Dobrindts dot com...again

Oh for Christ’s sake, Delta, get it right. Your call center system is terrible. I have been traveling on the Delta Shuttle twice a week since June. Other than an occasional flight attendant that hates people, or at least Shuttle passengers, I love it. What I hate is your phone system. Because I travel so much and things always change, I probably call your Silver medallion 800 number 2 or 3 times a week. The number is 1-800-325-6330. I call it directly. When I finally get past the automated voice (I’m sorry, I didn’t get that, let me connect you to a person), the following happens. And trust me, it doesn’t happen every now and then, it doesn’t happen 50 or 90% of the time, it happens every…single…effing…time…I…call.

Some global resource person sitting in a run down office building on the coast of India answers. They are pleasant enough and I usually have to speak a little slower than I normally would or I will have to repeat myself.

Me: Hello. I am on the 5:30 shuttle from NY to Boston and would like to change it to 6:30.

Phone person than asks me for my confirmation number, ticket number, whatever after they repeat back my question.

Now, here is where the problem starts. For some reason I do not get to the Silver line. So I have to give the call center person all of my information and explain, slowly and in detail, my issue. After doing that, they realize I am a Silver medallion and tell me they have to transfer me to the Silver medallion desk. And guess what? When I get to the Silver medallion desk, I have to give all of my information again. My skymiles number, my ticket number, an explanation of my problem. It’s like a horrible version of Ground Hog’s Day.

One time I even confirmed the number. I said “What is the Silver number so I can dial it directly. I just dialed 800-325-6330. What is the number I should dial” and the response was “Please call 1-800-325-6330 next time.” Huh? What?? Why do you mock me?? Why not LISTEN to what I just told you. I DO dial that number directly, it’s on my one-touch call feature on my cell phone. Trust me. I dial it directly. How the (expletive deleted) do I get to the Silver line directly if I am ALREADY dialing the stupid number. I DO DIAL IT DIRECTLY…you bad bad person.

So anyway, for a while I just asked the person if they could take care of it without transferring me. They follow the rules and do not help me. So to take care of the Silver folks, they transfer, where I have to wait on hold, then go through the entire thing again. So I decided to just say, before anything is done, to just transfer me. I tell them that I know they are going to transfer me anyway, so please just do it so I only have to go through the experience once and save me the rectal exam. But do they? That’s right, no they don’t. They follow their operating procedure, which I cannot fault them for, and they force me to give them all of the information, usually a couple of times because of the language barrier, before they tell me they have to transfer me. And it’s kind of weird because it’s like they don’t remember me telling them to transfer me anyway. They never say sorry, or I was right, they simply thank me for calling or offer help with a rental car or hotel. Which is another thing. I might be an anomaly, but when I call Delta, it is usually about air travel. And airplane tickets. I will not suddenly realize I need help with a rental car or hotel. Delta is not a travel agent, so stick to your core competency. Why not offer roofing or aluminum siding?

So like I was saying, I try to just explain that they should transfer me. One time I called three times in one hour because I would give my information, and they would transfer me, and then I was on hold for at least 5 minutes. When on a cell phone, with a maximum amount of minutes per months before you start paying 15 bucks a second, 5 minutes on hold is forever.

Look, Delta has other things to worry about, I know that. Bankruptcy, funding their pension plan, high fuel costs, grumpy flight attendants. But I have to call at least 2 or 3 times a week and I go through this every single time. It’s annoying. Maybe I am doing something wrong and need to enter a magical combination of key strokes to actually get to the Silver desk, or maybe everyone goes through this and it’s their way of having fun. Who knows? It just bugs me.

Posted by David at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am sitting on an Acela train traveling back to Boston from New York. They predicted really bad weather in the northeast and the flights were starting to get backed up.

This is my first time on the Acela, Amtrak’s high speed train. My first impression after sitting on it for a while is that for a high speed train it’s not very high speed. We’re strolling along like it’s a Grand Canyon site seeing tour. I was imaging streaming through the countryside like a fighter pilot in a freakin metal bullet. I had an image of zipping past old barns and warehouses so fast you could only make out the color of the building. I’ve taken the regular Amtrak train enough to realize that we are not going any faster than that. It’s pretty…unimpressive.

I will admit I like the seats. They seem more comfortable and spacious than the regular trains. And I saw a pretty cool thing by Amtrak. Sitting in the row in front of me was a guy who got on the wrong train. Instead of going to Boston he was suppose to go to Philadelphia. When the conductor took his ticket they both realized the mistake. So the conductor, an older woman, walked away for a bit and came back and said they would stop at the next available stop, Stamford, which is not a normal stop, so this guy could get off and head back to NY to catch a train to Philadelphia. The stop only had a minor impact on the train schedule and made a huge difference for this poor guy. Nice move on Amtrak’s part since it was not their fault. They get a gold star.

I might get up in a little bit and explore the café car. I heard a guy who I think is a frequent customer of this route say “Do you want today’s coffee or yesterday’s?” while walking from the car “Today’s will cost you extra” he finished as he sat down next to his friend. I love the Delta Shuttle but the travelers are grumpy, in a rush and keep to themselves. The mood on the train seems much more relaxed and jovial. And I love that I have space, a plug for my laptop, I can talk on my cell phone and I didn’t have to go through the normal security hassles. But, and this is the HUGE reason why I don’t take the train, it is almost 4 hours to get from Penn to South Station and the Delta Shuttle is 40 minutes wheels up. I can leave the client location in NYC at 4:15, get on the 5:30 Shuttle, and walk in my door at 7:30 or earlier. With the train, it is much easier to get to Amtrak but if the train leaves at 5, I get to South Station at 8:45, and then have to get home which could take another 30-60 minutes. Flying is just quicker than the train.

Thought I’d share.

Posted by David at 08:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am using dial up right now at the NY Hilton on 6th and 54th. You want to know why? Because this hotel treats me like DIRT. I swear that I was treated better before I was Diamond Hilton Honors level. I used to get coupons for free takeout breakfast, now I don't even though lower levels of Hilton Honors get them. I used to get a room on a high floor, now I don't. I used to get rooms with small comforts like, I don't know, shampoo and soap, now I don't. I used to get a free bottle of water in my room, now I don't. My freakin rooms used to have internet access that actually worked, now I get to use dial up after trying to connect for two hours and spending almost all of that time on the phone with technical support. The (expletive deleted) TV used to work and now I have to get up and turn it off manually, the phone on the desk used to work and when my room smelled like smoke and I asked for a new one they USED TO OBLIGE. Oh, they set up a special desk in the lobby for Diamond level guests so that I can get treated more rudely then the regular check in, hell, the computer kiosks have more of a personality. In fact, I should use the kiosks from now on because at least I won’t walk away feeling like I bothered someone. I hate this hotel and I curse the Hilton name, except for Paris Hilton who is strange.

Sorry, I needed to vent. At least my room is not covered in large spiders and there are no snakes under my bed, I think. Plus, the bed is comfortable.

Posted by David at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The little bottle of shampoo the hotel gives you may look like exactly like the little bottle of mouthwash they give you, but it most certainly doesn’t taste the same, especially at 6 in the morning when you are just waking up.

Thought I’d share.

Posted by David at 05:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Things with the NY Hilton have been pretty good the last month or two. Not so much because the actual hotel has changed, but I have been working with two specific people, one at the hotel, one part of their 800 number, who have been extraordinary. I am now a Diamond Hilton Honors level, which is the highest level, I think, you can be. One of the benefits according to their website is that I am guaranteed a room if I call 48 hours in advance. I am at the hotel this week and realized I needed to extend my stay until Friday, so I called last night to change my check out date from Thursday to Friday, which is more than 48 hours in advance.

Me: (over the phone with a hotel person) Hi, I am scheduled to check out on Thursday but would like to extend to Friday.

Hotel Person: Please hold

(I hold the phone for 5 minutes while waiting, then put it down on speaker phone for another 5)

Hotel Person: I’m sorry but we are sold out Thursday night, we cannot extend your stay.

Me: (confidently, knowing I have the Diamond in my back pocket, a little surprised they didn’t know that with their magical computer that identifies what room is calling) Hmm…but I am a diamond level, I thought I was guaranteed a room if I book far enough in advance.

Hotel Person: That doesn’t apply when the hotel is sold out.

Me: (waiting for her to laugh, thinking she was joking…still waiting…silence…dawns on my she is not joking) Huh? A guaranteed room only applies if the hotel has availability?

Hotel Person: Yes sir.

Me: (losing a tiny bit of patience, but know that her statement is as far off as me jumping up in a business meeting and demanding a silver goblet of goat blood) That makes no sense. If the hotel is not sold out, why do I need a guaranty?

Hotel Person: The Diamond Level desk will be open tomorrow morning, could you call back then?

Me: Sure (I whisper as I hang up the phone) Dance jester, dance.

Posted by David at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Song, Delta’s low fare carrier, is not longer the target of my ire. I am not traveling to the city that Song flies to and I take the wonderful Delta Shuttle to my new location, New York City. The new target of my complaining is going to be the New York Hilton.

I have been staying at this hotel every week for the past 6 weeks. Every…single…time…I check in they treat me like it was my first time in NY and the first time in their hotel. Here is how the exchange usually goes.

I wait in the Hilton Honors check-in line forEVER while the non Honors line moves like the conga at my friend Ray’s wedding. When I finally get called up, I shake the dust of my suitcase and wipe the cobwebs that have formed around my neck.

Me: Hi, checking in for the week.

I hand over my ID and credit card.

Clerk: (in a monotone and disingenuous voice) Hello Mr. (terrible pronunciation of my name), welcome to the NY Hilton, we are glad to have you.

Me: (mutter under my breath) No you’re not, stop lying you lying liar. You hate me.

Me: Thanks, I have two questions when you’re ready.

Clerk: (with no expression at all other than utter discontent that I am bothering him/her). Go ahead.

Me: Can I have a room on a high floor and is there any way I can have access to the concierge room.

Clerk: (doesn’t even think for a split second, response is faster than my buddy Jay reaching for a free beer). You are not a diamond level and have not purchased this option and our policy states...blah blah blah. (clerk launches into a long scripted response about policy and they cannot do this and there is no way that I am getting this).

Clerk: Let me see about the high floor…kind of tight today…not looking good…really full…highest I can do is 8…we are so freakin busy my eyes are going to pop…holy mother of God there is no way we can do high floor…you stupid ugly goat-kissing jerk how can you ask for a high floor…OUT of here right now and sleep on the street...asking for a high floor…who the (expletive deleted) do you think you are…Paris Hilton or something…high floor…jerk.

Ok, that last one was made up. I usually get a polite answer for my options. Never an issue with the floor.

Clerk hands me my key.

Clerk: Elevators are around the lobby to the left.

Me: I have been here six weeks in a row, I know where they are.

Clerk: Hope you enjoy your stay.

Me: Shut up! No you don’t. You hope I DON’T enjoy my stay. I will get to my room and it will smell like smoke and the bathroom will smell like elephant dung was recently hidden in there. Then I will find out that there is no wired broadband connection and the wireless in that room is spotty. Then I will get either a flat panel plasma that takes 3 seconds for each channel to materialize or a regular TV with dead batteries in the remote. And oh yeah the bathroom will not have shampoo or there will be dirty cue tips on the floor and the air conditioner will be loud I know it because there is SOMETHING wrong every single time I am here and when I try to remedy it things only get worse. Then I will be charged for a mini-bar item even though I told them to keep the key and there will be an extra charge for the internet use how can I be charged three times in a 24 hour period after the stupid thing DIDN’T EVEN WORK!!! Then the clerk will tell me she will take care of it but the computers are down and that is a ruse to get me to leave and she will not do anything and I will not realize it until I do my expenses three weeks later WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO I pay what you ask for your tiny run down rooms. And in the off chance I leave something in the room after I check out like I recently did with my iPod Shuffle I can kiss that goodbye and what will you say to me? Nothing. Not an apology for not being able to retrieve my item. Not a sorry that it disappeared somehow. Nothing after I have to leave 4 messages to NOT get a return call from lost and found and have to go through security and not have one…single…call…back…from anyone. And what will I do to reward the Hilton chain which is a laughing stock because of a silly media whore named Paris? I’ll book 3 nights a week for the next 2 months. All because I have committed to building my Hilton points. That one single dumb reason is why I will come back week after week and endure your torment.

Clerk: Have a free breakfast coupon.

Posted by David at 05:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I freakin left my iPod Shuffle in at the New York Hilton hotel when I checked out this morning. AAAAHHHHHHHHH. CRAP!!! I went for a run last night and hung the iPod, which was in a waterproof case that hangs around your neck, and hung it up on a hook in the closet to dry out…PLUS a new set of running earphones, PLUS a hat, all in the closet. And I LEFT IT THERE. AAAHHHHHHHHH. Of course I called the hotel and of course no one turned it in. Now, I am not saying the housekeeping staff is less than ethical, but they didn’t turn it in. To their credit, they could have missed it and the person who checked into the room after me could have found it and taken it. True. But a couple of years ago when I left my Palm Pilot in a Hertz car in Philadelphia, it was gone forever. So someone, somewhere, possibly a child or nephew of a low-paid chambermaid, is listening to a punk version of 99 Red Balloons. AAAAAHHHHHHGGGGRRRUUUPPP I hate that I left it there and it is gone. DAMN IT. And I can’t yell at anyone, other than the staff who didn’t take it at the New York Hilton. Oh well, at least it wasn’t the more expensive version of the iPod.

Posted by David at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I can’t say enough about the Delta Shuttle. Here is my latest story.

Thursday evening is the business period of the week for the New York to Boston leg of the Delta Shuttle. The 5:30PM flight is tough to get on as is the 6:30 and so on. I have been in NY for the past 4 weeks and head home Thursday night. I usually book my flight early enough so I get on the 5 or 6:30 flights but this week due to a strange situation I had to cancel my 5:30 and couldn’t get another flight until 7:30.

This afternoon I decided to take a car at 4:40 and head to LaGuardia and see if I could make an earlier flight. It was a very long week and I wanted to try to get home. I got to the airport a little after 5 and had this exchange with the Delta ticket agent.

Me: Hi, I am on the 7:30 shuttle to Boston but was hoping to go stand-by on the 5:30.

I handed her my driver’s license, she dropped it.

Ticket Agent: My hands are so slippery today.

Me: It’s a sign of intelligence.

TA: Heh. I’ll put you on standby, it doesn’t look good though.

Me: Thanks, wish me luck.

TA: I’ll keep my slippery fingers crossed.

I got to the gate and it was the usual pandemonium. They had already boarded the ticketed passengers and there was a huge crowd of well dressed adults standing in a large roughly formed semi-circle around the gate. People were telling each other war stories

Passenger: I am on the 7:30 and am going to be here for this flight and the next (6:30, they leave every hour on the half hour) trying to get to Boston.

Passenger: I am on the 8:30.

Passenger: Since Accela went down all the flights are full.

Passenger: I did this two weeks in a row, I’ll never get out.

So I looked at the board and there were 63, Sixty three, standby passengers. On the board it says how many seats there are, how many have checked in, and how many are open. The board said this

Available Seats: 120
Checked In: 114
Seats Remaining: 6

I then looked at the list of standby passengers, expecting to see my somewhere in the 50s, but had to keep looking. I looked and looked and there I was, at number 6. NUMBER 6. How the (expletive deleted) did that happen?? I had just checked in. I guess I am starting to get some exposure in the Delta Medallion system.

So I called Patti and started talking to her. I thought there was no way I would make even though I had a good standing. As I was talking to her, mapping out my plan for getting home at 9:30 or so, I saw other passengers come up with legitimate tickets and board the plane. No freakin way I would make it.

After a few minutes, about 10 minutes before the flight was suppose to take off, I looked at the board and noticed there was 1 unclaimed seat. I then looked at the standby list and saw that I, DOB/D, was number ONE, numero UNO, on the list. Vote for Pedro I was close.

About one second later I heard the gate agent called out the two sweet sweet words I was looking for…”David Dobrindt”. Stunned, I looked up and half expected to hear he say someone else’s name.

I walked past the mass of suits and dress slacks standing there and said in a meek voice “Did you call my name?”

Sweet Mother of Mercy, they did.

I quickly hung up with Patti, handed them my ticket, and let them scan me through, and walked down the gangway.

How did I get this lucky. This doesnot happen to me. Ever.

You have no idea how happy I was at that point. I would get home to put my daughter to bed. I would get to watch the full Yankees/Red Sox game. This was unreal. I quickly told the gate agent that they just made my week and walked to the flight attendant checking carry-on bags. I always have a carry-on but as you can imagine all the over head compartments were full. I was so freakin happy at that point that I filled out my own slip and put it on my bag. After all, why not speed things up a little, I was the last person on the plane.

I then had a quick pleasantry with the flight attendant on the plane and looked for the open seat. Usually I hate middle seats but at this point I could have cared less if I sat between a sore infested crack addict and a decomposing corpse. I was on the plane heading home. Now that I think about it, I might have kissed the little old lady in the window seat who smiled at me as this handsome well dressed man took the middles seat, smiled and said to her “Good stuff.”

I love the Delta Shuttle more than anything I can think of other than some select human beings. In fact, if the Delta Shuttle were a woman, I might have married it instead of Patti. It has its flaws but otherwise has everything I could hope for in an airline and then some. If it were a woman it would be tall, blond, fair skin and light eyes, sweet personality and always surprising me with the small things. And she would be as reliable as my buddy Jay is when it comes to putting back beers. I love the shuttle for everything that it is and for making me sing out loud to the famous James Taylor song but with edited words…

…“How sweet it is to love the Delta Shuttle.”

I had an awful week but getting on before 60 or so other people made my day. Thank you Delta Shuttle, I owe you a drink.

Posted by David at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have been in NY City this entire week for work. My hotel is near Central Park so I have been running in the morning or evening around the park. Yesterday was the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge, so I had to share with 35,000 other runners. I actually like running in the park. I found a good loop that goes around the reservoir. There are a huge number of others who are running, roller blading, riding bikes or just walking. Central Park really is a pretty park, at least the areas that I have seen. I heard that muggings have gone up, but I doubt anyone would try to take my $20 walkman or beat up Jets shirt I wear, especially with hundreds of other within eyeshot. Plus, who would mess with me, I look menacing and like a killing machine.

Speaking of NY, I have come to the realization that the New York Hilton, while having rundown and beat up rooms, doesn’t employe people who are rude to only me…they are rude to everyone. I have stayed at this hotel before and am amazed at how rude, inconsiderate and uncaring the employees can be. But a colleague who lives in the city made a good point. When I ask a clerk behind the counter if they have a Wall Street Journal that I can have, and he points outside and grunts “Newsstand”, he would have said that to anyone, not just me. And when I asked the concierge person for a running map of Central Park and she points at a kiosk with brochures for tourist attractions and some generic NY City maps, she would have done that to anyone. It’s not personal; it’s just the way they are. I like to believe they are kind, caring and gregarious in their personal life, and working with so many people day in and day out has hardened them.

One other thing that is interesting is that cab drivers are like NASCAR racers only with people in the way, and without the safety equipment, and with a stranger in the backseat, but they never seem to bump each other. They swerve in and out of traffic and across lanes as if they are in perfect unison. It’s like watching a large group of ballerinas perform a complicated piece where everyone knows exactly where they and others are supposed to be. It’s a little frightening as a passenger, and thrilling, but it seems to be safe.

Finally, I am amazed at how little actual earth you can see on the ground. It’s almost like it is on a floating man-made platform in the sky. Aside from an occasional portal that has a tree growing out, almost all of the visible ground at major sections of Manhattan has some sort of cement/brick/asphalt covering. With this is the unbelievable amount of buildings, shops, stores and other commercial space that Manhattan supports. There are thousands of large and small stores to support the millions of residents and commuters who come into the city. It really is an amazing city.

That’s it. Nothing special or insightful. Just thought I’d share.

Oh, there is one other thing. Billy Graham is in town for his final NY City show on Friday. There are some posters up promoting it. Billy Graham in NY City is as far away from a good fit as anything possible. Not hostile, just not real appropriate.

Posted by David at 05:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The other day I had a flight and got to the airport in plenty of time. I boarded the plane for a 3:30 scheduled departure. About 10 minutes before we were scheduled to leave the pilot came on and said that an inspection of the plane found that it was hit by lightening and that while not uncommon, this particular hit made a bigger mark than usual. Delta procedure called for a methodical inspection which is a good thing, so he said that the wait would probably be about an hour. Since I had a book to read and they turned on the TVs on the plane, I sat back and relaxed. About 30 minutes later he came on and said they were going to cancel the flight and we all had to get off.

At this point in my story most of the 3 faithful readers of my blog would expect a cynical tale of terrible customer service and horrid examples of why Delta is the devil. But not this time.

I was with a colleague and as we both got off with the 200+ other passengers we heard a gate agent come over the PA in the terminal and told all of us to see a gate agent (at this point about 50 people deep for one person) or to go to a section with a bank of phones and call reservations (about 100 people deep). Always trying to find a shortcut, I just called Delta directly from a pay phone. The phone person said that myself and my colleague were already rebooked on the 7PM flight and that we were all set. Nice. Taking care of us. Good.

We had to kill a couple of hours and the place was a zoo. Not wanting to sit in the terminal and try to find some place to plug our laptops into, I decided to try the Delta Crown Room. I do not have a pass (costs a few hundred dollars) and was not with someone who is a member (then I get in for free). But I thought I would try. After all, I was well dressed and only wanted the quiet work space, not to drink and cause trouble, like I usually do. So we waited in line and when it was our turn to talk to the receptionist person in the Crown Room I walked up and in a very quiet voice said “Our flight was cancelled and we have to kill a couple of hours, do you mind if we work in here for a while?”. The women, also in a quiet tone, said “No problem, go on in, just don’t tell anybody.” Bless this Delta rep for breaking the rules to make me, a very difficult person to please, happy.

So we worked in there, went to the Summer Shack restaurant for dinner and got ignored for a while and finally left, then got on our flight. The Summer Shack story is almost too insignificant to tell. Short version – we sat down and were ignored for about 7 or 10 minutes. While being ignored, another person sat down next to us, a waitress came by, took his drink order, and brought it to him, and we had not even seen a person yet. I got up to ask the hostess to send someone over to us, she turned and said something to another waitress who asked ME what section I was in, like I would somehow know, then I went back to the table to continue being ignored for another 5 or so minutes. At that point we just gave up and left. Who cares, there are 10 other places to get something to eat.

Anyway, while in the Crown Room another Delta person moved our seats on the next flight to good seats in the exit row and gave us meal vouchers. Another example of doing more than was expected and left me feeling good.

We got on our flight, had an uneventful time, then made it to the hotel in Orlando.

Posted by David at 05:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I drive to and from work, my mind often wanders. I like to think of it as day dreaming but it’s probably ADD. Either way, I pass my time by listening to talk radio and talking to myself. Sometimes I talk on the phone but for the most part hate talking on a cell phone, especially in the car, and would rather wait until I am in front of a land line. When anyone drives in traffic, there are a few different behaviors that I always find interesting. I often wonder what the person is like who drives a certain way. I tried to categorize some of the things people do and took a guess at what they are like in person.

1 – Laggers. I hate this behavior. Hate it. When I am in the car it is usually in heavy traffic. Vehicles move anywhere from a stand still to 30 miles an hour. A lagger is someone who always keeps at least a 3 or 4 car-length distance between themselves and the car in front of them. 99% of drivers in traffic, because it’s moving so slow, are pretty close to the car in front of them, let’s guess it at one to ½ a car length. The lagger is someone who almost never gets anywhere near that close. When traffic is moving and there is this huge gap, the lagger will slam on their brakes when they see the brake light go on from the car in front of them, even though they have a huge amount of cushion. This drives me nuts. I sit behind this type of driver and watch car after car after car get in front of this person while our lane continues to make less progress as other lanes. It drives me nuts.

I can picture the type of person. Walks slow in the mall or at an airport so others have a hard time getting by them. Window shops and often looks like they are trying to peer out from under their glasses at something that is eye level. Takes their time in line at a store, doesn’t get their cash or credit card out until the cashier tells them the total. Hugely risk adverse. Waits for the crosswalk to tell them when to go. Life is a little boring and slow. No rush to get anywhere because probably not much waiting for them. Low to mid level local government job in accounting or book keeping.

2 – No turn signal. This is a fairly common driver, especially in Massachusetts. In fact...

2 – No turn signal. This is a fairly common driver, especially in Massachusetts. In fact, drivers ed in this state never touches on these silly sticks coming out of the steering column called “turn signals”. This driver cuts from lane to lane, gets into the off or onramp, makes right turns at intersections, and the turn arrow is never a thought. Most of the time this doesn’t bother me except when it impedes on what I am doing. If I am driving along at whatever speed I want and someone in front of me moves lanes without a turn signal, who cares, no harm done to me. But when I am waiting to make a right hand turn and there is a car coming from the left, and I wait and wait and the car slows down and makes the right onto the street I am on, I get annoyed. I could have gone if I knew they were turning.

This person is easier to peg than most. Arrogant, self-important condescending jerk. This is the type of person who walks right up to the security checkpoint even though there is a huge line and sneaks his way into the line. This person enters a coffee shop that doesn’t have a good queue system and goes right to the next available order-taker. This person smokes cigars on a busy sidewalk, this person sneezes really really loud without covering their nose, this person is an all around a-hole. After all, if they have no consideration to tell other drivers what they are doing, why would their non-driving life be any different? I was at a really charged NBA playoff game once and their was this guy in one of the first rows behind the bench. Every time the home team did something good, the crowd would go wild and this guy would turn around, face the crowd, and lift his arms into a giant ‘Y’ like he was the pope blessing the crowd. In his mind he was imploring the crowd to cheer and we were all abiding by his command. THAT guy doesn’t use his turn signal. This type of driver complains to a bartender that their isn’t enough scotch in his drink, yells at a waitress for getting one minor thing wrong with is order, and makes a lot of noise in a movie theater. I hate this type of person more than anyone else because this person is often a bully. I hate bullies.

3 – Dead stop lane change.

This one is usually because of poor driving habits and lack of experience or confidence, or both. Let me describe the situation. I am in medium traffic and all three lanes are going between 5 and 30 miles an hour. I am in the far left lane. Traffic in all lanes starts to slow down to about 5 miles an hour. The car in front of me puts on their turn signal and stops to get into the middle lane, which is fine because all traffic has pretty much stopped. Traffic in my lanes starts to move faster than the other two. MOST drivers would forget getting over and keep the flow of traffic moving. The dead stop lane changer stays where they are. The middle lane has not moved yet so they cannot get over, but our lane is moving fine. So I sit there, behind this person who is trying to get over, while the middle lane does not move and the car in front of the dead stop car gets farther and farther away. To make it worse, cars from the middle lane start getting over into the my lane because they see that 1) it is moving and 2) there is this huge and expanding gap.

This person is hard to define. At times I think it is someone who is new to driving but not young. Young drivers are aggressive and will keep up with the fast lane. This driver might be from another country where driving in cars is not something they grew up doing. This type of behavior is indicative of someone who is not used to the customs of driving. This could also be an older or timid driver who is nervous about not finding an opportunity to change lanes during heavy traffic and for some reason has gotten the approval from someone while traffic was at a stand still and doesn’t want to lose their chance. There is also a valid reason for this, such as an off ramp coming up that the person has to use. This doesn’t bother me as much because I have learned to be much more forgiving in traffic because it’s not a race and who cares if I get stuck an extra minute or two.

4 – Lookers.

This is often done on a road with a lot of lights. It is when a driver comes to a stand still and looks to the left and right to see who is in the cars around him. What I find interesting is when someone on the highway does this. When it is done on a road with lights it’s usually some young guy or group of young guys looking for chicks or someone to start a fight with. But during rush hour, on the highway, drivers are usually going to and from work, with no other objective than that. They are usually not trying to find a date or anything. So this baffles me a little.

The type of driver is exactly how I describe. Young, usually male, not real attractive or much to offer otherwise they wouldn’t be looking to meet girls while in separate cars. It’s usually in some piece of crap old beat up muscle car that is past its point of impressing people.

Car pool.

There is something else I find interesting. There has never been any kind of effort to get people to car pool. Nothing significant at least. When you look at rush hour traffic at the macro level, it’s about people from outlying communities funneling into a few roads to get to a city. Simple. And there has to be a lot of people from each community who travel to work at roughly the same time. But when you look at almost all the cars on the road in the morning and afternoon, there is almost always one person. And they are not these tiny cars either, it’s a lot of wasted space in SUVs and trucks and mini vans and sedans. I am guilty since I have a large pick-up truck. But it amazes me that there has never been a culture of leaving three cars in the community and maximizing the space inside one car, thus reducing the amount of cars on the road. I assume the problem is that people like the freedom of their own car, just like I do, and that a lot of people like being alone in the car, like I do. With other people you have to share the radio, reduce the amount of time you talk on the phone, and make small talk. Three things that would deter me from car pooling.

Anyway, spending time in traffic is not so bad. For the most part I leave enough time so I am not in a huge rush, I enjoy the solitude, and I learn to be patient with bad people because there is absolutely nothing good that will come of being upset and yelling and beeping your horn. And I spend time thinking about stupid stuff like this, which I write about later in the day.

Posted by David at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One thing that really bugs me are people who stand really close to me while waiting in line. Or worse, stand next to me. Example. While I was at the airport today, I was waiting in line to go through the security gauntlet, normally a completely inefficient process, but a necessary one. I just got into line when a man came up behind me and go so close that if he had a straw sticking out of his mouth he would have poked me in the back of the head. The line was after the security people check your ID but before the scanners and this yahoo was getting so close to me that I almost felt sexually harassed. I’ve seen love scenes with less contact. I looked back at him briefly to send him a “I hate you, back away” message through my menacing stare but I guess he didn’t get the message. Now, I would normally tell the guy to go ahead of me so I didn’t have to stand in line feeling uncomfortable, like this time Patti and I were waiting for some ride at Disney and this family of non-English speaking idiots were up our assess so much that we just let them go ahead to bug the next person in line. But I though to myself “Eff this moron, I am going to make him wait”.

The thing that was crazy was that as soon as we emerged from the narrow roped off corral, he cut in front of about 12 people to put his keys, wallet and watch on the conveyer belt and went through the metal detector. I wish that device had a button to press that would send a huge jolt of electricity through a person, just for a case like this.

Anyway, later I was standing in line at the gate to change my seat when another yahoo walked up behind me and instead of getting close behind me, he got close next to me. I never really understand this approach. I am in line, clearly in line, for about 5 minutes. There is only one line. He walks up and does he think that by standing next to me, he is somehow going to lull me into thinking he was in front of me. I just spent the last 5 minutes looking at the bald head of some fat guy in front of me, so I clearly know where I am in the order of things. So then the guy bumped into me. I am NOT JOKING. He was so close and huffing and puffing and looking around like he runs the freakin world, in his Run For The Night cheap give-away t-shirt and faded jeans and scuffed walking shoes, that he freakin bumped me. I gave him another deliberate disapproving glare that doesn’t seem to penetrate moron minds and purposely moved away from him, sending the message that while I staked the territory first and he entered it, I was willing to move a couple of feet to get away from his ugly ass.

So, the moral of this story is that unless you are a stunning tall blond with nice perfume, don’t stand so close to me. And even if you are a stunning blond, no matter how much you ride my tail, you are not getting in front of me. End of story.

Posted by David at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

On Tuesday morning I flew out of Logan on Delta for the first time since Delta opened up their new Terminal, Terminal A. It received a lot of press because of the expense (around 400 mil, all funded by Delta) and how nice it is. From the Delta web site

"The 680,000 square-foot Terminal A is home to the full array of Delta?s domestic products, including Delta Connection, Delta Shuttle and Song, creating a seamless, more convenient travel experience for customers at Logan Airport. Terminal A opened to Delta customers on March 16, 2005, and has received rave reviews for its combination of amenities and aesthetics. From the soaring windows and open views to the convenient connections to parking facilities and Delta?s state-of-the-art technology including self-service kiosks, gate information display screens at every gate and Delta Direct phones, Terminal A provides an unparalleled level of comfort and convenience for travelers."

Couple of comments.

- First thing, there is nothing good about the ?parking? facilities. Logan in general is a disaster and for a low fee of $22 a day I get to park about 2 miles from my gate.

- While I agree the terminal is nice, let?s not go over board. Some people in the press act like it?s the next Disney World. For me, airports are a (hopefully) quick means to an end. They are a way station while I travel from a location to an airplane, to another location. I do not, ever, intend to spend more time in a terminal than I absolutely have to.

- My flight Tuesday morning was delayed for an hour, not a huge deal. Like most business travelers, I decided to pass the time working but didn?t want to kill my battery life because I like to work on the plane as well. So I had to hunt for an outlet to plug my laptop in to. I was sitting by the outlet with a colleague when my colleague got up to get some coffee. This ass-clown with 4 bags spotted the outlet, and walked by me, bumping one of his bags into my laptop and he didn?t even recognize he did it, let alone apologize. Then this a-hole plugged his laptop in even though it was clear there was another person sitting where he was going to sit, with laptop sitting on top of a bag, ostensibly waiting for its owner to come back and plug in. Technically there were other seats close by so I couldn?t tell him to get away, so when my colleague returned we had to share one outlet while this moron used the other one.

- The outlet thing brings up a fascinating detail that is always left out of airport terminals. Why can?t the airports realize that people need outlets at airports? There are usually no outlets that travelers can use to power laptops, recharge cell phones or watch movies on portable DVD players. There should be one outlet for every three seats in most waiting areas. It?s so simple and an easy amenity to provide that it baffles me I have never seen it. Maybe there is a cost in letting people use electricity, but it has to be minimal compared to how much convenience it will provide.

- The one thing that I really really loved about the new terminal was the full service Dunkin Donuts it had. Most airports, and most of the country, have a Starbucks. But as some of you know I do not like Starbucks. I?ll drink it, but I prefer Dunkin Donuts by a huge margin. So when I spotted it early Tuesday morning, and when the guy made my order ? Medium Hazelnut, Light and Sweet ? perfectly, I was happy. Well, content at least. Happy would have described me if I were still sleeping at home with a day off or something. Anyway, DD is a good thing. Someone can get a blue collar cup of coffee and an egg and cheese bagel instead of an overpriced pretentious cup of coffee that requires three years of Latin to order accompanied by a whole wheat grain soy muffin that tastes like soggy hay.

- Delta started construction on the project in May 2002 and completed it in March 2004. It?s actually pretty impressive and I wonder if the folks across the harbor working on the tunnel can take any lessons.

I like the terminal and since I fly Delta more than any other airline, am excited about the new facility. It has a large drop off and pick up area, plenty of space inside and the security area, while it doesn?t look any better than anything else I have seen and I foresee long lines, was quick and efficient when I went through on Tuesday. There is a large Borders book store, plenty of shops and restaurants and everything is shiny and new. So while I patiently wait for my delayed and oversold flights, I get to do it in a new terminal.

Posted by David at 08:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Northwest Airlines, you are my new enemy. Delta is like a fairy godmother compared to how I feel about you. NWA stands not for Northwest Airlines but for ?Not My Problem.?

Here is why.

On Tuesday, March 8, myself, my wife, my 7 month old son and my 2, soon to be 3, year old daughter were scheduled to fly from Minneapolis to Boston at 1:30 PM after spending a week on vacation visiting my wife?s family and attending a cousin?s wedding. We drove 3 hours from where we were staying to get to the airport 2 hours before our flight. Earlier that morning I checked the weather in Boston and there was a winter weather advisory for 6PM, about 45 minutes before we were supposed to land. Ruh-roh. Could be trouble.

As we boarded the plane, we heard that the 3:30 flight to Boston was cancelled so they were trying to put some of those passengers on the 1:30. No problem. Let?s get everyone home as quickly as we can. We got on the plane, got the kids situated, got Emily all set with her juice and something to eat, and waited. About 10 minutes before departure, the captain came on and said that the gate agent was going to board the plane with an announcement. The pilot said he thought they were going to cancel the flight due to air traffic control issues with weather in the northeast. Sure enough, the lady came on and said the flight was cancelled and we should see a ticket agent to rebook. So we got all of our crap together and got off the plane.

Little side note. We gate-checked a stroller which means...

Continue reading "Northwest Airlines" »

Posted by David at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We got back yesterday from our Minnesota trip. We flew out a week ago Wednesday for cousin Kara?s wedding to Anand. Kara is a manager for the Gap and Anand is a pilot, both live in Duluth, about a 3 hour drive north of the Twin Cities.

We had an uneventful flight out last...

Continue reading "Minnesota Trip" »

Posted by David at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Next Wednesday we are heading to Duluth, Minnesota, for Patti?s cousin Kara?s wedding. Duluth is about 3 hours north of the cities and on the Wisconsin border. We have been looking forward to this trip since we found out she was getting married. Our trips to Minnesota are always nice and it?s great to see Patti?s side, something we have not done since Kara?s brother got married almost two years ago. This brother, Andy, had a son a couple of weeks ago so it will be a pretty eventful trip.

This will be Ethan?s first airplane trip and the first time all 4 of us have traveled on an airplane together (I took Emily to Atlanta last December but Ethan and Patti did not go). Emily has averaged about 3 airplane-length trips a year so she is pretty good with flying. Ethan is easy going and still young so we don?t anticipate much of an issue. The trip takes about 2 hours so not too long confined to a metal tube. STILL, with young kids, anything can be an adventure.

Patti called me today and the following conversation took place?

Patti: ?I just talked to my parents and since they are flying Northwest as well, they wanted to see if the airline would let you switch Emily?s seat and they would take her out with them from New York.?

Me: Stunned silence. Not sure I heard Patti right. Speechless.

Patti: ?You there??

Me: I made some kind of gurgle sound.

Patti: ?They are going out Monday so they would pick her up at the ferry (Long Island Ferry, a great halfway point between us and Patti?s parents) on Sunday and watch her until we get there.?

Me: ?Is something wrong with them??

Patti: ?Stop it?

Me: ?Drugs??

Patti: ?No?

Me: ?Are they drinking a lot??

Patti: ?That?s enough.?

Me: ?They?ve met Emily, right??

Patti: ?What is wrong with you??

Patti?s parents are really good like that and we appreciated the offer. I did call the airline but because our tickets are out of a different airport they wouldn?t do it without a large fee, a tongue lashing from the supervisor, purchase of an additional ticket, naming rights to our next child, a written promise to not fly them again and the deed to the house. It was a very nice idea though. All joking aside, I can see the draw. Little kids are fun and add an element of surprise to any travel experience. Plus she is cute and Jim would get a lot of attention from some of the ladies in the airport.

Posted by David at 02:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Before I begin, this is not a Delta-bash. I know I tend to criticize them a lot but this is something I found interesting.

I went online to try to change my seat on a Delta flight I am on today. In addition to checking in early, you can easily change your seat online. So I moved to an exit row. There are requirements for sitting in an exit row seat like you have to speak English, have to be able to lift 40 pounds or something, can?t have a child in your lap, etc. The interesting thing was when I moved the seat I had to answer 4 yes/no questions. Usually when you have to do this, all answers are either YES, or NO. So for example, there might be a list of health related questions when you are signing up for online access to your pharmacy. Usually all answers follow the same format, like do you have a current medical condition, do you currently take prescriptions, do you have a mental disorder that compels you to run a blog. For the most part a typical answer would be no. You get the idea. So this is how the Delta questions went.

1 ? Are you under the age of 15? (I answered no)
2 ? Will you have an un-ticketed infant with you? (I answered no)
3 ? Do you have a fear of crashing? (ok, they didn?t ask this but it was some other type of question where I would have answered no)
4 ? Can you assist other passengers in the event of an emergency? (Now, this last question I answered no because I wasn?t paying attention and didn?t read the question. I just assumed that to get the seat I should answer all questions NO)

I just thought it was strange that they would throw a curveball at you. I guess it?s a good idea though because it made me go back and read the questions. So if I was in charge, I would have the questions worded something like this.

1 ? Are you not over the age of 180 months?
2 ? Aren?t you unwilling to not provide assistance in the event a non-emergency didn?t happen?
3 ? If the flight left at 3:43PM traveling west crossing two time zones, and it was daylight savings time but your religion didn?t recognize the Chinese New Year, how heavy is the airplane with 75% unfilled stand-by window seats using the German method of mixing azure indoor wall paint? You have 30 seconds to answer.

Posted by David at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

While scanning CNN.com today I saw an article title ?What irritates business travelers.? Other than ?David Dobrindt gets the lead opposite Nicole Kidman in next Oliver Stone movie?, I don?t think any headline would have captured my attention more than the CNN one. So I read the article. The thing I have always said I hate more than traveling, the thing I fear more than anything including crashing, is not having a place to put my luggage overhead. People who bring on huge bags stuffed with crap and cram them in the overheads bug me more than the voice of Fran Dresher. The article starts with this?

<i>?When it comes to annoying business travelers, a number of topics top the list, including those who stuff oversized pieces of luggage into overhead lockers and the long lines for airport security.?</i>

I have never heard it called a locker mainly because it doesn?t lock but I get the point. For me, the security lines don?t really bother me. It?s kind of like getting angry at traffic. No use in wasting energy. It might be wrong, but you can?t fault stupid people. Security lines are what they are, and you just have to know to get there early and be patient. People do stupid, rude and inconsiderate things all the time when it comes to air travel, not just through security.

<i>?According to a new survey, these pet peeves have a greater impact on executive flyers than concerns about terrorism or flight delays.?</i>

I don?t think I am an ?Executive? flyer, but flight delays are certainly a concern of mine. But that is just me. I like to get to places on time.

<i>?Almost a third of business travelers get angry over hand luggage that should have been stowed in the hold, while crying babies were cited by 13 percent.? </i>

I am fine with crying babies because I bet the parent is more embarrassed than anyone else. If the parent is trying to keep the little brat quiet, then not much else you can ask for. It?s part of life. If the parent is letting the kid kick the seat in front and run amok, then both parent and kid should be forced to sit in the bathroom.

<i>?Temperatures also rise when executives find out that other passengers paid less for their tickets (19 percent).?</i>

This I don?t get because chances are if you are flying for business than every non business traveler is paying less. Usually a client is paying for travel or it is written off as a business expense so why worry.
<i>
?Twenty three percent of business travelers also said that being on the road had a negative impact on their work-life balance.? </i>

Only 23%. How is this possible? Is the sample pool used for this survey 23-year old single men with no home city or town? Unless you hate your house, how does traveling NOT have a negative impact?

<i>?The biggest irritation for Canadian business travelers were those who disturbed them by not letting them work, sleep or read on a trip.?</i>

Who cares about Canada? How about these stats? 78% of David Dobrindt hates zone seating. Or 93% of David Dobrindt wishes upgrades were more easily obtained. Or 100% of David Dobrindt wishes I had access to a corporate jet.

The article was ok but needs more anecdotal evidence like ?they should teach TSA workers not to look at each bag-scan monitor like they were studying an x-ray looking for a hairline fracture.? Jesus, train those people or write better scanning software to pick up objects that might be bad. There HAS to be a better way to get people through those security lines without making everyone take off their shoes, belts, earrings, watches, girdles, jackets, pocket protectors, tie clips, pants, glasses, hats, hearing aids, underwear and socks. And the agents should be allowed to overwrite the stupid zone so that if I get stuck in a shitty zone and I ask for my same seat but in a better zone, they could do it if they felt like it. And another thing, ticket agents and gate agents and flight attendants should realize that CUSTOMERS are the ones that keep their airline in business so they should TRY, as hard as a concept as it might appear, to act like they care.

But enough about me. How are you?

Posted by David at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Not sure if I ever posted this exchange with US Air.

I got so fed up the other day trying to take care of something over the phone with US Air that the following exchange took place (after about 15 minutes of haggling).

Me: Look, I understand your policies, but I also know they can be bent with manager approval. Why don?t you get your manager on the horn and let?s see if we can get my refund processed.

Airline: Sir, I am not going to ask my manager to do something I know is against the rules.

Me: Just ask. Please. For me. Ask.

Airline: Sorry but can?t do it.

Me: I am about to start a project and can use US Air or American, every week, for the next 2 years This might sway my choice.

Airline: Can?t do it.

Me: Just do it please. Just ask. Can?t hurt to ask.

Airline: Sir, you are not even silver status. If you were gold or platinum, I might consider it, but?

Me: Gold!!??!! Platinum!!??!! I?m kryptonite mother fu?.

Airline: [click].

Posted by David at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So here I am in Vegas on day five. I am ready to go home. Last night went to dinner that made me think of Roman emperors. Went to a very expensive steak place, 25 people in a private room, expensive bottles of wine, only men, randomly people would get up and say a toast, one guy made up a limerick, family style feeding so continuous plates of mixed mushrooms, garlic potatoes, steak, leg of lamb, grilled chicken, snapper, carrots, roasted peppers, spinach salad, beat salad, breads. We ate kind of late and by the time food was there I was done. I totally hit the wall. I had to leave soon after dinner was finished because I felt faint, nauseous and weak. I am still pretty sick from a cold, have only been sleeping sporadically at night and went out the night before. Plus I had not eaten anything in almost 8 hours. But I had a good sleep last night and woke up early feeling refreshed. I usually try to run and lift weights when away for business but the gym was expensive so I went for a long walk this morning up the strip.

On my walk this morning I saw about 6 hookers, people walking around in evening clothes, people walking around with beers in their hands, people sitting at the slots and poker tables and black jack tables with drinks. This is Vegas, a surreal type of town where normalcy is absent. I almost stopped to play the quarter slot machines with 10 bucks I had in my pocket, but walked past it. The draw is there. I lost money but there is a chance I could win some. I could play just the 10 bucks and maybe win 50, or a 100, or a 1,000. I could parlay 20 bucks I might win into the 5 dollar craps tables. Things like that go through your mind. That is why Vegas is so successful. While walking down the strip I do have to admit I was impressed with the buildings. NY NY, The Mirage, Paris, Excalibur, Aladdin. They are all very nice. I was impressed the way I am impressed with Disneyland. The hookers walking around were pretty funny. How do men who use those ladies actually walk through the casinos with them? They LOOK like hookers. They wear the hooker outfits. They should just stop the charade and wear wind breakers like the FBI does on raids with PROS across the back in bright yellow letters. It?s a fascinating place, this Las Vegas.

Posted by David at 12:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Not sure if you know but I am in Vegas for work. I got here on Sunday and fly home Friday. My company hosts a very large (20K+ employees) event here every January. I got to go as a representative of my group. It is my first time in Vegas and I have some thoughts on Vegas in general, but am waiting until the week is over (it's Tuesday) before I say anything. I told myself I would play some craps but not until the end of the week. I broke my commitment.

I ended up going out last night and lost money. The one and only other time I was in a casino I lost money too. Both from craps. This time I lost much less than last time. The problem with craps is to make the most of the pretty good odds you get paid, you need a lot of money on the table. So within the first 60 seconds of playing, I had 80 bucks on the table. Within the next 30 seconds, I won 60 bucks. So here I was, 2 minutes into playing, and I won 60% of what I came with. The problem is I should have walked away, but I did not. And once things turned south, I should have given up, but I didn?t. So I ended up losing 100 bucks. A sum that put me in a sour mood but didn?t break the bank. At least I have the sense to stop when I reached my limit. Everything is paid for this week so I look at the 100 bucks as my entertainment money. It would have been nice to have that in my pocket for something I need, like sheets for our bed or hardware to put a vent fan into my bathroom, , but I didn?t. No use crying about it because that is that and nothing I can do about it now. So tonight I might walk around and people watch, but no gambling.

Posted by David at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Delta, you did it again

Hey Delta, you are like a great airline that I really love, only opposite. This past Sunday you did it again. If there is one goal I am going to accomplish in 2005, it is to take my 75K miles a year of expensive tickets and use it on another airline. Any other airline.

I was in Atlanta this weekend with my 2 year old daughter visiting my parents. On Sunday morning I was checking in around 9:30. I had one bag and the booster seat. The bag was kind of heavy and when I weighed it at my parents house I knew it would be very close to the 50 pound limit for bags. So this is how the check in process went.

- I walked up and received a very cold welcome from the lady behind the counter. No big deal. She deals with passengers all the time so she is probably pretty miserable.

- I had checked in at the kiosk so all I had to do was give her my two pieces of check-in stuff, a black pull bag and Emily?s car seat. My parents were keeping Emily occupied elsewhere so she was not with me.

- The ticket agent then asked to see Emily. Not sure why, but she did. So I had to signal for my parents to bring her over. As they were walking up, the agent was taking her booster seat and putting in on the conveyer belt, which made my daughter upset and she started to cry.

- I then put the bigger bag on the pass-through and the lady looked down at the scale. It was 53 pounds. 3 pounds over the limit.

- The woman looked at me and said ?It is over the limit, you will need to reduce the weight by 3 pounds?. Now, I cannot argue with her. Well, I can, but decided not to, because according to the rules, it was the over the limit. So there I was, crying daughter in my arms, my parents standing there, busy airport, looking at her like ?You have got to be joking??? Well, she was not joking.

- Having the foresight that Delta is evil and they would get me even if it was 1 ounce over, I asked to borrow a small bag from my parents and brought it in with me to the airport. I then gave my daughter back to my mother, opened up the big bag, took a pair of sneakers out, and put them into the other bag. That brought the weight back down to 50 pounds.

- So I checked one additional bag. To make a point, the ticket agent increased the amount of bags that someone at Delta has to handle. They do not care that I am gold medallion, and could just give me a break. No. They do not think about that because I was 3 pounds over the limit. When I flew on United and American this past year with my wife and daughter, I had bags that were over. The person checking me in let it slide because it was not over by a lot, it was in a bag that is easy to handle, and I had a family and the airline actually appreciated me for flying them and their motto is not ?Who needs damn customers?.

Delta, you are a joke. I know you will say things like ?we strive to reach the highest level of customer satisfaction possible? and ?our agents are trained to abide by strict rules governing bag weight limits? and ?we do not care about you because you will fly us no matter what so shut it or we will make it worse?. I wish there were other choices on the east coast that I could use. There are, but they are less convenient than you. But like I said, my goal in 2005 is to give my money to someone else. Goodbye. Again.

Posted by David at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tuesday morning I got up at 4am to begin my day. My intent was to actually get up at 5, shower, get dressed, and head to the airport for an early flight, but at 4am my 2 and ? year old daughter came into my room and climbed into bed with me. My wife, Patti, was asleep with our infant son in his room, which she usually does after feeding him in the middle of the night. Like almost every time that my daughter climbs into bed in the middle of the night, disheveled, slightly disoriented, standing next to the bed waiting for to tell her to climb up, like she really needs an invitation because there is probably nothing more comforting than having your own young child fall asleep next to you, I could not get back to sleep. Most often, when she comes in an hour or two before I have to get up, I am up.

For your information, I had to get up early to fly to Jacksonville, Florida, through Atlanta, for a one and a half hour meeting, to head back to the airport, to fly back to Boston, through Atlanta, to get home at 11:30. Funny thing, this virtual world we live in. Anyway, like I was saying.

I got up at about 4, took a shower, and got dressed by the light of the bathroom coming into the bedroom. I did not want to turn on the lights in the bedroom and wake up my daughter. Not a huge deal because I lay out my clothes the night before an early wake up and knew where everything was. After getting dressed in the dark, I went downstairs, still in the dark because the sun does not really hit the streets in the Northeast until 5:30-ish, got my stuff, and left.

I arrived at the airport by 6:15, easily made it through parking, ticketing, security, and met up with my colleague at the gate. My colleague and I were meeting up with a partner in Atlanta and then proceeding to Florida to meet with execs at a potential client.

So I sat down at the gate, chatted with my colleague for a while, got up and got a coffee, and came back and talked about some other stuff. About 40 minutes before boarding I was about to make a comment about getting dressed in the dark and the risks it faces when I looked down and saw that I had a leather burgundy dress shoe on the left foot and a leather black dress shoe, similar but different style, on my right foot. When I got dressed in the dark 2 hours earlier I grabbed what I thought were a pair of dress shoes but in fact were two totally different shoes. I looked down at my feet, looked at my shocked and about-to-laugh colleague, and said ?Holy Shit?.

Now, I had a problem.

My first thought, no joke, was that we were going to lose this deal because if a senior management consultant could not match his f?in shoes than how could he help some financial company. Then my second thought was to call Patti, have her wake both children, get them dressed, packed in the car, and drive in traffic to the airport within 35 minutes. No way that was going to happen.

Then my next serious thought was ?how many people have seen me walking around with two different shoes??? But who cares. They would have no idea I did it for Emily, a 2 and ? year old girl sleeping like an angel back in Milton. About to wake up to another wondrous day playing and being happy.

One thing I have to mention is that I am fairly methodical. I think options through, benefits and risks, carefully plan and think through the process. I am good with this. So I said to my colleague, who mercifully gave me very little initial grief, that we have to use the 2 hours of spare time we had in Jacksonville to stop and buy a pair of shoes. Not a huge deal because I needed to buy a new pair of shoes anyway.

My colleague agreed and after a brief moment of clarify and revelation, told me to call the partner in Atlanta that we were meeting and see what shoe size he wears. He and I are about the same size and make, and he might be able to grab an old pair of loafers or something from one of his many closets. But that proved a moot point when he was in his car already, heading to the Atlanta airport.

This partner, who is a kindred spirit because he is also a transplanted Long Islander, quickly called back and said he would buy me a pair of shoes at the shoe store in the Atlanta airport. He dresses well and I had no concern that he would pick out a nice looking pair.

So I sat through the 2+ hour flight from Boston to Atlanta, hiding my feet, and met up with the partner at the Delta Concierge lounge to get my goods. He bought me a very nice and trendy pair of shoes, which were on sale by the way. I changed in the bathroom.

The one funny thing about this was when I first walked up to the partner he said ?I got you a great pair of shoe sand they only cost 340?. Ha. Good one.

bastard

Posted by David at 08:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I am in the middle of a battle with Delta. After my latest ?episode?, I decided to write a formal and structured complaint letter without my usual profanity and sarcasm. I did not include the letter in this posting. I sent in a hard copy to Delta and decided to email the letter as well. Below is the email response I got from Delta with <i>my comments in italics</i>.

Dear Mr. Dobrindt,

Thanks for getting in touch with Song. <i>Please. This is not the way to start a response. I see right through your BS.</i> We are delighted you have chosen Song for your flights to and from Orlando. <i>Damn right you are delighted. It?s because of people like me that you make up for those cheap fares you get from the sun birds and the Disney crows. </i> However, we are sorry your experiences with us have not been what you had hoped. <i>Hope?? Hope?? Hope is not the right word. Hope is what I do when I think about my daughter growing up healthy and happy or the Yankees winning the World Series. Try ?expected?. There is a big difference between ?hoping? for something out of my airline and ?expecting? something. I ?hope? for world peace, I ?expect? better treatment from Delta. </i>

As you know, Song operates as Delta?s low fare service. <i>So Delta is the high fare service? Delta should also be a low fare service.</i> Song?s objective is to offer our guests low fares and flights that operate safely and on schedule. <i>Safely, yes. On schedule, yes. Low fares, yes. I agree with all these.</i> To facilitate this effort, many of the amenities offered on our mainline service are not available on Song. <i>There you go again with using the wrong word. An amenity is something that brings comfort. It is something that brings pleasantness. I am talking about things that bring no additional joy, but bring things to the level I expect. Expectations, Delta, expectations</i>.

However, based on feedback received from Elite members like you, we have made a change to our preferred Medallion seating. <i>You did? No one told me about this.</i> Song implemented preferred Medallion seating in March of 2004. The preferred seats are rows 1-4. While there will not be a separate announcement for Medallion boarding, rows 1-4 will be included in zone 1 at boarding time. <i>Good. I like this. So why do I still get seat 27.</i> You may access these seats through reservations, the kiosks or delta.com (not flysong.com yet - but it's coming). <i>No, I mayn?t. I may not access these, or at least have not been able to access these. What I do get when I want to switch is an unpleasant experience dealing with a Delta employee telling me that if I do not behave better, they will put me in a middle seat near a toilet. I know to ask for rows 1-8 because I get off the plane quicker and will be in zone 1 or 2, but I certainly do not have access to rows 1-4. Maybe when you say ?Elite?, you are referring to everyone but ME. </i>

Please note - customers with disabilities also have access to row 1. <i>Understood</i>.

Additionally, we appreciate your comments regarding our promotion, "Random Acts of Coolness". <i>Is that really what it is called? ?Coolness?. How can an airline be ?Cool?. Come on Delta, you can do better than that. We all know an airline decision is based on three things ? price, price and price. Not about being cool. How about calling it Random Acts of Stupidity. Wait, that wouldn?t work, then you would be giving away free tickets every minute</i>. We are fortunate to have so many great passengers. <i>Stop. Stop. You are killing me with this. Laughing! Can?t stop laughing. Stomach hurts. Can?t breath. Must stop</i>. We wanted to say thanks in a way they'll remember. <i>Look. Some people will say thanks if the plane doesn?t crash. Some will never say thanks. I am not talking about them, I am talking about ME. It?s all about ME</i>. We know we're not changing the world or even airline travel, but we do want Song guests to know how much we appreciate all they bring to the experience whether they are new customers or loyal customers. Being nice is "Cool" and it does count, especially at Song. <i>But not on your high-fare carrier Delta? There it doesn?t count to be ?cool?? Or nice?</i>

This promotion rewards our guests who are "caught in the act" being nice or demonstrate a true love and enthusiasm for our product. <i>How about this. Next time I am on your flight, which will be in about 8 hours, I will grab a flight attendant and make him or her watch me pat a kid on the head, hug an old lady and refrain from strangling some idiot wearing a tank top and hat on backwards. Is that a ?cool? act? Then can I get something free?</i> I am sorry if our Song star's <i>Stars? Do you mean ?employees?? </i><i>This is not freakin Disney Land </i>decision to reward the family for their enthusiasm offended you. <i>You are not getting my point. What offends me is the way I get treated. Again, it?s about ME.</i> We realize we will be unable to recognize and reward all our guests and regret your disappointment. <i>Me. About ME. Not all guests. </i>

Further, we thank you for sharing your concerns regarding our SkyMiles program and the changes we have made to the Medallion qualification process. <i>You?re welcome.</i> <i>Just doing my part to make Delta a better airline. </i>

We understand that guests who qualify using segments or primarily travel on deeply discounted fares now will have a harder time earning elite status. <i>Stop calling us guests. We are passengers. Passengers. I am a guest at my sister?s house. I am a passenger on Delta. And I travel not by segments and my fare is definitely NOT discounted, and I am still having a harder time earning elite status. What do you have to say to that?? Hmm?</i> While it is unfortunate that some members will move down in status with the changes, we expect to maintain approximately the same number of total Medallion members if travel patterns continue as they have in the past. <i>How is that you will maintain the same total of Medallion members if some members will move down in status? Moving down means that some will drop off the Medallion status. Right? </i>We will monitor this situation closely and make necessary adjustments to ensure that our premium passengers are rewarded for their loyalty. <i>Don?t you mean premium ?guests?? And I am not being rewarded at all. </i>

All of our customers are important to Delta and Song and the decision to make the changes was a difficult one. <i>Again, stop with the BS. I bet making the decision to make passengers pay for food was not difficult. And by short changing me on my status, Delta does not have to give out bonus miles every time I fly. Those decisions are easy to make</i>. Given the current revenue environment, we felt it was essential to refine and clarify the many choices available to customers, as well as the benefits attached to those choices. <i>Now you are starting to be honest. Keep going.</i> We are confident the program modifications will better recognize and reward our premium passengers and help generate revenue through our most valued products. <i>Why couldn?t you have kept being honest? How do your changes reward premium passengers? Have you heard anything that I have said? Did you even read my complaint letter?? </i>At the same time, we are offering historically lower fares, in an effort to meet the demands of cost-conscious travelers. <i>I DO NOT CARE about the lower fares nonsense. I care about how I am being treated. I am not a cost-conscious traveler. I am a business traveler. When I fly on some 60 dollar fare to bring my kids to Disney, then you can treat me like a prisoner if you want. But as long as I am buying expensive tickets, I expect more. </i>

Mr. Dobrindt, we appreciate your recommendations and suggestions and will share your comments with our Song and Delta teams for review and continuous improvement. <i>Good thing this form letter cut and pasted my last name in the beginning of this sentence. That would have been embarrassing. </i>

We hope you will give Song on opportunity to serve you in the future. <i>I don?t have a choice at this point. I am committed to Song because I made the wrong bet in January and did not choose American. </i>

Sincerely,

Liz Lotter
Song Guest Relations
www.flysong.com

<i>www.dobrindts.com</i>

Posted by David at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok Delta, I give up. You win. Here is the towel. I am done with you.

As you know, I am not happy with Song, your low fare carrier. I am going to spare you the verbal beating you so very much deserve because I simply don?t have the energy. Plus when someone stops caring, they stop arguing.

Here is why I have finally quit caring. First, I have to fight my way through your reservation system to get a seating zone that will allow me to store my one small pull bag next to the thousands of make shift travel bags the Disney crowd try to shove in the overhead compartment. I pay 4 times the price of your advertised fare and there is nothing I get for it. I, as a preferred traveler, do not even get to board the plane first because with Song, frequent traveler status means as much as me telling you I am the king of Milton.

So last Monday morning, there I was, sitting on your plane, helping people find row three, seats A, B and C because after all, a 3 looks like a 4 and if they are sitting in row 4 but have row 3 seats, it does take a lot of mental concentration to figure out that you in fact have to get up and move to your assigned seat. And sitting next to me is a large guy with his little kid. In the row behind us is the guy?s wife with their other two kids. It was obvious that it was the first time they traveled in a long time because two of the three kids, probably around 7 or 8, were pretty excited about ?going into the sky?. But the family was taking pictures, and talking to each other like they were back in their basement family room shouting up to the kitchen to bring down more Mountain Dew. This nice little family had not a care in the world, or concern in the world for other passengers, God love them. They were shouting away, me next to the guy, from one row to another. So cute. So I guess the guy got up and asked the flight attendant something that she thought was cute, like ?my kids are so excited about being in an airplane, can you just cry? because before I knew it, the flight attendant brought over two free roundtrip tickets anywhere Song flies, and gave them to this guy. I am not joking. Wish I were, but not. She said that Song is having a promotion and that if you fly once every 10 years, on really cheap seats, and are oblivious to others around you, Delta will reward you with free stuff.

Now as you can imagine, I was delighted. I got up, high-fived the guy, hugged the flight attendant, and got on the PA to announce the good fortune to the rest of the plane. Then I proceeded to pour scolding hot coffee in my eyes to scale down the pain I was feeling inside. ARE YOU KIDDING ME.? Not only do I get the shaft from you, but you throw it in my face by giving a free ticket to someone, wait, two free tickets, to someone who NEVER TRAVELS. I asked to be bumped from Silver to Gold and you tell me to pound sand. And you turn around and give this guy and his family, who you KNOW bought the seats at a super cheap rate, FREE TICKETS. Sweet mercy I was ticked. Did I mention that my seat was broken so I had to sit with my stomach clenched so the stupid thing did not keep reclining on its own? That was fun. A little stomach exercise at 8 in the morning for 3 hours.

Oh, one other thing. When I call the normal number and the idiots working there can?t talk to me because I am Silver Medallion, you should try to implement a system that 1) won?t make me put in my sky miles number again and 2) WILL NOT HANG UP ON ME YOU IDIOTS. I can?t confirm this, but I am pretty sure there are magical phone systems that route calls to the proper group without requiring the caller to do it HIMSELF.

Anyway, I am glad for that guy and his wife. Just because I am bitter and sour doesn?t mean he has to be. He was very nice to me and I can?t fault him for his enthusiasm for going on vacation. Heck, if I were taking my family for 10 days to Disney, I would be pretty jazzed too. But I can fault you, Delta, for throwing in my face the fact that I travel every week, pay a lot of money to do so and get zero preferential treatment for it. You, Delta, Song, or whoever you are, should be ashamed of yourself and your stupid gimmicks. Instead of having a promotion to reward people who seldom fly, how about having a promotion to reward those of us who have no choice.

Posted by David at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Monday night at midnight I was on an empty Hertz courtesy bus going from Orlando airport to pick up my rental car to drive ? hour to a hotel. I pretty much spent the day, Memorial Day, in transit. I started the day in the Hamptons NY where I was driven to Orient Point where I took a Ferry to New London where I took Amrak to Boston where I drove to my house where I packed a bag and then drove to Logan where I flew, at 8:30PM, to Orlando.

As I was staring out the window of the Hertz bus, thinking about being in the Hamptons, my thoughts kept turning to how perfect the day started. I spent the first half hour of the day in bed with my wife and daughter watching cartoons. Without a care in the world. Except for this crazy cartoon dragon and these two little Spanish kids. There is nothing that could have made a better start to the day.

Posted by David at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week we (myself, Patti and Emily) took a short vacation to Estes Park, Colorado. Patti?s grandmother lives there year round (I say year round because over 3M visitors come each year with roughly 3,500 permanent residents) and we went out for a 3 day trip. I am going to write about the trip in another, soon to be written post.

Anyway, Denver is roughly 5,000 feet above sea level and Estes Park is about 7,500 feet. Rocky Mountain National Park is anywhere from 8,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level, a place we spent two mornings exploring. At one point, we were at two miles, or 10,500 feet above sea level. Living most of my life at sea level in NY and Boston, there are small things about being that high.

For one, I was slightly out of breath at times. At sea level I blame this on being fat and out of shape, but in Estes Park I was able to blame it on the air.

Another is that matches, and I guess fire in general, burn faster. How do I know this?. I had a cigar one night and realized the matches went pretty quickly. So did the cigar.

The other thing I attribute to the thin air is that the gas stations sell 85, 87 and 89 octane gas. In NY and Boston, usually varieties are 87, 89 and 91 with an occasional 93. I just thought it was interesting.

My discerning and observant behavior is fascinating, I know.

Thought I?d share.

Posted by David at 10:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dear Delta,

I used to write such nice things about you. I would talk you up like you were the super hero of airlines. Like you were something special. A friend. But now I hate you. I hate hate hate you. I used to love you, but you have fallen out of favor and now I hate you. And the reason is your entire fault. It was not me this time. It was not something I did, but something YOU did. It is all because if a little thing you decided to enter into our lives call ?Zone Boarding?.

What the f*** were you thinking when you started Zone Boarding. I think you should take the dips**t who thought up this gem and beat the living crap out of him. Just so we are not miscommunicating, let me make sure we are in agreement on Zone Boarding.

I, as a frequent business traveler, purchase very expensive tickets on Delta. Recently, it has been very expensive tickets on your ?low cost? airline, Song. Song, which is an acronym for ?sorry, only DAVE DOBRINDT has to wait to board?. I have been purchasing tickets to Orlando, Florida, a direct flight from Boston which takes 3 miserable hours. I have a client in Orlando and buy the ticket, probably three times as much as the person sitting next to me who is going to Magic Kingdom with his family and flies Delta once every 5 years when he goes to Disney, and twice as much as the slob next to me going to Orlando to visit his parents and play golf. I buy the effing ticket three days before I fly because everything in my work is last minute and I pay out of the nose because of it. I am a Sliver medallion and fast approaching Gold. Not a big deal for those who ARE Gold or Platinum, but much higher up than the Disney guy. And what do I get for this loyalty because, and believe me, it IS loyalty. I can fly any airline I choose. In fact, Delta isn?t even a PREFERRED airline for my company but I choose to ANYWAY. How stupid am I.

So there I am, ticket in hand, silver medallion tattooed on my forehead, all dressed up, laptop, one small black pull bag with the absolutely minimum of what I need, headphones to drown out the idiots next to me, gearing up to sit in my aisle seat and work because unfortunately that is far better than anything else I can do on a plane that will pass the time. And WHAT do I receive as a thank you from Delta. I am put into a ZONE that lets me, lucky me, board the very, very last on the plane. I am not f****** joking. There are six Zones. I am Zone six. I like aisle seats so I can do work, and I guess if you are in an aisle seat, Silver medallion and named David Dobrindt, you board last. Great idea! Reward the business travelers by not letting them get on early with their preferred status. If there is anything I hate about airline travel, even more than the idea of crashing, is boarding late. I have two bags. TWO. One briefcase, and one travel bag. I HATE getting on last, especially when I get to the gate early, and not able to put my bag directly above my seat. I HATE it. Do you hear me, HATE it. Getting on last is the ONLY thing that gives me anxiety about traveling because EVERYONE is looking at you while you struggle to find some spot to put your bag. You would think that Delta would try to keep the business travelers happy. Well, Delta, let me tell you something. I am not happy? Wait, there is one more thing I forget. What kind of food do I get with my $400 dollar ticket?? Huh?? I am given the option to purchase a $3 snickers bar. I do not even get a f****** BAG OF PRETZELS. Oh, sure, I get a cup of soda. But they hand out menus like I just sat down for my anniversary dinner and wheel an apple cart around filled with shit to buy. I CAN?T EVEN GET FREE PRETZELS.

So let me recap. I buy a seat that is three times as much as Delta, oh, excuse me, SONG, advertises on TV. I get to board as the plane is taxing down the runway, and then get s**t for food. Delta, I hate you. I used to love you, but hate you. I really do. Please stop this and get down on your hand and knees and beg me to come back. Because I got my two flights for a free round trip anywhere in the country and am going to try some other disaster for a while.

Goodbye.

Posted by David at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night I was doing 60 on the Southeast Expressway, between the South Station tunnel and Andrew Square, during rush hour. If you know Boston, you'll know how odd that is.

Posted by David at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ozzie Smith

Three weeks ago I was flying from Philadelphia to NY City. It was a small plane, the kind you have to walk out to the tarmac to board. Not a big deal since it was only about 45 minutes wheels up. I got on the plane and took my aisle seat about halfway down the plane. Since it was a smaller plane, there was no first class and only two seats on either side. After I got settled, I turned to my left and sitting in the other aisle seat, right next to me, was the Baseball Hall of Famer <a href="http://www.ozziesmith.com">Ozzie Smith</a>. Yep, THE Ozzie Smith. We made small talk during the flight but never talked about baseball. In the countless hours since, I?ve thought of a million things to say to him. Oh well, maybe next time.

<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html">Willam Jefferson Clinton</a>

Earlier tonight I was walking down 42nd Street in Manhattan after getting some takeout, heading back to my hotel. I was about to go into a deli to get a soda when I realized that large, well dressed men, facing away from the store, were not letting anyone into it. ?Hmm?, I thought. So I was standing there with about 4 other people when Bill Clinton walked out. He was lead and trailed by two other large men in suits. He was carrying something, but to be honest, I was in such shock to look at what kind of food was in his bag. I was about 4 feet from him. 4 feet from <a href="http://www.realchange.org/clinton.htm">Bill Clinton</a>, adulterer, former-leader-of-the-free-world lawyer, Rhode scholar, 400K-a-pop-speaker, Big Mac-eating, Bill freakin? Clinton. If I were any closer to him he would have been invading my ?space?. Cool. My personal feelings aside, it was cool. He stood there shaking hands and signing autographs. He went to his SUV, put his food in the backseat, and came back to the crowd. What was kind of nice was that he went to the young cops working detail first and shook their hands and gave them autographs. After 1 minute, about 30 people crowded around and tried to get to him. At this point I made my getaway and went back to my hotel.

On a side not, Bill Clinton was in our town, Milton, on June 6 to give the <a href="http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/170/metro/A_matter_of_choice+.shtml">commencement speech </a>at Milton Academy. One of Bill?s senior staff members while he was president has a son who was graduating, and Bill gave the speech as a favor. Milton Academy is considered by many as the top high school academy in the nation. Very very rich people send their kids there.

Posted by David at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a little info on how my week went.

? Sunday, June 1, went to the airport to pick up my sister Dora who was going to be in town for training. What kind of training you ask? AAAARRRRMMMMMYYYY Training Sir! (Joke from the movie Stripes. I love it. No one else gets it. One of the challenges I face often).

? Monday, June 2, early flight to Philadelphia. Spent the day at a client location. Two days in a row of going to the airport. Fun times getting there.

? Tuesday, June 3, flew from Philadelphia to NY City. Spent the day at an IBM location starting a new project. Was on the flight from Philadelphia sitting next to Ozzie Smith, a retired major league baseball star. Much smaller in person than I thought.

? Tuesday, June 3, flew at night to my home in Boston, got in around 9:30. Actually flew to Logan airport and rode home in a car. One day, three airports. Sad. Just sad. Day three in a row of being at Logan. I am finding my way around like I own the place.

? Wednesday, June 4, early, very early, morning flight back to NY City and back to the location I was working at the previous day. The trips to the airport are starting to get me tired.

? Wednesday, June 4, flew home in the evening. Got in pretty late again. No big deal though, at least I was home. Four days in the row being at Logan airport, plus I was there twice in one day. This freakin? airport is awful. Who the h**l is Logan anyway.

? Thursday, June 5, took Patti and Emily to the airport for a weekend trip we were taking to Minnesota. Very early in the morning. Keep in mind, this was day 5 in a row of me going to the airport. Fun times. Me not flying. Me dropping off. Patti and Emily got off fine. I went to work at my office in Boston.

? Friday, June 6, flew from Boston to Minnesota through Cincinnati on Delta. Flight was very early. Now its 6 days in the row at Logan. Not fun times. Not fun. Bad. Hate the airport at this point. 6 days in a row. Logan. Airport. I hate it. I hate this &*%^% place more than anything.

? Friday, June 6 to Monday, June 9, spent the weekend in Minnesota. There for a wedding. More on that later but very good times. Like all other trips to Minnesota, we saw Patti?s family and kind of wished we lived much closer. Patti?s side in Minnesota is about as good as they get. Lots of cousins and aunts and uncles, kids, food, libations, dogs, games, etc. You get the idea. Much needed vacation after Logan fiasco.

? Monday, June 9, I am sitting on a plane flying from Minnesota back to Boston via Cincinnati. Tomorrow, I go to NY again. Then home Tuesday night to meet Patti at the airport at 10:30. Then back to NY on Wednesday. Looking forward to seeing my old friend Logan.

There really is no point to this. It?s just that Patti has heard my complaining for so long I need a new audience.

Stay tuned for information and pictures on the wedding in Minnesota.

Posted by David at 03:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)