On The Road Again

My grandmother has been ill for the past two months. I have spent a grand total of four nights at home in my own bed; otherwise I have been at her house on Long Island. I'm currently procrastinating packing for my four day Dublin that leaves tomorrow night and avoiding packing a second bag so when I arrive in Newark Thursday (aka Christmas Eve) I can head straight to Long Island (Grandmother's house... which is over the river but no longer through woods). I'll be back home in my bed Sunday night. The only things I really want with me are all my comfort clothes like old jeans and long sleeve tees; not exactly the fashion statement for such a festive holiday. I keep telling my mother that we should all just wear our night gowns on Christmas like my Grandmother so she won't feel left out. It certainly would make packing easier!

Please keep her in your prayers - she has been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and is on the long road to recovery.

Merry Christmas!

Twas’ the nights before Christmas and all through the plane,
not a passenger was stirring, so I could explain.

The passengers all nestled, snug in their seats,
with visions of rush hour they had just beat.

Luggage all stowed and belts fastened tight,
just sit back and enjoy a smooth American flight.

To fasten your seatbelt, there’s no need to fiddle.
Just slip in the fitting, pull end tight ‘round your middle.

To unfasten your seatbelt, lift the top of the buckle,
and then you’ll feel free free, to roam ‘round and chuckle.

There’s no smoking this flight, then sign never goes off.
And please keep your belts fastened, until we’re aloft.

And in your seat pocket there’s another surprise,
An illustrated card should emergencies arise.

There are emergency exits all over this ‘craft.
Two in the front and two in the aft.

Along with those exits, there’s window exits too.
Be sure to note which one’s closest to you.

The window exits are on either side.
They are over the wings, which help us to glide.

If the power goes out, there no need to fret,
First white lights, then red lights, to all exits direct.

There is one more thing you’ll want to take note.
Your seat cushions used if you had to float.

Please remove it, don’t set it aside,
place your arms through the straps on the underside.

The oxygen masks, please do take heed,
right above your head in case you should need.

Now watch the FAs so you know what to do,
in case this gold cup drops in front of you.

Stop what you’re doing and pull it down firm,
but don’t stop now there’s still more to learn.

Keep breathing with the base donned over your face,
put yours on first then your child’s face.

The oxygen mask does not inflate,
but the oxygen is flowing, so breathe your normal rate.

No smoking this flight, the sign never goes off.
please keep your belts fastened until we’re aloft.

And don’t be naughty, please do be nice,
don’t tamper with smoke detectors, or we’ll call the Vice.

With your electronics off and your luggage in place,
tray tables stowed and a smile on your face.

So on Dancer, on Prancer, on Donner and Blitzen,
right after takeoff, your drinks we’ll be fixin’.

Now that we’re through with our safety demo of flight,
we wish you all Happy Holiday’s and to all a good flight.

Written by: Nanci Yager, American Airlines Flight Attendant

And a special thanks to Pop Slinger for his original post!

Um... Hello???

To all my aviation readers out there: Why didn't anyone tell me that PVG is NOT Beijing??? Beijing's airport code is PEK; PVG is Shanghai. I didn't figure this out until 11 minutes before I had to be at the gate!

Shanghai was awesome. The air is super dirty and smoggy and irritated my lungs. I went shopping, ate, slept, ate, slept, ate, shopped, napped, showered, ate, and then it was time to get back on the plane.

30 hour three day trips are not my favorite and reek havoc on my body. Three days later and all I want to do is sleep and eat. My next trip is Shannon on the 11th, so I have a few days to recover :)

Honolulu Part Duex

Below is the view of Waikiki Beach from the top of Diamond Head.

Diamond Head entrance sign

This job sharing stuff is unparallel to anything else I've experienced on the job thus far. I had a Honolulu on my line for the month of November and it is by far the coolest trip in the system. I'm glad that I had been there before and had a good idea of what I wanted to accomplish on my 24 hour layover. I wanted to go to daily mass and climb Diamond Head; and I did.

We got in about an hour late; I was up in my room by 9:30 or so and sound asleep within an hour. I slept through the night and woke up suddenly at 6:55 and rushed out the door to make it to mass at 7. St. Augustine's By the Sea in Waikiki is one of the most beautiful church's I've ever seen and well worth looking like the walk of shame to be there. I went back to the hotel, had some frosted flakes while getting ready for my trek up the crater and was out the door by 8. My mom had asked me not to go alone but none of the other crew members were interested.

The hike up was daunting but if you're remotely in shape (as in are able to walk) I think almost anyone can do it. There are a lot of stairs but I saw three year olds managing just fine. Across the street from the park is a community college and they were having a farmer's market so I stopped for lunch. I walked back down the mountain and was back in my room by 11:30, at the pool ten minutes later til 2. Nap, and then back on the plane to come home. It was amazing. Breath-takingly beautiful.

This is what the top of Diamond Head looks like, built by none other than the US Army Corps of Enginerds

NEERS.... I mean Engineers

760 ft above sea level

Being that we're crew, and therefore special, we have a flower guy that comes to our hotel just before we get on the van and the crew can purchase leis and arrangements. I brought this home for my mom for Thanksgiving. Not only was it a beautiful centerpiece, but I could see my sister on the other side of the table.

My Best Friend Loves Me!

Just look at what J brought me home from Italia. I'm putting these two guys away for a rainy take away sushi night. And no, I'm not sharing so don't ask.

Who's excited??? I AM!!!

Swine

When swine flu first broke out, I was oblivious and didn't really care nor did I think it would personally impact me. I got the flu shot last year and didn't even get sick; I come into contact with the most disgusting things, both on the plane and in school, and continue to live to tell the tale. I suppose a part of it are those left over feelings of being invincible from my (seemingly endless) adolescence. I have recently learned that a dear friend of mine is deathly ill due to the swine. You can read more about Courtney here and as for you, Mary and Jerry, yous guys are most certainly in my prayers.

HNL for a PVG???

I am currently sharing someone else's line. A co-worker of mine, Lori, has so graciously given me half of her trips both this month and last. Without her, I'd still be on reserve and for her generosity, I am grateful. When it comes to what we fly, I really don't care: any destination, any position, as long as it's a real trip, it doesn't matter to me. I also want to make this as easy as possible for her. It's unfortunate, however, that I have a bad habit of making plans and commitments before I see what trips are on my line. October worked out great because Lori was willing to take the one trip I didn't want because I had a prior engagement. As for November, I had a general idea of things that I would like to do in the month; my challenge was I've never trip traded nor would I be home on trip trade day, and I have no high time trip connections. I had these two Honolulu's and both were not the ideal dates I wanted to fly; both three day trips, one left on a Monday and the other Tuesday, the last day of the bid month. I figured I could sacrifice the one weekend and just make sure I was home Sunday night and ask around to see if I could just move my other Honolulu to depart a day earlier. Easy enough considering I had a month to move it.

So J and I were on the elevator going down to the crew room about two weeks ago, we were leaving for Rome, and I was eavesdropping on the conversations around me. There was this guy going on and on about how he had this Honolulu line and I asked him if he had the trip that left the 30th, I was trying to trade mine which left on the 1st. (The look he gave me was priceless because you need as many years with the company as I am old to hold the trip). He snootily replied that he only knew it was whatever line number and didn't know what days his trips were. BUT the senior mama he was talking to was looking for a Honolulu. She had a Beijing line.

I turned my Tuesday Honolulu into a Monday Beijing.

My schedule for this month: Honolulu on the 16th, Beijing on the 30th.

Still in shock.