Health Concerns

For some reason, I immediately believe my life is at risk when something minor happens. Normally I can shake it off, but if it lingers, I'm screwed. When I started flying, my left leg would fall asleep. This was due to how I was sitting and how my legs were configured, but since it was my LEFT side, and that it was happening in the air, I immediately thought blood clot/DVT. Of course it was neither of those.

The week before Thanksgiving went without a hitch, until my flight. I was on the plane in my favorite non-first class seat and ready to go home. About 20 minutes into the flight, I started breathing heavy. It was the onset of a panic attack. I started concentrating on my breathing. If you have ever done this, then you know it sucks. It is better to breathe subconsciously than to think about it, because all you end up doing is breathing deeply, getting dizzy and feeling worse. When I breathe deep, I want to feel it in my lungs so much that it hurts. I just felt as if I could not get enough oxygen.

All I wanted was my inhaler, which was back in my car at the airport. I needed to get my mind off the issue, so I tried to sleep. No luck. My only other option was to try to make the time go by as fast as possible. I took out my headphones, I took out my computer, and I started playing solitaire and Free Cell. It helped time move, but I still felt off while playing. I had a 1/2 of a lorazepam, so I popped that, and it didn't work either. The moment we got to "landing in 30 minutes" I felt fine. I'm not sure what it was, but right then and there, I could breathe normally. While driving home, I took a couple deep puffs of my inhaler just in case. The moment I got home, the inhaler got thrown into my briefcase, which never leaves my side.

The question I ask myself is "could I have made my situation any better even though I didn't have my inhaler? Should I have asked the flight attendant if she could ask around to see if another passenger had an inhaler? Should I have made a fuss?"

I'd like to think that even though my life sucked for the next 90 minutes, I tried to keep calm as best as I could while running through my options. I knew in the back of my mind that I wasn't dying. I also knew that it would pass and that if I could keep my mind off it, I would return to normal.

I think the point of this is to make sure you are prepared for whatever gets thrown your way. I've been flying almost every week for the past 4-5 months now, and I would think that a panic attack would never have happened to me. Apparently I was wrong. I know better now.

My suggestion is to keep a small pharmacy in your bag to get you through any rough patches you may encounter:

• Advil/Tylenol
• Aspirin (people with heart issues)
• Tums or some form of antacid
• Inhaler (even if you have a mild case of Asthma, like me)
• Dramamine (even the strongest stomachs get queasy)
• Chapstick

Notice how all these items are non-liquid. It means you get in and out of security without having to take them out of your bag, which is key.

Safe flying.

Powerrrrrrr-less

9/13/2012

I'm a huge fan of Top Gear UK. I have tried getting into the United States version, and like most shows, the British just do it better. Jeremy Clarkson, who is hilarious on multiple levels, loves to utilize as much power as a vehicle will give him. He gets to drive all sorts of toys, like Ferraris, Mercedes, Lambo-whatevers...but the funny thing is when he is driving a shitbox and is racing, the moment he passes one of the other co-hosts, he yells "POWERRRRRRRR!!!!!!". I swear he must have one of the best jobs in the world.

I, on the other hand, have no POWERRRRR!!!! I got my status, and while I can book all these great seats (if available), I can't seem to ever get myself into a better seat. It's better than what it used to be, but it really sucks right now. I got stuck in the middle seat on Monday. How the fuck did that happen?

Monday was ridiculous in its own right. I get to the airport, and it is bustling a bit, meaning I'll finally get to use my "Priority Access" to bypass the line of peasants. I get in line, and see that the cattle line isn't really that long. As I am standing in line, I see the line to my right which is First Class and airline personnel. That line and my line lead to the same TSA agent, and they get precedence. I'm waiting there and finally that line is empty so my line starts up again. And then a bunch of foreign nationals show up in the line, and I can guarantee that they are not flying first class...I know that might sound a little harsh, but the truth is they were in wheelchairs and that is why they got pushed to the front of the line. Ok, I understand. But I see a young kid, late teens/early twenties, get into the cattle line and zoom right through. I have a conversation with the guy in back of me "Why do I have this if I can't get through? This is a rip off....blah blah blah". Honestly though...People are paying for access that doesn't mean a damn thing. If Priority Access could be split up into "Security Access" and "Board Plane Early Access", I'd probably go for the latter.

I get into my destination, and I forgot to rent a car. I had to have my wife book me a rental, and I ended up getting a Mazda 5. I think to myself "Self, a Mazda 3 ain't so bad, and a Mazda 6 is pretty good. Maybe a 5 will be a great car!!!" I was mistaken. It is a rectangular minivan. I should have had spent McDonald's cups and dirty cleats in my trunk.

******************

I cooked for some coworkers last night. The grill at the hotel is beastly, but not in a great way. It is extremely hot, but while I was searing the steaks, you couldn't really judge how long they should be on there for because the extreme heat was sizzling the outside, and I am positive the inside was still relatively raw.

After dinner, a coworker and I go out to a local bar for a quick beer and conversation. As we come back, she suggests the side door because it is closer to her room. Thank heavens she chose that door, because not 2 seconds after entering the hotel, we see a guy exit his room in his boxers with a hooker in hand. It was fan-fucking-tastic! Sorry. It was inappropriate. No..It was pretty cool. The problem is, my coworker kept purposely blocking my vision so I couldn't see this young lady in her undies. She has SEX for a living!! Let me see this girl's rear end in all its glory. He already paid her for her services I'm sure. She won't care if I sneak a peak.

*******************

My coworker mentioned that every time she gets on the shuttle to and from the airport/car rental building, she gets "evaluated" by the gentlemen on the bus. To be fair, she is an attractive woman, but I find that the nonchalant glances work a lot better than making a woman uncomfortable by staring...which is apparently what guys do to this girl.

Don't stare at girls on the bus. It makes them uneasy. Please, when stalking, do it from a distance. End of Public Service Announcement.

Going for GOLD!

On last week's "Quest", our hero learned a lot from just 1 flight. We pick up at the Atlanta Bread Co, 1 week later...

I looked pretty pimp today. Seriously. I bought a nice shirt and tie, and with the facial scruff I am sporting  (I shaved everything underneath my chin), I look professional yet rugged. Alright...I know. I'm from Boston. How rugged can I be? It isn't like I live in Montana.

I wish the Atlanta Bread Co. didn't put so much damn foam in the cappuccino. I get a medium, err Tall, and I normally have to take a big sip of foam before I can take another sip to actually get at the espresso. When I fly my wife/kid out here for a weekend, I'm definitely going to search for a true coffee shop where the microfoam is exquisite.

As for the past few flights, they worked out ok. Most importantly, I did not have to check my carry-on. I think it would have fit in the contraption since I moved my stuff around. I actually ended up sitting next to the in-laws of a retired hockey player from the Boston area, so we had lots to talk about.

On Monday, I did show up early enough to grab coffee, however it was useless. I ended up at McDonalds and got their sausage+egg+cheese McMuffin. It was garbage. The homefries were ok, and the coffee was barely drinkable. It may be my fault though. It was so early and I felt dehydrated so I only felt like a water. We will give Mickey D's a pass on this one.

I stayed at a Hyatt House this week as opposed to last week's Courtyard Marriott. They had a decent FREE breakfast spread, along with a FREE M-Th Happy Hour that served hot food (Wednesday night they grilled), and free MGD or Miller Lite on draft (or red/white wine if you prefer vino).

I cooked steak on the grill on Monday, which was excellent, and cooked a Celeste in the microwave on Tuesday. Queue Bananarama, A-Ha, Tears for Fears. While at the supermarket, I couldn't pass up the novelty of coke in a glass bottle, so I bought a couple of those as well. They are much sweeter here than they are at home. Either that or my tastes are changing dramatically. Chicken Tikka Masala for Wednesday, and leftovers on Thursday night. Not the best I've had, but it did the job. I followed it up with The Dark Knight Rises on Wednesday. Definitely a solid day.

On to the TRAVEL!

My co-worker leaves 2 bags at the hotel. 2!!!! I was going to let my guest blogger talk about this, but since she is grounded at the moment (not flying due to lack of being assigned an engagement), she hasn't had much to say. Sorry pal.

One thing I have never heard of that makes total sense is leaving a bag at the hotel. What would one leave in said bag? The following is a list of things that may make your life a hell of a lot easier because A)You wouldn't have to deal with some of the lovely features the TSA has brought to your regularly scheduled flying program; B)It reduces the amount of stuff to the point where you may not have to check a bag if you normally would; and C)The hotel leaves the bag in your room, so it is there waiting for you, like a dog awaiting it's master.

Things you could include in said bag:

• Toiletries
• Gym Clothes
• Bulky ANYTHING
• Standard cooking stuff (if you are staying at a Hyatt House, Residence Inn, etc.)

This is a small list, but look at what I have single-handedly taken out of your carry-on bag:

Toiletries: No more zip locked bags that need to come out. AND, it'll be nice to have a full size deodorant, won't it?

Gym Clothes: This is a given. First, you have a gym bag staying there, so it'll only smell up whatever is in the gym bag, which is more gym stuff. Sneakers are huge, because they take up so much damn room in the suitcase.

Bulky ANYTHING: Toiletry bag for one (we all have one); Jackets; Pillow from home because the ones that the hotel just aren't the same. A pair of jeans? You get the idea.

Standard Cooking stuff: I bought  a sea salt and pepper grinder and gave it to my co-worker; How about a decent knife? Sure, they supply them, but how good are they really? Any number of specific spices you like to use; Leftover non-perishable food stuffs that you were not able to use; The list could go on forever.

Please bear in mind that a lot of this would be bought while on the road. No one is going to let you on the plane with a 10" chef's knife. I'd rather buy a new pair of sneakers and leave them then have to shuttle them back and forth. 

On a separate note, I may have done something a little rash. I log in the day before a flight to secure a seat. Two days ago, I scheduled my flights for the beginning of August. I got lucky on pricing, however one of my flights does not have me in a specific seat. Sure, I'll change it the day before I fly, but I still like knowing that I have a seat when booking. Since I am impatient on getting my status which may/may not prevent situations like this from happening, and due to the opening ceremonies for the Olympics starting today, I have decided I am going to go for Gold. Status, that is.

Last night I called American Airlines (the carrier I am going to try to stick with), and shelled out $140 to do their Gold Challenge. I need to accumulate 5000 points (not miles) in 3 months (mid October) and I will automatically become a gold member without having to fly 25,0000 miles to get gain the same status. I was thinking about doing the Platinum ($280, 10000 points), but I may have some remote work ahead of me, meaning I won't fly every week. If my flights were longer, I would go for the Platinum status.

I know...you think I am cheating. I'm not. I am just trying to play the system like everyone else. Besides, who better to tell you whether Gold status is worth a damn than I? I'll tell you straight if it gets me anything, like, a better seat, or how long it took me to get an upgrade...those types of things. 

It's getting late (7:20am), and I want to get my hours in at the office, so I'm outta here. 

On next week's episode of "QUEST"

1. What is the American Airlines challenge? How does it work? Can anyone do it? What is the difference between miles and points?
2. What types of travel apps are out there?
3. Does your hero cook anything that actually tastes good, and not frozen pizza?

1 Week Down...Many to go

As I sit in the Atlanta Bread Company's dining room, sipping on my Cappuccino @ 7am, I have thoughts about what I've accomplished this week. I know, it is about to get a little sappy, so I will have a fun tidbit at the end. Things that I have accomplished that I truly haven't done before include going out exploring by myself, and striking up conversations with almost anyone. Being a Bostonian, #1 seems normal but speaking to just about anyone is a serious deviation from the norm. I have realized that I am a bit homesick, especially on the first day while skyping with my wife and 6 month old son. But, I think it is always tough in the beginning, which means that I should be fine in the long run.

The tidbit is that around 930, I heard some serious adult like sounds coming from the room adjoining to mine. At first I thought it might have been a loud discussion or argument, but when I started paying attention, I came to understand the activity that was occurring. Apparently a Courtyard Marriott isn't enough to dissuade someone from entering the throes of passion.

On to the TRAVEL!

It was not one of the best starts out of the gate, by any means. The good news is that I was able to change my seat from the back of the plane (middle seat) to a back of the plane (window). That was definitely a positive. The Hertz Gold program is excellent. I took the shuttle to the rental area, saw my name on the board with the lot where my car was located, threw my luggage in and away I went. They also have the transponders attached to the windshield, which I wasn't expecting. Of course, me being an idiot, I paid the first toll out of pocket before I said screw it and slid out the transponder. It'll all get billed out anyway. Now, the bad stuff:

My flight left the airport a little after 6am Monday. I got there at 4:50. I checked in online so I was able to jump right into security. The line was really really long. I hope it isn't like that next Monday. I barely had enough time to get to the gate, which started boarding 5 minutes after showing up. I agree with showing up early so you don't have to worry about security, but Monday was a little on the ridiculous side.


My ticket said I was Group 2. That means families, the disabled, first class and preferred members go first. 30-50 people went onto the plane before my group got called. All of a sudden Group 2 became Group 7. I got lucky enough not to be randomly selected for a check, but the thing that hurt the most was about to transpire. As I am about to board, I hear "We need to measure that bag". Ok. Sure. No problem except that I forgot that my Bose headphones were in the front pocket, and my bag was not slim enough to fit into their contraption. They checked the fucker. I was HEATED. I didn't have to pay for it, which is nice...although it would have been covered under necessary expenses through my company. 

If I have learned anything, it is to make sure your bag can fit in the damn contraption. I moved my clothes around, so hopefully I should be ok. And, I will remember to take my headphones out. The case they are in is solid, so that is why it couldn't be maneuvered.

I'm just about done sipping on my cappuccino. I must say, Atlanta Bread Company is better than Starbucks, HANDS DOWN. 4 hours of work and then I am off to the airport. I checked in yesterday, and while I had already spent $24 to get a better seat, I was able to procure and even better seat: 7C, which is the first row behind first class, and is an aisle seat. I'll be one of the first to get off. BOOYAH!

Tips for the day:

1) If you are going to carry-on, make sure your luggage is thin enough to fit into the agent's stupid metal box thing. If you are doing personal travel, and you know it won't fit but would like to try to bypass the dumb $25 checked bag fee, go ahead and bring it with you, knowing they will check it at the gate. You won't have to pay a thing. If you do want to carry-on, MAKE SURE IT'S THIN!

2) Check in as early as you can. If you aren't near a printer, have the airline email you the boarding pass and print it when you get to a printer. Or, do the phone boarding pass application. I still prefer a paper pass. Normally, I like checking in at the little kiosk, so checking in online (for airlines other than Southwest) is new to me. I can only do one new thing at a time. After I try this online check-in process a few more times, I'll start utilizing my phone for the boarding pass. Save the trees right?

3) If at all possible, get yourself into a hotel that has a lobby and does breakfast. I don't do inns, like a Days Inn. I prefer a place that has a lobby. That being said, my hotel had a bistro. Sure, it's good that I can go down and grab a beer, but I don't want to have to pay for breakfast. I prefer it to be included in the price. If it is included in the price, then your per diem (or however your company does food expenses) can be used for lunch and dinner and you don't have to worry so much on how much you are spending.

On next week's episode of "Quest"

Did the stupid gate agent check your hero's luggage on the flight back to Boston?
Does your hero show up early enough to actually grab a cup of coffee before leaving  Boston on Monday?

AND

Our blogger stays at a hotel where he can cook for himself. Did he cook a perfect beef bourguignon, or did he burn the place down?

STAY TUNED!