antbar.

So, instead of going out and taking pictures in KC, as I said I would, circumstances conspired to prevent me from doing so.  I shot out my hotel window, instead.  Also included are a few shots from the cockpit--these are a pain to take.   My hall closet has a total volume greater than our office, so there's nowhere to put the camera (or photographer).

The Power and Light Building.

The Top Left Condo Is Vacant.

More of the One Billion Loft Conversions in Kansas City. Plus the Library (Foreground).

The Overhead Panel With Weird Reflection.

The Panel.

The Pedestal.

So I haven't been posting lately.  This month has been a little weird-- I went to a really great wedding (Hi, April!) at the beginning of the month, and have been slaving away to make up time at work for the week I took off... I've been out of town for 16 of the last 20 days.  Worse, all of the trips I've been on have been kind of niggling, non-exciting trips.  Very few downtown overnights, lots of repetition, etc. etc..  It's not been all bad, of course, but it hasn't been inspiring, exactly.

One good thing I've discovered: I love Kansas City.  The one really good overnight I've been getting a bunch is the heart of downtown KC, in the Radisson right near the convention center.  The feel of the city is very urban, with a ton of turn-of-the-century and early 20th century brick architecture (think bas relief, art deco/gothic, classicist sculptures, fountains, arched facades, brick galore, etc.).  It's very clean, feels pretty safe, and has a ton of bars and restaurants.  Compared to Austin (this year, especially) the climate is mild and dry and very, very pleasant.  I'll take my camera on the next trip I get out there and see if I can transfer some of my enthusiasm.

I feel like a bit of a yokel to say it, but I truly get charged up with a downtown view out a 20th floor hotel window--it really doesn't matter what city it is, even Tulsa is pretty good.

Jack has been undergoing some truly amazing developments this month--his pronunciation of many words has gone from baby-style to radio-announcer-style.  It's getting to the point where he only needs to hear a word once to know it.  The other day, I went in to get him out of his crib.  There's a fold-down gate on his crib, and when I lowered it, he pointed at one of the hinges on the gate, and I told him that it was a hinge.  The next day, same situation--I lowered the gate, and he pointed at it, and said "hinge."  One exposure did it, and that represents a big change in how he learns, as far as I can tell.

Everyone thinks their child is a genius, but Jack impresses me as a truly, truly bright child.  He recognizes and can "read" every letter of the alphabet and his numbers from one to nine.  He knows how to express his needs without whining (though sometimes we need to remind him).  He is certainly a loving and sweet boy.  He's a total delight to me.

Jack is also starting to enjoy roughhousing.  He wants to be turned upside down at every opportunity now, which is new.  This is good for me, because finally there is an avenue of his development in which I may actually exceed Meg's ability to nurture.  It means, for me, that he looks forward specifically to when I come home from work, which naturally makes me that much happier when I do.

Meg's pharmacology class is going very well, and it's wonderful to see her regaining her academic footing as a postgraduate mom--her becoming a nurse practitioner is starting to seem like a real, honest-to-goodness probability now.  She's school shopping in earnest, and I'm seriously dreading the idea of moving again, but at the same time--is that excitement I feel?  We'll see.

See previous post for the Ying (I guess)... here's the crappy Yang.

Austin-Sacramento-Albuquerque today.  Little old lady in a wheelchair is put onto our flight from Sacramento by an unnamed gate agent--she's the last one to board.  We go to Albuquerque.  HOWEVER, she was supposed to get on the airplane sitting next to us on the ramp in Sacramento, you know, the airplane that was going to Spokane?  Where her son was waiting to pick her up, and whatnot?  But we took her to Albuquerque instead.  Why not?  We were over the Grand Canyon when it started to click in her head that she wasn't on her way to any Washington State.

One gate guy, one wheelchair, one little old lady, and two airplanes.  Eenie, meenie...

So the entire flight crew waited with her until we could get the gate agent to schedule a Delta flight to Spokane through Salt Lake City, and we subsequently walked her down to her new flight; it took about an hour and a half.  We felt so bad--she was clearly just so worried (little old lady confused-worried, you know?) about the whole thing, and she was barely (if at all) able to manage the one flight by herself, let alone a three-leg, seven-hour odyssey.

It sucked.  Her name is Althea.  I hope she made it to Coeur 'Alene tonight and is having a stiff-ass drink.

Just wrapped up a four day.  The last leg, from Oklahoma City to San Antonio, was pretty special in that I flew a lady to her new kidney.  She received word that a donor had been found for her transplant only late today, and according to her daughter, ours was the only flight that could get her to the operating table on time.  After a two year wait.

We were 20 minutes early.

Happy.

This one was made by an American Airlines flight crew.  One day, perhaps...

Just came across this on a pilot bulletin board.  This video was made by an ASA First Officer, and unlike most similar movies, is put together quite well.  A few things about the video:

First, yes, the video was in fact shot (at times) during flight by a crewmember.  This is probably not a great idea (at least, if your company sees it), but almost certainly not unsafe.  Based on what I'm looking at, the captain was the flying pilot (or in all cases, the taxiing pilot) during the shooting, relegating the FO to a support role.  That said, it is an excellent movie, but I probably won't make one of my own until I'm off of my probationary year.

Secondly, ASA flies airplanes that are similar in many ways to the ones we fly--to the lay observer, there's no significant difference.  For the pilot, there are significant differences.  For the interested, the planes in the video are CRJs, as opposed to the ERJs flown by my company.

Third, this video encapsulates the airline pilot mentality pretty well, by which I mean, it celebrates the job while simultaneously bitching about it.  Enjoy.

Very little flying lately.  I'm currently sitting long-call reserve, which is as nice as a reserve line can be--it's still reserve, though.  For those who don't know, "sitting reserve" means "on call" for airline pilots.  Someone calls in sick, someone didn't schedule enough pilots for a trip, someone has a scheduling conflict, etc., they call me (or someone like me).

I'm pretty thrilled that I have a hard line in San Antonio next month.  A "hard line," as opposed to "sitting reserve," means that I have a specific schedule in advance, no more wondering what next week will bring.  I got my first choice of the available lines, which is a big deal.  97 credit hours spread over four four-day trips.  Three long overnights at home (AUS).  12 days off.  I could've wangled* 14 days off, but I would have taken a hit on the money, which we need pretty badly.  All in all, I feel like I'm getting away with something.  I have been very, very fortunate in many ways with this job.  Now to stave off bankruptcy long enough to enjoy it...

My brother and his family were in town yesterday for a quick visit--Meg and Jack and I will be heading out to The Farm to meet up with them and my parents tomorrow for a while.  Jack is growing up so beautifully; I want as many people to see him at as many points in his life as possible, so I have plenty of people to brag to.  He has so many words now.  "Avocado."  "Berries."  "Clothes."  "Shoes."  Of course, "Elmo."  The other day, we were walking up to the door of the apartment ("stairs") and he pointed at the number plate of the apartment, pointed at the "2," and said "two."

It is a mind blowing thing to watch your son grow up, that's all.

Meg and Jack, Oregon Coast January 2007

This is the 70th anniversary of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most beautiful man-made objects of all time--it is possibly my favorite material thing.  If you have never walked across it, you owe it to yourself.

Golden Gate

My friend Aaron's Great Dane, Duke, died today after a bout with cancer.  He was a very sweet and exuberant dog, and will be sorely missed by those who knew him.

Dukester