It's my second San Francisco flight and it's a long layover for me. Yeay! Al and I went to see Ratatouille (coz I fear that by the time I get home to Manila it won't be on the cinemas anymore). Second day we went shopping and both got a new jacket, went to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf, and had coffee with his friends later that night. Third day, Santa Cruz! Off to the Mystery Spot and then to the Boardwalk (with Ninya and Marco).
I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't think it's plain laziness though. I can't enjoy eating when it's lunch/dinner time, but I eat a lot towards midnight (and past it). My sleeping pattern is unbelievable. Like last night, (well, technically morning) I slept at around 2am coz I can't sleep earlier, and by 5:30am I was already up and having coffee coz I've been turning and turning in bed that I fear I might wake Mica up--who's sleeping beside me for the night.You know something's really wrong when you have:
...no one to talk to or chat with but you're still up.
...checked your all your email accounts for more than ten times.
...finished a book in 24hours.
...eaten practically everything in your fridge.
...noticed that all are asleep; or they're waking up and you're still awake.
...done everything you could think of: laundry, nails, etc.
...been listening to Kamikazee coz you've listened to all the mellow songs you have.
...read more than two chapters of D's manual but you're still wide awake.
Today I'm going to our Medical Center at Asiana Town as I'm required to do so for calling in sick on a weekday (kung kelan bukas ang Medical Center), but what will I say? That I don't feel like flying? Or I can't sleep? (Hmm, pwede, pwede..) Last night I planned to take the 2pm bus to the office today so as to give me enough sleep but since I'm wide awake now, I guess I'm going with the 9-ish morning shuttle.
Excerpt from a July 22 post last year:It wasn't exactly my first 100k salary, but more of like the first 100k ipon that I had. Also, I didn't give 100k coz it's too bulky to give and since I earn USDs, I handed over $2000. I almost cried in front of Mav's mom. I was shy and proud and touched and all...
"I've been praying like crazy. And bribing God. (Take that!) I promised God that my first 100,000 pesos salary would go to Maverick, my second cousin who was diagnosed of Leukemia a week ago. He's twelve."
Person 1: Bakit aalis na tayo?
Person 2: Naboboring ako eh.
Person 1: Kamusta yung party na inattendan mo?
Person 2: Nabored ako eh.
+ Thirty minutes prior showup at the New Jersey hotel we were staying at, the fire alarm goes off. Half made up, we had to evacuate the hotel! My thought then was what to bring. I know that in cases of emergency, you're not supposed to think of that, but I thought, If this is a really big fire, then my things I'd leave behind would get burned. But, the flight will not get cancelled. (Especially if we all survive) So I had to bring work essentials. And my passport. After prolly half an hour we were allowed to go back. The delay it caused!
+ Before a flight, it's mandatory that flight attendants check all emergency equipment and safety conditions of the parts of the the cabin. Afterwhich, you'll start working on your ground [flight] preparations. Half way through ground prep, the manager calls my attention, with her hands on her hips. She had a complain with my pre-flight safety check, "Katrina, why you did not check Lavatory (toilet) 4?" To which I said, "I reported a faulty sink, Manager-nim." A few more broken English sentences later, it appeared she was referring to the fact that there is no soap in the dispenser. Like, right. It's a safety check. Like, we're gonna die if there's no soap?
+ A few minutes after takeoff, a plywood-size chunk of the ceiling falls off somewhere near the rear part of the cabin. WHAAAT?! So it's now like part your house's ceiling falls off and now you can see the roof. Embarrassing is an understatement. It's creepy too. Like anytime the aircraft would disintegrate. And we're flying trans Atlantic. Good thing it fell on the aisle, nobody was hurt. This is why we hate flying our 747s. They're so bulok. I heard the 747s are second hand. Unlike the other aircrafts that we have. They should just sell 'em and get more 777s.
+ The Chinese passengers in my zone are asking for every item imaginable. And the adults say it like, "Give me tea." I know it just sounds rude because of limited English knowledge, but hey, they stayed in the US with rude English? C'mon! So I talk more to the kids than their moms. Coz the kids now how to say please.
+ I had to clean up someone's vomit. Eww. No, it's not a common thing. Because usually, people throw up in the toilets, or, in the puke bags, not on their tray table.
+ We had a male crew with us, who's unbelievably flirty. I'm grossed out. I actually said, "Sunbaenim, what is wrong with you?" In a sarcastic tone, with a disgusted face.
+ I was going to serve drinks (glasses of drinks on a tray); as I was going out of the galley and parting the curtains, someone from outside didn't notice someone coming out behind the curtains and bumped into the tray... A glass full of orange juice spills on my left sleeve, apron, skirt. I served the second meal with a wet left sleeve. How cool is that?
+ Disoriented and starting to feel like it's one of the worst flights ever, I spilled very hot water all over my left thumb. My face turned red as I can't actually scream in pain. I just bit my lip until I was able to find the burn ointment.
+ Somewhere at the rear part of the aircraft, a Chinese passenger who's irritated about the ceiling that fell off, got aggravated when the male crew accidentally spilled drinks over his shirt and book. In dismay, the passenger said he'll file a complaint and started taking photos of the ceiling. (Oh, I forgot, there's no ceiling!) Pissed off, the crew reported it to the cabin manager. To cut to the chase, my weirdo manager managed to get a cockpit manual that indicates that nobody is allowed to take photos of aircraft parts, so she confronted the passenger. What?! Just so she could evade a complaint? The victim is now the suspect as a threat to safety? That's hella stupid! I know for a fact that had it been a Korean passenger, she would be kissing his shoes by now. And later on, she's telling all the other crew that he might be mentally disturbed? @#$%! Effin' culture! The passenger was one of the most civilized victims I've ever met. He's not mad at all of us because it's not like we all spilled drinks on him; he's not shouting; he's not making a scene. Everyone's got the right to complain, and I would not be surprised if someone complains about the ceiling. Even I myself, I want to complain about it. Are the Korean crew just as heartless when it comes to passengers of other nationalities? You could just imagine how they treat us [overseas crew].
+ No, that isn't the finale yet. We run out of cabin water. Like there's no water from the faucet.
+ Twisted. It's how I describe their culture in the company. One of my Korean seniors managed to get two compliment cards. How? She filled two plastic bags with Lay's, fruits and pretzels. Gad! How could she feel good that she received compliments if it was paid for in the first place?
Sigh. I can't wait to go home. Get me back to a place where people aren't senseless, inhumane and stupid.
| You Are 33% Vain |
 Okay, so you're slightly vain from time to time, but you're not superficial at all. You are realistic. You know that looks matter. You just try to make them matter less. |
- A passenger asked for sugar. So I got one. The moment I gave him the packet of sugar, his seatmate asked for the same thing. I said, “You could ask for what you want all at the same time, y’know, to save my time going back and forth.”These “hirits” and much more. Like, “Sir, I can’t understand you, I swear.” And they don’t get offended by it coz they actually know that their accent is kinda difficult to understand. One even said, “we’re really difficult, huh?” To which I said, “Oh, you can’t imagine!”
- My senior called me from the galley to talk to a passenger (coz she definitely
can’t understand a thing). It appeared that the Indian passenger was asking why
we’re still using VHS tapes for the movies, briefing videos, etc. (“DVD! DVD!”
Instantly came to my mind! Haha) Transcript:Indian: Why are you guys still using those tapes, not VCDs nor DVDs?
Me: Why, sir? Do you want to replace them? (Add a sheepish smile here.)
Indian: (obviously a little embarrassed) Well, no. Just asking. (His sheepish smile here)
Me: Because, uhm, most of the videos we need are still in VHS.
Indian: But…
Me: (sensing he’d go for the oh-so-this-airline-is-low-tech, my mind hurriedly thought of anything sensible) And sir, you know how it becomes turbulent in a flight sometimes, right? Then if we use CDs, you know how sensitive those are, right? If we’re using DVDs then you’d skip two chapters every air packet. (My oh-my-gosh-I’m-brilliant smile here)
Indian: Ooooh.