Just a little patience...

So, I now own a piece of the B-52's legend. I took a picture off the wall. A lovely sunset shot of an SR-71 being mid-air refueled from a KC-10. To translate that to normal person talk, thats cool shit. And seeing how I spent so much quality time there, its only right that I get a piece of the place tot ake home.

Tanya and I met up at the old haunt to indulge in half priced whiskey and trivia. And after some inital introductions to some sales staff from Martinair cargo (who apparently they thought we were with... but not enough to give us a free drink coupon), we in dulge din some Patron and went on to win trivia. Go TEAM!! And in the meantime, we had a lot of good conversation and a fair amount of drink. I really must say, the comapny was excellent. Though I do think Tanya is a little jealous of her fiancee's obvious infatuation with me. But we're getting through that.

Today it was work, and since my boss is heading out on vacation this week, I thought I woul just ruin it by telling him theres a chance I'll have a new job when he gets back. He took it all in sride, in the way Ed does. And is probably the most encouraging manager I've ever had for me to move on to a career with another company. Even telling me that he's heard that Delta is hiring again soon.

And on that note, while i was psse dout dead to the world this afternoon, UPS airlines called. Unfortunately I didn't hear the phone (it being on vibrate) and i was exhausted due to lack of sleep the night before. The voice mail just asked em to call them back, and I did... and no one was home. So now, looks like I'm waiting till Monday to hear the outcome of my breif but thorough interview.

I was cruising around the web looking at apartments in Louisville, and I realize how much I hate shopping for a palce to live. Atleast in all ny past moves,I had a clue about the city and where to live. I don't have the faintest idea what part of Louisville would best suit me... walking distance form the bar. I did however discover there is a Hard Rock Cafe downtown, and that pretty much crushed my opinion that you only find those in well known internationl destinations. I suppose I'll have to get a guitar pin from there eventually.

I did find alovely refurbished warheouse that has loft apartmens, and includes the gas bill in the rent. However, the website goes on to tell you the heat, air,and stove are all electric. SO what the hell is the gas bill for?

Other than that,t hings have been sedate here. Had dinner with the lovely Jersey,since she is only in town for a short time. After her all expense paid excursion to Vegas, being put up at the Venetian... which apparently has awesoem showers in the suites, she takes off again this weekend to Alaska.

SO as of right now, I'm off the 4th. Any ideas on how to amuse myself? I should possibly blow some fireworks up. If anyone needs me, I'll be around... at least for a couple weeks.

I hate waiting for news....

The further we slip into this rabbit hole the harder we look for a new place to go

So,the last couple days.... lots learned. Namely, don'tplan a road trip and rent a car without cruise control.

First off, the timing for my little jaunt to Louisville worked out pretty well. I was able to swing through Lexington and catch a DCI show there. And more importantly I was able to see Scott Carter (brass staff with Spirit) and even Dammit Daniel (staff with Cadets). It was also good to see the corps. Its somewhat comforting to know alot of the activity hasn't changed in the last 15 years. Still a bunch of kids who don't know what they were getting into when they started, and won't know how to get out of it when they finish.

Of course, they are kids. And the reheasal and general on tour attire has gotten skimier on the girls. I felt dirty... but only for a few minutes. Then I remember my fetish for super tan girls with wierd tan lines. But here's my mini review (All the non-Drum Corps types can skip to the next paragraph): Spirit, needs some oomph and lots of cleaning and endurance, but there's potential. Boston kinda liked the show... dont know what they played (really didn;t know who played what) but it was kinda catchy. Crown As much as I hate to admit I like a Crown show, I liked this one. Good horn sound and visuals stuff... really sold the horse theme. Phantom: I want to like this show with the flying theme, but the horn sound isn;t what I exected from past Phantom and I just didnt get into it. Cadets... uhhhhhh. It probably was a kewl show musically and visually, but the voice overs kind made me laugh and I kept looking for who was talking. Take out the excessive talking. And finally Southwind I'm a little biased but I liked the show... grabbed me more than Spirit, but needs an ending. It just kinda stopped.

After the show I wa sof to Louisville, and a abulous room at the Marriott, with a 70% discount thanks to MB. Also, for future reference, no 24 hour room service there, so dinner was a couple Heinekins and a bowl of pretzels and beer nuts. I did a little studying and then to bed.

The next day was the interview. This is probably the shortest job interview in history. I got there about 0945 for a 10 am interview. Started about that time and I was out in my car 23 minutes later. Now, apparently theres a standard set of questions they go though covering weather, regulations, and ATC stuff. Flew through them. It was like a trivia game to me really. Then the HR questions came out, and I went through those. None of the real tough ones you normally get. After we got out of the little interview room, I was told to wait in the lobby. Next thing I know I'm on my way for fingerprinting. So I guess thats good.

On a side note there was a model of a 747-400 in the lobby that, no shit, was the size of my car. I love it!!! SO now, I'm suppose to hear something back by Monday.

The drive home was annoying, I mannaged to hit traffic in Chattanooga and Atlanta. And outside Nashville there was a incredible accident (almost 2, i'll come back to that). Looks like some one lost control, went across the median and into oncoming traffic. It looked pretty bad. So, everyone out there driving, be careful.

The second accident almost happened in front of me, the stunt driver didn't notice from the immobile cars and brake lights that traffic had stopped. So he swerved right slammed on the brakes across the other lane (barley missed the back of a tractor trailer. The hard left left and comletely swings the car around. Way to go!

OK, so now I'm home. And I learned tonight the B-52's is closing. The last night is the 30th. THe staff is moving to a new location (a block away) and re-opening a bar under the name Irish Bred. But its like an old friend is going away. Theres beena lot of good times in that old bar. Dancing, Karaoke, Trivia, more red-hedded sluts than I can count. For anyone interested, they are emtying the bar stock this weekend. Half price booze until its gone. And see anything on the wall you want (most the good stuff is gone), Ruthie will sell it cheap. You can have your own piece of B-52's.

Next we'll have to break in the Irish Bred place.

OK, thats enough for tonight. I'm off to sleep and wait for the call to come in.

These dreams go on when I close my eyes...

t's not often I remember the dreams I have. However, this morning (and its going on 6 AM) i work up feeling disturbed. All I remember is there was a me, a 747, and the ending could have turned out better. The plane didn't end up in one peice. As much as I flown and as far as I've gone, I can never remember having a dream that I awoke after jumping down an escape slide.

It was weird, and I feel a bit disturbed. At least i managed to walk away...

So now, I'm wide awake. Which is unfortunate because theres not much on TV at this hour. Perhaps I should start an insomniacs channel, that has various decent programming, ie not televangalists or infomercials. Though who doesn't need to be making purchase decisions at 5 AM? Of course I need knives that can cut through an aluminum can... but wait, there's more!

I've really been in somewhat of a down mood of late, since getting home. ANd theres multiple reasons for that, from jet lag to being disappointed by some people. But while I still haven' been able to find a sleep schedule that includes 8 hours of uninterrupted slumber, the rest I'm moving on with. And then the impending interview this week is on my mind.

Unlike the big D interview, I don't seem to want this one as bad. Which I suppose is a good thing, I'm not over stressing about it. But I've been feeling a more or less sense of apathy toward the idea of moving to Louisville and working there. And really, it's a great opportunity, I'm just not excited about the prospects.

There's a lot on my mind at the moment, and I don't really know where to go with it. One thing at a time I suppose.

I just noticed I passed 5000 total views on my blog. Wow. Who knew people read that much.

aking the big risks.

So, I'm starting to settle down and get back into the life routine. It was a long weekend following the return home. I seem to really have acclimated myself to the down udner environment, and seem to be unable to get back on a normal sleep routine (if I ever had a normal one). I also forgot how freaking hot it is here.

At any rate, I'm reading "In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson again. And read it pretty much down and back on the trip, while i wasn't sleeping. Its incredibly humorous and great intro to Australia. But the down side to the book is it may possibly leave you with the impression that everything there will kill you. I probably would have shyed away from my trip to the Great Barrier Reef and the surrounding area if I had read this book first. Now, after reading Mr. Bryson I feel I survived the most deadly excursion known to man. Here are just a few things that will make your vacation to the Northeastern coast a bit sporting: The box jelly fish which is know as the most venomous creature on earth and causes such excrutiain pain from its stings that people have been know to scream with agony even while passed out. Then you have seashells with the venomous residents that love to sink their fangs into you. And then you have the reef sharks, that though small still have teeth (and i was within eyesight of one of those... i swam the other way). And the cassowary bird, which is an emu-esqe creature with 2 razor sharp velociraptor claws, known to slice jugular veins (fair enough its only been like 5 people in recorded history). And then theres the tree snakes in the jungle, which hang from branches, and you'll never see them until "clamp on to a facial extremity." And the blue ringed octopus (kills you), a ray that electricutes you, and the stonefish that looks like a stone (not just a clever name) but had venomous spikes... and can peirce the bottom of a tennis shoe. Oh and theres the legendary 900 lb Grouper that has in the past bit off an arm or foot, then realized how much he doesnt like the taste of human.

And then you have the worlds 10 deadliest snakes, the worlds most poisonous spiders, and then the nasty habit of leaving people behind on reef dives.

And really, I survived all that?? Amazing huh? But in retrospect, it was worth risking my life to see and experience the natural wonder of the reef an the adjacent rain forest. And even though this trip wasn't as death defying as the last journey down under, unless you of course putting my life in the hands of some of the Whiskey Oscar Alfa flyboys, it was a nice reminder I can still take off and have a little adventure. Its been a few years since I went off on my own like this, and it was refreshing.

Yesterday was a really nice day. Had a lovely lunch with Jersey and Sean, and then the rest of the after noon with Sean. Its been a while since the two of us just hung out, and we had a good conversations about the directions our lives have taken, and some choices coming up. I think we both are urging each other to do the things we most need in life to improve the quality, and its nice to have the support. Add to that some recent events have been pushing me for a change. So, we'll see what happens.

I think thats enough typing for today. the laundry needs to be put away, Later

Adventures in Jumpseating..

So, for the record... Cleveland does not rock. What airport has no departing fligths anywhere after 7 pm. And this is a big city??

So, i'm back home safe and sound. I survived the wilds of Australia and the harrowing journey to and fro. And about that journey. Those of you outside the airline business think we employees can just walk up and hop on any plane we see and go for a ride, free of charge. And I'd say you're right about 75% of the time. But as some of our friends have found out, it can be unnerving hanging out in the gate waiting to hear your name called.

But this is about me... The trip down went well enough. On time for the most part, made my connection in Rockhampton for the Qantas flight to Brisbane. Little hassle. Short train ride and I'm at my hostel. Coming home, well... Whiskey Oscar Alfa made a little change in the flight schedule and behold, my intended flight back no longer came to Atlanta, but instead went to Fairbanks. So, now I'm leaving Oz a day early, and if thats not bad enough, I have to go through Cleveland.

Now any Clevelanders who may be reading this, I'm sorry... I just don't like it there. Coupled with our flight got in to late to make any connecting flight to Atlanta, or anywhere for that matter, I was sort of put off. After some checking, the RJ's flying irect to ATL the next morning wereon the fullish side, so my nextoption to ensure passage home, lets goto Akron-Canton airport. After a visit to the transportation center at the CLE airport, I learned there is no transportation anywhere. Then a cursory visit to every rental car agency in the terminal left me with a Hertz supplied SUV for a 45 minute drive down. The lady ebhind the counter was wonderful, and even waved the dropoff fees. There was a breif flritation of just driving the rental home, but I decided after about 24 hours of being in transit, ireally didn't to endure that. That and I really desired a shower.

Of to Akron it is, found a nice hotel room for the night. Such a cleansing experience it was, I suddenly felt I didn't stink. After dinner and a few hours sleep, I was on the first Airtran bound for Atlanta. Now I'm here.

And while there is a bit of hassle in having to deal changing your travel plans last minute, it worked out well. And all in all, I did only pay about $300 for a roundtrip ticket to Brisbane. And most of it in first class or better.

So, once I'me rested a bit and all the hassle of returning home is handled, I'll through up some blogs about being gone. I actually bought a notebook and would occasionally write some thoughts down, and perhaps I'll put them up here... if I can interpret my own handwriting.

As you can see from the new photo, I have a new friend. I think her name was Malawi, though I'm not sure of the spelling. She's very cute and cuddly and a real treat. I have put some other pictures and a couple short videos on my photobucket site ( http://s84.photobucket.com/albums/k19/mellodees/ ) for your browing pleasure. Look in the Brisbane and surrounds folder.

Come waltzing Matilda with me..

Come waltzing Matilda with me..
Current mood: chipper

Yes, I know, I'm on vacation in the land of OZ and I should be doing something more productive than sitting on the itnernet bloggin. Well, due to an unfortnate inicident with an Irish girl and a Vodka and Red Bull, I needed to do some laundry. And also recharge my MP3 player, which requires a computer. So here I am.

I'll be posting more indepth stuff later, I just needed to pass some time and since I've paid for an hour of online time, I might as well use it.

So, after the bar closed last night, I foudn that I had a voice mail. Apparently some one at a large company that flies boxes and wears brown was calling about a resume I sent in 7 months ago. In a stroke of brilliance, I called them back. And had a short phone itnerview while the world outside my hostel was spinning.

I'm to call for a face to face when I return back stateside. So the moral is, I do things better drunk apparently. We'lls ee, I'm not that enthused about the job really.

Well, I'm off to check on laundry and find trouble. See everyone on Sunday (hopefully).

jd

I'm headed out this morning for the far side of the world

oun can't imagine how long I've been waiting to use that songline and actually really mean it. So today is the day I put my faith in Whiskey Oscar Alfa to transport me a few thousand miles, mostly over water. Its really frightening.

I did manage to get everything I need in my backpack, though it looks like it could burst any moment. I'll see what I can do about the orders I've given for goods to return with. I'm not sure if I can get that entire menagerie on the aiplane, and honestly it's going to take second priority to getting the cases of Victoria Bitter back.

At any rate, I had a lovely pool party for m roommate Joe yesterday, and there was much fun had, beer consumed, and skin burned. But perhaps, it being winter down under, I'll have the best tan around. Though it doubtfull.

I should be back in a week, so if you really need me... I guess you are out of luck. As most of my friends are travelling somewhere this week, lets all hope St. CHristopher (the patron saint of travelers) is wahcing out for us. Everyone be safe.

See y'all when I get back, if I don't decide to stay.

When you see the Southern Corss for the first time, you remember why you came this way

I wrote somethign earlier this morning, realized I hated it, and this is the second try and some meaningful literary creation. I'm not sure how well this is going to. Today is Friday and its technically my friday, except I signed up for OT tomorrow. Make some extra cash for next month, because apparently I'm planning to go back to Australia in July. I like finding these things out.

On that note, I was having a particularly engaging conversation with a particularly enchanting young lady from South Afrca. And the subject of all things was the rotation of water as it drains, or flushes. The first time I went to Australia, I remember one of the first things I did was flush a toilet to observe the water swirling the opposite direction. And of course, that was then i realized I've never noticed which way the water actually swirls here to compare it too.

Well, South Africa being south of the Equator, I asked this gorgeous creature if perhaps the first foray she made to the Up Over if she did the test. A firm 'NO' was the answer. Apparently I am that amused by pointless things. Which is good since I have 30 hours of plane riding coming up, and much amusement will be needed.

Today was payday, and its always fun on paydays to watch my bank account swell, then within hours shrink back to the miniscule standards as the money flows out to various other financial and service institutions. I did attempt a flurry of responsibility by over paying (double) a couple of credit card payments. So I don't feel like I'm just nlowing my hard earned money on frivelous things like... Taco Mac polo shirts (which I calculate cost me approximately $1400). But I had fun.

So, its a buys time for me: Brisbane, wedding, and then Braves/Sox game on Monday. I'm very much looking forward to the game, I think I'm going to have good company and a lot of fun. I've decided Jersey owes me so shes buying the first 3 rounds. SHe knows what she did.

Its almsot time to head home and stuff a bag. I turned on Travel Channel eysterday an Globe Trekker was on, which is areally cool show i recommend to everyone who likes to travel. And she (the cute host) was travelling costal Queensland.. I have some ideas. I'm taking it as a sign.

Back to airplane stuff. this one turned out much better than the first attempt. later

i don't get there often enough, but God knows I try.

i don't get there often enough, but God knows I try.
Current mood: hopeful
Absolute brilliance. Great ideas have ben flowing out of my head all day. Wel, perhaps not all day, but I had a couple. So heres plan A: My immigration to Australia.

I figure that theres lots of land down there, and not a lot of people. I mean, the entire continent has roughly the same population as the New York City Metro area. So, I should be able to find a fairly large parcel of land at a fairly low price. Say a couple hundred acres. At which point I set up a new nation on the area, and suceed from Australia and make myself the supreme benevolent overlord.

Brilliant yes??? But wait it gets better.

The sovereign nation of (insert name here) will, in a protest of global tyranny and oppressive economic policies torwad developing countries, declare war on the United States. After an initial covert biological attack (the population will sneeze in the general direction of DC), we will immediately surrender and demand economic aid from the US to rebuild our war torn nation. Shortly after the aid packages arrive, the nation of (insert name here) will enter negotiations to be annexed by the Commonwealth of Australia, at which time all citizens of (insert name here) become Australian citizens.

I think it will work.

The other plan is a lot less grandiose. Ryan has come up with a brilliant idea to spend some time next May back in Aistralia, at which time we'll rent a car, trek across the country from Sydney to Perth, making sure we visit such places such as Broken Hill and Useless Gap.

Now the suggestion I offer is to just go ahead, buy a ticket from Perth to say, Dubai on Emirates. Spend a couple days then hop the gulf up to Kuwait, and ride home on a company jet. And upon my return, I would have completely circled the globe. A goal of mine then will be accomplished. The other option was to fly from Perth to Johannesburg, and try jumpseating home on Delta. Taking the southern route.

We'll see if any of this materializes, but wouldn't it be interesting?

Today is my last day off of this rotation, and I actually had a full four days out of work. It was enjoyable, if not a little boring at times. I have managed to get a lot of reading in and clean up my living space. I'm back to having two roommates (occaisonally) and seemingly caught up on life. The 4 days off have markedly improved my attitude. I dont feel nearly as snippish as I did last week. So maybe I'll have a good 5 days (yes, I have one OT day this week) of work before I tke off to Brizzy.

My biggest concerns currently... will Whickey Oscar Alfa be able to get me there and back on schedule, without screwing me up and making a stop in... Killeen Texas? Will manage to get everything I need for the week long trip in my backpack (I think I can actually manage this one)? Will I meet some one nice to spend my days with, marry, and arrange my immigration? hhhrrrmmm

Other than that, I still have a notion that there may be some one I'm a little interested in, and I need to find out if she's receptive. I have a plan, lets hope it works out. I need the distraction, and some friends who are singular. I have been feeling a bit distanced from a lot fo people of late, and I need to find a way to work on that, though I think its not completely my fault. And yes, I know a week in a country thats quite possibly as far away from everyone I know is not the answer, but when I get back maybe.

I did have a disturbing moment this past week, but I dont think I'm psychologically scarred forever. I guess I just felt my age and realized Atlanta is a small city and you never know who you're going to run into... or who they may know. But there was a very enjoyable shot and lap dance, so it balances out. And we got Goody's woman trashed!!!

Well, I've had my dinner (and I actually cooked it, on my stove in my apartment). OK so it was frozen and just a matter of stiry frying it, but thats way more cooking than I usually do. It did involve cookware. Its nap time before work. Hope all are doing well, and I'd love to hear from everyone.