Reserve Minimum Coverage

I'm going to the opera in Augsburg. I just don't know when. I need to trade one more day to make sure I get to the city on time for the opera and then have a few more to play in Munich. But if scheduling rolls my day, then I get to play in Munich for a few days and then see the opera. I'd like to plan where I'm staying and book the hostels but that's not looking like a possibility when I don't know where I'll be until I get there... And the reason why I can't trade my day? Reserve minimum coverage.

Things I Saw In The Terminal

1. A priest.
2. someone with a mullet. This is the east coast so sightings are a bit more rare here in EWR as opposed to other places
3. Men refusing to put their belts back on, therefore just walking around holding them.
4. Three girls doing laps, as in wearing running gear like shorts, tees, sneakers, carrying no bags and just running.
5. Pigeon.

Via iPhone

OSL

When I first came into the international base, I flew Heathrow. A lot of Heathrow. I would pick it up, scheduling would assign it to me. Then for a while there, I kept ending up in Shannon, which I loved. I grew to a greater love and appreciation for the western Irish coast during my 9 day volcano stint. And as of late, I've been the Oslo queen. I'm waiting for it to grow on me. I'm waiting to fall in love with Norway and it's just not happening. At least this is just a three day trip and I'll be home in Jersey on Tuesday before I know it. Then after I fly this trip, and three more, I'm off to Munich to play in Bavaria!!!

TXL for Two

Last week, prior to my sleepfest in Oslo, I managed to squeeze in a two day adventure to Germany's capital city. I got in to the city center around 9:30, did a 4 hour bike tour at 11, slept for a few, saw The Get Up Kids, slept, wondered around Berlin and then ended up in Potsdam for the afternoon, slept, and was back in Newark in no time. Here's a few of the pictures from the bike tour, which was totally awesome and I can't wait to do it in Munich in three weeks!!!

Reichstag
Yours Truly and the Brandenburg Gate
Berlin Wall, and my sweet Chucks
TV Tower

And for those of you who noticed there were no pictures of food, that's because the food in Berlin isn't nearly as good as in Augsburg or Bavaria. Don't get me wrong, I had some good beers, brats, pretzels... but it just wasn't the same. Kind of like Wawa coffee. Its good, but leaves something to be desired.

Attn:

I have a new favorite beer. My proclaimed favorites, depending on who I was talking to and when, was either Smithwicks or Leffe Brune. But for sure, my new favorite beer is totally Franzikaner Dunkel. The real deal from Germany is perfection, but I had it on tap at a bar in Philly (for $2!!!) and I fell in love all over again. Unless scheduling will grant me a Germania trip, I'll just have to wait for my week in Munich in July to indulge my palate. And then I can have it with a real pretzel too. Mmm.... pretzel...

Oslo??

I made it to Berlin and back; pictures and a debrief to follow. The
next day I went down the shore and spent the day on the boat, day
drinking, and eating more seafood than got destroyed in the Gulf (too
soon?). I briefly contemplated picking up a trip during the madness,
but there really weren't many trips in there. I ended up with airport
appreciation at 19:05 with a few friends. It was a good time until I
got called for Oslo. Four day Oslo. I threw myself a reserve sucks
pity party en route to the gate but was pleasantly surprised once
things started going. Great crew, okay croud. And now that I'm sitting
here, day three in Norway's capital, it's pretty nice to relax and sit
and do nothing. Yesterday we went to the grocery store and stocked up
on basic provisions... and now I'm having a difficult time finding
motivation to get out of bed!

Via iPhone

You make plans, God laughs. I make plans, scheduling laughs.

Should have gone to Oslo...

But should I have? I had an awesome crew to Bristol, flew with one of
my favorite captains, cheap and delicious Indian for dinner. All in
all a great trip.

Good for one day, no personal drops awarded. AMC to MEX and back. Oh
that's right. Mexico City turn. That gets back well after Berlin
leaves. I'm currently eating my feelings in the terminal and drowning
my sorrows in coffee. It could be worse.

PS - that's my game plan to make it alive out of this 11 hour turn.
Just keep eating! I'll work out double tomorrow.

Via iPhone

Dreaming of Bristol and Still So Scary...

I did manage to get my trip switched to Bristol, which I've never been to and after this year we will no longer be flying there.

I just woke up from a two hour nap (interrupted only to let me pick up BRS and by my bff J, who I'll call back in a bit now that I'm wake and functioning), and I keep having these awful nightmares about being late for work. This afternoon's dream premise was that I had to drive to Bristol and I knew it was near London so I was going to stop and have lunch with Maureen there; we lunched at the time I had to be in Bristol and I was less than pleased. Last night, when I still thought I was going to Oslo, I dreampt that the family was experiencing some sort of crisis and I was screaming at my mother that I told her I had to leave by 6 and it is now 8 and I'll never get to EWR in 45 minutes. I never actually get to work, I do dream about my getting ready process (which for those of you who fly know how important this ritual is) and I get to the transit part but not the airport; I've had this dream a few times since I've been home from Germany. The only thing I could think to do was google what all this means and here's what I got:

To dream that you arrive late for something may mean that you are neglecting a responsibility, or you'd like to avoid the thing you're late for. Dreaming of feeling bad about being late can mean your are experiencing or fearing a loss of control or fear being controlled by outside circumstances in your life. Being late in a dream can also represent passive-aggression towards an authority figure.

To dream that you are late, signifies your fear of change and your ambivalence about seizing an opportunity. You may feel unready, unworthy, or unsupported in your current circumstances. Additionally, you may be overwhelmed or conflicted with decisions about your future. Time is running out and you no longer have time to accomplish all the things you want. Alternatively, being late in your dream could be telling you that it is better late than never. (found here)

Passive-aggression towards an authority figure? Hello scheduling. Change and seizing an opportunity? Well if one would present itself I would take it! How can I be running out of time when I'm 26?

I think I'm in need of a pint...

Guesses and Guests

I opted to play scheduling ruelette for today and spun a four day
Oslo. Ew. I was hoping that by choosing not to pick up a trip I might
end up with something fabulous. Wrong. I called this morning to be
added to the guest purser list. A purser is the lead flight attendant
who makes all the announcements and is responsible for the flight.
When I was domestic I prefered to fly lead; internationally the job is
a bit more intense. I think it has to do with larger crews and more
time crammed together in an aluminum tube doing 500 mph. My favorite
part is making announcements. And someday, auf deutsch! Dreaming big,
I know. But as for today, here goes my attempted to get a different
trip!

Via iPhone

Galley Hands

Galley hands belong to flight attendants who insist on using their bare hands to pull piping hot metal trays out of the ovens, and have no feeling left in their digits. I do not have galley hands and insist on using the oven mitt when handling anything that's not room temperature. It really gets my knickers in a twist when these galley flight attendants who clearly DO NOT work the aisle, cook the crap out of the dishes. Yes, its nice to have warm nut ramekins and main courses should be served on a warm dish. This can easily be accomplished by preheating the oven for three minutes on medium at the beginning of the service and leaving them in the oven. Ten minutes on high with the meals? My hands WILL be a blister. And now I have to hand this dish of danger to a BusinessFirst passenger? Smells like a lawsuit to me! So please, remember that just because you've burnt your hands to the point of no return doesn't mean that everyone else has. Thanks.

Reserve is cramping my style.

On days I pick up, Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, all pop into open time to be assigned.

On days I wait around for scheduling to call me, I get Oslo or airport alert.

Oh the magical land of holding a line.

I picked up Shannon tonight, I'm just excited for some good Indian food. I've been sampling the various Indian tv dinners from different UK super markets and they're just not as good as the real deal. Chicken balti, cheese naan and a Cobra are in my future! Its my silver lining.

Picking Your Seat

"Alyssa, are going to the opera?"

"Why?" I would innocently question my mother.

"Because you're picking your seat."

I suppose this was her attempt to use humor in order to teach me to either a) some manners in public, b) pick one's wedgie less obviously, or c) become accustom to the dreaded wedgie.

Now that I'm the wise old age of 26 years old, I like to go the opera and pick my seat for real! In our time together before she died, my grandmother would sing parts of her favorite opera, Turandot, to me. I googled it; its playing live in three places this summer: Verona, Ottawa, and Augsburg. The Met is also showing it in movie theaters across the US as part of their Summer Encore. I'm not sure which way the winds will carry me, but mark my words, I'll see this opera before summer's end.