About Erica...

Erica Ortiz is a drag car driver.  She's 27 and races against anyone, mostly men, in what's called the Pro Modified class - it's fast, as in 200+ mph in 6+ seconds fast.  She has an all woman crew and is on the verge of winning all kinds of  things.  This year, she's got a new twin turbo Mustang, a new crew, and a new webtv reality show in the works!

Godspeed Scott Kalitta

Labels: At the Races

Not AGAIN!

Not very often I post twice in one day, but hell, I don't have anything better to do right now. I'm now sitting in Salt Lake City, UT... my flight from Atlanta was delayed in Atlanta and I landed in Salt Lake at 4:10 with 20 minutes to get to my gate.

After sprinting my ass off to get to my departing Vegas flight that left at 4:40, I figured I was good when I got to my gate at 4:30.... 10 minutes to spare. They then tell me that even though my plane was still at the gate, they didn't think I'd make it from my other flight so they had already closed the door and cannot reopen the door after it is closed.

Un-friggen-believable.

They wanted to put me on an AM flight, which was NOT an option for me, so they called another airline and now I have a nice 6 hour wait in the airport until 10pm tonight and all I got was a measely $7 food voucher. That oughta buy a nice, stiff margarita for my 2 day long trip to Vegas. This has been a nightmare of a trip!

Delta has definitely done me wrong this time!!!!! Anyone have any good ideas on killing 6 hours in a stuffy airport???

Labels: On the Road

Around the World in 24 hours

::Sigh::

I love airlines.

So I arrived in Cincinnati last night around 8pm, and missed my connecting flight. That was the last outbound flight to Vegas, so I had to spend the night in Cincinnati and go stand-by on the AM non-stop flight in the morning. As luck would have it, right as they scanned me in as a standby to board, the missing travelers came running down the terminal and I was bumped. Just my friggen luck!

So, my alternative was to fly back to Atlanta (45 minutes from home again!) and then to Salt Lake City, UT and THEN to Las Vegas. That's 4 flights just to get to Vegas. Oh what fun!

I'm sitting in the Atlanta airport on the floor right now sharing one of the rare power outlets to power up my laptop. You'd think with all the technology now-a-days, they'd have more than 2 outlets in a big airport like Atlanta. Go figure.

Hopefully, there won't be any more problems and I'll land in Vegas tonight in time to catch dinner and get settled in. I think I need a vacation!

Labels: On the Road

About Debbie...

Debbie is long time friend of Erica's, and is crew and marketing manager.  She's part of the new run for success this year - you'll see her in the pits and on the webtv show...her favorite quote "If you want to win anything - a race, your self, your life - you have to go a little berserk" says a lot about Debbie.

Veterans Keep Me Grounded

You know, I never realized how patriotic I really am.  I mean, I always stop what I am doing and stand with my hand on my chest for the national anthem when I am at the track or a footlball game. I get chills when I hear a great voice sing our countries song, I admit.  I always try to stay informed on  the war and the basic political issues of the week, but I never realized that some of the most moving and inspirational memories I have are related somehow to soldiers or veterans. Here's another one.

As I stood in the security line at JAX airport very early Saturday morning to make my way to Nashville there were about 60 or so older gentlemen in wheel chairs wearing yellow wind breakers waiting in a security line(just for them).  I thought wow, that's odd - must be a Shriners convention or some senior citizen group travelling somewhere. I thought - that's nice and continued to suck down my Starbucks before the guy made me trash it. 

About 5 minutes later and when I was about the 3rd person away from the guy who scribbles on your boarding pass, gives you that glaring dirty look and then sends you on to the next herding line,  A younger woman in her 30's loudly blurts out "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to take notice and give a round of applause to our WWII veterans who are on their way to Alaska for a reunion cruise".

You know, I immediately turned around to take another look and realized that they were a group of about 150 not 60 but I only noticed the ones in the wheel chairs.  At that moment, everyone ofcourse started to clap and cheer.  As, did I.  The weird thing was I couldn't help but getting choked up.  And, I am talking really choked up.  My eyes started tearing and I couldn't help getting terribly emotional.  I felt like I just wanted to run up to each and every one of them and give them a big hug and thank them. And, it reminded me that this isn't the first time I have been in such a situation and every time before this one I recalled getting just as emotional.  As I am writing this I am getting a little choked up.  What a sissy, I guess I am.   

Anyway, so there I was, awe struck in a way.  I was so proud to have seen them there and felt honored that I was one of the dozens of normal everyday people that were able to cheer and clap just to let them know how honored I was to applaude them and how even though they fought, came home and started a life post WWII that has since gone on longer than mine, I am still inspired by them. 

I couldn't help but think of them the entire trip to Nashville.  Because, I on the other hand, spent 4 days pissed off and miserable because it would not stop raining.  30 inches of rain in two days. Didn't get the yard work done, didn't want to go to the grocery store, complained I was getting cabin fever.  The kids were driving me crazy because they were couped up.  I was miserable because of some dumb low pressure system that dumped a bunch a rain on my area.  I was praying it would at least be sunny in Bowling Green.  I jokingly told Erica on the phone if it is cloudy when you pick me up from Nashville airport I am going to flip. 

How whimpy and complacent and spoiled we all are.  Can you imagine being a soldier in WWII, I thought to myself.  I felt like a jerk.  What a brat, I am.  God, it made me feel so petty and weak. I asked myself, was I actually complaining and being non productive from rain. How about bullets flying at you.  Or, Mustard Gas like in WWI, how about worn shoes in nasty cold weather, frost bite, fatigue, gee fighting to stay alive, even...  Wow, I was embarrased of myself.  Whining about a little bit of flood damage and some rain.

Yeah, my heroes have always been our soldiers.  Days like Saturday reminded me of why.  It's amazing how they can keep us grounded and push us to be stronger and strive to be better people from what they sacrificed for us so long ago.  I wish I could tell them all that.  We really do remember.  And, we really are thankful. I hope they know that inside their aging hearts. 

God bless our troops.  All of them.

      

 

  

 

 

To Be or Not to Be

When my son was in 4th grade he came in from riding his bike one Saturday afternoon and asked me what a MILF was.  It  took me a few minutes to jog my memory as to where I had heard that before and when it finally popped into my head, OH! That's American Pie, the movie... I was mortified.  I quickly blurted out.  I have no idea turned, and ran into the laundry room to hide my embarrasment behind the dryer door until I could regain my composure.  After all, what the hell was I supposed to say. 

So now the kid is in High School and his school mates in the lunch room asked him if his Mom is a Jaguar Cheerleader, yesterday. Is it cool to be the "hot" Mom or not? At this point I am thinking, not. 

Seems that my high schooler's friends have started to make him feel uncomfortable.  Which, makes me uncomfortable.  He's going through enough adjustment being a ninth grader this year.  He doesn't need anything else to make him feel like he doesn't fit in.  It's hard enough coming here from Miami and being half latin.  Don't get me wrong, I love where I reside.  I call it my very own Mayberry.  But, you know being from Miami and moving to suburban Jacksonville isn't always easy when it comes to fitting in.  So, now we are both screwed.  The soccer Moms will have nothing to do with me (which I don't mind) because I don't fit the mold here.  Thank God.  But, my high schooler's friends mothers don't want me around their kids because I am not 25 pounds overweight and dress like I shopped the sales rack at Talbots.  I don't let my hair turn grey 4 inches from my roots before I run to the nearest CVS, and I wear make up when I go out somewhere nice.  I care about my appearance and I feel I work at "staying attractive" for my husband.  So, I guess the other Moms don't want me around their kids or husbands, for that matter because the husbands are dumb enough to make comments like.  Wow, she's really nice.  (We all know what that means)  Or, She seems so down to earth.  Or, the death sentence statement.  She always looks so nice or even better "so put toghether". DONE.... I am done!, totally screwed. To top it all off, I drive a lowered car not a mini van or an Expedition.  So, I have been ostracized  from the "Soccer Mom" scene.  Seriously, I am a member of the PTO and when I sign up for volunteer work or purchases for the school, noone, I mean NO ONE ever calls me.  I've even called them and they kindly say in their sweet as pie, southern drawl.  Oh, no honey it's quite all right.  Mary Sue already baked those 200 cup cakes by herself.  Whatever!  I guess I should start answering okay fine, but your son Bobby says he likes my cup cakes better.  )ha- ha - ha - lol!)  I know that was just wrong... Funny, but wrong. 

 

My poor son.  I guess this will be another life lesson that helps build character.  I am sure one day he will look back and be proud.  

 

 

 

Damn it, MAN!