pen_grunt | Obligatory Travel Post

Dallas. Kinda. Stinks.

And I don't mean that metaphorically--at least not at the moment. It's the stagnant heat and the city-smog. Yech. They need a nice air-cleansing thunderstorm.

So sleepy. Flight was delayed 2 hours (while we were already boarded). Apparently lightning kept trying to hit the fuel trucks while they were fueling up planes. FUN! No explosions though. I do find it sad that the ONE DAY in many that we've had a good, long, hard, fierce thunderstorm I had to go to someplace else. Someplace dry and brown and 100 F.

Had the "seat in front of screaming, kicking baby" assignment on the flight. Daddy-dearest let little junior kick the seat with only a gentle, very soft, soothing, and wholly ineffective, "Stop that now -annoyingchildsname- I'm sure the nice lady doesn't like you kicking her seat." It's tough. The screaming-kid-on-plane thing is overdone (kinda like saying that airplane food is bad is overdone--it's just too cliche to even mention most of the time), and I truly do understand. In fact, I'm not nearly as bothered by it as 99% of the world seems to be. If your 18 month old has it in his head to cry, he's going to cry. Besides trying to distract him with food and/or equally annoying (yet cheerier) "silly noises", there's really not too much you can do about it. I know this. I understand. I like junior. I think he's adorable. But geeze at least attempt to sound like you're trying to stop the kid. Give some obligatory stern commands--or even try to restrain his oh-so-adorable chubby little legs when he's kicking the seat. (You know, as opposed to just ASKING him to stop softly.)

Then said father started up a conversation about the heroic awesomeness of George "Dubbaya" and proactive terrorist combat.

Missy bit her tongue long and hard...and hoped that the kid would start screaming again to drown out dad.

We went out to the Capital Grille with the client (he bought--for yay). Nice joint. 4 hour dinner--painful. Fillet Mignon--beautiful. The waiter did the whole, "I can see you're having a conversation, so I'm not going to interrupt you by asking you if you'd like anything else/the check/a dessert/water refills/etc., I'm just going to bring you what you need when you need it," thing.

One thing I dig about Dallas: The "good ol' boys" really know how to flatter/treat a lady. I could get used to men actually acting like gentlemen. I'll totally take the occasional butt-slap and "little lady" and/or "sweetheart" in trade.