Personal Space

So first of all, I'd like to thank everyone who read this blog and made things happen. My mom emailed me to say that last night on the news they announced that the air marshalls would get to dress regular and not be treated differently. I never thought I had that much influence, but there it is. :) Now, if we could just handle that whole bathroom door thing, life would be sweet.

My second complaint - and this is one I come across more than just while traveling - people encroaching on your personal space.

I am a big personal space person. I will hug you if I like you, but I don't want to stand close to people I don't even know. I don't want them touching me and I definitely don't want to be close enough to smell them or feel them breathing on me.

So where this is very annoying is waiting for your baggage at the airport. Now, I get off the plane and usually make a pit stop (remember I NEVER make people get up so I can go on the plane) then I head across the terminal to get my baggage. People start to congregatge around the conveyor and at first they tend to keep a reasonable distance from each other and stand about five foot from the belt, so that everyone can actually SEE their luggage as it comes by. Then there's those people who show up at the last minute and literally step in between you and the guy next to you and stand directly in front of you, completely blocking your view and definitely invading your personal space.

Inevitably, these people are loud talkers or shifters (people who have to walk in place or do aerobics from one leg to another). Now I travel comfortable because most flights are hot, so I wear hiking sandals. I have to say that San Diego almost lost one of their citizens on Monday, because if he had stepped on my foot one more time, I was going to beat him with my carry-on. And I could have easily taken him.

So again, why do some people think they're so important that they should just push their way to the front then walk all over the people who were standing patiently in line? Are parents not raising children with any manners anymore??????? If we could carry liquids on the plane, I'd be tempted to have one of those mixes that we did as kids that smelled like the boys locker room. I think it was sulfur and something else. Yuck. But I bet no one would want to stand anywhere near me, much less close enough to step on my feet.