3 posts tagged “airports”
So as you may recall, I was in Santa Clara this week for a tradeshow. I bitched about SJC for a wee bit on my first day in the area, but other than that, I had precious little time to hang out with all that is Vox. I mean to tell you, I have a serious addiction going on here. But we'll get to that in a moment.
I have some family in the San Jose area, so this tradeshow meant getting a chance to hang out with my Uncle and some cousins while prepping for the tradeshow in neighboring Santa Clara. I haven't been in that area in nearly five years, so I was eager to catch up, and one thing I love about family is that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Being able to pick up precisely where you left off without a hitch is always good. My cousin A, is a serious family historian, so I got to see some old pictures of us way back when. Ever noticed how as you age, and grow more clear about who you truly are - you can see SO much more in your face as a child then just the smile, eyes and crazy outfits? That's surreal.
So what was good? A break away from all the evolution that's been available to me in Austin. My uncles' hospitality, and my cousins and their humor. The nice, neat proximity to the show, to Patty's and to all the places I needed to frequent in between. The way the clouds and the sky seems to be right at your fingertips nearly everywhere you go in the bay area.
Tradeshow wasn't highly trafficked, but it gave me the chance to meet some additional contacts that may be critical to the growth of our business. The folks at the neighboring booths were awesome, so we all passed the loads of slow time cracking jokes, exchanging schwag and business cards. Sometimes I forget while working virtually, how much I miss the comraderie of professional peers. That combined with enough leads to at least justify the expense of the event, is enough to get tagged...for me.
What was awesome? *insert cheese grin here* If you visited Patty, Deb, Ben, Laurel then you have already seen some pictures and heard about the fun. I was convinced I would get lost, be terribly tired or worse yet, required to stay at the show longer then I expected. But everything fell into place, as events destined to happen usually do...and I made it to Patty's place for some of the MOST delicious treats (Patty: I need to know the names of those cheeses, and the peppers stuffed with Feta, I forgot to get them from you!!!), awesome company and some of the cutest kitties I've ever encountered (you too Meisha, hehehe).
Awesome? Please...I can't do it justice. Patty's hospitality and frightening ability to intuit just what your mind, tummy and taste buds are searching for. Deb's ability to see through to the precious little I don't share here about what goes on beneath the surface of me - and for us to connect on it after a hug? Ben's impeccable sense of timing and an appreciation for some of those other little residuals I choose not to address out loud. (PS...there's a post coming once I've had a chance to find the appropriate words for it...but I know you guys know what I'm getting at..)
I took none of these great pictures (that you're likely already seen, lmao). Thanks to Ben and Patty and Annabelle for capturing the priceless moments. I raise my glass and look forward to many more.
But of course, before I get back to a sea of out of office emails and things to do...let me tell you about the ugly. Yes...there was ugly. It was warmer in Austin then it was in Cali. I must've brought the bad weather with me. A torrent of rain on Thursday morning killed any chance we had for good attendance on the final day of the show. We wrapped up our booth early and headed to the land of the lost airport nearly three hours early. So...you may ask what tired expositioners do at the end of a tradeshow with hours to spare in a busted up airport?
You drink. And you drink. And you drink. Until the airport feels cozy and quaint, until you believe you will turn every lead you acquired into a sale, until 3 hours turns into ten minutes to get to your departure gate. Do I need to tell you where this is headed? Three hours later, RPM is stewed on gin and tonics (why gin? I'm still trying to find the answer to this question), sitting on a full American flight back to ATX sitting beside a young mother and her rambunctious, refuses to sleep ten month old with the hardest little baby shoes I've ever seen been kicked by in my life. Armed with the sippy cup from hell finding its way to my lap, I wafted between green sleep (hello quease) and nasty eye rolls tossed in the general direction of the little darling who used me as a sippy cup rest and kickboard for a three and half hour flight. When did she fall asleep? While we waited to de-plane after landing, naturally.
I got off the plane, found the restroom...and uh...got reacquainted with the six or so gin and tonics consummed. I want to believe that's all I had. I would have further discussions with these cursed beverages once I got in the house. Mecca could barely hide her disgust. I managed to dial a friend in South Carolina who (hanceforth be referred to as K) was waiting up to know I made it home. He was very supportive as he stifled laughter very poorly. Even pickled I have to say, he has a way about him.
I think I'm gonna like him. Nothing ugly about that. But that's another story for another day.
So I woke up again this morning at 4am and made my way to the airport. And...as usual, there's always lots to look at in total befuddlement about the whole aviation experience.
I pondered the sanity (and taste) of the woman who sported a red pea coat and pink flip flops, in upper forty degree weather. I gave a haughty older woman a good old fashioned Philly good morning when she turned and answered, "what?" to my request to be excused so I could access the ticket kiosk. (RPM sans coffee at 4:45am after a day of flight delays could easily take Rocky, the 28 year old version or the 68 year old version) I questioned the logic of security checkpoints being chronically understaffed in large airports and incredibly efficient in airports with a quarter of the traffic. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I wondered how much faster we could deplane if people weren't in a rush to stand and clog up the aisles as soon as the seat belt light and bell goes off. My travel schedule is about to pick up again - and every season I wonder the same things at least 25 times.
Travel can really bring out the worst in people.
On my flight from Cincinnati to Austin, we made our way across the sky in a puddle jumper. I thought I'd have my seat to myself until a woman with a small elephant as carry-on, tapped me on the shoulder to access the window seat I was secretly coveting. While she tried to shove the elephant under the seat in front of her, I glanced around for another seat to escape to. While my head was turned, this woman decided to sit on my lap whle she organized her things.
"Ummm...ma'm?" I said, peering around her arm. She turned, and with great shock replies..."Oh! I didn't know I was sitting on your lap!" She stands and so do I, to give her all the space she needs to organize Babar, her purse, a sack of novels and a blanket. Once SHE is settled, I sat.
Shortly thereafter, the flight attendant asks 5 people from rows 1-6 to select seats in rows 8-13. An unusual request but a nice opportunity to get away from the "lap dancer" and her elephant - so needless to say I offered myself up. I still wonder what that was about, but it was a smooth flight, so I'll let it go.
On the SAME flight, we later had an escaped cat named Hershey. Hershey climbed out of his case while his "mom" slept, and soon made a mockery of all of us, darting in and out of the aisle in various rows until the flight attendant finally cornered him near the pilots door.
Snakes on a plane? Try baby Babar and frisky felines.
So I'm back home. Pardon me while I take a break tonight to spend some quality time with a person I've missed a great deal...
me.
Be back tomorrow.
I sit in mom's kitchen, pondering my existence, the passing of Gerald Ford and what exactly I should be blogging about this morning.
There's so much that could be said, and so much more I could should be silent about. Some things are better for books than blogs, right?
This was an odd holiday, no bones about it. Everyone I spoke to seemed to be experiencing some sort of malaise. A general lack of shiny elf-like magic that's media tells us we should feel. I came into the holiday fiercely determined to remain upbeat, cheerful, happy and accepting of all events that piece together a puzzle I can't see yet. I dodged the negative thoughts and energies I felt around me, convinced there is something in my nature that encourages people to complain knowing that they will receive an encouraging reply. I vowed to myself I would return only good strong energy. The sort you build sandcastles on when you're a child, confident nothing could ever come and wash it away. A blind, naive trust that the universe wants to bring you something beneficial. There's a little kid somewhere in me that desperately wants to believe in this notion.
I missed my voxers. I'm looking forward to catching up with my neighbors. I missed this space. It's very hard to write, anything...when I return Philly. Even to journal. It's unfortunate too, as I typically experience/see/feel so many things during these sojourns. So much to say, but I remain silent. I suppose I'm waiting for the dust to settle, and to return to a place that allows me to sit quietly enough to get it out. So for any of you who are interested...some random thoughts I've been chewing on:
- James Brown passed on Christmas Day. As is typical of human nature, I must have heard 20 or so alternative posthumus titles for his songs. Absurd little takes on his song titles. Bizarre how we mask our discomfort regarding death with humor.
- Ever noticed that somethings are so difficult to return to? Sleep from nightmare, sweet dreams in general, childhood and illusion from clarity, in particular.
- Is it foolhardy to return to Texas carrying a Philadelphia Eagles duffel bag full of presents?
- I was told by a certain someone that there's a present waiting for me when I return to Texas. And yes. For those of you who weighed in on this and this...you'll know how curious/terrified/excited/concerned I am about the prospect of this. My mantra is..."make nothing of everything." Still I wonder...why a present?
