January 8, 2011

You Should Write a Blog!

One of my almost eight year-old's Christmas gifts was a trip to California to visit her grandparents. Last week, I put her on a plane to Los Angeles. She was super scared about her first unaccompanied flight and almost changed her mind at the last minute.

"Why did they make you come back here anyway?" she hissed at the gate. "I'm not a baby! I can do this by myself!" She practically ran on the plane.

So much for a tearful good-bye.

A few days ago, I made the trip myself to pick her up. The first leg of the flight was from Orlando to Saint Louis. To pass the time, I started jotting down notes that eventually will become a blog entry. While I was writing, the person sitting next to me on the plane drank three beers and two cocktails. Suddenly, without warning, the man laughed.

"What you just wrote was really funny," he slurred.

"Huh?"

"I'm really nosy," the man explained. In the conversation that followed, I learned that the man was a seventh year senior at Fresno State and upon graduation, will work as a sociologist. When I asked him what a sociologist does, he replied, "Too many things to name." I also learned that he had been looking over my shoulder the whole time and had read everything that I wrote.

I felt violated and in need of shower and and shotgun.

"It looks like you're writing a story," the man observed.

"Mmm hmmm," I replied.

"Are you writing that for your friends and family?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered.

The man scratched his head and thought for a minute. "You should start a blog," he said finally.

"That's a good idea," I agreed.

The man tried to order another beverage, but the flight attendant refused to sell him one.

I later told the flight attendant that I wanted to marry him. The flight attendant thanked me for my interest, but told me that he was already spoken for. He was dating a pilot who worked for a competing airline.

"On second thought, maybe a blog isn't a good idea," the drunk college student said. "Who would want to read stories about other people's kids?"

I agreed that the concept was rather strange.

"Good luck this semester," I told the man as I put in my headphones. He flashed me the 'thumbs up' sign and made me promise to start a blog sometime soon. I told him that I would think about it.

28 comments

Erica said...

This is hilarious. Love that he's going to Fresno State (I live with my fam. in Visalia, 45 minutes south of Fresno).

You should definitely start a blog.

reen said...

Now I call that validation!

Rachel said...

Cracking up that he is a Fresno State student. I live in Fresno and that is predictable.

Sarah said...

So did you start one? ;-D

Drunk people on a plane: Not my favorite. Years ago when I was flying on Southwest, a kid was sitting in the exit aisle and you have to be 14 or 15 to sit there. The plane was full, so they announced that anyone willing to sit in the aisle would get free drinks.

Of course, that attracted the alcoholic and I thought, "So the inebriated guy is going to save us all? I'll take my chances with the 13-year-old."

After the plane landed, the guy approached the flight attendant and asked her for another drink.

Another time, a drunk guy decided to smoke in the bathroom and two flight attendants chewed him out and told him, "I hope you enjoyed that cigarette because it just cost you $10,000."

Chelsea said...

Wow! That would make a great blog entry. :)

PippaD said...

If you ever start a blog, let me know how it goes.

Livy's Blog said...

ROTFL!!!! And when he one day gets married and his wife is looking up a blog on raising children, she will stumble upon your blog and while he's relaxing quietly in his recliner across the way, she will laugh out loud, look at him and say, "Listen to this!" and she will proceed to read him your blog and he will perk up and realize... that was about HIM! HAHAHA PRICELESS!!!

BTW - I read your blog to my husband all the time. We both laugh, cringe or ponder and reflect on your families antics as they often times reflect our own. This past Christmas, my kids too, found their gifts... hidden under my bed. They scolded me sternly for being so irresponsible. "You know the kitty goes under there Mama and we have to fish him out!" - *deep sigh* - yeah, I know...

Love your blog so much! :)

Carole said...

I'm not sure which is worse, a drunken snoop sitting next to you, or a young couple making out on a 5-hr flight, which is what I almost ended up with. After about the first 10-minutes I couldn't bite my tongue any longer. Result? Not a peep for the rest of the flight as they both finally fell asleep.

PS: Let me know when you start that blog, eh?

laura said...

I love drunken advice! So glad you took his advice and started a blog. Maybe he will turn his buddies on to your blog!

Mrs. Morty said...

You TOTALLY should start a blog, I bet you'd do really well ;)

Beth said...

Love it!!

Organized Working Mom said...

LMAO! Too funny! For some reason I attract the drunken passengers. Whenever I fly alone I am next to somebody drunk. Never fails!

Tiffany said...

Just consider yourself lucky he didn't comment on your hair!

Amalie said...

LOVE that he is taking seven years to graduate with a sociology degree. My husband got one and thankfully went straight to grad school!

ProudUSARECWife said...

Wow- you are brave to let your almost 8yr old fly unaccompanied. How does that work anyway? Does someone from the airline act as a "guardian" so to say? Do they charge more? I would be deathly afraid of change overs and just something happening, but glad it all worked out well

Wonder if said student will ever stumble upon your blog? lol

qandlequeen said...

Let us know when you start that blog! You might even have a couple of followers or something.

Mrs. Tuna said...

I don't know, writing a blog and keep up with followers can take up a lot of time :)

Annie (Lady M) x said...

That is well funny. I can't believe that he brazenly admitted to reading what you were writing, and even worse, gleefully admitting he was 'nosey'! What a nob!

myevil3yearold said...

You're welcome!

- Drunken plane guy

Rachel said...

awesome. just awesome.

Heather Forcey said...

Ha! You should definitely start that blog! As a Fresno State graduate many moons ago, I can promise, not all of us are that clueless!

Anonymous said...

Maybe someday that dude will run across the blog you 'start' and give himself congrats as he downs a 6 pack and some bloody marys, ya think? :)

This tool is going to have 5 girls and one bathroom when he 'grows up'and gets hitched. He's destined for it. See how his sociology degree does him then. Bet it won't help him pick out ultra maxis with wings in a pinch when the gals have an emergency. And that's what REALLY matters LMAO.

Cit

I'm So Fancy said...

I know you are already beyond popular but I love your blog! Granted you a Stylish Award. I'm sure you have 25 of them lining your mantle already, but still. http://richasshole.blogspot.com/2011/01/stylish-and-fancy.html

Mommyto3andahusky said...

ha! I just found your blog and it is hilarious! Love it!

Michelloui said...

Really funny post--and this is one of the reasons why I hate writing on a plane. Which is annoying because I;d love to considering most of my flights are 9 hours long (back to the States to visit family).

Stupid man. But good blog fodder.

lishajeanne said...

7th year senior says it all.

Renate Hunter said...

I went to a convention with my husband 20 years ago and went to a dance place. Some old dude asked me to dance and was horrid to follow. But I politely said thanks for the dance and he unpolitely told me that I needed to take a dance class. I didn't tell him that I had been teaching social dance classes for nearly 10 years and that he was was one who needed classes...... I said nothing and swore I would never dance with him again.

DeeAnna said...

Hey it only took me 6 years to graduate from Fresno State...Go Dogs!!