I travel a lot for work. So I spend a lot of time in airports around the world. And I’m convinced that there isn’t a single airport on the planet that isn’t involved in some kind of major construction project. Sky Harbor is no exception. And with the upcoming holidays, in addition to the standard increase in traffic due to winter visitors, Sky Harbor is likely to be a mess traffic-wise for the next several months.

The most major project is the construction of the new Air Traffic Control Tower between Terminals 3 and 4. But each of the terminals also have projects going on. I usually fly America West, so I spend a lot of time in Terminal 4 in particular. They’ve completely redone each of the security screening areas, and the lines do seem to be moving significantly faster as a result. I also think it’s interesting the way they’re approaching replacing the carpet with tile - they are doing it sections at a time rather than shutting the entire area down for a couple days to do it all at once. I pass through Terminal 4 on almost a weekly basis, and it’s always interesting to see how much more of the carpet has been replaced each time I pass through security. They’ve made pretty significant progress in the last couple weeks and it looks like they’re just about done.

Terminal 4 has also gotten a new concourse in the last year, primarily to increase their capacity to handle Southwest Airlines flights. There are also several new restaurants and shops that have already opened or are currently being constructed. Apparently retail footage in Terminal 4 has increased from 16,842 to 37,908 square feet and the number of stores has increased from 16 to 43. For as busy of an aiport as Sky Harbor is, the retail options were pretty pathetic prior to the renovation so it’s nice to finally see some improvement on that front.

They’ve also done some general updating of the decor. The theme is still very southwestern, but with an updated and modern feel. I particularly like the tile being installed on the walls in the elevator lobbies. There are also several very interesting art and artifact displays scattered throughout all of the terminals. The work being done really is turning Sky Harbor into an airport Phoenicians can be proud of.

Now if only they would install WiFi!!! On that front Sky Harbor is WAY behind most other major airports in the country - which is completely unacceptable for the 12th busiest airport in the world (although Phoenix is not the only major airport behind the times when it comes to WiFi availability).

For more info on airport construction projects, visit http://www.pardonourdust.com/.

I was thinking today about how much I just adore my two cats. They’re great company and I’m probably a little nutty about them. Not quite the crazy cat lady, but close.

I don’t really have a dog lifestyle, so cats work for me. Truth be told, I’m more of a cat person than a dog person.

I continued thinking about how many children ask for pets for Christmas. Actually, grown ups too. I’m not really a fan of pure bred animals. They tend to have lots of issues. But, that’s a whole other topic.

I wanted to share with you a wonderful local resource for adopting pets this holiday season. Paw Placement was founded by a very good friend of mine to help give so many needy animals a home! We got our baby, Wesley, from Paw Placement.

Jenny Damore and her team do an awesome job finding homes for pets. They are a no kill organization. It’s just $115 for a dog adoption and $95 for a cat adoption. This includes all of their shots and spay or neuter.

Find out more about them at http://www.pawplacement.org

A handful of World Wrestling Entertainment superstars, along with a few Total Nonstop Action wrestlers, and even a few wrestlers not currently active gathered here in Phoenix for one day only, to honor their friend, the recently-departed Eddie Guerrero, in a closed funeral service.

The guest list read like an all-star lineup:

From WWE: Chris Benoit, John Layfield, Rey Mysterio, Dean Malenko, Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Linda McMahon, John Laurinaitis, Lita, Edge, Jamie Noble, Shane Helms, Doug Basham, Torrie Wilson, Kevin Dunn, Bruce Prichard, Michael Haynes, and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

TNA was represented by Jackie Gayda, Konnan, Gail Kim, Mike Tenay and Christian.

Inactive stars who showed up included Chris Jericho, Charlie Haas, Mark Jindrak, C.M. Punk, Billy Kidman, Billy Anderson, Tim Prichard, Tommy Drake and Sting.

The eulogy was delivered by WWE Legend “Superstar” Billy Graham, and speakers included the aformentioned Malenko, Jericho, Benoit, Layfield and Vince, as well as Eddie’s brothers Chavo Sr., Mando and Hector, as well as Eddie’s nephew Chavo Guerrero Jr.

In the meantime, fans and friends of Eddie can send email to WWE that will be compiled into a book and delivered to Eddie’s wife Vickie. Eddie had just recently moved to Phoenix from El Paso, and he enjoyed life in the Valley of the Sun. Now I am very positive he will enjoy life in the Great Reward.

Resto in paz y viva la raza, Eduardo.

When I first began writing for Metroblogs, I talked about a few things I had noticed about the Phoenix area that differed from my home back east. Now that I’ve been here for almost 3 months, I have more to add:

The weather in Phoenix is confusing. When I wake up in the morning and go to my 8:30 class, it’s really cold outside. I put on a sweater, and am still cold. The air has barely warmed by the time I leave my second class at 11:10. But when I leave my afternoon classes (around 4:00pm), it’s somewhere around 80 degrees outside. This is utterly baffling. Not from a scientific point of view - the science behind it makes sense. What gets me all confused is that back east, the warmest part of the day is usually around noon, not in the late afternoon, early evening. The major issue (for me, at least) is that this creates a wardrobe problem. What I put on in the morning is completely inappropriate for the afternoon. Which means I have to change, so that’s 2 outfits per day. That’s a lot of laundry!

This kind of goes along with the weather, but I’ve decided that it merits its own paragraph. Even though it’s much cooler now, I still live in the desert. My body understands this, as it still gets dehydrated alarmingly fast. However, my brain thinks that because it’s not 100 degrees out, I don’t need to drink as much water. Not true! You still need to drink a ton of water, even if you’re not sweating through your clothes! In an effort to keep myself hydrated, I have resumed bringing my water bottle to class. (though that also helps keep me awake - can’t swallow if you’re sleeping)

Someone else posted about this a little bit ago, but the driving, oh the driving. Seriously people, do you not have to take the same drivers’ exam the rest of the country has to take? Do pedestrians not have the right of way in Arizona? Today as I was walking to my car from the store, an older woman in a Corvette (you know, there’s a whole ‘nother post waiting on that one) didn’t even slow down as she approached me crossing the road. Usually, that perks up the inner bitch in me and makes me walk very slowly (and almost stop) in front of their car, but something told me that this woman was not going to stop for me. I was right - she almost ran over my foot. There are so many other stories I could relate, but I think you all get my drift.

Is football not big in Phoenix? Is that because the Cardinals suck? Or is it just that football fans congregate somewhere I don’t know about? In the 3 cities I’ve lived in on the East Coast - Pittsburgh (still technically East Coast, thought not coastal, per se), Baltimore, and Washingtong, D.C. - football has been HUGE. Like, no one is on the streets on Sunday because they’re all inside watching the game huge. That’s all anyone ever talked about between August and January, and usually a bit before and after as well. But here? Never hear a thing about it. Why is that?

There appears to be a lot of suburban angst among the teenage population. Why is that? At the Arrowhead Mall, you see all these angry looking teenagers, and it really makes me wonder. How bad can their lives be? They live in suburbia and are given an allowance large enough for them to purchase $68 sweatshirts that say “Bitter” or “Rebel” (the verb, not the noun). Ok, maybe this one’s not just an Arizona thing. But still! Makes no sense.

Anyway, I apologize for not posting that often. School’s killing me. At least it’s school, and not a woman in a corvette, right?

Since we’re on the topic of the holidays, I’ve been rushing to get my gifts together since my family exchanges over Thanksgiving now, owing to most of us not being able to gather in December. This is by far my favorite shopping because I get to peruse piles of books. Yes, I’m a book-giver, appreciated in some circles (those who are smart and interesting) and an annoyance in others (those who quit school in 4th grade to work in the corn fields).

I love, love getting and giving books as gifts because I think they speak loudly to the recipient that you put a lot of thought into finding an appropriate piece of reading for them (as long as you give them what THEY’D like to read and not what you THINK they should be reading), much more so than a calendar of golden retrievers or jingle bell socks. I’m a bit of a bibliophile and enjoy used books more than new ones because of the worn pages, the smell and if I’m lucky, the little notes written inside by previous readers. Used books are a great way to get your money’s worth if you can find a stack of good reads that have been gently worn, but by no means am I suggesting you spend $2.25 and get 12 dog bitten, scribbled on Berenstain Bears books to give your dad. Put some thought into it, and if you want to spend the big bucks, look for first editions or autographed copies or those with special illustrations by Norman Rockwell or Edward Gorey.

If you’re into book getting and giving and want to expand your shopping beyond Bookmans (which is amazing), visit The Bent Cover and you can search an alphabetic database of stores represented by the Valley Independent Booksellers Association. LeVar Burton gave it a thumbs up.

Since Phoenix is a city full of people who have moved here from somewhere else, many people associate the winter holiday season with snow, winter coats and warming up by a fire. I personally grew up in Idaho, so I too sometimes have a hard time feeling like Christmas is just around the corner when it’s 75 degrees outside and I’m wearing short sleeves while working in my cactus garden. So I personally enjoy the best of both worlds during winter - particularly around Christmas - when I go to Idaho for a couple days to visit my family and get a quick fix of winter weather, and then I quickly scurry back to the warmth of Phoenix for New Year’s Eve.

So despite the lack of snow and cold weather (which I assume played a large part in most people’s decision to move to Phoenix anyways), there are definitely some unique ways of enjoying the winter holidays in the Southwest. Two of my favorites are Zoo Lights and Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Gardens.

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of these two unique events.

Zoo Lights begins on Thanksgiving Day and runs through January 8, 2006 (with the exception of December 25 when it is closed). It runs from 6-10 pm nightly. The Zoo is lit up with millions of lights which results in a magical experience that is much different than visiting the zoo during the day. It also presents a rare opportunity to see some of the animals at night. Zoo Lights is a very family friendly event.

Las Noches de las Luminarias starts on November 25 and runs through December 23. The hours are 5:30 to 9:30 pm. This event sells out quickly. The Garden is lit up with thousands of luminarias to light the pathway and extensive plant collection. You can also enjoy a glass of wine or cider as you wander through the garden, and the atmosphere is enhanced by musical performances. Their Garden Shop is also a great place to pick up Christmas gifts.

Both of these events are unique Southwestern experiences that shouldn’t be missed, particularly if you have guests in from out of town who need to be enlightened regarding the benefits of spending Christmas in the desert.

Gilroy has a festival to celebrate pungent cooking. Gilbert Days celebrates the paving of a road, Gilbert Road. My road. There is a fun run this afternoon and a whole series of rodeo events. Me, I cannot wait for the parade tomorrow. I love parades. It begins at 9:00 a.m. on, you guessed it, Gilbert Road.

I love this time of year because I love having the windows open.

I’ve been temporarily relocated to my boyfriends house because my house is being remodeled. (See the work in progrss on my blog below.) He lives at 67th Ave and Happy Valley, from from my corner of the world at 16th St and Glendale. He’s got a security door on the front door and a slider with a screen on the back door, so the house gets great cross ventilation. With the kitchen, bedroom and living room windows open it’s great!

The noises at my house are cars on the street, the ocassional siren or horn honking and my upstairs neighbors. Mostly city sounds. Out here, the noises are different. School children on the way to and from the school bus. Dogs barking and garage doors opening and closing. I work from home, so I listen to the noises all day long. I love hearing the children.

This is my favorite time of year in Phoenix, althought I’d kill for 10-15 degrees cooler in the day time. The sun is bright and the air just feels crisp. I want to wear my sweaters. But I’ll overheat — must wait another couple of weeks for sweaters. But this is a great start!

Happy fall y’all!

Imagine my disappointment when I took the “which Lost character are you?” quiz and found out that I was Shannon. Not Sayid or Jack with a bit of Kate mixed in, but spoiled daddy’s girl Shannon. And when did it get so cold here? They are expecting lows in the high 40’s tonight? I thought I moved to a desert?

Hey everyone! My name is Heather and I’m the newest addition to the Phoenix Metblog team. I live in one of the Central Phoenix historic neighborhoods - or as my friends and I like to call it, CenPho - so I spend quite a bit of time there. But I also enjoy exploring other corners of the city. I’ve lived in the Phoenix area for almost 9 years, and it’s amazing how much the city has changed during that time. It has almost become something of a hobby for me to see what new things I can discover, and since it seems like there is something new going on in Phoenix every day, it can be an overwhelming hobby at times! Anyways, I’m excited to be on board and I look forward to sharing my adventures and observations with you.