Flying solo

For me, the time I spend on a plane is like taking a break: I’m not expected to do anything other than seat tight, relax, read and listen to music.

I’m always concern with who’s going to sit next to me because even though I’m a talker, it’s only when I feel like it, not when my seat companion wants it.

Isn't that called freedom of speech (one way only?)

Thank God for noise canceling headphones, kindles and face masks

Time Traveling

To those of you old enough to know what a blackboard is, I want to invite you to a short time travel.

Close your eyes and go back any time during your school years. Visualize the big blackboard. Someone is writing on it with white chalk.

Engage your hearing now. Do you hear the screeching sound of the chalk scratching the blackboard?

Screeeeeeeeeech!

I can still feel my teeth wanting to pop like popcorn. I hated it!

And what’s that????

Don’t you hate it when you put your hand on a surface or grab a handle or an object and it is wet and sticky? Ughhhhhh!

Imagine when it happens and you’re in the company of clients, or people you don’t know well?

Thank God for Purell…

Dishwasher

Call me obsessive (maybe I am, but just a little…) When it comes to loading the dishwasher I have my own method so that I can get a full load in it, everything washes fine and it’s easy to put it all away.

Small dishes on one side so that I can place bigger ones next to it, forks in one basket, teaspoons, in another, and so on. The issue is when somebody else partially loads the dishwasher. I find myself confused on how to continue. Three pots and two plates fill the whole thing!!!

I secretly reorganize everything the way “it should be” before turning it on.

Is it too bad?

Weesh, wash, weesh, wash…

Cracking fingers

Some of us have the unconscious habit of cracking our knuckles. And some people can’t stand hearing the pleasant crack, crack every now and then. Do you hate it?

Why can’t everybody just be like me, hah?

AM or PM?

As we all know, some of us are morning people and some night people. One of the most difficult things is to share space with someone from the group opposite yours.

I declare it publicly: I’m a morning person. I get up full of energy. I get active: empty the dishwasher, make breakfast, sing a tune or two.

Some members of my family are NOT morning persons. They’re the type that says: Don’t  make noises, don’t get near me and please, please, don’t talk to my until I’ve had my second cup of coffee.

Man’s best friend

I know I’m going to hurt some people’s feelings. Most people I know have pets and they’re mostly dogs. The great majority of them are very well behaved. However in my line of work, when I visit clients and some friends I’ve come across dogs that are not necessarily..let's say... discrete.

I’m not talking about the ones that bark incessantly demanding attention, or the ones that cross your path in extreme excitement making you trip. No, I’m talking about the ones that consider necessary to stick their noses up in your “derriere”.

Pleeeease, go way… It’s so embarrassing!

Pumping gas

It bothers me immensely that when I go to get gas and the gadget that locks the gas pump nozzle in the on position is broken. I don’t know about you, but I use the time while pumping to clean my car from papers, wrappers, plastic bottles and such, in addition to cleaning my windshield and side windows.

I've tried unsuccessfully different tricks to keep it going. One of them is to stick the gas cap under the lever, but being round and plastic, it pops sometimes and ends up rolling underneath the car.

#@%&*%>

Next time I’ll go to a different gas station!

Stand-by lights

With the profusion of electronic gadgets the darkness of a room has been perforated by a myriad of little lights, some red, others green, yellow or blue that come from all the electronic components in the room.

Let’s say you go to a hotel room. I anticipate a great night of sleep protected by the total darkness that give me the wall to wall, floor to ceiling heavy drapes. To my dismay there is a TV with a yellow light, the cable box has a red one, the router on the desk has a blue one, the clock window has green numbers and so on.

I use every available pillow, brochure, towel, etc. that I can put my hands on to cover all those lights. It feels like I’m sleeping on a branch of a Christmas tree.

It usually takes me two or three trips back and forth between my bed and the electrnic things until I get them appropriately masked. Ufffff!

Got milk? (For Camila)

Camila is feeling like having a delicious bowl of cereal, maybe with fruits or something yummy. She grabs the bowl, cuts the fruit, adds raisins and cereal. She then goes to the fridge to get the milk, only to discover that there are only two drops of milk left in the carton.

Kawabunga!!!!!! Why is it that whoever used the milk last didn’t:

a. Use it all up? (not leaving just a little bit)

b. Go out and by more?

That means Camila has to go out, all bundled up in winter, and by more milk.

By the time she comes back home she’s lost her appetite for cereal and is REALLY annoyed