Before I Was a Flight Attendant...

Lately all of my parent friends have been posting these "Before I was a mom..." lists, summarizing how life has changed since they have had a child. This got me thinking about my past life.  I'm not trying to compare motherhood to being a flight attendant, but let me tell you... my life before this career was a heck of a lot different than the life that I know now! I decided to create my own list, of my life before I was a flight attendant.  So here goes... 

1. Before I was a flight attendant, sleeping in meant waking up at lunch. Now it means anything beyond 7:30 am.   
2. Before I was a flight attendant, I'd never, ever used an iron or a steamer.  
3. Before I was a flight attendant, I packed everything in my closet for a weekend away.  
4. Before I was a flight attendant, I couldn't improvise. Freezing cold on a long flight? Fill up a (clean) diaper with hot water... disgusting? A little bit. Cozy and warm?  Better than a hot water bottle. 
5. Before I was a flight attendant, I spelled my name K-R-Y-S-T-A... not Kilo Romeo Yankee Sierra Tango Alpha.  
6. Before I was a flight attendant, I led a sheltered, untraveled life.  Now I've seen 36 countries.  
7. Before I was a flight attendant, I had a fear of public speaking.  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome onboard, where you have no choice.  
8. Before I was a flight attendant, I had a few cups of coffee a week. Now I own my own espresso machine. 
9. Before I was a flight attendant, travel was a once a year type thing.  Now it's my life.  
10. Before I was a flight attendant, I used full names of cities rather than their airport codes.  
11. Before I was a flight attendant, I'd never scavenge through dozens of used meal trays in hopes of finding chocolates that hadn't been consumed. 
12. Before I was a flight attendant, I could never look at something and know automatically that it would not fit in a certain space. Now, I beg of you... check your giant suitcases, they won't fit! 
13. Before I was a flight attendant, I'd never walked in on so many people using the washroom. There is a lock, believe it or not. 
14. Before I was a flight attendant, I went to specific stores for specific groceries rather than foreign countries. 
15. Before I was a flight attendant, I worked the same hours with the same people every single day.  
16. Before I was a flight attendant, an airplane was an airplane... fuselage, ailerons, and horizontal stabilizers were all Greek to me. 
17. Before I was a flight attendant, I'd never seen so many gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. 
18. Before I was a flight attendant hotels were a rare novelty, not a second home.
19. Before I was a flight attendant, I envied flight attendants and thought that they were the most glamourous people on the planet. 
20. Before I was a flight attendant, I envisioned pilots as dreamy, attractive men.  
21. Before I was a flight attendant, I'd never stayed awake for more than 24 hours in a row.  
22. Before I was a flight attendant, I never had to be within a certain weight bracket for my job.  
23. Before I was a flight attendant, I never wore high heels or lipstick. Ever. 
24. Before I was a flight attendant, I never searched for emergency exits in large buildings or kept a fire extinguisher in my kitchen. Safety first!  
25. Before I was a flight attendant, I never used the 24 hour clock.
26. Before I was a flight attendant, I'd never even heard of some of the places I've now been to. 
27. Before I was a flight attendant, my blog was a boring documentation of my Monday-Friday life, and I had approximately 3 followers.  

I could go on, and on, but I've covered the main points. I hope that my fellow cabin crew members can appreciate and agree with me on these points... please... feel free to add your own in the comments! 

Life has changed, and I would not trade it for the world.