Ode to a stir stick

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Fri, 01/11/2008 - 09:39 — Carole Adams

Our long-time symbol of LUV, the stir stick topped with a small heart, was scheduled to be replaced onboard our flights with a small straw. Upon hearing the news, I was moved to write the following tribute.

Dear little stir stick with your heart held high

Must we really say, "Good bye?"

You've given so many such good cheer

With your stick in the cup saying, "Liquor's in here!"

If this was your only use I'd understand

How a straw could replace you and have the upper hand.

Pepper for Bloody Mary's you've held so tight

Can anything else ever be right?

Do they know of the crowns you've helped create

Along with bags of peanuts - a birthday to celebrate?

Children's eyes sparkle with delight

As they see you peeking at them in their Sprite!

You are part of the Legend and will remain as such

Raise a toast to the stir stick for giving so much!

So you see, little things mean a lot. On reexamination, the stir stick stays! In the future I hope you will look at it with renewed respect!

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Comments

Nice sentiment. Little details do mean alot.

Scot — Fri, 01/11/2008 - 15:36

God bless you Carole,
Thanks for standing up for the little stir stick with LUV!
You are so right. Our beverage service would never be the same with a ....straw.

And you are right about another thing. Little things mean a lot.
Thank you for the tribute! Cheers!

(I LUV the crown by the way!)

DAL FA — Fri, 01/11/2008 - 17:45

That little stir stick has brought many smiles to the faces of children...and adults alike. I always include a few stir sticks in little gift bags for the kids...usually it's their favorite thing in there! Recently, I had an adult female customer who asked for two stir sticks. When I brought them to her, she put her hair into a bun and used the two stir sticks to keep it in place. She said those little sticks make the best hairclips...so I brought her a few more to take with her. Something so insignificant can make all the difference in someones day! Long Live the Luv!

CHAD
SWA FA

Chad — Sat, 01/12/2008 - 04:36

Tell me it isn't true!! Me and the stir stick go way back... we've had so many good times together: In my coffee seattle-bound....in my coffee "albuquerque or bust"...or my favorite: in my coffee "welcome to hollywood"...i will miss it!!

I asked the tiny heart-crowned stir stick (that we all luv and adore) what it thought about being forced into retirement...to which it replied:

"bury me with my money"

-K.R.M.

Kiona McAlister — Sat, 01/12/2008 - 07:42

Yes Carole, thank you for standing up for the stir stick.

Just last week a Customer asked me if he could have a couple of stir sticks to take home to his daughter.

Our signature stir sticks make people smile and a smile can go a long way in brightening your day.

Another DAL FA — Sat, 01/12/2008 - 18:00

And they make perfect bookmarks!
And when you are entertaining your small children with barf-bag puppets, they can serve as any number of props...hat pins,scepters, golf clubs, and (of course) swords!!!

carla — Sat, 01/12/2008 - 20:29

There was a short article about this in my newspaper today! I must cut it out & add it to my SWA collection. :)

Joke for the day: What is in some foods that you also use to smooth wrinkles in your clothes? Iron! Ha, ha, ha. I made that up by my very own self!

SWA LUV! :)

Leah — Sun, 01/13/2008 - 04:55

Why, oh why, did SWA mess with the Rapid Rewards? The flexibility of Rapid Rewards was what set SWA apart from the other airlines crummy programs. Now you can only redeem standard awards for the cheapest tickets - so lame! Please, please go back to the old system. At least with blackout dates you were only blocked out of a very small number of dates, now you can be blocked out anytime!

flyer — Sun, 01/13/2008 - 05:39

How thoughtful to come up with a cute little poem for something so insignificant as a stir stick!! I have actually never ordered a cocktail onboard (my love for Heineken prevents it), but if I do sometime soon, and if I see one of the heart sticks, I'll be sure to save it! Thanks for the news!

LUV from CLE,
Amanda :)

Amanda — Mon, 01/14/2008 - 04:27

Well, this was very creative! What a neat story to be passed down to others.. so sad! Hey I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how I can submit my resume to become apart of this loving family as a flight attendant?

my email annacass21@hotmail.com

Thanks,
Anna

Anna Schartung — Wed, 01/16/2008 - 02:38

Since you are so into business flights why can't you have a non-stop flight from Louisville to Philidelphia? It needs to be an evening flight around 7:00 an a morning flight around 7:00 as well. Is that a possibility for the future?

Kelley Levine — Thu, 01/17/2008 - 01:24

Alas, hopefully the powers of the great southwest will come to their senses and not let the stir sticks go the way of the little packets of pepper which no longer add the zing to my wifes and my Bloody Marys on our Sunday morning Burbank to Las Vegas flights.

Steve Murray — Thu, 01/17/2008 - 04:26

[...] blog also laments the near-loss of the signature Southwest stir stick topped with a heart. We have to admit, [...]

Flight Wisdom » Southwest isn’t What it Used to — Thu, 01/24/2008 - 02:05

Anyone know how I could get ahold of 12 stir sticks for my son's preschool valentines day party? (No, they wont be mixing their own drinks!). I've always adored the heart stir sticks on my SWA flights and thought it would be cute to make a fruit-kabob on a stick for each of the kids for their Valentines party. I've looked in stores for something similar w/ no luck . My husband and I dont have any flights coming up between now and then either...
thanks,
a "trying-to-creative" but getting desperate Mommy

HappyMommy — Thu, 01/31/2008 - 19:06

Ode to our heart stir stick is the cutest ever. We need to see if there is a way to keep that part of our LUV...it brings smiles to kids and adults alike. Please say that they are reconsidering...this is part of our tradition, our symbol of LUV...what can we do to get the word out on our HEART STIR STICKS.
lynnie OAK FA

lynnie mcphee gustafson — Thu, 04/03/2008 - 03:34

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