People Watching

I love people watching.  Spending time at the airport this week has given me a chance to do a lot of people watching.  I like to sit and speculate what people’s “story” is.  After overhearing several conversations over the past couple of days, here is what I have learned:

          **I don’t like flying on “Embraer” Airplanes.  They are rather small (17 rows) and only have 3 seats across (2 on one side and 1 on the other).  I always end up on this type of plane, every time I go to Guadalajara, and this time, even though I am not in GDL, I am still on one of my most detested planes.  

          I’m not really sure what my real hang up is with these planes, except that they are small.  One time, when I sat next to a pilot, he was telling me that the smaller planes are easier to fly than the bigger ones, but that still doesn’t ease my issues with them. 

          So, anyway – I’ve learned to accept but still not enjoy these airplanes, however I will tell you… if you ever have to choose seats on one, don’t choose seat 1A or 2A.  Those seats are right next to the little “gally” (I think that’s what it’s called – where the flight attendant has all their stuff).  You’re all alone, sitting there, almost as though you’re an overachiever.  Which, clearly I am – but I don’t really like to be viewed as such in front of others.  It made me feel like we were in class and I RAN to the front of the girls line so I could be first.  I felt nerdy.  Anal.  Bored.  And unentertained.  I couldn’t watch anyone in front of me, because the cockpit door was closed.  It’s almost as though they knew I had control issues, so they put me in a padded room.  No one to look at, no one to talk to.  Just there.  In the front of the line.  For 2 and a half hours.

          At one point, I got so bored (A.D.D anyone?) that I headed to the bathroom.  Let me tell you, Embraer aircrafts are NOT hip friendly.  What do I mean by hip friendly?  For those of you who are moms, and have the body to show it… remember back before we had kids.  Those size 5 jeans? Yea, that was when we didn’t have hips.  After the two kids that made a nest in my pelvis for ¾ of a year, my hips are… well … let’s say “proportioned”.  So, back to the bathroom break.   I head back to the bathroom, only to find that, I have to do an “aisle dance” all the way back to the back; turning my hips at a slight angle to fit through. 

          Now, I don’t consider myself “fat”.  I feel like I am a 30 year old mom that has had two kids.  And I’m ok with that.  But not being able to walk straight through the aisle without bumping someone with my “junk” was a bit unnerving.  This is obviously not my fault, the issue lies solely in the hands of the aircraft manufacturer.

          What else have I learned:

          ***I met a girl on my flight from Indy to Houston that looked to be about 22 or so.  She had a 2 year old little girl and a 9 month old little boy.  She didn’t know much about flying and she certainly had her hands full.  She said she was from Muncie, but moving to Jacksonville to be with her family.  I really wondered what her full story was.

          I had a 3 hour layover in Houston, so I helped her get her stuff off the plane (she had to gate check a few things), ate McDonald’s with her and her kids and then walked them to their next gate.  I guess I felt for her because I’d been in her shoes (not literally, with traveling) but young with two kids, alone and virtually at my breaking point 90% of the time.  It felt really good to help her, and I hope she is happy in Jacksonville.

***I learned at the Albuquerque airport that there was a guy and his wife that were flying out of ABQ and headed to Europe, but had to give someone his credit card information before he left.  His wife promptly walked up to him and told him to walk away from the area so people wouldn’t hear him giving his information.  Smart Wife J

***I also learned that there was a doctor (originally, I thought he was a lawyer) dressed in a Mexican Poncho/Coat looking thing that was at a conference here in ABQ.  He was headed to Washington DC for a connecting flight, and may end up stranded there, but luckily he has a lot of friends out there, so finding a place to stay won’t be too difficult.  He attended some sort of a conference where there were Medical Malpractice Lawyers there too and he had a long conversation with a couple of them after the meeting that was “interesting”.  I also learned that he was very proud of several of his colleagues, or maybe residents, I’m not sure – because he called them and told a couple of them how highly the other people at the conference spoke of them.  After hearing his conversation(s) for a while, I grew to be proud of those individuals as well.  HA!

***I learned that my driver from the hotel to the airport retired after 20 years in the Army.  The last 9 of which he spend on “executive detail” with the General, where he traveled 340 out of 365 days of the year.  He spent a couple of weeks at Fort Bragg in North Carolina with The General so they could do “some jumps”.  His son currently lives in Germany with his family and has served in the military for a while as well.  The lady that rode with me to the airport is from Ashville, NC “in the mountains”.  She said last April, President Obama visited a resort in Ashville with his family for vacation.  Several of the roads and surrounding areas were shut down (obviously) and some people saw him golfing at the resort from their homes.  She tried to walk her dog in the area, but secret service made her stop.  The week after Obama left, the local Farmer’s Market began selling items with stickers that said “official Obama cheese, fruit, etc” citing that they had been called by officials before his visit and provided food for him.  She didn’t buy any though, because she thought it was nuts.

New Mexico

Tomorrow morning, I am headed to Rio Rancho, New Mexico for a couple of days.  It should be a whirlwind and rather interesting trip.  I spend a great majority of the day tomorrow flying.... then lead two half day meetings on Wednesday .... and fly home all day Thursday. 

I've never been out west, so I'm not really sure what to expect at all!  A few co-workers told me it's nothing but desert and tumble-weed.  ...it sure beats the Indiana snow!

I actually like to travel for work.  A lot of people will say "oh yuck!" ... but i honestly don't mind.  It's usually great timing, a few days away in a different place, doing different things that do not involve my home office... which is really nice for me.

The preparation is tiring; making sure the kids are packed for the days without me, all laundry is done and packed appropriately, etc.  However...

it is nice for all of us to have a break from the ho-hum routine we have going here and take a break.


I'm truly amazed by technology these days.  (Doesn't that make me sound reallly old?!)

Anyway - i checked in for my flight in the morning and had them send my boarding pass to my email.  Apparently, i can just click the link in my email on my phone and it will bring up a barcode that the gate will scan and that IS my boarding pass.

Who knew!?

The Waffle Box

I love the Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly Uncrustables.  I like them halfway frozen where the peanut butter is still hard. 

Weird, I know.

I could eat a whole box of them in 1 sitting.

There's a lot of things i could eat in one sitting though.  Which is probably why I weigh a great deal more than my driver's license says...

but that's a whole different blog topic.  And we're just not going to go there.

So, back to my extreme obsession adoration of Uncrustables.

I went to the store yesterday, since the kids were in school, but I was off work and got several groceries.

Typically, I tell the kids that the Uncrustables are over priced, because they usually are very pricey for 4 little sandwiches.

...but they are SO GOOD.

So, yesterday, while i was alone - i bought a box.

And i opened it when i got to the car and ate one.

it was SO GOOD.

When I got home, I shoved them in the back of the freezer so the kids wouldn't find them.

I'll admit, I feel a little guilty about it.

...but not guilty enough. 

Because today, I tucked them safely in the bottom of the waffle box.

:)

Yes, I "went there"

Oh Dear Blog Friends...

Tonight... I went there.

I had to.

I knew it was going to be a train wreck. 

But I had to.

My mom brought over my old formal dresses so I could store them in my closet.

And it was like a train wreck.

I just had to try them on.

I knew after 2 kids that they wouldn't fit.  So, i was not laying in my room on the floor crying, believe me.

So, i decided to "surprise" my son with a little "fashion" show.

If i were to say he was amused, i wouldn't do it justice.  I think he was more shocked.  Stunned.  Maybe unconcious.  Probably scared too.

...and scarred.

The first one was a silver sequin dress that had a couple of random (rust?) stains on the front.  Although it looked terrible from the front, it looked even worse from the side, where there was a lot of skin showing and a zipper that would've busted if i tried.....(let's be honest here) ... AT ALL to zip it :)

I moved on to a very, very forgiving velvet dress from my Sophomore Christmas dance.

ohhhh it was lovely, let me tell you.

Chaston said i looked like an old lady from the titanic.

...i guess it was better than a beached whale!

Favorite Blue Jeans

You know that favorite pair of jeans?  The ones that flatter your assets and help hide your liabilities.

Yea, i have some too.

I have two favorite pairs of jeans.

And one of them recently ripped.  ...badly.  As in cannot-be-fixed.  Beyond repair.  Dead.

After I went through a short process of wearing long shirts so you couldn't see the devestating damage, i decided to cave and purchase new jeans.

So, now THEY are my new favorites.

And to be honest, i kinda feel like i'm cheating on my other pair, that wasn't ripped. 

That's all i have to say in this blog. 

Getting Older...

Last year, out of no where I was having terrible hip pain to the point where I could barely get out of bed and walk.  It was ridiculous.  While I didn't feel like i was "dying" i definitely felt like i was a 90 year old lady in a 29 year old body.

I made an appointment with my family doctor to talk to her about the pain.  It was just an odd deep pain like what you would picture "arthritis" feeling like.  Although i'd never experienced that type of pain before, it was almost textbook.

So, I scheduled an appointment with my family doctor.  And she ran a bunch of blood tests for random issues that i may be having.  The bloodwork returned that I had a very eleveated "RA" factor, indicating that I had Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Fabulous.

After about a month, the symptoms went away, so i cancelled the appoint I had at that time with the Rheumatologist, thinking it was some weird fluke and that there is no reason to go to the Rheumatologist if i have no symptoms... they'll just think i'm crazy!

So a couple of months ago, the pain came back (with the cold weather), only this time it was worse in my knees and ankles.  I knew instantly what it was.  So I called the Rheumatologist again and set up an appointment.

Now, as a side note, we all know how stupid I am about not wanting an epidural when i had my kids, right?  So i compare virtually every kind of pain to childbirth.  If it isn't like childbirth, it isn't pain.

So....

this morning I head to the Rheumatologist, despite the fact that, once again - symptoms are gone.  She does a series of "tests" via palpation on my various joints and asks if i think i'm "back to normal". 

My answer: "Yea!  I don't have pain anymore, so i think i'm fine!  I am just wanting to know if there's a prescription I can take for next time it flares up!"

She said, "first of all, you must have a high pain tolorance because you're not fine.  Your many of your joints are full and the labs they took last year indicate that you have an agressive form of the Arthritis."

I was stunned.  Because i don't think it hurts, or maybe i'm just used to it!?

So, she put me on 4 weeks of steroids to reduce the inflamation in addition to Naproxyn, a daily medication that I'll need to take to stay on top of the "disease" for the rest of my life (i guess!?!).  Then, I have to go back in 4 weeks to see if the steroids have helped.

I left there wondering how old I am!?  I felt like some sort of an old bat! 

So, anyway.  That's the  boring update on my Senior-aged health ;)

In other news, I will be traveling to New Mexico for work in a couple of weeks for a whirlwind "workshop/meeting" at our Rio Rancho facility.  While I'm not looking forward to the 2 hour time difference and less than 36 hour stay... I am definitely looking forward to seeing that part of the country.  I'm sure it will be nothing amazing and fabulous, but I've never been out west (except for Vegas one time, but that was a long time ago)... so I'm anxious to check out the good 'ol SouthWest!

Speaking of getting old, I finally got a new mattress set for my bed, and it feels like i'm sleeping on clouds!  FINALLY!  It was long over-due!

Now, I think i'm done :)

Wash the Windshield? What?!

Oh, dear sweet readers of mine.

The last couple of months have been a whirlwind of drama and issues that have caused me to fall off the beaten path a little bit, perhaps lose my stance and just generally leave me feeling like I have to start from scratch.

But that's not what this blog is about.

While I didn't really want to have to change my entire blog to something out of the ordinary, this blog sets a milestone of sorts.  A foundation.  A new beginning.  Toward a new start.  If you knew me in all four years of French Class, you will remember me as Arlette.  If you did not know me in French Class, from here on out, I will be referring to myself as Arlette.  I don't want this blog to be searchable on the web/using my name.

So, what does "Wash the Windshield" mean?

Other than the fact that I was really struggling with a catchy name that would be discreet and creative, I've been reading a book called "The Windshield is Bigger than the Rearview Mirror."  Basically, it suggests that we need to focus on what lies ahead; through the windshield - rather than what lies behind us; through the rearview mirror.  So, I'm determined this year, to keep my "windshield"  clean.  There will be times when it becomes dirty, smudged, smeared, etc.  But the my goal is to clean it off, let it go and keep pushing forward.

I spent the last few days of 2010 away from home, in another state as sort of a mini-getaway for myself.  No kids, No house, No work, etc.

And it was nice.

It wasn't nice as in, I sat in a padded room and really reviewed my pure existence; but rather that it gave me a chance to "detox" from the drama and issues, relax and think a lot about Arlette.

It also gave me a chance to think about my barrings and my focus for the new year.  As I said in a previous blog, I didn't really have any goals in 2010, other than to just keep on keepin' on.  And to be honest, i haven't defined any major goals for 2011 just yet...

however...

While I was on the airplane for a few hours, I found an area of one of my books that helped me start thinking about goal setting and not becoming so overwhelmed with life.

The book suggested that I first establish my "Priorities".  And it really helped me to define my priorities.  It said that I should first decide what it is that only Arlette can do, that no one else can.  While Arlette can do many things, it is necessary to determine what things in the world ONLY Arlette can do.

So, I decided this:

1.) Arlette is the only person in the world that is responsible for her relationship with God.  She must do everything she can to grow that relationship with God in the ways she desires.

2.) Arlette is the only person in the world responsible for who she is.  She must do whatever needs to be done to help her be the person she wants to be.

3.) Arlette is the only person in the world that can be a mother to "little man" and "darling diva".  She must do everything in her power to give them the love and support that only a mother can do.

4.) Arlette is responsible for maintaining and providing for her home both emotionally and financially.  She must make decisions in her life that will benefit the overall needs of the home itself and those within in.


And those things, my friends ... are my Priorities.  Those are things that ONLY Arlette can do. 

Now, what does this all mean?  If someone, something, or a decision needs to be made, i need to train myself to first ask,

"Can someone else do it?" 

For instance, a friend might need me to babysit her child during my normal work hours.

"Can someone else do it?"  Well, obviously - yes.

The second question -

"Will it interfere with any of my priorities?"  Unforutnately, yes.  While it may seem minor, it would potentially interfere with me providing financially for my home.  If i don't get my work done because i'm helping someone else, and I lose my job.... obviously all of my priorities are impacted.

So my answer to the quesiton my friend asked would have to be "no."

No matter how much I wanted to do it.

This past weekend is a perfect example of an opportunity where I was able to say "yes":

I flew back into town on Friday (New Year's Eve) and was asked to do a last minute quickie wedding photography session.

"Can someone else do it?"  Yes

"Will it interfere with any of your priorities?"  The answer was actually No!  I didn't have my kids anyway - so i was happy to oblige! 

 I've been tested a lot in the last few days with regards to this exact topic.  Which has given me a huge opportunity to learn from this method.  I love to help people.  Lord knows, I'm a people-approval addict, however I know this behavior is unhealthy and has left me with a lot of negative feelings about people and situations.

No one else can look after my priorities because i'm the only person that can execute against them.  Therefore, I have to make decisions that will either benefit or not hinder those priorities.

I can't tell you how ready I am for a fresh start. 

So Dear 'ol 2011....

BRING IT ON!