Fly Girl Chronicles

It's never too late to make a discovery....

2011-12-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

Today I made a discovery. Would you like to know what it is? Well, I am sorry. You will have to wait until after a little stream of consciousness from yours truly.
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First of all, let me share something about myself. Well, it's more about my family... I come from a family of proofreaders. Yes, it is in my genes. I am, by no means, as professional as my mom. Or as determined as her mother (who used to mark my aunt's letters she sent home from college with a red pen and then mail them back to her). But I do think I have a fairly good handle on spelling and grammar, even though sometimes I do make mistakes.

I admit I am guilty of the most misused form of punctuation in the English language - the exclamation point. (My very grammatically-aware sister-in-law taught me that today. Who knew?) Well, I overuse it in abundance! But in my defense, I just feel that sometimes a sentence deserves not just one, but six or seven exclamation points to get the message across.

The same grammatically-aware sister-in-law also told me about the elementary school's announcements they send home with typo after typo. A SCHOOL! What are they teaching our children? COME ON, PEOPLE!!!!!!! (This was quite the appropriate place for an excessive amount of exclamation points, wouldn't you say?)

Anyway, yes. I am "one of those people." There aren't that many things that truly bug me in life. One of them is mean people, (but that is another entry for another day). Another is when people don't proofread before they display something. Oh, it grates on my nerves when I see a sign in a store with typos, or go to a restaurant and the menu has things misspelled. It drives me bonkers when I receive an official document from my employer, or my bank, or anything that comes in the mail, and it is strewn with typos. Or even, (I'm sorry), when the church bulletin is full of misspelled words. REALLY? Here's the thing: If the item you are presenting to the public eye is important enough to print, then FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, USE SPELLCHECK!

My interpretation of this situation: If you don’t check, you don’t care…

Sometimes, I just walk away shaking my head, a bit less keen on the store or restaurant than before I entered. Or I find myself with a little less confidence in a company than before I read the letter which began, "DEAR Molleen Kligin, We are plleased to be diong busyness with you."

At times, I take liberty to share my opinion. Sometimes, I grab my own pen and fix the menu myself, or I pull the manager aside and show them the mistake, (yes, I have totally done that). It's kind of like having broccoli in your teeth...only it's with the alphabet. If I was walking around with green gunk in my teeth, I would totally want someone to tell me!

And if I tell them, they usually are grateful and change it right away. Sometimes they don't even care at all, and the typo remains for years and years. Sometimes they just look at me, with a blank stare, and I know it didn’t get through at all. But I walk away… knowing I’ve at least attempted to make the world a better place, one word at a time.

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Anyway, that said, it is time to share my DISCOVERY.
Or maybe I should call it a confession...

I have been walking around with big piece of broccoli in my teeth for YEARS. I just discovered that I have been misspelling the word PLETHORA. (I always thought it was "plethera"). Anyway, so that is today's discovery. You may not think this a worthwhile discovery, but to me, it's Big Top.

And it has taught me a lesson. Sometimes, when there are misspellings and typos, it isn’t because someone is careless. It might just mean that they just don’t know, or realize, that they are making a mistake in the first place.

So, in the future, it will still make me cringe to see a sign that says, “Sale! Tuday Only! Cum In!” and I’ll probably still make those minor menu corrections, and pull the manager aside. But this time, I’ll do it with a little more forgiveness and understanding.

And when someone asks me if they have a lot of piñatas, I will be able to answer with confidence, and with the correct spelling, "Yes, Guapo, you have a PLETHORA of piñatas!"

P.S. I really like commas, too, and probably am guilty of "comma overuse."
P.P.S. I admit that, after saying everything I've said, I am nervous to be posting something that could have grammatical errors I am not aware of... I guess I'll just have to wait for my mom to send the corrections in the mail. (She hasn't done that to me... Yet.)

Nerd: an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; especially: one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits

2011-11-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

For Halloween this year, I dressed up like a nerd. Okay, okay, so I basically went into my suitcase and picked out a bunch of stuff to make a costume. I put tape on my glasses and made my hair goofy. I thought I looked a bit like Violet from "Saved By the Bell."

When I asked my friend's kids, (ages 12 and 10) if I looked like a nerd, they both said, "NO!"
Then, the 12-year old realized it was my costume and said, "Well, I guess you kind of look like a nerd." The 10-year old, (who didn't have the same realization), elbowed his big brother and hissed, "Hey, that's not nice!" He then turned to me and said, "You are PERFECT. Just the way you are. Don't ever let anyone tell you any different!"

It was hilarious, and also the sweetest thing I had heard all day.

Antarctica - The Final Continent!

2011-11-06T21:24:00.000-08:00

Mom, Dad, Becky, Me.
Antarctica was my Mom's, Dad's, and my 7th continent and my sister's 4th continent.
And it was absolutely STUNNING.

Argentina - Misadventures on the Road to Cachi - January 2011

2011-11-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

With new friends from the Backpacker Soul hostel, Claire from England (Clarabella) and Jonas from Holland (BB), our journey took us on a loop from Salta to Cafayate to Cachi and back to Salta.

The 4'hour drive to Cafayate was beautiful, passing through red-rock quebradas (canyons) and stopping to hike around. Devils´Throat was an exciting stop, it was huge and the angles played tricks on your mind. The scenery was breathtaking, such gorgeous vistas!!!

Cafayate, Argentina, a picturesque town surrounded by vineyards, was delightful. We took a tour of a vineyard, sampled wine (my friends appreciated my glass!), had dinner in the square.

It was a busy evening, with families walking around, jugglers and other performers in the streets, people riding bikes, it was the first time I´d ever seen bicycles built for THREE! Ha! Of course, in a place where a bicycle built for one has 3+ people on it, you can imagine how many can fit on one designed for 3! Haha!

The next day, we headed out again, enroute to Cachi. The road was unpaved, but in remarkable good shape for what we were expecting. I did most of the driving, as I was the only one with my driver´s license on me. We passed through gorgeous quebradas of different scenery, in some places we felt we were on the moon or in fairy tales!

Upon arrival into Cachi, we had a nice time walking around and had lunch at this little hole in the wall that had the best carne empanadas! Delish! Cachi is a lovely little town, with cobblestone streets and kind people. It was as we were leaving town, when things started to get interesting...

Note: When we got the rental, it was only 3/4 full, and the gal said if we fill up in Cachi, we would be at 3/4 tank on arrival in Salta.

That would have worked out well, except there was NO GAS in Cachi. Literally. The gas station was OUT OF GAS! The next station was not for about 75 kilometers! With 1/4 of a tank, we crossed our fingers and hoped it would get us to the next station.

As we drove from Cachi towards Parque Nacional Los Cardones, we started to get nervous. It was all uphill!! It took 1/4 of a tank to get us to the entrance of the park, and we still had about 50 kilometers to go!!! According to the guidebooks and rental car company and road signs, the drive through the park is a treacherous, windy unpaved road. To add to that, the conditions were terrible - it was raining and so foggy that we couldn´t see more than ten feet in front of us. We pulled over, knowing that there was no way we were going to make it to Salta. It was not a good situation.

Across the highway was a ranger station. Jonas went to check it out, and Clara and I stayed in the car and said a few prayers. The ranger didn´t have the kind of gas we needed, but he gave us a hose to siphen gas if we could get someone to pull over.

EVERYONE who came by pulled over to see if they could help!!!! It was so nice! Even a tour bus pulled over! Ha! Unfortunately, they all had diesel cars and trucks! They all left us with concerned looks and a ´buena suerte´ and we waited anxiously for the next car...

Finally, this sweet couple pulled over, and they had the right kind of gas! Hooray! Jonas, BB, took one for the team and started to siphen the gas. It only worked for about 1/2 liter. The couple said it was uphill for just a few kilometers up the road and then it was downhill the rest of the way. They had us go in front of them and they followed in case we ran out of gas completely and needed a lift.

Jonas, now named BBSuperman, took the wheel. We literally COASTED for 42 kilometers down a very windy mountain through the rain and fog, followed by our angels. The 1/2 liter of gas we siphened really came in handy the last 6 k's to the gas station!

At the station, we met up with many of the people who had pulled over to see if we needed help. It was like a huge party at the gas station, everyone cheering that we made it! It was great!!!! We were relieved and grateful to have made it safely, and to have been blessed to have such wonderful people willing to help out in a sketchy situation.

It was a great roadtrip, an amazing adventure, a true bonding experience...After the Misadventures on the Road To Cachi, Clarabella, BB, and Cocobean decided to continue their travels together - on to Bolivia! But that, my friends, is another story...

2011-11-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

If you hear a voice within you say, " you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
-Vincent Van Gogh

A lot of ground covered....

2011-10-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

Or maybe I should say, a lot of land and sea can be covered in a year...) It's been a year to the day since my last 'blog'. I have kind of been out of the country (oh, I do like saying that). Or I just haven't gotten around to it... In either case, here's a rundown:

(September 2010) Alaska Cruise with Larry Haddock and his parents.

SEPT/OCT 2010 Pacific Islands Cruise with Stephanie Hutchings and Edmond Noble and Sarah Rodondi- 30 days - San Francisco to Australia.

OCT/NOV 2010- One-month road-trip up the east-coast of Australia from Sydney to Cooktown.Chillin in the bush with Nick Racz! Diving the Great Barrier Reef on a liveaboard boat.

DECEMBER 2010- 4-days in the Amazon with my parents with caiman, pink dolphins, monkeys, tarantulas, and piranhas. 20-day South America/Antarctica cruise with my sister, Becky, and our parents - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 4 days cruising around Antarctica!!!

2011:

JANUARY/FEBRUARY - solo backpacking through South America - Argentina (Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Salta and environs), Bolivia (Salar de Uyuni, Lake Titicaca), Peru (Cuzco, Machu Picchu) . Met amazing people along the way. Return to the states - spent lots of time with family and friends in Virginia and Maryland and had a blast. Especially with my cute nieces and nephews!

MARCH - BACK to WORK, up in Alaska! WORK WORK WORK... Awesome layovers - Fairbanks Ice Championships, Chicago with DeVault cousins, San Fran with my SFO-4. Iditarod 2011 in Nome, Alaska with Christopher Hudson. Seattle for St. Patty's Day - green egg burritos with Derek Rowley, Birthday Limo Ride for Miss Jeanne, Angie Keene's wedding.

APRIL - Playing tourist in D.C. with my friend, Jenny Cowell! Home with friends and family. Back to work. A couple visits to Nome, Sweet, Nome. Back to work! A trip to Atlanta to see Debbie and Stanley, back to work, San Diego for Shane's housewarming party, back to work, and then headed HOME!

MAY - Full-time Aunt Beanie!!!!!! Ryan and Melissa had Caden Joseph Kigin in April, so I went to help out with their THREE boys! Derek Rowley came to D.C. for 10 days. We also went to Rehoboth Beach with Mel, Bobbie and the kids!

JUNE/JULY - Father's Day in NYC. Back to work. Work, work, work. Stressful commute - Christopher Hudson saved me, bless his heart forever. Fun adventure - glacier cruising out of Whittier. Work, work, work! :) Spending time with my Alaska friends. :) Wedding/Family Reunion in Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

AUGUST - Shane and Nora got married in San Diego! We like to call them Shanora! (kid-free wedding, fun for all the siblings!) Work trips to see Kigins in Phoenix, Chicago, friends in Portland, Sitka and Juneau. Good times.

SEPTEMBER - Transferred bases from Anchorage to Seattle. Miami trip - Sency! Recurrent training - I'm a flight attendant for another year! Fire and Ice Cruise with Stephanie and Edmond- Denmark, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Nova Scotia, Ft. Lauderdale. Home for a day! Back to work!

OCTOBER - Utah for four days. Reunion w/ BYU roommates, friends from Virginia, friends from Alaska, and new friends. :) LA for Pete and Anita's wedding. Work, work, work. Chicago to see cousins! :) Woohoo!

And so here I am.

And there I was.

And that's that.

The End.

Pacific Islands... the slow boat to OZ

2010-10-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

Cruising from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia on the Sapphire Princess... The past few weeks have been full of amazing experiences and we have been in PARADISE day after day after day! Honolulu, Maui, Moorea, Papeete, Bora Bora, American Samoa, Western Samoa, Fiji, and now New Zealand. WOW! Every day is an adventure!

2010-09-08T00:07:00.001-07:00

Today I slept ALL day. I haven't done that... ever? I was only awake for a couple hours this morning, but otherwise I was out. There was no one home. It was totally quiet with no distractions or interruptions. It was AMAZING.

Around 6:30 p.m., I woke up. I got in the car and drove less than a mile away from my house and got a speeding ticket. ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH. BLAH. I should have stayed in bed!!!!!

To overcome the pain of that expensive yellow piece of paper, I ate FIVE bowls of chocolate ice cream. A healthy choice? Perhaps not. But it sure made me feel better... :)

RUNNING THROUGH A SLIDING GLASS DOOR IS A VERY BAD IDEA

2010-08-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

I was SOOOOOO lucky. It could have been SO much worse!

Luck of the Irish

2010-06-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hmmm.... it's been a while (okay, it's been a REALLY long while)... The past couple of years have been full of interesting adventures and learning experiences. Do I TELL ALL (too daunting) SUM UP (daunting still), or just start from TODAY?

How about...TODAY

Today, I found a perfect 4-leaf clover in the middle of Alaska.
And then I found another. And another, and another, and another... In all, my friend and I found SIXTEEN 4-leaf clovers in under an hour! We felt that we'd found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Lucky, lucky, lucky!

Later in the day, I came across this quote:

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." -Seneca

Blessings aren't handed to us on a silver platter.
We have to work, hope, pray and work some more. We need to persevere and have patience.
And when the door opens, we need to recognize to what lies in front of us, be grateful, and seize the moment.

"Count your blessings. Name them one by one."

May you have a luckyducky kind of day. :)

How to Survive an Alaskan Winter:

2009-05-07T00:24:00.000-07:00

1.Go dog mushing.

2. Build an igloo.

3. Go ice fishing.

4. Find a frozen waterfall.

5. Participate in Running of the Reindeer.

6. Skin a rabbit.

7. Drool over Mt. McKinley while snowshoeing.

8. Volunteer as a dog handler at the Iditerod. 9. Warm up in Chena Hot Springs.

10. LEAVE!!!! (For about 4 months!)

CHOCOLATE

2009-02-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

My friend, Nathan, lives in South Carolina. We were chatting on the phone one day, discussing how much we love chocolate. (I'm partial to Dove dark b/c it's accessible in most stores!! ha ha). He told me the best he's ever had was at this chocolate shop in Monterey, California.

A couple weeks later, I come home from a long night of flying. It's 3am in Anchorage, and there are about 2 inches of new fallen snow on the ground. As I approach the front door, I notice there is a package on the doorstep - addressed to me!!! Can you guess what's inside?

It's a box of chocolates from Lula's in Monterey, California! With them is a note that says '... Enjoy the best chocolates ever...'! What a lovely surprise! Thank you, sweet Nathan!
And you know what? They ARE the best chocolates ever... WOW. You have to check it out, maybe order some and spoil yourself a bit.
http://lulas.com/
They are like heaven!

2009-02-03T04:38:00.000-08:00

After almost 4 months off, I'm back to flying the friendly skies.

(My time off encompassed trips to Utah, Portland a couple times, Hawaii for hiking, a Panama Canal Cruise, Seattle a few times, and Virginia/Maryland/New York to celebrate the holidays with family and new baby (not mine!). More on those adventures later, perhaps?!)

So, I'm flying these crazy trips that get into Anchorage around 3a.m.

All's quiet in Anchorage. I'm on the employee bus going to my car, Scooter Schmoo. There is a yellowish-orange glow from the streetlamps reflecting off the new-fallen snow and it's just so... peaceful. Magical, almost. Like anything could happen....

Like seeing a HUGE MOOSE right in front of you, just moseying through the employee parking lot, like its' nobody's business!!! WOW! My first moose of the winter. Cool. (like 2 degrees cool, brrrrrrr.....)

Ahhhh... I just LOVE Alaska!

MTC Diet Plan

2008-10-27T17:35:00.001-07:00

Visited my parents in the MTC. I got a kick out of this - a vending machine full of goodies.... right next to a scale!!!

He IS Listening!

2008-09-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

This morning, I am sitting in my $400 car, Scooter Schmoo. It is full to the brim of all my belongings in Alaska... As I'm driving down New Seward Highway, I notice that my gas tank is on "E" and my car is starting to make some interesting noises, which can only mean I'm running on fumes.

A continual pleading prayer is running through my head and off my lips. "Heavenly Father, please, please, please let me make it to a gas station. Please, please, please..."

As I'm getting off at the exit, I am in the left-hand turn lane and see a station to my right. I zoom across three lanes of traffic pull into the station. Wow. I cannot believe I made it... Thank you, thank you...

I then realize my wallet is at the VERY BOTTOM of all that is packed in my car. To get to it, EVERYTHING would have to come out first. Sigh... and sigh again. As I get out of the car and am about to tackle this project, a woman approaches.

"Excuse me, I have something for you," she says to me.

"I'm sorry?" I say, confused. (I've never seen her before).

"Here you go, I felt like you needed this."

She hands me a $10 gas card.

"It's for you, no strings attached. I'm from a local church and we are handing out gas cards to the people we feel impressed to give them to. I felt like God wants me to give it to you. The Lord sends you his LOVE."

WOW... Talk about Heavenly Father giving us exactly what we need.

So, in case you were wondering, here is your answer:
HE IS LISTENING and HE DOES LOVE YOU!!!

MISSIONARY MAMA & PAPA!!!

2008-09-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK CITY - HERE THEY COME!!!

My cute parents are going on an 18-month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! We are so proud of them and are excited for their upcoming adventure.

They will be GREAT!!!!

WE LOVE YOU, MOM AND DAD!!!

SUMMER 2008: LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

2008-09-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Highlights:
- Driving the Alcan Highway from Seattle to Alaska.
- Camping/hiking in Denali National Park at Wonder Lake.
- Solo back-packing trek to Williwaw Lakes.
- Flightseeing and Glacier Landing on Denali/Mt. McKinley.
- Rafting 6-mile Creek in Hope.
- Ice-climbing the Matanuska Glacier.
- Sunday dinners with Aunt Lisa.
- Water taxi across Kachemak Bay and camping out by a glacier:
- Halibut fishing in Homer.
- Biking the many great trails in/around Anchorage.
- Valdez, Copper River, Whittier, Fairbanks w/ Mom, Dad & Becky.

- Working on the train- then the plane - then the train - then the plane...

rent-a-hubby

2008-09-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

This was written on my final paperwork on a flight to Fairbanks:

Barnes, Marge 18E FAI WCHR
1 HUSBAND ONLY, ONE NEEDED IN FAIRBANKS AS WELL.

(so the request is for a wheelchair, but it sure sounds like she wants another husband! )

2008-09-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

My mom called me the other day and said,
'You're going to be an UNCLE again!'
Translation: Ry and Mel are having another boy!
(p.s. fyi, she meant to say AUNT! Ha!)

First Class Name Phlubs...

2008-09-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

So when we are serving First Class, we are required to address the passengers by their names. It's not that difficult until you have circumstances like these:

1. How would you pronounce the following name?: Steve Bicher ('oh dear' is right!!!)

2. When addressing a man and a woman in 1A & 1C, which one would you presume is Wanda Wim? ... Well, things are not always as they seem...

Never a dull moment in the life of Fly Girl!

Everything is bigger in Alaska

2008-08-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Apparently, so are the restrooms!

Location: Eielson Visitor Center, Denali National Park

TWINNERS!

2008-08-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

Mootsie the Moosey had twins: Tootsie and Poopsie!

Unbelievable

2008-07-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

On a short 1hr 30 min Flight: 4 medical emergencies within 5 minutes of each other...

TWO ALLERGIC REACTIONS
ONE PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC
ONE UNRESPONSIVE/NO PULSE

It was busy, intense, surreal.

I have never had a flight like it before. Neither had Gigi (flight attendant).

Neither had Darlene (other flight attendant) - It was her FIRST day on the job! She was stellar.

In the end, everyone was alright. But, WOW, what a day...

(lmk if you'd like the detailed version!)

Peanuuuuut, peanut butter, and....

2008-07-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

SALAMI???

On my flight today, I sold a Picnic Pack to a boy (probably around 9 yrs old). Inside the box is salami, cheese, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, dried apricots, etc. After he ate, I asked him what he like the most in the Picnic Pack. "Salami and peanut butter," he said. He spread the pb on the salami and munched away. Bon appetit! (isn't that icky sounding!?! Ha!)

It reminds me of Caroline Morrill, who I used to babysit. She LOVED ketchup and jelly sandwiches on a hot dog bun... She also liked frozen chicken nuggets. I wonder if she ever had frozen nuggets with peanut butter on top? I wouldn't put it past her... and I bet she loved it!

I think I'll have to try the salami and peanut butter combo, though. Just to see what it's like. I'll let you know how it goes...

HOME SWEET HOME....

2008-07-04T02:57:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!
I love traveling; having random and exciting and unique experiences make me happy and brings many fond memories.

BUT...

Nothing brings more JOY to my life than being HOME...

Being home, in a country that is free. In the place of my birth. with my family and friends. Spending every waking minute doing and seeing and embracing the moment. And sitting back, doing nothing, and letting the moments take you away... Going on walks at night when all the world is sleeping but you and memories and the glow of fireflies...

Gratitude overflowing...

World's Best Sledding

2008-06-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous day in Anchorage, Alaska. The sun was shining, the sky blue. It was ALMOST warm, but not quite!

I had just flown in from a Seattle all-nighter and was exhausted, but couldn't let the day go to waste. Edmond, Debbie, Stephanie and I decided to hike up to Flat Top.

It was a great day for a hike. I admit, on no sleep, it was pretty exhausting. But it was so nice to be out there in the sunshine, and breathing in the fresh "springtime" air. And when I say air, I mean AIR! The wind was CRAZY! It would come in gusts; there was a time or two we thought we'd get blown off the mountain!

We had a BLAST. It was a lot of work, especially with the snow on the rocks! When we got towards the top, Edmond decided to climb up all the way and slide DOWN!

We thought he was NUTS!!! But down, down, down he went, (screaming like a girl the whole way). Ha ha! He then he ran/climbed back up the mountain and convinced Steph to go. I needed a bit more persuading... Here's the footage from my end. And then from their end!!!!

After they slid down, I decided I'd rather die sliding down the mountain than die while slipping and falling down icy rocks trying to climb down! It proved to be an excellent choice! (and took a lot less time, too!) I went with two guys I met on the top of the mountain. Hopefully I can get the footage from their camera; it shows me getting squashed by the guy in the swishy pants that zoooooomed down the mountain! ha ha! What a fun day!

Meandering Moose

2008-05-23T00:34:00.000-07:00

So I now live in Alaska. I love it here, especially since it's sunny all the time - well, for the next couple months. :)

This is me with Mt. McKinley. I could get used to this.

I wish I could say that I live in a "blue foam dome home with no phone" like my Alaskan friend, Karen, but I cannot. I can claim that the apartment complex where I am staying has a 'resident moose.' Not really, she comes and goes as she pleases, but she seems to frequent the complex parking lot and surroundings. She likes to wander around and eat the leaves off the trees and snooze next to the mud-covered trucks and shiny SUV's and Steph's little car, Betsy, (who got us all the way from Seattle to Anchorage via the Alcan Highway!). Alaska is awesome - you're on a bikeride or leaving your apartment or the store, and VOILA! There's a MOOSE right in front of you!

Some neighbors are not smart and feed the moose carrots from their bedroom windows. They are 'more smart' than the others who think it's a good idea to approach a wild animal - who can kick in your head in less than a second - just so they can get a picture with a moose.

We like to call her 'Mootsie,' not to be confused with 'moosey.' Then we can say, "Mootsie the moosey is on the loosey," which is almost as good as Karen's "blue foam dome home with no phone."

2008-01-31T11:32:00.000-08:00

My name translated into Chinese:

LOVELY EXAM

my family still wonders... will anyone ever pass?

Grand Steps in Life

2008-01-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

I FULFILLED A LIFELONG GOAL BY CLIMBING THE GREAT WALL of CHINA!

IT WAS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE!!!

First night in China

2008-01-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

It was my first night in Beijing, China. After clearing customs and immigration, and making a stop at the toilet and ATM, I caught a taxi. The man, (rather a kid!) had a big smile and spoke NO English. Since I was getting in so late, I had previously made reservations at a Super 8 so I had a place to stay that night. I showed the taxi driver the address and he had to call his friends for directions!
As we drove around, the most interesting thing to me was that I couldn't read the signs!!!! Some had English, but for those that didn't, I felt like I was three-years-old again and wishing I could read! We drove and drove and drove. When we got to the area of the hotel, we drove through these skinny alleys w/ bikes and rickshaws lined up along the walls. We drove in and out of them, and in and out of the next one. Clearly,we were lost, he could NOT find the place. We would stop now and then to ask a passerby for directions. Each time, it was clear that nobody knew where this place was.
It was a scene out of a movie... It seemed as though nothing had been touched in hundreds of years and everything was covered w/ about a half an inch of dust. What I realized is that it was SNOW! and b/c of the pollution, it has a grayish hue to it. Strange... (btw, it IS totally Brrrfreezing!). The only reason I knew we were not in a ghost town were the occasional little snackshops and barbershops open (who gets their hair cut at 10:00 p.m.!?) I started to wonder what was going to happen; if we couldn't find the hotel, did it even exist or was it one of those internet scams? Also, how on the planet would I tell him to take me to another one!!!
As I was contemplating my situation, a BIG YELLOW 8 appeared around a corner! A-ha! There it is! We both cheered out loud in our own languages. :) The 45-minute adventure came to a total of about 20 bucks (US) and I said goodbye to my little cab driver friend. I wonder if he was able to find his way home...
Next stop: Checking in at the hotel.Lucky for me, one of the gals spoke English. Also lucky for me, my reservation went through so they had me in the system. It was 180RMB, which is about $23. It is required to show your passport for checking in and to put down a 100RMB deposit. Then I went up to my room. At first I couldn't figure out how to turn on the lights. Then I saw that you had to put your key in the wall to get power! My room was SMALL! All it had space for was the bed. And it was warm in the room, thank goodness. That was all I needed.
The only problem was that the walls were absolutely paper-thin. I could hear everything the guy on my right was saying to his friend on the phone in Chinese, and there was couple on the left and, well, that's the same in any language... I had to roll my eyes, and hope that both parties would go to bed soon, as it was nearing midnight. Once I got settled in and went to bed, all was quiet... at least for a little while.
I was sleeping peacefully. I was warm and comfortable and thoroughly tired. I was dreaming a happy dream. Suddenly, I was awakened by the most dreadful sound - the man to the right was SNORING.... Now, if someone is snoring in my ear, usually it's my own fault, since I've fallen asleep in the same room as the snorer. It's not supposed to happen when you're sleeping in the NEXT ROOM. It was like he was lying right next to me!!! I got up and read a little while, each minute ticking by I'd get a bit more frustrated! Then, I remembered something that SAVED me! I switched on my new MP3 player, turned on Enya and turned up the volume and went back into my la la sleepyland. It did help, although I could still hear him in the background! My only hope now was that he would wake up early so I could sleep.
He did wake up fairly early. However, he was not quiet. Every few minutes for the next two hours, he would clear his nose and throat and spit. It was ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. ICK. Needless to say, sleep was not an opion anymore! I got up, packed up my stuff, showered, and went to check out. As I was leaving my room, who comes out at the same time but Mr. SNORESPITTER himself.
I couldn't help but laugh, all the way down the hallway, in the elevator and through the lobby. When I went to check out, the gal asked, "Will you be staying another night?" I looked over at Mr. Snorespitter standing in market across the way buying a drink. "No. No I don't think I will," I said. I collected my deposit, grabbed my bags, and walked away, very grateful that my first night in China was over!

Funny Sign - Japan

2008-01-17T04:07:00.000-08:00

In Narita, Japan's airport, the bathrooms also have bidets. The picture is a bit funny to me. But I'm sure it's necessary; as other countries (namely, America), do not widely have bidets in their bathroom facilities.

Angels in the Snow by: Larry Haddock y Cocina Limpia

2008-01-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

Larry is one of my best buddies in Ogden, Utah. I flew out and surprised him for his birthday! Here is our fun adventure, written from HIS point of view!!!! (After a bad car accident 7 years ago, Larry has been on a long road of recovery. Here you can see how far he's come! Awesome, Larry! Great job!!!! )
It was the day after my 30th birthday. (Happy Birthday to me!) I excused myself from work so I could spend more time with my good friend, Clean Kitchen (Colleen Kigin-that's me!), who came into town for my birthday. I was trying to go about my life in a normal fashion. What I forgot is that NOTHING is normal when it comes to Clean Kitchen!
A few days ago, it snowed at least 20 inches. It continued to snow on an off over the next couple of days. My idea of normal life in the snow is to be inside, out of the snow, playing computer games. Clean Kitchen's idea is a little bit different, (or maybe a lot!).
She asked me if I'd like to go outside to make snow angels. Of course, the idea sounded a little bizarre at first, especially for a guy in a wheelchair; not to mention the freezing-cold temperatures involved! After she insisted enough and Mom offered me warm dress, I finally agreed. My boots weighed about 4-tons each, making it hard to walk. But I got out of my wheelchair and walked across the seemingly 3-feet deep snow, with Clean Kitchen in tow.
It was so fun walking through the snow because my left leg picked up and cleared the snow pretty good (considering the 4-ton boots!).
It was also neat becuase we could fall and not die! We would count, "ONE, TWO, THREEEEEEEEE!!!!" and then purposefully fall backwards into the snow!!!!! It was a nice, cushy landing every time. Then we would flail our arms and legs around and when we got up, 'VOILA!' siamese-snow angels!
Instead of making one snow angel, we made three. Instead of fifteen minutes, we stayed out there over an hour. We even made a mini-snowman, caught snowflakes on our tongues, and walked a mile uphill both ways (ha ha ha). And we got it all on camera!
Clean Kitchen and I also took some of our own self-portraits. Not bad, either... at least because of the subject-matter!!!
The end of the trek involved going all the way into the house was long and hard after playing for so long, but I am better and stronger because of it. Now I can say, "Been there, Done that, Let's do it again sometime!" And I hope you'll join me.
The End. Goodbye. :)

Scissors aren't allowed through Security... and shouldn't be given to certain people, either!

2008-01-10T04:18:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a haircut from you-know-where?

I hadn't... until yesterday.

It all started when I asked my friend, Christa, to cut my hair so I could donate it to Locks of Love. So, we measured 11 1/2 inches, braided it, and snipped away! And WOW, was it cute, for just cutting it from the top of a ponytail!

The next morning, I went to a salon to just clean it up a bit. That proved to be the biggest mistake in hair history... When asked what I was looking to do w/ my hair, I said, "I'd like to keep the length and the slight A-line cut. It just needs to be cleaned up a bit in the back." I thought that was clear. Apparently, it wasn't.

The woman snipped and snipped and snipped. I had to tell her twice she wasn't doing what I wanted. "Oh, I fix it, I fix it." I gritted my teeth and let her continue (I should have stopped her right then!!!). She kept snipping away, and when she said she was done, I looked in the mirror and I was absolutely HORRIFIED. It was a blunt cut almost up to my ears in front and the back was chunky in all the wrong places!!! I looked somewhere between a 3-year old who got a hold of the scissors and Britney Spears! It was the World's Worst Haircut!!!

Well, I just started crying my eyes out!!!! "This isn't what I wanted, this isn't what I asked you to do!" over and over again. "Oh. I fix it," she said, "I fix it. Just sit. Give me more time. I cut more. I fix it for you."

Fix it? No way jose! Not a chance! I stood up, pulled the cape off and said through my tears, "I think you've done enough. I'm sorry, but this is a really bad haircut. I have to go." I walked up to the front and the gal at the desk just said, "no charge, no charge..." I thanked her and walked out bawling.

I came across another salon, walked in, tears streaming down my face. The lady took one look at me and said, "Oh honey. Don't worry. I'll fix it for you." (it was that bad!!!) And she did what she could with it. And it actually turned out kind of cute...

(my crew - Summer, Danni, me)

Now the challenges are: what to do with/how to style short hair, how not to eat it when it falls in my face, and how to get people to recognize me (especially when I don't even recognize myself when I look in the mirror!!!!)

It was a drama-filled and emotional day... but I survived my haircut from you-know-where. And the best part? It will grow back... in approximately three years, ten months and twenty-eight days!!

p.s. Here is a photo of Mrs. Getty, Gabi and I (w/ my new do). And no, they didn't recognize me, either!!!! But how fitting to bump into them in the San Francisco Airport. Hannah, where are you?!?!

MUSH, MUSH!

2007-07-21T23:28:00.000-07:00

Juneau, Alaska.
Dog Camp on Mendenhall Glacier.
June 9, 2007.

Flew into the camp via helicopter on a clear, beautiful day. The ride was amazing! And by going, I fulfilled another lifelong goal - taking a helicopter ride! That, in itself, was incredible. And it just got better!!!!

We were first given a tour of the dog camp. Then, we got to hold the puppies! After that, we were on our mushing way!
Our lead musher/guide was Mark Chin. My fellow-first-time mushing friends, Jean and Gordon Peters of Port Aransas, Texas, were great; we had so much fun!

It is one of the coolest things I have ever done and that's no lie!

Helicopter company - http://www.temscoair.com/

Here Comes the Bride!

2007-06-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, okay. So I haven't been to work in a million years, thus the flight attendant stories have somewhat dwindled. :) However, vacations are a must. :) And life has been lovely and exciting.

This weekend, I was the maid of honor in one of my dearestmostamazingkindredspiritfriendsonthewholeplanet's wedding. It was a fabulous day, in so many ways. Some highlights:

First and foremost, Erin and Peter, or 'Petah,' as I call him, got married. YAY! :)

Erin's mom, 'Mama Jen,' married them (she's a pastor). It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony.

Her dad, 'Papa Ailstock,' gave the most touching, heartfelt toast I've ever heard.

Her sister, 'DeeDee' ;) and I got to wear fabulous dresses as her bridesmaids.

The Bride made her own wedding cake - it was OH MY HOLY COW WIZ-BANG DELISH!

The best man's toast was HILARIOUS. I'd like to share a bit of it: (in a perfect English accent, b/c he is, indeed, English)

"I asked Peter what he wanted from this marriage, his goals, his purpose. And this is what he said.

'I want to be a model husband to my wife. I want to be a model son-in-law to her parents. I want to be a model father. And-' he added with a smile, '-I want to be a model lover."

The best man continued, "Well, I looked up "model" in the dictionary...

Model: a small or miniature version of the real thing.

And so, with that, I say, 'Good luck,' to the bride."

It was quite clever. And we laughed and laughed and laughed.... :)

And the bride and groom? They are living happily ever after, of course!!!

Now, THIS is thinking outside the box!

2007-05-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

This story is TOO GOOD to not write down.
It did not happen to me, but I sure hope you enjoy it. ;)

So, my friend and his wife and their 50-pound dog were traveling from Kansas to Kuwait. They got stuck in NYC due to a mechanical problem with the plane, and had to get a hotel for the night.

The airline tried to help them find lodging that would take dogs, but were having difficulty. Finally, after calling 17 hotels, the airline was able to get them a hotel reservation. So my friend, his wife, and 50-pound dog took a shuttle to the hotel. However, upon arrival, they discovered the hotel only allows dogs who are UNDER 10 pounds!!!

So, how did they find a place that allows a 50-pound dog? Well, the next hotel they went to, my friend put on a pair of sunglasses, walked into the hotel lobby holding onto his wife's arm w/ the dog by his side... The dog led him to the sitting-area in the lobby, where he sat down while his wife checked them in. And the hotel didn't give him any problems because they thought he was a blind man with his seeing-eye-dog!!!

BRILLIANT!!!!

The best thing to do when it's 110 degrees outside?

2007-05-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

Go skiing INSIDE!!!

... or snowboarding...

...or tubing...

At the indoor ski resort - SKI DUBAI!!!

Shopping in Dubai

2007-05-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

They say the shopping in Dubai is a highlight, a must-see, a must-do. On the tour bus, when approaching the Deira Gold Souq, the tour guide gave fair warning, "This next stop makes the ladies happy. Gentlemen, hold onto your wallets." As you can see, there is A LOT OF BLING, and it goes on forever!!!!

And yes, it does make the ladies happy. :)

My favorite shopping experience, however, did not involve jewelry directly. While melting in the 110 degree weather and admiring the streets aligned w/ gold, my friend and I decided that it was simply too hot and we should go to the beach to cool off.

The only thing we needed were swimsuits. No problem - we entered a shop that had mannequins dressed in swimsuits, and inquired if they had more of a selection. The store worker brought over a stack of swimsuits, each individually packaged in clear plastic. "Choose one," he said to me.

I ruffled through the pack, picked out a suit, opened the package and held it up.
It was the size of a 2T onesie! I asked, "do you, by chance, have something in a larger size????"

"Yes," he said,
"Small, medium, large. One size fits all."

What? ARE YOU KIDDING ME????!! Have you ever heard of a one-size-fits-all-swimsuit?!!?
Well, desperate times call for desperate measures, and we were quickly melting and the ocean was an absolute necessity at this point. So we bought it - for $4.50 - and laughed all the way to the beach.

And so, you may ask, does one size fits all?!?
Well..... not quite, but close enough!

And so, this is me, in my $4.50 one size fits all swimsuit, at Jumeirah Open Beach in Dubai. :)

And this is as close you'll ever get to seeing me in it - ever again!

It may, however, look super-cute on my 3-year old niece, Molly.

New Zealand Highlights

2007-04-08T04:27:00.000-07:00

- going to the Fijordlands and an overnight cruise in the Milford Sound

- kayaking in the pouring rain w/ a seal swimming alongside

- the hot pools at Hamner Springs and self-drying swimsuit machines!

- 180 million year old petrified forest- secret caves in the middle of the Shire

- sheep, sheep, and more sheep - some which had beachfront property!

- picking up hitchiking grandmas from Holland and apple pickers from Paris

- hiking through Abel Tasman National Park

- magnum ice cream!

- Glowworm caves - awesome! 'glow mr.glowworm shimmer, shimmer!'

- singing in the omararu caves- going on a cavern swing through a gorge

- getting saved in the middle of nowhere b/c the battery died in the car!

- playing crazy party games at a campsite w/ a theatre troupe from Christchurch

- the amazing rainbows!!!!

- NZ McDonalds - over the top! McCafe's and subs and hungerbusters and twilight treats etc.

- the picturesque scenery of the Catlins

- the blue-green waters of the Tasman Sea

- being at the southern-most tip of the South Island of New Zealand and almost being blown away!

- scerenading a man in Dutch while he changed a tire in the dark!

- waterfalls, rainforests, craggy cliffs and coastlines, green rolling hills, etc. (BEAUTIFUL!)

- the hilarious bumper stickers, signs, and billboards

- the fairy-tale possibilities of Punakaiki "Pancake Rocks"

- jetboating in Queenstowne

- the beautiful gardens at Larnach Castle - and the road getting there! Oh my holy cow!

- whale-watching in Kaikoura, two sperm whales and 200-300 dolphins!

- sunsets on the coast- driving on the other side of the car on the other side of the road!

- watching the stars at night - brilliant! (seeing 6 shooting stars in one night!)

Billboards to Bumper Stickers, New Zealand Style!

2007-04-07T03:57:00.000-07:00

During my travels to New Zealand (it was AWESOME, by the way),

there were some funnies along the way:

Upon entering a town:

No Doctor

No Hospital

1 Cemetary

SLOW DOWN.

On Rental Cars:

"Use Caution. 80% of people are caused by accident."

"Alcohol is not the answer, it just makes you forget the question."

Billboards:

"Buckle up, you're an insecure load."

Road signs:

There were more, but frankly, I don't remember. :)

Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, Flight Attendant.

2007-01-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

I walked up to Gabriella, age 7, and asked, "Gabriella, I hear today is your birthday. Would you like a special birthday drink?" (sprite and cran mixed) Her eyes got VERY wide and she asked in amazement, "How did you know it's my birthday?" Her mom looked at me and winked, "She's magical."

Inspiration

2007-01-04T16:32:00.000-08:00

We were preboarding a flight and the CSA came down w/ a gentleman named Joel. He was in his late twenties to mid-thirties, very kind, polite, and charismatic. He was also blind. He had a suitcase, a walking stick and a friendly smile. I led him to his seat, we chatted for a bit, and he shared his story with me.
A year ago, he was in a car accident that left him blind... Before the accident, he was a teacher. Now, he is the student, and has been accepted to one of the top blind schools in the nation. He was actually on our flight on his way to begin his second semester.
I am sure the road has not been easy for him since his accident. He probably went through many different phases of recovery both physically and emotionally.
But let me tell you what I saw that day.
I saw hope.
I saw determination.
I saw a person, despite challenges, working towards something more.
He had such a positive attitude and outlook. He didn't have control on what happened to him. But what he does have control on is how he will live and overcome the obstacles.
Since the flight, I've been thinking a lot about Joel and the human spirit. Life happens, and it can change in an instant. It could be an accident, an illness; it could happen to someone we love or even to ourselves. Or it could even be losing ourselves - so much that we become truly blind to what matters in life.
Do we let our trials, our problems, our fears, our insecurities, our disappointments and challenges beat us?
Or do we act like Joel; take hold of those we love and what we do have; work towards every opportunity presented to us to make us better people; live life to the best of our ability, despite our circumstances, and beat the odds.

This seat's taken!!!!

2006-11-12T23:29:00.000-08:00

So, we're on our descent and ready to do a cabin check. When I get to the front, I turn around and notice the passengers are laughing and pointing at my co-worker, who is walking right behind me. In that same moment, she turns around and starts going towards the back of the cabin. I start laughing and tell her to stop - stuck on her bottom is a "SEAT OCCUPIED" sign!!

Veterans, we thank you.

2006-11-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

One day, a soldier in his 'dress greens' boarded the plane. He was escorted by the supervisor to the cargo area of the plane, where he had to make sure everything was in order... He was bringing one of his fallen comrades home from Iraq...
The soldier was seated in coach class. The pilot, a veteran of the Air Force, asked the CSA to see if she could put him in First Class, out of respect, and to honor the soldier who was killed. The CSA said it was full, but would see what she could do.
She called a couple of First Class passengers to the desk, explaining why the soldier was flying with us that day, and then asked if they were willing to give up their seats for him. They refused.
The pilot, upon hearing this, went up to the boarding area himself. He told a few other First Class passengers of the situation and asked if they would switch seats. They also refused.
All of us who knew of the situation couldn't believe that no one was willing to switch seats - especially because coach class was wide open and it was only a 45-minute flight...
After boarding, the captain addressed First Class. "Can I have your attention? You may have seen a soldier in uniform get on the plane. He is on board accompanying the catsket of one of his comrades who died in Iraq. He is taking him home to his family. When we arrive at the gate, there is a ceremony that is being held in the honor of the soldier who died...We ask you to remain seated, to allow the soldier sitting in coach to deplane first so he can fulfill his duty to his comrade and his country. Thank you." He then turned around and walked into the cockpit. He had tears in his eyes.
A gentleman in 1C came up to me. "Where is this soldier sitting?" I told him which seat he was in. This man walked up to the soldier and said, "Hello," and introduced himself. "I am a retired veteran, and was in the Army for over 30 years. The pilot told us why you are here, I remember all too well what that was like. Thank you for your service; I would be honored if you would take my seat up in First Class. " The soldier thanked the man. Tears came to my eyes when I saw the interchange.
The flight went by quickly and we were soon to our destination. As we pulled into the gate, there were emergency vehicles everywhere with lights flashing. There were soldiers standing at attention, saluting the plane.
One of the flight attendants made an announcement: 'Ladies and gentlemen, do not be alarmed at the emergency crews and uniformed servicemen. You may have seen the gentleman on board who is in uniform. He is escorting the casket of a fallen soldier who died in Iraq to bring him home to his family. It doesn't matter what your view is on the war, we ask you to take a moment to pay respect to the young man who sacrificed his life for our freedoms."
As the passengers deplaned, I could tell they were moved. Some were crying, others had tears in their eyes. When they said, 'thank you' that day, I knew it meant more than just, 'thanks for the flight.'
And First Class? Well, after the flight attendant's announcement and the scene outside the aircraft, they stayed put. They not only waited for the soldier to deplane, they continued to sit there, and sit there, and sit there - until I told them it was okay to move... I think the reality had set in, along with a realization that there is more to life than a First-Class seat.
After all the passengers deplaned, we watched the ceremony as the casket came out of the plane. Sodiers saluting, the American flag laying on the casket, the family standing off in the distance - mom, dad, sister, grandparents... It was heartwrenching and yet moving. We cried; we all cried. The flight attendants, the pilots, even the cleaners of the plane... It was truly remarkable.
I shed many tears that day. Tears of sadness of for the families who have lost loved ones, tears of pride for my flight crew and the man who moved seats, tears of patriotism, respect and honor for those fighting for our country...
On this Veterans Day, I pay tribute to those who have died for our country. For those who have fought for our freedoms. For those serving in our armed forces on U.S. soil and in war-torn lands. May God bless America. May God bless our troops. And have a blessed Veterans Day.

Kids say the darndest things:

2006-11-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

I was asked to give a presentation to a pre-school class of 4-year olds. The theme that week was "Let's go to Disney!" and that day they were flying to Disneyland dressed as their favorite character or superhero. (It was awesome!)

So, I spoke to the kids about things they need to remember when they're on the plane, (Wear seatbelts, listen to flight attendants. I explained oxygen mask and safety card, etc.).

When I was finished, I asked the class, "Okay, so what is the MOST important thing you need to remember when you're on a plane?"
A kid in the very back yelled out, "DON'T SMOKE!"

Trick or Treat!!!

2006-11-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

(to view photos, right click on the box, and click on 'open link in new window)
I love Halloween!
This year, I convinced my crew to dress up - we wore striped stockings and bunny ears. I also brought 'hats' for the captain and first officer - an English cap and a clown wig. They actually wore them the whole time - even through the terminal!
One of the flight attendants, a 20-year veteran, (who looked great in my purple and black striped stockings!) commented to the passengers as I was handing out candy, "It's so much fun flying w/ a 12-year old!" I turned around and she gave me a wink. She was having as much fun as I was! :)
Good times, great memories!
Happy Halloween!!!

you know there's an issue when...

2006-10-29T00:42:00.000-07:00

... a passenger looks uncomfortable, you ask them if they are alright and they respond, "I think I'll be okay, do you have a catheter?"

to puke or not to puke, that is the question....

2006-10-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

So... I am working a flight with two of my friends who don't know each other. In introducing them to each other, I say, "Stephanie, this is Sean." "And Sean, this is Stephanie. She doesn't do puke."
Later during the flight, they are on the beverage cart in the back and I am up in first class. Suddenly, Steph rushes into the front galley, grabs a fresh bag of coffee and puts it up to her nose. Immediately, I know that someone has thrown up. I have her stay up front and serve first class and I go to help Sean in the back.
When I get there, I discover that not only has someone thrown up, but has thrown up on the outside of the beverage cart, in the beverage cart, on her seat, and all over the floor! We pull the cart in the back, help the passenger to the bathroom and make sure she is alright, get her a plastic bag and her suitcase so she can change her clothes, and then try to clean up.
We put this powder stuff on the puke to soak it up and mask the smell. There is so much on the floor that we just put a blanket over the area, wipe down the seats, and reseat passengers who are getting sick because of the smell. The sick passenger is also reseated, feeling much better after getting rid of whatever was ailing her in the first place. We put away the puked-on cart and open another cart to finish serving the rest of the passengers their drinks.
When other passengers notice the cart is out of the aisle, they start coming back to use the lavatories. None of them know there has been a puke incident, they step on the blanket, or try to step over over the blanket, (but sometimes it catches on their shoes and they pull it down the aisle by accident!) Ick!!! One lady sees the blanket on the floor and tries to pick it up so she can fold it and put it away."NO, STOP!!!!!"
Sean picks up the p/a and makes an announcement:
"Ladies and gentlemen, the cart is out of the aisle, and many of you are coming back to use the lavatories. You will notice a blanket on the floor in the aisle at row 22. Do not move the blanket. Do not step on it. Do not pick it up. Do not look under it - you do not want to see what is under there."
After that, we have no more problems with the blanket and the puke. The remainder of the flight goes smoothly, the passengers use caution when stepping over the blanket, the lady feels better, Stephanie finishes the flight with a coffee bag up to her nose, and everyone is doing fine.
One last announcement is made as we pull into the gate:
"Ladies and gentlemen, if you are seated in the aft of the cabin, we remind you of the blanket at row 22. Please do not step on the blanket. Do not pull your suitcase over the blanket. Pick up your suitcase, step over the blanket, and then set your suitcase down and continue down the aisle. Thank you, and have a pleasant day."

Raining cats and dogs? noooo.....

2006-10-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

One day, I was going through the cabin, preparing for departure. I was making sure the passengers had their seatbelts on, seatbacks and tray tables up and locked, carry-ons stowed, lap babies held the right way, exit rows briefed, etc. I was also closing the overhead bins while doing all of the above, with two cups of limes and lemons in my hand.

As I'm closing the bins, one didn't latch and it popped back up, hitting the bottom of the cup of limes and tipping it over. In reaction, I reached with my other hand to try to catch it, only I forgot that hand was already occupied with the cup of lemons!!! Both cups flipped upside down and the entire contents fell onto the gentleman sitting below!!!

Flustered, I said, 'Oh my gosh! It's raining limes and lemons!" Lucky for me, he actually wasn't upset! As we were cleaning up the mess and after apologizing profusely, I said, "Wow, that's never happened to me before!" He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "Me neither."

Sweet angel....

2006-10-16T22:41:00.000-07:00

On a flight from Anchorage to Seattle, a woman boarded the plane. She had long silver-gray hair pulled into two braids that hung to her waist. She was carrying a small child, who was hooked up to IV's and tubes. He was crying, and she was trying to console him. Struggling with her bags, we assisted her to her seat, giving her pillows and blankets to help get the child more comfortable.
The woman's name was Jill, a doctor from Alaska. Since the early 90's, she had been going to Sudan to care for the children there. This year, for the first time, she brought someone home with her. The little boy in her arms was 6-year old, Gatmai. They were on their way to Boston, where there was a team of doctors ready to perform surgery on this sweet child. Without the surgery, he would die.
He was in such pain, and he was trying to be so brave, but every once in a while, he would just cry out... She spoke to him in his native tongue, asking where it hurt and telling him that he was brave and that we would get there as soon as we could. She stayed vigilant and by his side, not needing or wanting anything but just to make it there... They made it through the 3 1/2 hour flight. I kept thinking about the 5+ hour all-nighter they had ahead of them... I couldn't imagine how tired they both must have been.
After everyone deplaned, we helped her with her bags and she lifted little Gatmai and carried him to his stroller. He was in so much pain... We got her all set up w/ her bags and I told her I was going to stay with her and help her until she left for Boston.
Thank goodness for the family bathroom; a large room w/ a toilet, sink, countertop- and privacy. While she was in the bathroom with Gatmai, she was able to clean him up, wash his sores, flush out his stomach, and get ready for the next part of their journey. I went to the little magazine shop in the airport - and was surprised and relieved that they sold diapers and wipes. I was also able to give a heads-up to the customer service agents and brief the flight attendants for the next flight, so they knew the situation and the best way to assist Jill and Gatmai. They were all awesome, and I knew Jill and Gatmai would be taken care of.
I went back to the bathroom to help Jill finish getting everything ready. Gatmai seemed more comfortable, but he had soiled his favorite blanket by accident. I went back to the shop, got a new blanket, blue, his favorite color. I took it to him and laid the soft blanket over his thin, little body. Jill told him it was a gift from his new friend. He looked up at me and for the first time that whole evening, he smiled. It was like a little glimpse of Heaven.
We went out in the boarding area and waited until it was time to board. Gatmai was in better spirits, and loved watching the airplanes take off. He raised his thin arms a time or two, smiling and pointing at the planes taking off and telling us about the trucks that drove around the airplanes. I showed him my how my cell phone is a camera, and he asked to take a picture with me. I was amazed, this child who had come from the other side of the world, who he knew he was dying, and yet in that tiny frame still existed a curious little boy, fascinated by the airplanes and trucks and wanting his picture taken. And Jill, who brought this child home with her because she knew it was the only option for him, knowing he might not even make it through the night. I was overwhelmed and humbled at the whole situation.
It was almost time to go and Gatmai asked if I was coming with them. Jill told him I had to stay here, but would think about him the whole way. I drew a picture of myself and told him that it was me and I would go with him all the way to Boston. Jill translated for me, and he smiled. Then I helped her down the jetway and onto the plane. They were the last on board, the other flight attendants and I helped get her settled, and I said goodbye, and a silent prayer that they would make it to Boston safely.
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A couple weeks later, I received an email from Jill:
Dear Colleen, Thanks for your note and your help. Gatmai did well initially. Then suddenly last week he became very ill and has just passed away. My heart is broken. He is the bravest boy I will ever meet. Thanks again for your help. Jill
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Tears came to my eyes when I read her message. I only knew Gatmai for a small moment in time, but it meant more to me than anyone will ever know...
I will never forget his little smile and sweet spirit.
Thank God for sending us angels who help us realize how precious, lovely, and beautiful life is....

"Do you have any lotion?"

2006-10-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

Three beautiful, older black women were on my flight one day - they were friends from childhood, taking their yearly vacation together. One of them stopped me as I was passing through the cabin. "Honey, my hands are soooo dry. Do you have any lotion?"
"Of course!" I grabbed a little bottle out of my bag. One by one, I dribbled some lotion into each of their hands and helped myself to some, too. As we were rubbing it on our hands, arms, and faces, they kept commenting on how nice the lotion felt and how good it smelled. I was pleased and thought the same thing.
One of them asked, "what brand is it?" I looked at the label and started to laugh. I handed the bottle to the ladies. They burst into laughter, deep and full. We laughed for about ten minutes, tears streaming down our faces. I'm sure we woke up the entire cabin! The label, to everyone's surprise, didn't say lotion. It read, "hair conditioner!"

My oh my...

2006-10-11T20:16:00.000-07:00

An elderly lady on one of our flights was walking down the aisle to the restroom when she felt faint, out of breath, and was very pale. We sat her down in a seat and followed the proper procedures, (notified flight deck, put her on oxygen, got connected with a doctor on the ground, asked for assistance from any medical personnel, wrote up a report, etc.).
After a while, her condition improved. She continued to use oxygen, we gave her something to eat and drink, and checked on her throughout the flight. A passenger (who was an EMT) sat with her, keeping an eye on the oxygen flow and chatting with her.
Though she was feeling better, the doctor recommended that paramedics meet the flight and make an assessment. She didn't want them to. Knowing the hesitation people feel because they are worried about cost, I told her there was no cost on her part. She said she wasn't worried about money.
When I asked her why she didn't want the paramedics to make an assessment, her response stunned me: "When I get off the plane, I want to smoke a cigarette..."

More than peanuts...

2006-10-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Most people in the world think all flight attendants do is pass out peanuts...

THIS IS NOT TRUE!!! Okay, okay, we pass out peanuts (honey roasted, yum yum!).
But we also offer "complimentary coffee, hot tea, bottled water by the glass, a variety of juices and sodas, and for $5.oo each, we have beer, wine, and cocktails."

In addition to our snacktime at 30,000 feet, flight attendants ARE there primarily for your safety (which you already know, IF you pay attention to the demo. If you don't, please do me a flava and keep your seatbelts fastened at all times, and if a margarine dish looking thing attached to a plasticky bag falls from the ceiling, it would be wise to place it over your nose and mouth).

But what I'm talkin' about is the rest of the story.

Our mornings begin just as yours do, (shower, Starbucks, morning paper). But once we get to work, every day is a different adventure. Each day, I encounter hundreds and hundreds of different people. Each with unique personalities, backgrounds, problems, experiences. Add the flight crew, the weather conditions, the time of day, and the aircraft itself, and there is no such thing as a normal workday.

And so, in this bloggythingy, I would like to share my days with you. The good, the bad, the ugly. The smiles, the tears, the puke and much more.

Enjoy, and welcome aboard.