It is that time of year when students of all ages and levels of education are involved in a graduation ceremony of one sort or another. Back in time...mid 20th century America, there were only three possible graduation ceremonies one would be a participant in: Eighth Grade from elementary school, after 12th grade in High School and college. Nowadays there is a graduation ceremony for practically all things! Last year my granddaughter "graduated" from daycare; this year she had a "stepping up" ceremony from Pre-K to Kindergarten. Other friends have children and grandchildren graduating from Kindergarten , Fifth Grade (primary school), Eighth Grade (middle school) or Twelfth Grade ( high school)...several other colleagues have children graduating with either their Associate's (two years), Bachelor's ( four year) or Master's degrees. Some really smart folks that I know have, or will have their doctorates conferred this June...quite an accomplishment! Kudos to them!
So with all of these opportunities to celebrate academic accomplishments one would think that those who are attending these auspicious events would know how to behave....Sorry folks. This is just not so.
Over the course of my teaching career, I have probably been a participant at over forty-five graduation ceremonies. These included my own children's graduations from elementary, high school and college, and my own graduations. So I think I know how one SHOULD act at a graduation ceremony. But, I have to say, I have witnessed some pretty bizarre behaviors and some very poor fashion decisions at many of my recent graduation experiences.
Here's my random list of things NOT acceptable at graduations, a general kind of etiquette and dress code guide:
1. Halter tops or dresses are not a good choice for anyone under the age of six or over the age of forty.Thankfully, most graduating students wear robes now, so this fashion faux pas only occurs in the audience. Same goes for spandex.
2. Tee shirts, flip flops and cut offs are not a good choice to wear to your own graduation, but as above, most of us don't know it once you put on your gown. Folks attending should use "mirror" test. If it doesn't look good in the mirror, don't wear it.
3. Bringing over-sized balloon bouquets into a crowded auditorium is never a good idea, especially if you have them bobbing about your head. You will block the view for those behind you. Be considerate. Keep the balloons at home, or in the car until later.
4. Please do not whoop, holler or scream out your beloved graduates name as they step foot on the stage. This is embarrassing for most of them and takes the solemnity away from the ceremony. You also look foolish.
5. If your daughter is going to wear stilettos for the ceremony, have her practice walking in them before hand. I have seen several young ladies trip and fall on the stage due to their unease in heels.
Now, for things I really like about graduations:
1. Seeing the bright smiles of hopefulness on the faces of the graduates. Nothing can replace that, ever!
2. Knowing the genuine pride that teachers, administrators and other staff feel at these important ceremonies. They are an affirmation of why we go into the teaching profession.
3. Recognizing the accomplishments of our graduates. My favorite ones are awards for good citizenship, attendance and tenacity.
4. Sharing a wonderful family moment with the parents with whom I worked over the years.
5. Carrying on special traditions. My old school used to have a color guard each year with two teams: Eighth Graders on one and Seventh Graders on the other. The graduating team would march the colors in. At the end of the ceremony, they would hand the colors over to the Seventh grade team who marched the colors out. There was never a dry eye in the place when that happened.
So, go out an enjoy this graduation season: please be proud of the accomplishments of your graduate. Please also remember some common graduation etiquette will make you a welcomed guest at the ceremony.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Selfishness and Avarice
One of my newest hobbies, or obsessions, depending on how you look at it, is watching daytime reality TV. Now, this not the stuff of "The Bachelorette", America's Got Talent" or even "The Jersey Shore", it is much more low key and low budget.
Some of it, like my all time fave,"American Pickers", is part treasure hunt, travelogue and good old bartering contests rolled into one. At first, I was appalled that Frank and Mike would scour the remnants of peoples' life long obsessions collecting what they refer to as "rusty gold" and then refurbishing, repurposing and reselling the resultant items at one of their two retail stores. Then I came to the realization that many of the items they salvaged would become "dust" and rot away if they did not buy them, and some of the owners needed the cash to make themselves or family members more comfortable. Plus, these two guys have a staff to pay and expenses to cover. They are, after all, making a living with this. And, what I like about them most, is that they can laugh at themselves and genuinely seem to care about each other and the folks who work for them.
Which can't be said for the other "reality stars" of two other shows I have recently followed, both of which are connected to buying and selling real estate. Two years ago I sold my home of twenty-five years and moved into a new condominium. My present home is the sixth one I have lived in, and the fourth one of my adult life. I looked at twenty-three apartments, both condos and coops. My laundry list was not too long: at least two bedrooms, two full baths, off the street parking, washer-drier in the unit, and a water view. I understood that I could spend less cash up front and get something that I could make my own with renovations, or spend more to get one already up to my specs. I chose the later route. I looked at some real wrecks with darn good bones; others were painted or paneled in colors and textures not to my taste; still others were clear reflections of the present owners vision, and not necessarily mine. The one thing I always did was to thank the owner for allowing me to look and discuss any concerns out of earshot in a respectful manner. Not so with the potential buyers on the "House Hunters" franchise. These buyers whine and complain if the property they are viewing is not to their taste or "personal vision" of what they can unrealistically afford.
The new bride who complains bitterly that the 1920 Arts and Craft bungalow she is viewing does not have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances or a room-sized walk-in storage space for her 150 pairs of designer shoes just does not get any sympathy from me. And when she turns to her new husband and says," And where do you think you are putting your stuff?", and he stares at her with open-mouth surprise, I cringe as I see a sudden flash of ,"O Lord, what did I get myself into here" on his face. In my view, her little temper tantrum and bad mouthing about someone else's taste and current space is downright selfishness. And this is a trait I see throughout our society. Many in modern America are quite focused on themselves and their image. They only care about what directly affects their small world. How did we reach this place of self-centeredness?
One agent is desperately trying to convince his spouse that it is time to start a family. His high powered personality and "deal making" skills have not convinced his better-half" (and, by the way, the spouse is the better half of this pair) that the time to do this is now. His spouse, who has a career, can see what the rest of us can: this wish will result in the supporting spouse being the primary care-giver, and the agent will be using any off-spring (although he seems fixated on a daughter) as a well-earned extension of himself to be displayed when necessary.
Another broker has begun to question the toll his choice of profession has taken on his personal life. In an interesting way, he reminds me of a character seeking a way out of a Faustian bargain. He is currently in a relationship and is on the brink of making a commitment to marrying his girlfriend. She seems to be the anchor he needs, but will she be able to be that for the long haul? I certainly hope so. I can see redemption in this relationship, but only if he understands that a marriage is not just a merging of assets, but a commitment to journey with each other and give "all" to the other.
The final agent is a young man from "the other side of the tracks" who is the most hard working and most simpatico of the lot. He is a "hustler" in the best sense of the word; smart and scrappy, he is determined to make it big in the business. He is like a sponge and a quiet observer who watches what others do, emulates the good and avoids the bad vibes that others throw off. And he is the most likable. At this point he realizes that he is so focused on his career that he is missing out on the important things in life. His family is an important part of his life, and this may be the saving grace for him, and we can see on his face that the realization of his situation is troubling to his very soul.
So is there something to be learned from this all? I think so. Life is too precious to waste on unhappiness. Creature comforts are important, but marble-fitted bathrooms, high-end finishes, high-powered real estate deals and stainless steel anything are not perquisites for personal happiness or fulfillment. People need people to care and love them, and, conversely, need to share love and concern with others. And not just those in our small inner circle; you need to spread it around so it comes back around.
Some of it, like my all time fave,"American Pickers", is part treasure hunt, travelogue and good old bartering contests rolled into one. At first, I was appalled that Frank and Mike would scour the remnants of peoples' life long obsessions collecting what they refer to as "rusty gold" and then refurbishing, repurposing and reselling the resultant items at one of their two retail stores. Then I came to the realization that many of the items they salvaged would become "dust" and rot away if they did not buy them, and some of the owners needed the cash to make themselves or family members more comfortable. Plus, these two guys have a staff to pay and expenses to cover. They are, after all, making a living with this. And, what I like about them most, is that they can laugh at themselves and genuinely seem to care about each other and the folks who work for them.
Which can't be said for the other "reality stars" of two other shows I have recently followed, both of which are connected to buying and selling real estate. Two years ago I sold my home of twenty-five years and moved into a new condominium. My present home is the sixth one I have lived in, and the fourth one of my adult life. I looked at twenty-three apartments, both condos and coops. My laundry list was not too long: at least two bedrooms, two full baths, off the street parking, washer-drier in the unit, and a water view. I understood that I could spend less cash up front and get something that I could make my own with renovations, or spend more to get one already up to my specs. I chose the later route. I looked at some real wrecks with darn good bones; others were painted or paneled in colors and textures not to my taste; still others were clear reflections of the present owners vision, and not necessarily mine. The one thing I always did was to thank the owner for allowing me to look and discuss any concerns out of earshot in a respectful manner. Not so with the potential buyers on the "House Hunters" franchise. These buyers whine and complain if the property they are viewing is not to their taste or "personal vision" of what they can unrealistically afford. The new bride who complains bitterly that the 1920 Arts and Craft bungalow she is viewing does not have granite countertops, stainless steel appliances or a room-sized walk-in storage space for her 150 pairs of designer shoes just does not get any sympathy from me. And when she turns to her new husband and says," And where do you think you are putting your stuff?", and he stares at her with open-mouth surprise, I cringe as I see a sudden flash of ,"O Lord, what did I get myself into here" on his face. In my view, her little temper tantrum and bad mouthing about someone else's taste and current space is downright selfishness. And this is a trait I see throughout our society. Many in modern America are quite focused on themselves and their image. They only care about what directly affects their small world. How did we reach this place of self-centeredness?
And avarice? How did we get there and happily celebrate it? I have become fascinated by the "Million Dollar Listing" franchise. This is an interesting show that follows a trio of realtors in three major US markets: Los Angeles, Miami and New York. I follow the New York Crew, although the LA group is interesting in their own right. The three brokers from New York have pushed avarice, which can be defined as extreme greed for wealth or material gain, to new heights. Negotiating 6 million dollar deals that net close to $190,000 commissions; producing a $5,000 video to market a 23 million dollar property, assisting clients in purchasing a million dollar plus vacation home in Puerto Rico, staging a successful Open House in Brooklyn to Manhattan-centric buyers who think a twenty minute commute by "R" train to work is insurmountable inconvenience takes "chutzpah" and cunning. But at what price?
One agent is desperately trying to convince his spouse that it is time to start a family. His high powered personality and "deal making" skills have not convinced his better-half" (and, by the way, the spouse is the better half of this pair) that the time to do this is now. His spouse, who has a career, can see what the rest of us can: this wish will result in the supporting spouse being the primary care-giver, and the agent will be using any off-spring (although he seems fixated on a daughter) as a well-earned extension of himself to be displayed when necessary.Another broker has begun to question the toll his choice of profession has taken on his personal life. In an interesting way, he reminds me of a character seeking a way out of a Faustian bargain. He is currently in a relationship and is on the brink of making a commitment to marrying his girlfriend. She seems to be the anchor he needs, but will she be able to be that for the long haul? I certainly hope so. I can see redemption in this relationship, but only if he understands that a marriage is not just a merging of assets, but a commitment to journey with each other and give "all" to the other.
The final agent is a young man from "the other side of the tracks" who is the most hard working and most simpatico of the lot. He is a "hustler" in the best sense of the word; smart and scrappy, he is determined to make it big in the business. He is like a sponge and a quiet observer who watches what others do, emulates the good and avoids the bad vibes that others throw off. And he is the most likable. At this point he realizes that he is so focused on his career that he is missing out on the important things in life. His family is an important part of his life, and this may be the saving grace for him, and we can see on his face that the realization of his situation is troubling to his very soul.
So is there something to be learned from this all? I think so. Life is too precious to waste on unhappiness. Creature comforts are important, but marble-fitted bathrooms, high-end finishes, high-powered real estate deals and stainless steel anything are not perquisites for personal happiness or fulfillment. People need people to care and love them, and, conversely, need to share love and concern with others. And not just those in our small inner circle; you need to spread it around so it comes back around.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Random musings
Sometimes I think American society is going to hell in a hand-basket. There is just so much stuff that just makes no sense in our current state of affairs that I sometimes feel I am losing it. Here are just a few random observations and thoughts about things swirling around here abouts:
1. Is there anything this President can do that someone, somewhere will not criticize him for? I honestly believe he could be sitting on the front steps of the White House taking a breather, and a cadre of folks from somewhere will start criticizing him for being a lazy bum or selling the free world down the river. He is the President of the United States, elected according to our electoral system. It is done; it is over. But he just can't seem to do anything right in the opinion of many. This guy can't even be indignant, as he was today about the rise of school violence, without someone jumping all over him for voicing an opinion. In the past eighteen months there have been 74 incidents of gun violence in schools. This is a disgrace. I will grant you, there are other big ticket issues that need to be addressed here, but really?? Children are not safe at school. Who can disagree about this troubling situation?
2. There are far too many news programs, stations and outlets with far too many "newscasters" who are actually giving their opinions about everything from the tax and banking systems to the color of J-Lo's latest designer gown. And unfortunately since most do not seem to have an adequate understanding of either economics or fashion design, many of their professional statements do not make any sense. And even though I will agree that the average American woman is closer to a size 12 than a size 4, (an astonishing statistic shared on a national news show this morning) asking your colleague on the air what size she wears is just plain asking for trouble, as well as being unprofessional.
3. A movie opening is not news....I repeat: a movie opening is not news. I do enjoy reading movie and play reviews, especially in the New York Times when said production is a disappointment, but the over reporting of movie openings is just a time waster. Bedsides that, there are really not many films of quality being shown. And while I am at it, films are made from a distinct point of view, as are novels, and one needs to be aware of that. Oliver Stone is a film maker not an historian.
4. History is told from the standpoint of the winners, and most historic events have been retold and revised by many for their own purposes. Just as movies and novels are told from the point of view of the author, so history is viewed through the lens of the researcher/writer. History can be manipulated, and has been.
5. The word "hero" is overused. I pledge to avoid its use in everyday speech and will only use it when absolutely necessary.
Now I feel better, but know I have probably offended someone out there....sorry.
1. Is there anything this President can do that someone, somewhere will not criticize him for? I honestly believe he could be sitting on the front steps of the White House taking a breather, and a cadre of folks from somewhere will start criticizing him for being a lazy bum or selling the free world down the river. He is the President of the United States, elected according to our electoral system. It is done; it is over. But he just can't seem to do anything right in the opinion of many. This guy can't even be indignant, as he was today about the rise of school violence, without someone jumping all over him for voicing an opinion. In the past eighteen months there have been 74 incidents of gun violence in schools. This is a disgrace. I will grant you, there are other big ticket issues that need to be addressed here, but really?? Children are not safe at school. Who can disagree about this troubling situation?
2. There are far too many news programs, stations and outlets with far too many "newscasters" who are actually giving their opinions about everything from the tax and banking systems to the color of J-Lo's latest designer gown. And unfortunately since most do not seem to have an adequate understanding of either economics or fashion design, many of their professional statements do not make any sense. And even though I will agree that the average American woman is closer to a size 12 than a size 4, (an astonishing statistic shared on a national news show this morning) asking your colleague on the air what size she wears is just plain asking for trouble, as well as being unprofessional.
3. A movie opening is not news....I repeat: a movie opening is not news. I do enjoy reading movie and play reviews, especially in the New York Times when said production is a disappointment, but the over reporting of movie openings is just a time waster. Bedsides that, there are really not many films of quality being shown. And while I am at it, films are made from a distinct point of view, as are novels, and one needs to be aware of that. Oliver Stone is a film maker not an historian.
4. History is told from the standpoint of the winners, and most historic events have been retold and revised by many for their own purposes. Just as movies and novels are told from the point of view of the author, so history is viewed through the lens of the researcher/writer. History can be manipulated, and has been.
5. The word "hero" is overused. I pledge to avoid its use in everyday speech and will only use it when absolutely necessary.
Now I feel better, but know I have probably offended someone out there....sorry.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Things are looking up!
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?"
- Acts 1:11
 |
| Johnny T |
As do many of you, I live in New York City, a place that is
more often than not, overrun with tourists.
And the summer season is soon upon us when as many of us as can escape
to quieter venues and our beloved town becomes overrun with what often appear
to us as aliens from a strange place.
They wear shorts and fanny packs, sunglasses and aromatic sun screen…many
of them underestimate the brutality that can be summer in the city; they carry
cameras and I-phones and are constantly looking up.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8a8it_the-lovin-spoonful-summer-in-the-ci_music
One of my adult children works in the downtown financial district and is oftimes heard complaining of the folks from out of town who randomly stop on Fulton or Wall Street pointing cameras and fingers up to the sky to admire and photograph for posterity a significant, at least to them, signpost they wish to forever remember. She, on the other hand, in the words of “Johnny T” (that eclectic NYC tourist guide of You-Tube fame), just wants them to “GET OUTTA THE WAY.”
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Johnny+T+and+You+tube&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=F5C932D31936C0EE97A2F5C932D31936C0EE97A2http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8a8it_the-lovin-spoonful-summer-in-the-ci_music
One of my adult children works in the downtown financial district and is oftimes heard complaining of the folks from out of town who randomly stop on Fulton or Wall Street pointing cameras and fingers up to the sky to admire and photograph for posterity a significant, at least to them, signpost they wish to forever remember. She, on the other hand, in the words of “Johnny T” (that eclectic NYC tourist guide of You-Tube fame), just wants them to “GET OUTTA THE WAY.”
 |
| Interior Canterbury Cathedral |
But sometimes it is nice to look up, as when I recently
took a trans-Atlantic cruise to Europe and got to see some wonderful sunrises
and sunsets as I walked on the deck. Or
when we stopped in England, we took a side trip to Canterbury and its
magnificent cathedral viewing its spires as they rose above the city and
admiring the vaulted gothic ceiling with its slender criss-crossing ribs that give it
a look of intricately woven lace.
I often love to watch the moon rise over
Brooklyn from the balcony of my new condo in St. George. The way the moon rays just sort of glisten and
dapple on the moving water of the bay is a delight to the eye and a calming
influence upon any restless spirit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJRbw_bUnJs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJRbw_bUnJs
But, as with the apostles of long ago, it is also
important for us as members of the Church to stop looking up and start looking
out. And what can we see if we do
that? Perhaps different ways of being
church.
Well, if you look over in Brooklyn there are several
interesting ways that folks are dong “church”.
St Lydia’s is a Dinner Church in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. It is a contemporary congregation with ties
to both the Evangelical Lutheran Church’s Metropolitan Synod and the Episcopal Diocese
of Long Island. They meet on Sunday and
Monday evenings for a shared 
Travel further along the BQE and you will stumble upon Bushwick
Abbey, another congregation supported by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island located
in a bar on Wycoff Avenue meeting on Sundays at noon, they describe themselves
as:”… Christian community celebrating faith, art, and justice on the
L line in Brooklyn…” Their mission statement includes these words: “We
believe that the truth of the universe is love incarnate. Our response to that
love is to live lives of holy curiosity, generosity and creativity with grace
in gratitude.” Who could argue with that?
And
in our own Diocese there are three unhoused congregations in Manhattan under
the umbrella of Ecclessia/NY that met on Sunday afternoons in three locations
in Manhattan: Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, Madison Square Park in
23rd Street and Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. Each of these caters
to a distinct homeless community providing a caring spiritual community that
offers a shared meal each week and much needed spiritual direction and
referrals to social agencies when appropriate. http://ecclesiany.org/
So
what does this all mean for us, for those of us in comfortably traditional
houses of worship? It gives us insight
into different ways different folks are embracing the saving grace of Christ;
the same grace that we know gives us both strength and comfort as we live our
lives. This is the same grace that is
working in different ways in different faith communities throughout His
wondrous Church. And it is wonderful to see.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Memorial Day...a brief history.
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| Civil War monument in St Augustine, Florida |
Today is Memorial Day, a national holiday that was started as a way to honor those who gave their lives during the Civil War. At first, many southern states did not embrace this holiday preferring to set aside days of their own choosing for remembering the Confederate war dead. If you travel in the south, you can still see the various monuments sacred to the memory of the young men who died in what was often called "The War of Northern Aggression" by the remaining veterans of that war. More American lives were lost in that war than any other...both sides were basically Americans. This monument was erected by the Ladies' Memorial Association of St. Augustine, Florida in the years following the war. An inscription on it reads:" They have crossed over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees."...a nice sentiment. On another side are listed the 44 names of local men who died in the war and the year and place of their demise.
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| The Arch at Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn |
In my hometown of New York, one of the most familiar landmarks in Brooklyn is part of a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic: The Soldiers and Sailors Arch located at the confluence of Flatbush Avenue, Eastern Parkway and Vanderbilt Avenue . It is part of what is commonly called Grand Army Plaza. The structure is 80 feet wide and 80 feet high; the internal arch is 50 feet high and about 30 feet wide. My home state of New York was the first state to establish Memorial Day, then called Decoration Day because that is when you "decorated" the graves of the fallen, as a national holiday in 1873
It was only after World War I that the entire country came on board with Memorial Day.
So, you've had your little history lesson. Let us remember those who fought valiantly for their country, and have thus provided us with the freedoms we often take for granted.
Now, go and enjoy the wonderful sunshine.
Monday, May 12, 2014
The Division of Labor
Traveling on a cruise ship on a longer than normal journey gives one a unique opportunity to observe both passengers and crew and engage in some interesting conversations with many different kinds of people about their perceptions of what constitutes "work".
Considering the time of year in which I am traveling...early Spring in North American and Northern Europe, and the amount of time the cruise takes: 14 days, most of the folks on board are the kind that have a bit of time on their hands. Many are either retired or folks who can do their jobs long distance. Also several have own or did own a family business. Not too many children on board, mostly toddlers with a smattering of school-aged kids traveling with parents and grandparents across the Atlantic.
The crew, on the other hand, is an interesting mix of people from all over the world that presents an interesting study in the division of labor and the perception of "hard workers" among the traveling public. Although the cruise lines has the word "Norwegian" in its name, and it has a large office in Tampa, Florida, the cruise line is incorporated in Nassau in the Bahamas.
It is an international crew. They sign on for a series of three month contracts. Many are from third wold nations with a significant number coming from India, the Philippines, South Africa, Peru and various West Indian islands. Others come from Easten Europe, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. A smattering are Americans, Canadians and Brits. They work ten or twelve hour days, seven days a week.
There is a definite hierarchy on board. Most of the folks who cook, clean, wait on tables, tend bar and do the facials and manicures at the spa are Third World residents who are on board doing these tasks to support families back home.Many of these workers are here to learn skills that will allow them to work successfully in the hospitality business back home, or to climb the cruise line ladder until they reach the "glass ceiling" that seems to keep most of them at the middle management level on board the ships. They can rise to manage a limited number of departments on board: Maintenance, Kitchen Staff, and Laundry Services are top heavy in Third World workers who have limited skills, but are eager to learn English and progress through the ranks.
On a different level are young Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Brazilians who are involved in the entertainment end of the cruise business. These are the staff under the direction of the Cruise Manager, a witty and funny Aussie who is in charge of keeping the passengers entertained during the voyage. Most of the entertainers are here to gain professional experience, and they work hard at it. Besides engaging in professional practice, rehearsals and performances, many of them help out in the library , lead dance and exercise classes and assist in general help on board. Specialized acts: comedians, magicians, animal acts ( there is a very long albino python on board until we reach Dover, England...he has his own sealed space on the third deck) each have separate contracts with the cruise lines and are only responsible for their performances and don't have other responsibilities.
On the top of the heap are those Europeans who are part of corporate, technical or navigational skills. These are mostly males who possess unique skills necessary for the smooth running of this vessel. The crew who serve at the front desk; the team that oversees the vast array of technological equipment and devices that keep this boat afloat, and the guys on the bridge who actually sail this ship are mostly European...mostly Northern European at that.
All of these people work extremely hard to make this ship what it is....a floating resort hotel. Don't get me wrong....I do love cruising, but I also appreciate the work of all aboard who make this possible.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
What irks me about travel:
Traveling by air in this day and age can make grown men cry. Once upon
a time, traveling by air was considered a luxury And a most important occasion in anyone's life.; folks dressed and dolled up before they boarded any plane . Family members and friends went with you to the airport to wish you farewell and bon voyage. Stewardesses (yes, that was the correct nomenclature) attended to your every need. And these "girls" were all registered nurses of a particular height and weight. The industry was decidedly sexist in the early flying days, blatantly using attractive women to lure passengers.
But today air travel is more of a hardship to be endured than an experience of a lifetime.
The curbside check in is a thing of the past. You must drag your bags to the check-in counter; present your official Identifiction, type in your name, reservation number and password into the kiosk before the counter person will even a knowledge your very existance. If you are smart, you will check in your luggage. Those who do not present problems for the rest of us that will be addressed further down on this blog post.
Once you are checked in, the fun begins! You now must file by the TSA agents in the airport. These are poorly paid federal employees who look through other people's luggage day after day after day after day; you get the idea here, right? They have long ago lost their sense of humor...no jokes allowed, except if you want a full body search.
If you are lucky enough to have TSA pre check you will not have to remove your shoes or jackets. Everyone else is fair game. That bottle of water you just purchased??? Chug it down or toss it out. A six ounce tooth paste tube....give it up, buddy! You could be a random terrorist about to meticulously clean the dingy tile grout in the men's room! How do we know? just turn it over, son!
After at least 45 minutes on line you might make it through to find your gate.
And the fun continues! If you are thirsty after disposing of your bottle of water, you can now purchase a new one at inflated airport prices. Not financially able to travel in Business or First Class? You may want to purchase a sandwich for your trans continental or trans Atlantic flight , again, at inflated airline prices. But the best is yet to come.
Even if your chosen airlines has provided no cost or low cost baggage check-in, the majority of the folks on your flight will be schlepping over sized "carry-on" luggage on board the plane. Now the carry-on allowance" is one personal item like a purse or brief case and a pre-determined sized carry-on to be stored above your head in the overhead bins...one half a bin per person with the bags placed wheels facing the aisle. That is the ideal.
HOWEVER, this normally does not happen. Business types with both carry-ons and garment bags in addition to a briefcase try to lay the bags of clothes lengthwise in the binds atop their "wheelies." They then try to stuff their over stuffed, soft sided computer/ brief cases under the seat in front of them. Mothers with small children often carry on a wheelie and two diaper bags filled with stuff for the kinder. Now, I have no problem if the child is sitting in their own seat, but if the little one is little enough to ride your knee...you need to pack his/her stuff in your overhead carry on. Little old blue-haired retired ladies ( I am retired, but I do not have blue hair, yet) should not be carrying on two extra shopping bags from Macy's or Century 21 in addition to a shoulder bag and a carry on. Just because it is in plastic, does not mean that it is invisible. And I love the folks who drag their oversized bags to the gate knowing it is too big and will be ticketed sans fee at the gate.
Modern air travel is difficult on all involved, but the airlines do no justice to the flying public if they continue to allow these selfish folks to bully and dominate the rest of us with their inconsiderate behavior....mostly because they do not want to wait for their luggage. Get over yourselves!
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