Customer Service

Attention, airlines. In particular, USAir. This is no newsflash, but your customer service is abysmal. And I know it really doesn't matter, because we're all going to search for the cheapest fare when we need to fly. But I am hereby promising to do my best to avoid you at all cost, USAir. You did everything you could to make my life more difficult. That is the definition of a company that doesn't care about me. And frankly, I don't care about you. Yes, I'm thankful my plane landed safely. But that's your job, your core competancy. It's the other stuff that matters. And in that, you failed.

In contrast, I'm sending out a cosmic thanks to the waitress at the Charlotte airport Chili's, who took the few seconds, after asking me what I wanted to drink, to ask if I was having a good day so far. I lied and said yes. She got a big tip. USAir's getting a nasty letter. Not that it will matter, since they probably get hundreds a day.

The continuing saga of T.A.D. and Fritz

Ah, spring. When young men's thoughts turn to flights of fancy...and mine to my favorite children's book of all time: Make Way For Ducklings. If you haven't read this book, give it a try. This would be a good one to seek out at your local independent bookstore.

Now to the point; the first post I ever wrote on this blog was about a white duck who lives in a pond next to my apartment. I named him (more on that later) TAD, which stands for The Aflac Duck.

TAD has been on his own for two years or so. So when he found a companion, I was delighted. However, I soon discovered that he's actually a she. How did I find out? Well, let's just say ducks are less puritanical about sex than humans. Or maybe they just don't have blinds to close.

Anyway, TAD's a she, and she's found herself a significant other. Fritz is quite a distinguished duck, mostly black with some white. Should they be successful in their procreation efforts, I wonder if the ducklings will be black, white or zebra?

I learned from a brilliant colleague the other day that ducks need a safe roosting place to bring ducklings into the world. Which is why I'm keeping a sharp eye on the nasty geese who like to fly into the pond and shake things up. Fritz gets pretty serious when they show up.

All of this makes me realize just how long I've lived in this apartment by the pond; long enough to have constructed a whole world of drama and intrigue for the ducks who live next door. It's really great to be 30 something and still have a healthy imagination.

Recycling makes you (read: me) feel good

I'm not sure why I always feel so sunny and virtuous when I recycle. Today, when I volunteered to take my neighbor's cardboard and newspapers with me to ye olde recycling center, it just about made my day.

Now, I don't pretend that recycling is the answer to the world's problems, but I do have a theory why I always feel better after recycling. It's this:

The world is huge, and the problems we face are exponentially enormous. So it's nice, once in a while, to see how a small action can have, if not a big, then at least a "not small" result.

Consider:

If I shop at the grocery store 2-3 times per week, and I use my cloth bags that I keep in the trunk of my car to tote my groceries, I'm not using at least 6-9 plastic bags a week. 52 weeks in a year (ok, 50, to give me a chance to forget my cloth bags) and I'm not using 300 - 450 plastic bags each year. Say I live another 20 years (I hope to live more, and hopefully plastic bags won't be around by then, but you get the point), and I have not used 6000 - 9000 plastic bags.

Now that's a stat I can smile about.

Missing an old friend

I've had a good week, both at work, personally and with my family (scattered and far away though they are). Which is why I feed especially glad to have stumbled upon some old emails, written in 2003, by a friend of mine who was killed more than 4 years ago. The emails are vintage "her"; calling on her female friends to connect, enrich and inspire each other. Calling on us to make sure we are fierce, and loyal and vocal about what we, as women, need from the world. It made me smile to remember it, and though I think of her all the time, this time it had a frame around it; a frame of women sitting in a garden in Brooklyn, trying to make an imprint on the world.

I miss my friend.

the new chain letter - but on facebook

I find it interesting that so many people whom I would assume consider themselves above something as corny as a chain letter have embraced the "25 things about myself" trend that is zipping around facebook. So in that spirit, I created my own version. I'm sure someone else thought of it before I did, but it hasn't made it's way to my friends. So for now, I'm considered clever. Enjoy.

Directions: Write 25 absolutely false things about yourself. Tag a bunch of people and ask them to do the same. See what comes of it.

1. I never spend any time on facebook.

2. I moonlight as a supermodel.

3. My irrational fear of broccoli has cost me more than one potential soul mate.

4. I feel an innate connection to jazz as an art form. Truly, is there any other kind of music?

5. There's nothing like a good winter storm to get me in the mood to party. Ice storm = bliss.

6. I think it's cool that facebook chooses to show me ads about pregnancy tests and alternatives to abortion.

7. Sailing is quite possibly the most interesting and riveting of the Summer Olympic sports.

8. There's nothing I like more than showing up at an event where I don't know anyone. Awesome. I just dive right in and start making friends.

9. Without a doubt, I believe Peyton Manning is the best. quarterback. ever.

10. I spend hundreds of dollars a year perming my hair.

11. I am completely comfortable amid the put-together, fabulous women of the south. Those ladies have nothing on my style and flair.

12. I hate being onstage. It's even worse when people cheer and clap for your. God, that sucks.

13. I secretly want to be a chemistry teacher.

14. I love sitcoms. I watch them all the time.

15. I know that cats are far superior to dogs. In fact, I believe cats are superior to everyone.

16. My car runs like a dream. No noises, no dents, nothing. It purrs.

17. Guinness is my favorite beer.

18. Mornings are my favorite time of day. The new light, the birds chirping...ahh. I am always in a good mood in the morning!

19. I look absolutely smashing in lime green.

20. I know every band that ever played in the 90's, plus the hot alternative bands of today. I am an encyclopedia of cool music.

21. I love to cook.

22. I always knew I'd wind up living and working in Arkansas.

23. I have never been accused of having a clandestine relationship with a friend's husband.

24. The Yankees rule.

25. Everyone I know wants to be me. Who wouldn't?

Moon & Sky as art

You know how some people never look up? Never tilt those neck muscles back and take in the world from a much smaller vantage point? I'm not one of those. I love looking at the sky. It's far more interesting than my normal perspective.

Tonight was a little gift as I got out of my car. The sky - a beautiful deep blue that is impossible to duplicate. Even my trust 96 color Crayon box can't match it. And the moon, full, or one day off at the most. But the treat was something I'd never seen.

Apparently tonight was a busy night for air travel, or the air was clear enough to see dozens of vapor trails from airplanes crisscrossing the sky. They were all different "ages"; some old enough to have faded to little more than a hint of white against the blue, others crisp and sharp as a scalpel splitting a piece of fabric. All dulled with the gauzy glow of the moon. Stunning.

Paradoxical grocery shopping

I used to be a checkout clerk. For more years than I'd care to admit. Despite claims to the contrary, I did have a sense of humor about it. Honestly it would often get to the point where I'd laugh at the painfully un-funny just to relieve the boredom. So I was a little disappointed when the checkout girl didn't share my humor at the following purchases:

A Smart Ones breakfast sandwich frozen meal
Skim Milk
A Quart of Chubby Hubby Ben & Jerry's (fabulous) ice cream