My Shameless Rant about US Airways

I really don’t like to complain. I mean, I really, really don’t like to complain. But USAirways has – once again – infuriated me.

First, there was the virtual loss of eSavers. (No, USAirways, I don’t consider a $139 flight between Charlotte and Greensboro an eSaver. Who in their right mind would pay that to fly 90 miles when they could drive there in the same amount of time?)

And now, the Charlotte Observer is reporting that Charlotte’s airfares have dropped 30 percent over the last six years! That’s funny, because I used to be able to fly direct to my hometown to visit family for no more than $200 – maybe $230 around the holidays. Now, I can’t get a flight home for less than $300 unless I connect through Detroit on Northwest - thereby adding several hours to the trip. Huh.

Perhaps more infuriating is the fact that I can fly to California (ie, other side of the country) for less money than I can fly to the Northeast.

I don't even like to fly anymore. If it weren't for the unreasonable 13-hour drive, I wouldn't have anything to complain about.

Am I the only one in Charlotte who thinks the lower airfare claim is preposterous?

A Healthy (?) Summer Harvest

It's hard enough to plan healthy, nutritious, low-fat meals that are appealing to one's fast-food-favoring husband. But my head is spinning (and my stomach churning) with all this talk about the chemical-laden, contaminated, mislabeled products in our food supply. There's the seafood from China, the green onions from California, and an ever-growing list of pet foods. A new story from the San Francisco Chronicle finds that the problem is worldwide.

Luckily, it's summer, which means prime time for fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmer's market, and even a few from my own backyard. There's nothing like tasting a freshly cut tomato, still warm from the sun, and knowing that the corn you're buying was harvested just down the road, just yesterday. Charlotte's Regional Farmer's Market is a great choice for variety, especially during the week when visitors are sparse.

I'm smart enough to know that some (if not most) of these farmers use pesticides and that local does not necessarily mean unsusceptible-to-contamination. But to me, the fewer hands that touch it and the shorter distance it travels, the better. If only I had that land in the country to sow my own seeds.

Like Nothing Else

So, I’m driving to work this morning, and in front of me is a shiny new Hummer. These vehicles have been on the streets of Charlotte for years now, but every time I see one, I have to wonder what in the world the driver was thinking.

This monster weighs in at 6400 lbs, and is designed to maneuver over rocks and through water, which makes sense given its original use as a military vehicle. But, are the people who are driving these things around suburbia and over the interstate for their daily work commute getting a whole lot of off-road use? I’m thinking not…

Instead, their gas mileage will hover around 10 mpg at best. On a 32-gallon tank, they’ll shell out $100 every time they fill up… not to mention the high cost they paid for the Hummer in the first place.

So, what exactly is the appeal?

The Hummer’s motto is, “Like nothing else,” and I have to agree. These vehicles clearly stand out, as do their owners. They’re quite obviously nuts!

Small-Town Girl in the Wannabe-Big City

Growth is good, right? And Charlotte is growing, growing, growing. Just open the newspaper… more schools, wider roads, a new wing at SouthPark mall, and the possibility of (gasp) a Trump condo building! Everything is new, clean, fresh, and expensive-looking – a developer’s dream. And yet, the enchanted feeling I had when I moved here in 1998 is fading. Where is our sense of history? Our sense of authenticity? Our sense of people who are real, and true, and unabashedly middle class?

We have a newer, bigger, better arena, so let’s tear down the antiquated (19-year-old) Coliseum. Mom-and-pop restaurants? Nahhhh, we need another parking deck. And Farmer Jim can’t afford his property taxes anymore, so we might as well buy him out and build a new subdivision... with a quick 20-mile, hour-plus commute over 485.

I’m not against growth and change. But, the changes I’ve seen in this city within the last few years make me long for a simpler life – one without traffic, sprawl, or pretense. “Why don’t we move to the country?” I casually suggested to my husband earlier this week. “Way, way out there. Buy a couple acres, live off the fatta the land, get a couple more dogs…” A quick sideways glance indicated he had either not heard me or tactfully chose not to respond to my plea.

There are compelling reasons to stay in Charlotte. Lots of job opportunities. Plenty of fantastic independent restaurants. A network of supportive friends. The Panthers. And last but not least, my husband’s pension.

But is it possible to stay here without becoming a slave to the system? Is it possible to slow down and simplify without shutting down or being shut out? Only time will tell.