The Capital

Last Friday morning I started a two day trip with four legs of flying, and ending up in Burbank. After our third leg we had a couple hours in San Francisco, so I went into the terminal to grab some lunch. I walked past the shoe shine place, where the guys are usually bumping their music while they wait for customers. I saw several men wearing suits and taking pictures of each other there... They looked like a team of some kind, and I had the feeling that they were Pacific Islanders... I wondered if they were from PNG, but thought that was probably just wishful thinking. I caught the eye of one guy who was getting his shoes shined, so decided to go and talk to him. I asked where he was from, and he asked me, "what do you think?" Before allowing me to guess, he proceeded to tell me that he was from a small country called Papua New Guinea, at which point I busted out the Pidgin! Wantoks!!! I was so excited. So were they, when they found a white girl in SFO who could speak their language. =) I talked with them for awhile and found out that they had just flown in from Sydney and were on their way to Chicago for the Boxing World Championships! It made my day to meet them, and of course, we had to take some pictures together. =) Wanbel stap!

That night we had an overnight in Burbank. Rosie and Eisley came and met me for dinner!! As always, it was great to catch up with an old friend and classmate from high school, and Rosie was an encouragement to me. The next morning we only flew two legs, and got back to Tucson just after 11:00am. At 1:00pm I got on a flight to ATL and then eventually Washington DC! It was funny, because when I thought about going to DC, I mainly thought about who I was going to see. I hadn't seen anyone for more than ten years. As I was flying in, I thought about where I was actually going and what there would be to see there. =)

I stayed with Brady, who had come to PNG in 1995 and lived with our family for about a year. Sunday morning we woke up early and went to meet Mr. Evan Paki, the Papua New Guinea Ambassador to America, for breakfast. It was our only chance to get together with him, as hewas flying to Boston at 11:00am. Definitely a privilege for us that he would take the time with his busy schedule!

After breakfast, Brady and I went to church, and then spent the rest of the day walking around Washington DC and looking at many of the different monuments and memorials...

Brady and I at the Lincoln Memorial

Sitting in front of the Capitol

Washington Monument
The WWII Memorial... they named all the places where the war was fought
Vietnam War Memorial
Lincoln Memorial

On Monday I took the metro and met up with Carol Madison, an amazing woman of God! We spent the afternoon together and it was just refreshing! We have known the Madisons for many years and they have been great family friends of ours. I didn't think I would be able to see her husband, George, because he was out of town and wasn't supposed to get in until later that evening, but he ended up catching an earlier flight in! It was crazy to see Zach and Hannah too... I can't believe how big they are!! (You have no idea how old that makes me feel to say that... ) =)

Dad, sometime we will have to go to DC together so you can teach me more about the history of our country... I can't wait!!

Love is in the air... or the polyester!!!

I have never been given numbers or asked for my number more in my life than I have in the last 5 months... I think there's something in the polyester. Last week, my passengers in row 8 were cold. I told them I wasn't cold... but then again, I was wearing polyester. The guy in 8A said his jacket was polyester, so I asked him, "Do lots of people give you numbers too??? I think there's something in the polyester." That cracked him up.

It is interesting to me... and I think it's hilarious. If you have known me for awhile, you know I haven't been one to attract men by my looks. Not saying this to put myself down, but I am not Miss Cosmopolitan by any means, and I know this. During our Flight Attendant training, they talked to us about safety and security, and said that we would attract people. Yeah, everyone else, not me! Then I got to Chicago. "What does your husband do?" "Do you have a boyfriend?" "Are you married?" "Do you have kids?" "Can I get your number?" "Let me give you my number..." Now, if you haven't gotten that kind of attention your whole life, it is flattering... at first. Then you get to know what's coming. You can see it. Sometimes you want them to talk to you, sometimes you don't. I started listening to music and doing Sudoku on the train to the airport in Chicago. =) That helped. But you can't do that walking around the airport, or on the plane... A couple of times, ramp agents at the different airports we go to have asked me for my number. Then you always see them again. I have had a few passengers give me their numbers. Or guys that I have sat with when I am flying as a passenger - not for work. What's the common factor? Polyester.

So last night, we were in LAX, about to fly the final leg of our trip back to Tucson. There were about four ramp agents standing on the tarmac, waiting for things to get finalized so we could close up and leave. One of them comes up the stairs, and says to me, "we were wondering if you have a boyfriend." I looked past him and down to the other guys... one was standing there looking hopeful, fingers crossed. It was hilarious! When I told him I didn't, I looked past him again and shook my head... there was jumping up and down. Wow. Cracked me up!

Yesterday I flew with two AWESOME guys - estan muy guapo! My Captain was Andy Leyva, and my First Officer was Juan Rrrrrrubalcava (you gotta roll the r). Flying with guys like them makes you feel like you're not working (until you have issues with the passengers), but then when things do come up you're more relaxed and you know the guys got your back. We got to LAX and Andy bought us dinner at La Salsa at the airport. We had some fun conversation and I got to practice my Spanish with them. =) They told me I had "ojos bonitos" and they were like "el mar." Wow! Such compliments! ;-) We had a great time, and working together and laughing so much always makes the time go by way faster.

On my way home last night, I was flattered once more by a guy who pulled up next to me, kept looking over at me, and cut around other cars to stay next to me... bumping his music and cracking me up! In his case, he couldn't see the polyester... but he could sense it!

Home, Santa Monica, & Venice

Venice Beach, that is! My roommate Morgan had an overnight in LA on Monday, a nice long one, so I went and picked her up from her hotel. We decided to go to Santa Monica, and after finding a sweet parking spot (I love it when the meters already have money in them!) we walked to the Santa Monica Pier. Hadn't been there before, just seen it in movies, so it was new and exciting for both of us! We even when on the ferris wheel! It was a gorgeous California day -- sunny and perfect weather. This is the beautiful thing about our job... travel, overnights, sights to see, things to do, new food to eat! On the pier we found my favorite coffee spot, The Coffee Bean, so I introduced Morgan to that. =) It hit the spot, as usual!! =)

After the pier we had some time so went to Venice Beach, and were blessed with another awesome parking spot! (For those of you who haven't been to this part of LA, parking is a PAIN to find... then usually is super expensive.) We saw lots of funky people, and things we couldn't take pictures of unless we paid them... except this guy... he happily posed for us!

Morgan and I went back to her hotel for a little while, and then Mom called me to say that Dad's plane had arrived. Dad had finally used the travel benefits and went to Las Vegas for a men's retreat for the weekend. He didn't know I was home, so I got to surprise him. =) That was fun. =)

So let me back up. I got back to Arizona from my trip on Saturday night, and there were no flights that late to LA. I had the next three days off, so decided it would be a good idea to go home again. I decided not to take the first flight out on Sunday morning, but wait for the 8:30 flight. I checked the loads the night before and it looked alright, so I stuck with it. I didn't sleep much, or well, and when I got to the airport I asked the gate agent how the flight looked. It was full, with 5 revenue standby's. I'm a non-revenue, so last priority in that case. I was bummed, and I called Mom to let her know what was up... as always, she said she would pray that I could still get on. I waited, and the gate agent called my name, and gave me a boarding pass for seat 1D! First class! =) Actually, the first class part wasn't really a big deal, because it was a little United Express/SkyWest plane... but still... I would have taken any seat at that point! I called Mom and let her know... the prayers of a righteous woman...! I really wanted a latte, so when I knew I was on the flight, I went to buy one. I thought I heard the woman in front of me order exactly what I wanted... a sugarfree vanilla nonfat decaf latte... which is unusual... most people ask, what's the point? So I asked her what she had gotten, and when she told me I said, great! That's exactly what I want. She then told the girl behind the counter that she wanted to buy another one, exactly like she'd just had!!! It was SO NICE! Wow, what felt like it was going to be a frustrating morning was turning into a good one... Yes, God is good.

I got into LA around 10:00, and Mom and Maria picked me up. We went to church, then got to meet up with Heather and Steve afterwards at Red Lobster for a late lunch. =) I always love seeing them. Sooo refreshing. Maria even finished her lunch!!! Shocking!

I had talked to Abi Saturday night after I got home from my trip, and I told him I was planning on coming to California Sunday, and asked him if he was going to/could come by. He said that he would... He actually did!!! He didn't back out! ;-) I love Abi, and loved seeing him again. What else I loved was the Golden Spoon he treated us to that night...!

I have said it before and I know I'll say it again many times... it was so nice to be at home, see family, friends, visit my favorite spots, and RELAX! Thanks everyone for making it another fun time!

Why do you look familiar to me...?

That was a question that I wanted to ask one of my passengers on my last trip, but didn't. If he was an actor like I thought he was, I didn't want him to feel bad that I didn't know his name! Oh yeah... I have a manifest of passenger names! That didn't strike anything for me... "Boothe P"... both he and his wife were "Boothe P". He was sitting there, sleeping much of the time, and I just knew he had played a character that I hated! But I couldn't figure it out. Two legs later, sitting in my jumpseat for takeoff, it hit me. 24!!!!!! He was the vice president that tried to overtake Wayne Palmer on 24!!!!!! I had an actor from 24 on my plane! Powers Boothe. Of course! (If you're wondering who he is, check out this picture.)

It had been a crazy trip for celebrity spottings... First, on Thursday, a bunch of us were super excited to see the cuteness and dimples of Mario Lopez, sitting by gate 83 in Denver talking on his phone... going to Birmingham? Hmmm... a couple of the girls got a picture with him. The next day the hip hop group, Three 6 Mafia ("I gotta stay fly-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y till I die-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.....") were running through the airport (again in Denver), having fun and shouting while trying to get to their flight on time. Then Powers Boothe was on my plane the following day, and the flight after that I had Dennis Kucinich, a US Congressman and Presidential candidate, as a passenger.
It was interesting... But ya know, even though they're famous and we idolize them like crazy, they're just people like you and me. I think most of us know that, really, but some of us can still get starstruck. =)

It was a crazy three day trip! We flew for 23 hours... an amount we're lucky to fly in a four day trip. I flew with Tammy, our only female Captain in Tucson, and Ken was my First Officer. I had flown with Tammy twice before but it was my first time flying with Ken. Overnights in Bismarck, ND (not exactly the happening town, but cold!) and El Paso, TX. What tripped me out about El Paso was that I could see Mexico from the hotel... that is always a weird thing to me, since I grew up on an island, and you really couldn't see any other countries unless you flew to them. (Guess you can't really see it in the picture... but I will leave it anyway! =) The mountains and the stuff on the other side of the freeway is Mexico.)

On our last leg of the trip, from Denver to Tucson, we had a bunch of military guys. I get so caught off guard when they call me "ma'am". =) They kept things interesting! One of them was making "wand fingers" while I was doing my announcements and cracking me up, it was terrible. When we got in, I was definitely glad to be done, and happy to be back in Tucson!!