Approaching a major life milestone

I was thinking this morning about a hospital system upgrade that is being pushed by said hospital and how it could disrupt my plans. They want to go-live on March 10th. That's the week that I have scheduled flight training. Even though I'm still technically a padawan (the jedi academy corporate office doesn't know about and would frown upon the work that I am already doing without official force corporate training), and the project's jedi master has said that I should not reschedule my flight training, I think I will anyhow. This is a critical time for me to learn new skills and I need to take every opportunity presented. And with the economy in its current state, I have to make sure that I am visible and valuable.

So, I'll probably delay my flight training/vacation one week. Don't worry, I've put down a large deposit; there is no danger of me procrastinating this to its death!

While considering all of this, it occured to me that this is one of those major life milestones. I feel about flight training the way others feel about marriage, graduation or tasting their first deep-fried twinkie (two out of three ain't bad!). You know what happens after these events right? PAR-TAY!!! Assuming I pass, I'm going to host a flight-themed reception after I return from flight training. Anyone have ideas for flight-themed activities? I know I want to have my home simulator available for games/demonstrations. Top Gun will be on infinite repeat in the DVD player. Ooo, I wonder if I can rent out a conference room at Outlaw field. Ooo! I wonder if I can find a cheap Afterburner arcade console!

Fatal Flaw in the Master Plan

NOOOOO!!!! *sigh*

There's a fatal flaw to working at home. Ice and Snow days mean nothing. Unless you forgot to remove your phone from your last jobs automated alert system and receive a 6 am alert that your work is closed. Then it means someone needs a /junkpunch. For about 2 seconds I was real happy...

Hmm, wait, it's not just snowdays...do I get sick days? Cable-man-is-scheduled-for-1/2-day days? Bomb threat days? Chuck Norris is waiting with round-house kick under my desk days? Crap.

Say What?!?

As heard on NPR this morning!

"Conscious Eating"

WTF

Surprisingly, I got this wrong (it wasn't an x). What is that? Pi? How do you type "happy dancing stick figure" as a key-stroke?

Sport Pilot in a Week blog

Fascinating! Well, to me anyhow. This Popular Mechanics researcher blogged each day about his experience earning a Sport Pilot License in 1 week. My plan is to earn one in 2 weeks of vacation time.

Sport Pilot in a Week?

Plans are becoming clear

March 2009, complete sport pilot training. 2012, pay off truck and other debts as quick as possible. 2013, sell current house, buy lake front property in or around Davidson County. 2015, finance seawolf (IconAircraft). Six years and I can have a plane and a lake to launch trips from.

I'm really looking into purchasing a plane. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) finances aircraft through Bank of America. Their terms are 3 to 20 years.

*giggle*

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Above the flight yoke in picture #2 is a bank of switches for L-R magnetos, main/alt power, avionics power, fuel pump, de-ice, pitot heat, engine cowl, panel/beacon/navigation/strobe/taxi/landing lights and the big knob is for landing gear... I must have two flanking monitors now...

Big Day, Big News

Making good progress on my resolutions.

#1 - I haven't purchased any "additional" meats during my grocery store trips! "Additional" because I have some left over stuff in the freezer that I eat once a week. It hasn't been difficult at all to not eat meat. And there is an added benefit of getting to savor lots of fruit. I thought it would be difficult to maintain on a trip to O'Charley's with my mom and sisters. Turned out to be an easy test...although EVERY SINGLE ITEM ON THE MENU HAD MEAT. No kidding, every one of them. I had to special order spaghetti.

#2 - I got my job certification score and I passed the practical with a 96%! I sent feedback that it should have been a 99% due to missing a few vague questions, but am happy that I passed the first engineer certification. Next trip is back to San Diego from February 1st through February 6th. If I pass that, I go to Baltimore from February 22nd through February 27th for my final training class.

And most exciting...I'm going to flight school in March 2009!! I found a place that immerses you in training for 2-3 weeks. It costs $4,500 for hotel, plane rental, instructor, materials, your FAA checkride and written test fees. I will only earn a Sport Pilot license, but that allows me to do most of the flying I'm interested in. I can only fly during the day, in 3 mile visibility, no adverse weather and with only 1 passenger. The Sport Pilot license can later be upgraded to the Private Pilot license through bridge training. Sport Planes Florida

FIRST!

Welcome to 2009! (Yes. Yes I did back-date this post)

How I spent my New Year's Eve: