So since i left Orlando nothing too terribly exciting has occured. I got a missed assignment the night i left Florida. That's the one bad thing about flying standby, if the flight is oversold we get bumped. When that happened i missed work that night though. I'm not real sure what that means for me. Since i'm on probation (the first six months you always are) I'm not allowed to call in. They haven't fired me or anything though so i guess it just goes on my "permenant record" or something (which if its anything like high school when they threaten you with stuff like that, then i'm sure it'll be ok.)
The next five days after that though i was on Ready Reserve- which means i sit at the airport ready to go at a moment's notice if they should call me. The first night back to work they didn't call at all (which sucks because not only did you get all dressed in that stupid outfit but you have to take all your stuff because you never know for how long you'll be gone if they do call.) The next night (and i was lucky because all the shifts were the late shifts: 7pm til whenever the last flight goes out, unless they call you out obviously, and the last flight usually goes out by 9:30) they used me for an overnight to like Cleveland or somewhere. The next night i had gone up there for nothing because since i had just gotten back that morning i wasn't 'legal' for a trip (something they informed me of two hours after i'd signed in!) The next night they gave me a CDO (continuous duty overnight) to Albany. Here's the thing, typically you have to have 8 hours between flights on an overnight (not necessarily 8 hours sleep but 8 hours from when a flight blocks in in the evening til when the next flight in the morning blocks out) but not on CDOs. We had like 5 hours (we got in at 1 am and had to leave at 6am) so i just stayed up all night at the hotel (which they do provide for you anyway.) With that though i was able to have the rest of the day off when i got back, then the following day would have been day #7 for me on duty which by contract we can't do so i got an extra day off before my two scheduled days off (today and tomorrow.) I flew home Monday night and yesterday went to Baton Rouge to visit friends. Tonite i took my sister to see Shrek 2. I need to watch flying all around like i do. Even though its only like $30 or so, if i do that four times a month, that adds up (plus the risk of getting stuck) but i can't stay in Chicago on my days off. I don't ever see any of my airline friends except in passing at the airport and so i justify my gallivanting off as necessary to my own sanity. I'm pretty independant and would like to think adequatly self sufficiant, but i also enjoy human contact. And at the risk of getting unecessarily sentimental, life's too short to not spend it with the people you like.