When I die I may not go to heaven…
I don't know if they let cowboys in…
If they don't just let me go to (North) Texas…
(North) Texas is as close as I've been.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
No news...
I'd love to give you some kickass update or something, but really...there's not a whole lot new going on. Just alot of work, not alotta play.
I've been waiting around for a call to help a (now former) co-worker get moved out. But, as it turns out, my phone has been on silent all day and she's been trying to call all day. Oops!
I guess I'm gonna hit up Denton. Then, from there, who knows. Probably hanging out with my boy Cody...perhaps some drinking...perhaps.
Only really exciting thing today is the fact that I'm almost at the 40 mark. Almost 40lbs. lost since February. I was 265 when I went to training for my airline. I stepped on the scale today and I'm sitting at 228. 37 lbs gone. I need to drop 40 more, but I'm getting there.
I know it's almost July, but summer is only now official. I'm going to get a Sno-Ball snocone in Gainesville, right....NOW. "Tiger's Blood" snocone, here I come. And there's a liquor store next door now. Hahahahahaha!
-----------------------
Current Music: Cross Canadian Ragweed - Carry You Home (iTunes Linkage)
Current Weight: 228
I've been waiting around for a call to help a (now former) co-worker get moved out. But, as it turns out, my phone has been on silent all day and she's been trying to call all day. Oops!
I guess I'm gonna hit up Denton. Then, from there, who knows. Probably hanging out with my boy Cody...perhaps some drinking...perhaps.
Only really exciting thing today is the fact that I'm almost at the 40 mark. Almost 40lbs. lost since February. I was 265 when I went to training for my airline. I stepped on the scale today and I'm sitting at 228. 37 lbs gone. I need to drop 40 more, but I'm getting there.
I know it's almost July, but summer is only now official. I'm going to get a Sno-Ball snocone in Gainesville, right....NOW. "Tiger's Blood" snocone, here I come. And there's a liquor store next door now. Hahahahahaha!
-----------------------
Current Music: Cross Canadian Ragweed - Carry You Home (iTunes Linkage)
Current Weight: 228
Friday, June 24, 2005
All hail the internet...
Ahhh, finally a new blog post. For the record, I spent an hour last weekend updating this thing on Dearing's computer...only to have said computer eat my damn entry. So I'll try to remember all the crap I touched on in that entry.
Not a whole lot of new things going on. I now work a 0430-2030 shift pretty much at least once a week. I've started calling it "working the slate"...as in working our entire slate of outbound flights. I did it this week on zero sleep...that was an adventure. They let me go around 1700, yet I wound up staying until almost 2100 due to our operations agent needing a hand and helping work a gate. Me and Brian, the other guy that works the 0430-2030 mess, were both running on almost no sleep...yet our flight was the only on-time departure for the afternoon. Eat that, afternoon shift.
Those 16 hour shifts are ass kickers and require a 45 minute shower just to get that funkiness off my body and outta my hair. I've never seen so much nastiness go down the drain. Just the pure black water from when I wash my hair after work. I look like a damn coal miner.
With the weather getting hotter (it was 100-plus with 98% humidity this past week), the funk just gets worse. I've been drinking at least 15 liters of water/Gatorade a work day to stay hydrated, yet I never pee because I sweat it all out. That's alot of sweat. Tack on the smell of Jet A burn off...and you get an idea of what us "below-wing" folks smell like at the end of the work day.
Somewhat exciting news from last week...I did my first pushback last week. I still need to get with the CI to finish my other 3 certification pushes, but I now have one under my belt. It ain't easy to do, either. When you grow up as a Texas country boy like I did, you're used to hauling trailers behind pickup trucks and turning opposite of where you want the trailer to go when maneuvering it. With a pushback, you're using a dual-joint towbar, so you turn into the maneuver...and that takes some getting used to when you're accustomed to a hay trailer.
For those of you non-aviation folks, a pushback is where we hook up a big ass tractor-like vehicle to the nose gear of an aircraft and push them out of the gate (or off of the hardstand) to where they will begin their taxi to the runway. We do this because a plane can't exactly just throw it in reverse and go. Sure, almost all commercial passenger aircraft have reverse thrust...and sure, the MD-80,-88,-90, the 717, the DC-9 and other rear mounted engine aircraft can safely powerback using reverse thrust, but there's FOD and safety issues with wing-mounted engines powering back, so it's safer and more economical to do pushbacks.
For that few minutes or so you spend pushing the aircraft, the pushback operator is the person responsible for the aircraft and everyone on board, so that's a little nerve racking. On a busy ramp, you really have to depend on your wingwalkers to be your eyes. I know in my nervousness, I jolted the plane a few times by letting off the gas a little too much. I asked the flight deck to pass on my apologies to the f/a's since it wouldn't surprise me if I nearly knocked them on their asses. (Noorster, does this ever happen? Bad pushback turning into someone being almost knocked on their backside?)
So, the internet has been down all day. I'm actually typing this entry in a notepad file and will cut and paste later when the damn DSL comes back up. Apparently, some jackass cut a fiber optic cable between here and Dallas...and that's affecting DSL and 911 service. Screw 911 service...just gimme my internet back!
Luckily, I have alot of music on iTunes I haven't had a chance to really listen to and "Groundhog Day" is on TV. Bill Murray is a golden god.
Been trying harder to hang out with friends lately...had a few chances to hang out with new friends as well...Linds and Miss Cooper rock my world (Miss Cooper just a little more than Lindsay...lol). It's been a good couple of weeks.
I went to the Frisco RoughRiders game last night with Robbie Mac. He scored SWEET tickets from the doctor he's house sitting for...behind home plate, 2nd row, free beer, free chili dogs and sitting next to a smokin' hot girl from Frisco. And to top it off, the bat boy is one of my old campers (Scott, the KPFC radio all-star), so I got a couple of game used balls. After all of that, whos cares that the Riders got shelacked to the tune of 13-0. ;)
Last week (or was it the week before?), I got to see Bob Schneider 2 nights in a row...meaning I got to hang out with old friends that I haven't seen in ages like Margee, Phil, Katie, Rica, Cody, Justin, Micah, Holly, and others. That was a blast and a half...few things bring us all together like a Bob show.
Hmm, what else? Not a whole lot going on. I bought new steel toes and kneepads...that's exciting. Hahahaha! I didn't get the Ramp Lead position I really wanted, but I understand my seniority was much lower than the ones that got the positions. I'm gonna try to get outta town next week if I can pull it off. Getting outta Dallas/Ft. Worth as a non-rev on our airline is close to impossible right now. Damn summer loads.
Well, I'm gonna go fire up the TiVo and watch "Groundhog Day" until the internet comes back up. I need to shop for car insurance...c'mon SBC! I need my DSL!
-----------------------
Current Music:
Current Weight:
Not a whole lot of new things going on. I now work a 0430-2030 shift pretty much at least once a week. I've started calling it "working the slate"...as in working our entire slate of outbound flights. I did it this week on zero sleep...that was an adventure. They let me go around 1700, yet I wound up staying until almost 2100 due to our operations agent needing a hand and helping work a gate. Me and Brian, the other guy that works the 0430-2030 mess, were both running on almost no sleep...yet our flight was the only on-time departure for the afternoon. Eat that, afternoon shift.
Those 16 hour shifts are ass kickers and require a 45 minute shower just to get that funkiness off my body and outta my hair. I've never seen so much nastiness go down the drain. Just the pure black water from when I wash my hair after work. I look like a damn coal miner.
With the weather getting hotter (it was 100-plus with 98% humidity this past week), the funk just gets worse. I've been drinking at least 15 liters of water/Gatorade a work day to stay hydrated, yet I never pee because I sweat it all out. That's alot of sweat. Tack on the smell of Jet A burn off...and you get an idea of what us "below-wing" folks smell like at the end of the work day.
Somewhat exciting news from last week...I did my first pushback last week. I still need to get with the CI to finish my other 3 certification pushes, but I now have one under my belt. It ain't easy to do, either. When you grow up as a Texas country boy like I did, you're used to hauling trailers behind pickup trucks and turning opposite of where you want the trailer to go when maneuvering it. With a pushback, you're using a dual-joint towbar, so you turn into the maneuver...and that takes some getting used to when you're accustomed to a hay trailer.
For those of you non-aviation folks, a pushback is where we hook up a big ass tractor-like vehicle to the nose gear of an aircraft and push them out of the gate (or off of the hardstand) to where they will begin their taxi to the runway. We do this because a plane can't exactly just throw it in reverse and go. Sure, almost all commercial passenger aircraft have reverse thrust...and sure, the MD-80,-88,-90, the 717, the DC-9 and other rear mounted engine aircraft can safely powerback using reverse thrust, but there's FOD and safety issues with wing-mounted engines powering back, so it's safer and more economical to do pushbacks.
For that few minutes or so you spend pushing the aircraft, the pushback operator is the person responsible for the aircraft and everyone on board, so that's a little nerve racking. On a busy ramp, you really have to depend on your wingwalkers to be your eyes. I know in my nervousness, I jolted the plane a few times by letting off the gas a little too much. I asked the flight deck to pass on my apologies to the f/a's since it wouldn't surprise me if I nearly knocked them on their asses. (Noorster, does this ever happen? Bad pushback turning into someone being almost knocked on their backside?)
So, the internet has been down all day. I'm actually typing this entry in a notepad file and will cut and paste later when the damn DSL comes back up. Apparently, some jackass cut a fiber optic cable between here and Dallas...and that's affecting DSL and 911 service. Screw 911 service...just gimme my internet back!
Luckily, I have alot of music on iTunes I haven't had a chance to really listen to and "Groundhog Day" is on TV. Bill Murray is a golden god.
Been trying harder to hang out with friends lately...had a few chances to hang out with new friends as well...Linds and Miss Cooper rock my world (Miss Cooper just a little more than Lindsay...lol). It's been a good couple of weeks.
I went to the Frisco RoughRiders game last night with Robbie Mac. He scored SWEET tickets from the doctor he's house sitting for...behind home plate, 2nd row, free beer, free chili dogs and sitting next to a smokin' hot girl from Frisco. And to top it off, the bat boy is one of my old campers (Scott, the KPFC radio all-star), so I got a couple of game used balls. After all of that, whos cares that the Riders got shelacked to the tune of 13-0. ;)
Last week (or was it the week before?), I got to see Bob Schneider 2 nights in a row...meaning I got to hang out with old friends that I haven't seen in ages like Margee, Phil, Katie, Rica, Cody, Justin, Micah, Holly, and others. That was a blast and a half...few things bring us all together like a Bob show.
Hmm, what else? Not a whole lot going on. I bought new steel toes and kneepads...that's exciting. Hahahaha! I didn't get the Ramp Lead position I really wanted, but I understand my seniority was much lower than the ones that got the positions. I'm gonna try to get outta town next week if I can pull it off. Getting outta Dallas/Ft. Worth as a non-rev on our airline is close to impossible right now. Damn summer loads.
Well, I'm gonna go fire up the TiVo and watch "Groundhog Day" until the internet comes back up. I need to shop for car insurance...c'mon SBC! I need my DSL!
-----------------------
Current Music:
Current Weight:
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Friday, June 03, 2005
Pot Pies, Wild Ass Weeks, and New Stuff...
In a change of pace from the usual airline rant (don't worry, that's coming), I want to start by voicing my displeasure with frozen chicken pot pies. It's so much work for such little food. I mean, c'mon, I grew up with a microwave. I'm used to being able to throw a frozen food straight from the freezer to the microwave and be eating in less than 4 minutes. None of this preheating, burning myself on the oven rack, and having to wait 33 or more minutes for a 7 oz. pot pie that I will eat in less than 3 minutes. Such a waste of time.
So yeah, it was another one of those weeks at the airport. Weather at our hub for almost 3 days straight royally screwed things up. One ramp crew, 3 planes on the ground...at well into 2100 (our last outbound flight is scheduled for around 1945). Rough going for the DFW crew.
Yesterday takes the cake for rough days this week, though. I'm no longer working nights...I'm now on middays...which is great for my social life, by the way. Because I'm actually getting sleep, I agreed to cover 3 hours for our Operations agent. On a normal day, that would have been great. However, I walked into a shitstorm when I got there at 1700. A flight cancelled due to maintenance issues was still sitting in the gate, that flight caused an aircraft routing issue since that tail number is supposed to come back through Dallas from it's original destination, then on to our hub as an overnighter. On top of that we had cargo and mail that was pulled from other flights in order to make weights & balances work on previous flights.
Our planners at HDQ decided to turn one of our terminator overnighters into that flight back to our hub...with the pilots flying that overnighter in from Baltimore flying the delayed flight and swapping out the flight attendants. Well, the pilots decided to be total arrogant douchebags and took off for the crew hotel even though they were notified mid-flight that they needed to fly back to home base on that next flight. Crew scheduling canceled their hotel rooms, but these guys were adamant that they weren't coming back to the airport. After about an hour and a half of haggling, begging, and getting the top brass involved...the captain and F/O came back to the airport. They were total dicks to everyone upon their return, but we pushed that flight out as quickly as the F/O could hammer out the weights and balances.
My 3 hour (1700-2000) cover shift turned into a 6 hour (1700-2300) fiasco, but I learned alot. I'm gonna start coming in on my days off and getting trained as an (unofficial) operations agent just so I know how to handle messes like that without help.
Wednesday night, I got to hang out with Kari after work (I was 3.5 hours late). A fun Wal-Mart run, Whataburger, Ace Ventura, and other good times were had. :) Hopefully, now that I live in the metro-mess, I'll get to see alot more of her.
Thursday night, after the mess at work, I got to go see Margee and Rica, Justin and Cody, and a bunch of my Camp Sweeney buddies...all in one night! I like being off before midnight! I kinda have a social life now.
I'm kinda rushing because I've gotta pack ups some more of my crap and get it loaded in the car...then go see a friend of mine before I go back to the apt.
One last thing though...I've added (ANOTHER) box on the right hand side. It's called "Downline Connections" and it will be airline/aviation industry related links. The first three are Airliners.net, The Queen Of Sky, and The Jumpseat Diaries. Airliners.net may have replace GoMeanGreen.com as my daily timewasting obsession...the QueenOfSky is the blog of a former Delta F/A that was shitcanned for nothing more than blogging (ever notice how I never refer to who I work for or where the hub is even if it's incredibly obvious?)...and The Jumpseat Diaries is the blog of another F/A who was lovely enough to comment on my last entry. Thanks Darlin'! I'll add more links in that box as I come across them.
Until next time...please refrain from yelling at the operations agent when he comes up to try and help the gate agent prepare his paperwork...DAMMIT!
-----------------------
Current Music: Everclear - El Distorto de Melodica (Instrumental)
Current Weight: 233
So yeah, it was another one of those weeks at the airport. Weather at our hub for almost 3 days straight royally screwed things up. One ramp crew, 3 planes on the ground...at well into 2100 (our last outbound flight is scheduled for around 1945). Rough going for the DFW crew.
Yesterday takes the cake for rough days this week, though. I'm no longer working nights...I'm now on middays...which is great for my social life, by the way. Because I'm actually getting sleep, I agreed to cover 3 hours for our Operations agent. On a normal day, that would have been great. However, I walked into a shitstorm when I got there at 1700. A flight cancelled due to maintenance issues was still sitting in the gate, that flight caused an aircraft routing issue since that tail number is supposed to come back through Dallas from it's original destination, then on to our hub as an overnighter. On top of that we had cargo and mail that was pulled from other flights in order to make weights & balances work on previous flights.
Our planners at HDQ decided to turn one of our terminator overnighters into that flight back to our hub...with the pilots flying that overnighter in from Baltimore flying the delayed flight and swapping out the flight attendants. Well, the pilots decided to be total arrogant douchebags and took off for the crew hotel even though they were notified mid-flight that they needed to fly back to home base on that next flight. Crew scheduling canceled their hotel rooms, but these guys were adamant that they weren't coming back to the airport. After about an hour and a half of haggling, begging, and getting the top brass involved...the captain and F/O came back to the airport. They were total dicks to everyone upon their return, but we pushed that flight out as quickly as the F/O could hammer out the weights and balances.
My 3 hour (1700-2000) cover shift turned into a 6 hour (1700-2300) fiasco, but I learned alot. I'm gonna start coming in on my days off and getting trained as an (unofficial) operations agent just so I know how to handle messes like that without help.
Wednesday night, I got to hang out with Kari after work (I was 3.5 hours late). A fun Wal-Mart run, Whataburger, Ace Ventura, and other good times were had. :) Hopefully, now that I live in the metro-mess, I'll get to see alot more of her.
Thursday night, after the mess at work, I got to go see Margee and Rica, Justin and Cody, and a bunch of my Camp Sweeney buddies...all in one night! I like being off before midnight! I kinda have a social life now.
I'm kinda rushing because I've gotta pack ups some more of my crap and get it loaded in the car...then go see a friend of mine before I go back to the apt.
One last thing though...I've added (ANOTHER) box on the right hand side. It's called "Downline Connections" and it will be airline/aviation industry related links. The first three are Airliners.net, The Queen Of Sky, and The Jumpseat Diaries. Airliners.net may have replace GoMeanGreen.com as my daily timewasting obsession...the QueenOfSky is the blog of a former Delta F/A that was shitcanned for nothing more than blogging (ever notice how I never refer to who I work for or where the hub is even if it's incredibly obvious?)...and The Jumpseat Diaries is the blog of another F/A who was lovely enough to comment on my last entry. Thanks Darlin'! I'll add more links in that box as I come across them.
Until next time...please refrain from yelling at the operations agent when he comes up to try and help the gate agent prepare his paperwork...DAMMIT!
-----------------------
Current Music: Everclear - El Distorto de Melodica (Instrumental)
Current Weight: 233
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