1. While running errands, I had my radio on and heard an ad for a local nightclub. They were advertising a competition that was called “itty bitty” (or something to that effect) and the grand prize was a breast enhancement! WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE???? I could not believe that they were using that as a prize…what has the world come to?? I literally said, “WHAT?” out loud…by myself…in my car. That’s the end of my rant. Enough said.
2. “Overhead-Bin Bullies”
So, if you ever happen to see us in the airport, you’ll see us each with our backpacks (mine is WAY cooler cause mine has wheels), our purses and generally a tall Starbucks…(can’t drink too much before you get on a plane, ya know?) So on our last flight, Jill and I had boarded early…set our backpacks nicely above us in the overhead bin and started settling in to our exit row seats 
Shortly thereafter, a woman boarded who had a seat in front of us and asked if she could move our backpacks and stack them on top of each other so she could fit her small suitcase in our spot. Jill immediately looked down to avoid eye contact & confrontation and I politely said, “Sorry, but no.” I didn’t want our computers to get crushed and since my backpack has wheels, it could and would have done some damage to Jill’s. So more time passes and one of the last passengers to board, strolls up to our area and declares to the 25 people around us…”I’m going to move these backpacks and take them down 6 rows and shove them in a tiny spot so I can fit my bag in this spot.” I could not believe it….twice in ONE flight. Just because our bags aren’t as big, people were trying to take our spot. So I, for the second time on this flight, looked her square in the eyes and just said, “No. Sorry. We’d like our bags to stay there. Thank you.” She was not pleased. But I was…it felt really good to say no. Not becauase I was trying to be a jerk–but because gosh darn it, I don’t like being bullied on a plane.
Alright…that’s all for now.
-kate-
Oh man I so feel the same exact way about my bags on planes. I’m like I put my bag their for a reason please don’t mess with it. I don’t touch your stuff so don’t mess with mine. Go you for saying no haha. oh and exit rows seriously the best, they always have the leg room.
oh and what the heck is that radio ad, uh yeah ok weirdo contest, people sometimes are just ugh.
Right on Kate! Stick it to the bullies!
wow! being bullied on a plane does not sound fun! but right on, kate! you gotta stick up for your backpacks
“gosh darn it”
Haha
U go girl!
Way to stick up for urself!!!!!
Ok 1st – What the Hell? Why would any woman objectify themselves like that? I’m all for if your not happy with something then change, do something about it; BUT to objectify yourself in front of a room full of men(I’m assuming) to win some contest that is degrading! Not cool! How’s that supposed to help the self-esteem?
2nd – Good for you for standing up for yourself! I don’t think you were being a jerk at all! I HATE when people try and move your bag! Every time I fly now(which is a lot) I put my bag by my feet. And you don’t know what people have in their bags so why would someone try and stack them or man-handle them? Bothers me..
Lol somehow this comment turned into a venting session for me too.
-Tiff
I’m taking a plane to Orlando tomorrow ;P — kind of glad your not on my plane.
Actually, I applaud the way you acted. In those situations 1 of 2 things can happen. You can be unhappy or the other person can be unhappy. Kudos to you for choosing yourself.
Oh and the “itty-bitty” bit – um….well…uh – no words for that either.
I’m glad you said no. Sometimes it’s invigorating. Especially if you’re used to being nice and just saying yes to please people. I’m proud. That’s awesome.
AND WOW to what you heard on the radio. That saddens me. I mean I know that they always say every generation is “getting worse.” But I’m only 23 and I think things have gotten bad with how people are. I not only see it in the media, but even with my friends around me. It’s crazy.
Love it when y’all blog.
LOL “gosh darn it”. I say that too to be more PG (inside I’m thinking of less PG things I could be saying but won’t). Good for you for standing up for yourself.
I think that that nightclub contest is ridiculous! It sends out the wrong message. We shouldn’t have other people tell us that our bodies aren’t good enough for one reason or another and that plastic surgery is the solution. That’s disgusting.
kate you handled that quite well…i hate when people do that! i would of probably told them to F off haha
and as for that radio prize ..that does not surprise me. i am in my late teens and seeing that crap makes me sick to my stomach…and they wonder why people have no self confidence anymore?
.
I am flying to florida tm, i will be putting my bag under the seat in front of me now, lol!!!!!
see you girls in Orlando
Oh man!
I travel a lot–not as much as you!–but a lot (I’ve upgraded myself to the “Expert Traveler” lane @ BNA haha). And I can’t stand Plane Bullies; there are too many of them out there, you know? Wanting more space for their bag, or refusing to check their bag, or sighing if you ask to sit in their row (holla Southwest).
Maybe their mommies and daddies (or grandparents or other relatives or guardians) never taught them to share, or wait their turn, or that if you snooze you lose.
Gosh darnit, thank you for standing up to the crazy bully people. I’m glad you and your laptops came out alive!
I think we should all start a ‘I hate flight attendants’ club!
Every flight attendant hates me because by feet stick out in the the aisle. Then, as if things can’t get worse, because of my balance I always bump onto the seat ahead of me, then the passenger calls the attendant who makes a big deal out of it… it’s a never ending fight!!!
Always love your venting blogs Kate
Awww…I love reading your blogs.
Good for you that you stood up for yourself. Of course I think I’d be a bit harsher than you, (I’m nice but don’t piss me off) but you handled that admirably.
Something else that annoys me about the overhead bins…
I was on a plane not too long along with my friend and we also boarded early…we were behind this guy and then he puts his things right above our seats…I thought, “OK, this guy must be sitting in our row”…he then proceeds to go like literally five or six rows to his seat. REALLY??? There are NO ONE in his row…no one had put anything above him…I was so confused and pissed off at this point because now my friend and I couldn’t put our stuff in the overhead bin RIGHT ABOVE OUR HEADS…so I got the fight attendant to move his stuff…hahaha.
I guess they gotta learn…Don’t mess with Kate
And the Contest…Just WOW. And the sad thing is that they will probably be tons of girls entering
Yeah…this is long. Sorry
Good for you! Something similar happened to my friends and I, except for it was on a train, haha…it does feel good to say no
And about that ad…what?!?! Are they for real? That’s just…bad…I’ve never heard of that kind of ‘contest’ before and I’m kind of offended by it. I also don’t really understand why people can’t just be happy with what they’ve got?
Kind of made me think of this:
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.” – Anne Frank
way to go Kate!! great job!! Im glad you stood up for yourself! I can’t believe someone would do that. Im sorry.. I wish I was on a plane with you lovely ladies! best plane ride ever! haha well im glad your doing well!
OMG kate youre tough! lol, I would so have sat down if youd have said no to me! ha ha. Good on ya for sticking up for yourselves, too many people in this world try and boss you around.
I need to get more tough like that…..I always have problems on trains I book my seat and then I’ll get to it and like someone will be sat in it with a kid or an older lady and I just actually can’t make myself tell them thats my seat and they need to move. It’s happened to me like 10 times in 3 years of travelling back and forth from university to home. -Sigh-
The breast enlargement competiton is ridiculous! Here I am waiting for a reduction and some silly people are wanting them bigger….they’re more trouble than they are worth lmao
woooooo!!!! GO YOU!
1. people are crazy. i mean really that just shows what this world is coming too.. lol
and
2. good for you for sticking up for yourselves! haha yay! im sure you told them.. they probably didnt know what to do with themselves once you denied them. haaaa
i would be jill in that situation… look down and avoid all contact. but good on you for standing your ground.. some people are just jackasses
I totally read this last night, but was too sleepy to formulate sentences. Haha.
Anyway, funny that you update about breast enhancements right now… because I’ve heard several times over the past few days WOMEN saying to other WOMEN “Oh, she should get breast implants.” Like really?!?! Do we live in that kind of world where if we don’t conform to a certain standard of beauty, we should probably change it?? Gross. What bothered me even more was it wasn’t even someone with poor self-esteem saying they wanted the surgery for herself, but they were encouraging others to get it. I was like “Umm, maybe just maybe, some people are happy with themselves, and don’t want breast implants.” What a novel concept, huh?
Oh, and wooo exit seats. My best friend and I are rather tall, so we prefer exit seats too, except I kind of hope we never have to save a plane because I don’t think I’d actually be able to function if that ever happened. *knocks on wood*
Good for you for sticking it to that lady though! Both ladies, twice! I don’t see how anyone could even have the nerve to ask such a thing. If your luggage is gigantic, check your freaking bag. I’ve had this really big, macho guy try to do that to me once, move my stuff to an entirely different overhead bin, and he didn’t even ask me before he started to manhandle it! I definitely put my foot down too because really?!!? Grrr. Plus, I had my laptop in my carryon too. People are annoying, and should really pack lighter, haha.
Way to go Kate your my new friendly skies HERO!!! And Jill come on you could have at least gave them the evil eye…. LOL
Also I’m with you about what in the world is wrong with PEOPLE these days!!! I ask myself that everyday…
Great rant anyways!!! I loved it…
lol at the first one ;P people are insane. i mean, everyone is different. people complain if their breasts are too small or too big. no one is ever satisfied. grr.
and i’m so proud of you for the 2nd one
i mean, i probably would have been like Jill to be honest and avoid eye contact. but in my head i would be thinking what you said! haha. people can be rude sometimes! grrr.
love. xo.
I couldn’t agree more about both things!! LMAO about Jill… I’d kinda be the same if I had someone with me to say something instead of me…
Anyway, loved this update! Go kate!
1. Seriously? That’s ridiculous. Do we all have to look the same? That would be so boring… I sure hope we don’t all end up as robots.
2. Way to go girls.. I totally understand, I’m not that tough and stay too polite to people sometimes.. People can be really mean and have no respect whatsoever.. so you gotta stand up for yourself.
Way to go sticking up for yourselves, ladies! I’ll be taking a leaf outta your book the next time I run into a flight bully.
As for the contest… sadly in my city/country there’s a competition of that kind every freakin’ year in march on one of the radio stations here, for the past 2 or 3 years. Makes me sick to hear how many women enter the darn thing every time.
Personally I’m a member of the Itty Bitty Committee myself, and while I’m laughing about it every now and then, I’m quite happy with myself.
Rock on.
BOTH CRAZINESS!!
similar thing happened to me but on a train!!
I really have no response to the radio thing. That disturbs me. Way. Too much. Gr!
But, definitely props to you and speaking up! I was actually just thinking this morning about how much of a push over I was and how security or teaching jobs would be impossible for me. I guess I should really work on that. How dare those bullies.
good for you kate! im happy you said no.. people cant expect to be able to get away with everything. its ridiculous how rude people are these days. you were nice and polite about it, but me, my biggest pet peeve is rude people so i would have been a bit more mean to them especially with the second person because once is enough for pushing my buttons so im already hot tempered haha i totally would have flipped. props to you for being so kind and generous
that doesnt surprise me one bit though! hope the flight was good after that at least!!
<3
why cant those people but their bags where they wanted to shove yours ?!!! thats just stupid ! good job for sticking with it !!!
hope ya had a good flight !
Hope x
Wow Kate, you sound like a real bitch. (not really, but there were too many “way to go’s” and I don’t want your head to get big…)
way to be kate- be assertive! i would totally want to tell off those people, but i wouldn’t have the balls haha.
people are rude. she needed a dose of reality anyways.
funny thing about that commercial…i went to florida for spring break and last night we were driving through TN on the way back to chicago and i heard the same exact commercial and laughed out loud. it was like 2am so i just thought it was one of those stupid time filler commercials. but since you heard it too im beginning to wonder about people’s sanity.
I don’t like checking my bag but I do it because there is just not enough room in the overhead bins. Those people that are determined not to check bags that come on with mega rolling suitcases, a purse the size of a gym bag and a backpack really tick me off. The airline should catch them before they are allowed to board and make them check a bag. The flight attendents should be working the aisles to do “Bin Control.” Kudos for not letting yourself get pushed around!!
…The thank you is what makes it all worth while
Kind of like when people say “bless your heart” ;-0 I’m just sayin!
Good for you Kate. Seriously! I am not just sayin’ this ’cause you’re talented and I love the thread of social consciousness that runs through your blog. I think it is not always easy to be assertive, especially when someone gets all aggressive. Classy job. PS – Jill’s reaction, haha- funny!
My bag goes by my feet, I don’t trust people on planes – and what’s with people being allowed GIANT bags on with them? I make such an effort to be economical with my packing, following the airline’s rules on size etc, and yet I always get there and some idiot will be trying to force their massive hold-all into the overhead bins, obviously holding up EVERYONE else who’s trying to board ’cause they can’t just step into their row!
…phew! Rant over