A couple of pieces picked up while traveling for work today:
- As many of you know, I try my best in everyday life to do things that help the environment. But one thing I can’t bring myself to do is use the automatic hand-dryers in some bathrooms. Why? It’s simple – they don’t work. You typically have to stand there for five minutes and hit the big button repeatedly. So I will typically opt for the paper towel if the choice is there. Sometimes I feel guilty about it, but in places like airports or movie theatres where these are typically located, you don’t have time. Well, today everything changed. Logan Airport in Boston (well, at least one bathroom in Terminal B) has some new-fangled hand dryers that kick so much ass that it’s not even funny. You don’t even have to hit any buttons, either. Just put your hands in and they dry – completely dry – in like 10 seconds. Rock!
- It goes without saying, but one of my biggest pet peeves are airports where you have to take a shuttle to get to the rental car place. Shit! That is always fifteen minutes of my life I will never have back. Oakland, California is the worst offender. Typically it’s a fairly short ride, but I swear that if you get on that shuttle in Oakland, they have to take you to Los Angeles to rent a car. Ugh! Today I was at Reagan Airport in DC and it wasn’t terrible, but it was the last thing I wanted to deal with.
- Speaking of rental cars, is it just me or do you also NEVER get the car you sign up for? Today I signed up for a mid-size (“usually a Chevrolet Malibu,” it says). When I got there and found my car, I was staring at Mercury Grand Marquis. Cripes. Are you even kidding me? What am I, 82 years old? Seriously, when you rent a car and the power seat buttons are in the same spot as the door locks because the typical Grand Marquis driver will injure themselves if they have to reach any further than that, you KNOW you’re in the wrong car. Come on! I’d be happy with a GM car and that’s saying a lot! I pretty much felt like Paulie Walnuts.
- Here’s how numb I am to travel: taking off from Boston in swirling winds, sleet and freezing rain doesn’t even rattle me now. Not in the least. Sigh.