The ceilings in the terminal at Miami International Airport are so low, I feel like I’m gonna bump my head.
I’m only 5’7″, folks.
Why would any airport, your last stop before flying off into the ‘wild blue yonder,’ be so claustrophobic? Wouldn’t it try to inspire, to remind you of the trip ahead with grand vistas and high ceilings?
This terminal is so cramped, the airplane I will soon board is gonna feel roomy.
Oh — maybe that’s the plan.
Posted in Airplanes, Commentary, Design, Humor, Life, transportation, Travel
Tagged airplanes, airport, architecture, design, flight, Miami Airport, space, terminal, Travel, vistas, wild blue yonder
Like roller coasters? Hiking, too?
Then you’ll love Duisburg, Germany.
Magic Mountain is an elevated walking path designed by German artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth. Rising up to 147 feet above the ground, this serious climb mimics a roller coaster…and provides some amazing views for hikers.
And walking in a loop-to-loop? Pretty cool.
Leave it to my German cousins to come up with a way to make roller coasters healthy. What’s next? Subways that are powered by footpower? Buses that we pedal?
WALKING???
Whackadoodle.
Posted in Design, Exercise, Games, Humor, Life, transportation, Travel, Walking
Tagged artists, bus, commentary, design, Duisburg Germany, exercise, Germany, Health, Heike Mutter, hiking, Humor, life, loop-to-loop, Magic Mountain, roller coasters, subway, transportation, Travel, Ulrich Genth, walking, walking path
Have you ever wanted to know more about the people piloting your airplane?
Be careful what you wish for.
On my flight to Chicago yesterday, I sat next to a pilot who was dead heading back home. He was especially chatty, so I learned quite a bit about this life and his schedule. And his criminal record.
You heard me.
Back when he was flying cargo planes, he and his co-pilot were arrested for trafficking cocaine in the Carribean. The white stuff was hidden in the cockpit but he said it was already on the plane when they came aboard.
Uh huh.
They were detained for three weeks in a Dominican prison before their lawyers cleared up the ‘misunderstanding.’ He seemed most upset that his tann faded during his incarceration.
T. M. I.
Posted in Airplanes, Commentary, Humor, Life, transportation, Travel
Tagged airplane flight, airplanes, Carribean, cocaine trafficking, dead heading, Humor, life, pilots, prison, TMI, transportation, Travel
I have been taking daily meds for migraine for almost 10 years, and my headaches are under control. In fact, I wondered just the other day if I still really needed them.
Today I got my answer.
After a particular bumpy plane ride to Kansas City, I was not only nauseous but in the throes of a full-blown migraine. And my meds? They were in my checked bag.
Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Migraine Barbie’s aura might look like candy, but she and I know that it hurts like a mother. And when I didn’t get the meds within the first 30 minutes of the headache, I just had to ride it out. Lie in the dark and sleep it off.
Which is what I did. Hence today’s really late post.
So, what did we learn? Well, I do still need my meds. I can still get air sick from time to time, too. And probably most importantly…
Keep your damn headache pills close at hand, sister.
Posted in Airplanes, Health, Humor, Life, Travel
Tagged air sick, airplanes, commentary, headache pills, headaches, Health, Humor, Kansas City, life, migraine aura, migraine barbie, migraines, Travel
A bear sliding down a hill on his backside?
Picture: Duncan Usher (Solent News, Bavaria Germany)
Nothing I can say tops that!
A spaceship crashed in Manhattan last night.
You didn’t hear about it? I did. I was in the theatre that it hit.
That’s the back story of the off-Broadway musical Voca People playing now at New World Stages.
I hadn’t heard much about the show until Jimmy Fallon gave it a rave review. Then it seemed like everyone was talking about it.
The eight performers — residents of the planet Voca performing to gain ‘life energy’ for their spaceship so they can return home — act as alien as they appear. When they first walk on stage, they can’t even speak English; however, linking hands with an audience member quickly engages their ‘universal translator.’
Space age gimmicks aside, the vocals and harmonies of Voca People are — forgive me — out of this world. The entire act is a capella; they create every note with only their mouths and microphones. While I could have done without the narrative, the song selection, quality of performance and sheer energy made me an instant fan.
Seriously — they do a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” that is worth the complete price of admission. And their interaction with audience members is an endearing combination of awkward and awesome.
So, if you’re near the theatre district and see a UFO…
Run towards the light.
Posted in Broadway, Celebrities, Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Travel
Tagged a capella, aliens, audience interaction, back story, Bohemian Rhapsody, Broadway, commentary, energy, entertainment, harmonies, Humor, Jimmy Fallon, life, life energy, Manhattan, musical, New World Stages, New York City, Off-Broadway, out of this world, planet Voca, quality performance, Queen, rave review, song selection, space age, theatre, Theatre District, Time Square, Travel, UFO, universal translator, Voca People, vocals
Have I mentioned that I’m part German?
Yep. And I’ve never been more proud of the fact than today.
A group of German linguists has chosen ‘shitstorm’ as the “Anglicism of the Year.”
Shitstorm…defined as “a public outcry, primarily on the Internet.” The jury who made the declaration said shitstorm fills a gap in modern German vocabulary.
This pleases me on many levels.
I always think of the Germans as being so practical-minded. And sure, they may have added this word to ‘fill a gap.’ But it’s a poop word! I love that.
It also makes some of the words that we silly Americans have added to our dictionary of late seem a little less, well…silly. Word like turducken. Bromance. Defriend. LBD.
Tramp stamp.
Yep. That’s a shitstorm of language going on there.
Posted in Commentary, Education, Humor, Life, News, Politics, Travel
Tagged Anglicism of the Year, bromance, commentary, danke schoen, defriend, German, German language, German linguists, Germany, Humor, Internet, language, language gap, LBD, life, poop, poop word, practical-minded, public outcry, shitstorm, silly Americans, tramp stamp, Travel, turducken, word of the year
I’m winging my way to Atlanta today, and will be occupying my usual aisle seat.
Only this time, it will be doctor recommended.
The American College of Chest Physicians released new guidelines that suggest sitting in a window seat is a risk factor for DVT (deep vein thrombosis), dangerous blood clots that can develop in your legs on long plane flights.
People who sit in window seats have the potential to move less than those who sit in the aisle. And it’s really the lack of movement that raises your risk factor for DVT, not your seat.
Now, I sit in aisle seats whenever I can simply because I don’t like to be closed in. And in my experience, passengers in the window seat have no problem asking me to get up and let them out. Repeatedly. Several times a flight. It’s like the people with bladder issues choose the window seat.
On purpose.
So I think they’ll be fine. And I will, too. Because they’re there to keep me on the move.
Thanks loads.
Posted in Airplanes, Business, Exercise, Health, Humor, Life, Travel
Tagged 4 out of 5 doctors, airline passenger, airplanes, aisle seat, American College of Chest Physicians, Atlanta, bladder issues, blood clots, Business, commentary, deep vein thrombosis, doctor recommended, DVT, Humor, life, plane flight, risk factor, Travel, window seat
I spent a lot of my childhood motion sick. Cars, boats, planes, you name it — we just didn’t get along.
But what if the very floor could give you vertigo?
Don’t laugh. It’s happening.
Researchers in Jersey City, New Jersey have found that high contrast black-and-white carpeting is making people sick.
We’re talking headaches. Visual distress. Even seizures in epileptics.
Man…that boat trip is sounding better all the time.
They aren’t exactly sure why a high contrast repeating pattern can give the illusion of motion and make viewers sick. But based on their findings, researchers do recommend that you give carpet more than a quick glance before you make any purchase for your home.
Your home? I think this information is even more important for all the planes, trains, and automobiles out there.
Talk about a double whammy!
Posted in Airplanes, Automobiles, Business, Cars, Commentary, Design, Furniture, Health, Home, Humor, Life, transportation, Travel
Tagged airplanes, automobile, black-and-white, boats, Business, carpet, commentary, design, epileptics, flooring, headaches, Health, high contrast, home, home decor, Humor, Jersey City, life, motion sickness, New Jersey, seizures, trains, Travel, vertigo, visual distress
Waterworks
From 1992 to 2000, I lived in Kansas City, Missouri. I moved there for a job, not knowing too much about the city or how — or if — I would like it.
I LOVED IT.
I loved the people, the food, the arts community, the food. And that’s also where I adopted Rory Dog.
Like I said — great people.
It’s true.
So, if you get a chance to visit Kansas City, you’re sure to enjoy them. Because as of today, the fountains are on.
It’s spring in Kansas City!
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Posted in Commentary, Life, Travel, Weather
Tagged arts, city of fountains, food, Fountain Day, fountains, Kansas City, Kansas City Missouri, Rome, spring, Travel, weather