playing catch up

My lack of blogging isn't due to the lack of stories, adventures, or want; it is due to the lack of time that has suddenly taken over my life. Finally at 0200 in Zurich, I am able to catch up without the phone ringing, without roommates asking me questions, without having to work, and without having to deal with anything other than my own thoughts. A Perrier, cup of soup, and peppermint tea beside me, allow me to fill you in on my adventures this month.

LGW

Eight hours strolling around London allowed me to see the tourist places of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abby, and several other buildings that seemed to be of historic relevance. I asked for directions to the Farris wheel I could see from St. James Park. I was quickly corrected after a giggle from a guard to its name of the London Eye. Even though I had no sleep, I continued on, map in hand to check out this great city. The sure fire way of getting to know a culture is to take a stroll through a supermarket or the post office. My journey to get stamps for the mandatory postcard to my mum provided the entertainment of the afternoon as a man defined the word postal as he screamed at the counter about something. The second entertainment came in the form of a guy at the DOT. I stopped in for directions to a non-touristy place to get some fish and chips. He in turn takes his lunch and not only walks me there, orders for me, places me at a table with another guy, takes off to get cash, returns, and buys my lunch. It was a bizarre situation, but hell, I will take free lunch any day!
This was my first trip to work our first class aisle, and I will promptly claim this as my favorite position to work. Second trip and I am already spoiled.

CDG

I was on call, but only for one day. Dragging my feet a bit on going to look at some places in the city by myself, I got a late start and something told me to stay close to home. Thirty minutes later the phone rang and they told me they were rolling my days off and sending me to Paris. I actually let out a little scream to the scheduler on how happy I was. Her response was she was sorry to use me but not many domestic reserves hold their French visas, to which I told her, I was one of those dorky domestic reserves that did. My crew was fantastic and we had so much fun together on the flights and the layover. I found out my friend, Justin was on the early Paris flight and I was instructed to find his room when I landed. The bus drive to the city was long but gorgeous as we drove by the classic sights of the city of lights. We got out of the bus and I heard my name..."did I hear that right?...I am in Paris with a French name...where is that coming from?" I look up and my friend is frantically waving out the window of the ninth floor. We spent the day walking around, climbing the Eiffel Tower, eating ice cream, and taking it all in. Drinks in the lobby with the pilots proceeded dinner with the crew followed by smoking the hookah pipe at a local bar. Hands down my favorite layover yet.

Pounding the Manhattan pavement once more looking for the perfect place. We found one and started the process of applying. That called for a drink after some dolling up at Bergdorf’s. We made calls to find out which one of our guys we could meet up with. Tom (Christina's sugar daddy) was the first to respond. We met him at the St. Regis for cocktails and then proceeded to Sparks for dinner. This was the day of the steam explosion in the city which sent thoughts of terroism to every ones mind. It was a little scary to see helicopters, streets closed, and people running around without an answer as to what happened. Dinner was amazing and the ratio of guys to girls was around 30:1. This place knew our date very well and we were seated immediately. A view of the Yankee game, tons of men, a nice glass of Pinot, and a fabulous steak...this is what I call living!! We were getting up to leave when our waiter told us that a Yankee pitcher (on the DL) was asking who we were but because of who we were with, the waiter didn’t want to say anything. We will return to Sparks for sure!! Our next stop was to pick up some Duke of something to take him to the strip club we decided to check out. It was a pretty classy joint as far as strip clubs go, but man did those girls smell money. Our evening didn't end until 0530; I went on call at 0500.

CDG

On call once more and I was assigned SNN. An hour later the phone rang again..."I promise I am up", it was the scheduler who was in a bind and wanted to know if she could switch my flight. I told her my mom was coming on the third day of the trip and the soonest she could get me back, the better. I had a choice of GVA, BRU, or CDG. I took the earliest arrival, which ended up being Paris. I proceeded to sleep the whole time, thank goodness, I was just there.

DUB

This was not a working trip; this was holiday with my mum. She arrived in NY as I was over the Atlantic. I had Britney go and pick her up from the airport and unfortunately talk Carol's ear off, as she tends to do. I made it home around 1300 and by 1730; I was back at the airport. Two first class tickets, please...luckily we were able to fly upfront so I drank a bottle of wine and crashed out. Our hotel was simply lovely and Dublin was such a great town. Friendly people, lots of good looking guys, and I am all in favor of a country in which you can drink a Guinness at any time of the day without judgment. A literary pub crawl (my favorite thing), a city bus tour, tour of the Guinness factory, the book of Kells, St. Patrick’s' cathedral, hanging out on O'Connell Street (our ancestor), a ghost bus tour in which I was the prop for how to exhume a body, a tour to Cork to kiss the Blarney Stone, and a cabaret show made up our five day journey. Good stuff.

ZRH

I had Saturday off and wandering around the house alone, packing, completely frustrated about not knowing if I have a place to live in three days. I decided to volunteer to go to work. I called up and offered my services clarifying that I didn't want to go to Texas, overseas please. I had the choice of where I wanted to go and quickly picked Zurich. It is so beautiful here; they actually stamped my passport, no waiting on the hotel van, gummy bears at the front desk, and a welcome drink. The hotel is gorgeous as is the city, which was a 20-minute train ride away. I walked around as much as possible but shops were closed due to it being Sunday and I didn't feel well so I am back after a nap enjoying my room and a spot of tea.

I am really digging this international business and know that this is what I was cut out for.... international first class flight attendant...yep that is me!!

trouser press

I am sitting in an internet cafe in the airport in London awaiting the chance to use my free ticket to the city. I had almost an hour to kill and choose to check out shops, grab a water, and while walking by the cafe, I spotted a gorgeous man using the computers so I am currently sitting three computers away sending out a vibe. He has noticed me yet. The flight over was smooth and I worked a wonderful potition with a great galley person. Before I knew it we were landing and jumping on a bus. I was super excited to add a stamp to my passport and was very upset to find out that we in fact bypass customs and go straight to our hotel. Boo-Hiss!!!! I want a stamp damn it! I am too excited to go sightseeing to sleep and no one else on the crew shares my enthusiasm so my free ticket and I are hitting the train, map in hand, and checking out all this British stuff. Our hotel is pretty nice and within walking distance which means we don't have to tip anyone for handling our luggage. The word on the street is that the crew lounge is the happening place to be, so that is where I will be tonight. There is one strange thing in the room, a trouser press. Carol would be proud of me for throwing my shorts in there and getting the wrinkles out. Okay, the hot guy left...my time is up here. Watch out London, here I come!!

london calling

I just picked up my first international trip! I am going to heading to LGW as the first class aisle gal. It is a great position as all you do is serve the food, take orders, etc. I am super excited to go London as I have never been and having this much heads up allows me to change my sleep schedule so I can check everything out. Yes, darling tomorrow I leave for jolly ol' England!!! (you have to image my best British accent!) Cherrio for now...god, I am dork.

life on call

The new life of an international flight attendant has only consisted of one trip thus far. I have been off work for almost three days as we made it home around 0430 in the morning Sunday. After clearing customs, riding the bus, driving home, and washing my face I was in bed by 0600. I expected a trip that evening but received no call. The past two days have been spent on call in the city with luggage in the car just in case. Christina and I have been apartment searching which is a work out to say the least in the classic summer heat of NYC. We were brave enough to go past 97th and into Harlem to look at a place which was great for the price but the fact that we felt a little sketchy walking during a weekday afternoon told our guts we wouldn’t be safe in the middle of the night. We took a break to grab a drink at Tao’ and who do we see but LL Cool J. Christina offered our table if he needed a place to sit and told me that her hand ricocheted off his gun of an arm. Today we went back in the city and found our ideal place in Chelsea. Now we are waiting to hear back from the company after we ran across the street and faxed our application. We are trying to bribe people with airline passes to make our dream of living in the city a reality. We had lunch in the neighborhood at a seafood restaurant filled with friendly people and came into conversation with a two time Grammy winner, Freddie Jackson. Tonight is all about watching the All-Star game and soaking up the air con.

07.07.07

Four years ago I wanted to be getting married on this day. Alas, I am sitting in Tel Aviv on a layover from my very first international flight. I stopped by Starbucks to get an ice latte (my new addiction) and a pilot asked me where I was off to, I replied off to airport alert and actually excited about it. He told me that I would be on his flight to TLV that night, I laughed at him until the phone rang in the crew room and I was off to the gate. I remember shaking when I was first told and even asking the scheduler if she was sure. "Holy F, I am going to TLV" I shouted on my way out the door. A nine and half hour flight with an hour and half nap. My excitement wore off in the seventh hour as we did our breakfast service and I realized this was just an over-extended PBI trip. We headed to the market on our arrival to check it out as it was closing at sundown for Shabbat (Jewish Sabbath). There is a peace about being here today when everyone rest. They have an elevator in the hotel that stops on every floor as they are not allowed to press buttons or open doors on Shabbat. There is no cooked food available in the hotel either. My new friend, Marie and I took a journey this morning to Jaffah to check out the ruins and history, I probably took fifty photos and soaked it all in as I doubt I will ever have the chance to return.
I am off to the pool to enjoy the sun as the waves crash against the shore from the Mediterrian, take a nap, and then get ready for the 11 hour flight back home.

the fourth

Why is it that although there is great things, days, moments in ones life, we still hang up on the bad? I just smile to think about the past five days of my life. I haven't had to work because of the transition to international, instead I have been partying in the hottest clubs in NY, hanging out with my heart-throb, hanging out with friends, attending a Yankees game (nothing more patriotic on the fourth in my book), attending a roof top party in the middle of Manhattan with a first rate view of the most amazing fireworks I have ever seen, and being given airport alert tonight which increases my chances of my first trip internationally being something amazing. Are these the thoughts I wake up to? Nope, I wake up to a phone call that my new renters are not happy because I don't have cable or a tea kettle. Who, under the age of 50, owns a tea kettle? I think of how I am going to solve this situation without asking my friends to do more than they already do for me. I think about the strange feeling of finality of my last phone call with the ex over the loft. I think about how I don't have anywhere to live next month has Christina and I gave our notice. I think about if I will ever see "my future husband" again and kick myself for having one glass too many of champange. I think of Fourth of Julys in the past, my family at the Elks club, hanging out on the boat, the waterfront, being with someone. Alright I am done mopping....time to locate a tea kettle...I just felt myself age.

class act

So this life of being an international flight already has the perks of extra days off with the transition and I have been filling them up quite fabulously. My LA friend is in town but I have yet to be able to meet up with him as he is producing a music video. I got all dolled up to meet up with him if he was able then I was going to meet Christina after her date. To kill the hours, I hung out in Chelsae at some restaurant then Bungalow 8 and then over to Marquee. It's easy to get into these clubs when alone and in a cute dress. When the call came to meet up with the date couple, I hopped in a cab and made my way to Buddha Bat, we stayed there for a bit and Christina took the liberty of cutting me off as I already showed her date my pink panties. Our next stop was the infamous Tenjune. There was no waiting this time, we cut in front of the whole damn line with this guy and spent the rest of the evening dancing. Cafeteria finished out our night as usual then we got in his car and when we stopped next we were at a hotel. This guy owns a couple in the city so he got me my own room. Needless to say I woke up on Park Avenue. Yah, a girl could get used to that!!
Christina in her chumminess managed to talk to the right person at Tenjune because she ended up getting us invited to....Deter Jeter's birthday party!!! Oh, yes, you read right! Yesterday was spent napping after making it home from the city and then getting prom-perfect ready. I wore my birthday dress, thought the occassion afforded it. We were not sure what to expect but it ended up to be amazing, very intimate around fourty or fifty people. He is so sweet and goooorrrrgeous!!! Red velvet cupcakes, a dj, very nice and low key. I drank champange because I was nervous and can't really remember everything we talked about for the hour I sat with him. I did give him a peck on the cheek when the party was over. Cafeteria was once again graced with our presence but this time I spent more time on the sidewalk outside puking. We ended up staying at the W last night because we were too drunk to make it home safely and on the way back to the path in the cab, my leg was in the window and Christina asked me if had on underwear on. I lifted up my dress to show her and while she shook her head in disbelief, I informed her I was a class act! Since we were still dressed up at one in afternoon on a Monday people asked us if we were movie stars, we said yes. But we did see a star on the way, Mr Big was crossing the street and laughed at the squeal that came from Christina. Yes, we are stars, at least in our minds!!

delay

I suppose I can look at this as training for going international; the fact that I am sitting here in the crew room waiting for my flight to depart at 0200. It was orginally scheduled for 2030 and we were the only flight in the whole airport that wasn't delayed due to weather. Instead it a maintaince delay which turned into our aircraft being taken away. I only have four hours sleep under my belt since our flight last night didn't arrive here until 0400. We sat on the tarmac last night in the humity for two and half hours. We did our best to accommidate everyone since the story of the passangers going irrate on the plane just came out on the news and the first person that asked me about their passanger rights got an earful from me. My day off was rolled so I could be sent to CMH, this is almost day six of working and I will have to admit, that I am tired.

jumpseat therapy

After three beers:
Obviousally I haven't been myself lately, I haven't posted, I haven't returned phone calls, I find myself in moments of sadness through out the day, just wandering off into space. I am on the second trip since my return back to Jersey after being on Oregon for two weeks. My roommate was actually surprised I came home. The only plausable reason I can give for coming back to Jersey is the fact that the one thing I have wanted in the past year has finally came to regonization, as of July second, I am an international flight attendant! I had to come back for the simple fact that I have put so much time in and to leave before knowing what it is like would be crazy.

Next Morning:
I am sad. It is not a feeling that I am used to. It has only been two weeks since I had to say goodbye to my father but it feels like an eternity. My emotions are not in tack, my heart aches to be filled with something other than sadness. I am grasping for things to fill the void, I look to the past, to those who knew and loved him as I did for comfort. I feel like I am wandering aimlessly down a path with no end point or clue where to turn. I drink too much, I cry in the shower, I get upset when I don’t get my way, I have isolated myself from those who love me and talk to strangers instead. My strong front is still there; no one would know how I feel when I am alone. But here I sit, alone in a hotel room staring at the storm clouds.

Seventeen hours in Tulsa is too long to be alone with my thoughts. I am attempting to get back in the swing of my East Coast life by working and going out in the city. Christina’s dad was in town last weekend and I was invited to join them for dinner at Tao`. Because Britney was not invited due to her “wet-blanket” status, I had to be sneaky about how we met up. I headed to the city a few hours after I dropped them off at the Path station and went and got my nails done. During the drive, it surprised me to see all of these cars painted with names and “congrast” honoring the graduation that was taking place the next day. Apparently it is a huge deal to graduate high school in Jersey. Good grief! I spent a few hours walking around the city before meeting them at the W. Dinner and drinks were fabulous and with our willing group we headed down to our favorite spots, the Penthouse at the Gansevoort (where we meet several Irish boys), One, Buddha Bar, PM, Cafeteria, and finally the Whiskey Bar. All and all a good night in the city. A whole day to myself at the old apartment preceded a four-day trip in which time seems to be standing still. My crew is great minus the sexist, asshole captain with way too much hair on his arms. My salvation has been the first class gal, with whom I have opened my heart up to and blabbed about the empty feeling in my heart and my need to fill it with comfort and familiarity. She listens with no judgment and offers sound advice. She is exactly what I need right now. Back on the “road” I go, sit time in IAH, then a late flight home. I am hoping to be released to my day off as my music producer from LA is in town! I do a little dance whenever I think about it!!

excerps

My first day back at work leaves me sitting airport alert. It is the perfect ease in to the flow that I so desperately need to get back into. My journey back was that of chaos as the flight I wanted to take home was full so I had to take another carrier and wound up at a different ariport. It wasn' that big of a deal but the trip that should have taken six hours took twelve and contained no sleep. The only way I could get home was to take a jumpseat and sleeping is not allowed. So, with the help of coffee and conversation I stayed up through a red-eye. I have never been so happy to see my base airport as the bus with rattling windows and lack of proper shocks pulled up after an hour drive. I slept majority of the day with the girl, who was very understanding of my absense and laid beside me.

Fifteen days in Oregon, they all seem like a blur. The day my father passed with full of things to get done, paperwork and thank you wise. We followed our list around town and I existed on coffee. We stopped and got our hair down as we were heading out to dinner with some neighbors and Janene, who graciously dropped everything to come and get me. I was just going to get a blow-out when I asked the stylist what he would do with my hair. After years of the same hairstyle, I let him cut it and it felt great to have the change. We actually found a real restaurnat in ol' Roseburg and headed out knowing we were going to drink our sorrows away. It got off to a slow start as we were not helped right away but in the matter of an hour we had the owner at our table and were on our second bottle of champange. We toasted to the long life of Ray and enjoyed our evening. Three bottles of champange, apps, and dessert made four ladies extremely giggly. We got home and decided it would be a great idea to dye my hair. You can call me red now!

Back to Portland in a haze, we pulled out of the drive way and I told Janene to stop the car. The orange juice that I just jugged didn't agree with me and up came mimosa puke. Thank goodness for the staple of hangover food McDonalds. The rest of the day was spent not being able to complete a sentence or carry a thought for more than a moment. The perfect person to be incoherant with was Didi and we spent happy hour over margaritas just chatting away.

The great thing about having guy friends is how they can wrap you in their arms and make you feel so secure. I am fortunate to have many guy friends and I lingered in each of their arms.

A bbq was thrown in my honor and it was great to have everyone attend and see the overwhelming love and support I have in my life. Plus whenever my friends get together we spend the whole time laughing and telling embarrassing stories.

Saturday, reality started to settle in. I sat on the couch all day beside heading down to Manzana for my favorite soup and four Bud Lites. I watched a movie and ignored every phone call while just stareing at the walls.. A good friend came over and just held me and allowed me to have the break down that I knew was coming but had been put off until I could be in someones arms.

Father's Day...calls were a plenty. I spent the day de-personalizing my loft as I am about to rent it. Each picture frame held a happy memory and every picture on my fridge was taken down with pause on remembering the moment. Graciously Janene offered up her father for the day and I spent my last night having dinner with her family.

I know that I am going to be okay. I am strong. I am the daughter of a strict but fair father. I am the center of a circle of friends who hold me up when I am unable to stand. I am best friends with my mom. I am loved.

blue dots

My mom has these tissues convientiantly placed every where around the house. They have come in hand for the obvious reasons and well as the allergies that are adding tormenant to my life right now. Everytime they get wet, these blue dots brighten up. I am unsure of why but I will admit that I look at my snot to see if it is green or clear and healthy every once in a while. Since the introduction of the blue dot klennex in my life (a week ago) everything into the tissue intrigues me as I am waiting for the dots to turn different colors.
Right now the dots don't mean a thing as my dad has passed.

birds

Every hour a different bird is chirping. It is really quite disturbing because not only is the damn clock annoying in every sense of the word, but it reminds us that another hour has gone by with no progress. Day six of my holdup in Roseburg and my dad is feistier than ever. We have given him enough drugs to tranquilize a horse and he is still fiddling about. I have also drugged my mom and put her to bed due to the lack of sleep she is experiencing so it just me and the caregiver hanging out. I am bummed because I feel like I am missing summer and I know this sounds terrible but I am ready to have my dad and family, for that matter at peace. My mom has me cutting up little cards and drawing things, gluing them to trees and I am at the point of delirium that it makes perfect sense to be doing such a thing. Every night I cook dinner and make something exotic (compared to life in NJ) because she has a clean kitchen and supplies to do it. Last night was the exception because I had dental work and my whole face was numb, all the way up to my eyeballs, so I am not making dinner if I can't enjoy it! The bird is about to chirp again so it my signal to move to a different room in the house and shake life up a bit.

rainy day

We are taught from a young age to desire instant gratification. It is re-inforced through out our daily lives in things like atm machines, drive throughs, etc. We want results and we want them now. It is something even more drilled into those of us who live in the New York area...now, now, now, we don't have the time to wait. Being pulled out of that enviroment and set into that of a slow town where the most exciting event of the whole week was the dentist has thrown me for a loop.
It is day four of my time here with the family and we are all waiting. The caregiver, the nurses who stop by, mom and myself. The pace of activity is set by my father. We he awakes we rush to his side asking him what he wants or needs but it is difficult to understand. So we do what we think may make him comfortable. The cycle of life is real, it is like the body returns to a state of reliabilty and need. The hardest part of all of this for me is watching a once strong man become week before my eyes. My go, go, go life has come to a slow and unsteady pace forcing me to do nothing but wait.

living in the haze we call june

The month of June thus far has felt like a fog. A thick fog around my head as I lay in bed unable to get up without exhausation. It was the first time I have been sick since starting this job and it was miserable to be so far away from home and not feel well. The good news was that I was sleeping so much during the muggy days of the NE while in a loft bed sweating out all the impurities as well as a few pounds to boot. My first sick call made me feel guilty but I got over it quickly as I spent my last day of "being sick" in the city. I met Lynne in the city that she and I share such a love for in time for a cocktail followed by dinner on Christopher Street at a delightful restaurant called Garage. Much to our surprise, a full jazz band played for our entertainment. Pomagrante martinis and the company of new friends, followed by dessert in the village was the recipe for a wonderful evening.

My first trip of the month took me to DCA then back and back to DCA followed the next day by a PBI turn. Alright we can do this...I checked in for my trip and still felt a bit off of my game. We were informed of a three and a half hour ground stop once we reached DCA. I went to turn on my phone to see if anyone sent me some love over the fourty minute flight. There it was, the message I had been preparing myself for for over a year now..."come home". I went into panic mode has I tried to figure out how I was going to get home to Oregon. I made the calls to the supervisors, told the captain, and with some doing made it on the plane the next morning.

I was greeted at my favorite airport by my favorite friend Janene. A stop for gas, snacks, and coffee and we were on our way to Roseburg. She was amazing with my family and exhibited strength and compassion that anyone would be lucky to witness let alone have it touch their lives.

Now it a waiting period. Waiting for the end of a good man's life. I am here for support but have yet to gain the strength I need to handle this situation. I am still in a haze of thoughts and activities. Nothing matters now other than being here.

news

We are trained to look for it everyday, through security, on the way to the gate, during boarding, and through out the flight. My first medical emergency was located in first class when people were up for the bathroom lead me to believe it was a diversionary tactic. It isn't until something big happens that it hits the public eye.
Yesterday I called in sick as I had spent the whole day in bed, the thought of 0430 airport alert made me even more exhausted. I awoke today at 1330 with the news of threats of the attacks. I am so glad that I am not working today seeing how the news is showing all the planes out on the runway with no where to go. I am relived not to be working today but a little bit of me is curious as to what is going on at the airport. But here I am safe at home with all the roomies watching the news intermittently during episodes of Sex in the City.

worth smiling about

The one that makes my heart leap at the very sight of text message, a relationship, if you will, that has gone on almost as long as I have lived here. Our fourth time seeing each other was initiated by him wanting me to join him for Memorial Day weekend in CT, however he didn’t tell me this until I was in LA in the middle of trip. Even if I faked sick, I would still be clear across the country. I instead made the effort to go and see him in the city on my day off. I knew that he had to get up super early and my time with him would be short but sweet non-the less. We talked on the phone all day and finally I was walking down 5th Ave when I called and told him I was in the city. He asked for twenty minutes to clean up his desk so I occupied myself with a glass of champagne at the St Regis. He called and asked to meet him at Tao’. I settled up my bill after listening to the regulars discuss their weekends in the Hamptons and charity benefit, it shouldn’t have shocked at the thirty dollar bill, however I gulped as I signed the receipt. Carefree from the champagne but butterflies from seeing him, I ran the five blocks. He managed to get a table in the lounge and there he was dressed in a pinstriped suit with a pink shirt, oh so handsome. We talked, flirted, held hands, and ate dinner. He told me that I made him nervous. I must really have my act together around him?! An early night ended in a fantastic kiss as his car dropped me off at the Path. Two days later and I am still smiling.

uno, dos, tres...

Five days, four nights, three gals, too many beers, and one goal: Fun in the sun. What I live for in this job is my week vacation I take once a month. This month’s destination was Puerto Vallarta with my gal pals, Nichole and Janene. After barely making the flight to IAH, I had to check my bag, which left me with my uniform on exiting the plane into the Mexican sun. I changed quickly into my swimsuit as soon as we reached our all-inclusive resort and had a beer in my hand in record time. A day of lounging by the pool followed by a siesta set the tone for the rest of the week. We did mix it up a bit in the evening by heading into town. The first evening we pretending it was Janene’s birthday while we dined at Pipi’s, we served as the whole restaurants entertainment. We met up with some LA folks and hit a couple of bars with them until we held up the white flag and passed out in our beds. The key to a good holiday is a swim up bar, we took full advantage of it and the waiter that was around every five minutes. Water aerobics in Spanish set the background for our sunning, “uno-dos-tres” as arms flailed about. The next night was spent at Senor Frogs playing name that tune (three beer winner here), taking jello shots, and dancing in foam. If you have never been to a foam party, I highly recommend it simply for the weird feeling of dancing in bubbles up to your waist. And what is the best way to clean off from a foam party? Why skinny-dipping of course. Our third night was spent watching Dirty Dancing with Spanish subtitles and ordering in pizza. Our final evening included two couples from AZ who joined us back at Pipi’s and then Carlos O’Brien’s. Once again we played name that tune but they would only allow one beer per person so I had to give the answers to someone else. I was chosen, however, to participate in the beer chugging contest, which I won in time, but they counted the teaspoon of foam left against me. Damn it that would have been a title I would have been proud to have!!!

Well back to reality as I am in the middle of a fantastic trip, picked up by Carol, that allows me to spend two nights in LAX. It is a very productive trip that takes me from home-LAX-IAH-LAX-home. The rest of my original crew is enjoying a 42-hour layover while I have to work today. I am standing in position while the safety demo plays, spacing off when I hear, “excuse me”, I turn to answer the woman’s question. “Can I have a pillow?” I look down and see a pillow in the empty seat next to her, “there is a pillow next to you” I reply. “I know, it has been used.” “Here’s a little secret, they have all been used, sista!” Still I went and got her another pillow that she proceeded to sniff for the remainder of the demo. Takes all kinds, I tell ya. Yesterday we had Connie Chung on our flight and she was super nice and has gorgeous handwriting as she spent the flight filling out thank yous. I am waiting to see if there are any more celebs on my flights this weekend. Maybe Jude or George will be going back to NY and realize how much they need me in their lives. Here’s hoping!

stop thinking...and let life take over

Aries
It is possible that the last few weeks have allowed you to become a little bit clearer concerning certain questions you have about your vocation, dear Aries. You may even be a little clearer about your feelings in regard to what you think your destiny is. It would now be better for you to stop thinking about such things and let life take over for you. Ariess are well armed for this kind of thing!

Down here in FLL and I can tell you the past two days of this trip haven't been pleasant. I am blessed with a fun crew who have banded together to get through the headache. The gorgeous storm which darken the skies caused havok at the old airport as hundred of people sat around awaiting their flight. We were among them as our plane was diverted thus making us four hours late getting to our destination. I hid in the back galley, grateful for my position on this trip while people mumbled how the weather was our fault and blah, blah, blah. The load on the flight last night was a total bitch and almost ending up throwing down with our lead who requested that she refrained from reading a magazine in the aisle during boarding. Needless to say we had her back and made the loads life miserable for the trip...don't mess with one of the pack... after three FL flights we are tight!
Not sure what is on tap for the weekend. A part of me hopes I don't get used as I would like to go and play in the city. Got a new boy on the line, he will be dubbed dance partner, as we meet way back in September while Dave May was in town and this guy and I danced all night. I recently found his business card and today gave him a ring. Spring is definatly in the air!!

chuckle

The jingle of the ice cream truck fills my ears and signals the start of a hot, sticky summer in New York. It is still in the spring phase for now and it is the perfect time to meet for date, drive with the top down, and dine outdoors. He was in a new red Mercedes convertiable this time and we made our way through town to the MPD we we sat outside and ate antipasta while watching all the limos, Bentleys, and nice cars drive past. Something good was shaken in the neighborhood. The table behind us was talking about ribs, and I told my date it had been a long time since I had ribs. We quickly paid our bill and headed to Houstons for what I can describe as one of the best plates of ribs I have ever had. A quick call to my madre informed me of a crappy three day to FL with a late check-in, perfect! C and one of her frinds meet us out for a drink and we bar hopped all over. We wrapped up the night at our fav spot, Cafeteria and then headed home. Her car was parked in Hoboken and when we got off the train, a cop pulled up. We thought we were in trouble and looked at each other wondering what we had done. Turns out nothing, he just wanted to make sure we got to our car alright and if that wasn't enough, he then gave each of us his number. This gave us a chuckle the whole way home. Where I come from, cops aren't allowed to hit on people, what a strange place I live in.

sucks

26 people, many of which don't even have their transfer in, is what stood between me and getting into international this month. Needless to say, I am not a happy camper what-so-ever.