Airport Adventure

I thought my next post would be about my FABULOUS weekend with my cousins in Atlanta, but unfortunately that will have to wait for tomorrow. Today's post is reserved for my AIRPORT ADVENTURE (or more appropriately AIRPORT NIGHTMARE). This morning my sister Anita drove my cousin Tiffanie, sister Catrice and me to the airport. My flight was at 9:25 a.m. My sister's flight was at 10:05 a.m. and my cousin Tiffanie's flight was at 11:15 a.m. Although I knew that we should arrive at the airport by no later than 7:30, we didn't arrive until 8:00. This, of course, turned out to be a huge mistake for me. When we arrive at Atlanta Hartsfield Airport we see a long line of people outside the Baggage Claim area, and learn fairly quickly that this is the beginning of a very long security check point line that wraps around Baggage Claim and then around a shopping area to finally end up in a big mess in front of the security area. It took approximately an hour and half to get through this line.... Do the math. I missed my flight...by 10 minutes...sigh.

Catrice made her flight without a hitch but Tiffanie's flight was delayed by about an hour. I sat with her until her flight arrived. (Oh yeah, Catrice called me while I was waiting with Tiffanie. She had arrived at her destination...UGH!!!) That was at about noon. It is now 1:40 p.m. Wanna know when my new flight is scheduled to depart for Baltimore? 6:18 PM!!! Fun fun... almost 5 more hours of waiting. Fortunately, I have plenty to distract me during my wait. Tiffanie gave me her "Blood Diamond" DVD so I can watch a movie on my MacBook while I wait. I brought the "Infidel" book I blogged about earlier (I'm halfway through it now). I have my "Real Simple" magazine. I have my Ipod. And, oh, I purchased the $7.95 fee for 24 hours of wireless Internet so I can surf the Internet while I sit here, write this post, and wait for my flight to arrive 5 hours from now.

Sigh...

Oh...almost forgot. Highlight of my wait: An announcement that came over the intercom paging Usher Raymond to come to gate B2. Too bad I was in Concourse A waiting with Tiffanie at the time. I seriously considered running like a lunatic with my camcorder in hand to get a glimpse of him...LOL

Hey, I'm stuck at the airport. I need all the entertainment I can get.

Smoking in the face of a child: Oh my!

On Saturday, my friend Stacia and I went to the fireworks show at Laurel Lakes. We walked through throngs of people around the lake to find a choice spot to watch the fireworks. Unfortunately, we got booted from our first spot after discovering that the tarp we were sitting on belonged to someone (silly us). We kept it moving. Our next spot was next to the stage where a blues/rock band was playing. It was a little loud, but otherwise we thought a good location, so we set up our folding chairs and sat down to enjoy the festivities. Regrettably after a few minutes or so, we booted ourselves after wafts of smoke started drifting into section. A woman that was sitting nearby with a group of people was smoking...UGH!

Now, I live with a smoker. I don't like it but it's a fact that I've come to accept and live with. The good thing (if anything is good about smoking) is that Derrick smokes outside ALWAYS. He never smokes around people (even when he's outside), and most importantly for me, he never smokes around me and rarely smells of smoke (however, those few occasions when he does...BLECH).

Why can't other people be as courteous?

Not only was this person smoking a cigarette around THRONGS OF PEOPLE, but she was also smoking in the face of her small child who was sitting RIGHT NEXT TO HER. Since the woman and her group had been sitting in their location before us, Stacia and I immediately stood up and searched for another location to sit.

People amaze me every day.

Anyway, Stacia and I found another spot, and just as we were getting comfortable, guess what? Some people came to sit near us and one of them pulled out a pack a cigarettes. (Uh uh...not this time). I started talking very loudly to Stacia about how rude people are to smoke when others are nearby. I also mentioned how much I enjoy the fresh air and hate to have it ruined by smoke. That chick put those cigarettes away and we never heard a peep out of her...LOL (That's what I'm talking about. Don't be a dragon lady!)

Those events happened a couple of days ago but I still can't help wondering about that child with the mother who smoked in her face. Asthma and lung cancer are real!Can the mother really be that unenlightened and naive that she would think smoking in her child's face (or anyone else's face for that matter) is ok? Isn't that child endangerment? I wish I was bold enough to have said something but I'm a wimp, and apparently so is everyone else because no one in the woman's group or nearby said anything.

That's just sad.

Can you tell I'm for a smoking ban? No smoking in any public place, indoors OR outdoors. Stop smoking people. You'll feel better for it. I promise.

Wow!

I heart Keith Olbermann!

2 weeks notice

As some of you know, I have a new job that I will be starting Tuesday, July 17. Yay me! I'm excited. My current problem is that I'm still working at my current job and have totally lost all motivation to do ANYTHING.

I've pretty much completed most of my outstanding assignments but have only jotted down a few notes for my transition plan. I'm just not motivated to do anything but bask in the fact that I'm almost out of here (July 11 can't get here fast enough)...oh and take long lunches...LOL.

Any suggestions for making myself productive while I'm still here?

My dad the metrosexual

While hanging out with my parents this weekend my father started complaining about the smile lines in his face and told me he wants them removed.

Everyone who knows my dad, can chuckle. Go ahead it's ok. You and I both know that Arnold complaining about his looks is funny!

What? You don't want to laugh? Hmm...ok.

Well I laughed and told him he was becoming a metrosexual, knowing full well he has no idea what a metrosexual is.

What? That's not funny?!

Well, is this funny?

I told my dad his too tight shirts are young looking. He took it as a compliment.

Uh huh, I knew you'd think that was funny...

(pausing for your laughter...)

Ok that's enough. You can stop laughing at my daddy now.


P.S. Love you, dad. ;)

A tomboy no more...sniff

Now normally I would be happy not to have that moniker, "tomboy," labeled on me. I lived with it for years growing up and I couldn't wait until I became a college girl and no longer felt the need to play sports because, you know, I was a college girl and no longer needed that kid stuff. As a child, I played softball, soccer, kickball, dodgeball, and just about any other type of sport you can imagne, but basketball was by far my main sport. I played from elementary school all the way through my high school years and for most of my adolescence, people knew me as that girl who plays ball.

Well, lately, I guess I've been missing those days. This past spring I started making moves to join a softball team. I bought all kinds of softball equipment (the glove, the balls, and the cleats). I also bought a knee brace because several years ago I tore my ACL (anterior cruceate ligament) and cartilage while playing basketball and it's never been right since. Anyway, I thought I would be able to play but after one visit to the batting cages, my knee swelled up to about the size of a grapefruit and forced me to accept that softball wasn't in my future.

So, a month or so goes by, it's Derrick's birthday and I buy a bike for him, because he wants he, Jamal, and I to start going bike riding together. (Sweet right? Humph!) Now, first let me give you a little background about me. It's been almost 17 years since I regularly sat my behind on a bike. My current behind is about twice the size it was 17 years ago. I bought my bike about 7 years ago when I thought I'd get back into bike riding but it's probably seen about 6 or so outings in total. Sad I know. Anyway, I knew this bike riding thing was going to be a challenge for me, but I wanted to be a good sport for my two guys, so instead of saying no, I accepted the challenge. Hey it could be fun.

Ok, well Derrick, Jamal, and I go for our bike ride and I notice immediately that I'm way more out of shape than I ever thought I could be. I soon discover that any type of incline (even a baby-sized incline) is torture...T-O-R-T-U-R-E!!! I am barely out of my neighborhood before I want to go back home and sit down. It was a big wake up call. I'm fat, out of shape, and at 35 if I don't do something to change this I'll be in worse shape later. So my first day on a bike in eons was a complete bust, but I decide that it won't be my last time on that bike.

Now fast forward to today. Derrick asks me if I want to go bike riding. I say yes with enthusiasm ('cause I'm a glutton for punishment). Shortly after breakfast we take out the bikes and start our ride. I make it up one incline (whew, so far so good). I make it up two inclines (wow!). Then we decide to go completely out of the neighborhood and ride up the street. It's hard work but I'm doing it. However, by the time we get a good distance up the road, I'm so winded and spent that the ride is no longer fun and I tell Derrick that it's time to turn back. As we head back we approach an overpass that has a walk way with a concrete barrier on one side to protect pedestrians from oncoming traffic. For some reason, I decide that this will be a perfect place for us to ride our bikes. WRONG!!! While riding a little too fast on the walk way I make the mistake of looking at the rushing traffic below me. The movement of the cars going one way while I'm moving in another direction makes me immediately dizzy and I slam directly into the concrete barrier, scraping the skin on my shin in the process. When I look down I see about 3 inches of stark whiteness where my brown skin had been (CAN YOU SAY, OUCH!!!"). By the time I got home, that whiteness had turned to pink and then bloody dripping red. It was NOT pretty.

Of course being the incredibly irresponsible people that we are, Derrick and I had no first aid kit, no bandages, no anything but some peroxide that's been in the bathroom closet for years. Derrick pored it over my enormous wound and then rushed to the grocery store to get some more antiseptic and bandages. Besides feeling like a complete and utter fool, I felt a little sad. I mean as I lay on my bed with a throbbing ankle waiting for my boyfriend to get back I couldn't help wondering...what happened to me? What happened to that kid who liked to relay race and rollerskate up and down the street with her friends, that girl who would ride her bike for hours all over her neighborhood and beyond without a care in the world, that teenager who would rather be on the basketball court shooting hoops than wearing silly dresses and makeup. What happened to that girl with all that energy, that tomboy? She used to me.

I miss her.