thirty is the new twenty only with a tougher hangover

It has been eleven days since I last worked, and I sit here this morning fresh off probaation, at airport alert. It feels like I have been away a month. On the bus ride to the airport, I watched as planes climbed off the tarmac and remembered how much I love being in them as the climb and go off to new destinations. Much has happened in the past week, friends arrived, my birthday, and days of recovery.
I wish we had a camera crew follow the birthday group around all weekend because a mini serious could have been easily compulated. I will prepare to do the weekend justice in my re-account of it. Thursday mornng the early arrivers and I set off for the city. The car was packed with bags and giggling girls as we made our way to the Lincoln Tunnel. The valet welcomed us with humor and the front desk welcomed me with presents and generous hospitality. Up the fourty-seventh floor we went and met our good friend, Dave May. The other girls went off sightseeing while I enjoyed the company of my friend and the beautiful flowers he had sent up. We agreed to meet at the hotel bar for happy hour and then plan our evening. We had a few drinks and then a hankering for sushi, we set off to Tao' but they had a private party so we only had time for one drink. Instead we hailed a towncar on Park, where Richard, the driver, took us down to Union Square to try Japonais. The food and the company were outstanding and put us in prime form to continue our night at the Underbar. The married couple returned from the Knicks game to meet up with us in our private room, and right before we moved on Janene joined us as well. We pilled into a limo and went to the MPD, without much luck of getting a group in. We ended up at One with our own table and me constantly looking for celebs. This was one of our earlier nights as we got in around three with the addition of Hilary.

Friday was the big day. We slept in for a bit and then spilt off to get ready in our own way. I headed off to get my hair done with my girls and stopped for a hot dog in the rain. Back to the hotel just as they were calling to let us know our suite was ready and Christina and I went and enjoyed the serenity of watching the mad city below before the rest of the party arrived. Everyone got ready in their own time and sat around listening to music, eating cheese, and drinking wine. There was a knock at the door and much to my surprise a tray with two bottles of champange, chocolate covered strawberries, and a slice of birthday cake with a candle. It was a gift from Lynne, such a sweetheart!!! I made my wish thinking I had another one coming later on that night. It was almost time to leave so I shewed everyone out of the room so I could make a grand entrance. My outfit was perfect and I felt like celeb. I opened my wonderful presents from everyone and then we were off to dinner. Chris arranged a limo that took us to Lotus, the ride was so much fun and it felt like we were going to prom with everyone dressed up. Dave and Chris had seven girls as their dates. Our table was in the back set up with name cards, and a personalized menu wishing me happy birthday and outliniing our eight course meal. The food came in individual take out boxes served with chopsticks. and let me tell you, that was damn good food!!! Champange and drinks accompanied our good time and everyone asked who we were. One of my favorite moemnts of the evening was when Nene fell out of her chair from laughing too hard and Nichole's response was,"is the chair okay?'. I could not have been happier than I was during those two hours. As previously planned, my birthday cake arrived. I ordered a black and white cake from Ferarras and mailed 30 candels. The cake only had ten, the cake was white, the cake said, "Happy Birthday Gerlane"...I begged people to stop singing as it was not my cake. I was asked to blow out the candels but I thought it would be bad luck to blow out someone else's candels. My cake was not there. Oh, well, we were stuffed anyway!! We headed upstairs to our own table where Chris and Nichole generously ordered a huge bottles of champange and we danced, danced, danced the evening away. It was the perfect night filled with laugher and lots of boobs. The pictures are priceless. The few hardcore partiers, myself included, moved on to other clubs looking for more to do, but everything failed in comparison to our party. We made it home around 0500. The doormen already knew us and came up for yet another black and white cookie in exchange for his W pin.



Day three was sit around and watch movies day, got some grease at the diner, and prepare for another night out. I requested dinner in Little Italy which was arranged courtesy of Dave May. The place we went was soooo good and once again we were treated like celebs, other patrons were even asking who was sitting at our table as we made friends with Tony the greatest waiter, and all of the managers. Everyone beside Christina, Dave May, and I faded. We decided to hit the local scene and see what was up. We headed to the Alphabet zone and ended up at China 1, not the Animal Hospital. We hung out there for a bit and met some guys from Detriot. It was my mission to find the cutest guy in the place and ask him for a kiss. There was two guys hanging out by the dj booth and it was a last minute decision who was cuter. I went with the guy on the left. 'It is my 30th birthday, will you kiss me?" His friend replied enthusiasically, "yay he will!!". The cutie grabbed me and gave me a hollywood kiss. I said thank you and walked back to my friends. Then we headed to the No Malace Palace. Detriot boys were all about buying tequilla shots and even made me do a body shot. After that boy kissed me, the vibe was lost and I told C, it was time to hit the bricks. She found a cutie and we ran out the door as fast as we could. We only had 15 minutes to get another drink. After running outside, I found another hottie and gave him my line. He kissed me as well and then ended up being the friend of the guy C found. Perfect!! The four of us had some more to drink and then headed off to Cafeteria for grilled cheese. The cab was driven by Mohammad whom I made good friends with along the way and who allowed me to doodle on his clipboard. There was a huge line at Cafateria which I just walked up and smoozed the bouncer to get us in. it was soo good!! We didn't get back the hotel until 0700.
My actually birthday day was spent sayng goodbye to friends, getting back to the ol' Kearny house, getting some Boston Market and later pizza, watching the Duck basketball game, figuring out the source of bruised, watching Office Space, and retelling stories about the days prior. For the past two nights I haven't moved when I hit the pillow. I suspect it will be a week before I am fully recoverd. I was welcomed to my thirties with the best weekend of my life.

st. pattys day celebrated early

The luck of the Irish hasn't really been with Amanda and I on this trip. From the mouth of our FO, maybe it was because we were packing around a ginny with us! We arrived in LAX around 0030 local time, me with a hangover from hell and the rest of the crew red eyed from the long day. We found out that our flight home had been pre-emptavely canceled due to weather in the NE and we would then be deadheading home a couple of hours later instead. We made our way to the hotel and got settled in. The morning was spent feeling wonderful (the day after the hangover is always the best day ever) and watching the weather channel. Lunch consisted of woodfire pizza previous to making our way to the airport. There were only three of us as our captian left earlier in the morning and the lead, now nicknamed Mr. Ed had gone to the airport already. We get through security and the airport is strangely quiet, the reason became clear once we looked at the board and saw that our flight was canceled. An hour and a half on hold to talk to ops informed us that we would now be deadheading home on the red eye. Back to the hotel we went and agreed to meet downstairs to find a store and replace the phone which had yet to revive itself. A trolley took us down to Manhattan Beach from which we walked a half a mile to the Verizon store after stopping to buy a sweatshirt. At last, we arrived to find it was a Cingular store, the conceriege had gotten mixed up. We had ol' Mr. Ed checking on the status of our flight as she had her nose up everything else as well, we might as well put her to work for us. Finding out our flight was canceled and our next day St. Pattys plans were quickly falling apart, Amanda decided she wanted to get drunk. A cab ride which stopped in front of an Irish pub started off our night with a Guinness in hand. Sushi came next for dinner and the introduction of the saki-bomb game. Back to the pub for more drinks and then off dancing. We had such a great night and arrived back at the hotel around 0300 to look at our schedules which hadn't updated. We mentally planned to deadhead on the first flight out and set our wake up calls accordingly. Instead the phone rang at 0515 with the information we were working the flight due to leave in one hour to IAH. One hour of sleep is what I received and it was pure adrenale that took me through the day. Once we got to IAH, we were not listed on the flight and they wouldn't let us on the plane. Finally we arrived in EWR, a full day later and on my day off, on St Patty's Day, and me left with only enough energy to drive home. For what it is worth, we had a hell of good time our four day trip that turned into five that felt like a month.

4 day part one

This is one job which the “spring forward” time change doesn’t really affect a person. We, as flight crew are constantly adjusting our internal clock to the local time. The different time zones sometimes allows for confusion in when to meet up for dinner. This was such the case on the pairing. Our first and only flight of the day took us to San Antonio. I was tired because I got caught finishing the second season of Grey’s and didn’t hit the hay until midnight. I was told to come in a 0600 and do my final review for probation, an hour before check in. The crew agreed to meet at 1700 for dinner, I asked local or our time…our time. I set the alarm on my phone and took a much-needed nap. As I was getting up to meet everyone, I realized my phone automatically changed to CST. Damn it, maybe I can catch them at the Mexican restaurant a for mentioned. I walked out and it was sprinkling a bit. The more I walked to more the rain came down until I was soaked, the search for an open place to eat ended in me hitting the hotel bar where low and behold, there were the pilots.
The first officer and I were able to get our timing right last night as we agreed to meet for happy hour. The original plan was to hit Great America but it is not open until April. Morton’s had just opened and was on the first thing to do on our list provided by the chamber lady who just happened to be at the front desk when we came up with the map we stole from the concierge desk asking for advice. The next stop was an Irish pub, which is always a good time….too good of a time as I taught the ol’ Italian New Yorker how to do an Irish car bomb. Two other guys wanted to know what we were drinking so I bought them a round and taught them as well. Then they bought me a round after hanging door signs on me. "Brillant!!" Salsa dancing was next on our agenda and according to my friend; I flashed a cop car on the walk to the Agenda. They were not going to let me in the Salsa club and I told them I wasn't going to drink I was going to Salsa! The night started to get spotty from the there but I remember dancing and salsa-ing around. We made it back to the hotel, which strangely enough I stayed at ten years ago with my boyfriend, around 2300 and I woke up at 0600 to discover my phone didn’t work. I am sure it had something to do with it falling into the sink at the bar and then my dropping it.
Onward to LAX to day via IAH, and we don’t get in until 0100 local time…it will be one hell of long day.

a day with me is never dull

I was unable to pick up a trip on my day off, so instead I picked up airport alert. I brought my computer to dink around and watch a missed episode and was getting ready for a nap when the bat phone rang. My name was called and I mumbled obsenities on my way to answer it. "Your going to TPA on a three day", the scheduler said, "gate 93'. Alrighty, off I went across the airport at a good pace. As I reached the last wing my name was announced over the PA, that resulted in a break out run to the gate where I was met with sacrasim. I boarded the plane in a hurry and quickly met my all guy (woo-hoo) crew. Off to TPA we went, me working my favorite position with a fantastic crew. A cookie awaited us upon check-in indicating a night at the Doubletree and then a meeting was set with the crew. Our captain lived in the area and took us out on his boat across the bay to have lunch and drinks on the water. The day was spent with a beer in one hand, sun warming my body, and goofying around with the guys. The next day we were off to LAS via CLE. I never sat down the whole trip because I was having fun with the passangers and the lead FA and I were playing spades. The crew met again and walked over to the Hard Rock to have dinner and gamble. Luck was not on anyone side as we quicky lost money. The group disbursed but the gay guy stayed with me. It was early so we walked around to kill time and saw the hotest firefighter driving the truck back to the station. I stood across the street and asked him what time he got off. A little dective work (eg asking the security guy on his bike) led to the whereabouts of station 18 and tickets to get into Body English. We waited until 2200 and walked up to get into the club, hey we are running on EST here. Instead they ushered us into a venue where the Steve Miller Band was playing. Talk about a WT crowd! It was good way to kill an hour, and to laugh at the youngen with me how never heard of the band. A few more hours of dancing and drinking free champange and then we headed back to the hotel. Not before we stopped by the fire department to find out, sadly, it was locked up tight. "Can't we just call them?" I asked. It was clearly time to go to bed.

tba

My pairing indicated that my hotel room was tba for my evening in IAH. Usually we stay at the Marriott ajacent to the aiport but since the rodeo was in town. My room would be at the Clarion which was located next to Rick's which appeared to be a stripclub from the looks of it. I walked through many hallways into my room that was straight out of the eighties. The TV, the comforters, the desk, the coffeemaker,the smell. I needed a drink, so I threw on a tee and jeans and walked into the twightlight zone of a bar. I took a look around and saddled up to the bar with another odd smell and black duct tape on the edge. The gathering of idiots with their whiskey and voices straight out the Simpons, you know when they show the white trash, was summed up with the neon blue Bud Light sign in the shape of Texas. I order a Pinot Noir from the misplaced Asian bartender, her reply, "what kind of water?". "Uhm, do you have red wine?", "yes what kind you want?" "Whatever you have". Well she poured it in a champange flute, that was her choice from the multitude of glassware straight out of my mom's china cabinet. I took in the scene for as long as it took to choke down the wine I would need to go to sleep and excused myself to my room. Somethings about the 80's I miss, the music, some of the styles, but as for 80's hotels, well I can do without.

memory

I understand why people move to Florida, if just for the memories which summertime brings. A quick glance behind me at the sunshine, grass, trees and the birds chirping took me back to standing in my front yard. I was ten at the most standing on a railroad tie that separated the ashfalt from the lawn in a hot pink tank top with double singlet straps. I was happy, it was warm, school was out, my parents were home. I can't recall my actions prior or my plans after but right now I can still feel the sun beating upon my shoulders and the giddiness that only comes from being carefree.

food court

Although the options encourage it, it blows my mind how horrible people eat in airports. Struggling just to find a place to sit for one, I look at people’s choices for lunch. Majority of the people have opted for McDonalds but there are other favorites around such as Nathan’s Famous, a Chinese place, Sbarro, Ben and Jerry’s, Treat Street, and Dunkin Donuts. I watch, as I proudly eat my sushi, fries being shoved into faces as they watch the ipods, pasta being consumed in record time, and my absolute favorite, the woman with a already empty Ben and Jerry’s cup in front of her, with what I presume to have been a shake, now holding in her hand a waffle cone and the straw from the previous item, sucking up her remaining ice cream. When I first started this job, eating crap became routine because of the lack of time and planning ahead that had yet to be learned. After this routine became weight gain and lack of self confidence, it has quickly changed into only eating grilled chicken, sushi, salads, or protein shakes, along with the healthy goodies now found in my trusty tote bag.

Off to FLL as a load, which means that I am kickin’ by myself at the hotel for 22 hours. I plan to check out some pre-season baseball and work on my tan. Perks about this job…a tan in the winter that is constantly renewed with visits to the sunshine.

fort

A part of this job, which they don’t disclose during the interview process, is the loneliness. Many of us, including myself, have uprooted their lives and moved for the job. The loneliness I am feeling now is mostly self-made as I found a place to have solitude while everyone else is home. I returned home after four hours of airport appreciation last night to house full of roommates and one out of town guest. I stepped through the maze to go the bathroom, then to feed George, and then to feed myself. Realizing I had yet to put my sheets on from laundry day, I tackled the project of making a loft bead. Up and down the step I went, sheet, sheet, comforter, pillow, and pillow. Then it hit me, my bed with pillows positioned properly could serve as my own fort. I got comfy and climbed up with my computer, headphones, and a disk of Grey’s Anatomy and found much needed solitude. Sadly this is also how I spent my on-call day today as well, watching six episodes. Now it is drawing towards midnight and although I have talked to a couple friends, I still feel alone. Not really homesick, not in the mood to hang out with anyone, just empty.