Blog-TOWER OF BABEL

NBAA Scholarship helps and now you can get yours.  

I was absolutely delighted that I received my first pick of a scholarship, FACTS training a couple of years ago! If there was no hope of a scholarship, I do not think I would have gone at all. Money is too tight right now. There are companies out there that only require this training every two years, but it would have lessened my chance to fly. I would have decreased my income by 50 percent. 

Each year, when you think you cannot learn anything new, some new knowledge presents itself. Training rekindles my confidence, self esteem,and willingness to excel.

So go to www.NBAA.org and look for the Flight Attendant/Flight Technician Scholarship you could be one of the few to receive one just like I was.

I spoke with daniel a few days ago. I needed guidance on what to write about this time, It had been a while. I am going to write from the heart this time, not hiding anything.

I have spent the last two weeks in flight attendant open calls. People will do virtually anything for a flight. I heard one girl offer to wash and wax some ones car every week. Two people sleep with schedulers, whether the schedulers are male  or female iI do not know. One girl sleeps with the married pilot, One person sends bottles of wine to the lead flight attendant.

When I was in charge, I got NO alcohol, my car was parked dirty with "wash me" on the side, and I was too tired to sleep with crew or dispatch. Where are MY perks? Wrong decade, wrong economy girlfriend.
 
The art of sucking up is now a career choice. I cannot do it. My pride, once compromised, will never come back. Can we sell off pieces of ourselves, for a possible trip? One FA came to me and said "I will do ANYTHING", I said, please, do not say this statement to anyone!!!!!!!!!!!! I makes you look cheap and desperate, and someone will take you up on it.

I should have pointed her to my 1999 chevy lumina with some wax. There is a company that now wants to pay 1990s day rate, 350.00, and the company is a total nightmare to work for.  The take it or leave it attitude is back, like a bad marriage. One FA said she would work for 200.00 per day, after taxes that would be 140.00, I hope she gets a happy meal and mileage with that.!!!!!
 
Where are we gonna go with all this static? Are we being marked down like Filene's Basement? Do I have to go on sale?

I attended a catering round table in Teterburo NJ at Flight Safety, which was put together by Marianne Pruner. It started at 10 ended with stuffed stomach by 230. The caterers this time were executive suites-NJ, Divine Catering-NJ and Executive catering on Elm-CT. Flight Safety would like to offer this free sessions every 6  weeks with new caterers highlighted.

It was not a bitch session as if it were, i would have driven to NYC and had lunch. I do not like to listen to people castigate one another. It ran pretty well. Caterers and flight attendants are working along together quite well in these hard economic times and it is great to see. They  will work with us, delivery charges are a thing of the past  on the most part. The food was very good, and if you have a recipe , they will make it for you. 

I used to be afraid of caterers, if I did not act right, I thought they would spit in my food or give me stale bagels. Not true. We are got on like we were at a good wedding. If you have a caterer you want highlighted, email me at bdwyer07@aol.com or if there is a topic that you want discussed, tell me.  It also is a good way to network and se who is working for whom, and what you should do if you are unemployed Only good things happened that day.   

I am afraid to ask how everyone is doing in aviation. A lot of checking in with people - is really asking how their job is. That all seems so tentative - like skating on thin ice. I like to avoid family secrets, bad news, unemployment and loss of any sort. It is getting to a point in my life, that flying can no longer define who I am and what I am about. I am really disengaging -flying, it is like taking off a wet bathing suit. When something wears me out to the point of non-recognition, I take a break from it and it is taking a break from me. I get the pink slip on Monday. Pink slip, why do they call it that? Anyone know? Should be grey slip to match the New England sky.

 

So this is what I am about without flights.

I like happy hour

I can make all family functions

I know what is in my fridge.

I keep medical appointments.

I answer the phone.

I go to Costco, not in a rush anymore.

I can remember birthdays.

I attend weddings.

I am a member of a book club.

I now know five more people in my town who are not in aviation.

I can attend sales.

I can show up for job interviews.

I can volunteer at the church and work in the food bank.

I have finished 4 books.

My front porch is swept.

My son is not a juvenile delinquent yet.

He actually wears fresh socks every day, cuz I had other suspicions.

I make my root coloring appt.

I have nail fill on time.

I do not miss it right now, but check in with me in 6 weeks.

I did not attend the 2008 flight attendant convention this year for personal reasons. I did feel a sense of loss, being left behind in an empty room, listless yet restless and my stomach started growling at 10 pm EST, when you all were surrounding the shrimp table and ogling the Cannoli and the latest ice sculpture.

 

Let's talk about networking. Do you know that networking is sort of a short stab at a mini job interview? Yup, it is. So, while at the flight attendant convention, when you want to scope in on a certain person, do not have your mouth full of bagels, do not be drunk or appear to be drunk, and  please , do not tap them on the shoulder -- LIKE THEY ARE THE TIN MAN.

 

I have seen people network with deal breakers. Deal breakers are red flags: that the person is networking you is needing some help. Here some tips: Do not talk over them, leave the palazzo pants at home, no sneakers or flip flops, digging thru your handbag, leisure suits, tight clothes, ripped stockings, shoes so high -- you cannot walk in them, use words like HUH. AWESOME, WHATEVER, SOMTHIN SOMETHIN, FOGETT ABOUT IT. Do not scratch or twirl your hair.  But instead: Be polite, direct, and not overbearing.

 

Do not treat the other person like they are god, have some self esteem. AND PLEASE, do not say you are the best. There is always a faster rat out there, you just have not met them yet.