My Vacation: Day 1

Today, I decided that I wanted to see the US Holocaust Museum. Sounds fun, right? Well, I never made it. I did, however, decided that a) I have the best job ever and b) I need to grow a pair. I was riding the metro from DCA to downtown, and the two hottest business men I've seen in quite some time were seated next to me. They were discussing how they just had three weeks off, and the really really hot one said he spent it playing X-Box. What I should have said was "oh, that sucks, I went to Disney, I'm here right now and am going skiing later in the week! AND I usually have 10 days off a month - but this month I got 17!". Alas, I said nothing, sat there "reading" and smirking, knowing that I have more days off than them, and did cool things with my time off... like stalk down my boyfriend, Buzz Lightyear (you should see my MySpace) and go skiing.

Instead of going to the Holocaust Museum, I went to Air and Space Museum (classic!) and the National Gallery of Art. I like Air and Space because it takes me back to the 8th grade when we went on our class trip, and with a career in aviation, I have a far greater appreciation for the principles of flight. I also noticed that in their commercial aviation display, my airline is not present. They had a lot of TWA and PanAm stuff, and all sorts of airlines that don't exist anymore like Piedmont, Eastern, Braniff, California Air, People Express. Air and Space also has a NorthWest 747 cockpit on display and I thought it was cool that the 747 pit looked EXACTLY the same as a 737-300. And they had a computer interactive display of the various aircraft that are currently in use... like the cute little Embraer that my Top Gun guy friends fly, the 737 that I feel like I live on, along with the new Airbus and Dreamliner. Nerdy? Yes. Fun? Oh yeah!

Then it was on to the National Gallery of Art, and I love landscapes. I was kind of saddened that the landscape wing is undergoing reconstruction because their collection of the Hudson School is beyond amazing. I did manage to run into Thomas Cole's Voyage of Life, and every time I see it, my mind is blown. I was sad that it wasn't where it used to be, in a small, square practically circular room but for such a masterpiece, it didn't matter. I've seen these paintings, and many others, a zillion times before. Yet, every time I go and look at these wonderous works of art, it still feels like the very first time.

Art and airplanes are sooo cool!

The Fasten Seat Belt Sign Is On...

It is a bad idea to use the lav during moderate turbulence.

This Just In...

I would like to announce the return of Fictitious! I really think that this time we can make it work. My trip ends on Friday, and I'm pretty sure he's taking me out to dinner - sushi! After all, it is lent.

Wish us luck! :)

Technology is a Bitch...

My mom, who recently got the same cell phone as me, asked the following today:

"Where's the thing that you look through to take a picture on the phone?"


She wanted to know the location of the viewfinder. I didn't have the heart to tell her it was in 1992.

HI my name is... who?

Yesterday, Ke and I were in the Crocs store at the MCO airport for lack of better things to do. Apparently, they have a whole new line of totally wicked shoes coming out that aren't heinously ugly and yet still provide the light weight comfort the rest of you Croc wearing crowd has come to expect. I was trying on the clog pair with the fur inside, and some mom said to her four year old daughter, "oh Alyssa, she's trying your shoes!". Little Alyssa was indeed wearing the same shoes, in the same color, that I had selected to try on. I then attempted a conversation about how my name was Alyssa too; noticed the Disney bag on the stoller, asked her if she saw Mickey. At some point the father questioned me - "Are you Alyssa Marie too??"
"How about Alyssa MEGAN?"


My name is so much cooler.

Tattle Tales

Scene: Boeing 757-200 (JNH, you're so jealous), Ft. Lauderdale to NYC, final descent

Announcement: Ladies and gentlemen, we have begun our final descent into the New York area. At this time, all seat backs and tray tables need to be brought to their full, upright, locked position. All portable electronic devices that you have been using must be turned off and stowed. Flight attendants will be in the aisle to collect any remaining service items that you wish to discard. (blah blah blah, you get the drift)

Flight attendants do their compliance check, etc.

Announcement: Flight attendants please be seated for arrival.

Ding - f/a call button, I answered it.

Passenger, with eyes lit up like Christmas, pointing: Um, aren't portable electronic devices supposed to be turned off? What about that guy with his noise cancelling head phones? Isn't that hazardous?

Me: What about me?! I was just told to be seated!!!

Turning

So I was good for a stretch of four days... abuse the first day, sat for two, and now I'm doing a FLL turn this afternoon. Woo.

When scheduling gave me the wake up call this morning, he asked for Ashley. I was like... how about Alyssa? He apologized and then gave me the trip information. I can't help but question the literary skills of schedulers. Its not like there aren't famous Alyssas (Alyssa Milano), or that my name is uncommon; in fact, its a pretty popular amoungst the 8 yr olds. Its also pronounced exactly how it looks: ah -LYS - ah. This harangue is starting to resemble my issues with the Serta sheep in that none of them have green eyes. But that's a different story for another day.

Finally, I went to church this morning and for the past few months the parish sign (you know, the kind with the moveable letters) has read "a family that prays together, stays together". This morning, however, it said this:

Lay Down Your Burden
Jesus, The Best Baggage Handler

I kind of liked it. It sure beats "Wal-Mart isn't the only place that saves". I've seen pictures floating around the net of curious things like "On your knees is the best position". I'm sure Jay Leno has a collection of them.

Are you being harassed at work?

What if your work IS harassment???

You guessed it, I have airport alert tomorrow morning at 7:30.

Damn.

I'm thinking if they don't use me then I'll just hang out up here for the weekend. Cause on Monday, I'm totally going to DisneyWorld!!!

Safety, not Comfy

I just finished a fairly intense four day trip and made it back to the crash pad at 8 pm. For a domestic trip, that's awesomely early! Slept for 11 hours last night, now I've been up for two. I've got today and tomorrow off and I'm desperately trying to muster up some motivation to either work out, shower, pack, or drive home. But I've got nothing. I'm exhausted and the only thing I really want to do is nap. I'm pretty sure I'm just going to grab my suitcase as it was packed for this past trip and haul it downstairs, throw it into my vehicle and just hit the TPK. Its Super Tuesday and I know if I don't leave now I'll never make it home in time to vote... or for dinner.

I found this article surfing the web and instead of blaming my exhaustion on pouring the cokes, I'm going to claim its worrying about your safety as a passenger.
Thank you, New York Times.