Reasons I love my job

Okay looking over this, a clear pattern of negativity is emerging. This is the best job I've ever had and I'm doing nothing but dissing the shit out of it. So let me go through the reasons why I love my job and then I can outline my fantastic day - made fantastic by one sole check-in. Go figure.

1) I get to work in an airport. Sadly, I love airports. There's some kind of buzz, an atmosphere that can't be emulated anywhere else and it just engulfs you when you walk in. Before I was working, I used to walk to the airport (which was a good 6km from my last place) and then sit in the main terminal, just soaking it up. I already said it was sad, okay? Let's not dwell on that.

2) The people I work with are (mostly) fantastic. In every job there's gonna be one or two that you're never going to be bosom buddies with and fair enough; you can't like everyone, after all. But some of my mates there are just the best, I laugh every single day I'm there, even the shitty oversold cancelled days.

3) As in any customer service job, I get some awesome work stories. Passengers throwing tantrums or who are as thick as the mud on their gumboots make for great retellings at your next dinner party. Or BBQ, as my age group is probably more inclined...

4) Okay it had to be brought up, the money and perks are fabulous. I get time and a half just for working the weekend - when I first saw that I literally exclaimed, "What the fuck?!" In any other job I've struggled to get time and a half for working a normal public holiday! Not here - public holidays mean double time. And the perks...there's that many that I don't even know most of them. We get discounts at jewelers, day spas, shoe stores, florists, tourist attractions, accommodation around the world. Bloody hell.

5) Kinda falls into the last category but hella cheap airfares. Yes you travel standby and yes, you're the lowest of the low on the pecking order should your flight be full/disrupted, but my God when you see how much we pay! I almost feel like I'm robbing the airline! It's honestly a dream come true because all I've ever wanted to do is travel, and this is the most realistic chance I'll get. To have this opportunity is just unbelievable.

6) Checking in famous people. Okay so New Zealand isn't crawling with Britney Spears and her A-list mates but when it comes to her or one of our rugby teams I know who I'll pick any day. Sports stars, TV presenters, tons of journos, politicians (Don Brash is the nicest so far, he was such a gentleman!) and personalities. It's wicked.

Today's fantastic event was thanks to that last point. I checked in a very well-known TV personality and a mate he was travelling with. For one thing, he is amazingly good-looking in real life. After putting a stop to my salivating, I managed to actually have a really long, funny conversation with him. I felt about 12 admitting that I love all his work and even said "I know you probably hear this all the time, but..." but he seemed genuinely touched. I mentioned that we had used some of his shows as studies at Uni and he was really interested, wanting to know what I was studying and if I was enjoying it. Then we joked about the latest cost-cutting venture the airline's put in place and I apologised for not being able to get them a row on their own; but he was really down-to-earth, didn't make a big song and dance (unlike SOME passengers), and walked away with many thanks for "such a friendly check-in."

Dammit, I wish I'd got a photo. To revert to my teenage self for a minute, he is SO HOT.

Actually I reverted to that when I texted my sister afterwards to tell her: "Oh my God I just checked in ***** ***!!! Hes SO hot! I cant stop shaking he was so nice we talked for ages! Wish I'd got a photo :-( swoon..."

He was actually very genuine, not up himself at all, hell he wasn't even listed as a frequent flyer even though he must get around the country a lot. Oh God I hope I get to check him in again. That tops my list of best ever check-ins. Not to offend my aunty and uncle I checked in not long ago, but ahhh...I just wanted to get my fingers tangled in his hair...

Ahem. Excuse me. That wasn't professional at all.

It's now 1.20am, Wednesday morning, it's freezing and I've just finished the international arrivals. Which was dull as dust since our first flight didn't come in until 2 hours after I started my international segment. So we sat around watching Police 10-7 and reading OK! It's been a long day. Had Uni for a couple of hours in the morning then work from 4.45 til now. So I'm going to go read my Jeremy Clarkson book and hopefully fall into blissful slumber.

Swoon...swoon...swoon...