"How can we make flying even more of a miserable, soul-sucking experience? I KNOW."

Instead of the plane being always too cold, make it swelter! The post-boarding pre-takeoff wait of doom? Four hours minimum! Play muzak the whole flight!!

I have to go up on my tiptoes and heave, and there's an upper limit to what I can lift with my toes, man.

who stands in the aisle and looks pitiful

I'm pretty sure this was the key part of that post. I've asked for help when I've overpacked my carry-on, and I'm tall! But I do keep the process moving, and not just stand there looking sad.

I always volunteer for that last-minute check thing they'll do, where they take your bag right at the bottom of the ramp before you walk on the plane, because I *always* have trouble getting my bag up into the compartment.

where they take your bag right at the bottom of the ramp before you walk on the plane,

I love when they do this - they do it a lot at the Burbank airport. I wish they did it on every flight.

I hate carrying a bag more than I do checking. Purse large enough to hold a book or two, waterbottle, jewelry carrier, ipod, wallet and anything else I might need for the duration of transit. That's it.

I think it comes from having to sprint from terminal A to terminal Z in 30 minutes or less far too many times (when you fly to relative podunk, you really don't want to miss that final leg because it's your only chance that day.)

I'm pretty sure this was the key part of that post.

Good point. When I'm wrestling with a suitcase, I'm pretty sure that I look like an insane, ridiculous, little wrathmonster.

I don't know why I'm compelled to post this, considering that I'm all of 5'4".

an insane, ridiculous, little wrathmonster.

Who's the cutest little wrathmonster? Who is? You are!

American Airlines

when are they going to add the surcharge for taking up the seat that they sold to someone else also?

I am starting on my "hit by a bus" binder for daily tasks I do and I feel much the same way you do - it will be a tome.

It's definitely making me feeling vindictive and contrary.

you know, when they had me do that a few years back, it gave me enough data to argue for a large raise.

A grad student just sent me his CV for a job. It's SIX PAGES. Sweetie, I've been working professionally for over ten years, and mine is two pages. No, no, no.