Layover in Istanbul, Turkey and last leg to Vienna 10/08/2016

At our layover in Istanbul, we found the transfer much easier than anticipated because we were not changing airlines and that meant we didn’t have to go through customs or worry about luggage since it was already checked through to Vienna.

That left us free to grab some food and explore the “Duty Free Bazarre”.  I found some great presents for everyone.   Charles is pretty good at money exchange so I drove him crazy asking how much things were in US Dollars.  We wanted to mail  postcards to Brazil and the US and since there was no post office or stamps available, Charles tried to talk the cashier into letting him give him some money and mail them for us.  He didn’t want to though and I’m sure as soon as we walked away, he muttered to himself about Crazy Americans.

We had some delicious coffee and a couple of pastries since the airline was feeding us pretty well. We had the long haul leg of the trip behind us and we were really looking forward to getting to Vienna.  Not only because we were completely exhausted but because we were so excited to start exploring.

On the plane to Vienna, there was a Turkish Business man reading his paper and I was peeking over his shoulder at it.  When we got off the plane I asked him if I could have it and he answered me in the English that I could.  Look! It's all about the Clinton vs. Trump campaign in the US.

Vienna, Departure Day Friday, 10/07/2016

 On Friday, the day for us to leave on our trip, both of us had to go to work and it SO difficult.  We were so excited to get started on this new adventure.  We have enjoyed other trips together and each one is a treasured memory in our minds.  We forgo expensive toys, jewelry and expensive items in order to enjoy our love for travel which is something we both share.

I had lunch with Nikki, Matt and the boys, which made the day pass much better and then left work early for home so I could handle any last minute details and packing.  Our friend Cheryl will be house sitting and taking care of Oliver and Livy.   That is really the only thing we will miss for the next week, our little dogs, but they will be in good hands with Cheryl and her three dogs. 

We finally were ready to go and left for the Airport.  I felt the same excitement and exhilaration whenever we set off on a road trip or adventure.  We will be making memories that last our lifetime.  Pictures in our heads and hearts, that never go away.

A word about Turkish Airlines, they are the BEST.  Checkin was quick and easy, they served great food, the flight attnedants are not surly or sulky, they seem to really like their jobs.  There were two full meals served on the plane and these small delicious cheese sandwiches and little cakes available anytime you wanted one. We lucked out because we were able to change to an empty row and have an empty seat between us.  For a 11 hour flight, this is a must.  From now on, I'll book the window seat and aisle seat in hopes that no one will want the middle seat.  If they do take it, they will look for another seat once on board.  We will fly Turkish Airlines from now on if at all possible.

We checked in, checked the bags, slung our travel backpacks over our shoulders and grinned at each other like a couple of kids about to eat cake……

Last minute excursion to the city... The best kind!

In 2012...This morning we woke up knowing it was going to be a STEllAR day and decided to jump on the train and head into the city. The plan was to go to Central Park and then to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see two exhibits. One is the works of Augustus Saint-Gaudens and the other was titled The Art of the Samurai.

We got to Penn Station and hopped on the A train.

Preparing for Vienna 2016

In two weeks we leave for Vienna! We will be flying from George Bush International to Istanbul Turkey, have a three-hour layover there and then fly on to Vienna. Anticipation of the trip is really fun but we are ready to get going.

We will arrive there late Saturday night and hopefully get straight to bed in order to make the jetlag a little less painful. The next day we will see some of Vienna in the morning and then take the train to Budapest, Hungary. We are set to spend one night in Budapest returning to Vienna the next evening. On Tuesday morning we plan to pick up a rental car and leave on a short road trip that will take us to Salzburg,  part of Italy and back to Vienna through the Italian and Austrian Alps.

We will return to Vienna late Wednesday and plan to take a catamaran to Bratislava on Thursday returning to Vienna that evening. https://www.visitbratislava.com/your-trip/stay-in-the-city/1-day-stay/.

We will be all day in Vienna on Friday and then leave very early on Saturday to return home....  So hard to wait ... Charles' count down clock says, 11 days, 9 hours and 34 min to departure....

Oliver

I miss my Lady... Could it only be a WEEK?

Today, I miss Lady.  Well, I miss Lady every day but this morning I went to the closet to pull out a scarf because it’s cold out and after I put it on, I immediately noticed it had Lady’s hair on it.  It hit me like a train, she wasn’t here anymore, pretty soon I will stop seeing her hair everywhere and I was immediately sorry for all the times I cursed my luck at getting a dog that shed so much.   Tears ran down my face as I swore to myself, “if I could just have her back, I wouldn’t care if she shed pounds of hair every day.”  I see something of her every time I round the corner in my house, in the car, at the park, driving down my street, sitting in the back yard, watching TV on my bed.  She is in all these places because that is what we did together…. Everything.  My interaction with Lady was more than any of my friends and family including Charles.Our little conversations and interactions both physical and emotional went on everyday for 17 years.  I read a really good article by Joe Yonan at The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/the-death-of-pet-can-hurt-as-much-as-the-loss-of-a-relative/2012/02/21/gIQALXTXcS_story.html

Here is an excerpt from the article that stuck with me, 

“Over the course of 13 years, for instance, the same thing would happen with Gromit every morning. I would sit on my bed to put on my shoes, and he would drape himself across my lap. I would scratch his butt and he would reward me with a big sloppy kiss. Recently, I did the math: Accounting for the times I was traveling without him, this interaction happened more than 4,000 times.”

I really identified with this thought.  Lady and I had so many such rituals.  After she was older, she had a bed in the living room and beside my bed.  She would sleep in the living room and when I was ready to go to bed, I’d let her out and brush my teeth while I waited for her.  When she came in, she knew it was time for her to go to her “real” bed, the one beside mine.  She never liked sleeping with me.  She would often start the night off there but would invariably get up in the middle of the night and move to her bed.  This got harder for her after she couldn’t see at night very well and would worry about jumping off the bed.  We did this every night.  Even when we traveled, we took her with us and she still had this nighttime ritual. 

Nights are very hard.  Coming home and not seeing her little face in the window or waiting for me at the door, dancing around and running for the back door to go out as soon as she got the “nice to see you “ pats.  Charles will be out of town for two days next week and I’m dreading it with a passion.  I might go stay with my daughter just to avoid it.  I hate it when Charles has to stay away from home but the one thing that made it better was that I could spend unlimited silly time with Lady.  We would take our dinner to bed and she would lay with me all night.  When he was gone, she would usually stay on the bed all night.  Did she know I needed her?

When Harley died, it was really really hard but I had Lady to help me get by…. We grieved for our friend together.  With Lady now there is deadly quiet everywhere I go.

I really recommend anyone going through this to read the article by Joe Yonan.. it was a big help to me.

It's Morning and I'm not Headed to Work!

It's 7:00 am and I'm still sitting here drinking coffee and watching the news.  I like Charlie Rose but it's not natural.  I just saw a picture of the light grey sky of NYC in the morning.  I could almost smell the coffee from the carts and taste the donuts that I bought with guilt on my walk into work.  Moments on the train, running down a list of what to do first when I get to work are just a memory now.

I want to be at work.  I can't find a job.  But here is the thing, I'm embarrassed about it.  WHY am I embarrassed about it?  Since I started looking for a new job which, was actually when I was still in New York in August of 2014, I have kept a very detailed spreadsheet of who I applied to, the date and the outcome of that application.  The tally is now at 240 applications that include small companies, headhunters, non profits and large corporations.  There are several corporations that I have applied to many times.  I do not apply to jobs that I don't qualify for although lately, out of desperation, I've been trying to stretch my limits and apply for job types that I have never thought of before.  That doesn't seem to be working for me either.  I have tried everything.  I network but that hasn't helped and even when someone does try to help me, it has not ended in my getting a job.  I have adjusted my almost six figure salary in New York to half of that here in Texas and in desperation, even to the low 30's (who can live on that?).  I read articles about others my age looking for work and hear the advise from AARP that I have to adjust my expectations, both in the positions I can expect to be considered for and the salary I can demand for that role. 

I think the fact that I must give up performing in a job that I am better prepared for than many of the other candidates, is really sad.  I'm at the top of my game.  My skills are the best they have ever been,  Experience that I have honed over the last 15 years, learning the ups and downs of supporting busy executives and running an office goes untapped.  I love my work.  I'm a career office manager and executive assistant and I love the day to day tasks and problems, dealing with vendors and clients and helping staff with their needs.  I miss it more than I could have ever dreamed I would.  So why don't they want to hire me?

 I sit here in this house feeling so wasted.  I look at the hundreds of jobs out there on the job boards and I get excited. I drive down the highway looking at the multitude of office buildings and think, surely someone in there needs a really great office manager.  I look at the small industrial parks wistfully, thinking that they must need someone to keep the business going while they try to make a go of it.  I apply for every job with a new excitement.  And when each one sends a rejection or even worse, just ignores me, I fall deeper into depression about it.  It's a little like gambling, I always think the next one will be it.  I see a job description and think, "that is me, I can really make a difference there", but again, nothing.  I get little to none in the way of feedback.  Actually, the only feed back I got was, "She's a talker."  I hear that and decided to tone down my eagerness but to be honest that won't help.  Do you know why?

I'm 60 years old.  Those of you who know me will think, that age isn't a factor with me because I'm engaged and tech savy.  But let me assure you, it's true. I am so surprised at the lack of knowledge or even belief that companies wont hire you if you are 60, no matter how good you are at your job. I don't even get the chance to prove that I'm up to date with technology and an energetic worker. 

Several times, I've gotten through the interview process only to lose the job when I fill out the background check information and they figure out that I'm 60.  All of a sudden the enthusiastic HR manager or VP goes quiet.  Radio Silence and then that hated email arrives,  "We have decided to move forward with other candidates."

 I feel like I have some ideas that would make a difference.  I wonder if I can wake up others who might be in a position to make changes.  But, to do that, I would have to come out of the closet and admit to everyone that I have failed, that I am unemployed, that no one wants me as their co-worker.  I am ashamed of that and I'm not sure why.  It's not like I haven't given this job search my best efforts.  I can't just retire and just try to exist on the unrealistic social security payments I'll ge because I'm not OLD ENOUGH.  Yet, I can't work to the suggested 70 years old because no one will hire me or pay me what I'm worth.  It's a terrible situation of being between a rock and a hard place.

I'm not sure what my next steps will be but it's not in me to give up.  When I'm finally able to look at it with a less emotional perspective maybe I will write that op ed and maybe someone will publish it and maybe, just maybe workplaces will begin to change their prejudice against older workers.