Conversations on the Employee Shuttle

Numerous topics were discussed on the ride to the employee parking lot last night. These topics included:

• Perez Hilton possibly getting arrested for posting pictures of Miley Cyrus's hooha
• pointing out the man dancing in front of his van at the airport, and whether he is doing a pee dance or performing a scene from Flashdance
• the excessive contents of my purse (currently home to a box of Wheat Thins, puzzle book)
• "S*** my dad says" Twitter feed possibly being turned into a TV sitcom
• the trend of Haiku poems as Tweets
• creating Haiku poems to begin a Twitter account
• my apparent alcoholism?
  
• bringing butter to work for cookie baking purposes
  

I love the people I work with for the sheer entertainment of our conversations. To note, we did create quite a few Haiku poems on the ride to the employment lot. The first was a group effort:

Elevation is
an awesome song by U2
or maybe it's not

And a line for a future Haiku poem was created: Memory like your liver

Things are also much more entertaining late at night/early in the morning when sleep is imminent and a large amount of energy has just been exerted cleaning the plane.

Ratt-iversary!

Buffy and Annabel cuddle up in their first days as Dutras

It was a year ago today that I adopted little Buffy and little Annabel. I went to The Tropical Hut to get two rats, not knowing anything other than the rats were cheap there and they had rats available. I knew one would be named Buffy. That was all. I had no idea that I would get two adorable little girls with two distinct personalities.

Buffy: Fate would have it that the little blonde rat waiting in The Tropical Hut was mine. And such an appropriate name, as her namesake is for the other blonde Buffy, who happens to be a vampire slayer. I don't know what Buffy does when I go to bed, but she is quite stubborn, agile, and vey determined when she sets her mind to it. She is also more of an alpha female, playfully pinning Annabel, stealing newspaper, and with a fetish for chewing cords and cardboard. Buffy is my leaper, accomplishing feats pole vaulters would only dream of, and impressing everyone who has ever seen her clear a one foot fence or jump from the couch to the ottoman. She is my adventurat. She definitely has her own agenda.

Annabel: My timid little girl. Saved from being snake food, Annabel has never been quite right, but she has always been very sweet. As a baby she was terrified of loud noises, so I had to be careful not to open mail or put away groceries or do the dishes as noises associated with those activities would send Annabel running for a hiding place of her choosing. In fact, she still does on occasion. She is needy, making sure she is always in eye-sight of me or her ratsitter. Annabel is very stealthy for her size; silent, in apparent possession of an invisible clock, quick and nimble, she has evaded me numerous times and made it to places she is not supposed to be. She is also extremely lazy and would rather sleep during romp time than pal around with Buffy.

My girls have provided me such entertainment throughout the year. Yes, they are not the traditional pet, but they are amazing! We've never had any rats quite like these two girls, so there is always something new and exciting to encounter and learn with them. Granted, they most likely do not know the difference between today and any other day, except that they got a delicious feast for dinner and an extra yogurt drop for the day, but they are very smart and show their appreciation by being excited to see me.

Here's to Buffy and Annabel - may we have at least one more year together! And for your entertainment and mine, a video of Buffy's adventure into the criminal world. Please note the creepy Annabel in the background, a characteristic she has mastered.

Late flight, late night

I've been blessed with a great job in a time when a lot of people are having a hard time finding one. Hell, even actors we used to see in TV shows are doing commercials these days. I am very lucky that JetBlue liked my application enough to give me an interview, and it all went from there.

That being said, I'm exhausted! Almost every night the last week and a half has been a super delayed flight coming in, which means an even later flight for us working. For example, last night I didn't get home until 2:40 am, and last Thursday I didn't crawl into bed until 4:00 am! It wouldn't be such a problem if my internal alarm clock would shut itself off. I can't seem to sleep past 11:00 am, and for someone who needs about 10 hours of sleep things are starting to get difficult.

Some people in the world need the number of hours of sleep suggested by medical professionals: six to eight hours. Some need less than that, especially those of our parents' generation and older. Some, like me, need at least 10 hours. This is how the universe works. I love my bed. I love my sleep.


I have always needed a lot of sleep. From infancy, in fact. My mom tells me the story of how I would fall asleep mid-breastfeeding and she would have to try to wake me up to finish. What can I say? I'm a sleeper. I can fall asleep most anywhere, in what sometimes appears to be the most awkward and uncomfortable positions known to man. But for the sake of getting a few extra winks that I missed out on the night before... I would do nothing else.

Maybe I will be able to recuperate some of this lost sleep when I switch over to the early morning shift. I know that going to bed even earlier than before will force me to deal with even more ridicule. I've come to terms with that. You make fun of me all you want; I'll have the last laugh when I'm fully rested and ready to work, and you're sipping on coffee and energy drinks just to make it through the day.

I miss those days... of full-restedness, without yawns, the ability to focus on the task at hand. Naps and the elixir of life (a.k.a., Dr. Pepper) will be had until order is restored to my sleeping patterns. Apparently the 8:00 pm to midnight shift is host to the most sleep deprived group of people. It doesn't really surprise me. On the plus side, at least I'm getting paid for those late nights.

Everybody loves Sting

Friday I saw Sting and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and it was FABULOUS! Part VH1 Storytellers. Part musical theater. Part big band. All great reasons to spend the money and see him perform for yourself.

Sting had the genius idea to back up his songwriting with the winds and strings and percussion of the Royal Philharmonic, and since the majority of his songs were in fact written by the man himself, you know he was the one responsible for composing and arranging the Orchestra music to compliment such hits as "Roxanne," "Englishman in New York," and "Fields of Gold." Some of the arrangements were so different and new that I wished they was available for purchase at the over-priced souvenirs stand or on the relatively reasonably priced iTunes or the very free and very illegal downloading online. Perhaps it will come out in the future...

Arlene Schnitzer was the perfect venue for such a performance: it's intimate, classy, and the layout of the seats is such that everyone has a great view of the stage... as long as the people in front of them sit back in their seats. I did not have this luxury for the first twenty or thirty minutes. I had to tap gently on the shoulder of the woman in front of me and ask her to stop leaning over into her significant other's seat as I could not see Sting. Though romantic gestures are lovely, they could be less drastic than sharing the seat of your partner. She seemed a bit annoyed - I was annoyed as well because not only was she leaning left, her partner was leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees, obstructing my view as well - but she complied with my request. I had the support of the couple next to me, who agreed with me that it was inconvenient to have to look through someone's head in order to see Sting perform... if only I had the super powers to see through solid objects.

Sting is also a bit of a mumbler. The clever anecdotes he shared with the audience about his songwriting techniques and the meaning behind certain songs were hard to hear, which is interesting because we could hear his singing perfectly fine. Perhaps not so much a mumbler as a low talker.

In case you're wondering, the voice you hear on albums and radio is exactly like the voice you hear at the live performance, but there is something more soulful and magnificent about seeing him perform. It could have to do with the songwriting - as previously mentioned, he penned the music and lyrics for a good number of his songs - but you can feel the emotion behind every word he performed. I got goosebumps during some of his songs, and that's not just because it was quite chilly in the theater. I think it probably also had to do with the fact he had an entire orchestra behind him to give a little extra oomf. He even choreographed a few moves for the Orchestra do during the show, such as having the horns stand up and sing a little "oh oh" chorus; in particular, they were a very entertaining group of young men, especially the young man who through up a double fist pump, and the other young man who stuck the "rock on" hand gensture into the air as they were sitting down.

The overall experience made for an evening I'll never forget. Well done, Sting, well done. And excellent dance moves...

True Blood: What a laugh!

If you have been around the planet in the last year or two you've realized the population's obsession with vampires. It's translated into teen-cult books and movies (which I hear are not so good) and quite a few TV shows on the subject. A higher calibur of production and acting is involved with these shows, including a personal favorite, True Blood.

Now, by the phrase "what a laugh!" I mean it is actually quite funny... once you get past all the blood and sex and drugs and drama. I have heard a few people mention that if you were to add a laugh track to the show you would swear it was written as a comedy. It probably has to do with the clever writing of creator Alan Ball - what a guy :)

I watched season one the other week and found myself chuckling to the one liners Sookie slings at Eric, and laughing out loud at the beautiful but dim-witted Jason's remarks on anything, and enjoying the idea of the vampires' appreciation of a good pun. In fact, I found it a bit disturbing how much I was laughing considering the theme of the show and the amount of violence and gratuitious naked bodies (it is, afterall, HBO).

Now, since I do not have the abilities to be as clever with a computer as a good number of the rest of the world, I have provided you a little clip to reveal this comedic stylings of True Blood. If I remember correctly, someone took scenes from the show, renaming it "At Merlotte's" (because funny things happen on shows with a title like that): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5t_hKDfu7g

Credit where credit is due, the true comedienne of all things vampire is none other than Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with major assistance from the Scooby Gang. Seven seasons of creative genius, I'd say.

Side note: if anyone from the show by chance reads this, I would like to recommend a doughnut shop to you. Why a doughnut shop? It's all in the name: Voodoo Doughnuts. Located in beautiful Portland, Ore., Voodoo features some of the most original and delicious doughnuts you've ever seen and tasted. Considering the topic of the show and the theme of the shop, it's a match made in heaven. Just the other day a woman boarded a flight with that distinct pink box, wrapped with string, official voodoo man and doughnut logo stamped on top, informing me that its contents may not make it home... I wouldn't blame her.


For that matter, anyone who would like a delicious snack/meal/dessert - enjoy the VooDoo that they do. I recommend the Captain My Captain doughnut, which - you guessed it - is topped in the cereal of the same name. There are other classics such as the Bacon Maple Bar; the classic Voodoo Doughnut, complete with pretzel stake to the jam filled heart; Tex-Ass doughnut, which if completed in less than 80 seconds is free (it's quite large); and many more, even some that are brand new. Check out the webiste for some other delicious ideas: http://www.voodoodoughnut.com/

One month late, but better than never

As I was out of town for a good part of May, I was unable to really blog. Well, that's a lie - I had internet connection, but I was lazy. More busy than lazy really. It sounds like I'm making excuses, but really I was busy. Learning about life as an Airport Operations Crewmember for JetBlue is extensive and intense. Good thing, though, because it makes that first day a little less intimidating. A little less.

Some things to know about Orlando, or what I saw of Orlando:
1. Walgreens has everything you could ever need. From sunscreen to snacks, notebooks to postcards, toiletries to mini highlighters. Walgreens is my new favorite store...
2. If you are fair-skinned, like me, you need to wear sunscreen everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE! There is the potential to burn in the 15 minutes it takes you to walk from your hotel to Chili's and back. I am speaking for experience. Sadly, I am not exaggerating - I wish I was. I guess I'm just that white.
3. It is humid. You hear about how humid it is, but it's even more humid than that. And we were there in early May. Imagine what it would be like if it was the middle of summer...
4. It is hard to see an alligator in it's "natural" environment. I kept looking, as Florida is apparently full of gators, but I did not see one strolling across the street, and I did not see one on the side of the road with it's jaws wide open, as the various shuttle drivers told us they had seen.
5. TGIF has the most delicious ribs. You would not think it, but if you are hungry in Orlando you should go to TGIF. Or anywhere I suppose. Surprisingly good.

We'll call those the top five tidbits to know about Orlando, but that's mostly if you go to Orlando for training or work and are looking for a few bits of information or advice. Walking is also a great way to get around if you are staying close enough to the restaurants and stores. The evening is truly the time to walk about.

Things I've learned the first week or two on the job (and for the record, these are personal opinions and general observations, not those of JetBlue):
1. There are appropriate things to use the seat-back pocket for, which include: temporary holding your water bottle, temporary storing your magazine, temporary place to put your trash.
2. There are inappropriate things to use the seat-back pocket for, which include: dirty diapers, used gum on the safety cards, and squishy napkins or tissues.
3. Cleaning the airplanes is fun - who would have known?
4. Those two dollar headsets apparently are disposable, as many people leave them behind.
5. All those magazines, books, and other reading materials left on airplanes are stored in the office for the reading pleasure of the crew. As a result, we are more informed about the world of pop culture and current events (more so pop culture).

Apparently I'm a fan of listing things in fives today. And telling people about how awesome JetBlue is.

If you are jetting anytime soon through Portland International Airport, and it's a night flight (which means you're either heading to New York or coming in from Long Beach/New York, see if I'm working and maybe I'll be able to round up a pair of wings for you ;)

Clearly forgot I had a blog

I have been doing a different version on facebook which I call "Observations of the last week." In fact, if you are friends with me on facebook you will notice that I have Observations on there from my last blog entry until now. Not sure who I'm apologizing to, but sorry about the delay in posting; I've been distracted in life recently.

Here's what's been going on:
August 2009: Left the cushy life of an Assistant Hall Director at the University of Portland at a time when the economy was in the crapper. Wise decision? Well, though I did enjoy my job I needed to get away from the menial complaints of students and the petty arguments of their lives. I probably could have hung on for one more year, but would I have been happy? In the two years I was at UP I managed to anger two students into hating me, face-plant and black out in the shower due to low blood pressure which resulted in a trip to the hospital, choreograph a reproduction of a scene from Enchanted, and impress many people with my creativity and organization. Some fun times were had, but it was time to move on into the world of the unfamiliar.

Life of unemployment, September 2009 to March 2010: Well, I did keep busy, but for the first time in over two years I had time to do nothing and relax. Went to Disneyland - forgot how fabulous that place is! My connections to UP remained as I helped them with a few projects. Put those photography skills to good use with taking pictures of life in the residence halls. They are being used all the time, and if you visit the ResLife part of the UP website you can see my work. I got to spend more time with my little girls, Buffy and Annabel, the craziest and most spoiled rats in the world. I applied to a bunch of jobs; heard back from maybe two. I did get to watch countless episodes of "Say Yes to the Dress" and developed a strange love of Disney channel programming (it's so clean and goodhearted!), stay up all hours if I wanted to, sleep in if I wanted to. Had to watch my spending, though.

Employed! March 2010: I'm definitely working below my intelligence level at the moment. Office/welcome desk work is great if you have more to do that sit at your computer and blog or chat or stare off into space. In fact, I'm at work right now, and they don't seem to care that I'm blogging. There isn't a lot of structure or discipline; expectations are low for what they expect from us; and I'm constantly asking for them for more to do. It's almost like stealing, because I really don't do much but they are paying me for it. It's the Clark College version of the front desk of a UP residence hall, meaning a student should really have this job. I generally am disappointed in current performance levels and would love to provide more structure and organization to the desk positions. Even the full time person doesn't have much to do! But luckily...

April 2010: Jetblue came calling, and I said yes! I'm leaving next week to go to the training center in Orlando, Fla., where they will teach me all about being a JetBlue employee. I'm pretty frickin' excited. It's a new adventure: I know no one; I've never worked in this type of industry; and I got the job without any connections. It's sure going to be an interesting ride. At the same time...

Glee auditions: one of my favorite shows is auditioning for new cast members. Since I knew as soon as the show aired that I wanted to be a part of it I, of course, auditioned. Well, by audition I mean they are having people submit videos of themselves singing specific songs. I don't know if they are watching all the videos, just the ones with the most votes, if votes mean that they have priority. I know that if my life led me to singing and performing again I would be so happy. I love to sing! I love to perform! I've realized in the last couple of weeks that it is truly what makes me happy in life, but there are so many struggling actors in the world and I do not have the guts to risk it and try to find work. Plus I don't know where to start. If Glee producers decided I was worth the risk, then what? I'm sure of the thousands of videos I'm probably one of the few slightly above average performers, but whether that's good enough to snag the role I don't know. I know I want it. Heck, if I don't get it I'll find a community theater and start performing again, some sort of creative outlet.

Decision time: "Observations of the last week" will premiere here at Dutranation next week. I've struggled with the last few because I have not been observing as much as I did when I was unemployed and had the time to sit around noticing life. Guess I need to be a more active participant while I'm working... no, I just need to write things down when I notice them.