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Shaken, not stirred

2011-03-17T00:16:00.000-07:00

As I finished packing, I looked out the window of our 14th floor hotel room, with a beautiful view of the Tokyo Tower and a plethora of high rises scattered throughout the city. It was technically my second trip to Japan, the first being when I was about two years old...What an amazing city. Not only is Tokyo filled with modern shops and buildings, it is also full of a rich culture and fascinating history.

Like some of the best trips I have taken, this one was totally last minute and unplanned. David, a friend and co-worker, had run into me only a few days before, eagerly asking about my plans for my days off. I barely had a chance to answer him before he started rattling off things about Tokyo, empty flights, a free hotel, and what a great travel buddy he would be! I had just returned from a week in Hawaii, where I'd gone to do a scuba diving certification course with my friend Christine. On one hand I felt like it would be irresponsible to take another trip so quickly...On the other hand, it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up! Who knew when I'd get another chance to go on a quick, inexpensive trip to Tokyo?

As expected, we got Business class seats on

Delta's 747 from Los Angeles to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, and were well rested for our adventure in the Orient!

We touched down in the morning, and had a full day of learning how to use the metro, experiencing Japanese toilets :), exploring the city, and sampling some extremely delicious Japanese food! I will never think of sushi or noodles the same again...or be able to enjoy it as much! ;)

The next day we went to a different part of the city. Our mission was to venture up to the 45th floor of a building that would allow us to see a panoramic view of Tokyo. The buildings and high rises went on for miles, and I could see some mountains in the distance. Little did we know that only a few hours later, their architecture would be put to the test by the fifth largest

earthquake to be recorded in the world...

Back to the 14th floor of the hotel room... David was in the shower while I sat and waited for him to be done so that we could go downstairs and check out. We had a 3pm check out time, but our flight wasn't until midnight so we had planned to leave our things at the hotel and explore a little more before heading to the airport. It had been a fun trip, and the perfect amount of time. I was ready to get back home...

I have experienced plenty of earthquakes, both in Papua New Guinea and in California...but nothing close to what I experienced that afternoon in Japan...The shaking started slowly, and I thought to myself, "Ooh, earthquake!" expecting the little tremor to be over quickly. There was nothing quick about this one...or little. The quake

continued, and got stronger as it did. It shook and shook and became more violent. The coffee in my mug sloshed, and I watched as the flat screen television rocked, ready to topple. I heard a crash in the closet, and a ceiling fixture fell. I wondered if the 15+ floors above me would fall and crush me. Not much I could do now...My wobbly legs carried me to the entry way of the room as I steadied myself against the wall, asking God to please stop the shaking! The 36 story building was getting rocked hard! When it finally slowed, I opened the door and looked into the hallway to find other hotel guests as well as employees standing in amazement at what had just happened. Shortly thereafter, an announcement came over the hotel's PA system in Japanese first, then English. It was the security department, telling us not to be alarmed, and that the hotel was safe, and was built to withstand earthquakes. Just then, a man came down the hall talking about cracks in the walls not far from our door.

Not knowing the extent of the repercussions of the earthquake, we tried to figure out how we were going to get downstairs to check out. The elevators had been shut down, and the stairways weren't accessible unless we shattered a plastic cover over the handle. Just before a hotel

employee came to show us another way down, there was another earthquake...the first aftershock of hundreds to come. The kind man took my bags, and we made the hike down 14 floors of stairs to the lobby, which by then was full of people. Among the people checking out were several pilots for United Airlines. David took care of tying up the loose ends with the hotel staff, and I went and spoke to the one the pilots, asking if he knew anything about the airports or flights being affected by the earthquake. He was very kind, but didn't have any information as of yet. While we were talking, another pilot came downstairs and told him that one of their round trips had been canceled...and then we learned that the airports were only allowing landings, but no take-offs. I prayed that we would get out that night...

With not much else we could do, David and I went for a walk. The city was bustling with people who, as it turned out, had no way to get home from work...The metro was shut down, highways shut down, and traffic barely moving. I saw news of the earthquake and what looked like a tsunami warning on television, but everything was in Japanese, so I didn't understand it...The lack of complete information I was getting coupled with the images I was seeing scared me, and I couldn't watch anymore. I prayed some more. When we got back to the hotel a little while later, we learned that the airports were closed and all flights were canceled. When David asked if we could get another room at the hotel, we were denied.

We had nowhere to go, and nowhere to sleep. Everything was shut down, and who knew how long that would last? I wondered how we would get home...and when we would get home. I tried contacting my family, but wasn't able to get through. I felt very alone...

A little while later, I recognized some American men that were in the lobby. It was the United pilots again, but in plain clothes this time. David and I talked with them, and when they were made aware of our situation, one or two of them expressed an interest in helping us out. First though, they wanted to grab a drink and something to eat, and invited us to join them. That was a great distraction for me, much better than sitting in the hotel lobby and playing out a billion different scenarios in my mind! One of the biggest blessings that evening was that one of them had a phone with an international calling plan on it, and let me use it to call my dad. I can't describe how comforting it was to hear his voice! It was so good to talk with him.

When we got back to the hotel, they still wouldn't let us book another room, but said we could sleep in the lobby. The pilots who had said they would help look after us mysteriously

disappeared...I continued to pray, and ask God to continue to look after us. I was tired, frustrated, and felt helpless again. A few minutes later, a man walked up to me. He was the first pilot I had spoken with right after the earthquake. He asked if we'd been able to work anything out for the night, and when I said no, he offered to share his room with us! I was so amazed at his kindness! I didn't sleep well that night, as both David and Pete, the pilot snored loudly...but thanked God over and over for Pete's kindness and generosity to open his room to strangers! Throughout the night I felt more aftershocks, and the hotel creaked and swayed...it reminded me of being on a cruise ship.

The next morning, we showered, packed up again, thanked Pete profusely, and decided to start making the trek to the airport. We weren't sure if the highways or metros were completely up and running again, but had been informed that the airports were open and flights were departing. The flight we wanted to take didn't leave until midnight, but we wanted to get there early and just hang out at the airport. When we had arrived in Tokyo, it had taken us 45 minutes to get from the airport to our hotel, but on this particular morning, it took us about 4 hours to get back. Tokyo definitely wasn't business as usual! :(

Upon arrival at Tokyo-Haneda International Airport, we saw loads of people camped out around the airport with cardboard boxes and blankets. They had been stranded since the day before. We found a place to settle for the next few hours, and the wait began. Being airline employees, when we use our flight benefits, we're never guaranteed a seat on a flight. It is always standby travel, which is awesome when it works out, but can be very stressful when it doesn't. In the normal world, things get a little crazy when one flight cancels...I had no idea what things would look like with multiple flights canceling, but continued to pray! (Are you seeing a pattern here?) ;) As we waited, we met many others who had been at the airport since right after the earthquake...we exchanged stories and sat through one aftershock after another. One man looking at the news on his laptop saw that something at the nuclear power plant had exploded. Oh Lord...please have mercy on this country and its people...and please get me home!!!

Finally, after about 10 hours of waiting, David and I were assigned seats, in Business class :) on the flight to Los Angeles. Even with loads of people being rebooked, they still managed to get us on. I was so, so thankful. I didn't imagine things playing out like that! We boarded our flight, and they closed the doors. We were about to taxi out to the runway when there was another earthquake. I was thinking, "Get us out of here before it gets worse and they shut down the

airport again!"

I knew a trip to Tokyo was going to be an adventure...

but I never could have imagined all of

that! When I arrived in Los Angeles, my family was there to greet me with their love and big hugs. :) It was only after I got back that I learned more about the situation in Japan...that the earthquake was a 9.0, about the massive tsunami, the activity at the nuclear power plants,

and how many aftershocks there really were...What an amazing tragedy for a country and its lovely people to endure!!!

We continue to pray for Japan...

Lessons & Blessings

2009-06-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

God is full of grace! And patience! I am blessed that He loves me, despite my lack of trust in Him, bad decisions, and constant struggles. In the last few months He has used different people and situations to teach me things. Thought I'd share a few of them with you:

Susan, who I have been seeing for counseling, has encouraged me saying that I have made progress in how I am thinking about myself and situations that I face. I like an analogy that she used one day when she said: You are standing in a hallway. You have closed the door. Now there are all these different doors in the hallway that you are looking at, and you just have to choose which one to go through next! But...before you can do that...you need to let go of the handle of the door you have just closed! This is a constant struggle for me: LETTING GO. Still haven't figured this one out. I keep giving things to God...and then taking them back. As if He couldn't handle them better than me :) I know these things, but don't know how to put them into practice. Annoying!

Thomas, a friend of mine who is a captain for us, has been on a leave of absence so he could go flying in the Caribbean. Tough life! ;) Shortly after he returned to California, we got a chance to catch up. He listened while I shared some of the struggles I have been going through. He asked why I didn't want to let go...and I said because I don't believe there is anything better for me. I believe better exists, but not for me. (Something we've been working on in the counseling.) He said this was a great time to work on me...to be selfish...to do things I want to do...and to become who God wants me to be, most importantly. On the topic of settling...We had lunch, and he cleared everything off the table, except for his glass of water that he'd been drinking. He asked if I wanted to drink it...I said no. He said, why not? It's there. It's dirty, but how thirsty are you? I might've peed in it, but it won't kill you. It might not taste great...but drink it if you're thirsty. Or...if you wait, the waitress will bring you some clean water. But this is here right now if you're thirsty. He really challenged me! And got me thinking about things I already know, but in a different way. Why don't I want to wait for God's best? And if that is to be without a relationship, that should be ok.

One more thing for now, and this is really simple. God is teaching me things through my dogs. :) I always thought it would be cool to have kids, one of the reasons being so that I could understand God's love for me. But lately I've been thinking about some things with my dogs. Kinda funny, but bear with me! So at the single's group at church last week, the leader was talking about prayer, and how we approach God. He gave the example of his dog...When he calls his dog, he comes eagerly but with respect, because he knows who feeds him, loves him, and looks after him. When I come home from a trip, my dogs run to the door to greet me and are so happy and waggy to see me. :) And I am thrilled to see them! I find joy in them coming to say hi to me (and wonder what the heck they're so distracted by when they don't!!!), and I love to give them belly rubs or scratch their ears because I know they like it. I like playing with them and cuddling with them. And even when Bogey knocks over the trash, I'm not too happy with him, but I don't love him any less. So that got me thinking...if I feel this way about my dogs...how much more must God love me? I know this in my head, totally! But I don't internalize it. How different would I, would we all act, if we REALLY knew how crazy God is about us?

I remember one night Kevin and I were together, and he looked at me and said, you make Him smile Rach. God wants you to know that you make Him smile. You know how sometimes I make you feel giddy? Multiply that by a thousand times, and that's how God feels about you!

I am slowly beginning to realize and internalize how God feels about me...that I am His daughter...that He alone makes me complete...that He loves me passionately, and He is the author of love! And that should be enough.

Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Struggles

2009-03-06T14:35:00.001-08:00

It's been awhile. I don't like writing on here when things are tough. Even though they are a part of life, who wants to hear about struggles? Actually, I have started to write posts on here a couple of times but can never finish them. You don't want to hear me bitch, complain, and moan do you? At least my dad doesn't. ;-) Didn't think you would either.

That said, I'm going to try to put this out in the open....Like my friend Jason said, maybe it will help to process things. The main struggle for me in the last few months has been dealing with my relationship with Kevin. I cared for him so deeply; I still do....but because of lots of different reasons, he doesn't speak to me anymore. He started pushing me away shortly after my first trip to Australia in the middle of last year. This was really difficult, because throughout our relationship I had been trying to show him something different....to love him through his insecurities....to stick things out. I tried to hold onto him, but couldn't.

Kevin had given me a simple diamond ring in August. I had never been given anything like it. Being with him, I started to think that maybe I could actually spend my life with another person...someone I could be together with through all of life's ups and downs. My only relationship before Kevin was my last year of high school & first year of college. It was a two year relationship that ended with the line, "Rachael...I don't think God wants us to get married, so we shouldn't continue this relationship." That was it. Over it in two weeks. But this one.....

We were together for about six months. There was no official end to it; one of the reasons I am having a difficult time getting over it. The most that happened was a text I received from Kevin at 2am one night in October that said, "I'd like to have my ring back.....thanks." He didn't say why. I asked when he wanted it. "tmrw." When I didn't hear from him again, I sent it to him via Fed-Ex, cried for days, and started going to counseling. I received the text exactly a week after he had called me telling me that he loved me, was going through some things he had to deal with on his own, but I was the only one who really knew him and the only one he really trusted. Now, about four months later, I am still not over it. I haven't moved on. I still miss him every day. Oh yeah, and I'm still going to counseling. =)

Why can't I get over it? Why do I think about him all the time? I dream about him. I wonder how he is doing. I wonder if he thinks I gave up on him, like so many important people in his life have. I wonder if he is ok. I pray for him all the time, and hope that he will learn to completely lean on the strength of Christ. I never thought I could "save" him or change him, but have always prayed for him, that God would completely heal his hurt and the pain he has experienced.

A lot of the time I wonder what is wrong with me. Pilots I have worked with have told me that I'm a catch, that I have a lot to offer, that's I'm beautiful, sweet, friendly....I have tried to pray and wait for the one I hope God has for me. Before I met Kevin, I told my mom that I could trust God in every other part of my life, but not to provide a life partner for me. Even though we had plenty of struggles, with Kevin I actually felt loved sometimes. For so long, I have felt so unloveable. Don't get me wrong, I am so blessed with my family and lots of amazing, supportive friends that I know love me dearly. But why can't a man love me? One night Kevin told me that I was so loveable....that he wished that I could see it. Then he told me that I made God smile. Can you imagine that? I can't imagine God actually delighting in me. Especially after this.

Every day I cry out to God to rescue me...to help me stop missing Kevin...to help me let go. I wish I could let go.

You know what though? I am blessed. I have a job that I LOVE. (Hey, I have a job!) I have lots of people who love me. Thanks to all of you who are such a big encouragement to me. I gotta get ready for work now....

Till next time....

Life Happens

2008-10-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

I know....I haven't written for quite awhile. I do have lots to write about. The 10 year reunion. The trip where I had an NBA player as a passenger one day, and worked the polyester to score 3rd row, center stage seats plus backstage passes to Chris Rock's comedy show in Vancouver the next. My trips to Vegas and Hawaii....

Here's the deal. I want to write about things when I'm feeling positive and upbeat, feeling good about life. But I haven't been. If you've talked to me at all in the last couple months, you know that. I have been struggling. I am struggling. Ok....so who isn't? That's life. It happens.

So what do you do when you care for someone so deeply? You love them and want the best for them. Their burdens become your burdens....not because they have placed them on you, but because you have a soft spot in your heart for them. You pray and pray and ask God to bless them every day. Ok, and by "you" of course I mean me, and "them" is really him.

We have experienced so much together....Many ups and downs. We have opened up to each other in ways that have been unique to each of us. It has been amazing and wonderful and a boatload of emotions and experiences that I can't even explain....At the same time it has been so painful.

How do you love someone and let them go at the same time? How do you give them the space they need, but also be there for them?

I know what you're thinking, and if you haven't told me yourself, I'm sure I've heard it before. I have been given more advice than I know what to do with, and you know what? In the end, I'm going to do what I have to, and it will be up to me. You can tell me he's not worth it. He doesn't deserve me. I deserve better. Don't waste my time with him. Etc., etc., etc. I still love him. I care for him so much.

I don't know what to do with it. Just pray. Even when I have lost hope, I still pray....I told him this week, that God knows what we want and need, and He wants the best for us all the time. I need to believe it for myself as well.

I know all the right answers. You probably do too. If only we could all put them into practice.

Thanks for your patience with me....
Til next time....

Line = a Life!

2008-08-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

Since I got my transfer to Fresno my quality of life has been soooo much better. I am not at the mercy of Crew Support....no more two hour leash! I have my schedule for the entire month, and have the freedom and flexibility to adjust my schedule - drop, pick-up, and exchange trips. It's great! I did a lot of flying on the Brasilia, our turbo-prop, in July. My first trip was over my b'day, and I flew with two awesome guys - Thomas and Charles. Thomas found out it was my b'day, and then relayed that information to all of our passengers on every flight! A little embarassing at first, but he made me feel like a million bucks.... "We hope you're having a great day already, but your day just got even better because you have Rachael as your flight attendant..." or, "The temperature in Bakersfield in a nice cool 94 degrees....Even cooler is your flight attendant. Her name's Rachael. She's from Papua New Guinea, and she's 28 years old today..." I'm sure he does it for all the flight attendants he works with, but it was just a nice esteem booster for every flight. =) We spent the night in Medford, and the guys took me out when we got in...

For a little variety in my life, I picked up a trip on the jet with two LA overnights, as well as a round trip to DFW with one of my favorite pilots, Juan.

Good stuff. This month I only ended up doing one FAT (Fresno) trip, and the rest I picked up out of different domiciles. Since I have to commute anyway (commute for airline crew = fly), it doesn't really matter where I commute to, so a little variety is nice, as we mostly fly the turbo-prop out of Fresno. After that first trip, I had 10 days off and had my 10 year high school reunion! We decided to have it in the LA area, since we're all over the place we thought LA would be easy enough for everyone to get to, and there would be lots to do....It was AWESOME....More about that later. =) The reunion needs its own post!

My next trip was a 4 day that I picked up out of Chicago. I liked the overnights, and I had flown with one of the pilots when I was based in Tucson and knew he was a lot of fun to work with. His wife was the Captain on the trip! She was great too. Getting to Chicago was a headache, but God is good and got me there....and back home afterwards! =) Our first night was in Denver, and Crystal, one of my roomies from college came and met up with me at the hotel. We caught up over some lattes from Starbucks for a couple hours before I had to go to bed. The second night we were in Minneapolis, so I got to see Rueben and Megan Tulia again, as well as Rueben's sister Wendie, who lives with them. Rueben is from PNG, and he and Megan got together when we were in 10th grade. They got married five years ago, and have two GORGEOUS daughters. I had just seen them at our reunion, but it was good to be able to see their house and their girls, even though they were sleeping by the time I got in. The last night we went to Austin, and I got to go out with Aisha, a friend from my flight attendant training. I hadn't seen her for more than a year, so again, great to catch up!

I was exhausted by the time I got back from that trip....Not much sleep during the reunion, or the few days afterwards, then the early starts every day for the Chicago trip caught up on me. I came home and crashed, and finally got some good rest! My next trip was one I'd picked up out of Salt Lake City....That was awesome!!! But instead of starting to write about it now, I'm going to post this one and save that for next time....I'm waaaay behind on this stuff, and there's so much to write about! So till then....

=)

Feeling BLESSED in Australia

2008-07-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Yep, blessed is the word. After Dad left me to go to Cairns, I spent the rest of my time hanging out with friends. I stayed with Peter, whose family I lived with in high school. He always takes care of me. =) When I called him to see if he'd be around when I was planning to come to Brisbane, he said, "Yeah, I'll be here, you gonna stay with me?" Ah Peter. Gotta love him. He is a great friend. One of those people that you can go without talking to for ages, then when you see them again, you can talk like you just hung out yesterday.

On Friday night Peter and I went up to Mt. Coot-tha and met up with a bunch of people that used to live in PNG, that we went to high school with at one time or another....One couple lives in New Zealand, and just happened to be visiting Brisbane the week that I was there....

Saturday morning, Giok came by!! Giok's family lived in Port Moresby when we did, and we all went to primary school together....He's another one of those "little" brothers to me. =)

Saturday night, we met up with a bunch of friends for a night out! Brisbane has to be one of my favorite places to go out....I love that city.

On Sunday, Peter and I decided to go into the city and walk around. One thing I love about Brisbane is the diversity there. That, and even though it's a big city, it doesn't feel huge like Sydney always does to me. You can easily run into people that you know while you're out....That happened to Peter and I a couple times that day. We met up with Jason, and while the three of us were just walking through the mall area, Peter was attacked....by Michael! Michael and his brother, Charlie went to high school with us in PNG. They were just back for their sister's high school graduation, and their flight to Brisbane had been late so they missed their flight to LA and had to stay a night in Australia. It was so random to run into them!

We decided to meet up with the guys later that night for dinner. As we were talking through the city trying to find a place to eat, Peter was attacked again....by Deni! He lives in New Zealand, but happened to be in Brisbane for a week and a half visiting his girlfriend....and again, we just happened to run into them. I love it. We all ended up hanging out for the rest of the evening.

Peter had to go back to work Monday. That night, a bunch of the PNG athletes flew back in to Brisbane from being gone to the Oceania Athletic Championships in Saipan, Northern Marianas. I spent the rest of the week hanging out with them....A few of them are training for the Olympics this year in Beijing. So exciting!

Mowen (left) is training in the 400m hurdles....Beijing will be the third Olympic games he competes in. We first met him when he was training in California for the Athens Olympics. Salo (right) became one of my best friends in PNG when I was teaching there. She was given an athletic scholarship to train overseas and has almost cut her time down enough in the 800m to compete in the Olympics. The highlight of seeing the PNG athletes was especially being able to see these two. =)

As it always seems to when you're having a wonderful time, my week and a half in Australia ended quickly....I'm never ready to leave Brisbane. So many friends there, and I love the atmosphere. As I was leaving, Mowen said to me, "With your job, we know you'll be back anytime..." Definitely!

I realized while I was there, how blessed I am to have to many amazing people in my life. None of my encounters with friends there were shallow....we really caught up, had good talks, about the good things happening and the struggles....I cherish those kind of relationships.

I loved being back in that part of the world, and of course I can't wait to go back!!!

Next stop, the Land Down Under

2008-06-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

The day Kevin and I left Denver, I found out my schedule for July....Did I mention I finally got transferred to Fresno? =) So that means I'm finally off reserve!!! I have all of my trips for next month scheduled already, and can actually have a life now. Woohoo! Anyway, I had the first 5 days of July off....I already had scheduled the 24th through 27th of June off....3 days in between those sets of days off got me thinking. I requested vacation for my last 3 days on call, and was granted it straight away....That meant 12 days off in a row!!! So where else would I go with that much time off? Ok you're right, I'd go to PNG if I had some money, or if I had benefits on an airline that flies there. The next closest thing? Australia. =) Yeah baby!

Flying over Sydney

All jobs have their perks, right? Come on, you know yours does... =) Well, one that I get is to fly for free, even international. My parents, husband, and kids can all fly for free....So that means only my parents and I have flight benefits (yeah, get in line for the husband thing!) ;-) When I found out about all my time off, I told Dad that we had to go to Australia....He agreed (that was a tough one right Dad?) and we left for Sydney the night of June 23rd. We got to sit in First Class!! Woohoooo!

I love these maps that tell you where you are the whole time....SO EXCITING to be back in that part of the world! But tough to be so close to PNG and not go up there as well.

We arrived in Sydney on the morning of the 25th and hung out there for a few hours until our flight to Brisbane around noon....

Aunty Nancy Early picked us up and took us back to their place. =) We felt great, since we had actually slept on the plane!! We had a fabulous time catching up with the Earley's. That night after he finished work, Peter picked me up and we went back to his place. On Thursday morning Dad and I took a train to the Gold Coast, where we met up with Grahame Kent, a long time friend from PNG. We had breakfast and then got to catch up with Geoff!! =) Dad and Grahame went to play golf, and Geoff took me back to his place so I could meet his lovely wife, Laura. Geoff and Laura are youth workers at their church....Geoff also has an awesome blog....if you want to check it out, click on the link "snooky" on the right hand side of this page. =) Definitely a good read!

That night we went back to the Kent's and had an amazing, delicious steak dinner and more fun catching up!

Friday morning we took the train back to Brisbane and hung out....Dad had coffee with Aunty Nancy while I got to hang out with Marianne and go for a bus ride. YAY!!!

That evening, Dad and I went into the city and met up with Joycelin and her two boys for dinner....SO FUN seeing all of these people!!! The best part of taking a trip for a short time is that since you're not there for long, even if people have things going on, they make time for you.

That night I started calling Dad "Moneybags," because he decided to fly up to Cairns to see his buddy, Peter Pena. It was expensive to fly up there just for a couple days, but definitely worth it for Dad! I decided to stay in Brisbane, because the weekend is when I knew I'd be able to see most of my friends, who work during the week. So from the city, Dad took the train to the airport, and I took the train to the station near Peter's place. And then the weekend adventures began.... =) More to come....!

Old and New Places

2008-06-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

More adventures with my travel buddy....We went to Chicago in May....it was still chilly!!

An unplanned last minute trip to New York City at the end of the month....

And Denver for a couple days in June....

We got to meet up with Crystal!!! One of my roommates from college....

Next stop? The Land Down Under!!!

Lakeshow in San Antonio!

2008-06-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know this is looooong overdue and I am way late in writing this post....but I had to share. =) So about a week after last time I wrote, one Monday night I was assigned a trip with a San Antonio overnight on Tuesday, and I thought, aren't the Lakers playing the Spurs Tuesday night? I checked online....game at 8pm. We were scheduled to get in at 6:30. Perfect. Checked on eBay, and there were tickets available....Nosebleed section, but still! I told Dad he was finally going to come with me on one of my trips. We did it!
Bought tickets, got him on the flights, had a hotel paid for, and had a blast!! I finally got to experience a an NBA playoff game, and fortunately the Lakers beat the Spurs that night! The energy in the arena was intense!

Learning about Love

2008-05-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

I started a Bible Study a few months ago about the Fruits of the Spirit....In the last month and a half, I have been studying about love....What it is and what God requires from us.

It has only been about two months that Kevin and I have been hanging out, but feels like forever because of all the ups and downs we have been through. It has been so difficult....and I have often felt that I am not strong enough to stick with him through everything. We had a conversation last night about the rollercoaster we have been on, and started talking about love. Kevin said that when he thinks of love, he thinks of John 3:16, and quoted it to me, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son...." Amazing love, to sacrifice your only son....I definitely have never been able to comprehend it. He asked me if I knew what love meant. I shared with him some of what I've been studying. I told him that through the hard times, the times he has hurt me, I have cried out to God and asked what He wanted from me. Although people have argued with me when I have shared this with them, I have strongly felt God telling me to love Kevin. That is definitely not something I could do in my own strength....Agape love is something only God is capable of. Kevin told me what he felt from me, the love, goodness, and peace he feels when he is around me. I told him that is not me, but it is God. His response was that God has used me to show him His love, among other things.

This is taken from my Bible Study (Living Beyond Yourself, by Beth Moore) this week:
Agape is divine love. Its only origin is the heart of God. Agape is the love of God expressed through us to others. Actually it is a response more than a feeling. This is the way it works:
- We confront a situation in which God requires us to agape another person
- We admit to Him that we lack agape for this person
- We consider how God would personally respond to this person according to the Scriptures
- We act in obedience and respond as He would
The short- or long-term joy of obedience and the guaranteed effects of His choosing cause a chain reaction of feeling far greater than any fleshly love we could muster. He tenders our hearts toward the person. The relationship perseveres. Ultimately we are blessed to have been the vessel through which a holy God expressed His great love to one of His children. Nothing else is like God pouring agape through you.

Is this how God has used me in Kevin's life? Was this part of His purpose for having us meet? I don't know....Kevin always tells me that he believes God brought me into his life because He knew he needed me and needed my encouragement. He has been through more than I will ever be able to understand....Our lives are quite different. Could God use me in his life? Sure. But I am far from perfect....I have made mistakes....I have not always been a good example. Thank God for His grace, right?

I don't remember ever experiencing as much pain as I have felt this week....the result of more than I can share here....Only God knows what the future holds....and He is good. All the time.

Confusion all around

2008-04-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I had what is becoming our weekly time to hang out....We talked about a lot of things....Apparently I have him very confused as well. One day at a time, right?

First date, Hollywood, second date, San Francisco!

2008-04-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

Dating is a new thing to me. I didn't do it in high school (just one boyfriend....for two years). I didn't do it in college. I certainly didn't do it while I was teaching in PNG! =) This was not by choice; no one expressed an interest in me. Then I became a Flight Attendant....Oh the mystery, glamor, and flattering polyester with its magic love dust! All of a sudden the numbers came....I wouldn't give out mine, so they gave me theirs. I'm naturally friendly....does friendly = flirty? I think my friendliness is sometimes taken the wrong way. Oh well. That's the way I am. I drink decaf coffee and get asked all the time if I've had a little too much caffeine! Funny huh?

So....naturally, when guys started to show an interest in me this past year, I've been flattered. None of them have been quite right though....One thought we were soulmates after we'd been talking for about three weeks and kinda....no REALLY....freaked me out. Many were looking for something I wasn't going to give them. Then there were those who were good guys, but for one reason or another, things just didn't work out. Part of me wants to give up completely, and part of me wants to try another one....What if....? Always the what ifs.

Allow me to process for a minute. This most recent one caught my eye back in October. I was flying a local, and working my last leg from LAX to Tucson. A gate agent came onto my plane (which they rarely do), and said, "We were just wondering if you have a boyfriend...." We? I looked past him to four ramp agents on the tarmac. One of them was the guy who had caught my eye. He was standing there with both arms up, crossing his fingers. I thought it was hilarious. I answered no to the gate agent, who then proceeded to look at my left ring finger....I played along, held up my hand and pointed to my finger for the rampers to see, while I shook my head. The cutie crossing his fingers started jumping up and down. The gate agent said, "We were wondering if we could have your number so we can take you out" to which I responded, "We?
Do I get to go out with all of you, or do I get to pick?"

I didn't see that guy who had caught my eye again until March. Kevin came and chatted with me after I'd loaded my plane from LAX to Palm Springs one night. I wasn't sure if he was the finger-crosser, and asked if I'd seen him before. He said he didn't think so. He gave me his number, and I sent him a text a little later on. We texted for a bit and he eventually called me up. During one of our phone conversations, I mentioned the October scenario and asked if that was him....He goes, "That was you!!?!" and we had a good laugh about it. =)

The following week I finished a two-day trip, and had to sit ready reserve at the airport when I got back (where I have to be on the plane in 20 mins if I'm called). I had jokingly said to Kevin that he should come and hang out with me, since he had the day off and could get through security. He ended up coming over to the airport just a bit before I was off duty. I thought we'd hang out for an hour or two, but we ended up hanging out for the rest of the day. First we went to the Grove in Hollywood. We grabbed something to eat, walked around, window shopped, and had a drink. Then we went to Griffith Park and looked around....The entire time we had lots of fun and some really good conversation. We ended the evening sitting in Kevin's car watching the planes land at LAX and talking. It was great!

Kevin called me to make sure I got home ok that night....by the time I got home it was after 1am. He also called me the next day. And the next. And the next....several times....=) In our conversation that first afternoon/evening we hung out, we talked a little bit about previous relationships. I told him about my recent experience....that guys don't want to hang out with me a second time because they realize that I'm not easy....that guys say we'll go out again, but don't follow through....that they usually just blow me off. So Kevin was different from the start, in that he hung out with me for so long, had some good conversation with me, and actually called me afterwards....several times! Oh, he also paid for everything....actually took me out! Just a few things that you'd think should happen, but it doesn't always work out that way.

Since we work for the same airline, we both have flight benefits....So we decided to take a trip to San Francisco. I was on call Wednesday, and off Thursday and Friday. Kevin was off Wednesday and Thursday. So after I didn't get called Wednesday, we went to LAX to get on a flight to SFO. Everything looked great, until we got there and found out our flight was canceled. We listed ourselves on a different flight, but when we got to the gate we found out that we were numbers 69 and 70 on the standby list. Next option, Oakland. There was room for one of us, and we didn't want to split, so the gate agents rolled us over to San Jose. After hanging out at the airport for a bit, we got on!
From San Jose, we had to get a pricey shuttle to our hotel near SFO....Then grabbed some dinner.
The next morning we got up, went to breakfast, then made our way to downtown San Francisco! We walked around a bit, took in the culture and fun San Fran has to offer, then stopped for some DELICIOUS clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls.

We walked around and hung out in the city for a few hours. Kevin bought us matching bracelets so we could remember our trip....awwww....;-)

Then we had to get back to the airport to try to catch our flight, which we did, with no problems this time. =)
What's next? I have no idea. I have made a good friend who is a lot of fun to hang out with and makes a great travel buddy. He is different. We talk a lot. We have good conversation. He is not afraid to hold my hand or even kiss me in public....something new and different for me!! He is not afraid to be completely stupid and silly in public! He calls....until his phone got wet and died right before our flight back to LAX. =/ He has me completely confused....!

Done processing for now....until next time.... =)

Life on Reserve, Part 2....Why Dad gets confused....

2008-03-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

A day on reserve....

Wake up. Check your phone. (Make sure you haven't missed a call from Crew Support.) Check your email....

messages, eTrip (see if they scheduled you anything without calling you about it yet), MySpace, Facebook, etc. Check your phone. Take a shower. Get dressed. Get something to eat. Check your phone. Go to sleep. The next day you may change it up by eating before you take a shower and get dressed. Or you might not even bother getting dressed....

On a day off, you put on your uniform and travel.... =)
And that, is life on reserve. This is what we live for!!! ;-)

Which one of us is working?

My Job(s.....)

2008-03-12T21:01:00.000-07:00

Life on Reserve

2008-03-08T13:41:00.000-08:00

The airlines, like any industry, has its own terms and lingo. In case I haven't explained it before, let me give a quick refresher course....

Flight Attendant: (note: we are no longer referred to as a stewardess or steward) =) an individual qualified to perform safety duties and deliver customer service in the aircraft cabin....gets to wear polyester to enhance his/her appearance (another note: our primary purpose is to be there for the passengers' safety....and then it's all about "Coffee, tea, or me?")

deadhead: transportation of a crewmember (flight attendants or pilots) from one point to another to cover a trip/return to base

reserve: schedule is built by the company with days a flight attendant will be on reserve (on call) and available for duty, and days off (this is me!)....I'm on call from 5am to 5pm. Depending on the airline and how senior your base is, you could be on reserve anywhere from a few months to more than 10 years. It's like being a substitute flight attendant. The answer to the question on everyone's mind....YES, we are paid a guaranteed number of hours each month, regardless of how much we fly.

line holder: schedule is built by the company comprised of trips for the given month, as days off (this is what we all want to be) =)....it will happen eventually!

turn: a round trip, i.e. LAX-DFW-LAX

One more note on how the pay works. We are paid for flight time only - door close to door open (this is called block-to-block). For example, we could be on duty for 11 hours in a day, but only have 7 hours of flight time....those 7 hours is what we're paid. We do get per diem as well, a certain amount for every hour we're away from our base (or domicile), and that helps with the lattes and lunches. =) So being on reserve can work ok, even if you're not called to fly, but having a line is much better, because you can work more hours, and get way more per diem....it definitely adds up!

Being based out of LAX, I have only flown locals so far. (A local is a trip that starts and ends at your domicile in the same day....no overnights in other cities.) Last Thursday I flew a local with a Denver crew on our CRJ 700. LA-Salt Lake City-Denver-deadhead back to LA. Easy peasy lemon squeezy, as one of my students used to say! I got to the airport early, so decided to grab some tea from Starbucks....as I'm walking down there, a man stops to ask me how to get to Continental....as I'm talking to him, an attractive young gentleman wearing that amazing polyester walks by me and throws his hand in the air in a sexy wave....it is none other than Jason Parks. He was doing a Dallas (DFW) turn (were you paying attention when I told you what a turn was??). I invited him to join me at Starbucks, which he did, and then we both went on our way into the friendly skies.

I decided to take the train to the airport, because they had scheduled my trip ahead of time, and I could plan on when I was going to leave and give myself plenty of time to get there, saving myself some gas money! In the afternoon when I got back to LAX, I went outside to catch the shuttle to the train. It was pretty full....when I got off the shuttle, Jason got off as well! Well, that made my day, seeing him twice! And it was extra nice to have someone to hang out with on the train, instead of having a guy who doesn't speak English sit next to me, tell me I'm beautiful, and ask if we can exchange numbers!

I came home and let my dad know I would be off the next two days....sometimes he gets confused about when I'm on reserve and when I'm off....I'll tell you why in my next post....stay tuned for "Life on Reserve, Part 2"!

Keeping Resolutions at the Queen's Palace

2008-02-20T13:40:00.000-08:00

Remember where I was talking about New Year's resolutions a couple posts ago? My only resolution this year was to travel internationally, and I did it February 1st!!! =) When I got my transfer to LAX, I was given 4 moving days, which happened to back up to 2 of my scheduled days off for February. 6 days off in a row....enough time to go overseas! I had a week to decide where I was going to go. I checked the loads to Australia (you know I had to....). Oversold. Loads to London....wide open both ways! I got in touch with Richard, a friend of mine from high school who is in that area and asked if he'd be around. He said yes, and asked if I needed a place to stay. I love the perks of having gone to an international school. Friends all over the country and the world! =) So the day after Mom and I made the drive from Tucson to Orange County, I went to LAX and got on a flight to London Heathrow. Five seats across to myself in Economy Plus....I was too cheap to pay the taxes in Business or First Class....they took great care of me anyway, of course!
We were an hour early getting into London, so I had to wait a little while for Richard to come....I wandered around Heathrow and met Sam, a guy who had been on my flight from LA. Black, British, and a doctor, working in New Zealand and just back in London to visit for two weeks. It was just funny, cos all my girls told me they were sure I'd meet a black guy in England....didn't expect to meet one that soon! ;-) Richard picked me up, and we fought traffic from people going to a big rugby match, but finally made it to the train, which took us to the football game Richard and his family (brothers, Peter and Phil, Peter's wife Gilly, their uncle, cousin, uncle's friend, and Richard's girlfriend Bekah) had planned to go to. Definitely a cultural experience! And if you don't know, football in that part of the world = soccer for Americans. It was Wimbledon vs. Torquay....fun....cold!! Kinda cool though, because you just stand the entire time - all of one team's supporters stand on one side, and the other team's supporters are on the opposite side. Lots of chanting and getting riled up!
I stayed up as late as I could, but the jet lag was getting to me....Slept GREAT that night! Sunday the guys got up and went to church. I skipped out and slept until after lunch. We spent a lazy afternoon at home, then Richard and I caught a movie (Cloverfield) that night.

On Monday Richard and I took the train into London (they live in Guildford, just outside of the city). He had to go in to work, so I met up with the lovely Kirstin, who lived with us for a few months in PNG in 2004. Awesome to catch up with her again! And she was a fabulous tour guide!

Getting a phone call from a hot black man in a "red telephone box"

Kirstin & Buckingham Palace

Big Ben
taking a ride in a double decker bus

Early that evening, we met up with Richard again. Kirstin had to get home....=/ so we said goodbye to her then went and grabbed a cup of tea while we waited to be able to meet up with Greg, a friend of ours from high school. He is Australian, but recently moved to London to find work. We went to a Spanish restaurant, had delicious food, drank sangria, and caught up on the last 8-10 years!

Tuesday Richard and I went for a look around Guildford. We walked along the street lined with shops and street vendors, and went to see the castle in town. What I love about that part of the world is that there is so much history there! I can't imagine the lifestyle people had hundreds of years ago....but some of the things I saw provided me with a slight glimpse. Fascinating.

On Wednesday morning I flew back to LAX. Fortunately there were no problems getting on the flight, and I got five seats to myself again, giving me the chance to rest! I was on call at 5am Thursday morning....but did not get called until Saturday morning a week and a half later. =) I guess it's a slow month for flying! At least I can enjoy being at home. Who knows where I will go next? I'm always up for another adventure!!! Wanna join me?

Propellers and a Road Trip

2008-02-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

Not long after I got my transfer to LAX, I was assigned my second IOE, on our Embraer 120 Brasilia. IOE = Initial Operating Experience = more training! See, we have jets and the turbo-prop planes, but we only have the turbo-props in some of our domiciles. In Chicago and Tucson we only have the jets, but LAX has turbo-props, affectionately known as "the bro," so I had to be trained on it. At the end of January, I deadheaded on a flight up to Salt Lake City with my roomie Morgan as my flight attendant (she is amazing!!!) =) and started my IOE the next morning.

Morgan and I at the TUS crew lounge

It was an interesting experience flying on the 30 passenger Brasilia, a different feel than the jet for sure! I had a great crew to fly with, and a very chill and laid back instructor. Our trip was supposed to start out with a round trip from Salt Lake City to Sun Valley, Idaho. We found out that we couldn't fly into that airport because of weather, so were diverted to Twin Falls. They were going to bus our passengers between the two airports... fun fun. When we got to Twin Falls, we were grounded because a blizzard came through SLC and shut the airport down. Got back to SLC an hour late, and then found out that our round trip to St. George had been canceled. That meant we got to hang out for 6 hours at the airport! Fortunately things had cleared up a little by the evening, and we did our scheduled flight to St. George where we spent the night. Bright and early the next morning we flew back to SLC, did a turn to Casper, Wyoming, and we were done!

EMB-120 Brasilia

After my IOE was done, I deadheaded back to Tucson, and felt like our 50 passenger jet was huge! The Brasilia doesn't bother me, but I can't say I'm in love with it like some people are. And I'm definitely not in love with Salt Lake City. One of our Tucson captains was in SLC the same time as I was, and sent me a text message saying he hated Puke Lake! Yeah, me too. =)

(Captain) Mark, me, and Ben (another FA) outside our crew lounge

We LOVE Rosie! Our TUS administrative assistant

(Captain) Andy took Melissa and I out for lunch before I left... he is awesome!

Mom flew in to Tucson late on January 30th and spent the night at our apt. I am SO thankful for her!!! (Love you Mom!) =) She helped me finish packing up my stuff so we could actually get some sleep before making the drive from Tucson to our house in California. I was on call on the 31st, so we hung out in the morning, then around noon started packing up the car. We stopped by the crew lounge to say bye to Rosie, and ran into Mark there as well. Then we began our 7 1/2 hour trip to California! God is good, we had no problems, and we got home just in time for the season premier of Lost. Crucial.

Insights about Ants

2008-01-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

A note I received from a friend. I liked it.

You can run but you can't hide, Lil' Mama!!! Some friends are just like ants - although they might go into hibernation, they might hide, they might burrow into the ground for a while, they might be a nuisance, they are definately pest at times, sometime, they wont even return your calls, but what else do you expect from ants? Ants never return calls either but show up whenever they feel like and they definately do show up when they actually need to!!!
The only positive thing about ants are they they don't and will never leave their friends and families unless you spray them with insecticides!!!
This is to let you know that I am your ant forever!!! :)).

Wouldn't you want to get a note like that??? Or more importantly, wouldn't you want to have a friend like that? Yes, I am blessed. =)

SO DONE with Salt Lake City (sorry Jason!)

2008-01-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

What a trip!!! On Friday, I was scheduled for a two-day trip starting Sunday, with an overnight in... drumroll please... Oakland! Shocker. I have had so many Oakland overnights that the people at the hotel know who I am. I was way excited about it though, because the FO I was flying with was Pam, who is amazing! She is from Hawaii and is so fun and chill. The last time we flew together was in September, and I was looking forward to catching up.

Morgan's parents flew out on Friday to visit her for a few days, and on Sunday I went to brunch with them at one of Tucson's favorite breakfast places, The Good Egg. So fun, and so yummy. I came home and relaxed a little before I had to get ready to work in the afternoon. Just as I was about to leave, Pam called me to let me know that she wouldn't he there. She was on her way to the airport and got in a car accident. Not her fault and everyone was ok, but she was shaken up. Needless to say, I was way bummed.

Fortunately, we weren't delayed at all, as they were able to use an FO who was sitting ready reserve in Tucson (where you have to be at the plane in 20 mins if you're called). Our first flight was full of a group of golfers, the rowdiest bunch of passengers I've ever had. I could hardly hear myself talk when I was doing my announcements. We got to SLC and had a two hour sit, then picked up Colin, another FO. Colin flew to Oakland with us then back to SLC the next day... Slept GREAT at my home away from home at the Hilton Garden. Got up, did some Bible study, and got ready to fly. We got to the airport and found out that our flight was delayed an hour... and that turned into two. Colin and I decided to grab some lunch and chatted awhile while we waited for our plane to arrive from SLC. Apparently our aircraft had been delayed all day due to weather... and we heard something about a plane going off the runway in SLC which caused additional backups.

We finally arrived in SLC, said goodbye to Colin, and picked up Clayton, another FO. Another awesome guy too, based in Tucson. He made my day the first time I flew with him... and that trip was another Oakland overnight... interesting. Anyway, we got our passengers off and were ready to board the next group to Albuquerque. A couple tall guys got on... then some more... and then more... anywhere from around 6' to 7'1"... yep, it was a basketball team. The University of Utah's men's basketball team was flying to ABQ to play the University of New Mexico - game's tonight at 7pm. I felt so bad for them, because if you don't know, our planes (CRJ 200) are tiny... as flight attendants we're not supposed to be taller than 5'8", if that tells you anything. When I took my jumpseat and looked in the aisle of the plane, I saw a sea of red legs... The guys were wearing their red uniforms, and all their legs were hanging out at much as they could. I will just say that I have never had so many people wanting cran-apple juice on a flight. I ran out of it in my cart, and after my beverage/snack service (go Delta with the choice of snacks) I delivered six cans of the stuff! That was after they'd already had the first round. But this was a refill service (over 400 miles). Woohoo.

ABQ to SLC gave me a much needed break, as there were only 19 passengers. Easy service, and then some time to eat some of my delicious crew meal. Gotta love the tuna. Great source of protein. In SLC we boarded our flight back to TUS... on this flight I had my first prisoners. Ooooh! After we boarded we sat there for half an hour before the ground people gave us our paperwork Ridiculous. Luckily, we finally did leave, and were only about an hour and a half late. I got a call from Crew Support at about 1:30am as I was driving home, saying that they were pushing back my reserve time today until 11:15... aahhhhh. =) She said I must be exhausted, and to enjoy the morning.

So, my gripes about SLC. Actually, let me start with my first flight of the trip, from TUS to SLC. So I'm already bummed about Pam. We get to our plane and another crew comes off. The flight attendant is kinda in a huff, and tells me that the water's leaking in the galley so she just turned it off completely. Ok. So I get on and start doing my security checks. The trash in the lavatory is overflowing. Grrr. They want to board us. It was a mess so I had to clean it up first. We board. It's a TON of golfers. They're loud (big understatement). The guys loading the cargo tell me they're not going to be able to fit the oversized carryons in the back and we'll have to get them in the cabin. Yeah ok, there's a reason we check them in the first place. They won't fit in the cabin!!! Gosh! Then they tell me they might have to leave some golf clubs. Shoot, I'm not gonna be the one to tell all those men. Anyway, I do my announcements. The guys are so loud and carrying on shouting back and forth to each other that I can't hear myself talk. We take off, get up in the air, and I start getting ready for the snack and beverage service. Try to make coffee with the leaky galley water. It leaks but doesn't brew any coffee. I open up the drawer where there are the napkins, creamer, sugar, coffee pods, etc. Not stocked (that's either because provisions didn't do it or the previous F/A didn't order it). I look in the snack drawer in the cart. Not restocked (previous F/A's job). One bag of leaky ice left for the full flight. Fortunately, the flight was long enough where I could stock, serve, then stock again and do all my paperwork.

Ok, my gripes about SLC. It is cold there!!! =) Ok, on to number two. The hallways in the E concourse. Supposedly heated, but every time I have walked through there lately I can feel a little heat if I'm directly under one of their heaters, but usually feel like I'm going to die from frostbite. When I was there Saturday, my FO Maria said she felt like her nose was going to fall off. So it's not just me!! The people there just seem cranky... I try to be friendly to the provisions agents, but they are not happy. They did not fill my order right one time in the last three days. So that would be twice Saturday, once Sunday, and twice Monday. It is their job to do what I ask for right? Give me the products or supplies I need, drain my ice drawer since I can't, give me enough ice people!! I can't just go make it when I'm up in the air! Ok then, there's the ground crew and just operations in general. From SLC to ABQ we were on the ground for an hour after we closed the door and before we took off. Ridiculous. And that was after we'd already been delayed two hours. Then on our last leg last night they took at least 30 mins to bring us our paperwork so we could close the door. Ok, so I understand that some stuff is weather related and not their fault and blah blah blah, but I just don't like SLC. Sorry Charlie! (I mean, Jason) ;-)

Here's a little humor to leave you with, from the hotel in Oakland... only in America... =)

New Beginnings?

2008-01-16T21:33:00.000-08:00

Do you make New Year's resolutions? I used to. I don't anymore, because I never keep them. Actually, this year, I decided a good resolution would be to travel somewhere internationally. That one, I can keep. =) I can't wait.

January 1st brought a big change: I was awarded a transfer to LAX. That means I will be moving back home for awhile. I am ready for that, and looking forward to it. January is my last month in Tucson, and I move at the beginning of February. I am planning to stay at LAX until I know I'll be able to get a line at another one of our domiciles, and then transfer again. I really like Tucson as a base/domicile, and the people here are awesome. I am just tired of sitting here not getting called to work! So if I knew that I could have a line in TUS, I might transfer back at some point.

So far this month, I've worked two 2-day trips. Both were great! My first trip was a Redmond, Oregon overnight. That was where I had my first overnight as a flight attendant, during my training. Awww... sweet memories... ;-) I had been on a downer at the end of December, and the beginning of January. Without going into it right now, let's just say I haven't cried so much since my first year back in America after high school. So when Aunt Colleen said that she'd pick me up and take me out for lunch when we got into Redmond, I was thrilled. Something to look forward to! We went to lunch, went thrift store shopping, then went back to their house and had some tea and delicious pie while we watched a chick flick... =) Then she fed me some homemade dinner while we had some good, refreshing conversation before she took me back to the hotel. I was completely spoiled!

I just came off of the second trip a couple days ago. I finally got to overnight in San Francisco! =) Apart from it being a fun city, I wanted an overnight there so that I could try to catch up with Luke... I was scheduled for something on Monday, but crew support called me Saturday night and gave me a two day trip starting on Sunday instead, pulling me off of what they originally had me working on Monday. I was way excited, because I was flying with two awesome guys, on the United side, 3 legs a day, and the SFO overnight. I got in touch with Luke, and we made plans to meet up for dinner Sunday night. He picked me up, and we went downtown to the city! I had never been there before... We parked then walked around and saw just a few of the things San Fran is known for... the bay, the bridges, street performers, streetcars, the crazy bush man... =) We grabbed some clam chowder for dinner and talked and caught up. When I was in high school, there were a couple of times that I stayed with Luke's family for a week or two at a time, and Luke and I had some good talks then... most of them took place in their kitchen. So when we started to have some deeper conversation, I told Luke I felt like I was in high school again and we were in his kitchen, to which he responded, "the kitchen's open!..." Needless to say it was just great to be able to catch up and talk about life. Luke was a huge encouragement to me. God is good, He knows what I need!

This last trip I was on was especially fun because my Captain, Mark, said I could come up front anytime I wanted to. I will usually call them after I finish my service in the cabin and ask how they're doing and if they need anything. When I did, Mark asked if I wanted to come up to the flight deck. It's not something I usually get to do unless one of the pilots needs to use the lav - and in that case, I am required to be up there. It was beautiful and clear so we could see a lot. Mark pointed out to Erik (the First Officer) and I different landmarks and airports along the way. It was so educational! We saw lots of snow, especially flying to Oregon and Colorado, and I am always happy to look at it from the warmth of the airplane. =)

Before and between those two trips, I did get to go home for a few days, so I'll leave you with a few pics from then...

I was a little unsure about this sushi... fish eggs... it tasted like the reef
Maria tried the frog legs
Dad and I saw a pitbull with pink shoes outside Starbucks... only in America!
And the funnest thing... (but not the best pic cos Dad didn't realize he had his finger partly over the flash)... a 6'8" Nigerian man sitting on a 7'0" Nigerian man's lap... so sweet!!! ;-)

Crazy Christmas and TRUE LOVE! =)

2007-12-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

At the end of November, I was scheduled for a 3 day trip over Christmas... and actually, it worked out pretty well for me. The trip started on the 23rd, with the first overnight in LA. Luckily my parents kinda like me, so Mom picked me up from the airport and brought me home for the night instead of making me stay in the hotel (which, I found out the next day, was without power, and my pilots had to fight to be moved to another one).

On Monday we didn't have to be at the airport until 3pm, so I got together with Tina in the morning and we hung out for a couple of hours. =) Tina went to high school with us in PNG, and is working in Fiji with YWAM. She is just back in Cali for a few weeks to see her family over the holidays. As always, it was great catching up!!! The last time we got to hang out was last year when I was in Fiji...

us in Fiji last year

and now!

Monday afternoon we were scheduled for a Boise turn, and then overnight in Oakland (where they love to send me, especially for holidays!!). On the way to Boise, I had a bunch of passengers who had just come back from a bowl game in Hawaii - Boise State vs. East Carolina. That takes some dedication... going all the way to Hawaii for a football game. Wow. Must be nice! =) The next leg, from Boise to LA, there were some rowdy black guys sitting up front... They had just come back from Hawaii too, except they were there playing. They were four guys from the football team, and needless to say, they kept me entertained during the flight!

two of the guys with their coach

We had a two and a half hour sit in LA before flying to to Oakland. I was a little thrown off when we got there because they didn't give me my usual room, and put me on a completely different floor! ;-) That was Christmas Eve... It wasn't feeling like Christmastime at all...

On Tuesday (Christmas) I woke up at 5am to catch a shuttle to the airport to catch a 6:45am flight on JetBlue to Long Beach. See, we were scheduled to leave from Oakland at about 1pm to fly to LA, but it was just a deadhead. That just means that we're on the flight, we don't work it, but we get paid for it. Sweet huh? That also meant that I didn't technically have to be on that flight, as long as I could make it to LA myself by the time we had to fly out. Soooo... I went home again! What a blessing to be able to be at home on Christmas, even if it was only for a few hours. Our family continues to grow... Abi has been with us for awhile, and then Maria for the last couple years... this year we had another Maria with us. =) We had to initiate her, as it was her first Christmas in America!

Abi and I

Abi, Chris, and me... Chris accused Abi and I of acting like little girls!

Mommy making us breakfast =)
Dad finally grew some hair and it made him crazy

After hanging out at home, we flew the Boise turn again in the afternoon, and then back to Tucson that night. No drama, everyone was cool, no crazy stories to tell. That was a blessing. =) My pilots were very chill and relaxed, which was awesome. I had flown with the FO before, but it was my first time meeting the Captain. On our last flight of the day, we only had 20 passengers back to Tucson. We arrived at about 11:30pm, and I had the next two days off. There are no flights back to LA that late, so I was going to sleep on a couch in our crew lounge and catch the first flight in the morning to go home again. Well, I walked out of the gate, looked across the terminal, and saw a bunch of people waiting for an apparently delayed flight. I looked on the board, and it was the LA flight!! It was been delayed for FOUR HOURS. I went over just as they were boarding, and asked the gate agent if I could jump on. After a little drama with that, I got on the plane and called Dad up to let him know I was coming! I'd be getting in late, and they didn't think the train would still be running (I had parked Mom's car at the park & ride station in Norwalk so I could get home the next day since everyone would be at work). Anyway, I told Dad it wasn't a big deal, and I could just sleep in our crew lounge at LAX... Everyone had to work early the next day - Dad would have to be up at 4am or so. When I landed, I had messages from him saying he was on his way to pick me up and to call him!! It was SO NICE that he would sacrifice sleep to come and pick me up, just so I could come home. An act of true love, for sure. =) When I asked him why, he said, "you're not sleeping at the airport on Christmas night when you can come home to your own bed." Awwwww... =) I think he loves me. =) We finally got home around 1:30am and when I went into my room, Maria sat up and looked at me like I wasn't really there... She said out loud, "am I dreaming?" It was the cutest thing. =)

I had asked if I could sit reserve in LA again after my days off... I didn't think they'd let me on Friday, because I was the only person on call from 4am-4pm, but thought we looked ok for the rest of the days... But I was told no, "we need you in Tucson." Needing me in TUS = sitting around not getting called. Well, as I expected, I did get called on Friday morning, at 5am after getting maybe 2 hours of sleep. I just flew a local - TUS-LA-Boise-Denver-TUS. Been on call all weekend and no one has been called... But they NEED me, right? Even though there are six other people here not getting called? Yeah, it's getting old. And the thing that's a bummer is that it doesn't look like I'm going to get transferred out of here. I ended up putting in a transfer to LA, where I would still be on reserve, but at least I would be on reserve at home where I have friends, family, and puppy dogs to keep me company. =) (I mentioned that I was thinking about Fresno, but found out that they cut back the schedules there and I would still be on reserve there as well.) My schedule for next month stinks, and I'm very frustrated about that. I'm having a hard time making lemonade out of these lemons!

On call for two more days, through the 1st, and then hoping to go home again for two days... Let the fun continue...!

...HOME...

2007-12-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

I love being home. Is it because it's the holiday season? Mom's fresh delicious home cooking? My puppy dogs? Family? Being with friends that I've known more than a few months? My own bed, my own room, and my electric blanket??? Or is it comfort... familiarity... safety...? Whatever it is, I love being home. I was off last week from Wednesday through Friday, and was blessed enough to have Crew Support let me be on reserve at LAX Saturday through Tuesday this week... So extra time at home! I love my job. So much flexibility! It doesn't always work out to my advantage, but this time it did. =)

Southwest brought me to LAX from Tucson on Tuesday evening. I walked on the plane, being my cheery self and said hi to the pilot and flight attendant that were greeting passengers as they boarded... They were a little caught off guard, and asked why I was so happy to be on the flight... I told them I was always like this! They asked why I wasn't working for them, and I said that Southwest didn't want to hire me... I applied and never heard from them. My energy and enthusiasm are not easily communicated on paper! I was fortunate enough that SkyWest took a chance on me. =) Anyway, Mom took the day off on Wednesday so that we could hang out! In the morning we baked cookies... (when I say we, I mean Mom)

For lunch, Mom and I met up with Dad and Chris at my favorite spot, Souplantation... It was wonderful, because it was just the four of us!!! I honestly cannot remember when we did something as a family, without anyone else, and it was so nice. Don't get me wrong, I love the people that live with us, and I love it when friends can come out with us or meet up with us, but it being just us four was different. A rare occasion, for sure. I loved it.
Thursday morning, my roomie Morgan flew in from Tucson. Dad had worked it out with his friend Dave to get us in to Disneyland for free... =) The three of us met up with Dave at noon and began our adventure in the Happiest Place on Earth!
The lines weren't long... we waited about 20 minutes at the most for a ride, so that was nice!! I thought I had dressed warmly enough, but even after I put on the extra long sleeved shirt I had brought, I was still freezing. Then we did a really smart thing: went on Splash Mountain. Morgan got to sit in the front, and I hid behind Dad. He was wearing a pullover that dried quickly, brilliant! Fortunately, I didn't get tooooo wet, but was still very cold. So Mom, being the saint that she is, said she'd bring us coats and coffee. We took the monorail to Downtown Disney and went to Tortilla Jo's...
We had a fun server, Joey, who Mom and Dad had met last time they ate at Tortilla Jo's back in September... He even remembered them (not hard to forget someone like Dad... especially since he had called me up last time they were there, then called Joey over and made him talk to me on the phone!!!). Mom and Dad left to go to a meeting, so it was just Morgan and I for the rest of the evening. After awhile we jumped on the monorail and went back into Disneyland. We were going to go on It's A Small World, but the usually 10 minute wait was 45 minutes, so we went to find Mickey instead...
On Friday Morgan hung out with us for the day and then we took her to the airport that evening. Saturday I was on call, but crossed my fingers hoping I wouldn't have to fly, because some of the girls I went to Biola with were getting together for brunch! It's always great to see them and catch up!
Saturday night, Abi called and asked what we were up to... Then said that they were having a surprise party for his old roommate, Pete, who had just graduated. Maria and I went and had a great time! Africans are crazy!! Especially entertaining was Linda... 6'5", played for Biola and was on the Nigerian basketball team in the 2004 Olympics... she was getting her dance on!!! That was another great time of catching up with people I hadn't seen in forever.
On Friday, Crew Support had scheduled me to fly on Sunday morning. I went up to Oakland, their favorite spot to send me, and back, then sat reserve at the airport until 5:00pm. I got to fly with some awesome guys based in Fresno, they were so cool!!! The kind that make flying not feel like work. =) When I was walking through the cabin doing my passenger count, people kept telling me happy birthday... I told them it wasn't my birthday, and then asked if the Captain had made an announcement about it or something. They said yes! So when I went back up front I asked him if he said it was my birthday in his announcement, and he goes, yeah, I thought you would like some more attention. =) Hilarious! It made up for my lack of happy birthdays from my passengers on my real birthday in July!

I mentioned in my last post that some changes might be coming, and the biggest change I am considering is transferring to another one of our domiciles (bases) - Fresno. If I did transfer to Fresno, I could probably have a line (which means having a set schedule for the month), rather than being on reserve (on call) all the time. Since Tucson is a senior base for us, it is more difficult to get a line. In Fresno I would have a chance. With a line in Fresno, I could live back at home in Orange County and just commute... and in case you're wondering, I would fly to commute, not drive. =) I have to stay in Tucson through the end of February, when the lease for our apartment runs out (or pay for my part of it, if I leave before then). I am praying about it. I have really enjoyed being back in California for more than just a couple days, and in talking to people I've met up with in the last couple of weeks who are based in Fresno, it sounds like it could be a very good thing... But it depends on the number of lines there as well. Sooo... we'll see what happens in the next couple months... I'll keep you posted. =)

Fun Randomness

2007-12-07T20:44:00.001-08:00

I am a P to the max!!! You know, the Myers-Briggs test... aka Kiersey Temperament Sorter... aka the Jung personality test... So this is me:

ESFP - "Entertainer". Radiates attractive warmth and optimism. Smooth, witty, charming, clever. Fun to be with. Very generous. 8.5% of the total population.

Take Free Jung Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

The "P" part of me is the spontaneous, last minute, non-planner. Ok, so I was on call last Saturday through Tuesday, and hung out in Tucson (i.e., I didn't get called)! I did have a two day trip right before that, with an overnight in Phoenix. I got to have lunch with Cliff, a friend from high school who lives in Phoenix!!! and then flew four legs of simple pie... much turbulence all day = no beverage service. I tried, believe me. I couldn't stand up in the aisle so I was literally kneeling, going through the aisle trying to see what people wanted to drink... and then my FO (First Officer) called me and told me to sit down! =)

Ha, I digress. So I had planned to go out to Colorado Springs on Tuesday night if I didn't get called, and hang out there for my days off this week. Well. My friend Jason, who is an amazing guy and also a Flight Attendant for SkyWest, happened to call me up on Monday afternoon. Long story short, he had Tuesday and Wednesday off so I convinced him to fly to Tucson on Tuesday morning then fly with me to Colorado Springs. Since we're Flight Attendants we can do stuff like that. =) I think it's awesome. He used to be based in Co. Springs (just transferred to Salt Lake City) so said he needed to get some stuff he'd left at his old place anyway. Flight loads looked good so we decided to rock and roll! I picked him up in the morning, and we hung out at my place. I got him to sign up on eHarmony, so we could see if they matched us, just for the heck of it! (Ok, if you don't know, I will admit it now, I signed up on eHarmony awhile ago simply because I was curious about what the personality profile would say about me... I like learning things about myself... and anyway, it's kinda funky cos they keep sending me matches, whose profiles I can read, but I can't communicate with them or see their pictures unless I decide to pay for a subscription... which I can't bring myself to do!! I know, so embarassing! Interesting though!) Yeah, so they haven't matched us... guess that's a no go Jason! =( We grabbed some yummy food from Rubio's, came back to my place, got our stuff, and headed out to the airport for our flight to Denver. SO fun flying with someone else!! Especially someone as cool as Jason. We are dorks! We hung out in Denver long enough to get a latte from Starbucks before catching our 14 minute flight to COS, where we flew First Class. WOW! ;-)

My days in Colorado Springs were so refreshing! Isaac and Clara Ring (MKs from Ghana and PNG) were awesome and opened their spare room and futon to me, letting me crash at their place. I hung out with Jubz, a new friend of mine, and spent quality time with Clara, had some great talks! Wednesday night Jubz and I went to church with Luke Skrobot... a solid message about being in the desert and what to do when you're there (how about both literally AND figuratively??). On Thursday Clara and I took on a huge task of doing some serious Christmas cookie baking for her music students. It was crazy! Lots of fun though, talking, laughing, and catching up with Isaac and also Keren, another friend from PNG/high school. I love catching up. =) And I love that I can do it more freely now with my job. A huge blessing.

me and Luke being crazy!

Isaac and Clara... and our delicious, raw food dinner!

me and Keren

Colorado is beautiful, but can I just say, I love the weather in Arizona! More change may be on the way in the next few months... We'll see what God tells me about it... stay tuned!

Breakfast with Dad

2007-11-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do when I'm at home...

Mmmm... breakfast at Ruby's on the pier in Seal BeachThe surfers were out... but there wasn't much surf

I am alive! Yay! =)

2007-11-26T16:54:00.000-08:00

I know, it has been awhile since I wrote... I have had some people ask what's been going on! Just travel as usual! At the beginning of the month, I got to go to Kansas City, Missouri with my roomie Melissa! She said that her family was going to do an early Thanksgiving, and invited Amelia (another friend from our FA training, who is based in Milwaukee) and I to come home with her. It was fun... except for the COLD!

Oakland seems to be my place to go this month... every time I've had a trip with overnights, I've gone to Oakland. I have even gotten the same room at the hotel each time, so it feels like home! (Not quite... but some familiarity!) ;-) That's where I was on Thanksgiving... and in San Jose the night before that. No turkey for me! Although one of our Captains did have Melissa and I over for a late Thanksgiving dinner last Saturday. YUMMY!

One of the funnest nights we had in Tucson this month was our Nintendo night! Our neighbours, Kyle and Dennis (brothers) have an old school Nintendo (NES), so Morgan, Melissa and I went over to their place and played. SO FUN. =)

Look! It's Arizona!

On a flight from Oakland to Salt Lake City last week, I had some passengers who were truly an encouragement to me. I was talking with a Tongan man sitting in the last row, and we were talking about the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea. When I told the man I had lived in PNG, I saw the woman in the row in front of him kinda perk up. When I started to come back up the aisle, she said that she had overheard me say that and asked what I was doing there. I saw she had a Bible open on her tray table, and I started to ask if they were Christians... That's when her husband spoke up and said, "We're Christ followers." I thought that was awesome! I knew what context I could talk to them in, knowing that they were Believers, and told them that my parents were there working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. (Let me digress for a moment, and just say that I hate saying that my parents were missionaries. You say the word "missionary" and all of a sudden all these preconceived ideas come with it... usually negative. Judgmental, 'holier than thou' mentality, trying to change culture and make everyone wear white to church, weird, etc etc etc. So usually, unless I know the people are Believers and are going to have a better understanding of what really goes on with missions, I say that my parents were with a linguistic organization, which is completely true. And sometimes people think that's a little weird, but usually they think it's cool too.) Ok, so when I told this couple my parents were with Wycliffe, they said they knew a family who worked with Wycliffe in Africa. The husband asked me some pretty pointed questions about my work and where I was getting teaching and fellowship... That has been one of the hard parts about this job, with traveling so much and working on Sundays as well. So I was honest with them and shared that it has been a struggle. I was also encouraged by the wife, as she told me she could see a different attitude and presence in me, from when they walked on the plane to watching me come down the aisle with the beverage service. I told them that when I had started this job, I prayed that the people I came in contact with would be able to see Christ in me... She said she could. What a compliment. A little while later when I returned to do a trash run, they handed me a small hardcover book, a devotional. They wrote a long, encouraging note on the first page along with their card. They said they would be praying for me. Wow!!! I was amazed at how much God blessed and encouraged me through them.

I was on call Saturday and Sunday... and just hung out in Tucson. Tried out a new church and liked it a lot. Simple, but solid. If I'm in town next week, I'm gonna go back and try them out again. I flew on Express Jet, my new heroes =) from Tucson to Ontario last night after I was off call. All of our flights into LAX were oversold, so I thought I'd try Express Jet. I met the Captain of the flight when I was at the gate seeing if I was going to make it, and he said he'd make sure I got on. They took care of me, and it was awesome!

Mom took today off work so we could hang out, and it's been great!!! I love being at home. =) Can't wait till next time.

Bogey has been cracking us up all day!!!

Who are better listeners: 1st graders or passengers?

2007-11-03T23:11:00.000-07:00

One of the things I really like about my job is being able to talk and connect with my passengers. Some of them are cool. Some of them are... not. In talking to one of them this week, after I told him that I used to teach 1st grade, he asked me, "So who are better listeners? 1st graders, or your passengers?" I answered that it was definitely the 1st graders... apart from a handful of them, who were just that, a handful =), they listened. They were usually respectful. But they knew that had to be. Passengers just decide they don't need to listen, for the most part (although I did have one woman who was so cute this week!! She listened and watched intently as I made each announcement, told me I was adorable, and gave me a big hug as she got off the plane).

So can I vent for a minute? There is a flow to our flight... towards the end, when we are beginning to descend, we get some chimes that tell us how much time we have left and that we need to make our descent announcement and then check to make sure people have listened and followed crewmember instructions, AS STATED BY FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS!!! Sooo many times, people still have their tray tables down, or their carryons out in their laps, and then get pissy at me when I ask them to put their tray tables up or stow their carryons, as I've just asked them to in my announcement. But this is what really gets me. The Captain turns off the seatbelt sign during the flight, right? Then the good ones, like the one I flew with today, will give the passengers a head's up when he's going to turn the sign back on... so get off your butt and go to the bathroom now... or forever hold your pee!!! So today, the landing gear is already down, which means we're about 5 mins from landing, and I have to be in my seat in the brace position. Well, guess what? The man in 2A decides that's the perfect time for him to get up and use the lav... WHY?????!?!?!?! We've made a million stupid announcements saying "stay in your seat with your seatbelt fastened until the sign is off at the gate." So then, the next flight, I've made the announcement to remain seated until we've landed, etc. I've done my walk through to make sure everyone is doing what I've just asked. So then I look back and see a woman standing in the doorway of the lav. I walk back to see if she is alright, and yeah, she's just standing there putting on her makeup. What the !!!!!!!! Why people, why??!?!

Ok, that's enough venting for tonight... I really do like my job, I promise. =)

The Capital

2007-10-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2007-10-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

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...?

2007-10-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

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!!

ALOHA!

2007-09-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ever think... hmm... what should I do this week...? Hawaii maybe? That was my thought after I got called for a trip on Sunday a week and a half ago. I was scheduled to leave for two days of flying, with an overnight in Spokane and being back in Tucson by 11am the second day, super early! I had the next three days off, so plenty of time to get somewhere that afternoon/evening. As soon as I was scheduled that trip, I was on the phone to my Aunt Sharon who lives in Hawaii on the big island. We chatted for awhile then I asked if I could come and visit - she said they would love it! So I started looking into things and thought I had it worked out.

Monday morning I met up with Jim and Pam. I had flown with Jim before - he is awesome, super laid back, and just a fun guy. He's the one that made the announcement about Rachael Ray being back in the cabin making 30 minute meals during the flight... Pam is so cool! Fun, chill, also very laid back - she is from Hawaii. I had such a great time with the two of them, it didn't even feel like work. Pam and I chatted a lot throughout the two days. She used to be a flight attendant for Continental Micronesia in Guam (so she knew were PNG was) and then flew cargo for several years. We spent the night in Spokane, Washington. I wish I could do a longer trip with them!! They were a fun crew.

Since she is from Hawaii, I talked to Pam about getting there... I had decided to try to get to Kona and back from LA on American Airlines... After I got back to Tucson, I flew to SLC on the same plane we'd come in on, then to LAX where I waited for about three hours... The gate agent had given me seat 11A and said he would block B and C for me. When I went to board, my boarding pass didn't work... twice. The third time I went back up to the gate agent, he said he was going to have to put me back in row 33, because I was mean... ???? I didn't care, as long as I got on... Then he told me to look at my boarding pass. It said FIRST on it, and I was in 1F!!!! I thanked him and gave him a big hug. As usual, I was very well taken care of by the American flight attendants... I had a 4 course meal, champagne and all! It was amazing! =)

I arrived in Kona late Tuesday night. It felt so unreal to be there! Wednesday morning I got up and went with Aunt Sharon and Uncle Morris to take the dogs for their daily walk around the neighborhood. It was beautiful! In lots of ways it reminded me of Papua New Guinea... the climate, ocean, landscape, flowers and trees... I loved it. My aunt and uncle live in Waikoloa Village, about a 45 minute (?) drive to Kona, where we went on Wednesday afternoon. Aunt Sharon and I did some fun shopping at the international markets and then went for a walk along the beach. It was overcast so that was a bummer, but it was still nice!

Thursday was a gorgeous day. After breakfast and coffee on the porch, Aunt Sharon and I went down to a resort on the coast called Mauna Lani. I went crazy taking pictures! We enjoyed the ocean and the sunshine, then found a hammock to relax in... it was wonderful. =) We had a wonderful time... good talks... refreshing in many ways!!! That afternoon we took Ginger to the vet. She has a tumor and Aunt Sharon and Uncle Morris were wondering how much pain she was in and if they should put her down... =( Great news at the vet though - she's not in much pain, if any, and she's doing alright! After the vet we took a drive to look at an amazing view at Pololu, and then made our way back home. Just a few pictures of the Hawaii scenery...
Thank you again, Aunt Sharon & Uncle Morris, for having me at your home in Hawaii and taking care of me!!! Hope we can do it again sometime! =)

I made it back to LA on Friday morning. It was nice to have a day to rest a little (not that I didn't rest in Hawaii, of course, but those red eye flights can be a killer!). Saturday I sat reserve in LA, and actually got called for a trip that started out of LA on Sunday morning. So it was great to have another day at home and another night in my bed. The highlight of being home though was talking to Chris. It is something that rarely happens these days... for whatever reason... but we got to talk and it was awesome. I had a three day trip starting on Sunday, with overnights in Albuquerque and Palmdale/Lancaster. My roomie, Morgan, deadheaded on my first leg with me, so we met up at LAX before the flight and she grabbed some breakfast. We were starstruck in the United terminal when we saw either MaryKate or Ashley Olson... An extremely slim young woman wearing jeans, heels, a hat, and big sunglasses. =) She went into one of those airport stores, so we went in too, just to make sure it was her. =) Ah, fun times.

It was awesome having Morgan on the plane with me - she even helped me do the service and we chatted the whole time we worked, which made it go by much faster. From Albuquerque I had the CEO of United on my plane, as well as their Board Director and both of their wives... kinda nerveracking! They were nice though, and hopefully they thought I did alright. The guys I was flying with were a lot of fun, and took good care of me, helping me with my bag, making sure I had something to eat, and even checking my hotel room when we got in, to make sure things were safe. Good times, safe flights, back home last night. I'm on call today then deadheading back to LAX this afternoon... Not feeling too great, I seem to have picked up a cold from somewhere, so hoping to get some more rest. Will you take care of me Mom??? =)

Can cops have dreads if they're not undercover?

2007-09-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Dad, this one's for you!

And any of you who answered no to that question... Remember the guy I met on the plane to Atlanta a couple weeks ago? Who was "supposedly" a police officer with the Chicago PD... but you've never seen a cop that has dreads... so he must have been lying to me about that... right?

Nope! Proof's in the picture. =)

Mexico & LA

2007-09-15T16:52:00.000-07:00

On Saturday last weekend, my roommates Morgan and Jeremy and I decided to take off in the afternoon and go to Mexico! It was the middle of the afternoon, and we were all on call... I was until 4pm and they were until 9pm, but we figured that we wouldn't get called out so took the chance and started the drive down to Nogales. Our other roommate, Melissa decided not to join us in case she got called... We made it down late in the afternoon and first drove across the border. That was a mistake, because we couldn't find anywhere to park... So we got in line to go back to America... and waited about 45 minutes! Between the street vendors walking up and down the line of cars and Jeremy's comments about everything, we were kept entertained. Eventually we got back to Arizona, paid $3 to park, and walked back across. Going in to Mexico is a piece of cake as far as immigration goes!

Being blondies, Morgan and I were the hot attraction walking down the street! The guys asked Jeremy if we were his wives, and he said, "oh, no man" which gave them an invitation to hug us! It was funny. We walked around a little and bought fun stuff, and eventually went back just after dusk. It was crazy, walking a couple hundred feet and being in a place that felt so completely different! I loved the feeling, though.

Almost as soon as we crossed the border, my phone rang. It was Crew Support calling. It freaked me out, because it was around 7:30pm and I wasn't on call anymore! I let them leave a message, and when I listened to it, they said they had a 4 day trip for me that started the next morning at 5am! I called them back and asked where the overnights were... the first one was in LA! So I called home and let Mom & Dad know...

Sunday morning was a quick day, and after a rough start (no power or a/c on the plane) we made it to LA at 11am! Mom came and picked me up after church and took me home. It was awesome, everyone came over! My cousins, Heather and Steve, Aunt Tracy, even Abi! The surprise visit was Ashley, who used to live with my family. Maria was there too. =) I felt very loved. =) We all hung out, talked, had dinner... Then Mom and Dad ended up spending the night with me at my hotel near LAX. It worked out perfectly, because they were leaving for their vacation in Mazatlan, Mexico the next morning and that way they didn't have to fight the Monday morning LA traffic.

What was supposed to get me back to Tucson on Wednesday night (as a 4 day trip) turned into a 2 day trip... Crew Support called Monday morning and changed my schedule... I worked two round trips out of LA then deadheaded (a favorite term for many of you!! =) ) back to Tucson. I was on call Tuesday... no call. Wednesday evening I was deadheaded to Saly Lake City, where I sat for almost two hours, then worked a trip back on the CRJ 700 on the Delta side... It was amazing how big and nice the plane was! Got back at 11pm, and started my days off...

Flying and more flying!

2007-09-07T16:54:00.000-07:00

Continuing on from my previous post, (which I started when I was on my last overnight and got too tired to finish) I didn't end up doing those Cali flights on Wednesday. See, I'm still trying to figure out how being on call works... Wednesday morning, I was supposed to report for my trip at 7:55am, so I'd gone to bed at 10:30 and had my alarm set for 6:30 so I could get a good 8 hours of sleep before a day of flying. My phone rang at 3:45am. It was good old Crew Support calling, and I answered it (not realizing that I didn't have to, since I was not even on call and was already scheduled for a trip). They said they were changing my schedule because they had someone call in sick, and that I was going to be flying a leg to Salt Lake City, and then either sitting reserve there at the airport, or deadheading back to Tucson to sit ready reserve at the airport here. Oh, and my new report time was 5:30am. Major bummer. They called back a couple minutes later to say that they were going to put me on a 2-day trip, so pack for an overnight. I asked if it was Salem... good guess! I was supposed to have a 2-day trip starting Thursday, also the Salem overnight.

I packed up and met up with Tammy and Andreas at the crew lounge. I'd flown with Tammy before, and had met Andreas (from Sweden) at a domicile lunch/celebration we had a couple weeks ago. We flew to SLC then Salem and got there early in the afternoon. That night I had a dinner date!!! =) Shainlee has been in the States for about a year, and is going to school to be a pilot. She lives in Eugene. When I'd been scheduled for my original trip to Salem, I got ahold of her to see how far away she was. She told me it was about an hour's drive, but she would come up and see me. I called her while I was in SLC to let her know I was coming a day earlier, and she said she had a car and would give me a call when she got off work. She got to my hotel just after 6pm, and we went to Baja Fresh for a muy delicioso dinner! Then back to the hotel to hang out, chat, look at pictures from home, and just catch up!! It was a great blessing to see her. The next day we flew back to SLC, did a round trip to Seattle, then flew back home.

On Friday afternoon I was scheduled to work a round trip to LAX. I was excited to work a flight home! Since I've been on reserve, I have always packed extra every time I fly, even if I'm just scheduled for a round trip, just in case they change up my schedule on me. This time I started to, then decided not to... Getting sick of carrying all this stuff, just to go back and forth. I took something to sleep in, just in case, but nothing else this time. Murphy's Law, right? As soon as we got to LA, Crew Support had sent a message to the cockpit telling the pilots to tell me to call them regarding changes to my schedule for that night. Well, the changes were to add two more days of flying to my schedule! They were going to fly me to Ontario (California) after sitting in LA for 2 1/2 hours, spend the night there, and then start a trip the next morning with two pilots from SLC. Shoot!! Well, Mom to the rescue! I called her up, and she and Maria came and picked me up and brought me home (with a stop at Golden Spoon on the way!!). =) The funnest thing was to call Dad when we pulled in... ask him what he was up to... then walk in while I was on the phone with him and surprise him. =) He called me a jerk, but really I know he was happy to see me. ;-) Mom hooked me up with an old carry-on bag and toiletries, and I grabbed some clothes out of my closet. We hung out for a little bit then Mom and Dad drove me up to Ontario (thanks again!!!!!! You guys are the best!) so I could just sleep at the hotel there and meet up with the guys in the morning, since we had a 5:30am showtime.

After a couple hours of shuteye, I got up, went downstairs, and had some breakfast that the hotel hooked us up with! The pilots were both cool - Marcelo, from Brazil, was the Captain, and Jonathan Walker was the FO. We flew to San Fran, then did a round trip to Palmdale, then to Albuquerque where we spent the night. Oh, the cool thing about that was when I was at home, Mom had called up David and LouBe who live in ABQ! They are friends of ours from church, and moved there pretty recently. They said to call them up when I got in... which I did! LouBe picked me up and showed me around the town. Then we picked up David and they took me out for dinner! So more blessings - to see friends, have a good meal, and be taken care of! The one small bag I had originally brought on the trip with me was starting to rip, and I asked LouBe if she had any way to fix it... super glue... needle and thread... anything... She gave me a new bag instead!!! Talk about blessings upon blessings. =)

The following day we had another super early start (even earlier because of NM being an hour ahead of AZ). It was a pretty easy day though - we flew back to SLC, then I deadheaded home two hours later. After I got back to TUS, I had to hang out on ready reserve for 4 hours... Grrr... The highlight of the afternoon though, was finally being able to get a good look at the Grand Canyon and take pictures of it! Every other time we've flown over it, I'm doing my beverage/snack service and can't fully appreciate it. Even though my roomie Morgan says it's just a big ditch, I think it's gorgeous! Unfortunately the airplane windows were a little dirty for picture taking, but this was better than nothing...

I had the next day off, then flew another 2-day trip with an overnight in San Luis Obispo... awesome hotel! Good crew... My Captain, Jim kept joking about making an announcement that Rachael Ray was back there and going to make a 30-minute meal for them. =) He finally did it! The second day of the two was a long one, and ended with an irate passenger... thankfully I'd never encountered one before her... She was peeved because her bag wouldn't fit into an overhead bin... It went way further than that, but I won't get into it right now... Needless to say, I was glad to get home, and thankful to have the next day off! =)

A couple locals, and home

2007-09-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

After two and a half weeks of not getting called, I have finally started flying again! Granted, who can complain about watching movies, laying out by the pool, and going to the zoo with my roomie, while getting paid at the same time? =) I even got to feed the giraffes!

I flew a couple of local trips (where there are no overnights) and then went home for my days off -- the first time I had a Sunday off in as long as I can remember!! So it was really nice to be able to go to church and see all of the beautiful old people, as we affectionately call them... =) Dad teaches an adult Sunday school class, where the average age is 80... so they are old people!! =) We didn't do too much that was "exciting," but it is nice to just be at home and be with Mom and Dad especially. My friend Maria is living with my family now, staying in my room, and I love to see her too! She is in California going to college and training for athletics - she's from Papua New Guinea. Wanbel stap!

I also got to see my Starbucks peeps, which was great. On my last day in Cali I went by to see Larry (who I mentioned a couple posts ago). He's the one who is a pastor and works at Starbucks. He was working in the morning, so I went right before he was done with his shift. It worked out perfectly, because he had time to sit down and have some coffee with me (actually, I had tea...). We had some great conversation... Basically, he gave me a much needed kick in the pants. He challenged me about my spiritual life, my walk with God, my passions, and what I am living for. I miss that kind of conversation. Yesterday I hung out with Amy, who I went to high school with in PNG. She lives in Tucson, so it's awesome to have a friend there! (I am writing this from San Luis Obispo, CA by the way! On an overnight here. Embassy Suites. AWESOME!) Amy and I were talking about living "outside of the bubble"... Really, this is the first time that I've lived completely on my own outside of the Christian bubble, as we call it. It has been difficult in that I haven't had people to get into those tough and challenging conversations with. I know I'm not perfect or even close to it by any means, but it is super easy to think that I'm doing alright when I compare my lifestyle to others'. And definitely not to say that the people I'm surrounded with are heathens!!! But I have been raised differently for sure, and as a result my morals and values are different. All that to say, I haven't been surrounded with the same spiritual encouragement that I've received in the past. So some the recent conversations I've had are what I've needed.

I went back to Arizona on Tuesday morning, bright and early, and got on the flight with no probs! It is a great blessing having a car now to be able to get back and forth from the airport, and not have to bother anyone to take me places. I was scheduled on Wednesday for another local - Tucson - LA - Sacramento - LA - Tucson... Didn't happen. More on that, and my trips so far this month in the next post!... I know I've been slack on this... Will try to catch up on what's been happening!

The C's...

2007-08-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

I was going to title this blog "The 4 C's," because that's what it started out as... but I think there are more C's than that... Let me explain. =)

When I came back to America last year, there were four C's that I wanted/needed: carpet, computer, camera, & car. I was able to get the first three, but not the car... until yesterday!!! Even before I got to Arizona, I started looking online for people selling their cars, because I knew I'd need one here. After much frustration and not finding the right thing, I spotted a 1999 Toyota Corolla in great condition with less than 100,000 miles (a rarity among what I had seen). Last week Matt, the guy selling it, drove it over to our apartment complex and my roommate Jeremy went down with me to check it out. Everything looked and sounded clean. We took it for a test drive and I was sold! I couldn't get it for a week though, because Matt was hoping to keep it until he had to leave for New York (because of that, we negotiated a slightly lower price, since it would save him money on a rental if I could wait). Soo, I got it yesterday! I am very thankful, excited, and relieved that I don't have to impose on my roomies anymore if I want or need to go somewhere (although they were awesome about that whole situation). =)

Alright, let me move on to a couple more C's... The first is confusion. It's the story of my life! What to do, what to do? Well, a big situation making me confused is the one with Steve. Without going into too much detail (since this is on the internet!), basically the way it breaks down is that we've known each other for three weeks, and he's sold on me. Yes, we've talked a lot, but we've only hung out twice. He has told me that I have many qualities he didn't think existed in women, I am amazing, beautiful, etc. etc. etc., and that he "doesn't want to let me slip through his fingers." Basically he has said he wants to be with me for the rest of his life. So YEAH. Scary stuff. He is a wonderful guy, but I have some reservations. The biggest being the most important, the spiritual stuff. We've talked about it, and we have the same core beliefs... but in some of our conversations and from hanging out with him, I don't think we're on the same page. That really bothers me. There are other things, but without getting into them, I will move on to the next C...

Commitment. I never would have thought of myself as someone who has commitment issues, but during this year especially, I've realized that I have them. The thing is, I don't even have them solely in regards to relationships, but really I have them in general. I think about it... I only signed up to go to PNG for two years, instead of long term. I never want to make definite plans for anything... just "pencil it in" so it can be erased and changed if I want it to... When I got based in Chicago, I didn't know if I should put in a transfer or stay there... When I got the transfer to Tucson, I didn't know if I should keep it or put in for another transfer... Maybe that's a reason I like this job, is that I don't have to stay committed to one place but can move and keep the same job/pay! =)

Now let's talk the relationship side of things. I think I want commitment, but really, I don't want to be committed to someone... not right now anyway. In the last couple of years, I have been enjoying my freedom... It started before I went back to PNG in 2004. I was thankful I wasn't in a relationship or married then, because I could freely go where God wanted me to. Now, with this job, I'm glad I'm not in a relationship because of the freedom it's given me with all the moving and traveling to different places. So basically, Steve and I have been talking for three weeks and he's ready to settle down. Am I? No way!!!! It makes me want to run... fast. Ooh, maybe I will be like Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride! ;-) Let's hope it doesn't get that bad, but it is interesting the way things have played out recently. I'll just say that since I got this job, I have realized that there are more "fish in the sea" than I thought. We'll leave it at that.

To change the subject... I left Chicago on Wednesday morning, giving myself the entire day to try to get back to Tucson. I woke up before 4am, without much sleep, and made my way to the airport. My plan was to fly Delta to Tucson, connecting in Atlanta. The flight to ATL looked ok, but to TUS didn't look so good... Thanks to the grace of God, it didn't take me 20 hours to get back and I got on both flights! =) Kinda ironic, Steve pushed back my plane... I could see him on the ground, because I had a window seat. He didn't see me though. On the flight to Atlanta, I met Rob, who was in the aisle of my row. It was his birthday, and he was on his way to Costa Rica for a few days to hang out with his friends. We talked the whole way, from Chicago to Atlanta! We had some time between flights, so we hung out and grabbed some breakfast at the airport before going our separate ways. Awesome guy, great stories! =) I really liked his hair.

Now I'm back at home in Tucson... at home while I'm on call, flying on my days off! =) It's the good life. It's another beautiful day today, so I'm going to go down to the pool for awhile... Hope that your weekend is a relaxing one! =)

back in Chi-town

2007-08-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

For my days off this week, I decided to come back to Chicago, where my old roomies generously welcomed me back and gave me a place to stay. =) They are great!! I flew in on Sunday evening on American, where I had an entire row to myself. Lovely! The flight attendants were good to me and hooked me up with a chicken wrap - lunch for the next day! I got in and got on the train that I have not been missing, and made it back to my old place at 11pm. I had tried to get ahold of people here but no luck... so thought I'd just see what would play out.

I mentioned Steve a couple posts ago... I met him on the train, and he had helped me out the day I left Chicago. He works for Delta doing ground stuff. He pushes back planes, loads cargo, all that fun stuff (you know those guys that run around on the ground before you take off and after you land, wearing the orange vests and waving the orange wands?). Well, yesterday after Steve got off work, he called me and I got on a bus to meet him near his place close to Lincoln Square. We took a walk around the neighborhood he lives in, and eventually made it to a little Mexican restaurant on the corner of a quiet street. It was just before 6:00pm, and since it was so early, we were the only ones there. I opened up the menu and immediately looked at the prices... Steve must have seen the look on my face and told me not to worry about the prices but get whatever I wanted! Alright... So I was looking at two different things that I was deciding between, and he told me I could get them both! Wow. I ended up getting a DELICIOUS meal of almond crusted fish with asparagus over a bed of couscous with sundried tomatoes, and caramelized plantains (like cooking banana from home!!!)... all with a super yummy coconut sauce on the side. It was great! I was so full... I'd been so hungry! (I know that will come as a shocker to any of you who have lived with me.) ;-) After our meal we walked around the area some more and then decided to catch The Simpsons Movie. So fun. =)

Steve is such a sweetheart and a gentleman. It is such a new thing for me to be... what's the word... hmm... I guess it's just a new thing for someone to be interested in me. I'm not sure what to do with it. We shall see I guess!

My first week in TUS

2007-08-11T00:07:00.001-07:00

I've been on call in TUS for a week now, and have been called once... on my day off. =) This month there are only 4 of us on reserve here, and we all live together. Jeremy and Melissa were on trips, and Morgan and I were on our days off. My phone rang at about 11:00am, it was a Utah number... I answered it, and it was Crew Support calling and asking me to pick up a trip that day, just a turn to Salt Lake City. Since I'm so nice ;-) I said I'd do it. I woke Morgan up and she took me to the airport (she is so sweet!). I flew with a Captain who is the only female Captain out of Tucson, and she and the FO were both really cool. We got to SLC, where we had about an hour... then went to get to our plane to come back and found out our plane was "broken really bad"... so we waited some more, and finally they found us a plane to come back on. I was so relieved! I didn't pack for an overnight! Plus Morgan and I were going to have sushi for dinner... mmmmm... =)

After dinner we watched a movie... so fun! Jeremy got back late that night from a trip. The next day, we finally put together our bunk/loft bed. It was a 3 person effort, but we did it, and I had a bed to sleep on last night!! No more air mattress!

We've just been kickin' it a lot... Tucson is a nice place to hang out. Lots of normal places to go, like our favorite, Target. =) Then there are all these cool restaurants to check out, and we're having fun with that. This afternoon Jeremy, Morgan and I laid out by the pool, then went mattress shopping (only one came with our bed) THEN went to Rockin' Baja Lobster to grab some dinner! So it's been a good, relaxing week. I'm feeling more settled now that our apartment looks like an apartment and not just a crashpad! =) Pictures to come soon...!

More changes!

2007-08-05T21:14:00.001-07:00

I am in Tucson, Arizona!

I spent Tuesday in Chicago, packing and relaxing a little. In the evening, Kindl and I had dinner at a little hole in the wall Mexican place near our house, muy delicioso! Then we took the train downtown to meet up with Joy. Got another guy's number, woohoo! I love it how guys just give you their number. Ok... so in case you didn't sense the sarcasm in my typing, I don't really love it, but I do find humor in it. Anyway, Kindl and I met up with Joy and we walked around downtown a little, and went to the beach and saw Lake Michigan. The city is so pretty at night! I'm bummed that I didn't get to do any touristy stuff while I was living in Chicago, but I guess that means I'll have to go back there on my days off sometime and check it out!

On Wednesday morning, after a couple hours of sleep, Kindl and I got up and made our way to the train station. She is super sweet, and offered to help me get my stuff up to the airport. We left the house at about 4:45am and got to the train station around 5:00. That's where we happened to meet up with Steve, who I had met on Saturday morning when I was on my way to the airport for my trip. Since he works at the airport (and because he is such a gentleman!!!) and was on his way there as well, he offered to help me with my luggage and Kindl got to go back home and sleep! I made it on the jetBlue flight, even got a seat! When I went to say hi to the pilots as I was boarding, they were cool, glad to give me a ride home, and offered me a donut. I have more and more respect for those jetBlue people all the time. They are so awesome, and have saved me many times. Highly recommend flying jetBlue!!!

Dad met me at the airport in Long Beach, and we got my stuff and headed to Starbucks for breakfast. Mmmmm, breakfast sandwiches. I haven't found those at any other Starbucks in America, just Cali. We got my favorite, reduced-fat turkey bacon. Dad got an iced coffee and I got my strange but surprisingly refreshing iced venti half passion half green iced tea, no h2o, light ice, 5 Splendas. Try it sometime! It was soo good to see people there again... Larry, Kathleen, Lichelle, Mia, Tiffany, Crystal... love it! After our time there we went back home, then Dad went and played golf. I spent much of the afternoon with Jenni. =) It was her birthday, and I was very happy that I made it back to California that day so we could hang out together. We went and got pedicures, then she showed me her cute house in Fullerton! Afterwards I went home and packed a little, did some laundry, and took a much needed nap.

The next morning Dad and I left bright and early for LAX. It wasn't as bad getting through security and flying out of there as I thought it might be! From our house to the gate (through security) it took about an hour. After getting some tea at Starbucks I got on the first flight to Tucson! Morgan was at the airport to pick me up, and we went back to her (our!) apartment. In Tucson, I am living with Morgan and Jeremy (who are both from my training class and originally got based here) and Melissa (who was in Chicago as well but also got transferred to Tucson). Melissa and her Aunt Wanda drove and got here the same morning I did! After dropping off my stuff, the four of us went to Sweet Tomatoes (aka Souplantation in Cali!!!) for lunch, and it was WONDERFUL!

We've spent these first few days in Tucson shopping, looking for furniture, hanging out, and getting settled. I love it so far! It is beautiful and hot (as you can see by the picture of our thermostat... the a/c in our apartment broke!). It feels normal... lots of familiar stores around (Trader Joe's!!!), and pretty low key. The cost of living is also nice and low! I'm hoping to be able to get as tan as Melissa ;-)... we have a pool just outside our apartment... so while I'm waiting to be called, lots of opportunity to work on that! I am feeling a little unsettled right now, just because we don't have all of our furniture yet and I'm not completely unpacked, and also because I don't have a car. My roomies are awesome (in lots of ways!) and have offered me their cars, but I feel bad having to do that. So I'm hoping to find something soon...

It is awesome that Amy Hauschildt (from PNG) and her family are in Tucson! They've taken great care of me so far and I'm so blessed that they're here. I got to hang out with Amy on Friday afternoon... basically she took me around and we picked up some stuff that I needed! Only a good friend will put up with stuff like that! I am definitely looking forward to spending some more time with her.

Tonight I am spending a quiet night at home... all my roomies are out... So I thought it time to update! I have the next three days off... not sure what I'm gonna do... always an adventure. We shall see!

My last trip out of Chicago...

2007-07-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Crew Support stuck to their pattern this month of not calling me the day before or the day after my scheduled days off, so that was wonderful! I did get a call from them late Friday afternoon, to schedule my moving days. Moving again? Yes. I got a transfer to Tucson, Arizona. I'm excited, and at the same time I've been having mixed feelings about it, but the goal was to be out of Chicago before the winter hit. I didn't expect it to happen so soon (hence the mixed feelings), but if I didn't accept the transfer I'd definitely be stuck here through the beginning of next year, and pretty much I think I'd die. =) I don't do snow, unless I can sit inside and watch it sitting next to the fire and drinking hot chocolate. Then I like it! Anyway, Monica from Crew Support called me and said I could have July 30 - August 2 or July 31 - August 3 as my moving days, and I picked the latter. Wow, less than a week till I'd had to move. Before I went to bed that evening, just before midnight, I checked my schedule online, and they had scheduled me a 3 day trip starting the next morning with a 5:15am report time. There wasn't much sleeping that night!

Overall, a fun trip with a great crew! I was on the CRJ 200, our 50 passenger airplane, so I was the only Flight Attendant. I had the same Captain the whole time, but we had three different First Officers throughout the trip! Some highlights from the trip...

Day One
- Not having to wait ten years for the train to come! =) That's always nice, especially on a weekend.
- We spent our first night at the Holiday Inn in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Not a thrilling place to be, but not bad either. Fortunately, both pilots wanted to walk around and see what there was to see. We grabbed a bite to eat at an Irish pub and then in the afternoon went down to see the Sioux Falls, the reason for the name of the town.
- Bryan, our first FO, greatly impressed me with his knowledge of world geography and even PNG!!! He asked if I'd lived in Port Moresby, and if I flew on AirNiugini... I don't think I've ever met anyone not associated with PNG who knew about AirNiugini!
- Finally, a good night's rest! Without the fear of missing a call from Crew Support early in the morning. =)

Day Two
- An 8:00 show time!
- We flew to Denver, where we had two hours. Bryan left us, and I had a nice time chatting with Eric, the Captain, and listening to his theories on how to rid PNG of crime =) (after I told him why my parents are not there now). I also got to call up Kathy, my dad's cousin, who lives in Denver, and caught up with her a little bit. Hopefully one day I'll stay in Denver long enough to see her!
- Dave, our new FO, met up with us at the gate and we flew to Rapid City, South Dakota. What do you do in Rapid City? Mount Rushmore! Eric had arranged to rent a car. His girlfriend met up with us, and the four of us drove to see the carved faces. It was a beautiful day, and we got a great view of it! (Last time I went to Mt. Rushmore, it was foggy and if we were lucky, we could see an eye or a nose for a second when the clouds moved.) After Rushmore we drove to Deadwood, home of Wild Bill Hickok.
- Since Eric and Alix were hanging out, Dave and I got to chat a bit... Before he was a pilot, he was a bass player in a band! They got to hang out and go on tours with bigger groups and travel a lot. Next week, Dave has 7 days off so he's going down to Sydney! Someday... =)
- We got back to the hotel, and I was super tired, but decided that I needed to go down to the gym for at least a little bit. While I was in there, I was talking to a guy and came to find out that he is a former NFL player with the New Orleans Saints... He's retired because of a quad injury sustained in a game against the Chicago Bears. I felt bad that I didn't recognize him, so I didn't ask him his name... Now the curiosity is killing me!

Day Three
- On our plane from Rapid City to Chicago, the beverage cart's brake wasn't working... so I got to do my service the old school way, and took drink orders and then walked them out. Good thing it was a longer flight! After I finished my service, I was talking with the guy in 1C. He was on his way to Budapest, just to go and explore. He said something about going cliff jumping! Definitely a thrill seeker. He had about an hour layover in Chicago, and asked where was a good place to get breakfast. I told him about my favorite spot, Burrito Beach, and he said a breakfast burrito sounded great. We chatted some more and he asked how much time I had between flights... we only had about 20 minutes before we had to get to our next plane and do security checks and stuff. He said he wished I could join him for breakfast - it would have been fun! I would have liked to hear more about his travels, experiences, adventures... Oh well!
- We did a Milwaukee turn, then a Birmingham turn (for that one, Dave left us and we picked up Franklin, an FO who's only been flying a month!). I had the neediest passengers ever on the way to Birmingham, and a full flight. The highlight of that flight, though, was the Indian ladies who offered me some of their Indian food! We really hadn't stopped since 5:30 that morning, and it was already about 2:30pm, so I was glad for something besides a piece of fruit in my tummy! =)

I got home at about 7pm, sooo happy to be home and see my roomies! I was exhausted though, but had to start thinking about how to move to Arizona in the next couple of days. I booked a flight to Long Beach, then we watched a movie and I fell asleep. Today I've been packing and Kindl and I have been hanging out at home. Sad last day in Chicago. I feel like I should go out! Maybe we will later.

Back to the packing...

Long Beach, we have an evacuation

2007-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

More adventures getting back to Chicago yesterday! I went home for my days off this week, and had decided to take the morning jetBlue flight back to Chicago so I wouldn't get in at midnight again. Dad took me to Long Beach Airport and I checked in around 8:00 for the 10:35 flight... and then was told the flight was delayed until 12:30 because of (drumroll please)... weather in Chicago! There's a shocker. So instead of getting breakfast at the restaurant at the airport we decided to go to IHOP... mmm... I got the yummy Garden Scramble and Harvest Grain 'N' Nuts pancakes, my new fave item on their menu. Then we went home to hang out for awhile before going back to catch the flight.

My phone rang, and it was Jason calling (thanks again Jason!!!) from LAX, where he was watching the news, where they were reporting that Long Beach Airport was being evacuated because of a possible "bomb"! (Long Beach airport evacuated in scare) Yes, small, quiet LGB that's so easy to travel in and out of and where nothing happens. I started checking United and American flights out of Orange County and LA, but all were packed and oversold... So I called jetBlue to talk to a reservation agent, and while chatting with her about the situation she received an email to say they were opening the airport back up! We drove over and there were packs of people hanging out on the grass and sidewalks... I walked over to some police officers (there were packs of them as well) and they said airport employees were being let back in. Love the uniform! It was crazy, because they were making everyone go back through security, so they filtered people by flight. Finally they let the Chicago people through, then I played the waiting game to see if I'd actually be able to get on! Well, God continues to be faithful and I even got a seat (as opposed to having to sit in the jumpseat) and eventually made it back to my place in Chicago. Before midnight this time!! =)

Being home was nice... I love sleeping in my own bed. We were delayed getting out of Chicago when I flew home on Monday, and then were stuck on the tarmac for half an hour after we landed. But Mom, Dad, and Bogey were there to pick me up! I was ravenously hungry and had a delicious chicken caesar salad when we got to the house. Slept GREAT! The time there is always too short... But I am thankful that I can fly home for free and that I can see Mom & Dad often. I miss them. Tuesday I just hung out and did some errands, then Mom and I met up with Aunt Sharon for dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. She was back in California from Hawaii, looking all bronzed! =) I'm glad that we got to catch up with her. After we got home, Jenni called us and said she wanted to stop by! That was a nice surprise because when I had talked to her earlier she'd said that we probably wouldn't be able to get together at all this time. Jenni, Mom, Dad & I went to our favorite spot, Golden Spoon (affectionately known as GS) =) for some frozen yogurt. After that I went over to Starbucks to say hi to Mandie and see who else was there. I miss my Starbucks people!

Wednesday was pretty chill... Dad and I went to breakfast at Coco's before he had to go to work. After lunch I met up with B at Starbucks... I love Bethany! We were in the same dorm in college - neighbours for the first two years - then B, Este, Crystal and I moved to the Tropicana (off campus apartments) and B and I shared a room. It was refreshing talking with her!! It always feels like that though... but soo good to catch up. After Mom came home from work, we went to Trader Joe's and then WalMart, where I ran into Nicole, a friend of mine that I worked with at Starbucks! I love it when stuff like that happens. I hadn't been able to see her because she only works at Starbucks on the weekends, so another good few minutes of catching up a bit. Then we were in line to check out, and talking about visiting Larry and Dawn (I also worked with Larry at Starbucks) when Larry called! He was at WalMart too and had run into Nicole who told him she'd seen me and Mom... so even more catching up!

I am finding that even though I don't necessarily "do" much of anything when I travel lately, it is wonderful just to see people and be with them... whether it's helping them move, going grocery shopping with them, or running errands... I just like it.

Em tasol... till next time!

Marry Me, Fly for Free!

2007-07-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

I got a 6:00 wake up call on Saturday for a day trip. I got there at 7:30, surprising my crew who weren't expecting me until 8:00. Like I've said before, even though I have two hours to get there, it's just easier to get there as soon as possible... not easier for me, but it helps the rest of the day not to be thrown off for everyone else. I was joining up with a Salt Lake City based crew, because one of the FA's had woken up throwing up that morning. They were fun!! We did a Cedar Rapids turn, then a Wichita turn, so it was nice to do more than just one round trip for a change! The Captain was super nice and the whole crew was awesome. I have been extremely fortunate to work with decent people on my trips so far.

I was the FA up front, so Shambray did the announcements and I did the demos. While I was getting the demo equip't ready, the passenger briefing card felt a little thicker than usual... I opened it up to find a sign taped inside that said "Marry Me, Fly for Free"... I cracked up! Turns out my Captain had put it in there, and he was like, "how did you find it??!" I told him it felt thicker... he didn't think so. Apparently one FA said she smelled the marker when he tried it on her. He told me to ask Shambray about the time they flew together on the CRJ 200 (where there is only one FA). Turns out he had taped that sign on the back of her beverage cart, so while she was going down the aisle to do her service, people could see it. Someone finally told her it was on there, otherwise she would have had no idea!!

We got back and they called the other FA, who said she was feeling better and would join up with them for the rest of the trip. I was glad she felt better but bummed I couldn't continue on with them, they were cool. They invited me to have pizza with them that night but I found out Crew Support scheduled me for a turn with an early report time Sunday morning so I skipped out on that and came home and slept.

Sunday I had a horrible time getting to the airport... had to wait almost 30 minutes for the train, then the train was going no more than 10 miles an hour (no joke). I wondered if I would even get there. It's never taken me more than an hour from my front door to our crew lounge, and I'd given myself an hour and a half. Well, by the grace of God I got there and wasn't late. We were going to Des Moines, Iowa, and I saw that we were out of the C concourse, which is a hike from our crew lounge... and since it was so early, the shuttle wasn't running. Fortunately, I met up with Daravy, the other FA on the trip with me (it was only her second trip - so that was unusual for me to fly with someone who's been out of training for less time than I have!). We got our exercise in and chatted along the way. She was cool to work with, and after our turn we were sitting at the airport on ready reserve until 3:00 so we got to hang out some more. Going to Des Moines I met an Australian couple who are now living in America, but turns out they were ministering in PNG for a couple of years in the late 70's. That was awesome! Had a good chat with them.

Well, I have to back up now to Friday, the beautiful day I had to relax and get caught up on rest. Kelsey and Hope Scott were coming into Chicago for a short layover, and Kim, their mom, had written to me saying that maybe I could meet up with them. We were hoping I could surprise them but Kim hadn't told me where they were coming in from... I ended up finding Kelsey's phone number and got ahold of her right before their plane left from Baltimore. It was too bad it couldn't be a surprise but at least I got the right flight details and found them ok! It was so fun to see them again!! They were on their way to an MK Re-Entry seminar in Buffalo. We grabbed a bite to eat and got to spend about an hour and a half together before they caught their next flight.

Today I am just chilling at home (my place in Chicago, that is) and hoping not to be called out for a trip. I have the next three days off, so am going to try to fly home to California tonight. Can't wait!

Dallas

2007-07-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

For my 3 days off this past week, I decided to fly to Dallas to visit Bethany and Nate. About time! I hadn't been to Dallas since their wedding almost exactly 3 years ago (besides my brief layover there at the beginning of the month). I was on call on Monday, and didn't get called by 4pm. By then I was at the airport, assuming that they wouldn't call me. I listed on a flight to Dallas on American Airlines, since we have a sweet agreement with them, and hoped that I could get on. It's always uncertain (I was gonna say it was "up in the air"... but yeah). I was number 24 on the standby list, and there was another lady on standby ahead of me who had been trying to get on a flight to Dallas since 6am!! Sooo I had no idea what would happen, and waited. Everyone ahead of me got on... then they called my name and gave me a boarding pass. When I went to board the plane I told the flight attendant where I was sitting, and he said, "not bad." Well, "not bad" turned out to be amazing. I was in the first row of business class in the aisle, on a 737. I had a big fluffy pillow and a nice thick blanket... none of those thin blue blankets or tiny pillows you get in economy! I had more levers and buttons on my chair than I knew what to do with. It was great. One of the flight attendants came and chatted with me for a bit, then hooked me up with some headphones so I could watch a movie (I had my own screen in my armrest). It was a beautiful flight.

I got to DFW, and eventually connected with Nate and Beth. They took me to one of their favorite taco places, Taco Cabana, and it was super duper yummy. After dinner we went to their house. I love it! It was so fun (and kinda weird) to finally see their place... I say weird because being married and having your own house seems like such a grown up thing... but they are married... =) and we are past our mid-20's. I guess part of it is because I don't have my own house and I just now started a job that pays more than minimum wage. Good stuff. The other thing too is that I've never lived anywhere where you could pay less on a house payment than you would to rent an apartment, which is the case for Nate and Beth. Anyway! All that to say, it was great being able to visit them in their house.

We didn't do anything terribly unusual or exciting, but it was nice to just be with them. On Tuesday Beth and I went to the store because she had a bunch of groceries and house stuff to get. Jason came over and had dinner with us that night, and we all went and walked around the harbor of the lake afterwards. I hadn't seen Jason since Nate and Beth's wedding in 2004. We got to talk through a few things that I think we've both been thinking about for the last couple of years, and I was thankful for that.

Wednesday we went and had lunch with Beth's parents at a delicious sandwich place called Sandwackers. Jason came and brought his roommate, Johnny Walker with him. We had good times catching up over lunch and then some more when Beth and I drove over to the SIL center to see who we would see. We ran into a couple of different people that had been in PNG, and that's always awesome. Afterwards we went to Beth's brother David's place. He has a new wife and a new tiny baby! Crazy!

Thursday was a looooong day. Understatement. =) I checked the flight loads earlier, and it looked ok for me to get on a direct flight from Dallas to Chicago on American. Beth and I left the house at 6am to give plenty of time for me to get back. I checked in when we got to the airport at 7:00... then tried to get on a flight until 1:00. No luck. I was number 60 on the standby list. It just so happens that American had canceled 4 flights the night before because of "weather." And it very well could have been... you never know about Chicago. Close to noon, I was starting to get concerned. I was sitting next to a lady and her two kids, also trying to get to Chicago. She said the same thing had happened when they tried to get to Dallas a couple days before. In their case, they had to come back and try again the next day before they finally got on.

Anyway, while we were sitting there waiting, I saw a man who looked familiar... turns out it was Dr. Tony Evans, one of my favorite speakers. The church he pastors, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, is an amazing place. While I was in Dallas during the summer of 2000, I went there every week... Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings... could NOT wait to go to church. Awesome worship, solid teaching, and just good stuff. Sadly, it's the only time I have ever been at the point where I couldn't wait for Sunday (or Wednesday night) to roll around. I have always felt so at home there. So it was a surprise to see Dr. Evans and his wife at DFW. At first I wondered if they were one of the many trying to get to Chicago, but soon saw that they were flying first class to Charlotte, NC.

Back to trying to get back to Chicago. I had been trying to figure out where I could connect through to get to Chicago, and not much was working out. Finally I saw that there was a flight to Orange County leaving in half an hour, so thought I could try to get on that, somehow get to Long Beach, and fly JetBlue back to Chicago. I called up Dad, my hero of the day, and asked if he could pick me up if I could get a flight into Orange County. He said of course he would! Next I had to see if I could get on JetBlue... and wouldn't ya know it, their systems were down when I tried to call. So I called Dad and gave him the info, and asked if he could call them for me. Which he did. =) The flight attendants on my flight to OC were so sweet, and hooked me up with food and extra drinks. Said that had to take care of "family," me being a fellow flight attendant. They encouraged me and took great care of me.

When we got in, Dad met me and we got on the 405 to go to Long Beach. I checked in, number 15 on the standby list and the ticket agent said there were 15 empty seats, so I should be good. Dad and I went upstairs to the restaurant and got a bite to eat and hung out for awhile. That was awesome!!! It was a long, insane day, but that was the best part of it. We got chicken caesar salads and got a sweet airport employee discount to go with them.

Our plane ended up being an hour late leaving Long Beach, because it was late coming in from Chicago... then I got to wait for the train... then I finally got to my stop. I took a taxi home instead of walking, at the request of Mom and Dad, and that was fine with me. I probably would have fallen over before I got to my place, I was so exhausted! I got to my bed just before 2am, and was on call starting at 4am. It was the biggest blessing that they didn't call me the next day, as you can imagine!!! I slept, rested, relaxed, it was wonderful! Got a call bright and early the next morning... but that's another story. =)

The Windy City

2007-07-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

I finally got to see downtown Chicago! Before I get into that, let me back up. I got back into Chicago late on the 6th, and the 7th was my birthday... Didn't do anything special, but that was alright, since I got to be at home the three days before, and had a super time there. =) I did have to work - I had a standup, which means reduced rest, which means you get paid during the little sleep you get. We went to Lincoln, Nebraska and stayed at the Holiday Inn, which I really like. The best part was that they gave us some brekkie in the morning, even though it was super early. Got back to my apartment at about 8:30 Sunday morning, laid down to take a little nap, and woke up about 20 till 10, just in time to get dressed and walk to the church around the corner to check out their 10am service. It was alright - I went again yesterday to give it another try. It's good stuff but I don't really feel like it "fits." But it's close, and it's solid, and there is diversity and lots of friendly people. Slept for much of the rest of the afternoon... it was beautiful. =)

Monday I was back on call, and didn't get called. I had Tuesday and Wednesday off, so Monday night I flew up to Milwaukee to see the girls. There are 4 girls from my training who are based there, and since Milwaukee is close and the flights were free, I thought, why not? There ended up being cancellations and major delays, but I got there! Jess and G-Love (Gerard) picked me up and we went back to Jess and Steph's new apartment. It was a crazy couple of days moving and shopping but fun to see everyone!

While I was in Milwaukee, Jason (my friend who is a flight attendant out of Colorado Springs) text messaged me and said he had layovers in Chicago, and that we should hang out. So on Wednesday night, we met up at the train station and headed on downtown for some dinner and fun. It was really neat to be in the big city, especially with all the huge buildings and lights at night. We walked around a bit, then found Pizzeria Uno, home of the original deep dish pizza. It was amazing. I hadn't eaten pizza in forever anyway, but wow, this was probably the best pizza I've ever had. Delicious, tasty, fresh, and not greasy. THANKS JASON! =) After dinner and some really good conversation, we walked off somma those calories and explored the city a little. It was so pretty at night with all the lights, and my highlight of the night was seeing the train (you know, like in the movies)... I know, it's the simple things! Jason humored me and pretended like he was excited about the train too. =) While we were walking Jason saw a huge light above the street beaming down, and said they must be making a movie. When we went to check it out, we spotted a City of Gotham Sanitation truck... the new Batman movie! Couldn't see much, but another little thrill. We walked around some more then headed to the train to go home. Jason was awesome and walked me home... got to bed around 2am. It was the most fun I've had in Chicago so far. Definitely good times!!! Lucky for me, I didn't get called the next day, and Jason didn't have to report until 2pm. I was soo thankful for the sleep. =)

Friday morning I got a 4:15am wake up call from Crew Support, for a 5:15am show for a Dayton turn. The guy that called was cool about it though, and said that even though the show was 5:15 I had two hours to get there (which I know, but a lot of the time they try to pressure you to get there earlier). I told him that it takes me an hour to get to the crew lounge from my front door, but I'd be there as soon as I could. I jammed and got there by 5:40. There were a couple awesome things that morning. I checked online to see who I was flying with so I could find them, and saw that I was on the 700 working with Dauna from my training! I was way excited about that. Also saw that I was flying with Chad again, the FO from Australia. On my way to the train I called Dauna and asked her if she could grab my manual out of my locker. I let her know what was up (she'd been called for the trip at 6pm the night before) and she said she'd get on the plane and do all the security and first flight of the day checks. When I got through security, I called Crew Support to check in. I talked to the same guy who had called me, and he was surprised that I was there already. The gate agent was happy that I was there already, the pilots were happy that I got there when I did, and since I got there a couple minutes before they were supposed to board, the passengers didn't know the difference. I said hi to my crew, put my stuff away, and thanked Dauna for doing all the grunt work while I was getting there. It was just one of those feel good things to be able to get there and not have to cause a delay. We flew to Dayton and back, and were done! Everything was good - I was the lav keeper, i.e. the aft flight attendant. On the way back, when I made my Welcome announcement, the guy in 17B said something that cracked me up, and I had a hard time keeping going with it. You gotta have fun with those sometimes right? After our trip, I got to hang out with Dauna at the airport for the rest of the day since we were on ready reserve (where you sit at the airport in case they need you, and if they call, you have to be able to be on the plane within 20 minutes). RollsRoyce was there, and I saw Marcky right before we were off to go home.

Friday night I went to hang out at the Pavillion with RollsRoyce and Toni, that was a lot of fun!! We were tired but decided to go down to the Cabana Bar and hang out. Not too long after we got down there this guy Sam from India offered to buy us drinks. We hung out, talked with him and some others that were there. It was alright, better than doing nothing! I don't know about the other ladies, but I'm getting kinda tired of guys giving me their numbers, or asking me for mine... Definitely have a collection. Soo if you're looking for a guy to hang out with in Chicago, let me know! I got the hook-ups! ;-)

We all had standups Saturday night, so knew we wouldn't be called during the day. We slept in and then watched Music & Lyrics - so cute! In the afternoon I went back home, then up to the airport. I was supposed to meet up with Laura Foxworth off of her flight from London, coming back from her 10 year class reunion in Switzerland. I ran around the airport for an hour and a half but never found her. =(

Reported for my trip at 8pm, then went to the F concourse to find my crew to Charleston, West Virginia. My Captain was pretty cool, and the FO was a younger guy. In the morning when I went out of my room at the hotel, I walked into the hall and heard PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR blasting! I listened and heard that it was coming from the FO's room. He didn't strike me as someone who would listen to Shop Boyz. =) We were delayed getting out of Charleston because United oversold us by 5 people, and no one would volunteer to get off the flight. While we were waiting we jammed out to our Captain's ipod over the loudspeaker. Fun stuff. Everyone was hyper about making their connections when they finally were able to board - not our fault! I got to try to keep them calm... I was glad to be done Sunday morning! And that brings me back to being back in Chicago and going to church. More to come...

Home for the 4th...

2007-07-06T22:51:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, I got the 4th, 5th, and 6th of July off... 3 days in a row + public holiday + my b'day on the 7th = home! On Tuesday night (the 3rd) I flew a Dayton turn, and then was going to try to get on a flight to LA that night at 10:30. On our flight from Dayton to Chicago, we had 4 extra passengers that weren't originally on the manifest (for a grand total of 7!). They said they were going to Chicago to connect to a flight to LA. I told them I was going to try to get on that flight as well, and the mom of the family bursted my bubble totally and informed me that they got the last seats. I was way bummed to hear that, but went to the gate to check it out anyway. Not only did I get on, but there were several empty seats on the plane. I was in the exit row, empty seat next to me, tons of room. It was beautiful. The FA making all the announcements was British and it made me nostalgic to listen to him. =) Mom picked me up and I was soooo happy to see her. Although having said that, I've never not been happy to see my mom. She is just awesome.

On the 4th we just hung out... in the afternoon we went and picked up Maria and she came and had dinner with us. Mi amamas long lukim em gen!!! We watched the fireworks and the dogs got all fired up, it was great. =) Abi was supposed to come over for dinner... We didn't know where he was and couldn't get ahold of him... Eventually Hope talked to him and found out that he wasn't feeling well so stayed at home in bed. But it was really weird for Abi not to come and not to call or anything, and also not answer his phone. Despite that disappointment, dinner was super yummy - fajitas, corn on the cob, steak, chips & guacamole... mmmm... I miss fresh homemade food! Oh, and how could I forget, that Mom and I had Golden Spoon around lunchtime! I miss that too.

The next day I got to see Jane! Mom and I did some errands then went and met up with her. She's in California for the summer doing a leadership course. I love being able to catch up with people. That night Dad had to do a mystery shop at the Cheesecake Factory in Brea, so that's where we had my "b'day dinner."Abi made my day and met us there. We had a delicious dinner, mine was made complete with a strawberry martini... don't know if I'll ever hear the end of it from Dad (because he's 57 and has never had a martini... plus it was so expensive). I needed a drink though! Things have been insane. After dinner we all went to The Block and watched Ratatouille... so cute!

Friday was a kinda whatever day... Mom did take me to The Coffee Bean and I got an iced mocha, so refreshing. I love the bitterness of the chocolate and coffee together... sugar free and decaf, of course =) We had lunch at the Soupplantation, my favorite restaurant, and Jason and Jenni both came, which was awesome! Seriously, this job is going to make me see friends more than I did before, because it has to be purposeful since it can't just be whenever anymore.

I miss being home in a lot of ways, but there are some dramas that I'm happy to be without. Two people that I miss a lot are Chris and Abi. Whatcha gonna do?

And on go the adventures...

First Trips

2007-07-03T13:35:00.001-07:00

Continued from the previous post...

They wanted me to show at 7:20, which was obviously only an hour and 20 minutes, and they have to give us two hours. I told them I'd do what I could... I jammed and got to the crew lounge at 7:15, found my FO, and we headed out to our plane. Natalie was there already, and she told me to take my time and not let them rush us. We got stuff going, boarded, and headed to DFW. I was the FWD Flight Attendant, which meant First Class. It was cool, because the Sunday before, I did a turn to Norfolk with Christina, who was awesome and patient and helped me feel more comfortable with being on the 700. After DFW we went to DEN then Birmingham, Alabama for the night. That was interesting, because halfway there, the pilots called and said we'd have to head back to Denver because our radar equipment wasn't working. Fun fun. The cool thing was, though, that all our passengers were so cool about it. Many were frustrated, I'm sure, but no one complained at us about the situation. They got things taken care of pretty quickly in Denver, and when we finally got to Birmingham, people thanked the pilots as they were getting off for making sure everyone was safe.

That night we stayed at the DoubleTree Hotel, across the street from a Subway where I got a deliciouso club sandwich. You know what's interesting about my experiences with this job is the attention I've gotten from guys. I don't expect it and it really throws me off. After I got my sandwich I went outside and was waiting to cross the street, and this guy started talking to me... he asked me if I wanted some company tonight... someone to talk to... I told him I was going to go and call my mom. =)

The next day we flew back to DEN, then to Nashville, Tennessee where we stayed at the DoubleTree again, but the rooms were way nicer! We got the hook-ups!

In Nashville, I decided to take the hotel shuttle to the Opry Mills Mall, and check out the Grand Ole Opry Hotel. Pretty cool! The mall was an outlet mall, so I walked through that and down to the hotel. The hotel is kinda a historical thing, with an island in the middle of it and a river around the island. You could take a boat ride (reminded me of the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland) around the river and get a tour, but it was more than I wanted to pay, so I just walked around. I went back to the mall to get something to eat before the shuttle picked me up again, and these guys tried to sell me a phone... then they tried to get me to go hang out with them that night... they seemed really nice, but still, they were strangers. Didn't Mom say not to talk to strangers?? Then, waiting for the shuttle, another guy came up and talked to me and gave me his number in case I wanted to go out for drinks! Oh yeah, then there was the guy on the train... Shoot. I don't get what is up with these guys. If I was in uniform... MAYBE... but no... just weird. Boys will be boys, I guess!

The next day we flew back to DEN, then Bozeman, Montana, and finally back to Chi-town. I was so happy to finally get a trip that was longer than just a turn! It helped me get more into it... Can be crazy, but it's fun stuff.

Chicaaaaago

2007-06-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Guess it's about time for me to update! The last few weeks have been crazy with the moving and the flying and trying to figure everything out... Kind of a blur thinking about it now.

I flew out to Chicago from Long Beach on June 18th. Go JetBlue. Even with almost a 2 hour delay (due to ORD stuff) it was awesome, because I have a comfy seat and DirectTV in front of me. All about 24 and Law & Order. I made it to Chicago though, and Toni was at the gate waiting for me. She showed me where our crew lounge is and we got a few things taken care of. Then we went to the Ramada Plaza - our home for what turned out to be 10 nights. =) The company gives us each 3 hotel nights in our new domicile, so a bunch of us put our hotel nights together, and had the guys at the front desk wondering if we would ever leave. =)

The staff at the Ramada were awesome. There was Dave, who was really cool about making sure we could have our same, 2 bed, room - 818. A guy from Israel, who was always friendly and helpful... I still need to go back there and chat with him. Then there was the guy who they had just hired, and always wore funky colored shirts that we made fun of him for... The first night we saw him, he was wearing a pink shirt. I think the next day was purple. Our last night at the Ramada I met Elijah. I was working out in their little gym and he saw me, so walked past once then came in and asked me what I was working on. He works security at the hotel - I had seen him there before but hadn't really talked with him. He's a trainer at Bally's as well, so he showed me some stuff I could do without a gym. He kinda reminds us of Taye Diggs... the way he looks anyway. He has an awesome accent, and is from Martinique, in the Caribbean. We've talked a couple times - he seems like a really good guy and has the laid back island flavor. Love it. =) The next morning, Elijah saw Erica, Toni and I as we were heading out to Toni's place to help her move some stuff. When we came back, he hooked us up with a free buffet breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

Erica and I moved to the Wyndham on Wednesday night, since Marck let us use his hotel days there. Erica got called on a trip starting Thursday, so I was all alone that night. It was so weird after being with people in one little room for so long. I had a feeling I would get called on Friday, but didn't expect it to be as early as it was. I got a 6am wake up call from Crew Support, saying I was just put on a 3 day trip...

... Come fly with me ...

2007-06-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

I love that song... Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away... So fun. =) We listened to it yesterday before we had our graduation from Flight Attendant ground training. I'M DONE!!! It is a strange thing, after 24 super intense days of studying and memorizing and learning... being with people that you just met, and feeling like they're your family... then all of a sudden, it's all over. Before I get ahead of myself, let me back up.

On Sunday we finally got into the service part of our job. After 3 weeks of safety, emergency procedures, etc etc etc, we finally learned what every day will be like. The week went by fast. We were supposed to have our final announcement testing, along with our cumulative final, on the last day, before our graduation. No retests on those! Cami and Fusako both came to the hotel at different times and did awesome reviews with us. Then the best thing ever was that Cami did announcement testing with us at the hotel the night before our graduation day. We didn't have to do it then, but many of us did, and it was AWESOME to have that stress taken care of then. We were all so excited to be done. I even went in the hot tub that night, first time since we'd been there! It was so weird to think that we'd be leaving each other so soon after seeing each other day in and day out... some people I was more than ready to say goodbye to. =) Thursday morning came, and we piled on the bus with all of our luggage, went to the training center, and took our tests. Rocked it and got 100%. Sweetness. =) There was much celebrating and picture taking.

When everyone was done testing, we all went back into the classroom... anxious to hear about our domiciles. They had told us that we'd probably be really spread out... I was hoping for Denver. Cami started reading out where everyone was going, and it was crazy to see the life changes that would take place for everyone... I will be based in Chicago, along with 20 other people! So much for being spread out! 7 are going to Fresno, 5 to Milwaukee, and 2 to Tuscon.

At about noon, we went down and had our graduation ceremony - got our certificates and wings. So fun. =) Then they took us to the airport. Marck was wonderful and helped me out with my bags so I didn't have to pay a million dollars (or 3) =) to get a cart. We checked in and then went to go through boarding. Well, we were all in uniform with our IDs and everything... So we got up there to go to check in, and there was a line for normal people, and one for crewmembers on duty. We decided to follow Denise, because she knew what to do. She went through the crewmember line. We were like, um, we're not on duty! She rolled her eyes and waved us to come with her. It was funny. So nice though!

A bunch of us got to hang out in the airport, and we all kept running into each other too. We were sitting at a table after getting something to eat, and all of a sudden Amelia and Rachel start talking about Vanilla Ice. They're like, there he is! In the hat, gray shirt, all tattooed up... I was like, nuh uh... I thought they were just messing with me because I'm so gullible. Well, eventually they convinced me that it was really him, Rachel and I ran through the airport to try to find him! We were stopped by a man who asked us where the restroom is. Why would we know that??? Oh yeah... uniform. ;-) I told him where I had just seen one, but wasn't sure if there was a closer one - then Rachel said that we didn't know this airport very well. Then we continued our hunt for Vanilla Ice, and found him at Sbarro. Unfortunately, I only have a picture of his back, and it's on my cell phone, and I don't know how to upload those... Nonetheless, it was our first celebrity siting!! The rest of the afternoon, all we could think of was "Ice ice baby ding ding ding ding ding da da ding ding....." Good times. =)

Eventually we parted ways... we all left after 4pm (or were supposed to)... it was sad, but we'll see each other again.

I was super glad to get home. I didn't know if I would, because they didn't call our flight for boarding until we went and asked what was going on... Then they sent us out to the gate, where we were told to go back, because they didn't know where the pilot was. We waited and waited, and finally were called for boarding again. The FA on my flight was super nice. =) She told me that the pilot got sick, and they didn't have one on reserve in SLC so had to fly one in from Fresno. Good thing! It was nice to be able to talk with her about the job and what's ahead... should be interesting. For now, I'm enjoying a few days off before I leave for my first trip on Tuesday!

4 more days

2007-06-03T20:54:00.000-07:00

We only have four days and four nights left of training... It is insane. It felt like it would never end. It has become bearable (although still super stressful and draining!) but the end is in sight. We had a beautiful day off yesterday, and didn't have to go in until 2pm today. That meant we didn't get out until almost 9pm, and we have to go in again tomorrow morning by 8am. Another long day... But trying to keep a good attitude through it all! =) Just gonna post some piccies, then get to studying for tomorrow's test and announcements - all about the service part of our job.

Ahhhh... rest. =)

2007-06-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

Days off are beautiful. We get another one tomorrow, our second in our 24 days of training.

This week I was thrown off because we had Saturday off, then had class on Sunday. So Sunday felt like Monday, Monday like Tuesday, Tuesday like Wednesday, and on it goes... After our EMB test, the week felt like it went by fast. More safety and security stuff... We learned how to put out fires, how to get out of a smoke filled cabin (and evacuate one), self defense, how to search a plane for weapons, and more. Fun stuff huh?

Today we had our big announcement testing. The thing about this airline is that we have to have all of our announcements memorized... it's insane. What else is insane is the capability God gave our brains to be able to remember the stuff... We got to our classroom today and Cami told us that she would be testing all of us alone... ha. All 35 of us. That would take FOREVER. Luckily for us, she recruited two others to help (especially lucky for me, since I was second to last!). I went in there, rocked it out, and passed. Whew!

Next week (well, Sunday I guess) we start the service part of our new jobs, and get to learn the days in and out of what it's like. We should get our uniforms soon, find out where we will do our IOE's (Initial Operating Experience), and then our domiciles... still praying for Colorado! We'll see... God knows better than I do, for sure.

more than halfway there

2007-05-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

It is Tuesday night. Wow, I guess that means we've made it through two weeks of training. Just over a week to go! Hope I can make it. It feels like Survivor, with people leaving at least every other day. Our group started at 47, and we're down to 35 people. Of course, some have chosen to leave on their own because it was just too tough. I am hanging in there. I thank God for every day that I wake up and am here at training another day! Training so far has been so much about emergencies and evacuations and safety stuff - they teach you stuff that they hope you'll never have to use. Different than training for a lot of other jobs. =) Things here have been intense, but prayer is getting me through for sure.

I don't even remember everything we've done... there is so much! Today we finished the last of our aircraft tests - on the EMB120, the little tiny plane. 3 different configurations and much different from the jets so lots to learn! I was stressed about our test today as we were told yesterday that it is the one that many people fail. Went to bed late and got up early to get my studying in. Got a 96%. So relieved. Did our last evacuation testing. Glad that's done too!!

Training has definitely had its ups and downs, but I have met some really great people. It's interesting to see the dynamics of the group... Thanks to some good advice from a friend who went through the training earlier this year, I have mostly managed to stay away from the drama and try to keep away from the stress-cases (although I have the tendency to become one myself). Something I need to work on.

Last Saturday we had our first day off in 10 days. There is definitely a reason God rested on the 7th day! That day was wonderful... Friday night we walked down to the mall... I felt so guilty, like I should be back in my room studying, memorizing announcements, or doing homework. Instead, I had dinner with Morgan at an island grill... totally my style! Had some great conversation, then we went to see Shrek the Third. Cute movie. Got back to the hotel after 10pm, so not too late. It was good. Relaxing, chill. I'm glad I didn't go out anywhere.

I called Salo in New Zealand that night and had a fun time talking with her, as always! It was so wonderful to actually be able to sleep in on Saturday... until Abi called me and woke me up. =) I like those kinds of wake up calls. Very refreshing talking with him, plus I was up in time to go down to breakfast. Spent much of the morning just chilling then studied in the afternoon and evening for the CRJ700 test we had on Sunday. Nailed it and got 100%. We had another evac test Sunday, then a test on the CRJ900. Another 100%. A super looooooong day, but good test-wise.

So, we only have 8 days of classes left until we graduate... praying for strength to make it to the end! Need sleep... Looking forward to another day off Saturday. =)

Training in SLC

2007-05-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well... I've been in SLC for 3 1/2 days now... Got here on Monday afternoon and it's Thursday night. So I've survived day 3 of training without failing or getting kicked out!! Let's see... in a nutshell...

Monday. Got to the airport. Was on the shuttle with 4 others who came from Chicago for training. Got to the hotel. On the 4th floor. Lugged all my stuff up to my room. Met my roommate - just a little younger than my mom. =) She's really nice. I like her. Lots of different kinds of people here, from lots of different places. Just a handful of guys. Anyway, got unpacked and met a few people. Saw a bunch of people who have been in training for 2 weeks already.

Tuesday. First day of training. Welcome, powerpoints, video, fingerprinting, computer registration, drug testing (man I had to pee so bad that my PBA (Public Bathroom Anxiety) didn't have an effect on me like it usually does during those situations - especially when I'm under that kind of pressure!), physical agility test, paperwork... Oh yeah, and the 30 question test, and the announcement test. Helen was the one who listened to my announcement, and I was already able to go and say hi to her in a more personal way thanks to Jason, who is my lifesaver with all this flight attendant training stuff. Huge blessing. Anyway, Jason told me to say hi to her for him and told me that she was cool. So I automatically felt more comfortable around her because of all that, and was a little less nervous for my announcement test. =) Was super tired and had a headache all day, because I couldn't sleep the night before. Time change, hungry, and NERVOUS. Was glad when the day was over!! I was sooo exhausted though.

Wednesday. Uniform compliance and all that fun stuff. I hate tucking shirts in. Wait... did I say that? No bad attitude here! I love it! ;-) They are super strict about stuff, so you have to be really careful... about EVERYTHING. I forgot to take one of my "6 required items" - my passport. Thought I was done for sure. Don't even know why I forgot it, because I knew I was supposed to have it all the time. I wasn't the only one, and Helen gave us a pretty friendly reminder that we were supposed to have it with us at all times. We did uniform stuff then ordered our uniforms then finally came back to the hotel.

Man. I'm forgetting the days... What did I do Wednesday night? Oh yeah, watched the end of American Idol and COULDN'T BELIEVE that the Melinda didn't make the top 2!! What in the WORLD! Went to the gym and worked out a little while I listened to my announcements on my mp3 player. Put them on my computer too and have been subliminally listening to them all night. =) Love it. Oh yeah, got to watch Lost Wednesday night too which was awesome... watched it while I was checking my manual for completeness.

Thursday... what was Thursday...? Ha. More powerpoint and stuff with Helen. FAR's. Then today we did some stuff on passenger handling with Fusaka. Long day. Bus broke down. Less time to do all the homework and learn the announcements! About to put them on and listen while I go to sleep... and am sleeping. A fun filled day of First Aid and CPR tomorrow! wooooo...

Late nights before leaving town

2007-05-14T00:38:00.000-07:00

It is inevitable for me, that no matter where I go or for how long, or how much time I've had to plan and pack before I leave, that I will stay up late the night before I leave. So here I am, at 12:40am... not too bad. Pretty much packed up. Just a few last minute things to do in the morning. Mom has taken the day off so we can hang out in the morning and then she can take me to Long Beach for my flight to SLC at noon. Ah yes, Utah... if I've been there, it was just driving through. But tomorrow I will begin my 24-day stay in Mormon country, to train for my new career.

Agh, the anxieties! Will I be able to recite my announcements to the stone-faced instructors? Will I have a crazy roommate? Will I pass that 30-question multiple choice test? Will I go insane? Am I taking too much stuff? (Last time I went to a training, I took everything for 5 weeks in a carry-on... Yeah... I have a little more this time.) You know what's funny though? The thing that is stressing me out the MOST is the clothes. How do I know what business style is? Call me stupid... silly... whatever... but seriously, when I had to wear a suit for the interviews I went to for the airlines, I felt like I was playing dress ups. Yeah, not so confident. Just feeling ridiculous. So all I can think about right now is 24 days of ridiculous-looking-ness. I'll post some pics sometime and then you'll see what I'm talking about!!

More from SLC...

The Bucks

2007-04-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

I am done working at Starbucks... aka the Bucks. =) It's so random that I even started working there... but a fun experience. Good times!! I love the people that I work with. I love the variety. The regulars are great... I will miss them...
The guys that get their venti red eyes, or venti black eyes, that come in at 5am... John, who gets a tall brewed coffee with heavy whipping cream poured in it... Doug, who gets a grande brewed coffee with hazelnut and cream... Elizabeth, the grande, 3 pump mocha frappuccino with an add shot and no whip... the "7 pump lady," who gets a venti vanilla chai - 7 pumps of each... the guy that brings his dog in the car with him every morning, and gets 2 grande 3 pump, nonfat, no whip mochas - one decaf (for his wifey)... the lady who gets an iced venti caramel macchiatto with whipped cream... the old man who orders a tall brewed coffee, wants an extra cup (a short one), and always tries to hold your hand through the drive thru - once he said he wanted to take me to dinner!... the man who tells anyone who will listen that they should fire me so that I can work for him because he likes my smile and personality - he gets a grande coffee - 2/3 decaf, 1/3 regular. Not supposed to drink caffeine, according to his doctor, but wants to drink caffeine and if anything happens, sue Starbucks!... Lisa, who gets an iced venti caramel macchiatto with extra, extra, extra caramel sauce... Patrick, who just comes in and hangs out in the lobby, and sometimes get a hot tea... the girl who gets a grande zen tea with two tea bags, and light ice - I think she looks like Cameron Diaz... the interesting guys that come in from Sunset Ford - they always have a joke between them... the two ladies who get tall upside down caramel macchiattos with whipped cream, and sometimes breakfast sandwiches... the guy who gets a tall mild with cream... the man who gets a grande americano in a personal cup with whipped cream, and a venti ice water... the man who gets a tall hot chocolate with whipped cream, and a grande coffee with 4 shots... the guy who get a quad espresso, or a grande white mocha with 4 shots (the first time he ordered that, it sounded like, "can I have a white mocha with vodka?")... the lady who comes in at lunchtime and gets an iced grande white mocha with a pump of toffee nut... the people who come through the drive and get"two identical coffees"... grande black eyes, venti cup, 2 equals, heavy cream... the guy who gets a venti sweetened iced coffee, sometimes with a cheese danish... the lady who comes through the drive early every morning and gets a venti white mocha with whipped cream... there are so many more... and then there's Lucas. That's his last name. Davida calls him Otis. I don't know why! Lucas is an amazing man... Someone I would love to sit down and have coffee with. =) He will talk your ear off! But is so positive and giving and generous. The first night that I met him, he came in and asked all of us working to write down what kind of sandwich we wanted from Subway, then went and bought for all of us! He cracks me up.

I could go on and on... Maybe I will some other time... more reminiscing soon. =) Fun memories, fun people. A great transition job for me! I will miss my Starbucks partners, for sure!!

Moving again

2007-04-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

For the gazillionth time, I will leave Cali in 23 days. Wow. Sad. Yesterday at work, my manager was listening to the radio in our back room (before I worked there, I never realized Starbucks had a "back"... although if I'd thought for two seconds, I would have ;-) ). Anyways, Clette was listening to Power 106 (where Hip Hop lives!!!) and they were playing Tupac...

To live and die in LA... It's the place to be...

Ah yes. I love LA. Just one thing I'm not crazy about: TRAFFIC! It's insane. Yesterday Dad and I drove up to LAX to pick up Uncle Kaci, who had just flown in from Fiji and was on his way to Jamaica for cricket. On our way back, it took 30 mins or so just to get from the airport to the freeway! Usually it takes 5, depending on how you hit the lights. Then the 405 was stop and go, pretty much all the way home... even in the carpool lane.

So, I wish I were more excited about this job and this move. I am excited about the job... I'm way nervous about the training. But you'd think that if I could get teaching credentials and a Master's, I should be able to pass Flight Attendant training... right?

I'm nervous about moving. I'm so comfortable where I am. I love my family. I love being in my own house! I love my puppy dogs... they are fun to cuddle with and talk to and play with. They keep me company. =) As far as the moving goes, I'm really hoping for Denver. I know a few people there, and even have some rellies that live there... Haven't seen them in about 15 years, so it'd be good. Anyways... I know the Lord will provide, take care of me, put me where He wants me, and give me what I need as He always has... But unfortunately, I don't have peace in that. It's just head knowledge right now.

Clement called me today. Rait man!! We talked for a few minutes, and then he asked how I was doing in general... I said I was stressing. And right before I could say that was nothing new, he said, "you're always stressed!" Yeah, really need to learn how to let God handle things and stop worrying. Period.

My middle name

2007-04-18T23:34:00.000-07:00

My middle name is Elizabeth... But it would be more accurate if it were "Stressed."

I have been back in America for almost 6 months now... At home, with my family, and definitely comfortable. Breakfasts with Dad. Shopping and the gym with Mom. Home cooked meals. Fun dogs. My own room. Low rent. Part time job. Life is good.

So why am I making a huge change? I don't know. That's the short answer.

Mom and Dad have always told me that I should be a Flight Attendant. Stewardess, as it was back then. Or there's also Air Hostess in some countries. You get the idea. Anyway, the point was free flights. Woohoo. So now, after 6 years of university, a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, California teaching credentials signed by the Governator himself (how many people have Arnold's signature??) ;-) plus 2 years teaching 1st grade in Papua New Guinea, I decided to give it a go.

Why not? I love flying. I feel so at home in airports and on planes. I love to travel. My dream is to travel the world. I like to meet people. I like to help. I like to serve. I like variety!

In comes my randomness. I decide to actually go for a couple of the cattle call airline interviews for Flight Attendant. The first one I went to was just for "practice." =) To help prepare me for the second one, later in the week. I didn't really care if I didn't get it, because I would have to move. I'm waaay too comfortable for that. Right? God has a sense of humour, for sure! Well, you guessed it - I was offered the job where I would have to move, and didn't get the one where I would have had the possibility of being based in LA. Now what?

After prayer, talking with my parents, talking with my closest friends, and seeking advice from godly men and women, I accept the job. I pick the latest possible training date, which is 5 weeks away at the time. Now it's only 3 1/2. This is happening way too fast!!! I have so many questions. So many worries. Did I make the right decision? What am I doing? Why am I moving? Will I get to see my family much? At all? Where will I live? How will I afford it? Where will I get a car? Who will I live with? Igo igo igo, as we'd say in PNG.

And so, like I said, my middle name should be changed to "Stressed." Although then, Dad and I wouldn't be REKs. And that would be sad.