Let it go too tired to correct

I am thinking of buying a parrot and teaching the bird to say “Let it go”.   I was getting depressed last night with my travel experience and initial community reentry.  I was wondering it this was sign that I should give up phone and internet and go live in my basement.  95% of the things that create a need for the “Let go” are things just outside my window in my community because issues never have an end.   It is also interesting what others think I should just “let it go”.  Like the woman who put her opinion and face into my great solitary breakfast with the smile it is good for you.  I eventually let it go, but it made others upset.   Sometimes I think I pick things that will not get me into trouble, like telling a friend to grow up or a community leader they are a micro manager…etc..   The snap back of the rubber band hurt on that while my opinion is just that my opinion.  One of my neighbors, a therapist, said when she want’s my opinion, she will ask for it…..  I had a flash back to “seen but not heard”…or “only speak when spoken to” – dinner table rules at my grandfather’s.   I wonder if any of the let it go people with the smile issue would be ok if some stranger walked up to them at work and said…. You are so ugly you owe it to the world to go back home.   

I spent from 9pm Rochester time Monday until 8 am Rochester time Thursday trying to get home.   I get to Boston and no one to take transfer bags….Let it go.

I get in the boarding cue and there is a delay… another delay…and plane cancelled.   There are TWO PLANES A DAY AA TO ROC.   So booked on early morning plane

Take your 100 pounds of luggage with you,.,,,,,,   Let …..it        no can’t do that.  My stem cell meds to control my extra beats are in the lungage…but I just can’t go get it and take to the motel and then back.

Please do something.,…..ok   so they gave me another set of tags… I now have 4.

Get to the Double Tree with the voucher.   In the Best Western… the 327 was at the far in of the hall…. In this motel 502…. Is almost in the next building…   ok… walk walk walk… but they give you a cookie.  Let it go

They don’t take airline vouchers for food…surprise…. Syr is play BB tonight so good… get a take away club sandwich and fries…two beers  about $40…it is Boston now CM….   The fries were from lunch..let it go..the sandwich had so much mayo I could have spackled a wall… let it and remake it…  

Turn on TV….. no Tru (syr playing on Tru)…ok watch news…. Only news channel working  FOX – does DJ own Double Tree.    This is not happening.     So called the desk….engineer came…yep  you have a problem….new cord… Rachael but no Syracuse.  Let it go

As I am drinking my beer rapidly since I think…room is warm…mmm    checked     79 yikes    Put thermostat at 69…..nothing…and the heat is coming on every 2 min.   I go out in the hall to get some fresh air and the service man is walking by… I can fix that…   I know he thought dumb old lady….after 10 min… this is so messed up I have to reset the whole thing….   Yes.,… it took about 45 min to get cool since no windows to open….and my beer go hot.   Let it go

 My phone says there is wifi…but I can’t find out where to put in any code or anything.   I gave it a good try…and then walked the length of the hall down to front desk…. It’s because you don’t have explore or your chrome is messed up… is this your first phone… so he was going to fix it……    when he finally stepped out of the area…I grated the phone and did what I thought he was trying to do… and boom…wifi     let it go

I get to the room and get a long text about can we do anything to make your room stay life eternity more pleasant….and the greeting was  Helen…can we do any…..  I just sent this is Bonny…. And Cassie sent back…. Ooops sorry.

The van leaves at 5am… I board at 5:55…. I think the next step might be rent a car if I miss the plane… so I got a cab…and he said where are you going… Roc….. term B36… two planes a day to Roc…and always  B36.   I just knew that his cabbie from Morocco was going to get me there and deliverd safely.   I had a 15 min secure ride to regroup….let it go.

I use my dinner voucher for a $14 egg sandwich and coffee…and go over to wait.   Pilots and steward look seasoned…..so I am in a great let if go place… almost home.

I look up and one of the staff is handing the dreaded red tag for your luggage to be put in limbo land for the trip…. NO not happening..  So I say, I have expensive equipment in here… and last year when they put it down below and we did not even leave the airport it took almost 7 hrs…   Well I have a jacket and a thai bag… I can get three lenses, one camera, one laptop, mouse and connector, and tablet into something… I start to use the jacket and the woman airplane baggage handler said, we can’t let you walk outside without a jacket…so put the jacket on.   Mistake… I said, I would rather sit in luggage rather than put my equipment there.   So I started master packing all of that into my Thai bag along with my earphones.   I walked up to the desk and said to the person who appeared in charge…and said I just want you to know, I am not trying to cause any issue, but one lens is $1000 and you will only insure these bags for $250. 

 Should have let it go……wrong thing

We have a responsibility to protect our customers and you appear to be upset and out of control…(oh oh  I think not, I thought when I pick you up you little midget and toss you through the window…that is when you might want help.)….I will not give you any problems… I will get the gear onto the plane and check the empty backpack at the gate..   He basicly said… I will be watching you.    His name is Mr. Wells, I have his picture, and someone will hear from me… My concern was valid we could have done something and I thing I might have been able to smoosh the bag under the seat….   

I am in group 8… they call 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.    I was not going to move until they called 8… everyone was on the plane… the desk looked up and here I am standing.   He was about to say….you again.. when the one woman remember she had not called 8 but all of the 8’s were on the plane.   She called 8..,.. I move forward…. And smiled… have a great day

You might think that is the end.

Nope..   when I got here, I had repack the packpack to walk out… Joe was there.. last man standing… we went downstairs….   There is an the empty luggage rack…all quiet with one red suitcase.   So I walked to the door and the baggage person said… Bonita Mayer…. I’ll be with you in a minute.   You see, she was helping a passenger who also put his carryon down below…and some how..form Boston to here.. they lost it.

So when I stepped up… your bags were not on the plane.    Let it go

She took the info where to deliver etc.. and at bout 5 I got a text….1 of your 4 bags has been located.

I only had two…. Let it go….

Status:  Two bags total weight 96 pounds,,,,  someplace.    Don’t ask me if I will fly again.  Like childbirth…in time you forget. 

795 Perspective

Perspective

Getting out of Penny’s Place went smoothly.  Why would it not?  They are lovely people, the housekeeper is lovely, the guest all have a story, it is quiet, and I can have the time to stay in touch with my inner self.   The uber driver was efficient, the check-in person with Cathey got the luggage tags correct – thru to ROC and confirmed my Hindu Vegetarian meals. (I find is the safest on long flights). Got my three boarding passes and thru immigration is seconds.  Last Canyon Coffee..

The flight to HK was good, I listened to my Ajahn Chan teaching audio and two hours went zip (Already knew no TV).  Got through immigration in HK and found a cart for my backpack and purse… and an elevator to second floor…  88HK $ for Popeyes….ok ok but I just did not want noodles.  They did not post the gate for a long time…waiting for Boston to open for international arrivals.  Gate 3…hip hip.   Watched Churchill, Billboards, Murder on Orient Express, and a sexy French movie with subtitles.  Two meals…and few westerners…I ate my Hindu, and the others ate noodles.   My seat was the envy of all.  Only one on the plane…second row, aisle…with nothing but aisle in front of me.  Three toilets for 2/3 plane and the many of the noodle folks were taking a long time ….I was #11 in line.. and was using my mental vision powers to think of the desert or sand or some dry condition, so I did not focus on … I really have to relieve myself.

Shot through customs… only had to put my passport though once. Two bags came out…and the cart was free in Logan.

Problem.  No check-in person for the transit bag. Lufthansa was arrogant and non-helpful.  It is now going on 11pm and tired and expecting this to go smoothly.   I tried calling etc. and finally a supervising person came thought and said.  No one here go to info.    When I got to info, I was not as patient as I could be, but she said nothing, and so I repeated my request…and her response ..be patient, I am trying to help you.   She could have been playing video games.  If she would have said… I’ll see what I can do… I would have been quiet… but assuming her silence was to convey she was in action.  I will think of how I can do this differently.  But I was 19 hrs. in the air and tired.   Info lady got three people to help me, and they found someone else to take the bags rather than tote to the motel.  I admit I used the I am old would you do this to your grandmother.  I think info lady would or she did not like her grandmother, does not like her job and should not be in the people business.   How is that for judgmental

Problem. Called Best Western.   No shuttle – airport closed.  The line for the few taxis was long. Someone shouted best western this taxi and then suggested I crawl under the metal rail to get to the cab.   I am tired and forgot I had the backpack.   I laid on the metal bar of the fence for what felt like hours as the many passengers pushed the backpack under the top rail and my sausage body was free again to stand up.   This is not the time to think this is a hysterical position to be in…but I would have given my socks for the video.   11pm,snow-covered roads, tired, the line of passengers and this short chunky 78 yr old woman is trying to push the body and backpack under a 2-foot opening.   I laugh not writing about it.   Shared a ride with a woman also on the HK flight. Fortunately, she knew where she was going and got us to BW Adams.    $40 each was a little high, but what the hell and in a storm grateful he was out.  Check-in…ok but pub closed…nothing open – watched the news and ate my last Blue Diamond cookie and passed on the caffeine tea. 

Problem.  Some where along the line I lost my folder with the hotel info and my page of passwords.   My guides say… it is in the trash…  I will trust that but there is nothing I can do except watch that no one tries to get into my account and charge too much.

I have a 10am  shuttle ride to airport…so I want to put a few things down…ooops, there is someone waiting at the airport and could I go early… fine.     Now at airport.

Story One – As I waited at Penny’s, a guy who lives there but I have only said hello to…( there are about 7 long term non Asians in the building) .   He rides a bike and carries a blue backpack.   So as I am leaving and both waiting for the Uber, we chat.  Has taught English all over the place – Africa,  Kuwait, etc. at the high school and college level.  From Canada, but has been on the road for about 20-30 years.  Twice a week he is picked up by songtow and taken to an animal rescue operated by vets without boarders at Hong Kong.  He goes from 9 until 2 and walks dogs.   His favorite can climb a 6 foot chain link fence. His love of the dogs was apparent and his joy in this “job” was on his face.   He lives a simple and happy life.  He was a very good looking man who appeared to walked away from his ego and was just a nice addition to life.  He also made staying longer.   He doesn’t want, is not asking for anything, stays simple, but we ended up talking Robert Frost and that if anything happens, we are fine.  I look forward to my return and more connection with Kevin.

Story Two – As I was munching my scrambled eggs, Tate tots, and bagel this morning.  A woman with a cane came in and sat down with her coffee.   I watched her fight with the creamer container.   I feel that I fight with the plastic bags and container all the time.  Earlier coffee container for the in-room coffee and the plastic around the ear buds.  I did not offer to help, but smiled at my identification.  The clean up person (don’t tell DJ….she is Spanish speaking), Elsa Breakfast said the tag.   I asked if her last name were breakfast… she laughed and the coffee cane lady laughed.  That was my intro so I asked if she got to the motel because of the storm.   Well yes,   her house just down the road about a mile was flooded by the storm.  I asked which river and she laughed and said …the ocean.   Her hair needed a comb and she had what my mother would call kmart sweatpants.   We talked and her sister and brother-in-law who lived on the first floor lost everything.  She lives on the second floor but had to farm our her 12 yr old white dog and three cats.  We talked of the stuff we collect and she said, the only thing she missed was her dog. She is trying to find senior living and the city is paying the bill at the motel  This is a real safety net for this woman who lived in the house for 30 yrs and now in her late 70’s is living in a charity situation in a motel.  I wanted to jump in and fix it…  This is only a tip of an iceberg of a bigger fix.  Many people are doing ok… getting by .. and then comes the tidelwave… and they are on the other side of the poverty and needy.   I just returned from riding my scooter and massage and smiles.. and and and.   Thank you for my life choices that allows me to be were I am.

Story Three – the van driver has been working for Best Western - $11 an hr, no vacation, no insurance, no sick time for five years.   He also works at a nursing home part time.  The Best Western was recently purchased by a foreign company and they put a governor in the van to monitor where they go and how long it takes them.  This was his straw and an insult to his integrity.  He is also working at a nursing home part-time with some benefits and it is time to change.  He has a wife and kids and when there is a storm and he does not work, no income.

Story Four – There are two stories here,  first the bar tender at the airport bar.  This is par-time for him and he works at the Marriot for the other job.  He was the first employee at the downtown Marriot and is not their oldest employee.  He met the Marriot senior and junior and for his 25^th yr, they gave him a travel card for anywhere in the word.  The Marriot has recently acquired three more chains.  So he and his wife take a nice expense paid vacation each year.  Two men, same age in the service business.  How are they treated and what is the impact oneself worth.

Story five – I sat next to a woman eating a bagel and having a bloody mary.   My kind of woman.   She has a road warrior look about her and so to pass the time we engaged in conversation.  If you show some interest in others stories, it is rather amazing what you share with someone connecting with your life for a very short time.  Many times it is with people that would like to know the rest of the story…or give me an update in a year.   Sarah, was one of those.   In reality, there is no way we will probably ever connect again.    We both are only children and had older parents when we were born.   Maybe what we might have thought was not such a great think gave us some traits that maybe common with children from this environment.  As an old child, I had to learn that not agreeing with your friends and having an argument doesn’t really mean you will never talk again.  But it also gives you a sense that you have to pay attention to your life, have some integrity and maybe you grow up thinking I need to take care of me.  We both grew up Catholic and both have very strong work ethics that has lead to people seeking us out for employment.   She is 32 and is on a good fast track at her company as director of project management.  She met Jake 30, which I assume is for Jacob on Harmony  and both knew the moment they met that they were good life travel mates.  My guess is he is a CPA since he is Finance Director in his company and she has her MBA.  They both work long hours but have a plan for not working forever.  There was something solid about her and while she has been great strides toward integrity and respect, I get the feeling that she is just beginning on a long road to helping others be a little kinder to their work staff.  She is the kind of person who would do a great service to teach others the stuff that is needed beyond the technical work of management  - beyond the work spread sheets and how to help people be kind and be all they can be.

Story six– my story is not over, but I have much to take from the people I have met in the last day plus.  I have much to be grateful for and as I said to Sarah, tell people who grateful you are to have them in your life and on your shared moments in time.   The plane will board in an hour.. I need a coffee.

Winding down 794

Winding down with this trip to Thailand and my blog.  I had an experience today.  I am still in a semi-fog.   I got up this morning and knew I had acupuncture, probably should eat and shower.   I have not shaved my legs in a long time since at this age I have intermittent hair and so light ok grey,  you really can’t see it and who cares.  But since I was going to have the long massage day, I thought I have a razor for my chin whiskers so why not take a few swipes and the leg foliage. That is about what I took, a few swipes and knicked a blood vessel and thought I might need a tourniquet or a transfusion.  Very dark blood came streaming out of one of the surface veins and did not appear in any interest of stopping.   I actually went to bed and put my leg on the chair while holding the moist wipe securely on the gusher.  Tick tick…time to leave with my laundry and acupuncture etc..    Amazingly it stopped after the red blood game to replace the purple blood that started the trickle.   When I was sure it was over, I want into the bathroom which looked like a carnage had happened or a pig was slaughtered.  Amazing to have a floor you can hose and as it happened fingerprints off the wall.  I did spend the next few hours looking at my leg to see if I have purple or red socks.   All was well.  

So following acupuncture and breakfast,  I put myself in the hands of a very petite Thai woman for five hours. (at the left is the front door.... CAVE)

 I have had a massage in the US, Turkey, Vietnam, Cambodia, and about 40- 100  places over 12 yrs in Thailand.  I have had the foot massage, facial, full body, etc. from girly boys, men, women and two people at once.  This was an experience.

I arrived at 11 and paid my $140 for the five hours.   Phun came to the lobby and washed my feet, took me to my “cave”. Actually, that is what it was, stone walls and shaped like a cave.   I was given some smaller than I would like Thai pants and top and told to hang my clothes and stow my belongings.   I then lay down face down and then up for a Thai massage.   I must say that as she squeezed my calf with the might of a hydraulic vice, I was waiting for her to scream that I was bleeding.   The skin held for the entire day.

(

The body was followed by a foot massage which had oils and lotion, and she used the little round stick on my toes etc..   I think that took about an hour.  Then off to the shower and a pair of those tiny mesh underpants.  They actually felt comfy after the tight Thai top that I wore for the massage.  Well, as comfy as a thong would be on someone is not a thonger.    She gave me a sarong and bathrobe, and we walked down the hall to the steam room.    I was given a washcloth and a cup of water and sent into the steam for 30 minutes.   It was hot, and the steam jet went form a little spirt to a big blow for the entire time.   I had to keep turning around, so I did not get all the steam on the left side.    I wiped my forehead and watched all the stuff come out of my pores.   I was covered with the dirty extra skin by the time the ½ was over.

I thought I would be back in the shower since I felt dirty but no, it was time for a body scrub. I don’t know how much was still in the pores, but massage person had a great deal to work with what was on the surface.     She used some type of salt or rice and worked sponges all over my body.. .backside, front side, arms, legs, etc..  At one point as she scrubbed my breast, I was reminded of the woman very close to where I was laying who asked me how many babies I had with those breasts.  I have lost a lot of weight, but this woman at the high-end spa, would not say anything for five hours.  After three hours I decided that I was not going to bleed to death from my morning gusher and relaxed more.

After about another hour, it was back to the shower.  I washed my hair and body, and it took some doing to get the grit and salt off.  (This bath has bubbles and she has on clothes.  Mine had rose petals and pieces of banana leaf and I was without clothes)

When I opened the door, she had a hot milk bathtub with roses waiting.  I got in, and she said ½ hr and left.   I had to do some moving around so that I was supporting my short body with my feet on one side of the tub and then had to roll to one side and the other to get all of me into the water without slipping under the rose petals.  There was a window that was the full length of the cave wall that looked out on a bamboo fence and plants.   Very nice.  I was almost the longest bath of my life since baths are not my thing.  I had a long bath at the Pittsford Spa,  but after about 5 minutes the tub emptied automatically, and the person had to come back, and we started over.  Not such a pleasant experience.

So out of the rose petals and back on the table for an oil massage.  This took a long time with several layers of oil on and rubbed off and back on etc.   She kept covering me with a heavy blanket moving the material to the place she was not working on.   I might add that during this entire process various music was playing.  And I would roll to one side then the other and then top and then the bottom.

I thought I was cooked when she finished, but she got out hot compresses and started going over every inch of my body with the hot compress.   Usually, my eyes were covered when I was on my back.  She did not want to see my eyes looking at her, and I was just as happy not to see someone doing all this to the body.

I knew she was finished when I was covered with a heavy blanket. She then started on the facial.  More cleansing, more oil, more lotion.   If I were to say anything slightly negative, the facial was ok, but not a deep clean nor pore extractions.   When that was finished, I sat up, and she did a short back and head massage.   At the very end, she held some glass triangle looking thing over my head and hit it was a padded stick.   I think this is the crystal charging for the brain, but at this point, I was a noodle, and it was 4pm and time to try to figure out how to put on my clothes.  

This petite person worked on me pretty steady for 4 of the 5 hours.   I was exhausted and knew that I had best be careful getting myself to laundry and home.

This was a great treat and something I will do every year at the end of the trip.   I thought about many things that I did not do because I wondered if I was worth the money that it would cost.   Well at this point… I am.  I have made a promise to myself to do what come to me, so I have no regrets that I did not take opportunities.