Catching up with far-flung family members can be fun, especially if those flung from home are the ones doing the traveling. My sister recently visited from her home in Jacksonville, FL and we had fun catching up and visiting with aunts and cousins we haven't seen for some time.
Due to her job schedule and the uncertainty of Midwest weather this time of year, she opted to fly into the Quad-City International Airport. By the time she finally arrived back in Florida, she had plenty of experiences to share, including cancellations, delays and the fact that for a brief time she was a suspected terrorist.
Her trip here was rather uneventful. She made her connecting flight out of Chicago and arrived here right on time. She was slated to return to Florida on Monday, President's Day. That's where the problems began. She was scheduled to fly out of the Quad-Cities Monday afternoon. But thanks to the automated information center used by the airlines these days, she learned late Monday morning that her flight to Chicago had been canceled. Maybe not enough folks wanted to fly to Chicago on a weekday afternoon to fill the plane.
She got on the computer and quickly was able to reschedule her trip home to Tuesday. After calling her boss and her family, she had another night to spend with us in not-so-tropical Iowa.
Tuesday morning, we all rolled out of bed and left the house at 7 a.m. for the trip to the airport. Her flight was scheduled to leave a bit after 9 a.m. After waiting a few minutes, we said our good-byes and she headed for the security checkpoint with her small carry-on bag and her assorted small toiletry containers. She passed okay and then had to wait 30 minutes when it was announced that the plane would not leave until 10 a.m.
She wasn't too worried, as she had about a two-hour layover in Chicago before catching the plane for Florida. Good thing that flight was also 30 minutes delayed. This time, when she went through security, the TSA officers noticed she had one of those plastic thermo travel mugs that she had gotten as a present for her husband. That was her first mistake. Apparently, terrorists might be able to inject explosives into the lining of those mugs. So the officers decided to check her over a bit closer and an electronic inspection of her hands indicated some material that could be used in bomb making.
That won her a quick trip to a private room, accompanied by a couple of federal officers. It was soon determined that the chemical on her hands came from some hand cream she had put on before she took off from Moline. I don't know if she is on a watch list, but at least she didn't win a one-way trip to Guantanamo!
Her recent adventure has just affirmed my decision to travel by car, rail or bus. I realize millions of Americans travel by air each week. I have traveled by commercial air carrier once. It was fun, even though I was squeezed into a coach seat and had trouble getting my seat belt to fasten. But it's expensive and getting more expensive by the day as the air carriers pile on silly charges on passengers. It's just not worth the hassle, at least not for me.
My sister took her adventure on the return trip in stride, thanking the officers for helping to keep our skies safe. Many folks would probably mutter about the inconvenience. But she figured it's better to be safe than sorry.
This necessary increased security at the airport has really taken a lot of the fun out of flight. When we were little, our folks sometimes took us to the airport so we could sit in the waiting area and watch the plans take off and land. But because of the new terminal architecture, we didn't see any of the viewing areas this time. In fact, I realized as we were driving home that I didn't see a single plane while at the airport!
I am not afraid to fly. I wish I could have the chance again. But I think I'll wait until I win the lottery. Then I can charter my own business class jet, leave when I want and take as much luggage as I need. I'll arrange to take off from Belle Plaine or Independence, where there are no TSA officers and no body scanners. I have no interest in seeing Cuba and neither does my sister.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Coming clean - another shameless admission
First off, congratulations to the Green Bay Packers and their legion of Cheese Heads who are celebrating a hard-fought Super Bowl victory. I've been telling my Packer fan friends that the Bears will see them in about eight months to bring them back down to Earth. But it may be a tough one, since most of those 15 guys who ended this season on injured reserve for the Packers should be back. We'll see.
Saturday morning is often a dead time when it comes to quality television. Even with more than 150 channels available, there's often not much to choose from unless you want to watch infomercials or kids' shows. In desperation, my remote stopped on a "Glee" marathon last weekend. I thought I would watch it until the next commercial, just to see what all of the fuss has been about, then keep on channel surfing. Two episodes later, it was all I could do to turn away from the TV and find something more productive to do.
For those of you not familiar with the show, it is a weekly one-hour program on the Fox network. It is set in a high school and tells the story of the trials and tribulations of young people trying to be "cool" while still performing in the school's glee club. What sounds like the premise for a 13 episode, here-and-gone show has grown into a second season, with the network picking it up for a third. It has won numerous awards and nominations, like Emmys, Golden Globes and a Peabody Award.
The show includes conflicts between a domineering cheerleader sponsor who is always battling with the glee club for school funds, personnel and recognition from the community. There's a football team whose members spend their off time belittling glee club members but are sometimes coaxed, cajoled and blackmailed into joining the club.
Jane Lynch stars as the cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester. She brings the same wry sense of humor she has displayed as Charley's psychiatrist in "Two and a Half Men." Matthew Morrison plays Will Schuester, the glee club coach who is always so supportive of his kids.
Of course, the real stars of this show are the young members of the glee club. If you've been fortunate to see one of the Celebration Iowa performances during the summer, imagine that type of energy and caliber of talent each week!
The show also offers plenty of positive, uplifting messages. One of the members of the glee club is disabled, confined to a wheelchair. But he has a tremendous voice and doesn't let his disability stop him. There's a big football lineman character who is a bully and a homophobe who sometimes lets his guard down to show a softer side - but only for a moment. And did I mention that the football team's star quarterback is also a member of the glee club?
I have always been a big supporter of extra curricular activities in schools. I've always been a sports fan, but from personal experience, I learned that even if you couldn't hit a fast ball, be a football hero or the leading scorer on the basketball court, you could still do something besides go to class and then rush home and spend the rest of the night in your room. Music was a major part of my school life, but we also had debate, speech, debate and other organizations available to us when I was in school.
Since I have been back on the job hunt for the past year, I have become more aware of the value of some of the things I learned while participating in sports, chorus and band. In more than 30 years of observing high school students, I've grown to appreciate the traits that can be learned on the wrestling mat, on the football field or basketball court, in the concert hall or in speech and drama competitions. Many employers are looking for workers who can be part of a team, who are determined and focused, who are not afraid to stand up in front of a group of people to make presentations and who are not afraid to speak up and deal with others.
It's unfortunate that some kids, especially boys, don't think it's cool to sing in the choir. A school, especially in a small town, may have a good football, basketball or wrestling team. But at that same school, there might be one boy to every eight or ten girls in the choir. I've often wondered what would happen if the coach of one of those successful athletic teams told his players they could only compete if they were also in the band or choir. It might help all of the programs.
This state has several super high school show choirs. The message has somehow gotten out that you can be a man's man and still sing and dance. That's the message conveyed in each episode of "Glee." It's a fun show with some super musical productions each week. Check it out!
Saturday morning is often a dead time when it comes to quality television. Even with more than 150 channels available, there's often not much to choose from unless you want to watch infomercials or kids' shows. In desperation, my remote stopped on a "Glee" marathon last weekend. I thought I would watch it until the next commercial, just to see what all of the fuss has been about, then keep on channel surfing. Two episodes later, it was all I could do to turn away from the TV and find something more productive to do.
For those of you not familiar with the show, it is a weekly one-hour program on the Fox network. It is set in a high school and tells the story of the trials and tribulations of young people trying to be "cool" while still performing in the school's glee club. What sounds like the premise for a 13 episode, here-and-gone show has grown into a second season, with the network picking it up for a third. It has won numerous awards and nominations, like Emmys, Golden Globes and a Peabody Award.
The show includes conflicts between a domineering cheerleader sponsor who is always battling with the glee club for school funds, personnel and recognition from the community. There's a football team whose members spend their off time belittling glee club members but are sometimes coaxed, cajoled and blackmailed into joining the club.
Jane Lynch stars as the cheerleading coach, Sue Sylvester. She brings the same wry sense of humor she has displayed as Charley's psychiatrist in "Two and a Half Men." Matthew Morrison plays Will Schuester, the glee club coach who is always so supportive of his kids.
Of course, the real stars of this show are the young members of the glee club. If you've been fortunate to see one of the Celebration Iowa performances during the summer, imagine that type of energy and caliber of talent each week!
The show also offers plenty of positive, uplifting messages. One of the members of the glee club is disabled, confined to a wheelchair. But he has a tremendous voice and doesn't let his disability stop him. There's a big football lineman character who is a bully and a homophobe who sometimes lets his guard down to show a softer side - but only for a moment. And did I mention that the football team's star quarterback is also a member of the glee club?
I have always been a big supporter of extra curricular activities in schools. I've always been a sports fan, but from personal experience, I learned that even if you couldn't hit a fast ball, be a football hero or the leading scorer on the basketball court, you could still do something besides go to class and then rush home and spend the rest of the night in your room. Music was a major part of my school life, but we also had debate, speech, debate and other organizations available to us when I was in school.
Since I have been back on the job hunt for the past year, I have become more aware of the value of some of the things I learned while participating in sports, chorus and band. In more than 30 years of observing high school students, I've grown to appreciate the traits that can be learned on the wrestling mat, on the football field or basketball court, in the concert hall or in speech and drama competitions. Many employers are looking for workers who can be part of a team, who are determined and focused, who are not afraid to stand up in front of a group of people to make presentations and who are not afraid to speak up and deal with others.
It's unfortunate that some kids, especially boys, don't think it's cool to sing in the choir. A school, especially in a small town, may have a good football, basketball or wrestling team. But at that same school, there might be one boy to every eight or ten girls in the choir. I've often wondered what would happen if the coach of one of those successful athletic teams told his players they could only compete if they were also in the band or choir. It might help all of the programs.
This state has several super high school show choirs. The message has somehow gotten out that you can be a man's man and still sing and dance. That's the message conveyed in each episode of "Glee." It's a fun show with some super musical productions each week. Check it out!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The official Super Bowl prediction
It's just a few days until the BIG GAME. The Super Bowl has evolved into such an event that if it didn't happen on a Sunday, Congress would have declared the day of the game a national holiday by now. It is usually one of the most watched telecasts of the year.
It is expected that over 100 million people will see all or part of the game. Of course, Steeler and Packer fans will be tuned in. But besides those lucky folks and many more of us who are football fans, the game will also draw some viewers who want to see the crazy commercials that debut on that day each year. Others will tune in because they are sick of watching figure skating or dog shows on the other channels.
Folks who know me have probably seen me wandering around at some point in one of my five Chicago Bear t-shirts or Bear slippers. They might guess that I would be rooting for the Steelers. But they would be wrong.
Actually, at different stages in my life, I was a Steeler or a Packer fan. I remember watching Bradshaw, Harris, Bleier & Co. back when Terry Bradshaw still had some hair on the top of his head. I was a fan of Bart Starr, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung years ago when they starred for the Packers.
In more recent years, as I've become older and wiser, I have come to realize that the Chicago Bears best represent the history of the NFL and they have my undying loyalty. But that doesn't mean I don't admire the work it took for this week's combatants to reach the pinnacle in Dallas. Who would have thought that a team that had up to 15 players on the disabled list could battle through to the NFC title?
Just because you pull for one team, that doesn't mean you have to hate another team. If a team works hard, battles through adversity and isn't playing your team, there's no reason to hate them. If you are a real football fan, I hope you took time to admire the great career Brett Favre had. If you owned a business and a guy came to work every day, regardless of whether he was sick or hurt and was your best worker year in and year out, wouldn't you want a whole company like him? Regardless of the different stories swirling around him in his last couple of years in the league, Favre was worth every penny they paid him.
His replacement in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, has shown that he is a solid quarterback that gets better each time on the field. It's tough to replace a living legend, but Rodgers has finally emerged from that formidable shadow to establish himself as the leader of his team.
With all that said, I know I will probably shock a few people, including a certain Belle Plaine city councilman, a former Belle Plaine varsity football coach and a reporter friend who works at the Milwaukee newspaper. But I'm hoping the Green Bay Packers can bring the Lombardi trophy back to Wisconsin.
Green Bay 28 Pittsburgh 14
It is expected that over 100 million people will see all or part of the game. Of course, Steeler and Packer fans will be tuned in. But besides those lucky folks and many more of us who are football fans, the game will also draw some viewers who want to see the crazy commercials that debut on that day each year. Others will tune in because they are sick of watching figure skating or dog shows on the other channels.
Folks who know me have probably seen me wandering around at some point in one of my five Chicago Bear t-shirts or Bear slippers. They might guess that I would be rooting for the Steelers. But they would be wrong.
Actually, at different stages in my life, I was a Steeler or a Packer fan. I remember watching Bradshaw, Harris, Bleier & Co. back when Terry Bradshaw still had some hair on the top of his head. I was a fan of Bart Starr, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung years ago when they starred for the Packers.
In more recent years, as I've become older and wiser, I have come to realize that the Chicago Bears best represent the history of the NFL and they have my undying loyalty. But that doesn't mean I don't admire the work it took for this week's combatants to reach the pinnacle in Dallas. Who would have thought that a team that had up to 15 players on the disabled list could battle through to the NFC title?
Just because you pull for one team, that doesn't mean you have to hate another team. If a team works hard, battles through adversity and isn't playing your team, there's no reason to hate them. If you are a real football fan, I hope you took time to admire the great career Brett Favre had. If you owned a business and a guy came to work every day, regardless of whether he was sick or hurt and was your best worker year in and year out, wouldn't you want a whole company like him? Regardless of the different stories swirling around him in his last couple of years in the league, Favre was worth every penny they paid him.
His replacement in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, has shown that he is a solid quarterback that gets better each time on the field. It's tough to replace a living legend, but Rodgers has finally emerged from that formidable shadow to establish himself as the leader of his team.
With all that said, I know I will probably shock a few people, including a certain Belle Plaine city councilman, a former Belle Plaine varsity football coach and a reporter friend who works at the Milwaukee newspaper. But I'm hoping the Green Bay Packers can bring the Lombardi trophy back to Wisconsin.
Green Bay 28 Pittsburgh 14
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