Road tripping (and falling) yet again… sigh…
Work all day, fly half way to location, sleep a couple of hours, get up, back to airport, fly to location, go to meetings, try to go to next meeting only to find out the car you’ve been rented has EXPIRED plates… Miss meeting… Sigh…
The more interesting part were two ladies, one on each flight that are worth comparing…
First flight, former supermodel (name withheld to protect the guilty). Pushed her way to the front of the boarding line, like it was her ‘right’. Bitched, moaned, whined, and yapped to seatmate the ENTIRE flight. Nothing was done right, she about wore out the flight attendant call button, it was ALL about her…
Second flight, elite female athlete (Triathlete).
Lady’s name is Shonny Vanlandingham, she is the XTERRA Triathlete 2011 female champion, very personable, very smart and VERY intense! If you’ve ever had the chance to actually talk to one of these folks, they are literally on a different plane (both mentally and athletically) than the rest of us.
She is recovering from an ACL injury, and I’m nothing short of amazed at the level of commitment, intensity, and confidence she exhibits. Also, the sheer mental and physical toughness to compete year after year at an elite level.
Also, her travel schedule and splitting time between Colorado (high altitude training), and Hawaii (base training), competing world-wide, in addition to being a late comer (29 to triathletics), just boggles the mind. Plus, she’s very knowledgeable about what is going on in the world, and very loyal to her sponsors (Loyalty? What a NOVEL concept)…
And at the same time, she was very humble and considers herself ‘lucky’ to be able to do something she loves and actually make a living at it…
But then she IS originally from Texas, has a very nice smile (and likes to shoot too)!
Of the two, Ms. Vanlandingham is a MUCH better role model and, to my mind, the much more impressive of the two…
I will gladly pay you Tuesday for Shonny Vanlandingham’s phone number today!
You invited Ms. Vanlandingham to the next blogmeet, right?
I note that you left out her looks, which are not exactly average…
It’s amazing how effective a smile and a positive attitude can be.
One might hope that you got Ms. Vanlandingham’s phone number in case you both should be in the same place a the same time again???
Sounds like a good combo–the Most Interesting Man in the World and the Intriguing Triathlete.
You know some of the nicest people….
Enjoy the good seat companions when you get them. I found them far and few between.
Gerry
Gotta love those Texas gals.
Of course, I’m biased…
re: the rental car – Who gets the ticket if you get stopped for expired plates; the driver, or the car rental company?
Triathletes are quite something else…my HS water-polo/kung-fu class buddy went on to do some big things in that field. After high school he went over to lifeguard on Oahu, and then down south to College and got into the sport down there… I went overseas and disappeared.
You were on a plane with Naomi Campbell???
What a contrast to the vapid twit former model.
Texas Lady. Yep, that says a lot.
Murph- I forgot… dammit…
Karl- Nah, she’s a ‘tad’ busy…
PH- True, but I was MORE impressed by her personality.
Andy- True!
MC- I didn’t, and figuring the odds, it comes down to the old ‘bat’s chance in hell’ 🙂
Les- Can’t say I know her, but I was definitely impressed by her!
Gerry- Amen to that!
Tim- It would be on me to pay it, since I’m driving, but I WOULD get the money out of the rental company…
DC- Allen is Impressive, but what you did is important too, and probably the less press the better…
Mrs. C- Not her, but one of her compatriots…
WSF- Yep, IN SPADES!!!
45er- Yep!
It was Gisele Bundchen, wasn’t it?
Mrs. C- nope…
Hm. Bitchy high-maintenance vs. cool, fit and personable…Let me think about it…