I recently wrote a post about how to travel if you are a passenger but started thinking about the other side. What about the flight attendants who are caring for the passengers? This came out of a conversation I had with a co-worker yesterday and I dedicate this post to my coworkers and flight attendants around the world although it could apply to other workers as well.

I am frequently asked how I still smile and seem to love my job after 12 years as a flight attendant. I would think that these people are just being nice if I had not met some of the people they are talking about. Honestly, I can understand the side of the tainted ones even though I still believe it’s possible to change those thoughts.

There’s the compensation involved, both received, promised and taken away. There’s the rules that are constantly changing by what appears to be someone who hasn’t the slightest clue about being on-line (working in the plane). There are the bad hotels on poor overnights and being at our company’s whim at any time of the day or night. Definition: employee.

So, how do I still smile? I love my job and all of that above is the crap that you have to go through to get to said job. I come to work, check in and go. I come back in, check out and leave. I know it’s there and I pay attention to what I need to however, I do not let it run my life.

So, what about these passengers? We all know that the passengers are not always cherubs in flight and your co-workers are not always perfect. So what? The passengers will be gone and off on their way and the other employee, same thing. Do your job. Make sure that the passengers are safe and have what they need to be comfortable and if they are ornery, have a little fun with them. How great are you to be around when you are having a bad day? Sometimes all it takes is a little kindness. Perhaps the passenger is having a bad day. Perhaps they are just a jerk. I have even more fun with those.

Passengers have mentioned that they just want the flight attendant to smile and say hi. Plus, think about their journey before they even got to you. Picture the last time you went through security. Add on to that, dealing with customer service, lost baggage, misconnects, rude flight attendant on the last flight…I did have a passenger that was screaming at me because he was going to be late for his daughter’s wedding. We were 10 minutes to late making sure that a mechanical issue wasn’t dangerous. I told him if it were my daughter, I would have left at least by yesterday. Suddenly, he was a lot nicer and I did not actually word it that nicely. I did smile though.

Our jobs are not as glamorous or simple as some people may think but it’s really not that difficult. Say ‘hello’, read some safety briefings, serve some drinks and pick up the trash, then say ‘good bye’. If you pick up the trash during the flight (even if you have to be more aggressive) and there won’t be much if any after the flight. Fold the blankets for goodness sake. If you don’t care what the passengers think of you then do it for the next flight attendant. Fold in half, then half and half again. It takes like 10 seconds.

Remember: You are NOT hurting the company; you are giving your own co-worker more work. Are you really that lazy?

Please note that I am NOT saying that we are treated great and that there is no reason to ignore the way that we are treated. What I am saying is that you work for a company and they could care less if we are happy or not so we only make ourselves miserable when we let it get to us. I am not at work right now however; I have been there for many years and feel for the people that are being abused. While I do not think that it’s okay and I do feel bad for what other flight attendants are going through, I still believe that we make it worse when we allow the circumstance for which we have no control to run our lives, it only makes it worse. They do not pay me enough to not have a good time!

I never realized the power of Amazon. So far, I have ordered my son’s vitamins, ink for my printer, a camera for my husband and cooking supplies for my gluten free collection. I even check for lingerie before I started to write this and yep, they have that too! For the guys or gals like me, they even have tools.

Everything that I have purchased from Amazon (including the other businesses they work with), I have been please on the ease of using the website and receiving my products. Shipping time is always pretty quick.

If you do order from them regularly, they offer Amazon Prime which offers free 2 day shipping or 1 day shipping for only $3.99 per item. You are given a free 2 week trial and the cost is $79 a year.

Some items are even eligible for the Super Saver which gives you free shipping (5-9 days) on eligible purchases over $25.

Do you have a business that sells items that may be perfect to sell on Amazon? Or, perhaps you would be interested in selling things there. I’m not talking used shoes here however, they do sell new and used items and listing is free, minimal costs if your item sells.

Full disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate and a couple of the links are linked to my account, which is only paid if item is purchased. I do however, use and love Amazon.com and my relationship with them does not cost you any more for the item.

I like Cheerios. I like chocolate. But, will I like chocolate cheerios?

I received a full trial size box of these little chocolate circles from Psst. They send me things to try and I let them know what I think. This is the best sample ever!

I open the box to a delicious sent of chocolate and see the familiar O’s in two different colors of brown. The taste is reminiscent of Cocoa Krispies. I like it. I am not sure if this is something that I would buy all of the time. It probably depends if my son loves them. One thing about Cheerios is that I am more willing to buy the fruity Cheerios over Fruit Loops because there is a lot less sugar and junk. So, why not chocolate Cheerios versus a more sugary one.I think that it would make a wonderful late night, still hungry and need a treat snack.

If you like chocolate and Cheerios, I definitely recommend at least trying it for yourself. If you leave a comment telling my why you may like this, I have 5 coupons worth $1.25 off of a box. I will randomly pick 5 people to send the coupons to on Friday after 2:00pm.

eBags Winter Sale & Clearance – Up to 60% Off Top Brands While Supplies Last! + Free Shipping Over $50

Up to 50% Off Big Buddha Handbags at eBags.com! Hurry, Sale ends 12/9/09!

20% Off + Free Shiping on Orders over $100 at eBags.com! Offer valid this Sunday, 12/6 only!

I received an email today from sittercity.com for Totsy. Because I use Sitter City, I have a special invitation to check out a site that is a “private sale for kids and Mom’s”. Okay. I checked it out and the first one I see is up to 72% off at Dwell Studios. It shows that it ends in 2 days and 14 hours. Another one is Momma Couture, fashion forward and functional to use even after the baby bag days.The site shows when the sales will end and when new sales will begin. Nomie Baby and even Little Maven, by Torrie Spelling, will be starting in a few days.

Are you a Mom or Dad? Do you know someone else who is? Seems like this would be a great place to pick up some presents for Christmas, baby showers or birthdays and save money too. If you would like to check out this site, just give me your email address in the comments or send it to me at willflyforfoodblog@gmail.com, and I will add you to my guest list so that you can check it out too.

Let’s start saving together today.

Cincinnati Ballet & Ballet Met

Present

Swan Lake

My husband and I parked a couple of blocks away to enjoy the nights cool breeze as we walked toward the Aronoff Center to see last nights performance of Swan Lake. As we got closer to our destination my excitement built. It had been years since I had the opportunity to enjoy the ballet in full form. Walking into the building was just as informative as attending my first Ballet and Beer. I wasn’t really sure what to wear so I chose a classic dress and black boots. At first, I thought that perhaps I was underdressed when I was the first few people, ladies in satin and lace. Little girls in their finest dresses, tights and ballet flats. Men in suit and tie. Then I saw others in plain dresses, pants and even one person in jeans and a nice shirt. It reminded me of church. I don’t believe that God cares what you are wearing as long as you are there.

Once inide, you will find that there is a wonderful celebration of the evening already taking place. Conversations enjoyed over glasses of wine, coffee and tea, soda or water whatever your choice. Chocolates and nuts found my eyes and saved my stomach from near starvation since I forgot to eat dinner in all of the excitement!

The first thing that I did was to join a couple of the directors in The center Stage Room for footnotes prior to the production. This allowed time to hear how these two companies came together and a bit of details about the story of Swan Lake.

The chimes ring once and then twice alerting everyone to please take their seats that ushers make very easy to find. On the floor just slightly to the left of the stage, I had a wonderful view. This years performance combines live music from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the combination of two ballet companies. What this means for those of you that have the opportunity to attend, is that one evening, the Cincinanti Ballet principles will be dancing the lead male and female roles and the next night, it will be the Columbus Met group. Last night, the lead male dancing Prince Siegfried was our own Anthony Krutzkamp and lead female dancing Odette/Odile was Kristi Capps, also a Cincinnati Principle dancer. The evil Von Rothbart was danced by Zack Grubbs, senior soloist for Cincinnati, Prince Seigfried’s friend Benno was danced by Andres Esteves (Columbus Met).

The orchestra began to play before the curtain opened. Then, the big moment and for me at least, it was all and more than I could have expected. The stage opened up to an explosion of beautiful fall colors. So appropriate for the season. The theme continued in the dancers attire as the party began. Colors of the changing leaves. Prince Siegfried’s mother, played by Pamela Royal, insisted that he marry. He entertained her as each lovely lady vied for his attention. The ladies dresses were lovely in light fall shades of tulle that flowed around them as the twirled, the men’s jackets of suede so rich and befitting their roles. I watched as a child watches their favorite show on the edge of my seat.

My next favorite part was when the swans, all 24 of them came flooding out from stage left. When I heard from Victoria Morgan that the combination of the two groups resulted in 24 swans, I was not sure how that would play out on stage however, it worked out beautifully. The cool bright white against the warmer colors of the stage looked amazing. Like mirrored images both in limbs and reflections on the floor, they danced in synch and pulled it off with perfection. When each of the swans stood on pointe (up on their toes) in first position, my heart melted. They looked so lovely.

The performances of Prince Siegfried and Odette brought chills to my arms and at times a tear to my eye with their interpretation and ability to allow me to feel the emotion where no words were verbally spoken. No words were needed to know what was going on. Thank you. I felt the love that Prince felt for Odette. The powerful emotion danced by the principle’s solo’s.

In the third act, after the intermission, the scene became even more exciting as the curtains opened to a grand ballroom. Where as in the beginning there was a scene of fall leaves, this stage a more elaborate scene setting the stage for the biggest event of the production. The unknown betrayal of poor Odette and Prince Siegfried by the evil Von Rothbart. Dancers from around the world came to impress the Prince and Queen as he was forced to choose a wife.

Earlier in the month, I was allowed the great honor of watching the creative process through a rehearsal of the Spanish dance. Although at the time, I learned a lot about this process, I still did not quite fully know what I was watching until the moment that it was in front of me last night. My new friends, Sarah Hairston, Maizyalet Velaquez, Selahattin Erkan and Stephen Jacobsen came onto the scene in wonderful Spanish costumes and danced what I had already scene yet not as wonderful as at that moment.

When I see the rehearsals, I can see the hard work and pure determination that each dancer brings to his work. You can see the training, the stretching, the ability that it takes to achieve this career choice. When you watch the final product, in full with costume and an orchestra to back it all up, one only sees the passion and the emotion behind the story played out as if part of their soul. I urge each of you take part in these celebrations of life and art.

Dear friends,

I am not sure what I did, however, my blog posts past the month you see have disappeared! Please be patient with me as I start over from that point while I continue to look in the nooks and crannies of my hard drive!

P.S., Does anyone know where my hard drive is? tee hee.

Have a great day and see you at the ballet!

Christina

The only thing that made it a wordless Wednesday is the fact that I wasn’t able to get on long enough to post this! This is a picture from my last trip. Wow! It doesn’t feel like we are going that fast until I try to take a picture.

I want to make this a game. If you can guess where I am and what I am taking a picture of, I would love to give you a free buddy pass *(see details). I will keep it going until Friday (midnight) where I will use random.org to pick who gets the pass.

Who knows, you could be heading across the big ocean in Business class before you know it!