1. Definitely get to the airport at least one hour prior to your flight time. You'll be happy you did.
2. Book directly from the airline. Shop around on other websites if you wish, but then go to whichever airline you want to fly.
3. Booking from a third party website (i.e., Travelocity, Expedia) only leads to headaches. They lie about guarantee-ing you a window or aisle seat; they make it difficult to change flights or do anything; and they are not always the cheapest airfare.
4. Have a valid form of ID. And have it ready at the ticket counter.
5. Bring your itinerary, just in case.
6. Dress in layers. Airports and airplanes are cool; your destination may be warm; you can never predict if you're going to be too cold or too hot.
7. Every airport is different, so not every airport features the same things (i.e., curbside check-in, post office, bag drops). Do not expect the same service at every airport.
8. Do be nice to the people working at the airport. There is no need to get belligerent when things go awry. Sometimes if you're nice to people working at the airport they are really nice back.
9. Always purchase your beverages after proceeding through the security checkpoint. It'd be a bummer to dump that $5.00 latte you just bought because you can't bring liquids through with you.
10. If you are bringing something out of the ordinary or require a service that you're not sure about, you should call the airline. Don't be shy; it's OK. Better to be a well-informed traveler than finding out at the last minute that a bag weighing over 50 pounds cost extra money.
11. A flight may leave at a certain time, but the door to the aircraft will close ten minutes prior to that departure time, at which point it cannot be opened until it lands at its destination. You need to make sure you are there before that door closes.
12. Take personal responsibility. Do not blame the traffic for your late arrival at the airport. Do not blame us that you showed up late. It's not our fault you didn't plan accordingly. It's the cold, hard truth. Hey, the other 100+ people made it in time for the flight.
13. We like to give out wings. It brightens people's day.
14. We may help you with your bag, but we can't do all the work for you.
15. Airports and airlines have their bad days, too. That's what you get when you throw a bunch of different factors into an equation. But we will get you to your destination... somehow... sometime.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
We celebrate Columbus Day?
I didn't even realize there was a national holiday coming up until I walked by the bank in the airport that advertised being closed on Monday. Why Monday? What's going on that allows for them to close? It's Columbus Day? Uh...
I don't even know what people do to celebrate Columbus Day other than take the day off. Is there some sort of event I should be attending? Do I need to research the origins of Mr. Columbus to know what to do? We don't even know the dude's true nationality - hey, even us Ports have claim to the man.
I understand the general idea about Columbus Day: the "New World" was discovered by accident, but if it wasn't then we wouldn't be here and blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong- love the history behind it all, but my family is relatively new to this country. I'm a first generation on my dad's side, and my mom's family has been here for only about a century (I guess that's a long time). But none of my family has ties to the originating discoverers, unless somehow I'm related to Cristobo or Christopher or whatever you'd like to call him.
And homie found this land by accident! We're celebrating a booboo, folks. I bet we would have bumped into this place a while later. I mean, it's pretty darn big to not run into eventually.
But honestly, what do we DO to celebrate Columbus Day? I think in school we learned about the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, perhaps even coloring in drawings of the ships. We might have made funny hats we thought resembled those worn by Columbus and his crew.
Should we do more? Should we do less? Should we really give bank employees the day off? Not that I don't like a good celebration, but it's one of those holidays that never really got a great footing in American culture other than having it printed on calendars every year. In fact, I'd be more excited to celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving Day, as it appears to be the same day as Columbus Day. Makes sense; Columbus Day is another reminder that we "found" a place already inhabited by many peoples, to which we are grateful.
No, but seriously, what does a person DO on Columbus Day? Would it be wrong to go look for Halloween costume parts? To take advantage of Columbus Day sales at the mall? Go on with my life as if it were just another day? It's not like there is a moment of silence we hold during Columbus Day... or is there and no one told me? I wouldn't be surprised if no one told me.
And why do only banks and some other select businesses close on Columbus Day? Why isn't there more consistency about how we handle the whole thing? I think I need to go back to fifth grade, - or was it sixth? - and refresh my memory on what the issues of this day are, what I should do to commemorate it, and how to be a better supporter of Columbus Day overall. I mean, I don't think I've ever celebrated Columbus Day other than a special shopping trip to see the sales. In all honestly I forget it exists until I hear someone mention it on TV or the radio or in passing. Should we call it something else? Perhaps Land-ho Day? I see too many jokes arising from that name. Perhaps New Land Day?
Hmm. Just don't know what to do with this information. Maybe I'll practice my Spanish, as that is another possible origin of Colombo. Or maybe he was Italian? French? No one knows! Oh, there are some football games on tomorrow - can't get more celebratory than that!
I don't even know what people do to celebrate Columbus Day other than take the day off. Is there some sort of event I should be attending? Do I need to research the origins of Mr. Columbus to know what to do? We don't even know the dude's true nationality - hey, even us Ports have claim to the man.
I understand the general idea about Columbus Day: the "New World" was discovered by accident, but if it wasn't then we wouldn't be here and blah blah blah. Don't get me wrong- love the history behind it all, but my family is relatively new to this country. I'm a first generation on my dad's side, and my mom's family has been here for only about a century (I guess that's a long time). But none of my family has ties to the originating discoverers, unless somehow I'm related to Cristobo or Christopher or whatever you'd like to call him.
And homie found this land by accident! We're celebrating a booboo, folks. I bet we would have bumped into this place a while later. I mean, it's pretty darn big to not run into eventually.
But honestly, what do we DO to celebrate Columbus Day? I think in school we learned about the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, perhaps even coloring in drawings of the ships. We might have made funny hats we thought resembled those worn by Columbus and his crew.
Should we do more? Should we do less? Should we really give bank employees the day off? Not that I don't like a good celebration, but it's one of those holidays that never really got a great footing in American culture other than having it printed on calendars every year. In fact, I'd be more excited to celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving Day, as it appears to be the same day as Columbus Day. Makes sense; Columbus Day is another reminder that we "found" a place already inhabited by many peoples, to which we are grateful.
No, but seriously, what does a person DO on Columbus Day? Would it be wrong to go look for Halloween costume parts? To take advantage of Columbus Day sales at the mall? Go on with my life as if it were just another day? It's not like there is a moment of silence we hold during Columbus Day... or is there and no one told me? I wouldn't be surprised if no one told me.
And why do only banks and some other select businesses close on Columbus Day? Why isn't there more consistency about how we handle the whole thing? I think I need to go back to fifth grade, - or was it sixth? - and refresh my memory on what the issues of this day are, what I should do to commemorate it, and how to be a better supporter of Columbus Day overall. I mean, I don't think I've ever celebrated Columbus Day other than a special shopping trip to see the sales. In all honestly I forget it exists until I hear someone mention it on TV or the radio or in passing. Should we call it something else? Perhaps Land-ho Day? I see too many jokes arising from that name. Perhaps New Land Day?
Hmm. Just don't know what to do with this information. Maybe I'll practice my Spanish, as that is another possible origin of Colombo. Or maybe he was Italian? French? No one knows! Oh, there are some football games on tomorrow - can't get more celebratory than that!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
A movie review: Life As We Know It
Yay! After a couple of misses, Katherine Heigl has a hit on her hands! "Life As We Know It" is definitely a win in my book.
Yes, it's predictable, as most rom-coms are these days, but it was much better than I had expected. I like to think casting Heigl opposite Josh Duhamel had something to do with it, as did the oh-so-adorable triplets that played the baby in the film, and a funny group of supporting players.
The premise of the movie: Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) are best friends to a married couple, as well as godparents to their infant daughter. The two send clever quips back and forth at family occasions, make jokes at each others' expense, and instigate trouble whenever the other is around. Tragically, their best friends and parents to the baby girl die in a car accident, leaving little Sophie to be raised by Holly and Messer. Insert all the comedy you can imagine from two people that appear to despise each other forced to live together and raise a child together.
I think what makes this movie good is the chemistry between Heigl and Duhamel. I don't know why it took so long to find a suitable acting partner for Miss Katie, but the casting directors on this one nailed it. Unlike the communication major that I am I wasn't paying attention to who did the casting. I bet I could IMDb it if I put a little effort in to my review. It is also a reflection of the grief and stress and frustration of the situation for these two adults. They are challenged to take care of a baby and live together in a matter of minutes, and the movie follows them on their path to building a relationship and learning how to be a family and how they continue with their lives after the tragedy of losing their best friends.
The supporting cast was also pretty entertaining. You see them on TV and in other movies and think, wow this person is funny, but you don't ever know his or her name. For example, the woman that played Loralei's best friend on Gilmore Girls, she was in it. And a few other familiar faces, but even know I'm having a hard time placing them in the other TV show or movie I remember seeing them in. The neighbors who comment on the steamy sexiness of Messer and the sadness that is Holly who bakes but has no ring on it. The neurotic social worker that comes to visit at the most inconvenient times. The taxi driver/baby sitter (enough said).
Listen, the movie is not Oscar quality; I don't know of one rom-com in the last year or two that would qualify in that category. It is entertaining. It is funny - I snorted a couple of times and the man next to me gave me a strange look. And there were tears because it's very sad when a child is left without both parents. But if you are looking for a movie to enjoy on these cold days of autumn I recommend "Life As We Know It."
Yes, it's predictable, as most rom-coms are these days, but it was much better than I had expected. I like to think casting Heigl opposite Josh Duhamel had something to do with it, as did the oh-so-adorable triplets that played the baby in the film, and a funny group of supporting players.
The premise of the movie: Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) are best friends to a married couple, as well as godparents to their infant daughter. The two send clever quips back and forth at family occasions, make jokes at each others' expense, and instigate trouble whenever the other is around. Tragically, their best friends and parents to the baby girl die in a car accident, leaving little Sophie to be raised by Holly and Messer. Insert all the comedy you can imagine from two people that appear to despise each other forced to live together and raise a child together.
I think what makes this movie good is the chemistry between Heigl and Duhamel. I don't know why it took so long to find a suitable acting partner for Miss Katie, but the casting directors on this one nailed it. Unlike the communication major that I am I wasn't paying attention to who did the casting. I bet I could IMDb it if I put a little effort in to my review. It is also a reflection of the grief and stress and frustration of the situation for these two adults. They are challenged to take care of a baby and live together in a matter of minutes, and the movie follows them on their path to building a relationship and learning how to be a family and how they continue with their lives after the tragedy of losing their best friends.
The supporting cast was also pretty entertaining. You see them on TV and in other movies and think, wow this person is funny, but you don't ever know his or her name. For example, the woman that played Loralei's best friend on Gilmore Girls, she was in it. And a few other familiar faces, but even know I'm having a hard time placing them in the other TV show or movie I remember seeing them in. The neighbors who comment on the steamy sexiness of Messer and the sadness that is Holly who bakes but has no ring on it. The neurotic social worker that comes to visit at the most inconvenient times. The taxi driver/baby sitter (enough said).
Listen, the movie is not Oscar quality; I don't know of one rom-com in the last year or two that would qualify in that category. It is entertaining. It is funny - I snorted a couple of times and the man next to me gave me a strange look. And there were tears because it's very sad when a child is left without both parents. But if you are looking for a movie to enjoy on these cold days of autumn I recommend "Life As We Know It."
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