30 March 2009

sure, i'll go

I was called in for airport alert on Sunday and was a little surprised they were calling me as I was only good for two days and had broke my guarantee with the moron trip I just arrived home from. I gladly got ready and left a) because they were actually paying me to sit at the airport and b) it was Sunday which means my idiot roommate was home with his yapping dogs.
I sat down with my salad and chit chatted away with friends also warming the couch. The phone was ringing off the hook due to weather delays and so forth so I mentally prepared myself for a trip. One of the guys from the duty desk came over and asked if I would be the purser to Dublin. Sure, what the hell?
I got to the aircraft and had to lay down the law that I knew what I was doing and was just a little frazzled because I ran across the airport. You don't have to tell me where I work, thank you. I went about my business of getting the cabin ready and we are short a flight attendant so I deal with that. Finally we get customers boarded and we push back. Ok, easy flight coming up. That is until we are stopped on the runway because lighting is striking all around us. For three and half hours we sat on the tarmac, moved the plane once to get out of the way of some guy having a heart attack on the plane behind us, literally. The communication skills of the captain left a lot to be desired so me as the leader of the back had to dictate our service and make up stories to keep the customers happy.
All in all we were on the plane for almost 10 hours and couldn't be happier to see the amazing beds of our hotel in Dublin. Gotta love the Irish because they roll with the punches. If that would have been a plane full of Americans, there would have been an uprising.

office away

There is something about sitting at a desk with a computer, notepad, pen, and a cup of tea. I feel...well, like a grown up I suppose. I did the list of things that I should haven completed weeks ago in a matter of a couple hours. When I am at home, I sit on my bed or on the floor with my computer and dink around. I spend hours on facebook and my company site when I should be paying bills and finishing up my taxes. I can't hold a thought when I am not sitting up right and then my leg falls asleep and then I am hungry. It is a slippery slope into depression I tell ya. I think it is maybe why I was so off kilter this winter. I never had a layover to sit at the desk with free internet all alone and get stuff done. But the spring is here gratefully, the flights are increasing and I will have a paycheck, a real paycheck for my efforts this month. It's nice to feel like a grown up again.

28 March 2009

i can’t escape stupidity

I was assigned BFS today while out walking Willy. It was the day after my birthday and while not hung-over, I was still tired from the evening prior. The scheduler told me I would be working with a Cleveland crew, and my immediate response was, “so I will be doing most of the work then?” Little did I know that the rumors were true.

I got the airport in time to eat my salad and then make my way to the gate. I sat there for at least 20 minutes before I went and asked the agent what was going on. She knew nothing so I went down to hang out on the plane and at least do my pre flight checks. The captain came down, some dike that had no clue about anything and didn’t seem to care that I was the only crewmember there. The FO came down and he was from Houston, so he was immediately written off first from his origin and then his bitching about being on the 757. I sat on the plane for an hour before these old biddies showed up, and did they seem to care, nope couldn’t give a damn about getting the plane off the gate anytime soon. Nor did these idiots acknowledge that I sat up there galleys for them.
The next six hours went something like that with their complete lack of understanding of international service. I schooled them in the aisle because I wanted to the shit done and get our customers to sleep. I choose the back galley to hang out in since there was no place to go to get away from the gossip about everyone in their base (using full names) and the small town mentality. I couldn’t escape to the pit either but of the lack of intelligence up there as well.
By the time we made it to the hotel and had to wait an hour for our rooms, I had had it. I am not looking forward to the chaos which will be tomorrow.

sweet sixteen, only double the age

The evening prior poured into the night as I decided to pick up a serving shift. I shared a cab home with Betsy and made it to bed around 0230. While jotting out my day I planned to sleep in, as sleep is one of my favorite things these days. I think it is a sign I am getting old! I drank some tea jacked off my HKG flight and mossied about getting ready. Finally I descended downstairs to get my hair done. I figured my best bet would be to take the subway down to around 81st Street and then find a salon on Columbus or Amsterdam. Even though there are salons in my neighborhood, I wasn’t feeling up to experimenting. I walked north for seven blocks and didn’t see anything other than restaurants and bodegas. Finally I spotted a Cozy Cuts for Kids and popped in to see if they had a recommendation for an adult salon in the area. The gay boy asked me what I needed; I said just a blow out. “We do that here!” he said a little too excited. “Really, I am an adult (I pretended)”. So under the precedence of getting a good story out of this, I followed him back. Maria was the lady who helped me and who had to remove the boosters out of the shampoo chair before I could sit down and get my hair washed with grape shampoo. I followed her to her chair next to the jeep chair where she once again had to remove extra cushions. I am feeling like a real jackass at this point. So here I sit as she blow-dries my hair looking at all the toys and watching a two year old next to me in the jeep chair getting his hair cut. He is quite but you can tell he is totally not into it. When I go to pay they ask me the name of my child.
Thankfully it is a gorgeous spring day with no forecast for rain, just a bit of wind. I walk over to Broadway and have some lunch and then find a place for a manicure. I made it back home at 1601 and just missed picking up a trip. Instead I hopped in the shower and got ready. Then the pink, fabulous party dress was ready for me, I slipped it on and twirled around for a bit. My first stop was the Oak Bar at The Plaza so I jumped on the subway and after a couple wrong stop choices made my way to the bar. I sat up at the bar and took in the gorgeous room with all of its history and struck up a few conversations over my one cocktail. When I asked the way to the ladies room I was instructed to follow one of the ZZ Top boys downstairs.
Next stop was 21 Club, it’s that place on 52nd with all the little jockey statues outside. I have always wanted to go there and thought tonight would be ideal. They sat me next to a couple and we struck up a conversation after me having to explain why I was dining alone. David and Wendy were from Long Island and so sweet. They were out celebrating her birthday as well. I dined on mixed greens, delightful red snapper and treated myself to a soufflé with berries. I have never had a soufflé; it was good but tasted a little like corn bread to me. I was able to make a wish this year. Graciously the couple bought me dinner, it was so sweet and I hope to pay it forward some day.
The next stop was the Hudson Bar at the Hudson Hotel. I had been there a couple of times prior and since it was right around the corner, it seemed like a good spot to ask friends to meet up for a drink. I invited my NY girls, Beth, Carrie, and Lauren and much to my delight they all showed up and got along famously. My friend Paul from the couv also joined us later on.
We hit Tao next as it was close as well and stayed for one drink while chatting away. It was the nice mellow evening I had in mind. Good friends, great food, and fantastic cocktails.
After our exit, it was down to Lauren and I and we just had to give each other the look to know we were headed to Cafeteria. I asked for my friend Paul and sat in his section. We ordered the usual and made friends with the party next door who was also having a birthday. Paul then brought out deep friend Oreos and a candle. A wish for my arteries not to get clogged was in order but I repeated the previous wish just to make sure the universe got it.

HKG...to be cont..

Airport alert at 1345 is an odd thing for us reserves but I was just grateful that it wasn’t 0800. I got my routine salad at the Metro Café near Port Authority and came to the crew room in time to check in and have lunch. I was there for maybe 15 minutes when the phone rang for me and I was rushing off to gate 121, Hong Kong bound.

22 March 2009

lucky trip

I just got back to the cowloon side of Hong Kong and stopped by an internet cafe to assure Carol I was still alive. I was waiting for a computer to be assigned and secretly wished for my lucky number 23. They gave me computer 23 without me saying a word...totally trippy.

18 March 2009

st patty's day 09

Thank goodness for scheduling not using Lauren yesterday so I could have some one to pal around with. I finally chose my St Patty's day outfit and set off on the C. I arrived at her house to get greeting with an Irish coffee as she got ready. I told her about a party I was invited to on 5th Ave so we walked across the park to soak up the gorgeous spring day. The parade was still going strong after four hours so we stopped to check it out and then dashed across. The invite was given by my friend and fellow co-worker Jimmy Joe. He is not from the south as you might suspect, rather from Jersey. He told me his parents had a place on 67th and 5th and I should stop by for some Irish grub. We got to the corner to find four buildings. We walked up to the first and asked about a party and they said no. The next building informed up that Jimmy Joe did live there but was in South Carolina. Weird since I just saw him the night prior. So we went back to the parade and tried to call. The doorman came and got us a few minutes later and led us to the apartment. We walked in and found my friend Jimmy Joe, his girlfriend and his family. His mom, dad, uncles, grandma...the whole crew was there celebrating their hertiage. I was a bit shocked but fell right into it as they feed and watered us. Great corn beef and cabbage on rye.."How New York am I?" I asked. They sat around telling stories much to my delight and the girlfriends dismay. I love this kind of stuff. It was time to go when the uncle tried to recruit Lauren and I into being engineers and offered to take us to some underground tunnel next week.
Our next stop was Doc Watson's, an Irish pub on 2nd Ave. We worked our way in and ordered a couple of Guinness. It wasn't long before a heard of firemen made their way over and put there caps on our heads. We chatted and laughed and at 1815 I looked at my watch to note the time of my first feel up for the evening. What can I say, he bought me a Guinness!
The next stop was dinner at my favorite Thai place before heading to Brother jimmy's. All of my favorite bartenders were working so it goes without saying we got very drunk very cheap!
Grilled cheese at Gracie Meows finished our evening around midnight. All in all a great St Patty's Day here in Irish heaven to the left of the Atlantic!

cheese

"How was it?"
"It was fantastic!"
"Not the cheese! Vermont"
"Oh!" followed by minutes of hysterical laughing
"I need to get some good cheese!"
Followed by even more giggling.

15 March 2009

404

I miss my old apartment on the UES. The thought has occurred to me quite a bit lately, even to Carol as she mentioned that I should have stayed. I should have, I had everything set up, I knew how to function effectively in the neighborhood, I lived alone, and I had George. The trouble was the cost, the rent was more than I could handle alone and thus why my place and I had to part ways. I had no idea of this economic down turn that was to come or I might have been able to nogiciate a lower lease. I move to Brooklyn in a desprit panic to stay and survive in NYC. Three months later I moved here in a desprite move to survive my self. Here I am, wishing I was sitting in my black chair with my window open to my fire escape. The sounds filling my ears would be that of traffic on the East side. Sure it was louder, the sirens more frequent but it was the sounds of the city. This summer when I would stay with Chris I would beg him to open the window so I could hear it. He thought I was crazy. Here I hear the occassional horn honk and the cars passing by but there is something missing. I would trade this brand new elevator, door man bulding with laundry and a gym for a four story walk up any day. We learn only by living and we live for what we hope will happen. I am glad George is in a good home, she deserves the stability of a mom who is not jet setting all over the world. I miss her. As for me, I wonder if the pull towards real home would be as strong if I was back at 404.

14 March 2009

b & b

I am staying at my first ever Bed and Breakfast. I have been to some prior in my youth. My parents friends actually owned one on the corner of some busy road in Klamath and it was painted a salmon color. Hideous color but apparently effective as it sprung immediately back to my mind. I have also had dinner prior in a place in Jacksonville but didn’t stay the night.
In my mind B & B’s credit their origin to Vermont. I am not sure where I got this idea; it may go hand in hand with my thoughts of all Connecticut houses built on cul da sacs with Volvos parked in the drive way. Skewed misconception of the opposite coasts. Anyway this room, this house, this street, this town, this state…all off the charts!
Here’s how I wound up here on a blissful Saturday. Carol was raised as a Navy brat and moved to ten different states and visited majority of them during her youth. I think a couple of more may have been added on with our “family road trips” from younger years. Here’s how our 1300 miles in four days would go. Dad driving, Carol in the front seat, and me in the back probably asking tons of questions as the hours stretched on. My dad was a long haul trucker previous to retirement and a taxi driver in his younger years. For some reason he considered us, his family, a shipment that needed to get to the end point as soon as possible. There was no stopping to look at something along the way and we only made a few rest stops. I learned very fast to pee when you could because if it wasn’t around the time to get gas, you weren’t going. If something of interest, say the Redwoods were on the wrong side of the road then we couldn’t stop. Sadly I have become this driver. “No we are not stopping, you should have gone pee before we left.” Another road trip with my grandparents was destined for Crater Lake. A little back-story on this one. My grandma, total pain in the ass, back seat driver, yadda yadda. My dad told her finally to shut the hell up or he was turning the car around. And I’ll be damned if he didn’t turn around not more than five miles before getting there. The result of this is that I didn’t see this natural wonder of the world until I was 25. Shortly there after I cut myself out of the family road trips for fear of a kidney stone.
I think Carol got NY in when I moved there and then there were two standing in her way of completion, Hawaii and Vermont. Hawaii I can understand, it’s way the hell out there but Vermont? How did you not get that? It’s right next door to New Hampshire and New York! Well she checked off Hawaii in style last month and I thought it only fair to make her puzzle complete.
We flew in this morning, rented a car and set off to Ben and Jerry’s (my want) we hit some place which made apple cider donuts, then had lunch at the Trapp family lodge (yes those singing Austrians made there way over here), tried 20 different cheeses, and some Green Mountain coffee. After that we checked in to our cozy B & B and I convinced her to walk around town and then down to watch the sunset over the frozen Lake Champlain.
It’s been a long ass day and I am dying to go to sleep but the romance of this B & B is keeping me awake as I want to take it all in. What’s funny is that I am writing out in the hallway on a couch and every single guest has walked by and said hello. Good stuff up here, I highly recommend.


Jackass moment of the day
Carol and I sat down to enjoy a freshly made apple cider donut and a coffee. The tablecloth was made of vinyl checks reminiscent to a picnic table. Upon the table was a cloth checkerboard complete with red and black discs. A couple walked over to our table and gave us a tilt of the head. I motioned for them to join us and told the guy, “sit down and I can wonp your ass in checkers!” He didn’t respond so I just shrugged it off and returned to my donut. He and his partner ended up being deaf. I felt a little ashamed for not knowing but it makes sense of why he didn't he didn't take me up on my challenge!

02 March 2009

colder than a witch's tit

My dad used to have this among other random sayings and it seems to suit this day well. It's colder than a witch's tit here in NYC today. I knew the gorgeous spring days of Thursday and Friday seemed out of wack. Beth always manages to find the extreme days to use me to walk. The coldest day in five years, the hottest day of the year, a week of flooding, the highest wind gust. Yes, I have braved them all. Today the snow is piled eight inches and still coming down. This won't be bad except for the 30 mph gust which when they kick up, dresses me in snow. The two pups I am dog sitting are not thrilled with the prospect of being out there but don't realize they can't go in until they get their business done. They are not easy to reason with, these dogs.