Tag: challenge

challenges, travel

Southwest Where Is My Bag

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Denver to Atlanta. Another day no flight out to Atlanta. Just a bunch of cancellations. Funny how Delta got 8 out of 8 flights out from the same airport. I don’t think Southwest has a clue how to recover from this self-inflicted disaster.

Corporate is still closed on 12/26 despite cancelling so many flights. I would think leadership would cut their holiday time short knowing so many of its customers are suffering. That would be a big NO!

The photo above is just a reminder of all the idle planes sitting at Denver on Christmas Day. And that was just out my little viewing window. 

If you get to customer service they will tell you they are just a call center and need to wait for corporate to give directions as they are not authorized to help solve your problem of no clothes or personal hygiene items. I heard one fella say I’ve been living in a swim trunk for 5 days and I’d like to know when I can get my bag as we have record cold temps in the teens here. Guess what? No just wait.

My bags sit in Denver somewhere in the suitcase pile of I’d guess over 500,000 suitcases. That’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. But my bag isn’t lost according to them. It’s just not presently with me. Does that mean they are not responsible? Well Southwest has that discretion per their policy online. How convenient.

I can call back every day and hold 4 hours along with the hundreds of thousands in the same boat as me. Then after 5 days I can submit a claim to corporate. Well I’m annoyed I’m just going to write and publish this shit show to note whether Southwest takes care of their client in the end or if they screw them.

Stay tuned. Day one is done and no progress. None. None at all. Corporate is still closed and their web inquiry tells me they will get back to me in 10 days. Yawn. Yawn. Yawn.

2 bags missing in action. Last seen in Denver, Colorado. Let’s see what they look like when I get them back, if I get them back.

Fun fact: your valuables are only valued at $3,800 per Southwest at a maximum. Add up the cost of lulu lemon pants, ski gear, base layers, makeup and Christmas presents and boom you are probably over that limit. Remember Southwest wants you to pack your big winter coat vs taking up overhead space that means you probably packed two expensive coats. Winter wear is a lot more costly than summer bikinis and shorts.

working women

Gains

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Nothing ventured. Nothing gained.

If we never take risks in life we may miss out on big rewards. On the flip side instead of rewards we could belly flop if we take the wrong risk. This is the life of an entrepreneur.

Those who risk it all for something but know nothing may be the end result. Those who bank on their own instincts and gut. Those who drive their own path without hesitation.

Today I gained.

Yesterday I lost.

The net result of the year was positive. Will next year be a high or low? What will I need to do in 2023 to rebuild, reinvest, or refocus my priorities? The ever changing landscape, I call life.

Buying.

Selling.

Upgrading.

Repurposing.

Shuffling.

Juggling.

I think multitasking is engrained in my soul. Tomorrow’s dream has now become today’s reality. Yesterday is now a history lesson. The horizon shows promise yet I’m unsure of my direct path. The curiosity. The chaos. The calm. The storm. The can’ts. Then the cans. Then the wills. Then the now.

It’s time to go beyond. Time to find what’s still achievable. Time to discover new limits. Off I go to live my next adventure.

adventure

Foggy Friday

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It was Friday night close to midnight. I was catching a late night flight. The fog set in just as we were taking off. The flickering light on the wing had a halo-like glow in the misty air. The southwest colors shined a little brighter on the wing. The simple picture was worth a snap or two. For I just wanted to remember the moment. I would normally share the photos but I unfortunately deleted them in error.

A tropical storm was coming up from the south. Torrential rain was at my destination to the north. The fog of Friday seemed ever so light despite the murky air and wet forecast for my weekend away. This cloudy, misty, miserable state somehow seemed relaxing after the long week leading up to this weekend getaway. So much to think about in the stillness of the foggy air.

I’m not tired yet, but I should be catching a nap. Instead I wrote. I drifted off into the creative space that I find joy in. I had just reviewed an article on oppression. It gave me a moment to pause and think about today’s society in comparison to the slave era. What has changed? What suffering still lurks? Just some banter for myself on this late flight.

Of course I had my adventures in people watching at the airport prior to boarding. This time I played a little game and aimed for people listening in addition to watching. I heard the singers in the air. I heard the couple complaining. I heard young people conversing about school work. I even heard some offensive comments. Maybe not directly spoken at me, but at a class of people I mirror in a way. I thought I’d hear more about the latest elections but not so much. The World Series didn’t seem like a current topic anymore. Just funny to hear what’s around you in the airport.

The mix of people. The mix of where people are from. The mix of where people are going. The tired people. The hyper people. The angry people. The weird people. Not really much to report in this post. Rather it’s just a summary of observations. A look through my lens. The way I see what’s around me. 

Travel is always about adventure. The unknown. The known. The plan. The unplanned. For I just experienced my first unplanned, unwanted, and unlikely scenario on trip. The spill. The spray. The laptop. Oh my. The girl next to me unknowingly opened a Sprite bottle while watching a movie. Her momentary lapse in judgment caused a decent mess. Followed by an “oh shit” moment.

The laptop had a puddle on it. The movie was still going. The bottle was still spraying. She was trapped in the window seat: The awkwardness and chaos hit at the same time. The blank stare. Really. I hit the call button. My call button. Don’t I look stupid now that the bottle had been moved to my tray table to help ease the stress and I asked for the boat load of napkins. I was a bit humiliated in the moment. I ended up looking like the hot mess while I really was just the innocent seat mate in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A little sticky. A little damp. For now I just have to cut this post short to be sure I’m not transferring the sticky goop onto my keyboard. For that would just make me a little aggravated. Off I go to really try to rest this time. And of course avoid any future encounters with exploding Sprite bottles. 

From observations to oppression to perception. This post really went from a-z in no time. That in itself sums up my day to day life in a nutshell.

author moments

Lessons

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In life we are given lessons to learn time and time again. Sometimes we may see them. Sometimes we can’t see them even if they smack us in the face, repeatedly.

Today I learned many lessons, but a few are below to share:

  1. Trust your gut and never waver.
  2. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.
  3. Don’t stoop to the lower level of somebody around you. It never ends well.
  4. Show up for your friends when they need you the most.
  5. Don’t fear those who stand in your way.

This list is not all-inclusive but it’s what comes to mind as I sit down to recap the chaos of the day. Most of which I didn’t create but all of which circled around me in many ways.

To any adult that needs to use a child as a pawn, I pray for you.

To any teen that thinks bullying another is okay, I hope one day you feel what that feels like. Karma is a bitch.

For those who think mental health is a joke, think again.

Many will win a day, a game, or a trophy. Those things are just moments in time to celebrate. When you win at life you make others feel good time and time again. One does this through kindness, positive actions and without a malicious mindset. Others before self is a lesson I wished many practiced more often.

Sometimes putting others before you is hard. Sometimes it’s not hard at all. The thing is, if you never practice others before self you will not recognize the opportunity as often. Practice giving to others first. We all can benefit from building muscle memory in this arena.

Learn the lessons in life. Maybe something in this post with spark an interest in you to do more for others. Maybe it’s volunteering. Maybe it’s spending time with others. Maybe it’s offering a listening ear. Maybe it’s practicing forgiveness.

Today I forget the troubles of today. I forget those who were ignorant around me. I forget how mad I was at the time. I move on. I move the fuck on because the negativity is not worth even one grey hair on my head. 

This post is dedicated to my pal Brooklyn aka Brooklyn the bitch. The gal that says her inner Brooklyn is about to come out as she grabs the vaseline and takes off her earrings. Which translates to a street fight is about to go down. Best damn statement I’ve heard this year. Truth bombs from the girl from the city.

What lesson did you learn today?

challenges

The Real Struggle

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The struggle is real in life sometimes. I confidently state this based on experience and nothing less. Maybe I should say the struggle is real for many in life, daily. Different obstacles. Different battles. Different consequences. Different choices. Just a different set of variables that create the real struggle.

Anxiety is real.

Depression is real.

Fear is real.

Anger is real.

The list could go on and on. Sometimes it’s one struggle. Sometimes the struggles are intertwined like a tangled web. When multiple challenges hit at once the struggle compounds and many feel helpless. It may take a special person in their life to help them find the hope they need to see or feel to push through the barriers of tangled web. This person could be you. Always be ready to help others.

Today I had a struggle. I was angry. I couldn’t let my anger go. My anger hand many prongs.

I knew better than to let anger steal my joy. My time. My energy. My productivity. Despite knowing I held onto it for longer than needed. I knew my anger spilled over to others around me. This poor choice didn’t define me, rather it consumed me. It took a few unexpected wrinkles in my day to realize I could just let it go. Bye Felicia. It was like my day started over at that moment. A fresh start of sorts at almost 4:00 pm after I was no longer consumed by anger. 

Then a shift to an in-person encounter a few hours later. There was a need. I could aid in the solution. I was called to duty. A young life needed my support. My time. My me energy. My positivity. I was on it. I knew what needed to be done and I plowed through the action items. This struggle was different in content or context but in reality the let shit go aspect was a common denominator. The struggle was addressed despite the curve balls of the day. If I didn’t let go of my anger I might not have had enough mental clarity to help this young person. A good reminder to just let shit go that is weighing you down.

As I winded down for bed a close friend hit the “phone a friend” line. I was there on the other end. I listened with curiosity. We set boundaries. We discussed the value in seeing beyond 5 feet ahead. The what’s on the horizon visual. Hope was offered. Hope is free. Hoping for a better day tomorrow. Hoping for a new opportunity. Hoping to see what is ahead vs. focusing on what’s in the past. The past can’t be changed, but in the future you get to write your own story. A new chapter begins each day. It could be a happy chapter, a sad chapter, a progress chapter, a new beginning chapter or other fun stuff.

All three of these scenarios are real. The people are real. The problems are real. The pain is real. The struggle is real. Each chose the next chapter despite their burdens or struggles. Life’s path is never easy. Never uncomplicated. The adversity of life is part of the journey. Without struggles we could never learn about ourselves or others.

It’s easy to walk away from those who struggle. Many fear helping those who are struggling because it means sharing in their pain. Opt in. Offer to help others through the struggles. It doesn’t mean you need to give people money. It means you can help them see the sunshine in whatever is holding them back or weighing them down.

Do your part. Offer hope in any form.

This post is dedicated to my gal Patty. May everyone have the power of Patty as they overcome their next obstacle in life.