Playing Catch Up

So Sports Fans,

When we last talked, I was about to fly all around the globe in a week.  I did that.  It was done.  I actually was a guest blogger about the experience for a travel site.  You can read that here.  Basically it was a ton of fun, though expensive fun.  The best parts of the trip were easily, the people, the 787 and meeting the folks from LiveStrong.

So the people.  This wasn't my first time meeting real humans that I met on a web site.  I had been to the Chicago Seminars and also had been to a bunch of Yelp functions.  And my theory of "Online Thirds" was correct here as well.  When you meet people you only know as avatars and posts in real life, a third of them will be exactly as you imagined them.  Gregarious, funny, loud, what have you.  A third of them are super quiet online, but in person are really amazing and outgoing people.  And the final third are people that should only exist and interact in a virtual environment.  They're either creepy, close talkers, or incredibly socially awkward.  Like the guy who kept "shushing" people at a party in someone's room.  Dude, this isn't 5th grade.  And there's no point in preserving a party where you can't talk.  Or you're getting shushed at.

The 787 is an amazing plane.  Really.  More evolutionary than revolutionary, it just seemed more comfortable.  A lot has been made of the window shades, which are electronic and darken through electrical current.  I think the coolest thing was actually the size of the windows.  33% larger than regular windows.  Also, the seats even back in steerage seemed much more comfortable.  I look forward to flying to NRT on the inaugural flight from Denver in March.  Also, flying in a plane that only a few days old is pretty cool.

Finally, I met three wonderful folks from LiveStrong, the charity most known for the yellow bracelets that everyone and their brother wore a years ago.  They have taken a hit with the whole Lance Armstrong thing exploding. And admittedly I didn't really know what they did, besides fighting cancer.  Well, Jen, Renee and Colleen joined the trip in San Fran and stayed until Chicago.  I learned that Livestrong does really cool stuff like assign mentors to cancer victims to help them through their recovery.  And with Armstrong stepping down from the group that defined him as much as his yellow jerseys (Now confiscated), it helps to have some incredibly bright and caring people to share the organization and its mission.  I will totally support this charity, having cancer affect my family.  It's nice to be able to give back, even while drinking at 30,000 feet.

I will leave you with this video of my attempt at a safety demo at the United Flight Attendant Training Center outside Chicago. I'd like to thank the very lovely and patient Lauren Cyr, my flight attendant instructor who can be seen helping me with my life vest.  Stay tuned through the whole thing for the surprise ending.  Well, it was a surprise to me.

Early Morning Travel

So this morning, I'm on the way to Atlanta very early.  One of the reasons it's so early is that I needed to connect in Charlotte, where I currently am.  Now, Delta has a direct flight which takes two hours, but I'm not a Delta frequent flyer.  I'm a US Air flyer.  And I need all of my miles in order to get to 50,000 by November which is when the girlfriend and I go to Budapest.  And 50,000 miles puts me at Star Alliance Gold, and lounge access through Europe.  So that's why I have time to blog this morning. Here are a few early morning thoughts:

• When I left DCA, it was rainy and very foggy.  The top of the Washington Monument was even obscured by fog.  But within 3 minutes of our taking off, we broke through the cloud layer and were in crystal blue skies.  I love that.  Its nice to remember that even in the worst weather, it's beautiful just above.  
• I'm at the US Airways lounge, which I have access to through my Amex Platinum Card.  It grants access to US, Delta, and American lounges when flying those airlines.  And the TV is showing Headline News.  I don't like CNN.  I find it to be a network with lots of gimmicks and not much heart.  But CNN Headline News is terrible.  I think when CNN used to have stories of substance and length, Headline News was designed to give you the important news quickly and continuously.  

          However, with CNN in a 30-second news cycle itself, that turns Headline News into some sort of ADD  paradise with stories in 15 seconds, pop music and over the top hosts.  This woman, who is some sort of spawn of perky hucksterism and vapid USA Today journalism, could report on a school bus fire with a smile and then pass it to Tony with the weather. No Robin, I won't tweet you a hello that I will hope you read on air.  I have....what's that word...dignity.  Headline News is the terrible.

• I'm off to find a Starbucks to find my latest new thing.  Iced Quad Venti.  This is four shots of espresso in a large cup, filled to the top with ice.  You pour milk to the top to finish it off.  It's around $3.50 and it's a jolt in the morning.  I must thank my old partner Will for this find.  My fear of course is that if not taken in some moderation, I will eventually need 5 shots.  

Photo of Canary Wharf in London courtesy of the Daily Mail.