Pissed in 1E

Over the weekend, I worked the late London Heathrow. It was nice to be "home" again, after having my mini-line and running around the globe without scheduling. It wasn't on the 777, but sometimes its nice to be on the 757. I had a great crew, we all went out to eat, and coming home we had 9 up front and less than 60 passengers in the back.

During our crew breaks, which are permitted on flights longer than 8 hours, I was sent to first class to keep an eye on things while the others were on their break. I served the bake on board cookies and ran a few drinks; I spent most of my time relaxing on the jumpseat - but not reading (you know, because I follow all the rules at work). About a half hour before the last break ended and the pre-arrival service began, I decided to take a few minutes in the lav to freshen up, potty, brush my teeth, put my face on and enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet.

So I grab my purse, which is kind of like a walking pharmacy with all sorts of goodies inside, and go to town. I'm brushing, lip glossing, and having a grand old time enjoying my privacy. I'm putting the finishing touches on my freshly powdered nose and I hear an angry man screaming "aw, c'mon!". I was a bit alarmed but thought nothing of it; I hear things all the time. Before I know it there's a pounding on the bathroom door and I was a bit shocked. The only time I've ever heard someone knock was politely to see if someone was in there to determine whether or not to unlock the door from outside. I put my compact away and walk out to an irate mad man yelling at me, something about how I'd only been in there for 20 minutes. He rushes past me and then proceeds to attempt to slam the door shut, but because its a flimsy 757 bathroom door more force doesn't make it slam. This only adds to his level of ire. I immediately called the ISM/purser on board and asked him to meet me in the other galley to tell him what just transpired. I was instructed to ignore him, which I did.

So now that breaks had ended and the ISM was in and out of the first class cabin, 1E grabbed him and started to give him an ear full about how I was in the bathroom too long. And just as he was finishing up his rant, the first class flight attendant who'd just come from break, squeezed past and went into the loo. "See! She's going in there too!" As if we're not allowed to potty during a seven and a half hour flight! I had failed to realize that this man had been drinking port and beers across the Atlantic and was quite pissed in more ways than one. However, had he listened to his briefing, there are four lavatories located on board, one in his cabin, as well as one adjacent to the boarding door and two in the rear of the aircraft. Next time I'll just stay in there, and redirect whomever to another lavatory :)

Kids Define Love

If you google the above, here are a few of the answers that the wee tots have been known to give. It's almost Valentine's Day and I seem to have love on the brain. Here goes:

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.

So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."

- Rebecca - age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.

You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

- Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."

- Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."

- Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."

- Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."

- Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss"

- Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

- Bobby - age 7

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."

- Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."

- Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."

- Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."

- Cindy - age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody.

You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

- Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."

- Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."

- Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."

- Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

- Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."

- Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross."

- Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."

- Jessica - age 8

Internet and My Privacy

Recently, my airline issued a statement and some sort of rules about the appropriateness of Twitter and Facebook using their name and all that non-sense. I didn't actually read the rules - don't tell management. But I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to tell you that the opinions and complaining listed here having nothing to do with the actual airline itself. Moreover, I don't even mention who I fly for and I know you people have NO IDEA. (ha! yeah right).

In terms of privacy, I was hit pretty hard with this one. My grandmother finally passed January 30, and we laid her to rest February 4. Unlike my sister, uncle, cousin, I chose not to post it on Facebook, where I also found out that Grandpa Jack O'Connell past. He was an awesome man who was dedicated to his family and I know he too will be greatly missed. In the past, Facebook has been used to connect my high school community about teachers and other former students passing. There's something so impersonal and stoic about choosing to pay respects with a tweet or wall post and to me, the people who mattered most where there for me. Its not for the entire world to know, just mine.

And as for this weekend, I met the friends of the gentleman who's courting me. Somehow we were talking about flying and my blog, and Mr. Chicago said he reads it. I was excited at first because there's a lot of good stuff on here to better explain my life and what its like sitting for six days waiting for scheduling to call or just how painful a month of turns and airport alert is. But then it donned on me that lately, there hasn't been too much flying going on in my life. I had a half of a line at the end last year and really haven't gone anywhere since LHR more than three weeks ago. (That was an amazing trip with some of my favorite people, now if only they'd move us back to London proper!). Most of the stuff that's popped up on here has been rather personal and I've been using this particular forum to express my feelings on life. Are the winds of change blowing? Yes. I did just meet all Mr. Chicago's friends and I thought it went well. Grammy's gone, that's most certainly different. I have airport alert tonight; that is not.

BUT my concern with the extreme personal life blogging is this: Mr Chicago, I want you to know that in the particular post about how everyone's getting married and buying houses, I was upset about someone I used to know getting a house in Jersey. This person thinks they're better than me and more successful than me for being able to afford her happiness; I failed to realize that I already am happy with my career and my life, and being with you helped me to remember that. I was going email you this, but I don't even know if you read this for real or not! And I'm sure if you do, if you have any questions you're not afraid to ask.

So... airport alert tonight at 1905. I have to pack a sundress, bathing suit, jeans and a sweater. Packing for all the seasons, an AMC specialty since 2007 :)

What did you do this weekend?

Oh, that's cool. I went to Italy.

My best friend J, who's a year junior to me, is currently out on cola and studying Italian in a little city called Reggio Emilia. I flew, first class, into Milan and took the train down to meet her Friday. We went down to Bologna Saturday, and it snowed ferociously Sunday morning. I was back in Milan late Sunday night and home by Monday afternoon. A whirl wind adventure, well worth the 17 hours of flying, 4 hours of train rides, and a night in a noisy hostel (not noise from within, but loud NYC style streets).