So....I have to tell this story because it is hilarious. Right after I wrote the blog about Oprah, my parents and youngest sister went to TN to find a place for her to live next year. (She will be starting grad school.) While they were with the realtor, my other sister called to tell my mother that the lady who was doing the alterations on my wedding gown had called. Her name is Coco. (Can you see where this is going?) Mom hung up without questioning Julia, and told my father, sister and the realtor that Oprah had personally called me. I mean, seriously? I still think that is hysterical!
Hope all is well with everyone. I have been in Birmingham since last Tuesday, getting my wedding groove on. We are having final appointments with different vendors and just getting all the loose ends tied up. This past Saturday, my friends who I have grown up with threw me a bridal tea. Let me tell you something I have learned being a bride. I don't know what the heck I am doing. The tea started at 2:30 and for some reason, I decided I had plenty of time to work out, shower and get ready before we needed to leave. I did not factor in that the bride is supposed to be early to these events. As I was putting on my fabulous new blue wedges, I noted that it was 2:30. I shuffled mom and my future mother in law into the car and jumped out at the place where the super cute shower was set up. We were having tornadoes and rain all that day. As I burst through the front door (with guests looking at me because they arrived BEFORE me) I realized I probably looked like a hurricane myself. I tried to compose myself with a mimosa before I started to make the rounds.
The shower was wonderful. I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends and family, and felt so grateful that they would want to throw me a party. That evening my girlfriends and I went out for a wonderful dinner and caught up on life. It was perfect.
Aside from that, we have another shower to attend this weekend in ATL. Some of Mike's mother's friends are throwing it and I am very excited. My grandmother is coming in town from Virginia to make the party as well. I think it is going to be a blast. Oh! And we finally nailed down a honeymoon spot! We will be spending 7 luxurious day in Aruba. No Natalie Holloway comments please.
Poor Mike has been at home alone, but he seems to be doing just fine. He called me at 11 pm to tell me that his friend had "kidnapped" him and they were headed to the casinos. That's fine, I will just keep logging in all the RSVPs that we have received and writing thank you notes. I did leave him alone without thinking that we are getting presents and he is by himself with them. He opened one over the phone tonight and didn't stop until 3 were opened. I am scared of what I am going to find when I get home. He may have already had several meals on our fine china!
Oh! I forgot to tell you that I got a new job....waitressing. I know - I wasn't a very good waitress, but this basically fell into my lap. A friend of a friend owns a restaurant and asked if they knew anyone who needed a job. Ding, ding, ding! I think this is going to be a much more laid back environment, and hopefully enjoyable. They even said if I am any good, they may put me behind the bar! (I guess I don't need to tell them I spilled a beer on that 4 year old kid at my other job...)
Hope everyone is surviving this miserable pollen - I am not. Have a great week!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Oprah
When you say or hear, "Oprah" isn't it funny what sort of a reaction is stirred up? Some people hate her, some people think she is fabulous, but everyone has to chime in when someone says, "Hey - did you see that Oprah yesterday?" Generally, I enjoy the show but I do think she has become a little narcissistic this late in her career. She tends to compete with the guest counselors that appear on the program to put in her two cents, and is suddenly an expert about sexual abuse and predators because she was a victim. Now don't get me wrong, I think she has probably invested a lot of money with a therapist to become an expert, but it does kind of get on my nerves. Either way she is a household name and at this point can really say whatever she wants. You can watch or not watch - it's your choice.
Monday there was a show on (the third in a series) about sexual offenders. Now, I already have a strong opinion about this and the people who offend, but I am not going to get into that here. What I was angered by was how Oprah made it so clear how much she hated anyone that has ever abused a child. It was completely skewed towards her experiences and really didn't give anyone the option of disagreeing with her. Now, I am not disagreeing, and I hope this blog doesn't become controversial, but her feelings were intense. It was no longer an afternoon talk show that is in the background while you make dinner. She was calling them monsters as she described to us the island off Washington state that is available for the "Most Violent Sex Offenders." Essentially, it is a place where sex offenders are sent AFTER they have served their criminal sentence, but a judge determines they are not fit to be re-introduced to society. More or less, this is punishing a person before they have committed a crime.
This institution is funded by tax payer dollars ($165,000 per person/year) and is basically a college atmosphere where these people may stay until they decide they want to go through the treatment system, when they may then be let out. If you never decide to attend therapy, no biggie. You can stay there until you die. Oprah LOVES this place. She LOVES that these people are locked away on an island away from society. Without going into detail, this really hit a nerve with me so I decided to join the Oprah fan club. And write her some fan mail that was not very "Fannish." I am hoping that my negative reaction among the hundreds of emails praising her strength and perseverance she will notice mine. Not so sweet. Not so loving. And she will invite me on her show.
She will say, "Today ladies and gentlemen, is a voice that has spoken out against me. Come on out, JEEEEENNNNNY!!!!" Then we will discuss the matter at hand, she will pay off my student loans and set me up with a sweet job in a Family Law Firm. Is that too much to ask?
One of my friends asked me tonight, "Do you ever feel like someone is just pushing you to see how much you can take of life sucking?" I started laughing, but not too hard because she had just gotten mugged. That's right. Here in my awesome town. In broad day light. This blog is too long, but that is your story for tomorrow.
If you DID see that Oprah, I would be interested to hear what your thoughts are on the building in Washington.
Monday there was a show on (the third in a series) about sexual offenders. Now, I already have a strong opinion about this and the people who offend, but I am not going to get into that here. What I was angered by was how Oprah made it so clear how much she hated anyone that has ever abused a child. It was completely skewed towards her experiences and really didn't give anyone the option of disagreeing with her. Now, I am not disagreeing, and I hope this blog doesn't become controversial, but her feelings were intense. It was no longer an afternoon talk show that is in the background while you make dinner. She was calling them monsters as she described to us the island off Washington state that is available for the "Most Violent Sex Offenders." Essentially, it is a place where sex offenders are sent AFTER they have served their criminal sentence, but a judge determines they are not fit to be re-introduced to society. More or less, this is punishing a person before they have committed a crime.
This institution is funded by tax payer dollars ($165,000 per person/year) and is basically a college atmosphere where these people may stay until they decide they want to go through the treatment system, when they may then be let out. If you never decide to attend therapy, no biggie. You can stay there until you die. Oprah LOVES this place. She LOVES that these people are locked away on an island away from society. Without going into detail, this really hit a nerve with me so I decided to join the Oprah fan club. And write her some fan mail that was not very "Fannish." I am hoping that my negative reaction among the hundreds of emails praising her strength and perseverance she will notice mine. Not so sweet. Not so loving. And she will invite me on her show.
She will say, "Today ladies and gentlemen, is a voice that has spoken out against me. Come on out, JEEEEENNNNNY!!!!" Then we will discuss the matter at hand, she will pay off my student loans and set me up with a sweet job in a Family Law Firm. Is that too much to ask?
One of my friends asked me tonight, "Do you ever feel like someone is just pushing you to see how much you can take of life sucking?" I started laughing, but not too hard because she had just gotten mugged. That's right. Here in my awesome town. In broad day light. This blog is too long, but that is your story for tomorrow.
If you DID see that Oprah, I would be interested to hear what your thoughts are on the building in Washington.
Friday, April 9, 2010
P90X and Some Blogging Competition
So, I haven't written in about a week. The wedding mania has calmed, and I have become focused on how I am going to lose just a little bit of weight for the wedding. (This is because I made a batch of dip last night and ate the whole thing. I can't stop myself.) Anyway, dad and I decided that we would not be in shape to run a 1/2 marathon in the time we had left, and my knee was hurting from the last one, so I got the P90X videos. If you are not familiar with this program, it is a set of 12 DVDs that you do each day (with one day of resting) for 90 days. I am pretty sure they were created in hell. They promise results in 90 days if you are consistent.
The problem I have run into is that I cannot move after I complete these workouts. I am literally so sore that getting off the couch is a problem. And I am sore in places that I didn't even work out! I did push ups/pull ups the first day, and ended up with my abs screaming every time I tried to move! (And don't be fooled, I can't do a pull up.) I am also supposed to be following their diet, but I don't think a batch of dip is included, so I am opting out of that choice.
So we will see. I would love to have some definition in my arms, but it would definitely be easier if I had someone pushing me everyday. Mike came in while I was doing some sort of extreme cardio and told me I wasn't doing it the way that the people on the tv were. I yelled at him. I know, I am ashamed, but I was in so much pain, and he was standing there eating a cookie! He has learned to stay in the other room while the videos are on.
Moving right along to my next subject. I have a competitor in the blogging world! Ok, she doesn't know that we are competing, but she is really starting to irritate me. During law school, I found this girl's blog that I really liked. She has two children, is married to a surgery resident and seems to be perfect in every way. I have actually left comments on her blog and feel as though we have some sort of relationship that we clearly do not. Recently, I have been comparing myself to her. (Not the family stuff, just what she writes about.) First of all, I swear if I try to do something, she does it ten times better, and we always seem to try these things around the same time. Examples:
1) While I was training for my marathon, she decided she would train for one and of course, ran it much faster than me. (I am attributing this to longer legs, even though I have never met her.)
2) Recently I have gotten an inclination to cook and try new recipes. Of course, I click on her blog, and she has set out the recipe on how to bake bread and has pictures of bread she has baked (something like 12 loaves) that she gave out as Valentine's Day gifts!
3) Yesterday I checked her blog, and guess what she is now doing. Yes, you are correct. P90X. Are you kidding me?? I couldn't believe it. AND she is 3 days ahead of me. Ugh.
Mike doesn't understand why I am threatened by a girl I have never met. I tried to explain to him that it is like running on the treadmill at the gym and trying to go faster than the person beside you. He didn't get it. Does anyone else?
Alright, I am going to attempt to make it to the shower without further injuring myself. Hope all is well with you!
The problem I have run into is that I cannot move after I complete these workouts. I am literally so sore that getting off the couch is a problem. And I am sore in places that I didn't even work out! I did push ups/pull ups the first day, and ended up with my abs screaming every time I tried to move! (And don't be fooled, I can't do a pull up.) I am also supposed to be following their diet, but I don't think a batch of dip is included, so I am opting out of that choice.
So we will see. I would love to have some definition in my arms, but it would definitely be easier if I had someone pushing me everyday. Mike came in while I was doing some sort of extreme cardio and told me I wasn't doing it the way that the people on the tv were. I yelled at him. I know, I am ashamed, but I was in so much pain, and he was standing there eating a cookie! He has learned to stay in the other room while the videos are on.
Moving right along to my next subject. I have a competitor in the blogging world! Ok, she doesn't know that we are competing, but she is really starting to irritate me. During law school, I found this girl's blog that I really liked. She has two children, is married to a surgery resident and seems to be perfect in every way. I have actually left comments on her blog and feel as though we have some sort of relationship that we clearly do not. Recently, I have been comparing myself to her. (Not the family stuff, just what she writes about.) First of all, I swear if I try to do something, she does it ten times better, and we always seem to try these things around the same time. Examples:
1) While I was training for my marathon, she decided she would train for one and of course, ran it much faster than me. (I am attributing this to longer legs, even though I have never met her.)
2) Recently I have gotten an inclination to cook and try new recipes. Of course, I click on her blog, and she has set out the recipe on how to bake bread and has pictures of bread she has baked (something like 12 loaves) that she gave out as Valentine's Day gifts!
3) Yesterday I checked her blog, and guess what she is now doing. Yes, you are correct. P90X. Are you kidding me?? I couldn't believe it. AND she is 3 days ahead of me. Ugh.
Mike doesn't understand why I am threatened by a girl I have never met. I tried to explain to him that it is like running on the treadmill at the gym and trying to go faster than the person beside you. He didn't get it. Does anyone else?
Alright, I am going to attempt to make it to the shower without further injuring myself. Hope all is well with you!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Alright, You win
Dear Friends that have gotten married before me,
You win. When you called me with your stressors and problems before your wedding, I tried to be supportive, but was sort of thinking (and don't get offended) "Seriously? How stressful can planning a wedding be?" Well, I get it. I am officially stressed. And it's not because I am nervous about the wedding, or am getting cold feet because I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with Mike. The issue is that I am not in complete control of the situation, and the days are flying by more quickly than I could have imagined. 66 Days!? When did that happen? When we got engaged with 9 months to the big day, I thought we had this under our belts. And yet, things so quickly spin out of control that somehow I have to just take a deep breath and let it go. (And yes, I am doing a lot of running!)
So what has been going on? I think the problem is that I am not physically in Birmingham to take care of things on my own timeline. Instead, I have made 2 visits where my mom, sisters and I met with so many vendors and signed so many contracts that my head was spinning. And suddenly, there were a billion things I didn't know existed...maybe I WOULD like a photo booth, or a cigar roller, or our monogram lit on the wall. (Yes, Lauren, all from your beautiful wedding!) Maybe my centerpieces should be different...Thank goodness my mom was there to keep me on track and keep me on budget!
Last week, I traveled to Birmingham to make another dent in the planning. My sisters and I stuffed and printed invitations (I can't believe they are about to go out), I went to try on my dress (that is still not completed) and met with a lady who is going to print our programs. All these little details that you really can't do until you are really close to the wedding. I am going to be gluing and tying ribbons on those programs for a week! Mike has promised to help with wedding stuff (We still don't have a honeymoon) since his comps are turned in, yet when I told him there would be 200 wedding programs delivered to glue and assemble, he informed me that he does not do arts and crafts. While I argued my point that this was a wedding for both of us, he asked me if I really wanted him to do it or just wanted him to be involved. Well played, Mike, because I don't trust you with a glue stick!
And so, I will continue to push through. No mind that I am unemployed, and spent my entire day in one place on the couch, in my pajamas yesterday emailing and calling wedding people. This too will pass. I am just ready to get my legal piece of paper, dance the night away and call Mike my husband!
Hope all is well with y'all!
You win. When you called me with your stressors and problems before your wedding, I tried to be supportive, but was sort of thinking (and don't get offended) "Seriously? How stressful can planning a wedding be?" Well, I get it. I am officially stressed. And it's not because I am nervous about the wedding, or am getting cold feet because I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with Mike. The issue is that I am not in complete control of the situation, and the days are flying by more quickly than I could have imagined. 66 Days!? When did that happen? When we got engaged with 9 months to the big day, I thought we had this under our belts. And yet, things so quickly spin out of control that somehow I have to just take a deep breath and let it go. (And yes, I am doing a lot of running!)
So what has been going on? I think the problem is that I am not physically in Birmingham to take care of things on my own timeline. Instead, I have made 2 visits where my mom, sisters and I met with so many vendors and signed so many contracts that my head was spinning. And suddenly, there were a billion things I didn't know existed...maybe I WOULD like a photo booth, or a cigar roller, or our monogram lit on the wall. (Yes, Lauren, all from your beautiful wedding!) Maybe my centerpieces should be different...Thank goodness my mom was there to keep me on track and keep me on budget!
Last week, I traveled to Birmingham to make another dent in the planning. My sisters and I stuffed and printed invitations (I can't believe they are about to go out), I went to try on my dress (that is still not completed) and met with a lady who is going to print our programs. All these little details that you really can't do until you are really close to the wedding. I am going to be gluing and tying ribbons on those programs for a week! Mike has promised to help with wedding stuff (We still don't have a honeymoon) since his comps are turned in, yet when I told him there would be 200 wedding programs delivered to glue and assemble, he informed me that he does not do arts and crafts. While I argued my point that this was a wedding for both of us, he asked me if I really wanted him to do it or just wanted him to be involved. Well played, Mike, because I don't trust you with a glue stick!
And so, I will continue to push through. No mind that I am unemployed, and spent my entire day in one place on the couch, in my pajamas yesterday emailing and calling wedding people. This too will pass. I am just ready to get my legal piece of paper, dance the night away and call Mike my husband!
Hope all is well with y'all!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Wedding Work Out
Let me preface this post with the fact that I don't diet. I am horrible at it and just love food too much. I may make it a few days eating healthily, but after that my cravings for a sloppy Mexican dinner or a box of macaroni and cheese take over. And so, with 83 days left until our wedding, I decided something must be done. No, I don't think I am fat, but I would like to tone some parts of my body that were forgotten while I hid inside this winter.
The first part of the plan is to get back into running. I really don't run when it is cold out. It is miserable and coming home with windburn and snow all over my shoes does not make those endorphins flow. However, it has started to warm up and I have been able to get back outside. It was while I was running the other day that I came up with my fabulous plan. I want to run a half marathon right before the wedding so that I will constantly be running and in shape. I called my dad who is considering running with me dependent on his training goes. At this point, we are looking at some races in Virginia.
However, yesterday when I woke up for my run and looked outside, it noticed it was overcast and just looked cold. (That is how I determine whether or not it is too cold. I look out the window.) I decided to pull out one of my workout DVDs (Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly and Boy Short Bottom) so I could get something in. Well, let me tell you how depressing it is to start a DVD that you used to perform with no problem, and find that you are a little light headed and sweating buckets five minutes in. I pressed on, but by the end when I was supposed to be doing push ups, I had to stop because my arms were shaking from all the work they had done up to that point. Needless to say I am limping around today and trying not to carry anything heavier than my chapstick.
So that is my wedding work out plan. Mike and I are trying to eat better which for him means cutting out chicken wings. He had his last supper last night and while placing his order over the phone, told the waitress that he was "going on a wedding diet, so please make these wings good." I think he was satisfied. Hope everyone had a great weekend - I will keep you posted on how these next 83 days turn out!
The first part of the plan is to get back into running. I really don't run when it is cold out. It is miserable and coming home with windburn and snow all over my shoes does not make those endorphins flow. However, it has started to warm up and I have been able to get back outside. It was while I was running the other day that I came up with my fabulous plan. I want to run a half marathon right before the wedding so that I will constantly be running and in shape. I called my dad who is considering running with me dependent on his training goes. At this point, we are looking at some races in Virginia.
However, yesterday when I woke up for my run and looked outside, it noticed it was overcast and just looked cold. (That is how I determine whether or not it is too cold. I look out the window.) I decided to pull out one of my workout DVDs (Tank Top Arms, Bikini Belly and Boy Short Bottom) so I could get something in. Well, let me tell you how depressing it is to start a DVD that you used to perform with no problem, and find that you are a little light headed and sweating buckets five minutes in. I pressed on, but by the end when I was supposed to be doing push ups, I had to stop because my arms were shaking from all the work they had done up to that point. Needless to say I am limping around today and trying not to carry anything heavier than my chapstick.
So that is my wedding work out plan. Mike and I are trying to eat better which for him means cutting out chicken wings. He had his last supper last night and while placing his order over the phone, told the waitress that he was "going on a wedding diet, so please make these wings good." I think he was satisfied. Hope everyone had a great weekend - I will keep you posted on how these next 83 days turn out!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Ban on Delta
First, I have to say that Mike and I just spent a fabulous weekend watching my friend get married in San Antonio. This wedding was beautiful, as was the bride, and she pulled out all the stops. Aside from having our hair and make up done, she was the calmest bride I have ever seen. She told me, "Don't worry about it!" when her bustle broke, and just continued to dance up a storm. The band was fantastic, the food delicious and the flowers beautiful. But, you know, Mike and I can't go anywhere without some sort of crisis following us, and this one hit at 10:50 when we attempted to leave the St. Louis airport.
I booked our tickets January 23rd (I know this because we went through every step of the ticketing process during this fiasco) and thought everything was fine. I used a voucher that I received when I generously gave up my seat and stayed in ATL for a night rather than heading home after a trip. The rest of the ticket price I put on my credit card. I received 3 different confirmation emails with confirmation numbers so I figured we were in the clear. Who would think that we wouldn't have a seat on that plane?
Now, Mike has never been known for his promptness, and has missed a plane or two, but never on my watch. My family was that annoying group of five that got to the airport two hours early and ran around until the plane boarded. So, somehow, usually with a little bit of conflict, we get to the airport on time. It is a struggle, but I have come to expect it, and I think we have both bent a little bit in the other direction. The problem this time, was neither of us packed the night before. We were exhausted and promised to pack in the morning. I woke up and started packing, and eventually Mike did the same. Remember the rule that you must check in within 30 minutes of your flight? That is not a joke.
35 minutes before the flight I was dragging suitcases out of the car and stumbling up to the outside ticket counter. I was immediately told that the time had run out and I was no longer in the system. However, I felt that something was amiss. I ran inside, knowing that I had 5 minutes left and asked to speak to someone at the front desk. I thought my face showed my anxiety, but I was maneuvered over to those stupid kiosks where I "could finish up." Once I put my credit card in to validate that it was me, nothing happened. I called for the lady who pushed me to the kiosk and explained the problem. We went through everything. Punching in the flight number, the credit card again, the confirmation number....nothing worked. By this time, Mike has finished parking the car and I am about to have a fit.
The kind kiosk pushing lady had us come to the counter in attempts to figure out what was wrong. She kept typing on the computer and shaking her head. I kept checking the clock, knowing we still had to go through security. Finally, I asked her to please tell us what was going on. She explained that we did have reserved seats on the plane, but it did not appear that we had actual tickets. WHAT??? She asked us why we had not called Delta to confirm our flight. I somewhat politely informed her that since we did receive a CONFIRMATION number, I assumed the flight was confirmed. At that point, she picked up the phone and started making phone calls, trying to figure out what happened. Don't worry, I am able to tell you this story precisely because I documented three pages of what was going on as it was happening. Marilyn was thrilled.
Mike, who has a calmer temperament than me, told Marilyn that if we did not get on this flight we would miss the party that we were flying in for on a Thursday in the first place. Marilyn snapped that this was really our fault because we were not at the airport an hour before the plane took off. Before I completed yelling (really - my hands were in the air and people were staring) that even if we had been there before, there were no tickets for us to use, Mike told me to take a lap. I made a quick lap around the ticket line but came back because I did not want to miss a word of what this Marilyn had to say.
I watched as Marilyn was connected three times to various people who had no idea what was going on. Finally she looked up and said "That will be $256. How would you like to pay for that?" I had to take another lap. As Mike tried to figure out why we would have to repay, I was on the phone with the bank checking to see whether the charge went through. As I came back, I heard Marilyn say to Mike, "Do you want to get on this plane or not?" (Was she threatening us??) As it was an hour and twenty minutes later, I asked our friend whether the plane was still there. No, she shook her head. "Then why are you demanding immediate payment when you have no idea what is happening?" (All the things above in quotes were actually stated by either Mike or me.)
As it turns out, when I booked the flight, the computer did not take my voucher or my money, but still saved two seats and sent us confirmation. We used the voucher again, and once Marilyn figured out the math (that took another five minutes) we had seats on the 4:45 flight. This meant that we would miss the Mexican Fiesta that evening and we would be waiting in the airport for 4 hours. Marilyn acted like she was doing us a favor because she put us in an exit row in one of our four flights. The rest of the flights, we were not even sitting together.
I am still wary of calling Delta, because I am afraid I am going to get another voucher that will trap me into flying with them again. As I sipped my bloody mary at the bar, I recounted my experience with Delta in high school where I was left in LONDON on a school trip. I still don't know how people are loyal to this company. So that was the story. We got in late Thursday night, but enjoyed the rest of the weekend immensely. Thank goodness there were no issues coming back. My voice was gone from singing along to the great songs, and I did not have the energy to yell at anyone else.
I booked our tickets January 23rd (I know this because we went through every step of the ticketing process during this fiasco) and thought everything was fine. I used a voucher that I received when I generously gave up my seat and stayed in ATL for a night rather than heading home after a trip. The rest of the ticket price I put on my credit card. I received 3 different confirmation emails with confirmation numbers so I figured we were in the clear. Who would think that we wouldn't have a seat on that plane?
Now, Mike has never been known for his promptness, and has missed a plane or two, but never on my watch. My family was that annoying group of five that got to the airport two hours early and ran around until the plane boarded. So, somehow, usually with a little bit of conflict, we get to the airport on time. It is a struggle, but I have come to expect it, and I think we have both bent a little bit in the other direction. The problem this time, was neither of us packed the night before. We were exhausted and promised to pack in the morning. I woke up and started packing, and eventually Mike did the same. Remember the rule that you must check in within 30 minutes of your flight? That is not a joke.
35 minutes before the flight I was dragging suitcases out of the car and stumbling up to the outside ticket counter. I was immediately told that the time had run out and I was no longer in the system. However, I felt that something was amiss. I ran inside, knowing that I had 5 minutes left and asked to speak to someone at the front desk. I thought my face showed my anxiety, but I was maneuvered over to those stupid kiosks where I "could finish up." Once I put my credit card in to validate that it was me, nothing happened. I called for the lady who pushed me to the kiosk and explained the problem. We went through everything. Punching in the flight number, the credit card again, the confirmation number....nothing worked. By this time, Mike has finished parking the car and I am about to have a fit.
The kind kiosk pushing lady had us come to the counter in attempts to figure out what was wrong. She kept typing on the computer and shaking her head. I kept checking the clock, knowing we still had to go through security. Finally, I asked her to please tell us what was going on. She explained that we did have reserved seats on the plane, but it did not appear that we had actual tickets. WHAT??? She asked us why we had not called Delta to confirm our flight. I somewhat politely informed her that since we did receive a CONFIRMATION number, I assumed the flight was confirmed. At that point, she picked up the phone and started making phone calls, trying to figure out what happened. Don't worry, I am able to tell you this story precisely because I documented three pages of what was going on as it was happening. Marilyn was thrilled.
Mike, who has a calmer temperament than me, told Marilyn that if we did not get on this flight we would miss the party that we were flying in for on a Thursday in the first place. Marilyn snapped that this was really our fault because we were not at the airport an hour before the plane took off. Before I completed yelling (really - my hands were in the air and people were staring) that even if we had been there before, there were no tickets for us to use, Mike told me to take a lap. I made a quick lap around the ticket line but came back because I did not want to miss a word of what this Marilyn had to say.
I watched as Marilyn was connected three times to various people who had no idea what was going on. Finally she looked up and said "That will be $256. How would you like to pay for that?" I had to take another lap. As Mike tried to figure out why we would have to repay, I was on the phone with the bank checking to see whether the charge went through. As I came back, I heard Marilyn say to Mike, "Do you want to get on this plane or not?" (Was she threatening us??) As it was an hour and twenty minutes later, I asked our friend whether the plane was still there. No, she shook her head. "Then why are you demanding immediate payment when you have no idea what is happening?" (All the things above in quotes were actually stated by either Mike or me.)
As it turns out, when I booked the flight, the computer did not take my voucher or my money, but still saved two seats and sent us confirmation. We used the voucher again, and once Marilyn figured out the math (that took another five minutes) we had seats on the 4:45 flight. This meant that we would miss the Mexican Fiesta that evening and we would be waiting in the airport for 4 hours. Marilyn acted like she was doing us a favor because she put us in an exit row in one of our four flights. The rest of the flights, we were not even sitting together.
I am still wary of calling Delta, because I am afraid I am going to get another voucher that will trap me into flying with them again. As I sipped my bloody mary at the bar, I recounted my experience with Delta in high school where I was left in LONDON on a school trip. I still don't know how people are loyal to this company. So that was the story. We got in late Thursday night, but enjoyed the rest of the weekend immensely. Thank goodness there were no issues coming back. My voice was gone from singing along to the great songs, and I did not have the energy to yell at anyone else.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Storm
This morning, I woke up, went for a run (in a t-shirt!!) and started cleaning the house and laughing as I watched Mike vacuum our deck area again. The windows were open and I began thinking, "What a great day!" Well, of course, this could not be the case. Something had to happen. (Don't worry, everyone is alive and safe, I just got really, really angry.)
As I completed sweeping about an inch of dirt of the bathroom floor (don't judge, I hate cleaning) I brought up how excited I am to leave in December because we do not have enough space in the condo for all the junk that has accumulated between us. (Rule #425 not to live in a condo - there is no storage space.) Anyway, Mike decided that was the perfect time to look at me shocked and exclaim "December? Who said anything about leaving in December?" Y'all my heart dropped to my stomach and both started beating really quickly. "What are you talking about?" I not so politely asked. Mike continued to explain that since his revisions to his comps are due in March, he will need 12-14 months to then start his dissertation and complete it.
I don't know how to explain how I was feeling at that particular point in time. Angry, disappointed, mostly angry. For the past, at least 6 months, I have been under the impression that we were moving in December 2010. This gave me a deadline to look forward to, and although I have adjusted to some parts of St. Louis, I still miss my friends and family desperately. I also feel like I have put my career on hold. I understand that I made a decision to move up here, and another to not re-take the bar in Missouri, but that was while I was under the impression that we would be out of here within a year. I feel I was fraudulently induced to continue living up here. (I have to stay on top of my legal lingo.)
Mike informed me that I already knew this deadline, but it must have been hard for him to believe himself while I was standing there yelling and crying. Not to give you TOO much detail, but I eventually grabbed my purse and left, trying to figure out where to go to calm down. Now, keep this mental picture in mind. I am wearing spandex running pants, a running shirt and a hoodie. I have no makeup on because I had not showered since my run and - I had not showered since my run. I was a mess. Besides, I am not one of those pretty criers. My eyes get puffy and my whole face turns red.
I found myself at the mall, and was actually just going to park and compose myself (I promise) when I started thinking about going to see Valentine's Day. I have been wanting to see it, so I looked up when it started. (These are the times when I am glad to have a "smart phone.") 15 minutes. Awesome! I drove closer to the movie area and dashed inside. At that point I thought, "How great is it that I don't know anyone here? I am disgusting!" I bought my ticket and grabbed a seat in the comforting darkness. Although the theater was packed, I was on a row alone...I must have looked dangerous.
I actually enjoy going to movies by myself. No one really cares if you are by yourself and you can laugh or cry in the privacy of your own seat. A few minutes into the movie, 2 tweens did come and sit right next to my, texting throughout the entire movie. What is the deal with that? But I kept my composure and tried to relax.
Y'all - this movie is hilarious. I wasn't sure what to think based on the reviews but I was laughing and crying hysterically. I may have been a little over enthused based on my recent breakdown, but I really enjoyed all the plot lines. After the movie, I rushed to get in the car so no one would see me, and headed home. Mike and I are fine....but we are having a little discussion tomorrow. I was so tired and went to bed at 8:00. Sorry if this is a little more detail than you were expecting, but you know I am never going to write about how everything in life is roses. Let's face it - it's not, and it never makes me feel good about myself when other people write that way. It just can't be true.
I know this is getting long, but the thing I keep reminding myself of is the story my mom tells about moving to Birmingham from Virginia. Dad got a job in Birmingham and promised my mother we would only stay for five years. At the time, they had me, 2 years old and Julia, 2 WEEKS old. Mom obviously moved and waited her obligatory five years. When dad came home to tell her that he had been offered a permanent position in the department, my mother cried for a week. However, now you can't get her to move. Growing up, I remember job offers that my father had, but mom stood her ground. So maybe that's the trick. I will wait out my time here and then stabilize the situation once we move.
So that was Saturday. On the bright side, I don't have to change my blog title for another year! Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!!
As I completed sweeping about an inch of dirt of the bathroom floor (don't judge, I hate cleaning) I brought up how excited I am to leave in December because we do not have enough space in the condo for all the junk that has accumulated between us. (Rule #425 not to live in a condo - there is no storage space.) Anyway, Mike decided that was the perfect time to look at me shocked and exclaim "December? Who said anything about leaving in December?" Y'all my heart dropped to my stomach and both started beating really quickly. "What are you talking about?" I not so politely asked. Mike continued to explain that since his revisions to his comps are due in March, he will need 12-14 months to then start his dissertation and complete it.
I don't know how to explain how I was feeling at that particular point in time. Angry, disappointed, mostly angry. For the past, at least 6 months, I have been under the impression that we were moving in December 2010. This gave me a deadline to look forward to, and although I have adjusted to some parts of St. Louis, I still miss my friends and family desperately. I also feel like I have put my career on hold. I understand that I made a decision to move up here, and another to not re-take the bar in Missouri, but that was while I was under the impression that we would be out of here within a year. I feel I was fraudulently induced to continue living up here. (I have to stay on top of my legal lingo.)
Mike informed me that I already knew this deadline, but it must have been hard for him to believe himself while I was standing there yelling and crying. Not to give you TOO much detail, but I eventually grabbed my purse and left, trying to figure out where to go to calm down. Now, keep this mental picture in mind. I am wearing spandex running pants, a running shirt and a hoodie. I have no makeup on because I had not showered since my run and - I had not showered since my run. I was a mess. Besides, I am not one of those pretty criers. My eyes get puffy and my whole face turns red.
I found myself at the mall, and was actually just going to park and compose myself (I promise) when I started thinking about going to see Valentine's Day. I have been wanting to see it, so I looked up when it started. (These are the times when I am glad to have a "smart phone.") 15 minutes. Awesome! I drove closer to the movie area and dashed inside. At that point I thought, "How great is it that I don't know anyone here? I am disgusting!" I bought my ticket and grabbed a seat in the comforting darkness. Although the theater was packed, I was on a row alone...I must have looked dangerous.
I actually enjoy going to movies by myself. No one really cares if you are by yourself and you can laugh or cry in the privacy of your own seat. A few minutes into the movie, 2 tweens did come and sit right next to my, texting throughout the entire movie. What is the deal with that? But I kept my composure and tried to relax.
Y'all - this movie is hilarious. I wasn't sure what to think based on the reviews but I was laughing and crying hysterically. I may have been a little over enthused based on my recent breakdown, but I really enjoyed all the plot lines. After the movie, I rushed to get in the car so no one would see me, and headed home. Mike and I are fine....but we are having a little discussion tomorrow. I was so tired and went to bed at 8:00. Sorry if this is a little more detail than you were expecting, but you know I am never going to write about how everything in life is roses. Let's face it - it's not, and it never makes me feel good about myself when other people write that way. It just can't be true.
I know this is getting long, but the thing I keep reminding myself of is the story my mom tells about moving to Birmingham from Virginia. Dad got a job in Birmingham and promised my mother we would only stay for five years. At the time, they had me, 2 years old and Julia, 2 WEEKS old. Mom obviously moved and waited her obligatory five years. When dad came home to tell her that he had been offered a permanent position in the department, my mother cried for a week. However, now you can't get her to move. Growing up, I remember job offers that my father had, but mom stood her ground. So maybe that's the trick. I will wait out my time here and then stabilize the situation once we move.
So that was Saturday. On the bright side, I don't have to change my blog title for another year! Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!!
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