all the windows open. I love it! The really craptastic part is that we keep the off-season clothes in our storage locker in the basement. We went downstairs to retrieve our summer stuff and discovered our lock had been cut and Adam's golf clubs (hopefully that's all) were stolen. I WAS SO MAD because we are 99% sure it was a former tenant that came back to vandalize and burglarize after he was booted out of his property by the bank. What a jerk!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
it's so unfair :(
Why is it so easy for guys to drop like 10 pounds without even thinking about it or trying?
Seriously. That is CRAP!
Seriously. That is CRAP!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Ok... all you robbers SUCK!
There have been a ton of robberies at gunpoint lately in the general vicinity of where we live. I've always assumed the area to be relatively safe, when you consider we live in a huge city with an off the charts crime rate. Especially now that it's summer, it seems like someone is always outside walking a dog, jogging, etc. but a lot of the robberies were taking place on weeknights between 2-4 a.m. in Lincoln Park, which is a little bit south of where we are. I wasn't overly concerned until Monday night, when a young guy got robbed about a block away from us at gunpoint at 9:30 p.m.! It amazes me that no one else was around but we do live in a nice section of quiet streets right off of some main streets. We were sitting in our living room then completely oblivious. Most of the time it's people that are by themselves so we're trying to be a little more cautious after dark to stay together.
What that means for me: no more buses to and from work if it's after dark (or before sunrise, which is actually more common, grr). I got royally screwed by the crew desk last night and was made to stay at the airport for no reason until almost midnight (oh how I love being "owned" by United Airlines 24 hours a day when I'm on call). Luckily, I was able to hop into a cab pretty soon after getting off the train and he was nice enough to make sure I got inside and Adam came out of the condo to meet me since it was almost 1 a.m.
It really sucks because I like walking around my neighborhood. I don't like living in fear. It's not cool to wake up literally every morning to the newscasters reporting yet another robbery in the area. My first thought was that the economy is causing people to lose their jobs and they are getting desperate (but maybe they should use that money they used to buy a gun on food or what not... let's get logical here). But they arrested four teenagers in connection with some of the robberies so maybe it's just the dog days of summer and the hooligans are getting bored and my theory might be bunk. Maybe it's a giant conspiracy by the cabbies of the Northside to drum up business? Who knows but I hope it stops. I don't want the last few precious days of our summer to be ruined by a bunch of jerks!
What that means for me: no more buses to and from work if it's after dark (or before sunrise, which is actually more common, grr). I got royally screwed by the crew desk last night and was made to stay at the airport for no reason until almost midnight (oh how I love being "owned" by United Airlines 24 hours a day when I'm on call). Luckily, I was able to hop into a cab pretty soon after getting off the train and he was nice enough to make sure I got inside and Adam came out of the condo to meet me since it was almost 1 a.m.
It really sucks because I like walking around my neighborhood. I don't like living in fear. It's not cool to wake up literally every morning to the newscasters reporting yet another robbery in the area. My first thought was that the economy is causing people to lose their jobs and they are getting desperate (but maybe they should use that money they used to buy a gun on food or what not... let's get logical here). But they arrested four teenagers in connection with some of the robberies so maybe it's just the dog days of summer and the hooligans are getting bored and my theory might be bunk. Maybe it's a giant conspiracy by the cabbies of the Northside to drum up business? Who knows but I hope it stops. I don't want the last few precious days of our summer to be ruined by a bunch of jerks!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A rant about airports
Ok... please see previous post about my lack of sleep before you proceed and think I am a giant biotch :)
Ahhhhh. The summer travel season. Full flights. First-time fliers. Extreme heat in the greenhouse that is our concourse at O'Hare. Thunderstorms. Infinity small children.
It's glorious. In the completely seniority based system that is working for an airline, you probably have to have 35-40 years with the company to have a vacation in the summer. The senior peeps HATE to work in the summer. Why? It's way harder. But it shouldn't have to be!
Here is my top ten list of things anyone can do to make traveling easier:
1. IF YOU NEED IT, BRING IT YOURSELF
This is my golden rule of travel. Don't ask me if we have pretzels. The little monitor that was in the gate room told you that the service would be beverage only. We don't have free food anymore on most airlines (hell, US Airways was charging for cokes for awhile there!). Please also don't tell me you NEED a blanket. First of, the airline blankets in economy class are NASTY, but that's a whole 'nother rant. Secondly, if you NEEDED it, you would have brought your own. The same goes for a cooler for your insulin, a whole bottle of water, a microwave for your baby's bottle, pillows for your aching back and toys/cards for your children. And when I tell you, politely, that we don't have what you supposedly "NEED", don't roll your eyes at me. I'm not being rude, I frankly just don't have it. I will do my best to help your situation but airplanes don't come stocked with fridges, microwaves, and endless supplies of everything.
2. NEVER EVER EVER TRAVEL WITH A BABY (or multiple children) BY YOURSELF
Seriously people, don't do it. Find a way and bring a friend/parent/spouse/whoever. I am not kidding when I tell you I can't step off the plane to help you fold down your stroller while holding your child and the 32 bags you decided not to check. It's FAA rules, baby. It may be harsh, but I'm telling you these things for your own good. Bring someone with you. You will thank me later. I could go into greater detail about how you should never travel with a baby, period and expose them to the myriad of disease available aboard an aircraft, but I'm really trying to be less judgmental about this.
3. IF YOU CAN, JUST CHECK YOUR BAGS
99.999% of the time, they don't lose your luggage. If you can, just check it. Don't try to pack for a 10 day trip (because in fact, most people pack what they need for about 6 months instead of 10 days) in a carry on bag. Which leads me to...
4. YOU PACKED IT, YOU STOW IT
Another little gem that I'm not kidding about. I cannot help you with your carry-on bag. First of all, if you need me to "help" you with it, it's probably way too heavy. I'm also not really tall enough to stow my own sparsely packed bag, but at least if I hurt myself doing that, the airline will take care of me. We were expressly told about 600 times in training not to ever pick up anyone else's bag since we are not eligible for occupational injury coverage if we get hurt. I'm sorry, but my meager paycheck is more valuable to me than helping you with your way too heavy bag. Harsh, but it's the way it is. However, I will be more than happy to gate check your bag that is either too large or too heavy for the overhead bins. (Sidenote: if you bring on two huge bags or more than two bags, I will be so angry at both you and the gate agent for allowing you to board with your grotesque amount of stuff.)
5. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING WITH FIDO, LEAVE HIM IN HIS BAG/KENNEL
It's great that you think Fido or Fifi or Barney the cat is the cutest, best pet in the world and want to show him/her off. It's unfortunate that he/she hates being "all cooped up" for hours, but remember, YOU did this to your pet when you chose to bring them onboard. Take them to a vet, get them a tranq pill, and LEAVE THEM IN THE DANG BAG.
(I once had a flight where this crazy lady actually took her dog into the lav where he poo-ed on the floor. We don't have the capability to clean feces up onboard so we have to lock off that lav for the remainder of the flight. As if we didn't already have lines at every bathroom anyway. Thanks, lady. You officially earned your idiot card.)
6. WHEN THE FLIGHT GETS DELAYED PLEASE DON'T ASK ME ABOUT YOUR CONNECTING FLIGHT EVERY 5 MINUTES
So important for so many reasons. First of all, you probably booked your flight on hotwire.com where they love to provide people with 15 minute connection times. Laughable! Second, unfortunately, I don't have a super secret computer in the back galley where I can email the gate of your next flight and have them "hold the plane" (btw, we RARELY hold planes anyway). Try to sit there and relax for the remainder of the flight. There is not a whole lot we can do while we're still in the air. I'll be happy to take your credit or debit card and bring you a vodka tonic if that's what you need to relax.
7. USE THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT CALL BUTTON WISELY
Please don't ring it 2.5 seconds after the captain has just made an announcement to the effect of "Flight Attendants, be seated." That means it's going to be bumpy and I'm most likely not going to disobey the captain to get you another glass of water that you can spill all over yourself in turbulence. This also goes for 2.5 seconds after take off or before landing. I need to be seated for those important things too. And if the button is on your arm rest and you are pushing the one with the person on it and there's an annoying bell ringing over and over, yep, IT'S YOU! And everyone on the plane is trying to figure out who you are so they can punch you in the face! (This also goes for children who think it's funny to push the button over and over. Newsflash: it's not cute. Make your kid stop it.)
8. PLEASE LEARN HOW TO READ SIGNS BEFORE APPROACHING THE TERMINAL
Guess what people?!? Gate B4 is probably between gate B3 and B5 and you know what else? There are HUGE signs everywhere that tell you how to get to the B gates, C gates, BFE gates, Baggage Claim, usually a few restaurants, Red Carpet Clubs, etc. Just because I'm walking through an airport in my uniform, does not mean that I'm familiar with it or have ever even been there before. The aforementioned eye-roll when I tell you that I'm sorry but I don't know how to find whatever it is you are looking for is totally unnecessary. OH, and there is an airport diagram in the back of that magazine in your seat pocket if you are going to a large airport that you are unfamiliar with. As always, you can take that fabulous magazine with you if you need further reference.
The same goes for baggage claim. As working crew, I can't check my bags (99% of the time I don't know my final destination for the day) so I have no idea what carousel your bags will be appearing on. What I do know is that there will be a LARGE sign that says our flight number and where we came from and it will generally be above the carousel that your bags will appear at. Usually, there are also several announcements made to help with that. It's amazing how that works.
9. PLEASE DO NOT PARTAKE IN THE GALLEY OLYMPICS
This is one of my absolute favorites! Do you know how much of a tool you look like doing your calisthenics in the galley? As soon as you leave, I will be mercilessly making fun of you, especially if it's on a 4 hour or less flight. How do you sit through movies, plays or sporting events (the latter having MUCH less comfortable seating than an airplane)? I've been to many of the above activities and I can't remember seeing anyone doing little exercises during intermission or on a beer/bathroom run. I also will make fun of you because, in general, you are coincidentally the biggest douche-bag on the aircraft. Sit down and take a nap. Flying makes people tired. Trust me on that. You will enjoy your trip much more if you just rest and relax.
10. IF THE SEATBELT SIGN IS ON, YOU SHOULD BE IN YOUR SEAT WITH YOUR SEATBELT FASTENED
Ahh, the best for last. I completely understand your burning need to use the lav. I realize it's been about 25 minutes since you boarded. I can tell that you apparently have a bladder the size of a pea. BUT, I still have to, by law, tell you that the seatbelt sign is on. Because, you know, it's easy to miss the 50 million or so lighted signs all throughout the aircraft. If I don't tell you that it's on and you get hurt, guess who gets in trouble... ME!! Um... no thanks.
SO... here's the deal and I'm gonna make this really simple for you. If I tell you that the seatbelt sign is on, that is your cue to evaluate the necessity of your bathroom needs and either sit down or get in and hurry up. I don't really care for accidents of any kind, even if you are a grown man or woman and should have the ability to know better. Sorry to use a sickening pun, but I know that shit happens. If you gotta go, you gotta go. If you don't, get back in your seat and we'll try again in a few.
NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ask me if you can go to the bathroom or try to have a 10 minute conversation with me about why the captain hasn't turned the sign off yet. I'm just going to keep telling you, "Sir (or ma'am), the seat belt sign is on. Sir, the seat belt sign is on. Sir, the seat belt sign is on." Because that is what I have been trained (legally) to say. It's non-negotiable so I really don't want you to look at me with a puppy dog face and beg to go to the bathroom. I can't assess your urgency, but I'm not going to give you permission. If you need to, get in and take care of business and then get your butt back in your seat.
Basically, if you take one thing away from this rant... ok, I'd rather that you take two things away from this rant...
1. Contrary to the words above, I don't hate my job (most days, anyways). I also don't mind the average traveler. I just believe that...
2. YOU have a HUGE influence on how your airport experience is going to play out. If you prepare well and go into it with a good attitude, you'll be fine. I have limited resources and lots of rules that govern what I can and cannot do. If I tell you no, it's not because I am being cranky, it's because I have a good reason. Of course, no one can control things like weather and planes are exactly like cars and have breakdowns now and again, so the best laid plans are sometimes foiled. But 9 times out of 10, trips are uneventful and, dare I say, pleasant, if you follow my simple rules and just chill out. If it takes a vodka tonic and/or a prescription medication to get you to chill out, I suggest you order one/bring some meds. I realize that not every gate agent or flight attendant is nice, but kill them with kindness. It's harder to be rude to someone with a genuine smile on their face. Good luck and safe summer travels!
Ahhhhh. The summer travel season. Full flights. First-time fliers. Extreme heat in the greenhouse that is our concourse at O'Hare. Thunderstorms. Infinity small children.
It's glorious. In the completely seniority based system that is working for an airline, you probably have to have 35-40 years with the company to have a vacation in the summer. The senior peeps HATE to work in the summer. Why? It's way harder. But it shouldn't have to be!
Here is my top ten list of things anyone can do to make traveling easier:
1. IF YOU NEED IT, BRING IT YOURSELF
This is my golden rule of travel. Don't ask me if we have pretzels. The little monitor that was in the gate room told you that the service would be beverage only. We don't have free food anymore on most airlines (hell, US Airways was charging for cokes for awhile there!). Please also don't tell me you NEED a blanket. First of, the airline blankets in economy class are NASTY, but that's a whole 'nother rant. Secondly, if you NEEDED it, you would have brought your own. The same goes for a cooler for your insulin, a whole bottle of water, a microwave for your baby's bottle, pillows for your aching back and toys/cards for your children. And when I tell you, politely, that we don't have what you supposedly "NEED", don't roll your eyes at me. I'm not being rude, I frankly just don't have it. I will do my best to help your situation but airplanes don't come stocked with fridges, microwaves, and endless supplies of everything.
2. NEVER EVER EVER TRAVEL WITH A BABY (or multiple children) BY YOURSELF
Seriously people, don't do it. Find a way and bring a friend/parent/spouse/whoever. I am not kidding when I tell you I can't step off the plane to help you fold down your stroller while holding your child and the 32 bags you decided not to check. It's FAA rules, baby. It may be harsh, but I'm telling you these things for your own good. Bring someone with you. You will thank me later. I could go into greater detail about how you should never travel with a baby, period and expose them to the myriad of disease available aboard an aircraft, but I'm really trying to be less judgmental about this.
3. IF YOU CAN, JUST CHECK YOUR BAGS
99.999% of the time, they don't lose your luggage. If you can, just check it. Don't try to pack for a 10 day trip (because in fact, most people pack what they need for about 6 months instead of 10 days) in a carry on bag. Which leads me to...
4. YOU PACKED IT, YOU STOW IT
Another little gem that I'm not kidding about. I cannot help you with your carry-on bag. First of all, if you need me to "help" you with it, it's probably way too heavy. I'm also not really tall enough to stow my own sparsely packed bag, but at least if I hurt myself doing that, the airline will take care of me. We were expressly told about 600 times in training not to ever pick up anyone else's bag since we are not eligible for occupational injury coverage if we get hurt. I'm sorry, but my meager paycheck is more valuable to me than helping you with your way too heavy bag. Harsh, but it's the way it is. However, I will be more than happy to gate check your bag that is either too large or too heavy for the overhead bins. (Sidenote: if you bring on two huge bags or more than two bags, I will be so angry at both you and the gate agent for allowing you to board with your grotesque amount of stuff.)
5. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING WITH FIDO, LEAVE HIM IN HIS BAG/KENNEL
It's great that you think Fido or Fifi or Barney the cat is the cutest, best pet in the world and want to show him/her off. It's unfortunate that he/she hates being "all cooped up" for hours, but remember, YOU did this to your pet when you chose to bring them onboard. Take them to a vet, get them a tranq pill, and LEAVE THEM IN THE DANG BAG.
(I once had a flight where this crazy lady actually took her dog into the lav where he poo-ed on the floor. We don't have the capability to clean feces up onboard so we have to lock off that lav for the remainder of the flight. As if we didn't already have lines at every bathroom anyway. Thanks, lady. You officially earned your idiot card.)
6. WHEN THE FLIGHT GETS DELAYED PLEASE DON'T ASK ME ABOUT YOUR CONNECTING FLIGHT EVERY 5 MINUTES
So important for so many reasons. First of all, you probably booked your flight on hotwire.com where they love to provide people with 15 minute connection times. Laughable! Second, unfortunately, I don't have a super secret computer in the back galley where I can email the gate of your next flight and have them "hold the plane" (btw, we RARELY hold planes anyway). Try to sit there and relax for the remainder of the flight. There is not a whole lot we can do while we're still in the air. I'll be happy to take your credit or debit card and bring you a vodka tonic if that's what you need to relax.
7. USE THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT CALL BUTTON WISELY
Please don't ring it 2.5 seconds after the captain has just made an announcement to the effect of "Flight Attendants, be seated." That means it's going to be bumpy and I'm most likely not going to disobey the captain to get you another glass of water that you can spill all over yourself in turbulence. This also goes for 2.5 seconds after take off or before landing. I need to be seated for those important things too. And if the button is on your arm rest and you are pushing the one with the person on it and there's an annoying bell ringing over and over, yep, IT'S YOU! And everyone on the plane is trying to figure out who you are so they can punch you in the face! (This also goes for children who think it's funny to push the button over and over. Newsflash: it's not cute. Make your kid stop it.)
8. PLEASE LEARN HOW TO READ SIGNS BEFORE APPROACHING THE TERMINAL
Guess what people?!? Gate B4 is probably between gate B3 and B5 and you know what else? There are HUGE signs everywhere that tell you how to get to the B gates, C gates, BFE gates, Baggage Claim, usually a few restaurants, Red Carpet Clubs, etc. Just because I'm walking through an airport in my uniform, does not mean that I'm familiar with it or have ever even been there before. The aforementioned eye-roll when I tell you that I'm sorry but I don't know how to find whatever it is you are looking for is totally unnecessary. OH, and there is an airport diagram in the back of that magazine in your seat pocket if you are going to a large airport that you are unfamiliar with. As always, you can take that fabulous magazine with you if you need further reference.
The same goes for baggage claim. As working crew, I can't check my bags (99% of the time I don't know my final destination for the day) so I have no idea what carousel your bags will be appearing on. What I do know is that there will be a LARGE sign that says our flight number and where we came from and it will generally be above the carousel that your bags will appear at. Usually, there are also several announcements made to help with that. It's amazing how that works.
9. PLEASE DO NOT PARTAKE IN THE GALLEY OLYMPICS
This is one of my absolute favorites! Do you know how much of a tool you look like doing your calisthenics in the galley? As soon as you leave, I will be mercilessly making fun of you, especially if it's on a 4 hour or less flight. How do you sit through movies, plays or sporting events (the latter having MUCH less comfortable seating than an airplane)? I've been to many of the above activities and I can't remember seeing anyone doing little exercises during intermission or on a beer/bathroom run. I also will make fun of you because, in general, you are coincidentally the biggest douche-bag on the aircraft. Sit down and take a nap. Flying makes people tired. Trust me on that. You will enjoy your trip much more if you just rest and relax.
10. IF THE SEATBELT SIGN IS ON, YOU SHOULD BE IN YOUR SEAT WITH YOUR SEATBELT FASTENED
Ahh, the best for last. I completely understand your burning need to use the lav. I realize it's been about 25 minutes since you boarded. I can tell that you apparently have a bladder the size of a pea. BUT, I still have to, by law, tell you that the seatbelt sign is on. Because, you know, it's easy to miss the 50 million or so lighted signs all throughout the aircraft. If I don't tell you that it's on and you get hurt, guess who gets in trouble... ME!! Um... no thanks.
SO... here's the deal and I'm gonna make this really simple for you. If I tell you that the seatbelt sign is on, that is your cue to evaluate the necessity of your bathroom needs and either sit down or get in and hurry up. I don't really care for accidents of any kind, even if you are a grown man or woman and should have the ability to know better. Sorry to use a sickening pun, but I know that shit happens. If you gotta go, you gotta go. If you don't, get back in your seat and we'll try again in a few.
NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES ask me if you can go to the bathroom or try to have a 10 minute conversation with me about why the captain hasn't turned the sign off yet. I'm just going to keep telling you, "Sir (or ma'am), the seat belt sign is on. Sir, the seat belt sign is on. Sir, the seat belt sign is on." Because that is what I have been trained (legally) to say. It's non-negotiable so I really don't want you to look at me with a puppy dog face and beg to go to the bathroom. I can't assess your urgency, but I'm not going to give you permission. If you need to, get in and take care of business and then get your butt back in your seat.
Basically, if you take one thing away from this rant... ok, I'd rather that you take two things away from this rant...
1. Contrary to the words above, I don't hate my job (most days, anyways). I also don't mind the average traveler. I just believe that...
2. YOU have a HUGE influence on how your airport experience is going to play out. If you prepare well and go into it with a good attitude, you'll be fine. I have limited resources and lots of rules that govern what I can and cannot do. If I tell you no, it's not because I am being cranky, it's because I have a good reason. Of course, no one can control things like weather and planes are exactly like cars and have breakdowns now and again, so the best laid plans are sometimes foiled. But 9 times out of 10, trips are uneventful and, dare I say, pleasant, if you follow my simple rules and just chill out. If it takes a vodka tonic and/or a prescription medication to get you to chill out, I suggest you order one/bring some meds. I realize that not every gate agent or flight attendant is nice, but kill them with kindness. It's harder to be rude to someone with a genuine smile on their face. Good luck and safe summer travels!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Good: Tracee's wedding weekend... This deserves an entire post of it's own. I think (not clearly remembering due to Lone Star beer haze) that Charlotte took all of the pictures with her camera, except for the ones that the professionals took of us because I swear they were obsessed with our two cute couples :) Anyway, I'll write about it as soon as I get pictures because we had such a great time hanging out with one of my oldest and dearest friends and her beloved. The four of us got to sit with the bride and groom at the rehearsal dinner, which was a great and unexpected treat. Awesome party, T-Bone!!
The Bad: Having to come home to Chicago to major projects. It took me about five days to actually feel like I had a handle on the organization. It also rained on the two days that we had the actual heavy moving to do. Grrrr weather! I don't want to move again for a LOOOONG, LOOOONG time.
The Ugly: On the way home, I ended up with the very last seat on the last United flight of the day. Since Adam is able to double dip with buddy passes between me at United and his mom at Southwest, he had a better chance than I did to get home on SW later that night. So we said our tearful goodbyes (haha, jk) and I ran onto the plane. I was sitting next to a man that had boarded at the absolute last second and I think he was legally blind. Anyway, like a fool, I got out my iPod for the ride, shoved it in the seat pocket and started reading United's award-winning magazine, Hemispheres (which you are free to take with you, along with the SkyMall catalog, oh how I love inflight announcements and the company propaganda that is the Hemispheres!) since you can't have your music on for take off. The guy next to me started asking if I had been re-routed off of another flight too, I told him that I was actually flying stand -by, which was the reason for my late boarding, which of course led to an "I work for United" diatribe. Turns out he's a super frequent flier. Two hours and ten minutes later, we were finishing our conversation and I got off the plane, sans iPod touch. SADNESS! I will look for it at O'Hare when I go back to work, but I have like a .00004% chance of getting it back. So, I hope that someone from SkyWest Airlines is able to enjoy my sweet and very random taste in music.
Thank goodness I got an iPod shuffle from Adam for Valentine's Day or I'd be totally hosed!!!
The Bad: Having to come home to Chicago to major projects. It took me about five days to actually feel like I had a handle on the organization. It also rained on the two days that we had the actual heavy moving to do. Grrrr weather! I don't want to move again for a LOOOONG, LOOOONG time.
The Ugly: On the way home, I ended up with the very last seat on the last United flight of the day. Since Adam is able to double dip with buddy passes between me at United and his mom at Southwest, he had a better chance than I did to get home on SW later that night. So we said our tearful goodbyes (haha, jk) and I ran onto the plane. I was sitting next to a man that had boarded at the absolute last second and I think he was legally blind. Anyway, like a fool, I got out my iPod for the ride, shoved it in the seat pocket and started reading United's award-winning magazine, Hemispheres (which you are free to take with you, along with the SkyMall catalog, oh how I love inflight announcements and the company propaganda that is the Hemispheres!) since you can't have your music on for take off. The guy next to me started asking if I had been re-routed off of another flight too, I told him that I was actually flying stand -by, which was the reason for my late boarding, which of course led to an "I work for United" diatribe. Turns out he's a super frequent flier. Two hours and ten minutes later, we were finishing our conversation and I got off the plane, sans iPod touch. SADNESS! I will look for it at O'Hare when I go back to work, but I have like a .00004% chance of getting it back. So, I hope that someone from SkyWest Airlines is able to enjoy my sweet and very random taste in music.
Thank goodness I got an iPod shuffle from Adam for Valentine's Day or I'd be totally hosed!!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The never-ending saga of the bike
Because I realize that in order for me to have the motivation to get up and run/work out each day that it helps me to have an end goal in mind, Adam and I decided that we'd do a triathlon next summer. Here in Chicago they have what's called a sprint so it's less daunting than your typical Ironman and I have decided that I would probably be ok at it, given my former awesome competitive swimming background (nevermind that I really don't like freestyle and would much rather be butterflying or breaststroking) and the fact that running is not that big of a deal for me anymore (and hopefully after the marathon, a measly few miles will seem like a piece of cake). This leaves me with only one problem. The bike part. In the seventh or eighth grade, I was riding bikes with my neighborhood friends Shannen and Will (it might have been rainy... anti-smart) and Will somehow flipped over his bike and chipped his tooth. Since then, I have been semi-traumatized by bikes. I had one in college that I rode for maybe 2 weeks before I realized that the campus of Texas A&M is insanely crowded between class times and I was likely to hit someone due to my lack of recent experience. My mom also told my brother and I an extremely life traumatizing story about her childhood friend's experience with open-toed shoes and bike riding that isn't pretty. I might have some issues to work through here.
Anyway, I need a bike for said triathlon and just for life in general in Chicago in the summer without a car so my dad volunteered to be my benefactor for the purchase. Even though my very kind Dad is funding the purchase, I am still cheap and refuse to pay more than a couple hundred bucks for this crazy-Lance-Armstrong-leaning-over-all-crazy-shifting-gears-road bike that Adam claims I will "need" even though Chicago is so flat you can get away with pedalling for a minute and coasting for two minutes. Supposedly, I need to be aerodynamic to save my energy for the run. This all coming from my engineering boyfriend... ug.
None of this would be an issue except for the fact that I am short, I have short legs and MAJOR biking control issues that mean that I want to be able to reach the ground, not on tippy toes, when I stop. After searching the city high and low, Dad found and ordered a kids bike for me from target.com. It arrived last week and Adam and Bazan put it together on Friday night. It was an entertaining process because it literally did not come with instructions. Not kidding.
(I deeply apologize for the darkness of the pictures)
My maiden voyage (and only voyage) on the bike. It wasn't as scary as I thought.
Adam decided to see if the gears would shift and it all went downhill from there. The guys were trying to figure out what happened. I still don't understand why shifting gears is so important in the first place. Bottom line, after some hideous noises, some part is irreparably bent so we have to take it back to Target tomorrow and wait for a new one to be shipped. Sadness!
Anyway, I need a bike for said triathlon and just for life in general in Chicago in the summer without a car so my dad volunteered to be my benefactor for the purchase. Even though my very kind Dad is funding the purchase, I am still cheap and refuse to pay more than a couple hundred bucks for this crazy-Lance-Armstrong-leaning-over-all-crazy-shifting-gears-road bike that Adam claims I will "need" even though Chicago is so flat you can get away with pedalling for a minute and coasting for two minutes. Supposedly, I need to be aerodynamic to save my energy for the run. This all coming from my engineering boyfriend... ug.
None of this would be an issue except for the fact that I am short, I have short legs and MAJOR biking control issues that mean that I want to be able to reach the ground, not on tippy toes, when I stop. After searching the city high and low, Dad found and ordered a kids bike for me from target.com. It arrived last week and Adam and Bazan put it together on Friday night. It was an entertaining process because it literally did not come with instructions. Not kidding.
(I deeply apologize for the darkness of the pictures)
My maiden voyage (and only voyage) on the bike. It wasn't as scary as I thought.
Adam decided to see if the gears would shift and it all went downhill from there. The guys were trying to figure out what happened. I still don't understand why shifting gears is so important in the first place. Bottom line, after some hideous noises, some part is irreparably bent so we have to take it back to Target tomorrow and wait for a new one to be shipped. Sadness!
Friday, May 8, 2009
On the Mend?
Today I'm actually feeling a little bit better. I started off yesterday thinking I'd be OK but I had a pounding headache after my three blocks walk to mail back Bride Wars (eh, it was alright, definitely not a DVD I'd buy) and go to Walgreen's.
It's been an utterly pathetic week. I probably slept 15+ hours a day for the past three days. I have graduation and mother's day cards that I haven't mailed yet. I just started doing some laundry as I have completely wasted my two days off doing absolutely nothing and now I have to face my hell tomorrow. I have been on the most annoying pattern of flying lately and it seems I'll be continuing on it again in the morning. I probably face an early morning stand by, which means I get to waste 4 hours of my life at the airport, waiting for a last minute misconnect or sick call. It's my least favorite assignment. In a perfect world, there will be a happy little four day trip waiting for me tonight that I can go on and not have to deal with being on call for the next three days. Is that too much to hope for? Scheduling gods, can you throw me a bone here?
I'm looking forward to hopefully flying so I can get back into my old habits and working out. My gym membership has expired and I'm in a quandry about how to handle that. I had been working out at a rather bare-bones gym that just happens to be steps from Adam's apartment. Turns out the place isn't the best deal around and I really want to find a gym that has my favorite Precor stretch machine. I have to come up with a game plan.
I promise I will have some more interesting blogging soon. The rest of May is going to be busy! Sabrina comes in town early next week, I'm going to try to meet Grandmother and Auntie in DC on Wednesday, and my dad and bro come next weekend for our first Cubs game of the season! Not to mention, it will be my first time in the famous Wrigley Field Bleachers! The following weekend, I run a 10 miler at Soldier Field and we have 2 weddings on the last weekend. I'm so glad I got my sickness out of the way at the most opportune time. Happy Spring to you!
It's been an utterly pathetic week. I probably slept 15+ hours a day for the past three days. I have graduation and mother's day cards that I haven't mailed yet. I just started doing some laundry as I have completely wasted my two days off doing absolutely nothing and now I have to face my hell tomorrow. I have been on the most annoying pattern of flying lately and it seems I'll be continuing on it again in the morning. I probably face an early morning stand by, which means I get to waste 4 hours of my life at the airport, waiting for a last minute misconnect or sick call. It's my least favorite assignment. In a perfect world, there will be a happy little four day trip waiting for me tonight that I can go on and not have to deal with being on call for the next three days. Is that too much to hope for? Scheduling gods, can you throw me a bone here?
I'm looking forward to hopefully flying so I can get back into my old habits and working out. My gym membership has expired and I'm in a quandry about how to handle that. I had been working out at a rather bare-bones gym that just happens to be steps from Adam's apartment. Turns out the place isn't the best deal around and I really want to find a gym that has my favorite Precor stretch machine. I have to come up with a game plan.
I promise I will have some more interesting blogging soon. The rest of May is going to be busy! Sabrina comes in town early next week, I'm going to try to meet Grandmother and Auntie in DC on Wednesday, and my dad and bro come next weekend for our first Cubs game of the season! Not to mention, it will be my first time in the famous Wrigley Field Bleachers! The following weekend, I run a 10 miler at Soldier Field and we have 2 weddings on the last weekend. I'm so glad I got my sickness out of the way at the most opportune time. Happy Spring to you!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Cinco de Sicko
I've been bedridden for the past 2 days. I'm bored but I have been sleeping A LOT. Tomorrow Bride Wars is coming from Netflix so of course I will be completely recovered by then since I will have an awesome diversion.
This was my Cinco de Mayo dinner:
I don't think I have the swine flu and I feel like I'm on the road to recovery so all will be well. I hope you all got to enjoy some Coronas, Dos or Tecates for me. I was sad to miss a day of delicious Mexican food.
This was my Cinco de Mayo dinner:
I don't think I have the swine flu and I feel like I'm on the road to recovery so all will be well. I hope you all got to enjoy some Coronas, Dos or Tecates for me. I was sad to miss a day of delicious Mexican food.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Frustration...
I am glad that it's Friday, not that weekends really mean much to me these days, but just because it signifies the symbolic end of what has not been my favorite week.
Work has been completely crappy lately, it's a long story but let's just say it's been awhile since I had a long and satisfying trip and that always frustrates me to the max. Today sucks. I thought I'd be getting a trip (before I got royally screwed last night) and Adam made plans to go to a comedy show and there is no extra ticket for me. I really hate it when that happens. All part of the reason that I am working toward having a regular people life again.
I got my dress yesterday for Tracee's wedding and it doesn't fit. However, it's my "normal" size. This will hopefully be the motivation I need to log mega miles in the next month and a half.
I joined this website called gyminee.com and it helps track workouts and nutrition. It's replacing my little makeshift food journal but I'm really struggling with it. I know I need more protein but these are my issues: I hate fish. I hate eggs. I really don't like grilled chicken (but I'm working on it, apparently fried isn't so good for you, ha!). I already have too much fat in my diet so nuts aren't going to be the best source of protein for me since they pack as much (if not more) fat as protein. Ug. I am really trying to convince myself that maybe I like eggs or maybe I could learn to like egg white omelettes? I'm not sure if that's going to be possible since I gag when I'm cooking them for Adam. I am in need of some protein inspirations.
I didn't get a very good night's sleep last night since Preston decided to have a party at 3:30 a.m. That probably explains this pounding headache and exceedingly negative post.
Maybe I will head off to ebay... haha! Hopefully good news will be coming my way today!
Work has been completely crappy lately, it's a long story but let's just say it's been awhile since I had a long and satisfying trip and that always frustrates me to the max. Today sucks. I thought I'd be getting a trip (before I got royally screwed last night) and Adam made plans to go to a comedy show and there is no extra ticket for me. I really hate it when that happens. All part of the reason that I am working toward having a regular people life again.
I got my dress yesterday for Tracee's wedding and it doesn't fit. However, it's my "normal" size. This will hopefully be the motivation I need to log mega miles in the next month and a half.
I joined this website called gyminee.com and it helps track workouts and nutrition. It's replacing my little makeshift food journal but I'm really struggling with it. I know I need more protein but these are my issues: I hate fish. I hate eggs. I really don't like grilled chicken (but I'm working on it, apparently fried isn't so good for you, ha!). I already have too much fat in my diet so nuts aren't going to be the best source of protein for me since they pack as much (if not more) fat as protein. Ug. I am really trying to convince myself that maybe I like eggs or maybe I could learn to like egg white omelettes? I'm not sure if that's going to be possible since I gag when I'm cooking them for Adam. I am in need of some protein inspirations.
I didn't get a very good night's sleep last night since Preston decided to have a party at 3:30 a.m. That probably explains this pounding headache and exceedingly negative post.
Maybe I will head off to ebay... haha! Hopefully good news will be coming my way today!
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