Five things to do when things go bad

by Brenda Yun on

I opened the front door to my apartment yesterday evening to find an early, unwelcome, and unpleasant Christmas present waiting for me inside: my power had been turned off. Apparently, the Hawaiian Electric Company finds it completely acceptable to turn off your service when you are a new tenant in the building — and gives you NO warning, by email or otherwise, as to when or why it is happening.

What made this matter worse is that my friend came over to cook steak on my electric stove. We were hoping to drink a bottle of Merlot, and watch “Superbad” on DVD. Instead, we both showered by candlelight, ate out at a mediocre Vietnamese pho restaurant, went to Walmart to stock up on more candles, and are calling it a night.

There are, however, some awfully good lessons to be learned from such an experience as this. If you’re one of the many travelers stuck at an airport in the northern U.S., an unhappy backpacker in the middle of nowhere, or a peeved resident living in a city serviced by an incompetent and unresponsive electricity company, then please resist the urge to cry about it. Here are a few things you could try to get your life back on track when things go bad.

  1. Be creative: If you’re not having fun in your current situation, find a way to make it fun. As long as there’s gas in it, your car can be one of the most enjoyable tools for happiness. Turn up the heat in your Chevy, take a road never traveled, and slowly find your way back home. If you don’t have a car, use your feet. You’ll be surprised how much you never noticed about even the most familiar of surroundings.
  2. Reach out to a loved one: So, you’re all alone in some backward country that you thought you’d love, but it turns out you hate it. Think positively: things will not be this bad forever. Take out a piece of paper and write a letter to a loved one, using your pen as an outlet for frustration, anger, sadness, and expression. Or, if you can get to a phone, give that person a call and tell him/her how much s/he’s missed.
  3. Strike up a conversation with a stranger: I love making new friends in the most random places. The conversation starter here would be your current, shared, miserable experience/existence. My best friend met her husband while waiting for flight in Albequerque. It’s amazing how much a light conversation can ease your inner tension. If nothing else, your little debate can pass the time.
  4. Indulge in your favorite food: Forget that Weight Watchers diet. Take out that stash of Baskin-Robinns Peanut Butter ‘n Chocolate ice cream (sorry for the food plug here, it’s my one weakness) and go to town. At least your belly will thank you.
  5. Get some zzz’s: Sleep is one of the best cures for whatever crisis you might be in. Shrug off your problem for a few hours with a little shuteye.

I hate the sight of frustrated tears, and I particularly detest angry protests by customers upon innocent flight attendants (though, I must confess, I too have instigated such arguments). The best thing you can do in rough times is grin in bear it. Things always get better in time.

Coldplay ranked “Top band that help Britons get off to sleep”

by Iva Skoch on

“Oh, what’s Coldplay whining about now?” asked my friend David, when he heard Coldplay playing in my apartment a few years back. Ever since then I haven’t been able to listen to Coldplay. All I hear now is whining!

It appears that Coldplay brings entirely different sensations to Britons though. According to a Travelodge-conducted survey, the top bands/singers that help Britons get off to sleep in a hotel are:

  1. Coldplay
  2. James Blunt
  3. Snow Patrol
  4. Take That
  5. Norah Jones

I don’t really know much about the music business, I am guessing it is not really a compliment to be the band that puts people to sleep?

Thanks, Rory Boland, for the tip!

[via Lost Weekend]

Mahalo: How to Sleep on a Plane

by Justin Glow on

I’ve never been able to sleep on planes. Sure, I doze off occasionally, snapping my head forward every few minutes in a shot of confusion — but I’ve never truly slept in a way that leaves me feeling refreshed upon landing. It’s either too crowded, too loud, too hot, too cold, too comfortable; I can always find a reason to toss and turn. One of the only times I was able to really fall asleep was on an Alitalia flight to India, but that was because they served unlimited, free beer and wine. You get the picture.

The “human powered search engine” Mahalo has a handy how-to on sleeping on a plane. A lot of the info is obvious if you’re a semi-regular flier, but there are some tips that I hadn’t heard before. For instance, did you know the National Sleep Foundation says alcohol prevents sleep? I beg to differ. PLEASE let me differ. PLEASE.

Anyway, the how-to is broken up into 6 helpful steps:

  1. Book the right seat
  2. Prepare before your flight
  3. Use accessories to increase your comfort
  4. Warn people you plan to sleep
  5. Use sleep medications
  6. If money is no object, fly business or first class

Overall, it’s another great guide from the folks over at Mahalo. It should have you sleeping on planes in no time. But since it is a human-powered search engine, I, as a fellow human, would like to offer up a piece of advice for addition. The how-to warns that both the last row and the rows in front of the exit seats often do not recline, so you shouldn’t sit there unless you plan on sitting upright the entire time. Fair enough. However, if your seat does recline, mind the person sitting behind you. Even though the seats are designed to recline with minimal intrusion of your backseat neighbor’s personal space, it doesn’t always work that way — especially if they’re eating. So do everyone a favor, and communicate with the person behind you. Is he or she eating, or working a laptop perhaps? Don’t recline your seat quite yet. Instead, turn around and ask, “I’d like to recline my seat when you’re finished eating. Is that a problem?” Nobody likes a head of hair in their lap as they try to choke down the already-questionable food.

Or you could always just buy the Knee Defender.

1st Class Sleeper Prevents “Head-Bob”

by Willy Volk on

Neil recently mentioned how to sleep better on a plane. Personally, I don’t have a problem with falling asleep; I have a problem staying asleep. That maddening “Head-Bob” just drives me nuts. You know what Head-Bob is: You drift off… and your head slips to the right… You re-position… you drift off again… and your heads slides off to the left. Gravity can be so frustrating. Want to eliminate Head-Bob? Maybe you need a 1st Class Sleeper.

The 1st Class Sleeper is an inflatable pillow that provides back, neck, and head support on only a few breaths of air. More portable than a memory foam — since it’s deflatable and shove-in-your-bag-able — the $45 pillow hugs your buddy and helps prevent Head-Bob.

Sounds great. Now all I need is a seat with as much leg room as the guy in the picture has.

Odd Travel Job: Sleep Director

by Adrienne Wilson on

Question: What is the correct job title for a traveling man or woman that gets to romp around in bed all day and test hotel mattresses?

If your answer was a “Prostitute” then your mind needs cleansing and we will go no further with such raunchy talk in the workplace, even if they fit the bill. However, if you said “Sleep Director” then you probably heard the alarms sound because that is the correct answer, my friends. Sleep Directors have the fabulous and odd job of testing out all those cozy hotel beds before you do. According to Ted’s List, which includes three odd jobs this month, most hotel chains employ “Sleep Directors” or people who can tell if a mattress is too firm or too soft, and whether the design of the hotel room will keep you from dozing into dream worlds.

Now this bit of trivia was something I read over a week ago and it bothered me a little on the inside. I mean, it bothered me to the point of trying to find out more about this unusual gig. Do I personally wish to become a Sleep Director? Yawn, not quite. I’m just curious to know the qualifications. In my searches I was only able to find this job ad for a Mattress Tester. The employer seeking Mattress Tester 44 notes that their benefits package is quite competitive and that salary is determined by sleep experience. Additionally they are an Equal Opportunity Employer, but Federal law prohibits employment of extraterrestrials.

The madness!!! Is this for real? If there are any real Mattress Testers or Sleep Directors out there I beg you to leave a comment. Heck, if there are any extraterrestrials out there in the blogosphere make your presence known as well.

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