Delay at O'Hare

In Chicago... God I hate O'Hare. Delays are an every trip occasion. The only time you have no delay is the time when you have a tight timeline. Two weeks ago, I had that tight timeline and I barely made the plane...

So, I am stuck in a 2 hour and 21 minute delay due to "weather." There was bad weather moving about 3 hours ago, but they are still blaming the delay on that. I really blame O'Hare's outdated air traffic control equipment. That outdated equipment becomes a big problem when weather delays come up because they are not able to adapt as quickly as operators in other airports.

Oh well, what can you do... Anyways, I have to be here next week. I should have just brought more clothing so I could stay for the weekend. In reality, coming home for a few days is what I look forward to (besides the weeks that I stay home).

Adios.

Stuck in Houston...

So, I am stuck in Houston. It was such a long day...

I was suppossed to fly home today. I should have been home around 11:30 pm (including the drive home. My flight plan would have taken me from Dallas to Houston to home. Well, the hurricane weather affected Houston weather and I spent most of my time from 3pm until 7:30pm on either the plane or at the gate.

So, here is a run down of my day at the airport.

• I arrived at my gate at the airport around 2:30pm for a 3:25 flight.
• I ate lunch at Dickey's (for the second day in a row).
• I sat at the airport for about an hour.
• I boarded the plane.
• We sat on it for over an hour
• We returned to the gate so that the dogs in the cargo area could get water (apparently there is some law that dogs cannot sit in cargo away from the gate for more than an hour).
• We were allowed to exit the plane. I was so excited since I was so thirsty and I knew that there was a Starbucks right by the gate.
• I walked over to Starbucks for a nice iced mocha. Well, the very helpful and ambitious employees, said that they were, and I quote, "out of mocha and frappucinno stuff."
• I re-boarded the plane only to wait another hour or so.
• The plane takes flight....
• We arrive in Houston and my flight to home has already taken off.

So, you ask. What does a hot, young man like me do with all of my free time? Well, God seemed to have smiled on me. He must have seen all of the crap I have dealt with over the last few weeks (months, etc.) and how much fun my travel has been. Continental had already booked me on the first flight home. The bad.... I fly at 6:50am. The good...I AM FLYING FIRST CLASS... I am SO excited. I was also able to get a room at the Marriott that is a part of the airport.

I can't wait to get home and see my family. I also can't wait until my room service comes... I am so super, duper hungry and, as you can tell by my rambling and spelling, I am very tired.

Ahoy!

Dallas...Big Thoughts

This week has been better... I think that sometimes I make things into being much bigger than they are...

Isn't it funny that when you focus so much on a small problem that you can make the problem bigger than it is, but when you look at that same issue in a big picture view that the problem appears so small...

I guess it takes being in Texas to realize that I really need to look at the big picture (think... think... Ok, I will fill you in on the layer below the monologue... Think of saying "everything is bigger in Texas").

So, Dallas is not bad... I actually have friends here. There are three people that are here that started on the same day as me. Something about being in training with someone on your first week bonds you to that person for life. I am blessed to have them as friends. It makes me feel a little bit like I am home. Now, of course, my few real friends at the "P" place will always have a special part in my heart. I hope to see you all soon (as soon as I have a week home...)

And, as for home, I look forward to coming home at week end to see my family. I would walk through fire for them. Nothing makes me happier than knowing that they are happy and well.

The Albatross... May it be replaced with Dove instead of a Raven

So, the harbinger of a delay seems to carry forth fruit... If I had been a sailor, I would have seen an albatross as my harbinger...

So, O'Hare AVIS ran out of cars and I was stuck with a Hyundai Sonata with XM radio... The car sucks and the XM sucks more... I thought that God knew I was a Sirius man...

Also, I decide to stay at a hotel different from the hotel I normally stay at. Well, I picked the wrong Oakbrook hotel. This one is farther away from work and from the odd sense of comfort I had in the old hotel and its location.

I pray that my albatross of a week beginning will lead me towards my dove of a week end (one of peace and happiness) and not my raven (gloom and despair).

O'Hare Sucks!

O'Hare f****ng sucks!

First and foremost, the air traffic control delays flights for apparently no reason... The skly could be clear and the forecast free of clouds, storms, rain, snow, etc., etc... Today is a prime example, friggin sunny weather in my hometown and at ORD... To quote the great Napoleon Dynmaite, "Friggin Idiots."

Second, the airport apparently has not been cleaned or enhanced in years. The only improvements, that I am aware of, is to add another runway and to add an entrance to the west side of the terminals... The terminal I fly out of has extension cords for customers to plug into... NICE!

Hopefully this delay is not a harbinger of how this trip will be. I am staying at a new hotel this week. I got so tired of staying in the same place every week!!!

Wish me luck!!!

Sports and Life

While on the road, it is nice to read or see something that reminds me of home.

I watch all the national games I can find and read all of the local sports coverage out there.
One of my favorite sports writers, Brian Windhorst, posts a blog here: http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/. He is insightful, funny and direct. He hasn't posted in awhile and here is why...

Brian has some sort of vascular disease. Here is a blog post about it:
http://bjretirees.blogspot.com/2008/06/brian-windhorst-in-intensive-care.html

Get well soon!

Some random thoughts:

• For 10 years, I worked somewhere and while I didn't always love it, it was a constant, comfortable place for me. Now, everywhere I turn I see advertisements for this company. I know I give off this "F' the world" attitude, but seeing the ads everywhere is equivalent to someone being dumped by a girl who ends up dating a celebrity... It is quite a cheese grater feeling.
• Work is crazy...55+ hours of work a week... I hope that it all stops, but this week will end up being 60+...
• Finally... I will be travelling to somewhere other than Chicago next month... I will be in Hartford and Santa Barbara in back to back weeks (probably sandwiched between Chicago trips).
• I am really lucky to be married to "little hottie who sleeps in my bed." She really is such a foundation for me. I couldn't imagine being married to anyone else or having anyone else raise my kids...
• You know the best part of "Knocked Up?" Jody, of course... That character cracks me up!
• Can't believe that the Indians suck this bad... But, can you imagine the Milwaukee Brewers food bill now? CC is 6'6" and 290 and Fielder is 5'11" and 270. Good Lord!!!
• Congrats to my big one... She is now an orange belt.
• And the little one... My wife informed me that she cried while listening to some music in the car because it reminded her of me... I was touched when she told me that it was Jewel and not some metal song about hating parents... LOL

Adios... Talk to you all later...