An East Coast Girl I'm Not!

I'm back on the east coast again this week. This time its Boston. Correction - B-AH-ston!   In my years of travelling, I've gone from west coast to west (mountains), south to north, midwest and east. Each region definitely does have its own personality characteristics and I'm going to let you in on a very well-known secret - east coast people are pretty terrible. Ok - that was a broadly sweeping generalization and I apologize to all my beloved New York, Philly and B-AH-ston friends out there, but you all know I speak the truth! Again - this is an overall generalization but - east coasters are rude, pushy, loud, obnoxious (this is probably a personal opinion, but it does flow with the adjectives) and very very foul mouthed. I've heard the f word used so much in the past two weeks that my ears are starting to bleed.... and here's the thing - its used in general conversation as in "I'm going to go get a f-- bagel" or "I can't find my f- ticket" and my favorite, "I love that f- color on you!" -- its like a compliment frosted with filth.

And then theres the angry use of the f- word.... This is what I tended to hear a lot this week as for some reason people in Boston tend to be VERY happy or VERY angry and it usually leans more on the ANGRY side of the scale. "You dented my f- car!", "F- United", "F- United" and "F- United".

In case you've not guessed, my flight was delayed and people in Boston are not only not understanding, but they're verbally abusive to people who are trying to help them as well -- at least its a generalized curse on their behalf. Afterall all, when Patty is trying to help Bob and Bob says "F- United", Patty really can't take it personally because, lets admit it, she works for United, but this is about the time she might want to distance herself emotionally.....

Needless to say, I'm full of anger and rage after two days here in BeanTown. When you're surrounded by hostility you either tend to retreat inside yourself or get hostile yourself. I retreated for a while, but I'm kind of sick of the elderly couple with the foul mouths who are angry about the delayed flight and are sitting 2 seats down from me loudly agonizing about how hard their life is now and how United is going to get a letter and people are rude and we should all get $50. Guess what Gramps and Gram - I am a little upset, but personally I appreciate the fact that United is not willing to fly a plain that a part is broken on and has chosen to spare our lives while they a) try to fly in another part and b) search for another plane for us to reach our destination on. Unlike these part time seat occupiers, I know what the "other side" is like and it happens there too.   Once in a blue moon, the American or US Air or Delta flight I've had to take has also been delayed due to extenuating circumstances. I suppose I could quote someone great (not sure who it was) who once said "thats life" (wait! Was it Frank Sinatra? Wise....) Okay seriously, I have just been cringing all week with all the confrontation that I've been witness to and the yelling - I don't like confrontation whether its with me or with other people. I much prefer to use the "f-" word in my head, sigh out loud and then walk away. I'm ready to come back to the mild midwest.

ALTHOUGH - I was in Queens (New York) last week and was told several stories by someone in which the aggressive meaney-pants were actually Chicago people. I could see that. I think we are feeling the need to step our game up, but I still don't think we've gone totally east coast. Ok. That being said. I did work in Springfield, MA in my account there is very very nice. Thats the redemption for Boston - my customer at Baystate Health..... :)

Speaking of travel and flights, I actually just booked my ticket for Budapest. YAY! Its always happy when I book that flight. I think of my "second home" and all my friends there and the places I love to visit and eat at and hang out at. I leave the evening of the 21st and I'm gone 2 weeks. This year, after the BHHP project with Campus Crusade, I'm hanging in Budapest for a few days to do my traditional Thanksgiving dinner for a bunch of girls (old and new) and then around Thursday afternoon, my friends Jodi and Michelle (Michelle is just moving to Budapest a few weeks prior to September) are going to take a ROAD TRIP! We thought about going to Hallstatt, Austria but then the other Rick Steves favorite really attracted Jodi and I -- Mostar, Bosnia. It seems to be about a 5 hour drive, however, once we leave the confines of the border of Hungary, the roads may be pretty bad so it may take longer. I think we have to figure out the details and then we'll decide which way we'll go - up to Austria or down to Bosnia. Check out Mostar on-line -- it looks pretty cool and Rick Steves says its a "hidden jewel" :).

Speaking of Hungary. I was searching through some stuff for some other stuff and I came on a little packet in a closet with all of mom's old passports in it. I pulled them out and was perusing through them and found her first, adult passport from 1957. Flipping through it I came to one of the first pages where its stamped big and bold.... How funny that the one place they list in bold box that she can't go to is HUNGARY. Well she got there in 2010 so - take that Communism!

Speaking of mom - Karl pointed out on the 7th that it would have been dad's 91st birthday. I'm horrible with remembering birthdays, especially ones we don't celebrate anymore so - thanks for the reminder, Karl. Here's a little memory of dad....