Omg.
Someone seriously needs to get on the ball and hurry up and invent a teleporter or something, because air travel is really getting to the point that it is simply not a viable option.

A month or so ago I had to go from buffalo to louisville. Via baltimore.
Well as we approached baltimore, they told us we couldn't land, so we had to go to that flight's final destination: nashville. Ok, fine. So we get to nashville, and ask to be rebooked to louisville. 'oh no, louisville is only a 2 hour drive. it's too close. We don't fly there. We'll route you through chicago though, getting you in at 10 pm." I was originally supposed to get in around 10 am, and had a 3pm meeting, so that was no good. We said "no thanks, just pay for our rental car and we'll be all set. Well of course they wouldn't. So we said fine, we'll pay for our rental car, just give us our bags. "oh no, your bags are already on the plane to chicago." "ok, well deliver them to our hotel" "no, we don't deliver if it's weather delays." So I had to drive to louisville, and had to go to my interview in jeans.

Then last week I had to go to hartford Ct, via Philly (worst airport EVER.) Flight was, of course, cancelled. So they put me on standby on the direct flight to buffalo. (turns out "direct" to buffalo actually means "stop in rochester but don't change planes"). They tell me no one has ever NOT made that flight on standby.
Well, I guess there's a first time for everything- I don't make the flight. So they reroute me through CHARLOTTE. Hartford CT to philly to CHARLOTTE to Buffalo. landed at midnight, worked at 6am. Awesome. The whole reason I flew is b/c it's a 7hr drive and I had to work in the AM. yeah, that worked out well.

And today takes the cake.
I have an interview in albuquerque at 6am tomorrow. And one in portland OR on friday. I had a 4pm flight from buffalo to chicago. Then to ABQ, was supposed to get in at 10 or so. then thurs from ABQ to portland (via phoenix), then sat back to buffalo. Well I land in chicago and find out american has grounded 500 planes or something ridiculous like that, so my flight to ABQ is cancelled. But they've rebooked me on United, but "you'd better run!" So I book it from terminal 4 to terminal 1 at Ohare, via subterranean tunnels blah blah blah. Make it to the gate right as they're almost done boarding... "oh, we didn't know you were coming, the plane is full." "um, ok, well then what is this ticket I'm holding? why didn't you know I was coming?" "yeah... this flight's full. Go BACK to american and see if they'll reroute you."

So I go back to american. Nope, there are no flights from chicago to albuquerque tonight. That one on united was the only one.

I said "listen. I paid $500 for this ticket. You have an obligation to get me there. I HAVE to get there tonight. I don't care how you do it. Put me on a train, drive me there, get me a fucking private jet, but get me there TONIGHT." No can do. I said " you are telling me there are NO FLIGHTS out of OHARE that can get to albuquerque before 7pm TOMORROW?" "well you could go standby to denver then denver to LA, LA to ABQ, but that one is cancelled and denver is oversold."

I said you don't understand. This could cost me my career. If you don't get me there tonight, there is no point in going. You HAVE to get me there. What if I go on orbitz right now and buy whatever ticket is available on any airline? You have to pay for it." No we don't, we will just put the value of your ticket towards it, and I'm not even sure they'll do that b/c united is the only airline we have an agreement with.

I fought with then for an hour. They won.

I called New Mexico and cancelled my interview and my hotel. Had them reroute me to portland TOMORROW, so they at least have two days to fuck around to get me there before the interview. Then found out there IS a flight... out of midway airport on southwest, that would get me in at 8am. Better than nothing. But it costs $500 and american won't pay, and I already cancelled the interview.

So I went to baggage claim. 'hi, give me my bag." the guy points at the sign that says "if your flight has been cancelled, your bag has automatically been re-routed and is not available in chicago." I said believe me, if my bag was on its way to ABQ, I would be too. So he says "you want me to pull your bag?" Pull it off what I'm not sure, since by this point my plane has been on the ground 3 hours. "yes". 'ok, that will be 2 hours." 'ok, deliver to my hotel then." "no, we don't do that."

OMFG my head is about to explode.

So, now I'm in the airport doubletree. Where internet access is $9.95+tax per day. And day does not mean 24h period, but calendar day. So I checked in at 10- I get 2hr for today, and if I want to use it tomorrow, that's another day. And the $10 dinner voucher doesn't go to far when cereal and coffee for breakfast is $9.99.

I love chicago, but it's too bad ohare is a $30 cab ride from everything I want to do, and all my friends are working so I can't even see them.

I cannot believe I had to cancel my interview!!

FUCKING AIRLINES.

If I don't end up getting a fellowship because I didn't go on enough interviews, I am suing american airlines for millions and millions of lost potential earnings. ;)

So, I apologize for all the negativity lately... But with that said, I will continue. (somehow I don't get all worked up about good stuff, just stuff that pisses me off, lately.)

I wish there were more people around that liked their job and took pride in doing it well. I am sick of being around incompetent bitchy people. For example... I just went to get lunch. I stood at the register for a good minute before the cashier put down her word jumble book and, with a big sigh, dragged her ass over to the register. She rung me up, and said "2.59". I fished through my change, and said "here, I have 2.57". I got a blank stare. I said "the penny cup?". She said "I don't got no pennies." I said "well I left 4 down here this morning when I got coffee." Blank stare. So I broke a fucking $20 for 2 pennies. I hate pennies. They should be taken out of circulation.

Next, I hate Work Enemy #1. (as opposed to Work Crush(es) 1/2/3.) Also known as Shrek, or Big Stinky. This poor guy... I mean he's fucking ugly to start, but I guess that's not his fault. He also stinks. Also maybe not his fault (but he could try to do something about it). And I think he has some underlying anxiety disorder or something- he's always sweating and nervous. In any case, the guy is getting fired, and he is just losing his shit. All he does now is pace around, muttering, swearing, sweating, stinking, kicking things, chewing tobacco, and talking to himself/noone. It's gotten to the point that if we walk into a room and he's there, we just turn right around and walk out, no matter how badly we need to use the phone/computer/chair/toilet in that room. You have to, or you get trapped talking to him. I have had to just stand up and walk out on him mid-sentence lately. I cannot be a part of his meltdown. I mean I feel bad for the guy, but more than that I feel nauseated.

And finally- I am sick of crappy nurses. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate and respect nurses. At least, the good ones. I couldn't do what they do. It's the fat lazy union nurses that have been here 20 years, make 6 figures and work 3 days a week, and don't want to do any real work that bug me. One time I guess some doc wrote an order in a chart that said "please check CBC stat, and page xxxx with results. Thank you." And I saw the nurse taking the order of the chart, and she actually laughed and said "yeah right. Like i'm going to page the resident. he can check it his own damn self." One of my co-residents almost got fired last year because he got into it with a nurse. She was refusing to carry out what he ordered, and he lost his temper and said "listen! I fly the plane, you serve the drinks!!" Ooh boy he was written up so fast his head was spinning. But so what made me think of this... I was just kicked out of the cafeteria since it's Nurses' Week. The door was wide open, there was no "room reserved" sign, and only a few people around. so I sat down and was eating. People started trickling in. They set up all this soda and cookies. (and people were practically standing guard to make sure I didn't eat a cookie meant for a nurse.) Finally I was getting so many dirty looks, I left. Now, Nurses' Week is all fine and good. Nurses work hard, they deserve recognition, that's fine. But nurses' week practically shuts down the hospital. They have to do everything 3 times, so the day/evening/night shifts all get a share. And god forbid you try to get something done during an activity. "Doctors' Day" on the other hand... we got a coupon for a free slice of pizza, redeemable on one day, from 12-1, only.

Bleh. Sorry for the venting. (but I feel better now.)
Anyway... I hope I haven't offended anyone. I'm really not an anti-nursite.

Later.
-J