Far East Cynic

Return trip

The S.O. and I had to take separate flights home. She was on Lufthansa and I was on United.   I figured the S.O. would have had the better deal on Lufthansa-but as is typical for her, she found a way to fuck it up. She came into Frankfurt complaining about everything. The flight, the people sitting next to her, the seat, and the fact that it was snowing in Stuttgart and we had to take the train. It took every bit of restraint I had not throw my coffee on her while we were waiting at Starbucks. I've heard this type of whining many times before. I have long grown tired of it. If you don't like traveling then why do you ask to go? Certainly I would have had a better time had she not come along-but that seems increasingly to be the case. The only real blessing was that by the time we got home she was tired-and so I got some rare hours of time alone to myself.

Tomorrow is a work day-and the snow is still coming steadily down. The journey to work tomorrow will probably be most interesting, to say the least.

As for my flight-well United proved yet again that it sets low standards and then fails to meet them. Under the scowl of the S.O. I pre-charged with a couple of beers in the lounge-this to avoid the 6 dollar beers if I could. Like I have said countless times before-the nickle and diming of passengers is a disgrace-just charge 20 bucks more and serve drinks for free. American Air Carriers truly suck-in terms of service. I will be looking forward to traveling on the foreign based carriers when I begin my travel schedule after the first of the year. I only need 100K more miles to be a million miler, so that is one of my goals for 2013. Don't think I will make it-but I am going to try.

I did some reading on the trip. I finished Tom Ricks book, The Generals. My office mate really liked it-I am more ambivelant about the work. I agree with Ricks central point that America's flag leadership is sorely lacking in the traits needed to be successful. What I don't agree with him on is the reasons why this is-or how to cure it. I will write a more detailed review this week.

For now though, its time to cry myself to sleep and dream of better days. 

 

  1. Sorry to hear about issues with the SO.  It's the season, I guess – am seeing a lot of that here as well.  On a brighter note, am looking forward to your review of The Generals.

  2. American carriers remind me of an axiom we have in imaging regarding a certain large Americanimaging company: you can buy better but you cannot pay more.