Who we all are
Mar 11, 2000, 8:25 pm
#496
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Charlottetown/Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 346
AC*SE, yup, we're heading back to bargaining soon. I don't know why the Canadian government doesn't collect points; it's not like they get a discount on airfares by not collecting. Or they could at least donate the miles to charity.
Mar 12, 2000, 9:15 am
#498
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 116
I'm also new to the forum (posting wise) although I've been reading for months.
I'm 52, live in Colorado where I am a Logistics Mgr for a defense contractor on an Air Force contract. My interests are golf, sports in general, reading, and an occasional turn in the kitchen preparing a Cajun dish (born and raised in SW Louisiana). I've recently resumed traveling after an extended period where I travelled very little. I've learned a great deal in the short time I have frequented the forum.
Hope to become a more frequent contributor once the miles start accumulating.
I'm 52, live in Colorado where I am a Logistics Mgr for a defense contractor on an Air Force contract. My interests are golf, sports in general, reading, and an occasional turn in the kitchen preparing a Cajun dish (born and raised in SW Louisiana). I've recently resumed traveling after an extended period where I travelled very little. I've learned a great deal in the short time I have frequented the forum.
Hope to become a more frequent contributor once the miles start accumulating.
Mar 12, 2000, 10:11 am
#499
In Memoriam: Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: LGB/LAX
Programs: UA 1K, SPG Plat
Posts: 1,853
Jon Toner
Don't feel so bad about the Sox. I had my Angels World Series tickets in my hand and watching the last playoff game when Henderson hit the homer off Donny Moore. There was a lot of beer to be cried in that night! At least your team has been there!
Don't feel so bad about the Sox. I had my Angels World Series tickets in my hand and watching the last playoff game when Henderson hit the homer off Donny Moore. There was a lot of beer to be cried in that night! At least your team has been there!
Mar 12, 2000, 10:12 am
#500
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: This year we're going to the BAFTAs!
Posts: 5,518
After (finally) catching up with this thread, I figured I too would post before we go to Who we... 45.
I'm a 30 yo Ph.D. student in College Park, MD, though I am originally from Montreal.
I started flying a lot 6 years ago. I was studying in Albany, NY and met another foreign student, from Germany, there. She went back to Germany after a year (and I back to MTL), and it has been a long and very long distance relationship since. [Though I am happy to leave CB with the longest distance relationship award! <g> ]
Over the last 6 years, she has been in Germany for 3 years, then 2 years in Japan, and is now in Argentina. All this has meant a lot of travelling... my first trips to Germany were on my mother's frequent flyer miles, which was certainly a great way to travel... Such a bonanza couldn't last though, so since then I have flown mostly AA and KLM/NW to Europe (and JAL a couple of times to Japan).
It's been a real blessing to find this board given that my girlfriend (and many friends) frequently mock my addiction to FF miles. Then again, I don't see them flying to Argentina for free using miles solely from MCI sign up bonuses! <g>
I hope to meet fellow Flyer Talkers in the near future. I'm on my way to EZE the day of the NYC get together, but hopefully I can make the next one.
I'm a 30 yo Ph.D. student in College Park, MD, though I am originally from Montreal.
I started flying a lot 6 years ago. I was studying in Albany, NY and met another foreign student, from Germany, there. She went back to Germany after a year (and I back to MTL), and it has been a long and very long distance relationship since. [Though I am happy to leave CB with the longest distance relationship award! <g> ]
Over the last 6 years, she has been in Germany for 3 years, then 2 years in Japan, and is now in Argentina. All this has meant a lot of travelling... my first trips to Germany were on my mother's frequent flyer miles, which was certainly a great way to travel... Such a bonanza couldn't last though, so since then I have flown mostly AA and KLM/NW to Europe (and JAL a couple of times to Japan).
It's been a real blessing to find this board given that my girlfriend (and many friends) frequently mock my addiction to FF miles. Then again, I don't see them flying to Argentina for free using miles solely from MCI sign up bonuses! <g>
I hope to meet fellow Flyer Talkers in the near future. I'm on my way to EZE the day of the NYC get together, but hopefully I can make the next one.
Mar 12, 2000, 12:40 pm
#501
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: IAD, BOS, PVD
Programs: UA, US, AS, Marriott, Radisson, Hilton
Posts: 7,203
A dear friend of mine posted this on another board - it may be relevant to the hot topic of what should be the official grease-bomb of FT -
fwd From: "Carol" Subject: Krispy Kreme
fwd From: "Carol" Subject: Krispy Kreme
Well, up until today, I was a Krispy Kreme virgin. I would like to say my deflowering was the stuff of legend, but alas, that is not the case. I walked into the shop, and although the "hot doughnuts" light was not on, there was a batch of fresh,
hot crullers. They were handing them out free as samples! I took one, eagerly anticipating what was to come. I raised the warm pastry to my lips, inhaling its scent. My tongue touched the glistening sweetness, I put the crueler in my mouth, and, brace yourself men, I bit down.
It wasn't cooked enough!! There were little bits of raw batter close to the surface. Bleah. I ate it anyway, of course, and bought a dozen of the yeast varieties. [sidebar: the Krispy Kreme website says they have maple doughnuts, which is what I use as a gauge, having had orgasmic maple
doughnuts from Allie's Doughnuts in North Kingstown, RI. When I asked the local establishment, they had never heard of maple doughnuts. Feh] When I was choosing the varieties for my dozen, when I would ask about a particular flavor, they would offer me a free one to taste. I declined. I
decided to give them another chance, and when I got to the car, I tried the "cinnamon bun" doughnut. It was good, but again, not extraordinary.
-
The interesting thing is, however, that it is now almost five hours later, and I still have two doughnut lumps sitting in my stomach. GAK.
hot crullers. They were handing them out free as samples! I took one, eagerly anticipating what was to come. I raised the warm pastry to my lips, inhaling its scent. My tongue touched the glistening sweetness, I put the crueler in my mouth, and, brace yourself men, I bit down.
It wasn't cooked enough!! There were little bits of raw batter close to the surface. Bleah. I ate it anyway, of course, and bought a dozen of the yeast varieties. [sidebar: the Krispy Kreme website says they have maple doughnuts, which is what I use as a gauge, having had orgasmic maple
doughnuts from Allie's Doughnuts in North Kingstown, RI. When I asked the local establishment, they had never heard of maple doughnuts. Feh] When I was choosing the varieties for my dozen, when I would ask about a particular flavor, they would offer me a free one to taste. I declined. I
decided to give them another chance, and when I got to the car, I tried the "cinnamon bun" doughnut. It was good, but again, not extraordinary.
-
The interesting thing is, however, that it is now almost five hours later, and I still have two doughnut lumps sitting in my stomach. GAK.
Mar 12, 2000, 1:45 pm
#502
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Oxford, UK CO Gold, AS MVP, KL RW and AZ nothing, plus Airmiles collector !! With the AZ / KL split now who knows ?
Posts: 163
OK, me too before = Who we all are 1001...
This 34 yo male was born and raised in South Africa, in the "good" old says of apartheid, where in high school I had this unbelievable geograpghy teacher <Liz Powell> who instilled in me a desire to see the world... Its such an amazing place.
Despite studying accounting and then teaching, I was 23 and unhappy with my life, before I managed to get to travel anywhere at all, and then went off travelling to Europe. and the US. On my first visit to the US I discovered FFP's and was attracted to the idea - good old Worldperks.
Some weeks after I arrived here in Europe my father had a heart attack, and I returned briefly to SA, for 6 days. At that point I knew I could never live happily there again !
Eventually I returned to South Africa, and was dreadfully unhappy - I was too far away from civilization !!
I moved to the US, and attempted to make a career as a freelance travel writer, but discovered that I am not disciplined enough to make it. ( Nor good enough as a writer - but that's beside the point ! ). Joined AS's Mileage plan, and despite having NEVER flown AS have earned well over 150000 miles on them - and yes am Elite too, thanks !
Lived in LAX, NYC, BOS, MSP and MEM for approx 6 months each, and loved it - for a while. While living in NYC, i was dating a gorgeous actor who lived in LA, and as a result of this relationship I commuted between NY+LA roundtrip +- 5 x a week. Exhausting, but rewarding !!
Elite on NW, UA, and US for achieving (100 flights in a year)!
The relationship ended ( he became famous ), and I moved back to the UK. NOT by choice, but because my US visa expired, and I was not going back to the RSA !!!
Lived and travelled only within Europe, again managing to get myself involved in a International relationship - this time London and Lisbon. I have been elite on KLM FD since 94 after a 1 year lapse when moving back to Europe. I now live relatively happily in Oxford.
In 1999 my leisure travels too me to Amsterdam x3 ($50), Frankfurt($50), Philadelphia($250), Toronto($250), Lisbon($140), Stockholm($160) and eventually back to South Africa($450) - my first visit back since the VERY early 90's. I feel that at this time i should point out that I have never travelled on business as such ! ALL my travel has been for pleasure.
It's a very different place to where i grew up, and a place I much prefer now.... to the point that I am contemplating moving back !
So I am 35, live in oxford - 34, do accounting contract work, and LOVE to travel. And still single !
[This message has been edited by Chris L (edited 03-12-2000).]
This 34 yo male was born and raised in South Africa, in the "good" old says of apartheid, where in high school I had this unbelievable geograpghy teacher <Liz Powell> who instilled in me a desire to see the world... Its such an amazing place.
Despite studying accounting and then teaching, I was 23 and unhappy with my life, before I managed to get to travel anywhere at all, and then went off travelling to Europe. and the US. On my first visit to the US I discovered FFP's and was attracted to the idea - good old Worldperks.
Some weeks after I arrived here in Europe my father had a heart attack, and I returned briefly to SA, for 6 days. At that point I knew I could never live happily there again !
Eventually I returned to South Africa, and was dreadfully unhappy - I was too far away from civilization !!
I moved to the US, and attempted to make a career as a freelance travel writer, but discovered that I am not disciplined enough to make it. ( Nor good enough as a writer - but that's beside the point ! ). Joined AS's Mileage plan, and despite having NEVER flown AS have earned well over 150000 miles on them - and yes am Elite too, thanks !
Lived in LAX, NYC, BOS, MSP and MEM for approx 6 months each, and loved it - for a while. While living in NYC, i was dating a gorgeous actor who lived in LA, and as a result of this relationship I commuted between NY+LA roundtrip +- 5 x a week. Exhausting, but rewarding !!
Elite on NW, UA, and US for achieving (100 flights in a year)!
The relationship ended ( he became famous ), and I moved back to the UK. NOT by choice, but because my US visa expired, and I was not going back to the RSA !!!
Lived and travelled only within Europe, again managing to get myself involved in a International relationship - this time London and Lisbon. I have been elite on KLM FD since 94 after a 1 year lapse when moving back to Europe. I now live relatively happily in Oxford.
In 1999 my leisure travels too me to Amsterdam x3 ($50), Frankfurt($50), Philadelphia($250), Toronto($250), Lisbon($140), Stockholm($160) and eventually back to South Africa($450) - my first visit back since the VERY early 90's. I feel that at this time i should point out that I have never travelled on business as such ! ALL my travel has been for pleasure.
It's a very different place to where i grew up, and a place I much prefer now.... to the point that I am contemplating moving back !
So I am 35, live in oxford - 34, do accounting contract work, and LOVE to travel. And still single !
[This message has been edited by Chris L (edited 03-12-2000).]
Mar 12, 2000, 4:04 pm
#503
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
Welcome all new posters from EDDIE, YAZ and Myself.
That was an interesting post from "Carol:" Maybe she should wait for the HOT sign and give them another try.
We all LOVE our Krispy Kreames (especially Newself and me!)
That was an interesting post from "Carol:" Maybe she should wait for the HOT sign and give them another try.
We all LOVE our Krispy Kreames (especially Newself and me!)
Mar 12, 2000, 5:27 pm
#504
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Long Beach
Posts: 19
I'm pretty new to FT, so here's a little bit about me. 
I'm 36 years old and work for a company named Boeing. I'm sure nobody on this board has heard of them. 
I have two beautiful kids and a really cool cat. I travel several times a year on company business and several more with my husband and children. Our favorite destination is WDW. We take the kids there at least once a year. My husband and I both love to golf and we intend to take advantage of the UA 5000 bonus miles between PHX and LAX. My favorite city next to Orlando is Toronto. I'm looking forward to a Long Beach gathering of FT folks! Anybody like the British Brewing Company?
I'm 36 years old and work for a company named Boeing. I'm sure nobody on this board has heard of them. I have two beautiful kids and a really cool cat. I travel several times a year on company business and several more with my husband and children. Our favorite destination is WDW. We take the kids there at least once a year. My husband and I both love to golf and we intend to take advantage of the UA 5000 bonus miles between PHX and LAX. My favorite city next to Orlando is Toronto. I'm looking forward to a Long Beach gathering of FT folks! Anybody like the British Brewing Company?
Mar 20, 2000, 11:24 pm
#506
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: tx
Posts: 90
Violist, sorry that it took me so long to see that you are going to PHX to see some spring training games. I just returned. If you are a sports fan, there is a very good steak house in Scottsdale with the most sports memorabilia that I have ever seen. Don and Charlies, I believe it is on Indian School Road - not far from the Scottsdale Stadium. The stadium is on Osborn Rd. From Phoenix, take McDowell Road (or from the airport, take 202) to Scottsdale, turn left on Scottsdale Rd (by the way, the old shopping center at the southeast junction of Scottsdale Rd and
McDowell is where they are going to build the new ice hockey arena for the Phoenix hockey team), turn right on Osborn Rd and the
stadium will be on your left. Hope you enjoy it and if you get the chance, check out Don and Charlies. I always go when I'm there. I would be willing to pay an admission fee just to see all the items there. Literally almost every square inch of the walls and ceilings.
McDowell is where they are going to build the new ice hockey arena for the Phoenix hockey team), turn right on Osborn Rd and the
stadium will be on your left. Hope you enjoy it and if you get the chance, check out Don and Charlies. I always go when I'm there. I would be willing to pay an admission fee just to see all the items there. Literally almost every square inch of the walls and ceilings.
( the only one I have )
Mar 22, 2000, 6:25 am
#508
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
For those who don't like cat stories... go elsewhere.
Damian: FOUR PAWS UP FOR YOU AND YOUR BROTHER!!!
Do post a link of your pictures (or if we get accused of cluttering the board, then whomever is interested can e-mail you for the pixs!)
I guess I can call Yaz and Eddie my brothers, but they are more like my children.
It's great to see so many cat and Dog (I believe philforest that you and your lovely (sorry, but it's true) wife have dogs and they are very smart and good looking.) and other pets.
Anyone who could love a child or love an animal is first rate in my book.
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 03-22-2000).]
Damian: FOUR PAWS UP FOR YOU AND YOUR BROTHER!!!
Do post a link of your pictures (or if we get accused of cluttering the board, then whomever is interested can e-mail you for the pixs!)
I guess I can call Yaz and Eddie my brothers, but they are more like my children.
It's great to see so many cat and Dog (I believe philforest that you and your lovely (sorry, but it's true) wife have dogs and they are very smart and good looking.) and other pets.
Anyone who could love a child or love an animal is first rate in my book.
[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 03-22-2000).]
Mar 22, 2000, 8:53 pm
#509
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Monterey, California
Programs: Affiliated with all, participate in some
Posts: 2,188
We love to vacation in Ireland, but the mileage bonuses keep taking us to places we hadn't expected. It is a fun time.
and Satori... I learned of the word when I was 12 and listening to David Bowie - In Memory of a Free Festival. It took me months to learn its meaning. If only I had the internet back then.
[This message has been edited by satori (edited 03-22-2000).]
[This message has been edited by satori (edited 03-22-2000).]
[This message has been edited by satori (edited 03-23-2000).]
and Satori... I learned of the word when I was 12 and listening to David Bowie - In Memory of a Free Festival. It took me months to learn its meaning. If only I had the internet back then.
[This message has been edited by satori (edited 03-22-2000).]
[This message has been edited by satori (edited 03-22-2000).]
[This message has been edited by satori (edited 03-23-2000).]
Last edited by satori; Aug 23, 2004 at 11:28 am Reason: deleted because more personal info than I want in this post
Mar 22, 2000, 11:03 pm
#510
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,208
First, I wanted to say that this site has my two thumbs up as the best travel site on the Net (and that I am probably spending waaaay too much time hitting the refresh button everyday in hopes of reading more words of wisdom from the gurus here).
Since I enjoy reading about everyone else, I figure I should post my bio before I turn 30 soon and finish the second year of what was supposed to be a four-month sabbatical from paid employment. I have spent the time overlanding/traveling across Asia (for the second time), trying my hand at starting my own company, and catching up on sleep (I can sleep anywhere anytime anyhow). Nowadays, I am waiting for the right opportunity with the right company before rejoining the workforce.
I live 30 minutes from JFK (when "the bridge" is down for those of you familiar with the Belt Parkway) but have just landed silver status on CO, so I will probably be flying out of EWR more and more this year (at least whenever there is a great deal or AA doesn't offer a good alternative). I first reached elite status on AA in 1996, when I started traveling more regularly to Europe and Latin America for work (in my previous incarnation, I was a stock picker for a global investment bank) and finally made it to Platinum a few months before I quit my job of six years. Leaving those double miles and international business class bonus miles and upgrades was darn difficult but I have no regrets except every once in a while when...
A benefit of the AA gold status was on my most recent trip back from Asia on a free coach ticket, I managed to get upgraded to Business for free (thankfully, I know a few tricks of the trade on free upgrades). Another great moment in my traveling history was when I snagged the last FC upgrade on a very crowded AA flight from DFW to LGA with my stash of coupons, right ahead of a young, cocky corporate finance analyst from my former firm who thought that the FC occupant was a no show. With an upcoming trip to Asia, I hope to regain my Platinum status on AA this year and at a minimum keep Gold through Feb 2002. With elite on CO and AA, I should be a happy camper once I start traveling for business again.
Most of my trips are long haul and I find this to be most suited to my style of traveling, especially since I can't stand crowded single-aisle planes. I am always amazed and impressed by the folks who earn elite based on flying hundreds of domestic segments.
My favorite city in the US is SFO, and I love visiting the national parks. But, most of my favorite places in the world, such as Mongolia, Tierra del Fuego, and the temples in SE Asia, are in remote, far-flung places, where it is usually safer to take a long-distance bus or train than to fly (or in the case of Siena, Italy, where cars are not even allowed).
As much as I love hoarding my miles, I actually get more excited when I find an especially good airfare deal. Lately, I have taken advantage of Internet specials to fly to Europe. Managed to rack up 25K base miles on CO for less than $650 in the first two months of this year. I have yet to take a real mileage run but look forward to the chase one day. Maybe the LatinPass promo will be my first (I am an inaugural member of that program).
But, more than anything else, I love to travel and (day)dreaming about my next trip is definitely one of the things that keeps me going when I am about to fall asleep from exhaustion (or plain old laziness). That, and counting the number of blank pages in my passport before I run out and have to apply for my third 48-page one. I would love to bore the board with more irrelevant stories, but I think I will spare everyone's bandwidth
[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 03-22-2000).]
Since I enjoy reading about everyone else, I figure I should post my bio before I turn 30 soon and finish the second year of what was supposed to be a four-month sabbatical from paid employment. I have spent the time overlanding/traveling across Asia (for the second time), trying my hand at starting my own company, and catching up on sleep (I can sleep anywhere anytime anyhow). Nowadays, I am waiting for the right opportunity with the right company before rejoining the workforce.
I live 30 minutes from JFK (when "the bridge" is down for those of you familiar with the Belt Parkway) but have just landed silver status on CO, so I will probably be flying out of EWR more and more this year (at least whenever there is a great deal or AA doesn't offer a good alternative). I first reached elite status on AA in 1996, when I started traveling more regularly to Europe and Latin America for work (in my previous incarnation, I was a stock picker for a global investment bank) and finally made it to Platinum a few months before I quit my job of six years. Leaving those double miles and international business class bonus miles and upgrades was darn difficult but I have no regrets except every once in a while when...
A benefit of the AA gold status was on my most recent trip back from Asia on a free coach ticket, I managed to get upgraded to Business for free (thankfully, I know a few tricks of the trade on free upgrades). Another great moment in my traveling history was when I snagged the last FC upgrade on a very crowded AA flight from DFW to LGA with my stash of coupons, right ahead of a young, cocky corporate finance analyst from my former firm who thought that the FC occupant was a no show. With an upcoming trip to Asia, I hope to regain my Platinum status on AA this year and at a minimum keep Gold through Feb 2002. With elite on CO and AA, I should be a happy camper once I start traveling for business again.
Most of my trips are long haul and I find this to be most suited to my style of traveling, especially since I can't stand crowded single-aisle planes. I am always amazed and impressed by the folks who earn elite based on flying hundreds of domestic segments.
My favorite city in the US is SFO, and I love visiting the national parks. But, most of my favorite places in the world, such as Mongolia, Tierra del Fuego, and the temples in SE Asia, are in remote, far-flung places, where it is usually safer to take a long-distance bus or train than to fly (or in the case of Siena, Italy, where cars are not even allowed).
As much as I love hoarding my miles, I actually get more excited when I find an especially good airfare deal. Lately, I have taken advantage of Internet specials to fly to Europe. Managed to rack up 25K base miles on CO for less than $650 in the first two months of this year. I have yet to take a real mileage run but look forward to the chase one day. Maybe the LatinPass promo will be my first (I am an inaugural member of that program).
But, more than anything else, I love to travel and (day)dreaming about my next trip is definitely one of the things that keeps me going when I am about to fall asleep from exhaustion (or plain old laziness). That, and counting the number of blank pages in my passport before I run out and have to apply for my third 48-page one. I would love to bore the board with more irrelevant stories, but I think I will spare everyone's bandwidth
[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 03-22-2000).]