Texas trip, in instagram pictures

Southwest Airlines; not your "family-friendly" airline....

On my flight from El Paso to LAX this weekend, I experienced something I've experienced all too often on a Southwest Airline flight. A drunk passenger. Not just a buzzed passenger, but the kind that makes you think they must have drank an entire pitcher of margaritas and chased it with a horse tranquilizer.

My brother and I experienced our first drunk passenger when we were young. We were old enough to recognize a drunk person when we smelled them, but young enough that we still needed to be supervised by the attendant. This drunk passenger jumped on the plane at the last minute, shoved her boombox (circa 1990) under my brother's seat, kicked off her Birkenstocks and put her smelly (read: unwashed for days) feet in the seat across from her (next to my brother). She then passed out for the entire flight. It was a memory I cherish (sarcasm).  

Recently, you've probably heard about this story: Actress Leisha Hailey was kicked off of a Southwest flight because she kissed her girlfriend...which apparently offended some good southwesterners. And she was famous! All this from the airline that claims to be the official airline of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).   

Then, also, in the last month...the lead singer of the famous grunge-punk band Green Day was kicked off a SWA flight for letting his pants hang low....and refusing to follow the flight attendant's instruction for pulling them up. He's known for how he dresses...and I'm sorry, but I usually don't think that someone's clothes are offensive enough to have them removed from public view or escorted from a plane. USUALLY. 

You can literally get kicked off a plane for anything. Remember the people that have been kicked off flights for "being too fat (Kevin Smith)," or for their loud toddlers (hello!?!?!), and the woman who was crying too loudly on her sister's shoulder about their father's recent heart attack. They almost missed those precious last moments with their dad because of that disgraceful act. This is all getting a little out of hand. 

Our flight was delayed coming out of Austin by about an hour which would have cost us an overnight stay in El Paso...but SWA gratefully held the connecting flight 10 minutes for us. We deplaned and ran to catch our flight which was just two gates over. Upon boarding the full plane (10 seats were waiting to be filled, including ours), the only two seats together were near the back of the plane. Not a problem for us because being closer to the restroom is better with a 3 year old. Honestly, I was just thankful to be on a flight heading home. 

I threw my carry-on in the overhead compartment and took to our seats as quickly as possible. I buckled my three year old in the seat in the middle and I took the aisle seat. The other passenger on our row (we'll call him Drunkboy, for brevity's sake) attempted to be cordial by offering us a bag of peanuts from his large stash of airline peanuts. I declined politely and waited for other passengers to quickly get on the flight so we could get home. 

Scout snuggled up next to me and quickly fell asleep before our flight even left the ground. Thank goodness. Because for the next two hours, I lived in fear that Drunkboy was going to throw up on me, my kid, or my purse. He tried to make conversation a couple of times, but "fell asleep" in the middle of his question or comment. I did learn he was from Utah, originally. He texted...or tried to, but was having trouble remaining conscious. His phone remained on and active for the entire flight. If I'm not mistaken, he received a text halfway through the flight. 

Drunkboy may or may not have been a young serviceman...there were many in my section on the flight. I recognized them not because of their uniforms or their overly polite behavior or conversations, but because they get free drinks on Southwest flights. Upon their ordering, they flash a military i.d. and the attendants usually thank them for their service and then say those three magical words "drink's on us." There were three other servicemen seated across the aisle from us, and they routinely looked over and cracked some jokes about how he couldn't hold his alcohol and if he was "going to get on a flight wasted, he was fair game." These young men (also getting free alcohol) kindly offered me a bag of pretzels or peanuts from their large stash (apparently you get all the snacks you want on SWA, too, if you are in the military). I declined politely and delved into my book and cuddled my toddler. 

Why didn't I say something to the airline attendant? It probably had something to do with the fact that I wanted to try to be respectful of the situation. But when do we sacrifice our own comfort for the sake of respect? I was clearly uncomfortable. I could have had this young man removed from the plane. But the thing is...that Drunkboy sat there for ten minutes (or longer) before I even got on board. The flight attendant had to wake him up and move him so that we could be seated. The two flight attendants working in our section of the plane stopped and observed him before the flight took off. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt...had his active cell phone on his lap, and was passed out against the window with a half-eaten packet of peanuts held to his mouth. 

Why didn't I say something? I should not have had to. 

Maybe Southwest Airlines should tweak that part of training that talks about "judgement calls." 

wrapping up the past few days...

My father in law is off to pursue great things. He left yesterday for Pennsylvania for five or six days, and then is heading to Tanzania for 27 months. He has joined the Peace Corps, and we, as a family, are SO proud of him. What an ambitious endeavor. I cannot imagine packing up and leaving the house you've been living in for over 20 years to head to a fourth-world country. What a courageous thing to do. He seems so excited and ready to take on the challenge. If anyone could do it, it'd be him. 

I have arrived at my brother's house in Leander and must say....I didn't realize how much I was looking forward to relaxing on their comfy couch. This sucker has been calling my name almost all day. I took Scout to get her hair cut today, and it looks adorable. She didn't want to cut it short, so we left it long and just cleaned up the cut. 

I've been feeling a little icky today....tired and want to take a nap. Our allergies have flared up and we are both feeling a little stuffy and gross today as well. Welcome back to Central Texas! 

More later. 

hi there!

Oh hi, 

Been sitting on pins and needles much? We are in Georgetown, and spending as much quality time with our family as we can while also battling a little bit of jet lag and dehydration. Didn't plan on that last one. The dry air (even in this humid part of Texas) is stifling. 

We landed in Austin, and gathered our luggage. We hit up the rental car desk and grabbed keys to our Hyundai sedan. We jumped in the car and headed to feed our mexican-food-deprived stomachs. We met up with friends over salsa and chips and carne guisada. We went to the record store to satisfy our indie music cravings and Hey Cupcake! to satisfy our sweet teeth. 

Then we made a bee-line for Georgetown to be with our family. Things are really great right now. It feels good to be surrounded with cousins, siblings, in-laws, grandparents and aunts and uncles and friends. 

Time apart

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. I'm not sure about that, but I know that the absence of my friends and family seems to bring a sort of longing in my heart that can be tangible pain at times. The hardest part of this new endeavor thus far has been the missing of family and friends.

This weekend, I was able to reverse the day-to-day and spend time with my besties and away from my husband and daughter. The excitement of spending two whole days with my friends with undivided attention plus TexMex seemed almost too much to bear. Then, just two days before I was set to return to the land of scorching heat and humidity, the parental guilt kicked in. I felt horrible for leaving J&S and knew I would be missing them the entire time I was gone.

That didn't stop me from having an excellent time.

But it did make for some really conflicting moments of internal dialogue standing in security checkpoints. I almost felt sorry for the guard in Houston who asked me how my day was. I almost came apart standing in front of him--not what he asked for that day when he clocked in, I'm sure. I cried from the minute we arrived at the airport until almost two hours into my flight. I couldn't help it. I missed my friends, and wanted to smuggle them onboard with me.

I love our life here in Cali. I love this incredible opportunity we've been given, but if I could have my friends here, it would be perfect. I'm looking forward to making new connections here with new friends and old.

On another note, while I was gone....someone started going to bed by herself, using the word "Ye-ah" (think flava-flave) and somehow, her hair got curlier. How much fun did they have while Mom was out of the house?! Pirate baths, playdates, new parks explored and bagel Sunday! Luckies!

Not so wordless wednesday...

So excited. I purchased a ticket yesterday to fly to Houston to see some friends and to also see this:

Mini-Vacay with my love.

Olympic Peninsula, WA - Canon T2i from Jay Holzer on Vimeo.

Christmas where it snows

We went to my family's hometown to spend Christmas this year. It was another memorable one for us. So much going on that we tried to capture on film. Scout must have been a good girl because Santa came to see her TWICE on Christmas Eve. She wasn't a bit afraid and even hugged him several times. So much changed from last year. She looks so grown up and is such a big girl. I find myself grasping at those bittersweet moments of fleeting childhood on a more frequent basis. How could anyone not smile just being around this silly little thing?

Journaling Day 2

I drove all morning in the rain yesterday. To see the snow and to see the two year old, of course. It was a nice time. Being alone with your thoughts (as shallow or as deep as they may be) is a fierce thing.
I was talking to Jay a couple of days before I left...we were discussing the amount of people I knew that have died versus how many he knew. It seemed to be a staggering number. What's that about? Dying?

When I arrived, I took her to my childhood bedroom to put her down for nap. She asked me to stay.