life

As I approach my last day of dog walking and running the company, I am relieved to be just a flight attendant for the next six days but also sad that I only have one thing going on. I enjoy being super busy and even though my laundry hasn't been done in two weeks and I have three pairs of tennis shoes on the floor, going and going suites me. I purposely let go of plans this evening so I could clean my house and gain a bit of sanity back before the long weekend.

Last weekend was spent in Manchester with my good friend, Nate and a pretty good crew sans the pilot who needed to take a class in political correctness. I returned to meet with my dog colleagues and then was invited to the Subway Series. The exhaustion went away with the invite and our seats behind home plate were fantastic, if we would have won the game, it would have been even better! Monday was another full day of pooches followed by the Broadway show Altar Boyz, which was silly but the cast was wonderful.

Today the rain continued to pour more and more each hour. I was soaked on the train ride home reeking of dog smell and the pee from the one dog which I had to carry all the way to the park. I am sure the unlucky people who choose to sit with me where not happy. I myself was pretty miserable until I made it to the shower. My clothes are still drying.
It is a few pooches before I hand back the keys to Beth and make my way to Glasgow tomorrow. A nice hotel, one of my favorite positions, and an early return come Friday because tomorrow....yes tomorrow, ladies and gentleman is the beginning of FLEET WEEK!! I just watched that episode of SITC and I excited to meet up with some sailors come Friday evening!

A gentleman on the 6 train this morning said something which I had to write down because even though I haven't directly asked for a sign in my direction of life lately, he gave it to me.
He said,
"what you do for a living has nothing to do with life".

ten dogs: eight hours

Exactly eight hours from the time I left my house, I was walking down my block sandwich in hand. My feet started to ache to be freed from their supporting role. I have walked ten dogs in seven sessions only sitting to eat a crepe and check out a Woody Allen film set and then to grab a Klondike bar on my way to the yorkies. My appetite has increased with this minimum ten mile a day job to the fact I finished all of my Pad Thai last night which usually last me three meals. It's okay because I am feeling good, the sunshine has returned to NYC and I feel like I am getting things accomplished in a strange way. A downfall of my day was my phone dropping into the toilet during the hundredth pee of the day. I dried it quickly but was certainly glad to already have a replacement at home waiting. So now I have a new phone but no ones' phone numbers until tomorrow morning. It is kind of nice to be so discounted from the world...only briefly though.
Well, old lady here is off to my shower and then on to bed. These pooches are wearing me out!!! ; )

dogs, dogs, and more dogs

Putting last week behind me in both my mind and thoughts. I started the week fresh in Oslo. I don't give a shit if my supervisor doesn't like me and wants this whole UTC business to drag out for another week. I decided to just do my job and remember that I work for holidays. I decided to embrace the week in which I could put flying aside and just focus on NYC. I am taking over the dog walking biz for the week and am excited about the exercise, the fresh air, and the feeling I get when I am with the dogs.

Pooches Day One
I woke up to the rain and wind. It is May for chrissakes and only 42 degrees outside and I have to walk the dogs. So I layered up and headed off to Starbucks for a kickstart to the long day ahead.
The puggles were first and those two....patience is a virtue...
Then my favorite, Sophie the yellow lab
Lulu the Benji look a like and while I was at the park with her, a woman approached me and asked me if I wanted to be a hair model. Mind you, the rain is still pouring down, I hadn't taken a shower, and was wearing a baseball cap. I asked her if she was sure she wanted me. So after I dropped off the mut, I headed to the saloon. An hour later, I was looking fabulous, well my hair was at least. A free haircut and style.
In that hour, the rain stopped and remained away for the rest of the day.
Zeus was next followed by the yorkies and conversation with Orlando my coworker.
Back to the puggles as we are attempting to potty train them.
A slice of pie in between.
And finally a new client, Chloie who is an absolute doll and somewhat of a celeb at the dog park.

Pad Thai, a little Sex in the City, and some George time. That's my evening.

bfs...more like bs

There is no real flow to my past 36 hours so I have decided to itemize events instead.
1. Slept in til 1500
2. Headed off to look for a pager (due to UTC)
3. Got coffee (thank God for Starbucks)
4. Went to Circuit City (man, do I miss customer service)
5. Went to five other places asking about pagers
6. Headed into Verizon and ended up dropping off my phone for diagnostic check
7. While waiting on corner for light to change, a bird shit on my head
8. Got a napkin from a street vendor and ordered a lamb gyro
9. Purchased an air con unit from PC Richards (man, do I miss intelligence)
10. Ran home to shower and eat my gyro
11. Washed hair three times
12. Walked back to Verizon store with luggage
13. Almost had a panic attach with the slowness of getting my phone
14. Found out that it was a statewide Blackberry issue on Saturday
15. Made friends with the guy because he ended up being a flight attendant as well and is going to email my supervisor
16. Jumped on the 6
17. Transferred to the E
18. Bought the Post and New York magazine while waiting for the train
19. Changed for work
20. Checked in without being yelled at (still waiting)
21. Grabbed a protein smoothie
22. Waited for gate
23. Met crew (not impressed)
24. Met my galley guy, he asked me if I had even worked the position before
25. Gave him dirty look and knew it was going to be a long flight
26. I was right
27. Long taxi in which I solved all the USA Today puzzles (it’s only Tuesday don’t be too impressed)
28. Had General Wesley Clark on board
29. Figured out who he was
30. Ended up talking to the pilots because I didn’t like anyone else
31. Arrived in BFS
32. Almost got detained because our airhead purser didn’t bring a crew declaration form
33. Got searched
34. Finally in hotel room (a handicap one but cleaner than BFS usually is)
35. Went for a walk around the city
36. Bought some crisps and a recommended mag
37. Took nap
38. Met pilots and purser for beer
39. Benedicts-Guinness
40. Went into the Europa hotel to ask how many times they have been bombed
41. Crown Saloon-Guinness
42. Listened to princess tell us how she is saving money because her boyfriend pays for everything
43. Realized why guys hate women
44. Ditched the whiner
45. Went for another beer with the boys
46. Robinsons-Guinness
47. Bed

0320

It was exactly twelve hours after my alarm awoke me that I rushed into the apartment, threw my backpack on the bed, and hauled ass to the bathroom. A part of my punishment for my dis functional phone was a turn to Florida. First I am certainly grateful it was not to PBI or MCO, it was simply to RSW and I was back galley so I didn't really have to deal with anyone. The check in time for the trip, however was 0545...that's right, the time I usually rolling into bed is when the damn alarm was going off. Since it is Sunday, the trains don't run at the crack of dawn and I had to order a car service to the airport. I finally board the plane and realize I have no clue what to do on a domestic flight. Thankfully the fabulously gay load loved me and did most of my work for me. We sat in the back row after the twenty minute service and talked the whole flight. On the way home, a class mate of mine, Josh was the load. So we stayed and talked the whole time. Other than the tiredness of the whole day, it wasn't that bad. I did fall asleep on the train ride home and unfortunately missed a gorgeous day in the city due to my nap.

Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and I have absolutely nothing on my plate other than have a margarita or two...but not too many as I still have a headache from Friday night.

better to have UTC than a UTI

My pink coat is over the laundry basket and my dress and bra are in a pile nearby. My new blue shoes are close to the bed and would indicate they were the last to be removed. At 1000, I woke up wondering were the hell I was and thinking I might still be drunk.

I had a choice last night: stay home watching a movie and order Thai or get out in the city and have a good time. The weariness of my day voted for the former but I pepped talked myself into the later. I got dolled up and headed to my watering hole for a couple starter drinks and to get some food in my tummy. I sat in my usual corner watching games and watching the crowd. A few guys named, John of course, came up to talk to me about sports their three homes in the Hampton’s, blah, blah. They wanted to invite me to a Club Med reunion and I just laughed at the thought and told them I was going to go out dancing. As in standard form, Larry tried to get me drunk with free drinks and I finally decided it was time to go because the Yankee game had ended an hour ago and I thought it would be a brilliant idea to go to their hangout and see if they were there. The Underbar was a little more packed than usual but my investigation showed no signs of my crush or any of his teammates. So off to the MPD I went. Feeling confident in my ability to get in anywhere, I went over to Buddakon and got right in. I spent the next hour or so talking to another John about art and museums. I stumbled over to Tenjune to finally make it to the dance floor. Side note: Nichole I didn’t wait in line at any of these places! Next thing I know I am hand in hand with some French guy and we are heading up to the bar where I had already switched to water and then I heard a song I loved and back out to the dance floor. I am not sure when I decided it would be best to go home or if the club closed or what. I do remember being in the cab with the French guy and I remember walking through my door with him on the other side holding my panties. I always get an attack of morality as given by the contents of my purse, it was everything I had taken with me, lip-gloss, wallet (a little lighter from the cocktails and cab rides), a pen, a comb, and of course of NYC condom. I did have an addition of some environmental sticker, good to know that I was being green even when I was drunk.

I finally rolled out of bed at 1500 to discover I had a UTC from work, which is odd because the phone never rang or showed missed calls. I had six voicemails from scheduling that came in all at once. It was very odd but I certainly didn’t feel like working so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I headed out the door with a mission of KFC to find an envelope on the call box that said “FAO the flight attendant of Continental Airline”. I opened it to find a business card and a note from the French man.

sleep

Back in ol' London and not by choice mind you. I was assigned this trip last night and breathed a sigh of relief to be working in first class. I had it in my head to venture out but couldn't seem to drag myself out of bed. The motivation was there when I packed but the rain seemed to keep me inside. Needless to say I didn't venture out of the hotel room until nine this evening and the only thing I could find to eat is BK. Let me formally not endorse eating here, as the Brits managed to take all the flavor out of a chain restuarant as well.
I seem to be in a funk lately, not wanting to do anything but sleep. I would consider it a mild depression although it is spring time. So I suppose this layover suits me at the moment with all the oppurtunity in the world to stay in bed.
I am waiting for something great to happen, I don't know what but I need something incrediable in my life soon. Here is hoping!

diablo

The smell of lilacs fill the air. The warm breezes caress my skin. The sounds of multiple languages in awe of the iconic monument fill my ears. After a two hour walk around Paris, I paused to enjoy a from age crepe while the sun set behind my and the Eiffel tower stood in front of me preparing for the evening. To think, I had to drag myself out of bed to enjoy these moments.

The journey over was not a pleasant one as I was assigned to work in the back with one of the most awful flight attendants I have ever encountered. She yelled at me and rolled her eyes, asked me if I was domestic which I about slapped her for that one. Horrible, horrible woman who not only fought with me but with passengers and with another crewmember. She was named Diablo at the end. I told her that I preferred a cart to pick up service items with and she grunted and told me that she was going to pick up instead. I told her to knock herself the fuck out, and then I throw in the towel on working. I am keeping her name on my board as a do not fly with.

Paris is lovely but the flights, let me tell ya, not always worth it.

paris

The smell of lilacs fill the air. The warm breezes caresses my skin. The sounds of multiple languages in awe of the iconic monument fills my ears. After an two hour walk around Paris, I paused to enjoy a fromage crepe while the sun set behind my and the Eiffel Tower in front.

a box of triscuts

My days off were in line to go to Dubai to visit this new wonderment of the world as well as my friend, Turiya. I awoke at 0630 because the flight the night before was full and proceeded to JFK. An hour or so on the subway took me to the air train and then to terminal 4. I checked in for the flight which mysteriously oversold in the wee hours of the night and was told to come back at 1030 for the verdict. I didn't get on. So there I stood in one of the largest airports in the world pondering where my rollerboard filled with summer clothes and I should go. From terminal 4 to terminal 1 to terminal 3 then terminal 6, I searched out a sunny destination which was boarding soon and not flying to Florida. No luck. I went back to the subway with a couple of blisters from my fabulous heels and stopped to find out if the flight to PDX was open. An hour and forty minutes later, I was at my home airport, my own turf and awaiting my flight home. I ran into a friend who got me into the exec lounge and had a few cocktails prior to my flight. A first class seat inabled my rest on the quick flight into Oregon.
I was able to "spread the love" on this visit by staying with different friends each night. Some may call me a nomad with my suitcase in tow, I just call it the usual routine. The first night I stayed at Hotel Duffin, the next was spent at fireman and yoders residence, the third on an air mattress at Mr May's and the fourth at Porter's home. Tonight I return to the pearl to have an easy access to the aiport which is almost impossible to get a ride to.
It has been a fantastic visit, although not planned it has been well received by my soul. I saw a lot of my friends, the piece of the puzzle missing from NYC, and in the spreading of love took my box of crackers (a pressie for Turiya) on a tour of a couple airports and a lot of homes.

pope walk

I am heading home on this glorious spring day, airtrain to train, train to the E, the E to the 6, and then walk home. This is my routine which usually takes an hour and half. Well, the damn E train is held for some damn reason so after sitting there for 10 minutes, I connected to the B one stop and then swapped to the F. I ended up on 63rd and Lex, which for some reason I thought my run into the train I needed but no. Up three flights of stairs to street level, I decided to embrace the day and just huff it home. Along the way there were tons of NYPD and road closures. It was while I was on 66th, I realized the Pope was hanging out in the neighborhood. I ended up getting the low down from the officer who stopped me to take a pic of my "Oregon Girls Rock" t-shirt or maybe just my boobs, and he told me the main man of the Catholic world was finishing up at the UN and then headed this way. I decided to make my way home instead of standing around waiting to get run over by the Pope-mobile.

practice italian under the buddha

I somehow managed to have a whole day to myself, no visitors, no flying, and no dog walking. I didn't know even what the hell I should do with myself until I remembered I needed to finish my envelope day of me. It was a gift from my mom for my birthday with little journeys such as getting coffee, flowers. mani/pedi, etc. So I set off to pamper myself. The phone of course rang while I was getting a manicure for a couple emergency walks so I hopped down south and took care of them then returned to my me day. I came home, got dolled up, and headed to the Hudson Hotel for a cocktail. Two champanges and people watching later, I headed to Tao` for some sushi. I ordered at the bar as it is impossible to get a table without a week's reservation, and the guy next to me started chit-chatting away. The next thing I knew, I was at there table under the Buddha have cocktails with a bunch of watch manufactures or something. I didn't really get what was going on but the rest of my dinner and dessert was free and I got to practice some Italian because my would-be suitor was from Florence!!
p.s. not hot and nothing came of the evening except a story

nothing but two feet and a metro card

I sold my car Tuesday, my baby, the first car I bought brand new. I hadn't driven it in months and while driving it back to the city with Carol in the passenger seat, I experienced the usual road rage. I don't even like driving but there was something about giving the keys to the buyer permently which made me sad.

Carol is in town for the week, actually she just let the island to try and catch a flight home. We have had a nice time and I have been spoiled shitless with nice dinners and the usual mom kindness.

4-12

Trip 4 Day 12
Well I will have to say that my body has finally thrown in the towel and is used to only spending every third night its own bed. I am wrapping up my marathon of flying here in ol' GLA, one of my favorite hotels and favorite little countries. I say that I deserve a nice trip after the crap of the last three. The only spoiler on this trip is the crazy "new people don't know anything" pusrser with large hair. What's funny about her is that she doesn't know anything about the plane we are on, and opps...if you hadn't been such a bitch, I would lend you a hand. Instead I just pretend to be as dumb as she thinks I am. Her aside, the crowd I had up in first class was so much fun, it's nice to have a good group. Majority of them were traveling together and were diplomats of Scotland. I even got a pin from them and my photo taken with everyone. There was one lady (not with the group) that showed me her briefcase upon boarding and told me to kill anyone that came near it as it was valuable manuscript. Ok lady! What was odd is that she was personally escorted off the plane once we arrived. I didn't recognize her name so either she was the transporter or penned under another name.

Carol arrives today to enjoy my upcoming time off. Little does she know that she is signed up for walking pooches both days! Should be good fun as I am taking her downtown to check out Wall Street, etc. And then she will stay and go with me on my next journey.

strange

I have a friend who is a flight attendant and she hates it.
Oh, yeah?
Don't you hate sitting in a strange pub in a strange city talking to a stranger?
"Not at all, you just described why I love this job."

it just gets better and better

So here I am in BRS, hoping to visit the city of Bath as found in my 501 must visit locations book, yet I sit here in my room. I got over the fact that my day off had been taken away and that I had to not only dog walk but work a flight. I missed the initial call from scheduling at 0830 even though the phone was right near my head. I got up at 0930 and began my day. On my way to walking the pooches, I found the highlight of the last 48 hours, a place that only serves Mac and Cheese. Yes, I sat down and carb'd up to walk them dogs and climb the two five story and one three story walk ups. Beth called my day, the buns of steel day.
I made it to the airport with the practice of yoga breathing through rush hour and people shoving and hitting my roller board. I boarded the plane an began to work, luckily I am first class galley so I was very happy in my position and my aisle gal is great as well. Fast forward six hours and we are beginning our descent. But oh, no what's that...we are being diverted to BHX because of fog. I won't drag you through the four hours we sat on the ground not knowing anything with a plane full of people we couldn't let off. The weariness of being up for 24 hours was too much for me so I yelled at each crew member and told them I wasn't doing a damn thing. Finally we took off and unfortunately our jump seats were facing the customers so for an hour, it was everything I had in my to keep my eyes open. Six hours past the time we were supposed to be at the hotel, we arrived and I have been in bed ever since.

movies...uhm..no

So what happens when I get only an hour of sleep the night before working a nine hour flight? It takes three cups of coffee to wake up and to function properly, well that didn't happen all day. While we were waiting for the aircraft, I was informed that the inflight entertainment was on the fritz. I thought I had the magic touch but found out after we took off that I didn't have any touch at all. So picture an eight hour flight with nothing to entertain anyone, in the middle of the day. Adults turned into children with their wining and content asking of "how much longer?", "where are we?". And every time I, or another crew member passed by 8C she had some dumb question for us. "I have 40 minutes to connect to Boston"...I told her good luck with that knowing full well she won't make it. "Can you ring my husband?" How would you like me to do that ma'am. "Don't you have phones in the cockpit?" I just walked away at this point. "Can you save the pull tabs from the soda cans?" This one didn't get asked to me, because I would have told her where she could shove those. The saving grace of the flight were the two rows of hotties. The other people, well let's just say if I need to evacuate the plane, I would save the row of hotties first.

To top off my trip, I was met by the lady with the clipboard instructing me to go the clinic for a drug test. An hour later after blowing in a tube and peeing in a cup (hard thing to do on demand), I called to block in and was given the news that my break started right now and I would be working again tomorrow.

travel guides

I have been mighty homesick lately, I am not sure if it comes from the sudden quiet that is around me or just that I haven’t been home in a while. There is usually only one day a week that I feel ache of Oregon but this week I have felt it many more times. It took me forever to get home from my last trip and when I did, I collapsed on my bed after my shower to wake up fourteen hours later. The rain dripped on my windows as I checked my schedule to find I had airport alert for the evening. I had anticipated working because of a gut feeling and on the way to the airport; I got a call for LGW. I will admit that I have become a bit spoiled lately with really great trips and need to keep in mind that I have to pay my dues every once and a while. I was glad to have my favorite position but traded a girl who didn’t want to be the purser.
So here I am in the oh-so-familiar hotel room at the airport. I am grateful that I brought with me, my favorite birthday gift…Rosetta Stone Italiano! I have been practicing a way. And even recited “la donna magino” as I ate my soup for dinner and lei beve as I sipped my latte.
The only thing that has relieved my homesickness on this trip was looking at travel guides at the bookstore. The places which still await me keep me going strong.

cgn

There is just something about Germany. The people look good, the hotels are a step forward in anticipating needs and everything is very well designed. I would have to give props and say that about the whole country that I have seen thus far. I mean they drive Mercedes as taxis here for Christ sakes!
I have spent my afternoon walking about the city which hugs the Rhein River, the gorgeous city of Cologne. I was awaken by the familiar sound of John Denver and upon answering I was asked if I would like to go to Oslo, London, Dublin, or Cologne. I politely asked for Cologne since I had never been and am very pleased with my choice. I worked first class galley and am also flying with a classmate. He hasn’t changed much since training as he was already trying to be the purser’s pet. Nice guy, good heart, speaks German and is taking me around in about 20.
While walking around the cobblestone streets this afternoon amongst the hordes of both tourist and locals shopping, it occurred to me that I don’t relate as much to the German side of me. I am officially: 3/8 German, 3/8 Irish, 1/8 Welsh, and 1/8 Norwegian. I seem to think of myself more as an Irish gal and seem more at home while there. I can’t speak much of Wales since I have never been but I did have a Welsh teacher in jr high, Mr. Preston whom I didn’t relate that much to either. Loved him but didn’t see myself as a distant cousin or anything. Germans seem (on the outside) clean cut; abide by the rules, efficient people. As I was approaching the crosswalk to continue shopping, I joined the group of people and felt compelled to wait with the mass for the light to turn green even though there was not a car in sight. I wondered what the hell these people were waiting for; let’s get the hell to the other side. But maybe it’s their patience that lays the foundation for the peaceful atmosphere that I so love when I travel to Germany.
I just realized that if you dump Wales into the UK slot with London, I was asked to choose between all my heritages as trips. How weird is that? I choose Germany, maybe I do feel connected…

thirty-one

The times were just as I anticipated with Rob...good friends hanging out in our high school mentality. The conversation topics are a bit more adult these days and we have our minds made up about more that a couple of things, but the beer drinking and silliness still remains.
I popped into to his quaint hotel down the road and we began our journey with a stop at Jack Russell's Pub because we liked the way it looked. After three Guinness (or Guinni as we dubbed them) we headed to my watering hole to eat some ribs. I was greeted by the normal Monday night crowd and had a silly good time taking photos and having beer chugging and burping contest. I only won the latter. Frambroise and Milano cookies replaced champagne and strawberries as we toasted to the change of the calander day. I passed out a few minutes later.
25 MAR
The sunshine made a glorious appearances and warmed the city all day long. I wore my favorite things and headed back to his hotel with my birthday Starbucks and my ipod. When he asked what I wanted to do for the big day, I just had the simple answer: a picnic in Central Park please. So that is what we did. I brought a bottle of Spanish wine for me Belgian beers for him and the rest of our feast was fresh from the deli. We must have laid out for three hours just talking and enjoying the sun. I could not have asked for more.
The West Village was calling us down to Chumleys' (which was closed) so we ducked our heads into the White Horse Tavern, another NYC institute and continued our buzz from the park. Dinner was by suggestion at Jane Tavern and was ever so delightful. A quick change of clothes and a little dolling up on my part proceeded our trip under the East River to Brooklyn. We met up with his sister and her beau to continue in our fun of the day. The bartender gave us fake mustaches so we spent a good half an hour giggling and taking goofy pics.
A long ride home was capped off with yet another beer and a slice from the hospitable Mexicans running a late night pizza shop.