I just realized that when MSN migrated my 'photo blog' last January, I forgot to update the link on this blog. The link is now correct. If you were a member of my previous site, you will need to rejoin this site as approved memberships did not transfer when the site was migrated My apologies!
So if you want to check out my adventures dating back to 2001, click the link on the right for "my photo blog."
Enjoy!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
My Mind is Wandering to Several Friends ...
It's a lovely start to the Memorial Day weekend. I'm in my new apartment, unpacking, and am enjoying a few of the things in life that bring me the most joy: the sound of birds chirping, the way the breeze is blowing through my windows and rustling the leaves of my plants ... its coolness on my skin, the way the sunlight is luminating my apartment.
Putting away the contents of the last of the boxes, I came across my travel accessories. Sleep masks, cosmetic bags, adapters, ... , and the bag I take on international trips. This bag previously served as a briefcase/purse so it was always with me. It's the perfect bag for long flights and all day excursions as it works well with any outfit and is designed in a way that works for just about anything. The last time I used this bag was 6 years ago. As I went through the contents, memories came flooding back and my mind began to wander...
... the travel size deodorant, toothbrush, and cleansing cloths took me back to a beautiful summer day on the Amalfi Coast. Driving the coast line. Lunching in Priano. Sunbathing in Amalfi. Driving up the hillside to Ravello ... stopping, of course, at the pottery shop to say 'hello' to its owner who assisted me two years before when I had an accident on my rented Vespa. Cleaning up and changing into a little travel dress which had been neatly rolled and tucked in my bag next to my beach towel. The lights of the entire town going out in the middle of dinner. Jazz concert in the villa's ruins under the stars.
... a 24" x 18" piece of paper which, when not folded, displays a letter from my stepdaughter, Meagan Vogele. Each sentence in a different crayon color. She sent this to me when I moved with P&G and she was worried that I would be lonely. That was 1997. I miss her.
... a burgundy velour pouch containing two 'stones.' One, clear glass with different colored strokes leading from the outer edge to the center. The other, with half white and half black strokes. A gift for my sabbatical from Laurent Horvath. He promised I would learn their meaning as I traveled my journey. And learn, I did.
... a letter from Raven, a little girl from the inner city whom I tutored in math in 2004. She describes her Christmas, and tells me how "People be messing with me at school." The only way I was able to help Raven remember the multiplication table was for us to put our arms around each other and step only on every other tile of the church atrium floor while reciting equations. "One times one is ...", "one times two is ...", "one times three is ..." I wonder where Raven is now.
... a lovely poem cut from a greeting card and given to me by ... whom? I can't remember. "When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly." by Barbara J. Winter
... I smile. Another poem. This one is an email dated October 7, 1997 at 10:24 am. My birthday. A friend who worked down the hall from me in the Food & Beverage division of Procter & Gamble wrote a poem for me reminding me of many wonderful moments we all shared there in the office. WC ~ he knows who he is.
... an invitation to a Flying Pig Marathon party at Brad Frank's apartment to watch him run past. Breakfast, Bloody Marys, pajamas and lawn chairs provided. May 9th of what year? Be Frank With Me.
... May 3, 1994. A heart-shaped note paper with a message written in purple. I don't even have to read it to know that it's from Jillian Chamberlain. Always a friend. Always a sister. Always there. The most pure-hearted woman I have ever met (aside from my mother). Her note encourages me through the difficult time of deciding to leave my marriage.
... 2001, a card from Lori talking about the wonders of good girlfriends. That was a very special time in my life. I was blessed with a very close circle of friends who will forever be at the core of my heart: Natalie, Nelson, Lori, Deborah.
... a card from my parents just before I left for my European sabbatical in 2001. So special to me that I prefer to hold the reasons so close to my heart that I cannot share.
... lastly, a card with a lovely photo of a lone house off in the distance in the French countryside, and a long road leading up to it. The words inside are sweet, and its signed 'Sancho.' I cannot, for the life of me, remember who 'Sancho' is. I turned the card over and noticed I had written a date. June 14, 2003. Ah. Now I remember. And I also remember the last trip I used this bag was in July 2003. What I remember about the card and the trip are not the words, the moments, nor even Sancho. I remember a moment just before the trip ... I was walking away from the Hyde Park Blast street party with a friend, Steve S., who said, "You're dating the wrong Steve." And even though it was fear that kept me from verbally agreeing with him, we both knew he was right.
These treasures are being placed in my current bag. I hesitate when placing Sancho's card with my treasures, but decide to as a reminder not to allow fear to guide my choices.
Putting away the contents of the last of the boxes, I came across my travel accessories. Sleep masks, cosmetic bags, adapters, ... , and the bag I take on international trips. This bag previously served as a briefcase/purse so it was always with me. It's the perfect bag for long flights and all day excursions as it works well with any outfit and is designed in a way that works for just about anything. The last time I used this bag was 6 years ago. As I went through the contents, memories came flooding back and my mind began to wander...
... the travel size deodorant, toothbrush, and cleansing cloths took me back to a beautiful summer day on the Amalfi Coast. Driving the coast line. Lunching in Priano. Sunbathing in Amalfi. Driving up the hillside to Ravello ... stopping, of course, at the pottery shop to say 'hello' to its owner who assisted me two years before when I had an accident on my rented Vespa. Cleaning up and changing into a little travel dress which had been neatly rolled and tucked in my bag next to my beach towel. The lights of the entire town going out in the middle of dinner. Jazz concert in the villa's ruins under the stars.
... a 24" x 18" piece of paper which, when not folded, displays a letter from my stepdaughter, Meagan Vogele. Each sentence in a different crayon color. She sent this to me when I moved with P&G and she was worried that I would be lonely. That was 1997. I miss her.
... a burgundy velour pouch containing two 'stones.' One, clear glass with different colored strokes leading from the outer edge to the center. The other, with half white and half black strokes. A gift for my sabbatical from Laurent Horvath. He promised I would learn their meaning as I traveled my journey. And learn, I did.
... a letter from Raven, a little girl from the inner city whom I tutored in math in 2004. She describes her Christmas, and tells me how "People be messing with me at school." The only way I was able to help Raven remember the multiplication table was for us to put our arms around each other and step only on every other tile of the church atrium floor while reciting equations. "One times one is ...", "one times two is ...", "one times three is ..." I wonder where Raven is now.
... a lovely poem cut from a greeting card and given to me by ... whom? I can't remember. "When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly." by Barbara J. Winter
... I smile. Another poem. This one is an email dated October 7, 1997 at 10:24 am. My birthday. A friend who worked down the hall from me in the Food & Beverage division of Procter & Gamble wrote a poem for me reminding me of many wonderful moments we all shared there in the office. WC ~ he knows who he is.
... an invitation to a Flying Pig Marathon party at Brad Frank's apartment to watch him run past. Breakfast, Bloody Marys, pajamas and lawn chairs provided. May 9th of what year? Be Frank With Me.
... May 3, 1994. A heart-shaped note paper with a message written in purple. I don't even have to read it to know that it's from Jillian Chamberlain. Always a friend. Always a sister. Always there. The most pure-hearted woman I have ever met (aside from my mother). Her note encourages me through the difficult time of deciding to leave my marriage.
... 2001, a card from Lori talking about the wonders of good girlfriends. That was a very special time in my life. I was blessed with a very close circle of friends who will forever be at the core of my heart: Natalie, Nelson, Lori, Deborah.
... a card from my parents just before I left for my European sabbatical in 2001. So special to me that I prefer to hold the reasons so close to my heart that I cannot share.
... lastly, a card with a lovely photo of a lone house off in the distance in the French countryside, and a long road leading up to it. The words inside are sweet, and its signed 'Sancho.' I cannot, for the life of me, remember who 'Sancho' is. I turned the card over and noticed I had written a date. June 14, 2003. Ah. Now I remember. And I also remember the last trip I used this bag was in July 2003. What I remember about the card and the trip are not the words, the moments, nor even Sancho. I remember a moment just before the trip ... I was walking away from the Hyde Park Blast street party with a friend, Steve S., who said, "You're dating the wrong Steve." And even though it was fear that kept me from verbally agreeing with him, we both knew he was right.
These treasures are being placed in my current bag. I hesitate when placing Sancho's card with my treasures, but decide to as a reminder not to allow fear to guide my choices.
Delta Air Lines Loses Its Last Loyal Customer!
For years I've defended Delta Air Lines and my extreme loyalty to them. They have now pushed me over the edge and I'm searching for a new airline to love and adore! The winner will receive my undying love and devotion, and I'll transfer my Platinum Delta American Express account to them.
I'm a classic loyalist. When I find something I enjoy and that works for me, I will never change until I'm forced...and you will never get me back again. I want products and services that make my life simple so that I can spend my attention and energy on living life.
Delta began to make my life more difficult several years ago. Sadly, my patience and loyalty to them far exceeded their loyalty to me...
My relationship with Delta began about 24 years ago. Living and working in Cincinnati, where Delta was a hub, they were the preferred airline of the company I worked for. Whenever flights didn't match my schedule, I'd defer to American, United or US Air. But I loved the service I received from Delta and the others always failed me.
Over the years, I heard more and more complaints about Delta being "the worst airline." I would quickly defend them and share stories of the exceptional service I always received. Stories of Delta going above and beyond for me. My friends had never heard of such service from Delta and were amazed. Post 9/11, the level of service I received started to slip. But I dismissed any issues as the industry was struggling. I was willing to accept lesser service for the great good of keeping Delta and the industry alive. (Seriously, I would actually say that. I was even waiting for the first post 9/11 Delta international flight to be announced ... I would be on that plane refusing to let the bad guys win.)
Three years ago I moved to New York City, and Delta's service slipped even more. I realized I wasn't in Cincinnati anymore. With each encounter, my patience and opinion of Delta Air Lines has lessened. A few months ago, I took a trip home to Cincinnati. It was a nightmare. Issues with online booking led to customer service telling me they were having issues with their software system and I would have to go to the airport to book my ticket. When I asked if it made sense for me to spend 2-3 hours of my time plus $75 in cab fares to do that, they simply said that was the only way they could help me. Instead, I called back the next day and the customer service representative was able to book the ticket...with a fee double what the online reservation had quoted, plus a baggage fee. When I questioned the baggage fee as I had medallion status, I was told to work it out at the airport. When I arrived at the airport on the day of my flight, I was surprised to learn I had lost my medallion status which was the reason I had been charged for baggage. I asked why I hadn't been notified. In the past, if I came even remotely close to losing my medallion status, I would receive an email advising me well in advance allowing me time to book flights (and yes, I'll take additional trips just to stay medallion). Then, to top it off, they couldn't see in their system that I had already paid the baggage fee so they charged me again instructing me to work it out when it showed up on my Platinum Delta American Express statement.
It gets better. My Sunday night return flight was delayed...and delayed...and delayed. I'm quite surprised to say that my text alerts came through so I didn't have to wait around at the airport but was able to have 2 more hours with my parents. When I checked my bags at the airport, for yet another $40, I knew something was up when the woman at the counter got on her walkie-talkie to advise someone that there were "2 more bags." I wasn't late for the flight, so I knew I was in for some additional Delta-Drama. When I arrived at the gate, there was my entire flight...seats were full, people were pacing, others were sitting or sleeping all over the floor. This did not look good. I spent the next 2 hours sitting on the floor. I was 99% certain this was it for my relationship with Delta. When I arrived in NY, at 1:30am, I realized there must have been a 'software issue' with that walkie-talkie. Yep. My bags did not arrive. 99.5% certain now.
The letter I received from Delta began each paragraph with "We apologize for any inconvenience...", "I am sorry for your disappointment...", "Please accept my apology..." But hey, they gave me a $75 ecredit voucher! Wow.
The Final Straw:
Earlier this week, I booked a Delta frequent flyer ticket for my niece to visit me this summer. As she is under 15 years old and will be traveling unaccompanied, there is a $100 fee per flight leg. (This is standard on all airlines.) This is an airport fee so I was told to pay the person at the Delta counter at each airport. I wanted to pay it now so that her parents wouldn't have to pay it. No problem, Ms. Burke, there will be an additional $100 fee in order for you to do that.
You have got to be kidding me.
100%!!
DELTA IS THE WORST AIRLINE!
Now accepting recommendations for a new airline partner...
I'm a classic loyalist. When I find something I enjoy and that works for me, I will never change until I'm forced...and you will never get me back again. I want products and services that make my life simple so that I can spend my attention and energy on living life.
Delta began to make my life more difficult several years ago. Sadly, my patience and loyalty to them far exceeded their loyalty to me...
My relationship with Delta began about 24 years ago. Living and working in Cincinnati, where Delta was a hub, they were the preferred airline of the company I worked for. Whenever flights didn't match my schedule, I'd defer to American, United or US Air. But I loved the service I received from Delta and the others always failed me.
Over the years, I heard more and more complaints about Delta being "the worst airline." I would quickly defend them and share stories of the exceptional service I always received. Stories of Delta going above and beyond for me. My friends had never heard of such service from Delta and were amazed. Post 9/11, the level of service I received started to slip. But I dismissed any issues as the industry was struggling. I was willing to accept lesser service for the great good of keeping Delta and the industry alive. (Seriously, I would actually say that. I was even waiting for the first post 9/11 Delta international flight to be announced ... I would be on that plane refusing to let the bad guys win.)
Three years ago I moved to New York City, and Delta's service slipped even more. I realized I wasn't in Cincinnati anymore. With each encounter, my patience and opinion of Delta Air Lines has lessened. A few months ago, I took a trip home to Cincinnati. It was a nightmare. Issues with online booking led to customer service telling me they were having issues with their software system and I would have to go to the airport to book my ticket. When I asked if it made sense for me to spend 2-3 hours of my time plus $75 in cab fares to do that, they simply said that was the only way they could help me. Instead, I called back the next day and the customer service representative was able to book the ticket...with a fee double what the online reservation had quoted, plus a baggage fee. When I questioned the baggage fee as I had medallion status, I was told to work it out at the airport. When I arrived at the airport on the day of my flight, I was surprised to learn I had lost my medallion status which was the reason I had been charged for baggage. I asked why I hadn't been notified. In the past, if I came even remotely close to losing my medallion status, I would receive an email advising me well in advance allowing me time to book flights (and yes, I'll take additional trips just to stay medallion). Then, to top it off, they couldn't see in their system that I had already paid the baggage fee so they charged me again instructing me to work it out when it showed up on my Platinum Delta American Express statement.
It gets better. My Sunday night return flight was delayed...and delayed...and delayed. I'm quite surprised to say that my text alerts came through so I didn't have to wait around at the airport but was able to have 2 more hours with my parents. When I checked my bags at the airport, for yet another $40, I knew something was up when the woman at the counter got on her walkie-talkie to advise someone that there were "2 more bags." I wasn't late for the flight, so I knew I was in for some additional Delta-Drama. When I arrived at the gate, there was my entire flight...seats were full, people were pacing, others were sitting or sleeping all over the floor. This did not look good. I spent the next 2 hours sitting on the floor. I was 99% certain this was it for my relationship with Delta. When I arrived in NY, at 1:30am, I realized there must have been a 'software issue' with that walkie-talkie. Yep. My bags did not arrive. 99.5% certain now.
The letter I received from Delta began each paragraph with "We apologize for any inconvenience...", "I am sorry for your disappointment...", "Please accept my apology..." But hey, they gave me a $75 ecredit voucher! Wow.
The Final Straw:
Earlier this week, I booked a Delta frequent flyer ticket for my niece to visit me this summer. As she is under 15 years old and will be traveling unaccompanied, there is a $100 fee per flight leg. (This is standard on all airlines.) This is an airport fee so I was told to pay the person at the Delta counter at each airport. I wanted to pay it now so that her parents wouldn't have to pay it. No problem, Ms. Burke, there will be an additional $100 fee in order for you to do that.
You have got to be kidding me.
100%!!
DELTA IS THE WORST AIRLINE!
Now accepting recommendations for a new airline partner...
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