and so I sit

I am in the San Jose airport, waiting to board my plane to Arizona so that I can get my flight to Minneapolis. As I sit waiting and thinking I have some random thoughts to share with you, don't read them as complaints as they are merely observations not at all whining.

Why do they provide you with little trays on the plane to hold all of your stuff but not in the waiting area. I mean they request I be here 2 hours early, you would think tables and ottomans would be a good thing. Or lazy boys maybe a movie or music channel? Nope just hours sitting awkwardly in plastic chairs that have suspisious stains on them.

Why when you come to the airport do they not provide bigger containers for you to dump all of your stuff into. The guy in front of me needed 5 just to hold each of his things because they could not be piled. Which in itself makes me wonder because how do they see through my bags but are not able to see through a pile?
Why does the thing I have to walk through not beep when I am wearing metal? Is it not a metal detector? What is the point of taking off my shoes?

I seriously doubt the usefulness of self check-in when the girls behind the counter have to step out and around to help each and every passenger figure out the blasted thing. Like wise why check in online and print out my boarding pass only to have to check in again at the airport?

Why do people not understand that I do not care about their phone calls here or in coffee shops so I do not need to hear every word they say. And if they are going to talk that loud, at least do it in a language I know so that I can eavesdrop properly.

I miss the days when your favorite people were standing at the gate awaiting your arrival, maybe holding balloons or flowers or at least hugging and greeting you. I just watched a plane unload its passengers all who just looked lost tired and bummed, that is not how one wants to feel after getting off the plane. They want to feel welcomed and embraced. I propose that the airline seriously consider hiring greeters like Walmart, who could at least bridge the gap fear has created.

It is sad that we have allowed fear to take the fun and excitement out of travel. Remember the days before security checks, and announcements every few min about what level terrorist warning we were in. What do those colors do for me? It's not like I am going to change my flight because it is orange vs yellow it just adds stress and removes pleasure. I would rather just not know.

Why do we automatically think that because we are in an airport we are not safe, we don't do all this for any other type of travel. And more terrorist attacks happen in cars if I am not mistaken. (which I admit I may be) But you don't see us having to drive our cars through scans and submitting our passengers to random checks every time we hit the freeway.

Why am I surrounded by people who talk to no one in the room only those on the other end of their electronic device of choice? Myself included.

Do all of the supplies and workers go through check points as well? Cause if not all of this is worthless.

Will my cell phone really mess up the plane? Cause if so why do even let people carry them on? Cause last time I flew next to and older lady and she did not hear them say to turn them off and had hers on the whole time. We did not crash.

Okay time to board!