why int'l airfare should not go below $300

Walking down the aisle at the very end of an exhausting leg to Dublin. I am stopped by a call light three rows ahead of me. I approach the seat with an exhausted look as if I was not going to walk by anyway, "yes?"
"I have a question about this paper."
"Your landing document?"
"Hmm, it says nationality and uhm, what does that mean?"
Blank look, I am trying to collect my thoughts of why she is such an idiot.
"Do they want to know my background?"
"What?!" "Well, ma'am let me ask you this...were you born in the United States?"
"Hmm, yeah"
"Do you have an American passport"
"Yeah"
"Do you have dual citizenship with any other country"
"Don't think so"
"Have you renounced your citizenship to an embassy or consulate of the United States of America?"
Completely lost look.
I clapped my hands like I was talking to a 3 year old and said, "Guess what? You're an American!!!"

time passing

the lack of writing is not the lack of thought,

sadly, it is the lack of time

sent to me during a previous struggle to stay

I am a New Yorker
I do not live in the five boroughs or on the Island or Upstate
I may live hundreds or thousands of miles away
Or I may live just over the GW Bridge
But I am a New Yorker

I am a New Yorker
Whatever took me out of New York:
Business, family or hating the cold
did not take New York out of me.
My accent may have faded and my pace may have slowed
But I am a New Yorker



I am a New Yorker
I was raised on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Rockefeller Plaza,
The Yankees or the Mets (Giants or Dodgers)
Jones Beach, Rye Beach, Orchard Beach or one of the beaches on the sound
I know that 'THE END' means Montauk.
Because I am a New Yorker



I am a New Yorker
When I go on vacation, I never look up
Skyscrapers are something I take for granted
The Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are part of me
Taxis and noise and subways and 'get outa heah' don't rattle me
Because I am a New Yorker


I am a New Yorker
I was raised on cultural diversity before it was politically correct
I eat Greek food and Italian food,
Jewish and Middle Eastern food and Chinese food
Because they are all American food to me.
I don't get mad when people speak other languages in my presence
Because my relatives got to this country via Ellis Island and chose to stay

They were New Yorkers



People who have never been to New York have misunderstood me
My friends and family work in the industries, professions and businesses that benefit all Americans
My firefighters died trying to save New Yorkers and non-New Yorkers
They died trying to save Americans and non-American cans
Because they were New Yorkers.

I am a New Yorker
I feel the pain of my fellow New Yorkers
I mourn the loss of my beautiful city
I feel and dread that New York will never be the same But then I remember:
I am a New Yorker



And New Yorkers have:
Tenacity, strength and courage way above the norm
Compassion and caring for our fellow citizens
Love and pride in our city, in our state, in our country
Intelligence, experience and education par excellence
Ability, dedication and energy above and be yond
Faith--no matter what religion we practice
Terrorists hit America in its heart
But America's heart still beats strong
Demolish the steel in our buildings,
but it doesn't touch the steel in our souls
Hit us in the pocketbook;
but we'll parlay what we have left into a fortune
End innocent lives leaving widows and orphans,
but we'll take care of them
Because they are New Yorkers


Wherever we live, whatever we do, whoever we are
There are New Yorkers in every state and every city of this nation
We will not abandon our city
We will not abandon our brothers and sisters
We will not abandon the beauty,
creativity and diversity that New York represents
Because we are New Yorkers
And we are proud to be New Yorkers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Only those that grew up or lived in NYC can understand the meaning of this:

THERE IS NO NORTH AND SOUTH. IT'S 'UPTOWN' OR 'DOWNTOWN.' IF YOU'RE REALLY F ROM NEW YORK , YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONCEPT OF WHERE NORTH AND SOUTH ARE...AND EAST OR WEST IS 'CROSS-TOWN.'

YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE AN EGG CREAM.

YOU RIDE IN A SUBWAY CAR WITH NO AIR CONDITIONING JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE.

YOU KNOW WHAT A 'REGULAR' COFFEE IS.

YOU MOVE 3,000 MILES AWAY, SPEND 10 YEARS LEARNING THE LOCAL LANGUAGE AND PEOPLE STILL KNOW YOU'RE FROM BROOKLYN, LONG ISLAND, Staten Island (the other "Island)" OR "THE BRONX", THE MINUTE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH.

YOU RETURN AFTER 10 YEARS AND THE FIRST FOODS YOU WANT ARE A 'REAL' PIZZA AND A 'REAL' BAGEL.

A 500 SQUARE FOOT APARTMENT IS LARGE.


YOU WOULDN'T BOTHER ORDERING PIZZA IN ANY OTHER CITY.

YOU'RE NOT THE LEAST BIT INTERESTED IN GOING TO TIMES SQUARE ON NEW YEAR'S EVE.

YOUR INTERNAL CLOCK IS PERMANENTLY SET TO KNOW WHEN ALTERNATE SIDE OF THE STREET PARKING REGULATIONS IS IN EFFECT.

YOU KNOW WHAT A BODEGA IS.

SOMEONE BUMPS INTO YOU AND YOU CHECK FOR YOUR WALLET.

YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE THE LADY WALKING DOWN THE ROAD HAVING A PERFECTLY NORMAL CONVERSATION WITH HERSELF.

YOU PAY 'ONLY' $230 A MONTH TO PARK YOUR CAR.

YOU CRINGE A T HEARING PEOPLE PRONOUNCE HOUSTON ST. LIKE THE CITY IN TEXAS .

THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT IS A MAJOR TRAFFIC JAM, NOT AN HONOR.

THAT'S NEW YORK , BABY! YA GOTTA LOVE IT

that's my day...

Friday night knowing I had to work a serving shift the next day entailed me taking it easy at home. I hate working when I am tired or hungover. I was in my room hanging out when I had to go to the bathroom. I crossed paths with my roommate who asked what I was doing that evening. I made something up quickly as I glanced and saw a large piece of meat on the stove. He proceeded to tell me about this girl who was coming over. I told him I would be more than happy to get out of his way for a bit. So I got dressed and headed to my old watering hole, now a subway, cross town bus, and 14 blocks away, for a cold one.
I came home around 0100 to find a girl on the couch. She introduced herself as Jenny and told me that Jase had gone to pick up her friend from the corner. I wanted no part of any of this and I washed my face and went to bed. I awoke an hour later to voices outside my bedroom door and then again at 0600 to another conversation. I heard a girl leave and fell back to sleep until 1000. When I left the house at 1100, there was still a girls purse there. How is he having three-somes when I can't even get a date?

My day at work started with a bum harassing me to the point of yelling at him on the A then waiting on the 58th street platform for the D and then walking through Bryant Park for the 7 and then walking 11 blocks in the rain. All while feeling like I was going to toss my cookies. I arrive at work and it was dead. Then I got an 11 top with a bitch of all bitch demanding things before I could even start them. Then other cool table that stayed forever. The guy asked me out and it was kind of creepy because when I told him I was seeing someone, he asked if I was sure. Sure about what? When I went to pick up the check after they left, I found they had left me the wrong credit card copy and I was out a tip. A three top was next and they were super nice. Then came the table from hell. It just won't stop and the kids meals were comped, this was wrong, that was wrong, we want this, what about this, yadda, yadda. I added gratuity because I knew they would chip me otherwise and after running up and down the stair five hundred times, having my manager fix the check for fuck-ups and "I didn't like this". I was left with a $16 tip which I added on. To side note this whole debacle, this old lady and her dog were a part of the group. Picture the old warped lady from Something About Mary. This loony bin was feeding her dog, the one who looked like a yarned rug with two eyes, bits of something and then some ice cream. Table from hell!!!!! The next two tables were awesome and the fact that one found a piece of plastic in his rib was not my fault. The last table had 2 ice creams and a cake for a birthday and on my way to serve then, some bitch bumped me and broke the plate and spilled the ice cream everywhere. I would walk up to the managers and they would start laughing. Now what?

Really? Did all of this really happen to one person in one day?

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should i stay or should i go now?

The question is this: Stay or go?
The winter has been very long, the grey skies and unknowingness of today or tomorrow made the decision to return to Oregon an easy one. But now spring is around the corner, flights are back, serving shifts and dog walking have all resumed to normal. I walk around the park or the city daily, the pounds are coming off, and well, there is a sense of renewel. I was walking through Central Park today taking photographs and thinking. Do I want to throw in the towel? How can I make this work while living in Portland? Should I stay because I am fortunate to have three jobs while I hear about other being laid off right and left. The questions always boil down to money, why does it control our life so? I am looking for signs to what I should do. I keep seeing dogs everywhere. The big thing that I don't want to happen is to leave and regret "giving up". But at the end of the day, I sit here alone even though I have NYC right here, outside the door, I sit here.
I know I am going to be ok when I move home. Friends are the key and to have a home, an organized home is what my heart and mind need. I know what I need to do, I know where my heart lies. Just need to end this affair with New York soon and return.

hkg trip 2

The flakiness of crews just kills me. I was excited to hang out with someone this time in Hong Kong not only because I would have someone obligated to take my photo but it's also nice to pal around with people. I had many misconnections and only ended up going to breakfast and dinner with the speakers.
I didn't leave the Kowloon side this time and just wandered around on the metro. I went up to a temple and walked around prior to having my palm read. The ancient Chinese lady told me in her best English the following:
I am a very strong lady
I am very lucky
My luck will run out when I am 38
I will bring my future husband very good luck
I need to stop giving 110% to my career and save 40% for love
I need to let love into my life
Stop worrying about what people say about me ("sweet talk" she called it)
Over and over again she told me I was very strong lady, I felt like I was in therapy
It always amazes me the consistancy in getting my palm read or my future told because they always seem to nail it on the head.
There was a time in Paris (my first trip) where Turiya and I had gone into an Aussie pub after a day of shopping. There was a guy a couple of bar stools away who was messign with a deck of cards. They appeared to be tarrot cards after closer inspection. The barternder finally went up to the man and asked what was up. He proceeded to read her future and she ran off all freaked out. I told him I would bite.
He asked me if I was right or left handed and then he asked me what my question was. I asked him if my life would continue to be good.
After many cards turned over he told me these things:
I would buy a house
Co-workers would turn against me
And that I have a good heart and it will be challanged
After the reading, I thanked him and walked back to my beer. He touched my hand and told me to ask the question I really wanted answered. I was shocked but I asked him, will I find love soon. The answer was no.
All of these things happened in the following year and it wasn't until I was reflecting that I thought about him and his words in the middle of Paris.

on the plane across the north pole

I write for the first time ever while working on the plane. The window of door 1L is open to keep my mind fooled into it still being daytime. The sun reflecting from the glaciers below and the fact my watch stopped a week ago seem to have the upper hand. I glance in amazement to the frozen earth below. There are cracks that seem like silvers in ice cubes but really from 35,000 feet above, I imagine the glaciers are gigantic.
I was on my way to LHR will little enthusiasm except for working first class aisle and getting some pages in my passport. The rest was the same old, same old story. I even purposely decided not to take my nice camera, as I didn’t even want to photography London that is how much I am not a fan. I got to work early, checked in and ate my usual salad. I was standing in line at the duty desk to purchase a bottle of water at the same time there was a panic about a flight. I heard something pulling people from LHR; I raised my hand enthusiastically even though I had no clue where I was to be sent. Anything is better than London. “Do you have a Chinese visa?” Yes. “Ok you are going to Hong Kong.”
So off I went to gate 90 with 3 other people. The flight was going to be longer than a required duty day and some of the crew wanted off. Fine by me, I’ll take another trip to HKG. This time I will see it without a hangover. I am going to go shopping this time and check out Kowloon.
As for the flight, sadly I am the only one who knows what is going on the first class department. The ISM, god bless her is nice but doesn’t know what her role is. The galley lady even though she had two extra hours on the ground (mechanical) still is not prepped and the other aisle guy, first time on an international flight, the 777, and in first class. God help us, rather (me)! The other crewmembers came up to help and they were all with him and let me be. What else? Oh, and some how on the 2nd most senior flight we have in the system, I managed to get a choice of crew breaks. I choose the coveted second break. Since we have to stay close to airports due to the mechanical issue, our flight is now 16.5 hours but our rest time is 5 hours. Looking forward to my nap because sitting up here in this galley all alone is boring. I brushed my teeth so I would cease with the snacking and there is still an hour and forty-five until the first crew gets up.
I think I realized why I haven’t written on the plane prior, other than the idea of lack of time. This shit is boring. End of the day, I am in recycled air talking to a bunch of people I would normally never hang out with, eating crap just because it is there, and wondering if this the so called glamorous life.

one of those...

...days.
My Friday isn't complicated, it only holds the obligation of three dog walks. The rest is stuff I would like to get done.
I was awoken around 0145 by my roommate yelling at the dogs and then singning to them. I think (hope) he was drunk by who knows. I got up to go the bathroom and gave him the evil eye. Luckily I was able to go back to sleep and I set the alarm for 1100 just in case. Turns out I needed it. I woke up and had to pee like a mother and he was in the bathroom. Damn it!
A quick shower and some cleaning of the room preceded my jont to the post office. I looked outside at the drizzle and thought I could brave it. The post office was the usually joke so I cut my losses and drug the package and some chips downtown. Well the rain started dumping at this point. I sat with my wet everything on the subway for the 30 minute journey and then walked the half mile to meet Beth and get the keys. I purchased an umbrella at the Gap, which took forever, to help shield me from the monsoon.
The first dog was easy but just wanted to stay on one block so we walked up and down. I headed to the next post office and with more time on my hands actually enjoyed the amusement that was idiots sending packages. The puggs were next and someone was at the house which always throws me off. I took dwidle dee and dwidle dumb out to the park.
I stopped to grab some water and an apple and found that I only had $3 dollars which doesn't buy both her in NYC so I got flustered and only bought the apple. Then I went into DR and bought water on my debit card. It wasn't until I was a block away I figured out I didn't have my umbrella. I went back to both places and of course, it wasn't there.
Now I have an hour to kill until my next walk and I have a dime to my name and came down to print out my taxes. All I want to do is go home and curl up in bed.
And now I just got invited to the Yankees season opener and can I make it? Don't think so because I have this dog to walk, I look like hell, and oh yeah I live a billion blocks away from here and from Yankee stadium.
WTH?




note from writer: got someone to cover the last pooch.....made it to the game right in time for the SPB and first pitch!

dca

coming soon, not in the mood right now...


DC was fantastic!! Love the city and was so blessed to be there during the cherry blossom festival. The 97th annual festival to be more specific. I flew down first thing in the morning and set off to see the sights. I started with the Lincoln Memorial and went onto the Korean and WWII Memorials. Each were very emotional as my dad fought in both wars. I was disappointed to find that names of the WWII vets were only computerized, I had an image of them carved into a wall. While I was walking from one war memorial to the next, a group of WWII men were making there way to the memorial, it was too much to think about and I begged the information desk for tissues. Aside from that the memorial is gorgeous. The next stop was the Washington Monument and then onto the Cherry Blossoms. There are 2000 trees around the Tidal Basin, it feels like I photographed 1/4 of them! There was a place to rent paddle boats so my backpack and I did so. Not too much fun alone, going around in circles. I continued with traditional Japanese lunch served by large black women.
My camera battery called it quits before I did so I had to stop and recharge my batteries, literally and figuratively at the nearest Starbucks.
On to the White House back and front, along with Lafayette Park. I walked and walked some more into town and found the damn Hard Rock Cafe for Minda and got her shot glass. I also saw the Ford theatre as well as the house in which Lincoln died across the street. Did they drag him over there or what?
Finally it was time to get on the train out to Springfield. Mama Maeyer came and picked me up and took me back to their house in Virgina. It was so nice to be in a real home. Dinner was fantastic as well as chit chatting with the family. I had my own room and bathroom and went to bed completely exhausted around 2200. I woke up in the middle of the night coughing and remembered I saw cough syrup in the medicine cabinet. I think it is just habit to open one up if it's there in front of you. So I went to the bathroom and then opened it up. I didn't want to turn on the light because it messes with your sleep pattern but after spilling half the bottle on the floor, I was forced to turn on the light and clean it up. Red NyQuil everywhere, great house guest I am!
In the morning I was fed french toast with bacon and fresh berries. I told Mama Maeyer I was just going to stay and live with them! She dropped me off at the "Kiss and Park" and I was on my way back to DC. My first stop was the Arlington cemetery where I watched the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown solider. It was heartbreaking to see all the headstones of people who died in wars. It was interesting however to read some of the large ones. Some mucky-mucks have places for there first and second wives. Back on the train down to the museums, I walked and walked stopping in a few, wandering through the sculpture park and eating a hot dog. I finally made it to the air and space museum where I spent hours looking at air stuff and stewardess rooms. After that I made it to the capitol and then onto lunch. I treated myself to a gorgeous salad at the Chophouse as well as Cherry Blossom beer (so good). After that a red velvet cupcake and back to the airport.
Awesome trip!!