Mowed the lawn after work today, by the grace of daylight savings time. I had been looking forward to it, not only because it was badly needed, but because I would get to try out my new E2c headphones in a situation where it’s notoriously difficult to hear music over ambient noise. I was amazed… the normally overpowering rumble of the mower’s motor was reduced to a barely audible background drone. I could hear every note of even the softest songs the iPod shuffled up – it was like I was sealed off from the world. Man, I love those things. Getting out in the sun with crisp tunes in my ear and a brown bandana tied ’round my head really helped to force the cobwebs of work out of my head. Work has been… cruel… lately, neverending. I’m ready for my trip to Germany, but only because I won’t be in the office every day.
I feel like a fool, y’all. All this time I kept wondering why my VIP 100k mileage status on United hasn’t been garnering me more upgrades. Then, today, I was browsing my mileage account on United’s website and I noticed a link called “E Upgrade Summary.” Hmmm… what’s that all about, I wondered. Turns out, I have this massive stockpile of e-upgrades just sitting there… accruing with me being none the wiser. They are wholly separate of my miles, different animals altogether – just plain old “free” upgrades. Turns out I have 14,000 miles in “bump one service class” upgrades for domestic flights, and 6 “bump one service class” for international flights. I was stunned. All the time, these things have just been sitting there. I flew three times last week, and could’ve been 1st class every time, had I only known. Needless to say, I used one of my international bump privileges to get into business and 1st class on my trip to Germany next week. What’s more, because I’m a 100k flier they don’t disappear when the expire, United actually converts them into miles straight up… I’ll never fly coach again.
I had stuff written last night, but it blew – and I worked until midnight.
Tonight, I didn’t do that. Goodnight.
Also written on this day...
- interlopers - 2019
- it's a real thing - 2011
- challenging the sea - 2010
- el dorado - 2005
Be careful of sealing off your ear canal with headphones while on your flight to Germany next week. Other than the obvious pressure change issues, there is the risk of contracting severe inner-ear infections. I know, it sounds stupid, but I contracted my severe case of vertigo after getting an inner ear infection which I attribute to a similar pair of earbuds. On my red-eye flight to New York, I popped my earbuds in (the kind that completely seal off your ear canal) right before we took off and I promptly passed out. When I woke up, we were literally on the ground in New York and I noticed difficulty equalizing the pressure in my ear. Then, two days later, I was bed ridden with a severe case of vertigo and loss of hearing in my right ear. You have been warned.