Unethical Airlines

My husband is perhaps the most ethical man on the planet. He never uses his work phone to make personal calls and if he discovered he accidentally took a pen home from work, he would probably write a check to the company to cover the cost. He can be a little...extreme...in his morality. Which is why I was floored when we disagreed on our travel day about the ethics behind airlines screwing passengers by intentionally overbooking their flights.

We're sitting in the Chicago airport on Sunday, waiting to board our flight to Charlotte. An announcement is made that they've overbooked the flight and need 6 people to give up their seat for a $250 travel voucher. Apparently there were no takers as 15 minutes later they announced the voucher was now up to $450. Then they got mean and said if people didn't voluntarily give up their seats, they would have to take the last six people who bought their tickets and bar them from entering the plane.

We'd purchased our tickets far enough in advance that I wasn't worried, but I was still angry. "That should be illegal," I said to Blair. "People buy their tickets and make plans based on travel times and an airline can force you off the plane because THEY got greedy and overbooked the flight."

"They're just trying to make sure they fill the flight," said Blair.

"It's unethical," I argued. "Buying a ticket is like making a contractual agreement and both parties should uphold their end of the deal."

In the background, they were now offering a $450 voucher and overnight stay in a hotel.

"It's not unethical," said Blair.

My jaw dropped. "How can you say that?" I howled. Then I went off about how just because something has always been done a certain way and it's accepted doesn't make it right or moral. I pretty much worked myself into a lather and was ready to represent in court any of the poor people who didn't make the flight.

I still think I'm right. What other industry gets away with such behavior? If I buy a movie ticket, I expect to be let in the theatre. If I make a hair appointment, I expect to sit in the chair. Why is it then that if I buy an airline ticket, I may or may not be allowed on the plane, depending on how badly they've overbooked the flight?

Nope, nope, nope. Unethical. Immoral. And really, just plain rude.

Dena's Ticket to American Idol Fame - Yeah, baby!

Mark your calendars for the big event: October 2007 will see the world-wide release of my short humor story, Under-dawg, in the new "Chicken Soup for the American Idol Lover's Soul." Oh yeah.

I just got the release form e-mailed to me today. Don't let those Chicken Soup people fool you--they don't play around when it comes to contracts. They demand all rights now and forever (seriously) from you AND your heirs, dependants, etc.  Given however that I currently have no major motion movie plans for my American Idol story, I'm willing to let it go.

My story revolves around the influence Randy Jackson has had on the American vocabulary, and how my oh-so-white husband complimented me on my cooking last year by calling me a dog (dawg), amid a flurry of "Yo, yo, yo's!"  Trust me and just buy the book.

I did my thing, baby. I did my thing...

New Nephew

 Sorry for the absence on the blog. Blair and I travelled to Chicago this weekend to meet our newest nephew, Cole.  SUCH a cutie--perfectly round head, big round blue eyes, and barely fussed at all. So far his interests include having his diaper changed and being naked (loves being naked).  Big brother Jake likes to give him kisses and calls him, "my baby."

Speaking of Jake, he kept referring to Blair as "your friend." So he'd look at me and say, "Where did your friend go?" Finally, Grant looks at him and says, "Jake, his name is Uncle Blair." Jake looks at me and says, "Where did your friend Uncle Blair go?"

Hope you enjoy this pictures from our trip. Click on them to enlarge the images.

I swear, he was all smiles seconds before we pulled out the camera.

 
Nicole was running bath water and I walked in and found Cole on the floor. Cracked me up.

I love baths!

We gave Jake a bubble gun. No need to thank us...
Snuggle baby

When the Work Comes Flowing In...

Yesterday morning, 6 AM. I was sitting in front of my computer, glancing to my right at the bulletin board with my list of current assignments. A Pet-A-Scopes column is coming due for Banfield magazine and the editor has given me permission to try some new formats for the column, but other than that, the slate is blank. I tidied up all my loose ends before we left for vacation and purposefully avoided actively seeking out new work. Seemed a good idea at the time but hmmm... no work = no income. What's a writing gal to do?

Give it 24 hours. I love days like yesterday where I headed out thinking I knew what the day held and arrived home bombarded with new opportunities. To wit:

• Looks like I may be writing a wedding speech for a Guru.com client. The 2 page speech is due by tomorrow evening and the client and I have yet to connect by phone but hey--I love a challenge.
• I was tapping away on my laptop yesterday at Panera and ran into a client I may be ghostwriting a book for. She was with a man who runs a web site solution site and we exchanged cards and there may be some interest in me writing for site clients.
• At my leads group, someone asked me look over his company's national web site and make suggestions on how it might be improved and he's putting me in touch with the new marketing person at their headquarters.
• Someone saw my ad in Piedmont magazine and called to ask me to write an introductory letter for his business to several chambers of commerce.
• Another client of mine referred me to someone who needs a resume rewrite and possible ghostwriting project.
• I received an e-mail from a former client who may have a new project for me to work on.

Friends, the above is the definition of a good day. I kept waiting for someone to pop out and announce I'd won the lotto--and never mind that I don't buy lottery tickets.

Now if you'll excuse me... I have work to do.