J.P.

I was happy to see that Delta Airlines cared enough about my travel experience that they sent me a survey to complete for them. It was waiting for me in my work email this morning. I filled it out honestly and provided the feedback they were looking for.

Though the cynical side of me thinks that the surveys are for marketing purposes only, after all they just want to convince me to fly their airline more often, there’s part of me that hopes that this is a demonstration of concern for the wellbeing of the airline traveling individual. I know that I enjoyed my Delta experience to Texas and back and that I look forward to flying them again to North Carolina next month. Aside from the GoGo being a NoNo on the longest leg of my flight, the experience was flawless. Some passengers in Detroit tried to make the check-in counter attendant’s life hell, but that’s what passengers in sweat suits and velour do. They make everyone’s life a living hell.

I wonder what folks in Texas would say if they were surveyed about what life is like here in Central New York. I wonder if people in Central New York realise that there is life outside of this area. Everyone seems tuned into their own little world and only take very brief glimpses at anything that could resemble a bigger picture.

Perhaps there should be a survey on what’s in the big picture.

As many men have proclaimed loudly over the years, “Survey says!”. Were there a ding sound, the card would flip over and say, “needs a nap”. And that is what I shall do.

It’s good to be home.

Does anyone know why airline passengers are so defiant when it comes to the “seat belts required” sign? A few moments ago there was a pleasant chime, followed by an announcement, indicating that it was now safe to use portable electronics but that passengers should remain seated with their seat belts fastened as the informational sign was still lit. This is indicative that someone important on the flight deck feels there could be unexpected turbulence ahead. I respect that, I get that and no one has really instructed me in this, I suspect that it falls in the “common sense” category.

The passengers on this flight are jumping up and roaming around the cabin like it’s nobody’s business. With 50 passengers on this flight, the flight attendant (his name is Roy) has a bit of a chore with keeping everyone safe. Why do passengers feel it is appropriate to just do their own thing? Are they too good for rules? Do they know better than the trained and qualified crew on this flight? Have people become so arrogant and ridiculous that they think they know everything?

I don’t know how my friends that are Flight Attendants put up with this sort of behavior. There’s a spiteful side of me that would love to give the passengers a little bit of extra turbulence just to give them something to remember. I wouldn’t do anything drastic; I’d probably bank around a few clouds or something. Maybe something to jiggle the ice in their drinks and demeanor a little bit. I know I’m capable of such a thing, given the right aircraft.

People. Please. If you’re on a flight and you feel you know better than the flight crew, please do your fellow, respectful passengers a favor and when the need to walk around arises and you decide to defy the instructions of the crew, just get out and walk.

The Mississippi River. I think. At least it should be.

Location:Fourche A du Clos Creek,Bloomsdale,United States

So I’m sitting over the wing of an Airbus A320 calling itself Delta flight 408. The emergency exit door is making a creaky noise. Hopefully it isn’t the ejection system. I can still breathe and it’s giving me a little breeze so I’m just fine. I notice the little things. And thankfully, it’s not as breezy as this.

I’m not wearing purple and green, either.

It has been a good week in this adventure called life and I’m happy that work afforded me the opportunity for this trip. I’m ready to get home though. A brief stop in Detroit and then I should be home in time for lunch.

Food is always a good thing.

The wifi on the A320 is working brilliantly and I am happy about this. Someone wretched about a peanut allergy so no peanuts for us today. Sigh. I was in the mood for peanuts. If you’re allergic to peanuts, I’m sorry to hear that, but just don’t breathe my peanut dust. It’s not hard. Take a Benadryl if you’re nervous.

I am resisting the urge to write some code on this flight, primarily because I don’t have a lot of elbow room. Someday I’ll be able to fly first class. By then someone else will probably be writing the code, though.

So this is the view from my hotel window in Allen, Texas. The freeway with the blurry cars is US Route 75. It’s always busy.

I’m in Allen, Texas on business this week. I’ve met the other members of the group I work in for the first time face-to-face and I have to admit that I feel more comfortable than I thought I would. I like these folks. It’s so much better when one can put a face to a name.

Tonight we had a team building exercise at a place called Top Golf and I swung a golf club for the first time in my life. I’m not good at it at all but I was able to hold my own and not completely embarrass myself. I was happy that I got up the nerve to golf in front of my co-workers! Perhaps a couple of beers helped the situation.

The training is going well and I think my eyes have only gazed over once or twice so far. Sometimes when there’s a lot of incoming data one can get overloaded. Reviewing notes and the like is certainly helping. I’m such a geek.

My theory about my insanity is holding true; I still sleep best in the Central Time Zone and I have absolutely no explanation as to why.