This SSSSucks

For the second time in last six months, I have had a flight cancelled at the last minute. Weather was NOT a factor in either case and both times the airline was United.

This last time, I am 98% certain that the flight was cancelled b/c it was too empty. Just minutes before we were supposed to board there were only about 30 people at the gate waiting to board.

I managed to get rebooked on an American Eagle flight leaving four hours later, but it was still really frustrating.

Part of my frustration stemmed from the fact that when you book your ticket through one carrier and then get rebooked through another, you're more likely to be issued a boarding pass with the dreaded "SSSS" code on it.

I don't know what "SSSS" stands for. "Sucks to be you, you Sad, Sorry Sucker!" is the closest I can come up with, though "Selected for Secondary Security Scan" may be more likely.

Anyway, what it amounts to is this:

1. I checked in
2. I went through Security and sat down to wait at the gate
3. The flight was delay 30 min
4. The flight was cancelled
5. We all got up to go back to ticketing to get rebooked
6. The United Airlines Rep at the gate got on the intercom to assure us that the flight was NOT cancelled
7. We all sat down
8. The United Airlines Rep at the gate got on the intercom to say "Oops! My bad! It IS cancelled!" (This is a whole 'nother issue that I will be discussing with Cust Serv soon!)
9. We all got up to go back to ticketing to get rebooked
10. After waiting 45 min, I got rebooked on American Eagle
11. I went to Security and had to go through the whole pat-down, bag search rigmarole - regardless to the fact that I had already been through Security once already and was only going through a 2nd time because United Airlines are a bunch of cockknockers.

Sigh.

But I was nice about it. I know it's a precaution.

But I couldn't help feeling like insult had been heaped on top of injury. It was like being pissed on after being knocked over.

But whatever. I'm home now and I will make a concerted effort NOT to fly the Friendly Skies again anytime soon.

CB

So. It's official.

The CB and I are no longer. We barely ever were.

I'm sad, of course, because I was having a lot of fun and I was looking forward to more fun with him. He made me feel smart and funny and sexy (God, soooo sexy) and cool.

But shit happens.

I'm not mad or resentful. He's a really great person and I wish him all the best.

Thank you, sweet boy, for all the laughs and the all the thrills.

Farewell and Good Luck!

-E

Back to the Grind

The last several days - hell, the last several WEEKS - have been hellish and I have not been to the gym for a solid week.

I'm meeting my trainer at 5am today and I'm worried about what she's going to say.

I'm also nervous about what the scale is going to say.

Wish me luck.

Class - and the lack thereof

(Sorry to go political again, but what can I say... I have opinions...)

I heard two concession speeches this morning – I couldn’t bear to watch election results last night and went to bed without turning on the TV, internet, or radio.

The first concession speech I heard (segments of) was John McCain’s. It was both gracious and moving. I regained some of the respect I once had for him but had lost through the course of this election hearing him urge us to come together for the betterment of our nation.

The second concession speech I heard – though “concession” is a very loose term in this case, came from Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica. Now, I have very little respect for Peraica prior to this, but his petulant, whiney, sour-grapes speech following his loss to future State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, just showed anyone who didn’t already know that here is a man with absolutely no class.

Instead of congratulating Ms. Alvarez, a career prosecutor, and offering his help, he whined about the choices of his own constituents.

What’s next, Tony? You barely held your own district on the Cook County Board during the last election. Even your own party is getting disgusted with you, you media-whoor. You ask why the Republican Party has such a hard time gaining a foothold into elected offices in Cook County? It’s because YOU have elbowed your way to the front of the line and voters find you off-putting and obnoxious.

My guess? You’ll lose your seat during the next election for County Board. You know it too, Tony, which is why you’ll run for any race that’s open (including the chief prosecutor when you’re a DEFENSE attorney?!)

And when the voters of Cook County finally get that immature, useless Toddler out of office, it will not be YOU sitting at the head of the table. It’ll either be Quigley, Claypool or Gorman. And you’ll fade away into nothing until you find a new way to get your name in print.

I hear Paris Hilton is looking for a new BFF…

Though I think even she has more class than you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TERRI!!!

Just a shout out on this Election Day (VOTE!!!!) to my dear imaginary friend Terri. I hope you have a spectacular birthday!

To everyone else: Vote! Vote! Vote!!!!

See you on the flipside!

-E

My Ex is a Boob

Oy.

My ex's wife is about 23 months pregnant.

She came to Dave's Halloween party tonight as a pumpkin. She was adorable, but is clearly CLEARLY insecure about the weight she has gained in the last few months.

Boy: Hey!
EEE: Hey!
Boy: Have you lost weight?
EEE: Yes.
Boy's Wife: What?
Boy: I was just commenting that EEE has lost weight. She looks great, doesn't she?
EEE: (silent groan)

Oh, and one more thing...

As if I don't have enough going on right now, it is now November.

For most people this means very little: Election day (of course), the end of Daylight Savings, (tomorrow, folks!) Thanksgiving, and the holiday shopping season.

For me, it means all those things in addition to a busy time at work, family stuff, the novel I'm finishing, PLUS National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org)

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I love Love LOVE NaNoWriMo. I've done it four times now and I really want to make it a life-long challenge. And this year will definitely be a challenge!

I've given it absolutely no thought. I have no main character and no plot. All I have is a potential title ("They Hate Me in Des Plaines") and a vague idea that I'd like to incorporate some of the personality quirks of my imaginary friends.

We'll see how it goes. I'm gonna get started today. To hit 50K in 30 days, I usually aim for 2k/day (always with the assumption that there will be days when I just can't face the computer)

I'm completely overwhelmed. We'll see how it ends up.

Wow! Just... Wow!

The good: Early Voting turnout has been phenomenal! I mean, beyond anyone's expectations. The number of people who have committed to performing their civic duty by voting has been outstanding.

The bad: Early Voting turnout has been phenomenal! It's been completely brutal for the poll workers.

I've only given a small corner of my time to this election but the election judges at the early voting sites and the staff working behind the scenes downtown have been bleeding, sweating and crying their guts out to pull off a successful election and to make sure that everyone who should vote CAN vote.

Wow. I'm in awe of all of you. Just... Wow!

And THANKS!

Note to Self

Note to Self: Do NOT wear sexy little boy-short undies to the gym on "running" days.

Grrr....

I swear I had to un-wedgie myself about twenty times this morning...

Research

My ex is - was - an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) which basically means he's pretty good at basic first aid and gets to put a cool sticker on his car.

I'm writing a scene that requires my MC to perform some first aid on herself and I couldn't find what I was looking for on the internet so I called the Boy.

Of course, his pregnant wife answered the phone. She sounded perky and happy and I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'll be out of town the weekend of her baby shower... I chatted for a minute and then asked to speak to the Boy.

EEE: I have a first aid question
Boy: OK
EEE: How would you un-dislocate a dislocated your shoulder if you were all alone?
Boy: Um... wow. Well, first of all, don't bang it into place like Lethal Weapon
EEE: Uh huh...
Boy: I'm really not sure how you'd do it alone...
EEE: Well.. what if the only person you had to help you was really really drunk?
Boy: What?
EEE: What if you had a dislocated shoulder and the only person who could help you was fall-down drunk?
Boy: I'd call the paramedics.
EEE: Not an option. There are vampires at the door.
Boy: *pause* What?!

I found that conversation vastly entertaining.

Friday

Oy....

I'm not a huge fan of Fridays. I think they're the longest day of the week. But right now I'm so looking forward to this week being over that I'll take what I can get!

Besides, I'm working tomorrow anyway.

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope the weekend treats you well!!!!

Being bad

I've been bad this week. And NOT in a fun way.

I skipped the gym yesterday and really I should be there right now - but I'm obviously not. I'm sitting on my couch with my laptop in my lap. I see Sharon tomorrow and I dread telling her that I've been such a bad little exerciser.

To be fair, I just spent the past half hour WORKING (it is 5:15am) and will probably continue to work all day off and on until around midnight.

Ugh!!!

I'm hoping work sorts itself out soon and I can get back on track. But until then, I guess I have to suck it up and do what I know I have to do. So I'm gonna go change and hit the treadmill.

Oh! And a special shoutout to my imaginary friends. Some of you are going through really tough times right now and (at least) one of you is about to embark on one of life's greatest adventures.

Good luck to all of you!!!