Vacation Stories Are the Best

So, I was in Fort Lauderdale visiting my Grandparents last week, enjoying the beautiful warm weather...

I went from seeing this...


...to seeing this...


It was quite depressing when I got home on Saturday (St. Patty's Day). We had to wait in a massive line in FL just to check in, and during our wait, we met a lady who was trying to get to Philly for a bar mitzvah. She told us that she had originally tried to fly out on Friday, and was already out on the tarmac when the passengers were notified the flight was canceled. How's that for luck? Fortunately, our Saturday flight was on time, and this lady got a seat. She asked us about the Philly airport because she had never been there before. We obliged her by answering her questions.

But, here's where the story gets funny....not really funny "haha" though...well, maybe a little. My mom, sister and I get on the plane, and more people continue to board. There's only 1 young guy sitting in the row behind us. Up the aisle comes an obnoxious spring-breaker, saying to her friend, but purposely out loud, "Oh no, that dude is not sitting in my seat" (referring to the guy behind us). He realizes immediately that she's talking about him. At this point, she's standing along his row, going "I don't mean to be a bitch, but...I need my seat." All along I'm thinking, 'Yeah, thanks for sharing with the whole plane.' Anyway, the guy was very apologetic and explained the only reason he was sitting there was because another girl was in his seat (which was the other side of our row).

Turns out, this guy and the girl in his seat were both assigned the same one...Yep, the same seat...on a full plane. So, then the flight attendants get involved and realize there are no open seats. This poor guy is literally standing in the middle of the aisle along side us, shaking his head, saying, "I just want to get home."

I kid you not, the flight attendants start doing an auction of sorts over the intercom, calling for any 1 volunteer who would opt to get off the plane, attempting to entice them with a free flight in the future. At first, no one bites (you could tell that people needed to get home, as there were mostly families and spring-breakers on the plane). So they call out two free flights. Nothing. Another spring-breaker somewhere in the back, calls out "How about unlimited?!" Everyone laughs. Still nothing. Three flights...we have a taker.

It's the bar mitzvah lady! My mom looks at me and says under her breath, "Oh...my...God..." I just look back at her and chuckle. Apparently she didn't have to get to Philly that bad.

This is why we go on vacation....just so we can have stories to tell. Of course I enjoyed the time I spent with my Grandparents, but who doesn't enjoy a good story??

News of the Stupid

Okay, so once in awhile we all do stupid things...but, there are some people out there who act ridiculously stupid. What do I mean by ridiculously stupid? Well, I am talking about acts that 95% of the population would never attempt because they show a severe lack of common sense. The following are a few stories I had been reading about recently and decided to share:

Class Watches '40-Year-Old Virgin' Movie
By: Associated Press

Thu Jan 26, 4:18 PM
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Showing the R-rated movie "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" during high school Spanish class this week resulted in suspension for the teacher. (more...)

• Why would a teacher do something like that? Yeah, I'm gonna see a movie title like that and assume it's okay for me to show in a high school class. Either he has been living in a hole for the past year or is just really that stupid.

Pa. Man Signs His Name as 'God'
By: Associated Press

Fri Jan 27, 8:41 PM ET
READING, Pa. - One registered Republican won't be able to vote in the next election unless he appears at a Berks County Elections Board to explain the signature on his registration form. The man is registered as Paul S. Sewell, Elections Director Deborah M. Olivieri said, but his form is signed "God." (more...)

• Hmmm...by this guy's logic, I might as well change my legal name to 'Mom'...ya know, for all those times I've had students call me 'Mom' by accident. Makes sense to me!

Party in Autopsy Room Shocks Norway
By: Associated Press

Fri Jan 27, 5:49 PM ET
OSLO, Norway - Health authorities expressed shock and disgust Friday over reports that employees at a hospital in southern Norway threw a party in a post-mortem room and covered an autopsy table with a white cloth and candles. (more...)

• Wow, I bet that smelled lovely! Who wouldn't want to party with the smell of decay? Note to self...must try this sometime.

Fine for Urinal Art Attacker

Tuesday, January 24, 2006; Posted: 9:45 a.m. EST
PARIS, France (Reuters) -- A Frenchman who attacked and damaged "Fountain," a urinal declared a work of art by Dada pioneer Marcel Duchamp, was ordered on Tuesday to pay a fine of €214,000 euros ($262,700). (more...)

• Don't you have your own urinal to attack? I don't think Misseur Duchamp would be too happy with you destroying his anti-art.

Teacher's True Colors Definitely Not Orange, Blue
By: Julianne Bentley
Denver Post Staff Writer

01/22/2006 01:00:00 AM
Embracing diversity and practicing tolerance had been mainstays of Joshua Vannoy's Pittsburgh-area high school ethnicity class - until the student wore his Denver Broncos jersey to school. A die-hard Steelers fan and teacher at Beaver Falls High School made Vannoy, 17, take a midterm test on the floor because he was sporting a John Elway No. 7 jersey. The honors ethnic relations teacher had Vannoy sit in a circle of desks, then instructed his classmates to throw paper at him. (more...)

• Hey, teacher, leave that kid alone! How about some fellow teachers get to sit in the circle and throw things at you? Seems like a logical thing to do.

I'm No Dentist, But My Girlfriend Is -- Open Wide

Tue Jan 17, 9:02 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - A British dentist has been banned from working after allowing her unqualified boyfriend to carry out dental work on patients in her surgery, the profession's UK regulatory body said Tuesday. (more...)

• Why?...Why?...Why would you do that?

Police: Driver Uses Mannequin in HOV Lane
By: Associated Press

Thu Jan 26, 11:08 PM ET
WESTMINSTER, Colo. - A motorist was arrested Thursday for driving in a high-occupancy vehicle lane with a mannequin dressed to look like a passenger, police said. Investigators said Greg Allen Pringle, 53, was the only human in the car. (more...)

• I think I posted a story similar to this awhile back...this kind of thing just amazes me. The lengths people will go to in trying to get somewhere faster is astounding.

I often wonder...do people actually feel stupid while carrying out these ridiculous acts? Or do they just feel stupid when they get caught?

Actually, it's scary to think that most people who do things like the above probably don't feel stupid...maybe that's the problem.