Movie Review: Netflix’s “Extraction” is a Bloody Good Time

“We just got attacked by The Goonies from hell.” — Tyler Rake in “Extraction”

It seems like a lot of “movie snobs” on the internet take delight in criticizing Netflix’s slate of original movies. 

I understand it, but I don’t necessarily think its fair. 

The theatrical box office the past few years has been elevated by Disney pumping out a steady stream of Marvel and Star Wars movies. In particular, the release of multiple Marvel movies annually (each film typically generates gross revenues around $1 billion globally) are the proverbial poles holding up the tent. 

I tend to view those Marvel movies — and their intertwined nature through 20-plus films — as having more in common with serialized TV series than typical blockbusters of the last 50 years. 

If you take Marvel movies out of the conversation, then a number of recent Netflix films feel like box office tentpoles from the early ‘00s. 

In particular, a movie like the Ryan Reynolds thriller “6 Underground” just “feels” like things I've watched in a theater. 

(Note: I’m not saying that watching on a 50-inch 4K UHD LED TV is the same “experience” as going to a theater. I’m just looking at it strictly from a content point of view). 

Netflix’s new Chris Hemsworth movie “Extraction” recalls the macho-action movies that were a staple of ‘80s and ‘90s cinema. 

In addition to A-list star Hemsworth, Anthony and Joe Russo (the brothers who have shepherded recent Marvel Studios hits like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Avengers: Endgame”) crafted the screenplay and handled production duties. 

Hemsworth plays mercenary — and former Australian Special Air Service soldier — Tyler Rake. He is a troubled warrior who can’t let go of demons from his past (de rigueur for heroes in this genre). 

Rake is hired to rescue a teen named Ovi (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) — the son of India’s biggest drug kingpin — when he is kidnapped by a rival drug lord who operates in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

(Why is it that Hollywood movies always apply an orange/yellow filter on any footage that is supposed to be in a Third World country?) 

Our hero soon finds himself dealing with more than he bargained for as the extraction attempt goes awry. As a result, Rake and Ovi find themselves fighting to survive — and escape from — nefarious henchmen and corrupt law enforcement officers in Bangladesh. 

Having reviewed dozens of movies on this blog, it is nice to be able to write about something with a straightforward plot. “Extraction” has a no-frills storyline that hearkens back to classic movies like Schwarzenegger’s “Commando” (1985) and Stallone’s “Rambo: First Blood Part II” (1985). 

The film is directed by Sam Hargrave, a stuntman who served as the stunt coordinator on movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (he has also had bit parts in films, including the character Gaetan in “Extraction”). 

The action scenes are beautifully choreographed in “Extraction.” While they aren’t as artistic as the “gun fu” ballets seen in the “John Wick” franchise, they definitely owe a debt to those highly-entertaining stunt pieces. 

“Extraction” features a 10-plus minute sequence that was designed to look like it was shot in a single take. 

The scene (which Hargrave refers to as a “Oner”) is broken down by the director in a featurette from the The New York Times: 

Netflix also has a feature called “Making of the Oner” that looks into the sequence on its YouTube channel: 

The entire sequence has car chases, gun fights, fist fights, knife fights, explosions, and a lot of carnage. If you are an action movie aficionado, I’ll think you’ll really enjoy the care put into the stunts in “Extraction.” (I mean, the director strapped himself with a camera into the front of chase vehicles, for crying out loud!) 

“Extraction” will never be confused for high art. That’s not the point. It is just a fun action movie that knows what it is, and tries to be nothing more than that. 

There are also some nice supporting players in the movie, including Golshifteh Farahani (who plays female mercenary Nik Khan) and David Harbour (who plays Gaspar, a former teammate of Tyler Rake). 

At the beginning of this post, I was talking about whether Netflix’s original movies stack up with the content you see in theaters. 

Last year saw the theatrical release of the action film “Rambo: Last Blood” — the fifth in Sylvester Stallone’s “Rambo” franchise. (“First Blood” was based on the 1972 novel by David Morrell.) 

In a general sense, “Extraction” and “Rambo: Last Blood” are similar movies in terms of tone, style, and plot elements. Yet “Extraction” is the better movie in nearly every aspect — and it didn’t cost $15 per ticket to watch at the local multiplex. 

If you look at the moves Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos is making, you’ll see more of these big budget “popcorn movies” in the pipeline. 

One of the high-profile examples is the upcoming “Red Notice,” an action thriller starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds (directed by “Skyscraper’s” Marshall Rawson Thurber) about INTERPOL’s hunt for the world’s most wanted art thief. 

I know the subscription model still doesn’t make sense to a lot of film pundits. Sometimes people get “stars in their eyes” when they read stories about gargantuan box office totals for high-profile cinematic releases. 

Some will say, “What’s the point of spending $150 million on a movie to show to millions of subscribers you already have? How do you make money on that?” 

The fact is that Netflix — which charges around $13 per month for its most popular plan — is trying to make $156 per year on each subscriber. If you look at their content strategy, it appears they are attempting to bombard users with so much new content each month that they’ll stay subscribed for fear of missing out (FOMO). 

The typical movie-goer sees somewhere between three (3) and six (6) movies each year (several years ago, I heard the number was “three” from a person I know who works in the theater business). 

When studios release a film theatrically, the proceeds are shared between the studio and the exhibitors (the fee scale depends on the film, the studio, and how long the title has been playing). In addition, there are marketing costs to consider with a theatrical film. 

A streaming service has the ability to realize revenue on their own original films long after the expense has been recouped — if the content is good. Entities like Netflix burn money with the hope that eventually they will build an appealing catalog for viewers. 

The question is whether those titles will ever be esteemed the way Disney’s theatrical catalog has become. Only time will tell. 

Movies like “Extraction” seem like a step in the right direction. 

“Extraction” is elevated above typical “direct-to-consumer” fare by its terrific action sequences and set pieces. The movie is far from perfect, but it is an entertaining diversion. 

Previous post: Microsoft is Right! There Should Only Be One Space After a Period. 

Microsoft is Right! There Should Only Be One Space After a Period.

When I was learning the finer points of publication design back in autumn 1994, Bridget told me not to type “two spaces” after periods. 

She had designed a number of items for the therapy practice where she worked, and had read a book called “The Mac is Not a Typewriter” by Robin Williams (not the famous actor). Williams argued that a single space after periods was appropriate in digital design. 

We were both college students at the time taking “Publication Design & Graphics” — a course I really enjoyed (even though the instructor — who was teaching the course for the first time — told me I should “try taking the class sometime” since I tended to ask Bridget for advice instead of him). 

In the early years of our marketing communications business, Bridget and I produced several monthly print newsletters for clients. The businesses and organizations would typically submit articles as Word docs or plain text files (we’d also get some WordPerfect files during that era). 

We’d spend time doing a “find and replace” to eliminate double spaces after periods prior to importing the text files into our layouts in Adobe PageMaker and Adobe InDesign. 

During my years in high school, a typing class was something that was encouraged for students. It seemed as if most students took the course in that era. We had it in ninth grade and were actually the first class in the school district to take typing classes on DOS-based computers. 

Speaking of typewriters, here is Bridget’s vintage machine. It was kind of nice to be able to pull this baby out of storage for the blog post: 

The “two-spaces-after-a-period” method is a relic of the days when typewriters were the common tool used to compose documents. Because of the monospaced/uniform nature of fonts on those machines, you needed to have two spaces after a period to clearly show where a sentence ended. 

When Apple’s original Macintosh computer was introduced in 1984, it changed the way the world formatted documents. The bundled fonts were proportional, and you could control things like tracking, leading, and width in text blocks. 

Yet to this day, it is still debated as to whether two spaces after a period is better than one. 

You can count me firmly in the one-space camp. 

It appears one-space advocates have found an ally in Microsoft. The Verge reported on April 24 that Microsoft “has started to update Microsoft Word to highlight two spaces after a period as an error, and to offer a correction to one space.” 

Microsoft Word makes the suggestion via the Editor on the desktop version of the app. You can ignore the suggestion if you prefer, but I'd recommend you take the advice. 

When you are dealing with text in narrow text blocks (ex. publications that have columnar layouts), using one space after a period can make the overall flow better. Two spaces is “overkill” in modern page layout programs. 

My personal opinion is that a single space after a period makes publications more attractive and pleasing to the eye. 

For example, here are two text blocks I setup in Adobe InDesign 2020 — part of a 4-column layout on a 8.5" x 11" page with the text (11-point Palatino) set to “justified.”

I typically justify the text in the publications we create (it sometimes requires a little more work when setting up styles, but the finished product looks clean and balanced). 

In the two blocks below, you can see how adding “two spaces” after periods creates “big” gaps between sentences (if you are viewing on mobile, you can click the picture below to view in full resolution): 

Here’s a close up version of the spaces after the first sentence in the sample text blocks. You’ll see how much more appealing a “single space” after the period looks (if you are viewing on mobile, you can click the picture below to view in full resolution):

After nearly a quarter-century doing layout and design for print and digital platforms, removing two spaces after periods (and replacing with a single space) has become a habit. Combined with the finer grammar points outlined in the “AP Stylebook,” it helps you create attractive documents and publications. 

It was one of the first lessons I learned when I was studying digital pagination in college. It is a valuable tool to have in your design arsenal. 

Previous post: Iger’s “The Ride of a Lifetime” is a Memoir Wrapped in Business Self-Help 

Iger's "The Ride of a Lifetime" is a Memoir Wrapped in Business Self-Help

“It should be about the future, not the past.” — Bob Iger in “The Ride of a Lifetime” 

It seems somewhat surreal that I’m reviewing the new book by Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger (about his career as CEO of the Walt Disney Company) during a global pandemic that has shuttered the Mouse’s lucrative theme park and cruise line — along with its theatrical movie business. 

It was about a year ago that I visited Walt Disney World in Orlando for the first time. I can’t imagine what sort of financial losses this COVID-19 crisis might bring to the company that saw massive change under Iger’s reign as CEO. 

“The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company” finds Iger reminiscing about his early life in the hamlet of Oceanside (on New York’s Long Island), his nascent career with the ABC television network (he found his groove working for Roone Arledge in the sports division), and his eventual rise to become the leader of one of the world’s most beloved entertainment brands. 

IT IS NOT A MEMOIR 

Iger states in the first chapter of “The Ride of a Lifetime” that this is “not a memoir.” 

The book doesn’t employ the sort of cradle-to-grave structure seen in popular biographical works like Walter Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs.” It spends little time on Iger’s family life. 

Instead, Iger offers principles that he believes are “necessary to true leadership.” He uses examples from throughout his career (wisdom gleaned through experience) to illustrate his core business beliefs. 

DON’T FAKE IT IN BUSINESS 

Oftentimes in business you will hear the adage “fake it until you make it.” Iger advises to “not fake anything” in situations where one might be lacking experience. 

“There’s nothing less confidence-inspiring than a person faking a knowledge they don’t possess,” writes Iger. “True authority and true leadership come from knowing who you are and not pretending to be anything else.” 

I have owned and operated my own business for a little over 24 years now. Iger’s sentiments on this topic are appreciated. I always try to be honest with my clients — even if I might miss out on a paid gig as a result. 

MANAGING CREATIVITY 

Iger also talks about the creative process in “The Ride of a Lifetime.” One of the most interesting examples is the time at ABC when he greenlit the avant garde drama “Twin Peaks” (a show that started with promise, but sputtered when network executives interfered with creator David Lynch’s vision). 

“Managing the creative processes starts with the understanding that it’s not a science — everything is subjective; there is often no write or wrong. The passion it takes to create something is powerful, and most creators are understandably sensitive when their vision or execution is questioned,” he writes. 

Iger’s feelings regarding creativity — and the balance you have to strike when managing the process — is something we have to deal with in our marketing communications business. To someone on the outside, creating a brand identity package for a business (logos, websites, and collateral materials) might look like a fun job. In many respects, it is an enjoyable process. 

However, I’ve found it to be a humbling experience to sit in a meeting and have your work critiqued. In general, creative professionals pour a considerable amount of themselves into the things they design. In many cases, you are working to craft something special with very little initial guidance (even if you ask a considerable number of questions upfront). 

Some people love the work you do. Others don’t. The negative responses can be difficult to swallow, and can cause you to second guess yourself at every turn. 

Iger suggests you have to be “careful not to encroach on the creative processes in harmful and counterproductive ways. Empathy is a prerequisite to the sound management of creativity, and respect is critical.” 

MAJOR ACQUISITIONS 

I’ve often referred to Disney as the company that “owns everything we know and love.” Iger provides fascinating insight into the transformation of the company during his years at the helm. Notable acquisitions during his tenure as CEO include Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox. 

Iger delves into those acquisitions and provides a number of interesting anecdotes. I particularly enjoyed his recollections of Apple/Pixar CEO Steve Jobs. 

THE ROAD TO REINVENTION

I also liked reading about Iger’s efforts to innovate at Disney. All too often, powerful executives will wrap the status quo around themselves like a warm blanket — avoiding business reinvention as they focus on the present. 

We happened to be staying at Disney World in 2019 when Iger & Co. unveiled details for Disney+ — the Mouse’s over-the-top streaming service. I remember listening to a webcast of that presentation as I walked laps around the paths at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (it was an incredibly “meta” experience). 

“Technological advancements will eventually make older business models obsolete,” writes Iger. “You can either bemoan that and try with all your might to protect the status quo, or you can work hard to understand and embrace it with more enthusiasm and creativity than your competitors.” 

Those sentiments rang true with me. 

Bridget and I often talk about how we’ve had “reinvent” our marketing communications business every five to seven years. 

The current “reinvention” of our business started in 2011 (developing recurring revenue streams with a subscription-based membership site for professional resume writers). When you first sow the seeds of change, establishing roots can feel like a long shot. That said, we knew we needed to stay committed to a different approach. 

As I type this, we’re in the midst of a global pandemic that has put the brakes on the economy, and a number of the “brick-and-mortar” businesses and organizations we work with are currently inoperative.

This is why those initial steps to redefine our business in 2011 were so vital. Having a direct-to-consumer membership site has given us a revenue stream the past 40+ days of self-isolation that wouldn’t have been there if we hadn’t had the foresight to make changes. 

Disney+ has proven itself to be a vital revenue stream for Disney during the global pandemic. It has also given the Mouse the technological infrastructure to distribute new content to consumers in new ways (since movie theaters are closed around the globe). 

“The decision to disrupt a business model that is working for you requires no small amount of courage,” Iger writes. “It means intentionally taking on short-term losses in the hope that a long-term risk will pay off. Routines and priorities get disrupted. Traditional ways of doing business get slowly marginalized and eroded — and start to lose money — as a new model takes over.” 

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE... 

In February, Iger stepped aside as Disney’s CEO (remaining as Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board) to make way for the transition to new leadership (Bob Chapek was named CEO). 

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Disney’s business has been immense. 

According to the New York Times, Iger has “effectively returned to running the company.” 

Iger — who has embraced reinvention — is said to be “intensely focused on remaking the company that will emerge, he believes, changed by the crisis.” 

The Times suggests we’ll see an incarnation of Disney with fewer employees as it figures out how to retool its entertainment and tourism businesses. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

It will be interesting to see what happens with the company moving forward, and the duration of Iger’s “renewed” involvement. 

If you’re curious to see what direction Iger might steer the company, I’d recommend you check out “The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.” 

It will never be mistaken for a comprehensive memoir or biography, but it does provide readers with Iger’s guiding philosophy as a seasoned executive of one of the world’s most beloved companies. 

Previous post: Three “Under-The-Radar” Series Worth Binging

Three “Under-The-Radar” Series Worth Binging

If your Facebook and Twitter feeds are like mine, then you have people talking about TV shows they are watching as “stay at home” orders and “quarantine” guidelines are in play across the globe.

While there are a number of popular series that seem to have captured the attention of homebound individuals (“Tiger King” anyone?) there are a number of shows that aren’t part of the current zeitgeist that are worth checking out.   

Here are three “under-the-radar” series I’d recommend watching. 

ABSTRACT: THE ART OF DESIGN  

In an endless sea of junk food television, it’s nice to challenge yourself every once in a while with something that expands your mind. 

“Abstract: The Art of Design” takes a look into some of the most interesting minds influencing the world of design. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of design — graphic design, product design, architectural design, apparel design, etc. 

The series was created by former WIRED editor-in-chief Scott Dadich. 

The overall vibe of the series owes a debt of gratitude to documentary filmmaker Gary Hustwit’s design trilogy of films from the early 2000s (“Helvetica,” “Objectified,” and “Urbanized”). 

Whether it was intentional or not, “Abstract: The Art of Design” seems to draw considerable inspiration from Hustwit’s films. 

My favorite episodes are “Paula Scher: Graphic Design” (Season 1) and “Jonathan Hoefler: Typeface Design” (Season 2). I handle graphic design duties in our business, and find it inspiring to hear other design professionals talk about their craft. 

Both Scher and Hoefler are based in New York City and were featured in the 2007 documentary “Helvetica” (which focused on the history of the ubiquitous typeface).  

“Typography is painting with words,” Scher says at the beginning of the episode that focuses on her graphic design career. In a world where type is often treated like white noise, it is nice to see the thought process that goes into selecting and designing fonts. 

There are currently two seasons of “Abstract: The Art of Design” available on Netflix. The episodes can be watched in any order. 

If you don’t have Netflix, the first season of the series is currently available to stream for free on the Netflix YouTube channel. 

While some of the episodes might seem esoteric and wordy, it is nice to have a show that chronicles the intricacies involved in the creative process, and the intellectual complexities therein. 

POLDARK 

Bridget and I enjoy watching highbrow British dramas. The dramatic series produced by PBS Masterpiece each year (with British networks like the BBC and ITV) epitomize that sort of entertainment. Year after year, series like “Downton Abbey” have increased the overall appeal of PBS’s content library. 

One of our favorite PBS Masterpiece drama series has been “Poldark” (which aired from 2015-2019). When Bridget and I watched the first episode on the PBS app in 2015, we were instantly intrigued. 

It is based on fiction novels by author Winston Graham, which were also the basis for a PBS series of the same name in the 1970s (the actor who played Ross Poldark in that show appears in a bit part in the updated version). 

“Poldark” is an 18th century period drama set in Great Britain between 1781 and 1803. It follows the exploits of Captain Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) after he returns home to Cornwall from fighting in the American War of Independence. 

Throughout the show’s five seasons, Capt. Poldark has to deal with familial drama wrapped around economic and political intrigue of the era. Love, betrayal, revenge, and honor are common themes in the series. 

Actress Eleanor Tomlinson is terrific as Ross’s wife Demelza. Her airy presence is a nice counterpoint to the brooding Ross. 

In addition, the show’s storylines benefit from having conniving businessman George Warleggen (Jack Farthing) working to foil Poldark’s plans.  

While the narrative can be melodramatic at times, the overall effect is an incredibly binge-worthy drama. The sweeping vistas are lovely (there are A LOT of wide shots featuring Ross Poldark riding a horse along the cliffs of Cornwall). The musical score by composer Anne Dudley is lovely and helps to set the show’s tone. 

It is a series that is definitely worth your time. Available to stream in the United States on Amazon Prime Video or on the PBS app (via PBS Passport).   

LONGMIRE

“Longmire” is the series that proved to be the catalyst that eventually led us to becoming cord cutters. 

I remember seeing TV spots for the series (prior to the first season’s debut on the A&E network) and thinking, “that looks right up my alley.” 

A few days later, I happened to be at The Bookworm (an independent bookstore in Omaha, NE) and saw author Craig Johnson’s series of Walt Longmire Mysteries on a display table. 

I fondly remember that day. My mom and I had gone downtown to the Omaha Summer Arts Festival. The temps were steamy that day. As a result, we didn’t stay at the art show as long as we had planned, and made a trip to the air-conditioned comfort of The Bookworm. 

My mom ended up buying me the first book in the series (“The Cold Dish”) and I was instantly hooked. 

“Longmire” quickly became my favorite detective series when it debuted on A&E. It was also the highest-rated drama on the network. 

Unfortunately, A&E decided to cancel the show after its third season in 2014 (despite solid ratings). 

Netflix picked the show up and streamed three additional seasons. Upon hearing the announcement that the streaming giant had saved the series, we subscribed to Netflix (about a year before the fourth season debuted in 2015). 

It was the first time we’d signed up for a streaming service of any kind. The experience led to us cutting cable TV entirely in 2015 and watching programming via streaming on Apple TV and “over-the-air” using an attic antenna. 

“Longmire” follows the exploits of Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor), an old-school lawman fighting crime in the least populated county in Wyoming (which is the least populated state in the nation). 

Walt’s supporting cast serves as the rough-hewn mortar that holds the series together. Two of those characters are of particular importance. 

Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips) is a local bar owner, member of the Cheyenne nation, and a longtime friend who provides sage wisdom and support to Longmire. 

Victoria “Vic” Moretti (Katee Sackhoff) is his sassy deputy. Her snarky wit is a nice counterpoint to Walt’s laconic tone. 

The series is chock-full of good characters. During its run, “Longmire” had a deep bench of characters that provided texture to each episode. This is a show where the antagonists are just as interesting as the protagonists. 

I love the fact that “Longmire” effortlessly infuses classic western archetypes into a modern-day police procedural. The “old school” nature of the sleuthing is compelling, and far more realistic than the current crop of detective series (there isn’t some “super computer” that magically solves the mystery for our heroes). 

I can’t recommend “Longmire” enough.

I’d also recommend the books by Craig Johnson. I’ve had the opportunity to see the author three times at The Bookworm. 

All six seasons of “Longmire” are available to stream on Netflix. In addition, the Warner Archive Collection produces terrific Blu-Ray versions of each season as well: 

FINAL THOUGHTS

There are a lot of series out there to choose from. It seems like I’m constantly hearing about something new to watch from friends and family members. It’s a far cry from the days when I was a kid and there were only three TV networks to watch.

The three series I talked about in this post are ones that are a bit off the beaten path (the exception might be “Longmire,” which has developed a loyal following over the years). I picked them in part because I haven’t seen a lot of my connections talking about them. 

As much as I try to focus on movies, TV shows, and books that are significant in popular culture, I also try to also focus on hidden gems people haven’t yet discovered. 

“Abstract: The Art of Design,” “Poldark,” and “Longmire” are definitely worth your time.

Previous post: “The Stressful Trip Home” - Disney Trip: Part 8 (The Lost Blog) 

“The Stressful Trip Home” - Disney Trip: Part 8 (The Lost Blog)

I was set to publish this blog post last year. 

I had the photos and notes (which I keep on my iPhone) ready to go. 

The issue is that I had so much fun on my first trip to Walt Disney World that I didn’t want to ruin the vibe of my seven-part “Disney Trip” blog series. So my written account of our trip to Orlando ended during the 11 p.m. hour on April 15, 2019. 

Until now. 

After an action-packed day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Epcot Theme Park, and Magic Kingdom, we arrived back at our hotel room at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at 1:07 a.m. 

The resort is REALLY quiet at 1 a.m.:

Our return flight to Omaha was scheduled for 9:15 a.m. 

I took a shower and downed a couple Benadryl, hoping to get some rest before an early drive to Orlando International Airport. I also got my suitcase packed up for the next morning. 

Neil, Theresa, and the kids went to Walmart for supplies (diapers, formula) after we closed down the Magic Kingdom. 

Our room at the Art of Animation Resort had a drippy tub faucet during the duration of our stay. I had to use a lot of force to get the valve to fully shut. I figured the washers inside needed to be replaced. 

To that point, we got a knock on our door a few minutes before we left for the airport. It was a member of the maintenance staff coming to check the faucet. 

Bridget and I departed the resort parking lot in the black Chevy Impala we had rented at a decent time. We wanted to leave plenty of time to get our bags checked and wind our way through security. 

But we needed to fuel up the rental before we turned the vehicle back in at the airport. That mission delayed our arrival at Orlando International Airport due to the fact that we missed the exit for our gas station (causing us to have to wind around the airport and circle back). 

I’ve gotta say, I’m getting stressed as I write this. Readers of this blog might remember the stressful airport experience we had during our INBOUND 2019 trip (chronicled in the post “Where’s My Shoe?” - INBOUND Trip: Part 5). 

Anyhow, we finally did get our rental car turned in and bags checked at the Frontier counter. A few minutes later, Neil dropped off Theresa, the kids, and all their luggage while he returned the rental car (at an offsite rental office). We helped them get checked in at the Frontier counter too.

Then we all made our way to the security checkpoint. 

This is a random picture of my foot and bag at Orlando International Airport: 

A year has passed and I still don’t know *exactly* why it took so long to get through security. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion (even though we selected the line that the agent suggested was moving “faster”). 

I was the first member of our travel party to make it through security. So I put my shoes back on, put my iPad back in my Osprey messenger bag, and waited for the others.  

Bridget, Theresa, and the kids were behind me (Neil was still in the process of returning their rental at that point). As you can imagine, they had a lot of items to be scanned and checked. So Bridget told me to go ahead and make my way to our gate.

A few minutes later, anxiety set in. 

The terminals at Orlando International Airport are connected by “People Movers” — railcars on elevated tracks that run outside the terminals. 

I got on what I thought was the correct People Mover for our terminal. I was the only person in the car, and my solitude caused a moment of doubt as the bright morning sun shone through. 

I felt like I should have waited to go with everyone else. I certainly didn’t want to end up off the beaten track. I even texted Bridget my concern as I waited for the People Mover to stop at its next destination. 

Thankfully, I ended up at the right place, but I still hadn’t heard from Bridget. A large throng of travelers were gathered around our gate, and it was getting close the point where they were going to start boarding.  

We typically fly on Southwest — and enjoy the experience. The reason we chose Frontier in this particular instance was because it was supposed to be a direct flight back to Omaha. 

Unfortunately, that direct flight was cancelled, and we ended up on a plane that had started the morning in New York City, stopped in Orlando, went to Las Vegas, and then headed to Omaha. 

It was a packed flight. 

Bridget, Theresa, and the kids eventually made it to the terminal. Bridget’s backpack had been selected for extra screening because she had a can of cashews in it — and that caused a considerable delay. They also did a thorough screening of Anson’s stroller, including taking off the removable beverage holder. We didn’t even know they had done that until they handed it back to Theresa just before she left the security area. It was a mess.

By the time Bridget and Theresa arrived at the gate with the kids, people had already started boarding. To make matters worse, Neil was nowhere to be seen. He texted that he was still stuck in security, but he wasn’t going to mention he had a flight to catch, because a guy in front of him who had done that experienced “extra slow” screening.

The five of us were going to go ahead and board the plane (hoping Neil would make it in time). However, Theresa couldn’t board with Anson (who wasn’t quite 2 years old at that time) because he was slated to go on via Neil’s ticket. 

So, Theresa had to stay in the terminal with Anson while Bridget and I boarded with Blaise and Scotland (who were both confused by everything that was going on). 

Bridget waited with Scotland and Blaise at their seats while I made our way to the row we were sitting in. 

There was a middle-aged woman sitting in our row of three seats. She was in the aisle seat, had her tray down with a drink sitting atop it, and seemed completely “put off” when I politely asked to get through to my window seat. 

I think she thought she was going to get the row to herself. I’m not sure why she thought that. The flight attendants kept announcing it was a full flight. But whatever. 

Neil eventually made it to the gate, and he, Theresa, and Anson were able to board. Bridget made her way to her seat between me and the grumpy woman. Bridget tried to explain the situation to the lady, but she didn’t seem to care. 

I must admit, I wasn’t excited about a lengthy flight to Las Vegas (approximately five hours). My stomach was a mess because of the morning’s festivities, and the seats on the Frontier plane were as hard as a rock. 

My “travel book” to read was “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” by Ashlee Vance (and it is excellent). I opened up my book hoping to be able to gear down and settle in for the flight. 

It just wasn’t destined to be a relaxing experience. 

My nephew Anson (who was recently diagnosed with autism) has an uncanny ability to pick up on stressful situations, and the morning’s stress — combined with the change in air pressure — caused the little guy to cry and fuss when we reached cruising altitude. 

The woman sitting next to Bridget said, “People really need to control their children.” 

Bridget replied, “That happens to be my nephew and it was a stressful morning for him. I don’t know what your problem is, but it needs to stop.” 

I was just sitting there wishing I could disappear into the background. I opened up the breathing app on my Apple Watch, practiced deep breathing, and tried to relax. 

(Why can’t people just show a little grace?)

Bridget and I spent the next hour discussing our business, taking notes on revenue streams we were working to develop (I had just rebuilt her website for BeAResumeWriter.com before we left, and we were talking about some other things that needed to be updated.) 

A short time after our discussion, the woman pressed the button for the flight attendant, and asked if there were any other open seats she could go sit in. 

The attendant told her there weren’t any available. (What part of “this is a full flight” did she not understand?)

It was at this point when “nature called,” and I really needed to use the restroom. But I figured if I asked to leave the row it would cause an issue with the woman. I’m a person who tries to avoid conflict as a general rule.

So, I decided I’d hold it until we arrived at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. 

I was really uncomfortable the last two hours of the flight. I tried to concentrate on my book, reading about the formative years of Elon Musk’s SpaceX. I avoided looking at my watch. I also tried not to jostle around too much (which was hard in the plane’s uncomfortable seats). 

I took this picture of the Hoover Dam (I didn’t know what it was at the time) as I was trying to distract myself from my bladder discomfort: 

Bridget told us later she'd considered going up to Anson’s row, getting him from Neil, and putting him on her lap for the duration of the flight to annoy the lady. 

When we finally landed in Las Vegas, the woman pushed her way forward — past people patiently waiting in front of her — and worked her way off the plane in a huff. 

I was just happy to visit a restroom. 

We grabbed lunch from Ruby’s Diner in the airport and ate it by our gate. I had the Bacon Cheeseburger with fries. I was super hungry at that point (we really didn’t have much to eat in the morning). Sadly, I didn’t get any pictures of lunch (only the sign). 

None of us took many pictures that day. I wish I had more to share. 

Thankfully, the flight to Omaha was uneventful (and a lot shorter).  

The reason I decided to publish this blog post now is that we’re in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Walt Disney World is closed and analysts are speculating whether it’ll be fall before the attraction reopens. Trips are being canceled and there is a lot of uncertainty about what will happen to tourism the next 12 months. 

Neil and Theresa just had to cancel a trip they had planned to Disney World (their third) at the end of this month. They are hoping to be able to go in December. 

It’s disheartening thinking joyous places like Disney World could be closed another year until a vaccine for COVID-19 is available to the public. 

As a result, I’m truly thankful Bridget decided to surprise me with a trip to Walt Disney World in 2019 — something we’d considered doing a number of times the past 20 years. 

(It would have sucked if she’d tried to surprise me with a Disney World trip this year.)

On that particular day, the stressful trip home dialed down the glow of an otherwise perfect trip, but just for a moment. 

That’s pretty much how life goes anyway, right?  

I think this quote from Flynn Rider (in the Disney movie “Tangled”) sums our trip up well: “And for that one moment, everything was perfect… and then that moment ended.” 

I can’t wait until the day we can enjoy more of these moments in the future!

Read my entire “Disney Trip” blog series!

> “Surprise! We’re Going on Vacation!” - Disney Trip: Part 1 

> “Could it be Magic?” - Disney Trip: Part 2 

> “Hope ‘Springs’ Eternal” - Disney Trip: Part 3 

> “Slinky Dog Day Afternoon” - Disney Trip: Part 4 

> “Life’s a Beach” - Disney Trip: Part 5 

> “McDonald’s and Chuck E. Cheese Had a Baby” - Disney Trip: Part 6 

> “We Have to Finish Strong!” - Disney Trip: Part 7

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