Exhaustion - Airline Style

I'm not having a good week of flights. I had to go to Manhattan on business Tuesday and Wednesday. My flight into Newark was delayed 2 hours. I did not get to go to the American Girl store for Miss M as I had planned. Last night, I couldn't get onto the 6:20 flight back, and I had to wait on the 7:40. It left an hour and a half late, and I finally crawled home around midnight. This, after the fun and games Delta made me play on Sunday.

Delta is evil

Used to be, I had a policy about flying. See, I flew Delta. I'm a VERY loyal consumer, and it takes something drastic to make me change brands. With airlines, I will always - even if it's slightly more expensive - fly Delta. Period.

Given the current state of their balance sheet, one would think Delta would put a HIGH value on loyalty of this nature. I guess we can say I've learned a lesson about Delta's values. Loyalty ain't one of 'em.

Over the weekend, Mr. Mac and I packed up the girls and went to visit Grandma in RDU for the weekend. A nice weekend - we took in some hoops at the annual scrimmage. We skipped the football massacre. We had a great visit with Grandma and a fair number of friends. On Sunday, I checked us into our flight around 1 that afternoon, and printed our boarding passes.

For some unknown reason, I checked the flight status around 4 or so, just to ensure that there were no significant delays (due to the hurricane in Mexico). Lo and behold - our flight had been cancelled! Oy! Did Delta call us and alert us to that fact? Well, in the end, they did - at 7 something in the evening (when the flight was to leave at 8:40).

So I called them, and got a native english speaker on the 1st try, and learned our flight was cancelled: "Due to weather in the Tampa area, flights into there are cancelled".

"Oh," I said. "I see that Southwest has a flight that is still slated to make the trip, leaving an hour or so earlier than your flight. Why don't you arrange for us to fly there."

"Well, we can fly you through Atlanta," she says calmly.

Okay, I thought. That's funny. No, I didn't ask "how come the one from RDU that had open seats is cancelled, but the full ones from Atlanta aren't?" I should've.

Instead, I ask "Well, what is the arrangement for those flights?"

"The first flight leaves RDU at 7, and lands in Atlanta at 8:45. Then the second leaves Atlanta around 11:30, arriving back in Tampa at 1:02 am on Monday morning."

"Gee," I said, "I have an infant and an 8 year old. Is there any way you could put us on the Southwest flight that's direct, or at least get us in a situation with less of a layover and an earlier arrival?"

"No ma'am. We don't have any agreement with Southwest. This is the best we can do. Your flight was cancelled due to weather, and we have no obligation to you to help you get to Tampa tonight. We are being courteous to you, a valued customer, by helping you in this way."

Now, I'm thinking.... Gee, that's a whole lot of help. You cancelled my flight because of "weather", but no other flights are cancelled for this reason. You won't fly me in a similar flight with a similarly convenient schedule (even though I see availability there). Thanks for the, er, courtesy. I'm peeved, but not angry.

But, I'm not going to fight them on it, and I take my tickets with the layover from hell and haul booty to get our stuff packed so we can grab dinner and get to the airport. Grandma, by the way, was significantly impressed that I was able to pack a sprawling family of 4 in about 10 minutes flat. She wonders where I developed that skill.... I laugh.

So, we get to the airport. We get ready to board. They start pre-boarding. I go up with my baby in stroller and child lagging behind dragging her backpack on the floor, and finally followed by a husband. Then, Deb tells me that I can't board. I said, "But, ma'am, I have an infant. I need to pre-baord. Can the two of us preboard so I can get her settled?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but Delta does not allow pre-boarding for infants. You must board with your zone."

"But, Ma'am, I'm in Zone 7. I need to get her settled sooner rather than later."

"I'm sorry," she says, "But you'll just have to wait. I will not allow you to board until your zone is called."

I'm LIVID at this point. I tell her, point blank, that I hope she's content to take responsibility for Delta having lost a 34-year loyal customer. "I have, in the past, paid a HIGHER fare to fly Delta, because I'm a loyal customer. I have a history of HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of Frequent Flyer miles with you (I do! Really! I lost medallion status when I stopped travelling so much to be pregnant and have a kid!). You have basically TERMINATED this relationship here by your complete refusal to be anything other than rude. I am saying this loudly, AND HOLDING UP YOUR LINE, so that people understand that YOU HAVE REFUSED TO ALLOW A MOM AND HER INFANT DAUGHTER TO PREBOARD for the sake of some precious sense efficiency."

And then I look at the people behind me in line and say "So do you think you would have gotten on the plane faster had our friend Deb allowed me to board? Yeah, I'd wager you would have, too." And I grinned evily.

By this stage, it looked as though Deb was about to call security, so I moved on out of the way. But I stood near. I heard SEVERAL passengers tell her how unnecessary her actions were. How they were SHOCKED that she wouldn't let us board. Another passenger told her, point blank, that there is no way he'd fly Delta if given a choice after having witnessed her actions that night.

I felt vindicated. Miss M was shocked. Mr. Mac was just laughing his rear off. Miss Baby was "Ba-ba-ba-ing" and squealing.

We got to Atlanta, but couldn't make the earlier connection into Tampa, because it was full. So we played in their play area, and flew on back. While in Atlanta, I again decided to pre-board. Mr. Mac said we shouldn't provoke them, but I said I wanted to make a point. We strutted ourselves up there, and I puffed all indignantly, and held out our Zone 5 boarding passes (while they were preboarding). And my friend Bess said "Welcome Mrs. Mac. Go ahead and board with your family. If there's anything we can do to help you, please let me know."

Now, I'm flummoxed. I'm dazed and confused. They were supposed to refuse me.

On Monday, I called Delta to complain about my friend Deb in RDU. I asked "What *is* your policy with regard to families pre-boarding?"

"Oh, it really is up to the gate agent. Delta's policy is to take care of our business travelers first."

Gee, really, Delta. That's a great policy. I guess you're trying to protect your revenues so you won't end up in financial problems like your competitors who let families preboard at the expense of some business travelers? Is that right?

Oh, I forgot - you're in BANKRUPTCY. The airline that ALWAYS takes care of families, Southwest, is PROFITABLE. Another one, Airtran, is doing allright. But you keep on keeping on. And continue enjoying watching your competitors EAT YOUR LUNCH.

So now, the story goes, I will always - even if it's slightly more expensive - fly ANY AIRLINE BUT Delta. Period. I hope others will do the same.

My husband is smarty-pantsier than I

Mr. Mac got his LSAT score on Friday. 171. 98th percentile.

I made an average score of 160 - a 159 and a 161 in two takings. I feel stupid. But it's not about me - it's about him, and I'm so very proud of him to have done so very well. Of course, his goal was to make 99th percentile, so he's very bummed about all of this. I laugh.

So we now sit and evaluate all our options. I think there will be a-plenty.

Life goes on

It's amazing to me how fast time flies by, but at the same how slowly the clock ticks seconds off. In general, I feel like my days at work are interminable, but I sit down on Moday, I blink, and whoo - it's Thursday all over again. Time flies, and life goes on.

After last week's excitment, it's been nice to have a week without any trauma or drama, at least not the kind that someone doesn't create for you. My boss, ever the thoughtful one, keeps me on my toes with regard to this matter, driving chaos into an otherwise orderly existence. Of course, she sees herself as driving order into an otherwise chaotic existence, so there's the rub.

This week is a blur, in some ways, just because I've been swamped at work. I'm also preoccupied with Wilma. I'm always preoccupied with storms. I'm also preoccupied by checking the LSAC website every 10 minutes to see if Mr. Mac's LSAT score has arrived yet. Bastards - they may will wait until their stated date to publish these things! Sigh.

It amazes me, though, how I can spend a whole lot of time and energy accomplishing absolutely nothing. My job isn't one where projects frequently have what we'd call "closure". Many things are on-going processes that have to occur. When I come to work in the morning, I pick up where i left off, and sometimes I wonder what it all leads to. Maybe it's a sign of why my life feels constantly at odds and why I always feel like I have something left to do. How everything feels incomplete.

So at the end of the day, I feel like I've done a lot, but closed no open issues. I go home and spend far too little time with my family. I fall into bed, to wake at 5:30 and start it all over again. And suddenly, it's Thursday again, and I still feel like I haven't done anything. My wheels have spun in the mud, and slung a lot of it around. I've dug a nice hole. But I haven't moved.

Friday Fature

-1.5 (-10.5 total)

Gee, think not eating for 24 hours had anything to do with it?

24 Hours

That's how long this ordeal lasted. A "mere" 24 hours. It is the WORST 24 hours I have ever lived. Thankfully, I can say it's over. And everything is fine.

I left work on Tuesday, stopped by the grocery for some baby food fruits, and continued on to get Miss Baby from daycare. She had thrown up EVERYWHERE, and they were cleaning up as I arrived. They had taken off her clothes, and were changing her diaper. I went over to finish the task, when I looked and saw a BIG BULGE at the very base of her abdomen a little left of center.

I freaked. I called over her normal care-giver and demanded to know when this started appearing. They didn't know - seems she'd gone down for a nap after her lunch at 2 (after being fussy all morning), and they just woke her up. This child does not sleep more than 30 minutes or so when she's at daycare (doesn't want to miss anything).

When the picked her up to change her, she threw up everywhere.

This was very familiar - she'd done the same thing Sunday night (gone down for the evening and then moaned a good bit. I picked her up to soothe her and give her some tylenol, and was coated with sweet potatoes and other tasty baby fare).

So back to the bulge - I knew it was very likely a hernia, but it was BIG.

I got her dressed, took her, and we called the doctor's whos said they could see her at 7:40 (love, LOVE my Dr. group and their "Urgent Care Hours"). I said I'd be right down, and I'd just wait, thankyouverymuch. When I got there, they saw that she was COMPLETELY still, pale, and hurting. Then I told them I think she has a hernia, and they said "We'll work you in a little early...."

I was the second patient to see the doctor that night, who poked and prodded at her, then sent us to the ER. We were expedited through (Oh - that's another post) and she was given morphine. Then we had ultrasound and x-rays. The surgeon came about 8:30, and by 9:00, he'd worked the intestine back into her abdominal cavity. She was IMMEDIATELY better. My neighbors sent us some coffee and a stuffed animal for her, and she started laughing at the stuffed monkey. It was a JOYFUL sound.

Yesterday, she had surgery to repair the abnormality in her abdominal wall. There was the one on the left which had led to the hernia to begin with. However, she had another one on the right (which was expected), and the surgeon repaired both in the same operation. She went in to surgery at 11:30, and was in the recovery room by 1:00. We were home last night a little after 5. About 24 hours after it all began.

I cannot tell you what I felt. They let me carry her to the OR yesterday, and took her from me at the door. She waved bye-bye as they carried her in there. I don't think I've ever cried like that in my adult life. I don't think I've ever been so scared or prayed so hard or felt so horribly helpless and powerless.

But it's all okay. I'll probably blog about this for a while, because there are a lot of issues that came up. But for now, she's fine, and I'm fine, and we're all fine, and my parents are here to take care of us all (we need it). And God is truly with us today.

Peanuts Characters - a big fat Duh!

You are Lucy!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
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Shocker of all shockers, I'm Lucy. I cannot tell you how unsurprising this outcome is to me. Or to anyone around me.

Friday Fature

+/-0. Better than + anything.

Career thoughts

I've been putting a lot of thought into where my career has led me thus far, and where I will go from here. I attended law school after graduating with my MBA and no clue as to what I wanted out of life. Law school proved to me that I didn't want to be a litigator. At that point in time, I didn't want to be a lawyer of any kind - the experience scarred me that badly.

So, I opted for the world of consulting, and eventually landed at AOL and transferred internally within Time Warner to my current position in the Purchasing Department here in Time Inc.

And I'm miserable.

I don't know if it's totally my dislike of being a corporate hack - I think that it's due to my dislike of being this kind of corporate hack. I work for a micro-manager (to put it mildly) who is a complete perfectionist and also one of the worst communicators you've ever met. My department's morale is, at best, poor. We have low turnover because people don't want to leave this company (our benefits are awesome), and they can't get hired into other departments interally. So, we suffer together.

At the same time, is it really going to be different at another large corporation?

I don't know. I'm not willing to find out right now because I've got less than three months until my bonus is paid. That's usually a minimum of 10% of my salary, so it's not something to walk away from. But come January.....

I've been so lazy about my job search, which has been on and off since I got here to Tampa. It's really starting to drag me down. I have got to become more motivated because continuing in this misery isn't good for me, Mr. Mac, Miss M or Miss Baby. It's not fair to anyone, really, and not even my miserable boss.

So I hope that after the new year (Specifically after my bonus), I can pull it all together and finally make the great escape. That would be very nice.

SMU Law Rocks!

Hah! Harriet Meirs' appointment to the US Supreme Court puts a major feather in the cap of my law school alma mater, Southern Methodist University. Take that, UT! Hah!

Seriously, it's very cool to know that your law school produced someone who is worthy of such a high consideration. As many doubts as I have about George W., I must say, I will have a soft spot for Ms. Meirs, and I dearly hope to see her confirmed, if for no other reason than it will jump my law school 10 points in the US News Rankings.

In a related note - I have decided that I will take the bar in July 2009. With my husband. We'll be a law talking family. Heh.