"Want To Get Away?"

Tis the season to be traveling. Judi and daughter Megan leave Tuesday morning to fly to Cincinnati to spend Thanksgiving with her son and our two granddaughters. Not me. The cats and I are staying right here in St. Pete. I'm saving what few vacation days I have left in case our University of South Florida "Bulls" land a "close by" bowl game over the Christmas holidays. Besides, it's cold in Cincinnati and the only sudden blast of frigid air I want to feel is when I open the refrigerator door.

Personally I don't envy anyone who is flying this time of year. It's a gauntlet of fits and starts in the best of times, but add in half the nation trying to get from here to there and that adds up to a scenario for gigantic frustrations of incalculable proportions. I recognize that the airlines do their very best to minimize air travel hassle...some do a better job than other carriers. I particularly like Southwest. They are certainly no frills, but occasionally mix in a little levity and nonsense. Some Southwest flight attendant crews are more creative and free-flowing in the jocularity than others. Arriving at the conclusion of one flight I was on the flight attendant announced, "Okay, we're here. Get off!" When crammed into a tin cylinder for hours on end, a little humor goes a long way...and I do appreciate creative humor.

As an example, click on the following WEB link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iufj8hiytSQ for a very funny Norwegian Airlines commercial. It's not one you are ever going to see on American television. Reminds me of some of the Southwest Airlines TV ads that have the final tag line, "Wanna Get Away?" Believe me, if the guy in this commercial could "get away" he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

If you are flying this Thanksgiving, you've got infinitely more patients than do I. The cats and I wish you quickly through check-in, air port security, and boarding. Everything else is a piece of cake...unless you are not particularly fond of waiting on the tarmac while the other 193 flights ahead of your plane wait to take off. Your realtives will keep the turkey warm until you get there, I'm sure.