Four Years Ago

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Four years ago I got a speeding ticket. Quite a heafty one too. I was in Holbrook, Arizona on my way to Phoenix from Washington DC. Apparently, I was going so fast that it was considered “criminal speed,” and when the cop pulled me over and asked “do you know how fast you were going” I remember replying “yes, and so does my mom.. shes sitting right next to me.”

Six hours later, we arrived in Phoenix. I’ve been here ever since. I moved to Phoenix from Washington DC to work for US Airways. In DC I was working for Republic Airlines and a friend of mine told me that US Airways was hiring for their Phoenix base and I should consider it. Bigger planes, more destinations and a lot more fun.

I flew to Phoenix for the first time on March 15, 2006 with an open mind. I was expecting a city of catcus and sand.. but ended up loving the city. I went to the info session for US Airways and was impressed with what I saw, so impressed, I was almost hoping they’d be doing same day interviews. They were. Except, there was only time for 4 interviews and my friend who came down for the interview with me, Vicki, who also worked at Republic, got one of them. I wasn’t able to come back on any of the dates they were offering so I put the job at US Airways aside and started to head home. At that point Vicki offered her interview spot to me. She didn’t need to get back to DC anytime soon and could stay with her parents in Houston until her interview date.

Three hours later, I was sitting in a room with a table and two chairs. No windows, no pictures, just the table and chairs. A recruiter came in the room, introduced himself and the interview was underway. He asked me one question. “Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond for a customer, what happened and what was the outcome.” I still remember how I answered the question, but it’s not important. He stood up and said “I’ll be right back.”

Fifteen minutes later he came back with a manilla envelope. Reached out his hand and said: “I’d like to offer you a job at US Airways.” I couldn’t believe it. Not to mention, I was in the first class of the “new” US Airways.

I bring this up because the opportunity that US Airways afforded me and the move to Phoenix changed my life. At US Airways I moved up the ranks from Flight Attendant, to Coordinator in Human Resources, to Executive Assistant to the Managing Director of Human Resources and finally Analyst in InFlight Policies & Procedures.  While at US Airways though, I met the best friends anyone could ever ask for. Of which three have become really close best friends. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. From USAir, I quit and helped to start up the airline I currently work for.. and thankfully those three best friends, along with some of the great people I met, have made the move with me. Everything happens for a reason.

Anyway, as I start another year here in Phoenix I can only wonder where I’ll be next year at this time. I’m trying to decide if I want to stay in Phoenix, buy a place, or consider moving to Los Angeles to live where I’m based. It should be an interesting next 8 months as I try to figure all of this out.

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