inconvenient
This weekend was all about living on the edge.
Not only did I purchase and eat non-organic grapes, but I left dishes in the sink for an entire night, I pretty much risked my life to find parking at the mall on Saturday afternoon, and I let my Japanese-straightening miracle-worker douse my head with dozens of toxic chemicals.
Before: At the salon…
But all of these things paled in comparison to what else I (dumbly) did: I allowed my husband to get involved in planning our Christmas vacation.
Ali: Why do we always fly Virgin or Delta? Aren’t there other choices?
Me: There certainly are but these are the most reasonable. Trust me, I’ve done my research.
Ali: But don’t I have status on USAir?
Me: Please Ali. Who has booked every single one of our trips for the 12 years we’ve been married? I think I know your status better than you do.
Ali: I very much doubt that.
Me: Well then by all means, go ahead and waste your Sunday afternoon.
After: At Wolfgang’s for my dad’s birthday.
And Ali did just that.
First he called his BFF at the American Express Travel to facilitate. Then his BFF conferenced in USAir. Then Ali turned up the volume on speakerphone so I too could enjoy the useless 48 minute conversation.
At the end of it all we agreed on the following:
- USAir does not offer any convenient routes, at any convenient times, to any enjoyable destinations.
- Ali has no status on USAir.
- Virgin and Delta are the best of the worst.
- And when it comes to travel-related decisions Ali should NOT question me.
But I’m 99% certain it won’t stop him from doing it again.
While I'm not going to win Mother/Wife of the Year Award anytime soon, I haven't killed anyone yet or shot myself in the head. And that, my friends, is how I calculate success these days. 
FANCY THAT FANCY THIS 
Virgin is definitely the best because every time feels like the first time 😉
Cute Eden….
love your pictures! and LOOOOL non organic grapes…i must be a real risk taker.compared to you. My mom doesnt believe in organic stuff…says its a money scam…i am brown
I used to think it was a scam too! But now I try to only buy organic everything. Sometimes I need grapes though, even if they aren’t organic.
Don’t you just live it when people find the need to heck up on things when they have no need or doubt you?
Ha.
When all is said and done I hope you do have marvelous travels, on whatever airline and wherever to decide to roam:)
Thanks Ellen…since I’m in charge once again I think we will have a good trip. 🙂
Ameena, you are a beautiful woman. I love your hair. I’ve never flown either. I always fly Southwest. I’m not sure what we flew when we went to Europe, as I was seven weeks pregnant and sick and tired. So maybe we did fly one of these. Anyhow, I love you post as usual. I just love you. You have a way about you, it’s so unique, funny and you have a sarcastic charm. Is there such thing? Well, I guess so, since you have it…. 🙂 Love,
Shauna xoxoxoxoxxoo
You are so unbelievably generous with the comments Shauna!! Thank you so, so much for all the nice things you wrote. Things which totally made my evening!
PS: Flying while pregnant is no fun…I was there too. Once!
You made me laugh so hard when you wrote, “useless 48 min convo.” I don’t know what the hell is up with airline prices these days.. United is our hub and it is ridiculously overpriced unless you book way in advance. I would assume Virgin America is pretty good if it is anything like Virgin Atlantic, but I really believe domestic travel just sucks in general. International travel is way better. Excited to hear about your Christmas plans.
I’ve never tried Jap straightening, I’m scared I’ll lose the bounce in my hair.. and the thing is, I’ve always seen myself with lots of hair, so I don’t really know how I would look without it. Great photo of you 2 at dinner.
Lastly – I didn’t try the place you recom. in SFO because we were hanging out in the Wharf area and it was just for 1 day. Definitely next time, most of these places need resv. anyway. Thanks!
Virgin America is nothing like Virgin Atlantic, which I love. You are right that domestic travel just sucks.
I was terrified to do the straightening the first time but I haven’t looked back since. And it’s been 10 years!
I’ve been stalking the website all morning, waiting for you to post! You make my Tuesdays feel like…Thursdays! 🙂
Thank you for stalking Sheetal! I appreciate it.
PS: I love your name.
I chose NOT to live dangerously this weekend. I had enough living on the edge last month when I trusted someone in my zip code with scissors near my head. THIS weekend I drove an hour to the relative safety of a city with stylists that have ACTUAL experience to fix the disaster.
As for Ali there are 4 sweet words that make all the second-guessing worth it: I. Told. You. So.
Can I tell you who cuts my hair? Supercuts or Fantastic Sams. I’ve given up on anyone else since I usually find them overpriced and under talented.
We don’t have Supercuts here (it is also an hour away). Just lots of ladies with 80’s bangs and bad spiral perms. It’s dangerous.
My favorite counter-strike is usually, “well ok, if you don’t believe me, go ahead”. Currently going through a little debate with the boy with a similar outcome awaiting him. I’ll try and not gloat.
I try not to gloat but fail miserably almost every time…
Gotta love conversations like that. Vishnu’s like Ali in that he has to prove right then and there that I am wrong. I hate to say it but I love it when the outcome of his research proves otherwise! 🙂
As it usually does, I’m sure!
Ah, thanks for the laugh! I do all the planning too. Otherwise it doesn’t happen! Hope you have a nice trip, wherever you are going 🙂
Thanks Stacie…from one planner to another, I’m glad you get me!
Good for you for stepping back and letting him try and subsequently see for himself that you were right. Maybe he won’t second guess you so quickly in the future.
He will, as he always does. But it’s nice to make a point once in a while….
Oh I am the exact opposite, I always leave travel arrangements to Glenn. I only like to be on the computer or phone if it’s fun, and dealing with travel arrangements doesn’t make the cut. You 3 are always on the go, it’s fun to read about all your adventures on your blog seeing as my travels take me only to Fresno 🙂 And going to the mall on a Saturday in December, oh my that is brave!
I’ve never been to Fresno Marie! Do you go there to see family?
And I’d love to not deal with the travel arrangements but of course I am way too controlling for that! LOL
Talking about flights I’m about to shoot off to India shortly, but couldn’t resist commenting before I do go.
I think you should let Ali do some stuff by himself. Even if that means he messes them up – because eventually he will share some of the work you complain about. Besides, lets just say you suddenly had a ‘zombie’ day in which you couldn’t be asked to do anything – then at least, Ali can take over assuming he has been doing stuff in the past.
I did have a zombie day earlier this year and Ali couldn’t handle all the independence I gave him that day. I think he even said so. 🙂
Safe travels to India! What airline are you flying?
I have a few connecting flights: British Airways from Manchester to London Heathrow, then Qatar Airways to Doha and then last leg to Bangalore in the same airlines.
Why don’t men just understand that women are always right?
As much as I loathe United, I have a status with them so I continue to fly them for the free upgrades. It’s a vicious circle.
It totally is a vicious cycle…our United is Delta!
Love your hair, they look longer now. I love Virgin Atlantic, at least so far we haven’t had any problems with them. For international, I love Singapore Airlines. Haha.. I wish I could see Ali’s face when his BFF confirmed (what you already told him) that he has no status on USAir 🙂 … Men, they never learned!
I hear that Singapore Airlines is great but the one time I flew it I was not impressed. Maybe I got an older plane though, or so that’s what I was told!
Your hair looks gorgeous! Makes me seriously contemplate this hair straightening treatment so I don’t have to subject myself to blow drying and straightening and/or looking like a poofy poodle. I hope you guys are going somewhere fantastic for the holidays (so you can show off your hair)! 🙂
My hair is not near perfect but if I do blow dry it’s for 3 minutes without a brush. Best feeling ever…
PS: Your hair is gorgeous. Never poodle-like. And I know this because I’ve seen it!
I hate speaker phone! one of my big pet peeves. 🙂 My husband does that alllll the time!
So it’s not just me! I will show this comment to Ali!!
I hate that, Mr Glam often asks me to do things and then does them himself – still it just proves I was right, of course!! GG
Of course you are right GG…that was a given!
I wish we had Virgin here even after your last fiasco… LOVE the hair btw…
Thank you my friend! And about Virgin…you really don’t wish you had it there, I promise!
I guess I have to give kudos to my husband here. He never questions me or tries to prove me wrong when I tell him I’ve already looked into something.
It may seem a bit odd to let all those chemicals seep into the pores of your scalp, but I have to agree with the others; the results are phenomenal. You’re gorgeous, though I have a feeling you’d be just as much so without straightened hair.
You are unbelievably kind MC. And I’m not being humble here when I say it takes a ton of chemicals and a miracle worker to make my hair presentable. But I love that you think otherwise. 🙂
Thank you!
um non-organic grapes? hmn, risky indeed.
and what is it with these men? Marc suddenly questioned my dinner reservations for our trip this week…I wasn’t aware he knew what a reservation was. Beautiful picture of you and Ali, I would love to know what’s going through your mind when photos are taken. You seem to have a “if only you knew what I am thinking” face. How are NYC plans….how much fun would we have? OK have to go call my BFF at Amex.
So envious of your trip, even though I don’t know where you are going?? Hope your BFF at Amex did you good.
virgin FTW. i call it US-scare and they are horrid with flight delays. they lose a ton of bags too, hate em.
FTW? I’m stumped.
And glad that you’ve confirmed my thoughts USAir!!
Too funny. If you managed to avoid saying “I told you so,” you are a paragon of restraint!!
I really have so little restraint…I think I was just feeling generous for a minute? 🙂
Your hair looks gorgeous. I used to do the Japanese treatment but now I do the Brazilian treatment. Both will lead to an earlier death on my part.
I hate the whole airline status thing. I mean I didn’t hate it when I had status. But now I do.
I’ve never done the Brazilian treatment…I am so intrigued but I figured if it isn’t broken….
Well…hopefully he learned his lesson after wasting all of that time on his own. Did you tell him I told ya so???
No I did not. I was tempted but I managed to keep my big mouth shut!
I think I’m more exasperated by the fact that he’s questioning after 12 years of you making the arrangements.
Same here!! Some people never learn…
i dont understand why guys have this tendency to believe that they know it all and in reality they dont. I wish they would accept that sooner and stop wasting our time.. BTW your hair looks gorgeous 🙂
Thanks Dixya…and I agree. Imagine how much extra time we’d have if they’d stop wasting it!
Hehehehehe!! You two crack me up 🙂 I love your posts.
Thanks Jolene!
Looove You & Ali! ❤
Thanks my friend!
Aha, the secret to your fabulous hair is finally out!! You are a lucky (and beautiful) woman, Ameena, your hair is obedient. I can use the heat of the sun on my hair and I’m sure it’ll still make me look like I’ve just had shock treatment!! Also, did you actually listen for those 48 minutes ;-))??
My hair is NOT obedient. I simply tame it into submission with a ton of chemicals!
I love the “I told you so” moments..They occur very rarely in my case…..In fact, my husband gets to say that to me most of the time…:( . But unlike Ali, I have learnt my lesson. 🙂
I bet I’d get along really well with your hubby! Sounds like we have a few things in common.
Oh , I am sure you will…Thankfully, Niranjan( my son) is taking up after his dad..:)
Nirnajan is a cute name! I hadn’t heard it before….
Thank you..Its a Sanskrit name and it means Spotless or Pure..
Love the hair Ameena, oh and where are you going for vacation? NYC, oh have you tried a cruise?
I’ve never been on a cruise…I feel like I’d be claustrophobic for some reason?
We are going to London and NYC in a few weeks. So excited.
Unfortunately, they have to learn their lessons. Our job is to try to keep our thoughts to ourselves when they experience the inevitable outcome…That’s the hard part…Heavy Sigh…
That is the hard part. Or the most impossible part?
Look at you turning into a wild child, Ameena ;)! Sometimes it’s easier to let others learn the hard way rather than talk them into something…otherwise you may as well hit your head against a brick wall!
I hit my head against a brick wall daily Khushboo…haven’t mastered the art of letting others learn from their mistakes.
And I guess that’s how most marriages work. But hey at least you guys are communicating 😛 Also, you look great in the newly straightened hair 😀
Good point…at least we are communicating!
I also get Yeh weebie jeebies from non-organic grapes. You just know those can’t be good.
When will Ali ever learn to not question your wisdom?
The entire time I eat non-organic grapes I fear that I’m eating non-organic grapes. But they are just SO good!
Your hair looks fantastic. It must have crushed Ali to find out his status of no-status with USAir. 🙂
He’s still arguing with me that it’s impossible his status is no longer there!
So funny. He should just know.
I had a friend who used the Japanese hair straightening miracle and it really is miraculous. She was so excited to be able to go swimming and not fear getting caught in the rain.
I’m with your friend. I’ve been doing it for 10 years now…it’s seriously a miracle.
I live in a city with a population of about 250,000. The fact that we now have direct flights to at least a few big centres is now is a Big Deal, because it used to be that you ALWAYS used to have to make at least one connection to get anywhere; however, I refuse to fly United (or affiliates), so I pretty much still have to make connections to get anywhere. We do have direct flights to Minneapolis, so we fly Delta a lot. It could be worse for sure, but most airlines eave a lot to be desired in terms of customer service.
Also, of course he shouldn’t question you when it comes to travel! 🙂
I flew Delta from LAX to Minneapolis and it was a decent flight. I agree, it could be worse!
Haha, did you at least feel a little vindication that you were right??
I felt a little more than a little vindication. 🙂
The best of the worst – isn’t that the truth? I used to love air travel.
Me too. Back in the great days of Pan Am.
Hair looks awesome! Do you ever fly Southwest? I enjoy them!
We used to fly Southwest to Las Vegas and San Fran but then Ali decreed that we were no longer able to do so!
Maybe after another 12 years he will learn that you are always right 🙂 And it is fun being right huh?
It really is. And if we make it another 12 years I’ll be interested to see if you are right. 🙂
My friend tried the super straightening Japanese perm. It’s SO strong, she loved it! She missed her curly hair after a while though, but she had to grow her hair out since the portioned that was straightened was never going back to being curly.. Your hair and you look great in the photo!
Thanks JoJo. The only problem with the treatment is that after 6 months I have no choice but to go back…it’s not something that grows out gracefully!