It’s September 11th and I’m at an airport, again. I’ve flown on this day many times in the past 12 years. It doesn’t spook me.
It does get me thinking about my first flight after that date in 2001.
My world, like everyone’s world had stopped for weeks. It was not business as usual both personally and professionally.
Events were cancelled or postponed – and everyone was in a collective fog.
Slowly – the wheels started turning again and we began to plan events at work.
Early October I boarded a flight out of JFK to Rochester, NY. I was flying in for a quick site inspection and out that same day.
I decided to fly Jet Blue. They were a new airline back then and one of the only that had free Direct TV at every seat. Sold!
The flight was completely normal. Then it was time to land.
As we approached the runway, all of us felt the plane speed up. It bumped the runway and hopped back in the air.
Everyone looked around nervously and waited for an announcement. Nothing.
We were back in the air.
Again we approached the runway, bumped harder and back up we went.
I was at the window seat. The older woman sitting next me grabbed my hand, she was crying. We could hear people praying and crying. Some folks shouted to the crew.
Still no announcement.
The plane circled again and began its decent.
This time we landed.
The pilot came on and happily said,”sorry folks! Third times the charm.”
Silence.
The yelling didn’t start until we exited.
Jet Blue sent us all an apology and a coupon.
I’m flying Southwest today.
It’s funny now
11 Sep 2013 1 Comment
in I need to tell you about this right now Tags: 9/11, Airport, Airports, humor, Life, Photo, Planes, tragedy, travel
Masala Meal
04 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Brave New World Tags: Airplane Meals, Airports, Asian, food, humor, Indian, Life, Photography, Planes, travel, Vegetarian, West Coast
Thought this would make you chuckle, or smile, or at least distract you for a minute. Your welcome.
Every once in a while (like last week and today), I have to fly to the West Coast. Per our company policy – if your flight is over 6 hours or a red-eye, you get to fly business. Before you think this is all fancy and neat, please realize that it also means selling your soul to your BlackBerry and having a phone surgically implanted on your face, but other than that, it’s cool.
After you make this pact with the devil and board your business class seat, it ain’t so bad. Free food, free booze, and enough leg room to really stretch out. All good. But in order to book these flights we have to create a profile at work, window or aisle, carrier preference, frequent flier miles and meal choices. I guess when I filled out my meal choices I picked something called Asian Vegetarian. Which I am. Which is me. So it make total sense right?
Turns out that Asian Vegetarian means that while everyone else gets a salad and some chicken with pasta, I get a full-on Indian feast. Two vegetables, rice, bread, yogurt, condiments. Delish. But also…very…fragrant. The first time I got it, I was mortified. But I still ate it. And it was so much better than salad and pasta.
On today’s flight a really nice insurance rep who was sitting next to me tried to exchange his meal for mine. No dice. You can’t just decide to be Asian Vegetarian on a whim people. Nope. Go to your travel profile and commit for life. That’s how its done.
The picture doesn’t do it justice.
Leaving on a Jet Blue Plane….
14 May 2012 7 Comments
in Yes, I'm an event planner Tags: Airports, humor, Life, Luggage, make-up, Photography, Planes, Skincare, travel
It’s crack o’ dawn here – and I have exactly 4.5 minutes to get this post done (although hours of love went into the thought, I promise you).
This week we’ve got 2 big events – one in Beantown (Boston) and one in Lala land (Los Angeles).
If you told me you were traveling – I’d ask you where you were going and why and blah blah blah. What I’d really want to know is….what did you pack?
Are you a devil-may-care, take just the essentials kinda person?
Or are you a when-i-lift-off-all-the-drugstores-in-the-world-will-disappear type?
I’m in between. I never worry about packing the right clothes. I tend to under pack. One pre-post event uniform (you know, black top/denim bottom). One event suit (black!). If there are multiple events, multiply the amounts. Done. One pair of shoes packed – only – ever.
Where I do go a bit bananas is the lotions and potions.
See below – I’ll explain:
- Shea butter – I have horribly dry desert skin (I almost wrote dessert skin, which would have also been true). Aside from the usual upkeep essentials (toothbrush, contact solution, etc.), I need my shea.
- Facial product: the multi delivery peels are essential. After an event, you’re amped, sometimes bloated and always exhausted. These babies make you look like a human the next day. ROC wrinkle cream hidden in a moisturizer, ’cause I’m old man. Real old.
- The 5 minute mask – ridiculous. Get it. Now.
- The Neutrogena scrubber thingie – the best. I know a ton of people are buying that Clarisonic one, but I like this one. You know why? It’s $20. It’s not $100.
- Biosilk hair oil. Sigh. It’s that small, clear bottle to the left of my Chanel bronzer. I’ll be writing a whole love letter/post on Biosilk soon.
- Chanel bronzer: I am not a product snob. I am open to it all! I think I’ve told you how I heart St. Ives. But this stuff. This is beautiful. Just the right touch of color and somethin’. I don’t know what – but it gives me some definition in an otherwise sea of fat cheek.
- Recent obbession that I hope to never kick – Lolla body products. This is the perfume. Lavender/Honey. Dreamy.
- It all gets packed in my small, neon green bag. You know how I love to wear black? Well my luggage is not allowed to wear black, or brown, or blue. When you’re standing at the baggage carosel of life, waiting for the 54th black bag to come off the plane while frantic people who don’t travel grab at every one, you quickly realize one thing. Get a bright, obnoxious bag that others will poo poo. Trust me, no one ever grabs for that little bag.
Ok – over and out. Say a prayer to all your gods for me – and for gods sakes tell me what you pack when you travel – please? – thank you.