The First Few Contestants

Since I am starting this about a month after I started traveling, I have some Aisle Seat winners to chat about.

June 24, 2011- Flight from Bloomington to Atlanta (630 am)
As I'm sitting in seat 14 C, next to the window of course,  I remember stank eyeing every single person who walked by.  Who was the lucky winner this bright and early morning?  Finally, an older woman sat down.
How would that be interesting?  Not a child-- not a creeper man-- just a nice older lady.
Within the first 6 minutes she finally decides to talk to me.  As I notice her to lean over and open her mouth, I'm so excited to make a new friend!! Just then, she finally says-- "uughhmmmhmmm. WHY are there so many children on this flight?!"  I remember being shocked, as I did not think this was how my first new travel friendship would start, but I kept my smile and said, "Um.. well it's later in June, so I'm sure most schools are out."  I wanted to say "duh. this is a connecting flight for Orlando Fl." But I figured it was too early for BOTH of us to be sassy.  After I answered her she waved the flight attendant over.  Before the flight attendant could get there, this woman had her plastic out on her tray, and said, "Get me a bloddy Mary."  Yep.  6:46am Bloddy Mary.  As we were taking off, she refused to turn of her Kindle, as she kept hiding it when someone would walk by.  I tried very hard to creep on what reading material could be SO important that she did not need to follow the rules.
I was in no way surprised to find that this lively and not bitter older women was reading a book intitled-- "Three Ways to Die."

June 24, 2011- Flight from Atlanta to Orlando (10:43am)
I would love to brag about how happy I was sitting in seat 14 C again, because I made it all the way through shuttles and different courses to make it to my connecting flight on time with no directional issues, but, that's not what this blog is about.  I'm sitting in 14 C waiting to see what next ray of sunshine will be joining me on this lovely travel day.
Finally sits down a middle aged man with shaggy brown hair.  He did not even fasten his seat belt before starting to chat with me! (Don't tell Airtran-- safety issue).  He got my reason for flying to Orlando, and I got his whole family and life story before take off.  What a nice man and total turn around from the woman just a couple hours earlier.  He then got out his book, and it was entitled, "The Social Animal."
THAT was the second I decided I needed to blog about these things.  The woman who hated life from 630 in the morning was reading about three ways to die, this man who gave me a headache from talking was reading the social animal, and myself, a new young professional woman, was reading, "If You Want to Cry-- Go Outside."
Changed my life!

June 28th, 2011 Flight from Orlando to Bloomington (3:30pm)
I do not remember this one being very interesting.  I remember Jamie being on my flight, and us planning to do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to get whoever was next to me to want to move.  The flight attendant even promised working it out, so Jamie could be the Aisle Seat winner of the day-- but it never happened.  Therefore, whoever was in aisle seat 12A that day, is dead to me.

July 9th, 2011 Flight from Bloomington to Minnesota (6:30am)
Yep.  Another 630am flight.  I was really nervous for the next contestant on aisle seat was going to be this day, because I started my day at 4am with my GPS not working, my lotion getting taken away at security, and my luggage not getting weighed.  I knew it was one of "those" days... and could not wait to meet this character.
Do you ever have those complete strangers that you keep running into all day?  Those people who are in front of you in a line, then you go get some coffee and they are right behind you, then you go to the bathroom and they are washing their hands next to you-- so you do the creep smile because you think your friends by that time, then you sit at the airport gate, and sure enough, they are within 3 seats of you.  Of course that women was the next contestant on who gets Ashley's Aisle seat!  She sat down and I made the comment, "Oh.. who would have imagine?!"  I said it nice and friendly, but she obviously didn't see the warmth in my creeper smile at the sink earlier, and must have had no idea I ran into her all morning.  I obviously did not make an impact.  I then noticed she was reading a book called "Country Murders" or something like that, and I decided to keep my distance.

July 9th, 2011 Flight from Minnesota to STL (10:45am)
At this point, I had little faith in my hopes to create a blog.  Yes, the first two people I met on my travels were interesting, but the next two ruined it all.  As I was sitting in my window seat, I was not even watching who was coming in, because I new it would lead to disappointment.  Just then this 23 year old woman sat down and said, "Man-- I am a directional retard!"
Ding ding ding........ soul mate!
We were able to connect RIGHT away with our issues of not knowing where anything is ever.  She had a very interesting story with her husband being a DR. in a different country.  She was SO sweet, and when I told her about my job, I was DREAMING that she would say, "oh my gosh! I'm a pi phi!"  Needless to say the relationship didnt get to go that perfect.  But it was great to finally have someone to make the flight go super fast, because we really connected, and were interested in what each other had to say! Making new friends on the road was back on!

Today, July 23rd, 2011 Flight from STL so Detroit
Knowing that I wanted to start this blog on my lay over in Detroit, I was again stank facing everybody that was coming in to the plane, to sit next to 21A.  People kept passing, and passing and passing.  The plane was filling up!  Obviously my neighbor is a slacker, and will either be a hot mess, or not interesting at all.  Movement on the plane stopped...... All I could keep thinking was shut up... shut up.... shut up.. SHUT UP!! Will I get this entire row to myself?? I looked around, and EVERY other seat was taken.  There was no way that this full plane only had one open seat, and it was next to me.  I was trying so hard not to get my hopes up, and kept waiting for the aisle seater.  They then paged someone over the intercom, that if they were on the plane to flash the service light... I thought in my head, "Don't look for him! Just take off already!!"
Gates closed.
Safety checks were done.
Phones turned off.
Take off.
No one to blog about this time, but I got to lay out and sleep the entire flight!! I guess I could note the drunk losers behind me, ordering Heinikens and admiring their new haircuts.

Now..... I sit here at gate C7, waiting to board my flight to Bloomington.  I am looking around this crowded gate and judging everyone.  I dont want you, I dont want you, you would be okay, you have kids so no...

Wish me luck, and I know the next aisle seat winner is killing you in suspense!!!