turowski

Ha, you're right. The doctor barely answers the question, instead uses the opportunity to plug his below-industry-average enhancement rate and the "Products" section of his website. A real answer would include things like post-op complications, aging-related changes in the cornea and lens, and numerical quantification of vision changes several years after surgery, not a commercial advertisement for dry eye products for use during the recovery period.

Michael Chertoff is laughing all the way to the bank on this one...

I have to travel a lot anyway (usually about once per month to see my husband and/or the rest of my family), so even without my annual mileage run, I would still have Silver or Gold Medallion status. However, the extra little "bump" to Platinum means that I earn even more bonus miles on each trip, my chances of an upgrade are better each flight, I get a valuable "welcome" gift from Delta, and I receive better treatment in the case of schedule interruptions (along with a slew of other benefits). This one optional mileage run ensures that my necessary travel next year will be noticeably more enjoyable.

As for money, I do spend a significant amount of personal money on air travel, about $300-400 per month on average, and I'm just a grad student. It's manageable, though - I am frugal with my money in other areas, and the travel is necessary so I get to see my husband every few weeks. I like to travel anyway, so I fit it into my budget. Most major carriers are instituting minimum spend requirements next year, so in order to earn Gold Medallion status, you have to spend at least $5,000 annually exclusive of taxes and fees. I am not sure yet how that will affect my status - we will see.

why do you live across the country from your husband I am in grad school at MIT. He used to work in Boston, but he had to relocate to Houston two years ago. He works in a specialized part of the financial sector, so good job opportunities are hard to find.

how often do you see him and for how long We usually see each other once per month, for a weekend. Holidays and vacations are usually a week or so at a time. Some months are better, and some are worse. The distance isn't fun or convenient, but the time we spend together is always worth the wait.

how long has this been going on and for how much longer? I have one year of grad school left. He moved from Boston in January 2012, after we had been dating for one year. We decided to keep it going and got engaged. We married in June of this year.

does your husband ever visit you? If not, why not? He does, and he has Silver status on United, but he does not like to fly, so I usually travel more to visit him than he does to visit me. It doesn't take much to get me on a plane. :)

what's your worst turbulence story. How ba: was it, how long did it last? Oh, God, our descent into Anchorage on Saturday night was absolutely gut-wrenching. That may have taken the cake for me. Usually, it's only for 5-10 minutes or so, so you white-knuckle through it, and it's fine.

do you have any flying nerves of any kind during bad turbulence? If not, why are you so sure of your safety? Not really. Immediately, it can be a bit scary, but plane crashes are so infrequent compared to car crashes, it really doesn't make any sense to worry about safety. The National Safety Council says that your risk of dying in a plane crash is 1 in 7,229, whereas your risk of dying in a car crash is 1 in 108. Pilots and auto-pilot systems historically do very well to maintain a safe environment in the air. A cocktail is a nice way to take the edge off...

what perks do you get on flights with no first class? I get two free checked bags, I get free upgrades to Economy Comfort seating at time of ticket purchase, I get early boarding (right after First Class boards), I get expedited security and check-in counter lines, and I get access to a high-priority phone line in case of schedule mishaps. If I remember to print my boarding passes at home, and I'm not upgraded on any of the segments, I get a coupon for a free alcoholic beverage or a free non-perishable snack item.

why delta and not another airliner? I started flying Delta because they offered a reasonably priced nonstop flight from Boston to Columbus, Ohio, and it made it easy to visit my family often. Once I started flying them enough, I realized that if I consolidated my flying, I could easily earn frequent flyer status every year.

what do you do for a living that forces you to travel so often? I honestly don't travel much for work/school - maybe one or two US conferences per year. I'm still in grad school, so it's not like I'm flying across the country 'round the clock giving keynote addresses or consulting like some of my academic mentors.

best bar airport is what and where? Why is it the best? Not sure I understand this question - are you asking about my favorite airport bar? Or the airport with the best bars in general? I tend to avoid airport bars because I have lounge access through my American Express Platinum card, and the booze is usually free in airline lounges. International lounges, when you can find one, are usually far superior to American lounges, but most of the airports I fly do not allow me access to international lounges (ATL and LAX being the most frequent exceptions).

how many countries have you visited? Favorite? Not a ton. France, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Mexico/Canada, the Bahamas, Bermuda, some of the US Virgin Islands. I have also been to Alaska six times. We went to Tahiti and Bora Bora for our honeymoon this past July, though, and that was really awesome. It was so pristine, so beautiful. We are putting aside money to be able to go back someday.

The Hill's rx GI Biome food is magical. I had to surgically remove a hairball obstruction from my ragdoll's small intestine last year, and I fed him the dry and canned versions during his recovery. He had normal, comfortable poops and a good appetite within five days post-op! I also have a German Shepherd patient who got violent gastroenteritis on anything he ate, but he's been on the GI Biome dry for about six months now, and he has been perfect.