Category Archives: travel

husband, travel

In-ears

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I’m sitting on a flight to Austin, TX again. My head leans against the wall of this Southwest Airline plane, and LeeAnn Womack croons to me about Solitary Thinkin’. (FYI – I’m in the music video for this song.)

You’re probably wondering what the title of this post means. I’m getting to it.

Ah… Heidi Newfield now. A dear friend. “Cry Cry (Til the Sun Shines)” I turn it up to hear the B3 sing to me. I smile.

No one around me can hear it. Similarly, if someone spoke to me now, I’d hear nothing. I’m wearing my husband’s back-up pair of E5s.

E-what you might ask. I know I was lost the first time I heard of them. Think super-duper-expensive and high-tech pair of ear buds. Like the ones that come with your iPod.

If you’ve been to a concert, or perhaps have watched live music on tv, you’ve probably seen the musicians and artist wearing headphone/ear buds. They’re called in-ear monitors. They let the musicians hear themselves. Some artists use floor monitors (basically speakers facing them) to hear instead, but a vast majority today use In-ears.

Random side story, I was at a concert when the guy beside me very seriously told me, “They wear those so someone can tell them the words to the songs.” I just nodded and acted like it was brilliant he figured that out, all the while going in my head,”You wouldn’t believe the truth even if I showed you my lammie (backstage pass) to prove I know the REAL story.”

I still remember the first time my husband let me wear his In-ears for awhile. It was long before we even started dating; he stuck them in my ears to hear what he was hearing. I was amazed. The quality was impeccable and I am sure my jaw dropped when he said they cost him $400 new.

He’s used these In-ears for years, but as all things have want to do, they started to just wear out. They have ceased to be the superior quality he needs and expects on stage, and he’s gotten a new pair. (Thankfully this time NOT paying $400.) His old faithful pair are his “just in case” back-ups.

They’ve made many miles with him. Every state in the US. They’ve been to Canada, Turkey, Iceland, Switzerland, Qatar, Japan, South Korea and more.

Last night, as I packed for my trip, I found my iPod ear buds were MIA. I tore through multiple bags to no avail. Dug in jacket pockets. I found $5 but no ear buds. I was facing a 2 hour flight without music.

I plopped on the couch with a pout.

My husband offered me his old E5s.

“No self-respecting wife of a musician should have sub-par ear buds anyway,” he said.

I was giddy!!! This morning he dug into his work-box and carefully packed the old E5s and tucked them in my purse. He has no idea that that gesture meant more to me than if he’d stuck a note in there that said, “I love you.”

So as I carefully put them in my ears and cranked up the iPod, I felt like he was wrapping me up in a big bear hug. I was no longer traveling alone.

Now Exile is singing “Gimme Just One More Chance” and my toes are tapping happily, sipping a cup of tea from Starbucks. Ready, now, to embark on the weeks adventure: my cousin’s wedding…

travel

Restroom: DENIED

With gas prices going higher and higher these days, its hard not to cringe when you pull up to the pump. However, my latest cringe at the pump was not to price… it was the fact that I needed to pee.

Enroute to Texas from Tennessee (a 13 hour drive), fuel, food and pee stops are a must.  We often end up fueling based on what station at which we have a credit card to use. This trip: Exxon.

Right around half-way, we were reaching the desperate level for fuel, and I was searching Google Maps for Exxons. However, after 10 pm, the first two we went to were closed. Our last chance before we entered a long span of Interstate nothingness was an Exxon in Benton, AR. I checked and found they would be open until midnight. Fuel. Grab a drink. We needed to pee. It would work out nicely.

We pulled up, and I noted the gas price was “reasonable” and the place well lit. I made note of a very nice looking woman behind the counter, and I suddenly felt very relaxed and comfortable with our stop choice.

As my husband started to fuel, I went in to use restroom. I saw a sign up on the door that said it was closed for cleaning. Huh. Well, we weren’t in that big of a hurry. I could wait a little while.

The woman behind the counter asked if she could help me, and I said I needed to use the restroom. I was informed that, “restrooms close at 9 pm so I don’t have to go clean them again every 5 minutes.” I wanted to cry. I wanted to yell. Instead, I went, “oh ok.” And walked out.

As the cold air hit me, I decided I was angry. And I was reminded again: I needed to GO!

Bathrooms close at 9? No apology? No suggestion where else I could go? Just closed so they don’t have to clean them again? What about customers who NEED to stop? What about customers who just spent…

I told my husband to just stop fueling. I didn’t want to give his place another penny. We were so close to full, though, that stopping didn’t make sense either.

I explained what happened, and my husband was mad too. He went in to inquire, and was told it was what her manager told her to do. It was station policy.

When my husband came back, also irritated, I was just clicking off $61 in fuel.

$61 to be told I couldn’t pee, without apology and without any help as to where to find an open restroom.

We left, and the longer we drove trying to find a restroom, the more upset we got. I put out a scalding review on Google places, as well as Foursquare. NO ONE else should treated as we were.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. The woman has pleasant enough. But the thing that really got us was the lack of sympathy. The lack of service — we were travelers that did not know the area — was what angered us. It can be station policy to close the restrooms, but you can curve the sting by still helping out in some manner.

We eventually found this small privately owned truck stop to use the restroom and get something to drink. I was leery at first, but I discovered some of the cleanest restrooms ever! I was really happy we stopped there! I wish it had been where we fueled, even, because I want to help places that help me.

But, alas, I am left with the frustration of having been denied my need to pee. And that, my friends, is one need that should NOT be denied.

So, dear Exxon in Benton, AR, I will not be back. I doubt you really care, but I do. As does my bladder. I won’t forget.