Balancing the fine line between Self Suffiency and Damsel in Distress

As I have said before, trying to date when you are a flight attendant isn't easy!  There is so much unnecessary drama that surrounds my profession because of the stereo types! 

I get tired of being asked the same stupid questions over and over.  Such as: "Can I be loyal to one person?"  "How come a pretty girl like you doesn't have a boy friend?"  "So Do you have a guy in every city?"  "Do you think that we could get together next time you're on a lay-over?"  "How come you're gone all of the time?  I never get to see you!" "What do you mean, you went out with your crew?  WHAT HAPPENED???"  There are many more, too numerous to include. 

The simple facts are that: #1 I am a flight attendant, it's my job, that's how I pay my bills!  I am not a slut, I don't have a guy in every port, and I am not a bimbo! #2 I don't need a man to complete me, I am just as content flying solo.  #3 What does me being away for 4 days a week have anything to do with whether or not I can be faithful to one man?  #4 Yea so what if I get hit on, on a daily basis?  Like that fact would dissapear if I were placed in an office setting...

Every time I meet a new guy, I feel like I have to constantly prove myself to them to be trusted!  Why should I have to live my life under a microscope just because I pass out  pretzels and Coke at 35,000 feet?  I feel that if I can trust the person I am dating not to stray wilst I am away from home, then why can't they deal with me being gone for four days a week.  If I had a nine to five office job, I would have even less free time to devote to a relationship.  One of the (many) reasons the last guy I dated didn't want to see me anymore, was because I was away from home too much! (but that's an entirely different story!)

I feel like I have been unfairly pigeon holed, by the other half of the species, into the catagory of fun girl to date, but not settle down with, simply because I wear a pair of wings and high heels!

Mirth and merriment..... Part 2

So when the time care to get my boarding pass for the next flight, a huge thunder storm rolled over the airport which caused the plane to divert to Dulles, and it wouldn't be into RDU, untill 7pm.  Mind you it was now 5pm, and I had been sitting at the airport since 1pm.  This was now starting to turn into the trip from HELL!  So what did I do?  Ha!  I went back to the bar, like anyother sane passenger would do!  Mind you, I wasn't in uniform, I was on vacation!  Around 7pm, I stumbled back over to the gate to check on my flight.  Not only wasn't the plane in, but now it wouldn't be there untill 8pm!  Yikes!!!  Luckly the gate agent put me on the 7:45pm flight to Chicago, that was operating on time!  I ran to the gate, hopped on the plane and jetted off to home!  What a day.....  And people think what I do is glamourus??

6 hours of mirth and merriment at RDU intl. Airport! Part 1

I think that one of the biggest questions that I get from people who are not in the airline industry is: "Oh, you get to fly for free, you must travel all of the time!?!?" 

They are astonished when I tell them no, I like to stay home and sleep in my own bed.  Sure I do have flight benifits, but they are only space availible, meaning if there is an empty seat left over that someone hasn't bought a ticket for, then I get to fly.  If the flight is full, then I get to wait around for the  next flight and take my chances again.  Flying stand by is always a big gamble.  Take my wonderful expearience flying to North Carolina to visit my folks for example!

Last saturday I was pondering the idea to see my parents, because I was getting cabing fever.  So I checked flights for Sunday, and I was extemely surprised to find an open afternoon flight to RDU.  Of course I checked the flights comming back on Thursday, and they looked pretty good as well.  I meal listed myself for the flight on Sunday, and called my parents to let them know that I was going to make an appearience.  Sunday was breeze, I checked in about 45 minutes prior to departure, and because the flight was so wide open I was able to get my seat assignment right away.  I even got the seat that I wanted!!  The flight was uneventful, except for some weather that popped up around the airport, which delayed our landing a little. 

I had a wonderful visit with my family, and enjoyed all the peace and quiet.  I didn't fret about getting back home to Chicago as much as I usually do.  Wednesday nite I checked the flights for going back to Chicago, and the flight that I had wanted to get on went from 30 seats open to only 5 seats open.  There were alot of other employees listed for the flight.  The flight after the one that I wanted was empty so I knew that I had a back up.  I decided to take my chances and go for it, just check in 4 hours prior.   But woe be to me, because the flight went out full, and I was rolled over to the next flight that was departing in an hour and a half.