Outlet Etiquette

April 15, 2007 @ 4:53 pm

I’m nearly 7 hours at the airport and have shifted places twice—once from the initial customs area to my gate, and a second from my gate to the plane and have not moved since. It’s another trip to New Jersey, more specifically the armpit of America, but this time also hopefully to go to NYC. Since I’ve arrived at the airport, which was close to 11:15, the scheduled departure times have changed as follows: 1:40, revised to 2:40, updated to 4:48, and tentatively we sit (quite literally) at 5:20.

Earlier today I spoke with one of my colleagues, in hopes that I could warn her about the pending torture and doom waiting for her at the airport, and I rationalized that the whole situation was probably a blessing in disguise. I’ve been working like a dog, and yet I’m still not finished elements which are critical to our operation go-live tomorrow. That in itself is a long story, but to make a long story short, this isolation from things (things = chores, family commitments, and rest) that I would otherwise be obligated to on the weekend (in corporate terms: distractions) is no longer a problem when you’re trapped in the airport for 5+ hours.

And so, I attempted to set up shop somewhere in the airport so I could get work done. As a rule, I try to plug in my laptop prior to my flight, so that I can max my battery time while in the air. However, the problem is that you can never find a freaking outlet to plug into. When you do find an outlet, there is always someone sitting next to it that is: sleeping and not using the outlet, awake and not using the outlet, or holding the spot for their friend and family member who will not use the outlet. I know it’s incredibly unreasonable to think that people would consciously try not to sit in those places and instead give priority to those who need it. I mean you sit where you like, right? On occasion, if I see someone who is sitting next to an outlet and there is an empty seat next to that individual, I have politely asked to switch seats so I can work. Most cases I get a dirty look, or a grunt, which to their benefit, I automatically assume is because they don’t know English. Is it really that hard to move over one seat? When I see the little red flashing light telling me that my battery has run out I close my notebook and look at those vacationers sitting next to the precious outlet as I go into panic mode, and soon transition to the feeling of pure jealously! Ha ha ha! Okay, just a tad bitter, but on this trip I was more successful at finding an outlet. I made the nomadic trek from gate to gate, in a rather labourious task of searching for a new place to plop myself down and get something finished before I was asked to move again by airport staff. My last move was sitting myself down to a middle age couple who clearly didn’t want me sitting on the floor next to them (something about invading their circle of personal space) and ultimately, I think I was the loser as they smelled pretty terrible.

For each and every friend who reads this blog, or may stumble on this entry, AND who has told me how supremely jealous they are that I get to travel for work— you have 30 days to retract that statement. There is a trend with my entries. Now, as I find I don’t have as much time as I used to write about the douche bags or amusing events in my life, my entries now seem to revolve around the unglamourous life of frequent flying. And lastly, if you don't believe me, there is a really cool product designer, and a cyborg who are willing to back me up.

Update

Update on the events following take off
- take off at an obscene hour
- arrive at Newark after an hour+ of really bad turbulence and the fear I was going to die
- Delay getting off plane at Newark
- Terminal is flooded
- Yelled at by a bitchy airport staff member after I ask her which direction to get to rental cars
- Arrive at rental car place
- Find a Toyota Corolla (at this point I'm soaked from torrential rain)
- Load Corolla up
- SUV is brought in
- Pause
- Unload Corolla and load up Highlander (Yes! Not a supporter of gas guzzlers, but in shady NJ, I feel safe)
- Leave airport, still torrential downpour
- Stop off at Target to buy some gummibears (Now a Haribo fan)
- Leave Target
- Find that road I need to take is flooded out
- I drive through another flooded road and SUV doesn't seem like it's going to make it
- Get lost
- Pass by the NJ State correctional facility (very frightening at night)
- Still lost
- Turn back to get directions
- Back on track, but rain is so hard, I can't see-- check wipers and find I'm already on the fastest setting
- Eventually make it to main road
- 9:15 pm make it to the hotel but too late for room service and all restaurants closed
- delicious dinner of cup noodles, microwave pasta and an ice cream bar :( Worst part is that it's a total of 3.5g of trans fat! :'(