HawleyBlog

World's shortest poem: Adam had'em.

Thanksgiving
I know Tuesday doesn't sound like Thursday but today is our Thanksgiving. I have the day off and Lorna is back from a trip this afternoon. I start a four day trip tomorrow so tonight we had a turkey and mashed potatoes (I guess that's where Quayle got the "E") and crescent rolls. Oh man did it taste kick ass. For those of you who know of our house buying insanity, the corral that rode off into the sunset on Sunday is on it's way back. Monday is the day! I have to drink more beer now so until later... By the way, don't feel sorry for me about the four day trip over Thanksgiving. I bid for it. I am going to be on reserve anyway so I bid for a trip that will put me in Cleveland at 4:10pm on Thanksgiving. I don't leave until Sat. morning. I will be spending my time with my Grandma and my Uncle Jack. I can't think of a better trip. What are you thankful for? Me...fermentation. More soon.

This is one of the coolest sites I have ever seen. I believe it is done with Flash technology but I don't know how. If you are not a cat lover, you still have to appreciate the effort. Go to this page and move your mouse around and see what you can make it do...

http://home.wanadoo.nl/annekebroenink/maukie2.swf

Meow!

Two little words that make you feel good...No Termites!

I know that they say that technology doubles every so many years, but from the seat in front of the monitor, the pace can seem a bit slow at times. Sometimes it even seems to take a step back wards. You get a new computer and then someone writes a piece of software that needs a faster one. You get the high speed INTERNET working and then the punks down the street come home from school and the whole net slows. You buy a new house and there is no high speed INTERNET available. Oh, yea...we bought a new house...well...it's new to us. More on that after we close. Every once in a while, something happens that shakes the very foundation of your world and once again you find yourself on your knees before the god of technology giving thanks for the genius of some geek is some darkened cubicle most likely near San Jose, California. (Can I write a run on sentence or what?) Well, last night I experienced just such an event. After only a few simple key strokes, through the power of silicon and the ether that is the INTERNET, I caused a large, one topping, Papa Johns pizza to arrive at our front door. That's right, without a single utterance of "Yes, I can hold", I put in motion, the culinary wheels of some of the best junk food west of the Pecos! Well, I think...Where are/is the Pecos anyway? You know, if 7-11 would get on board with this, and with a little help from the people at American Standard plumbing fixtures, I could conceivably never have to stand up again.

I'm watching Inside the Actors Studio with Hugh Grant. Very funny. He has a great way with words. I just got released early for the night by scheduling. That is very rare. It has only happened once since I began working here. And, as a pilot, I am obliged to start drinking so I have cracked open a beer. While Lorna is out of town for the weekend, it is still a pleasant night. Surrounded by two cats, one bird on my foot and the other eating seed on his cage. I think it's time for an old movie.

I have spent the last three days in what is called recurrent ground school. For a first officer, you go every year. For a captain, you would typically go every six months. At my company we have a program where all pilots go every year and at the six months interval, you go to the simulator and take a checkride. The net result of this is that your job is at risk every six months. If you fail the training, you get to repeat it. If you fail a second time, you are usually fired. And no one will ever hire you again. Adding spice to the equation is the fact that since I have worked for the company for less than a year, I am on probation and as such, I can be fired for any reason at any time. I have a simulator check over two days next week. I am on reserve for the next three days and then a couple days off. It has been raining for the last few days so we hope the lawn will look great next week. It is interesting to be wearing long pants after so long in shorts. High 60's for the weekend. I already miss the hundred degree temps.

Well, my chapter of the Vanguard Airlines Saga may finally be coming to an end. The bankruptcy court recently settled the matter of the major creditors. Hopefully the attention will now turn to employee claims.

For those who didn't know, I flew the MD-80 for Vanguard from Aug. 2001 to July 2002. They went into bankruptcy July 29th, 2002. They just closed the doors. Without warning, it just ended. It was a rather odd experience actually. I was on a four day trip. We had spent the night in Pittsburgh and were on our way back to Kansas City. We were to pick up passengers there and go on to Las Vegas for the night. I was flying with one of my favorite captains, Greg Wineke. Greg was the only black pilot at Vanguard and stood out like a sore thumb in the Kansas City crowd. He had a great sense of humor and I always enjoyed flying with him. We had just called "In-Range" to KC and the operations desk informed us that our Las Vegas leg was canceled. "Vegas?...Cancelled?...Vegas never cancels." There could be atom bombs falling all over the earth with the planet cracking in half while the deadliest plague swept across America and there would still be somebody heading to Vegas for the weekend!

We asked why the flight had been canceled. After a pause that seemed a little too long, a guilty voice came back and said "operational concerns". What the hell does that mean? We blew it off and continued. As we pulled on to the ramp in KC we could see no other Vanguard planes or personnel. I turned to Greg and said "watch...when we pull in all the doors will be locked and we'll be out of business." We both laughed. Now, before you start thinking that I am clairvoyant, I must say that I have made that comment before. You see, the most common assumption in the airline industry is that, at any minute, your company is going to go out of business...you fear that more than atom bombs falling all over the earth or the planet cracking in half or the deadliest plague sweeping across America. We pulled in and called Scheduling to see if we were going to pick up the trip the next day. They told us "no." When we queried further, the girl told us to watch the 10:00pm news. Then she told Greg that she was going to miss him. With a look of panic on his face, he verified "Are you going to miss Chris too?" You see, the second most common assumption in the airline industry is that you are about to be fired! She said "yes" and we started to get the idea. Greg said "you know that joke you made when we were taxiing in? I think it just came true." We took our bags and went home. Never to see the place again.

Too make a long story longer, we never got paid for the month of July. In addition, I have a year of vacation pay due to me as well. Altogether, it is about $4,000+. And I want it! I may not get it all but some would be nice. I'll let you know. Of course, if you take into account the pace of the U.S. Court system, I will probably get my money just in time for my retirement party.

The address below is a website where you can take a bunch of fun tests. What kind of dog would you be? Which Actor should play you? What kind of kisser are you? What is your real age? They are really fun tests. I am an Irish Setter, Eathan Hawk should play me, I am a timid kisser and I am 35.9 yrs. old. I won't tell you what my I.Q. is. Try it, you'll like it.

Tickle by Emode: IQ and Personality Tests

I have a trip tonight. I have to fly all night to the east coast. I hate these flights. I guess it's time to take a nap! More later.