Etc…

Today was one of those truly bizarre days. I got several compliments for the new ‘do. One coworker noticed my weight loss TODAY. He says “You’ve lost a little bit of weight, huh?” I just smiled and said yes…he doesn’t need to know that I’ve lost a side of beef (only a slight exaggeration).

As most of you know, I work in corporate travel. I can’t go into specifics, but one of our major accounts is a company that’s currently being scrutinized for accounting woes (sooo not Enron). Ever since the news broke, we’ve been getting strange reservation calls and weird questions. A guy asked me today what type of toilet paper is used in the airplane bathroom. Seriously. I had to fight the urge to tell him that he’s in trouble if his ass is that sensitive, because the CEO is making all of them bend over. LOL So tacky, but ya love me. 🙂

The other strange call? A client was taking her son on a trip and insisted on having a “peanut-free zone”. Basically if a passenger is deathly allergic to peanuts, the airlines will serve everyone in their section pretzels instead (pending documentation from a doctor, of course). I’ve been in the industry for 4 years and this was only the second time I’ve gotten this request. I understand the logic behind it, but isn’t it crazy that one passenger can affect the snacks for several people?

I thought the afternoon would be relatively calm until it became apparent that Ms. Barbie Corporate that was visiting from headquarters was in our office to swing the layoff ax. 10 people were cut today without warning. Terribly stressful. One manager comes to get you…and another arrives to put all of your belongings in the dreaded cardboard box. I realize that a lot of companies are still in recovery mode from 9/11…but it is truly bad on the nerves to be in an industry that is directly (and immediately) affected by the next terrorist attack. Our office didn’t get hit as hard because we’re corporate…and the companies we book for were business as usual by 9/17.

I lost a few friends in the layoffs…and worse, a few single mothers. How I managed to escape a 2nd layoff, I don’t know. I’m a good employee, but there are certainly better ones…with more seniority. I guess they like me…or maybe they’re hoping to cash in on my weight loss fame and fortune?!?!?

What a sucky day to swing the ax…Monday…after a long holiday weekend…and it’s raining.

Hope everyone had less drama than I did today…