Having just begun this lifestyle change, that is being a flight attendant, I am always looking for ways to lighten my baggage. This week God truly blessed that endeavor. He gave me a NEW laptop!
Let me back up a little..
Yesterday, I was in NoCo finishing a few days off when the doorbell rang and the UPS dropped a box on my doorstep. I thought it was a package my son had told me might be delivered that day, being his new shoes. However the package was addresses to me. Now I haven't ordered anything from online stores in several months (mainly due to financial obligations) so I was surprised. The box was not marked with a company label but did have a return address shippers info label. The name was a good friend friend of mine (or so I thought). I opened the box thinking he may have sent me copies of his latest novels, wanting to get my feedback and possible positive reviews online.
To my astonishment it was not books, but a brand new laptop. With very little paper instructions on the inside of the box other than "Open and Enjoy", I decided to call my friend first. When I got him on the phone he denied sending me anything. I was not forthcoming at first what exactly I received, but eventually let him in on the surprise boxed gift. He was laughing as hard as I was at this point. I then realized the name on the outside of the box was misspelled from my friends (Bryan vs Brian). He suggested I call the phone number printed on the label, so I did...
That Bryan was as confused as I was. He had received several phone calls that day asking him the same thing, "how did I get this laptop?"
Funny isn't it...
God is good, all the time!
Long story shortened...http://facebook.com/chrome
When you go to this site, answer the survey and you may get to "test" a new Chrome OS laptop.
It weighs about 12 oz. and is sleek in design. Has a great battery life ( I'm blogging while listening to streaming Christmas music and have 4 tabs open) Have been doing all this for an hour and the battery is still at 80%.
I will be talking about this for months to come.
Thanks God! You know just how to bless and reward the faithful!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Integrity: Do I Have Any?
This week has been a tough one.
In some sense it has been great to be home from Chicago, in my own bed every night, spending time with my precious wife and wonderful sons. On the other hand my integrity is being attacked.
I want to work! Don't get me wrong, but I hate traveling to Chicago to sit on reserve and maybe get to fly 3 hours total in 4 days. I know I have a responsibility to work as though Jesus is my earthly boss (study to show yourself approved, a workman after God). If I chose to not return to Chicago, I may be able to get away with it (playing Reserve Roulette (not being within 2 hours of reporting for duty)) but it may cost me my good name in the end with the company.
I want to be a good example to my sons, my friends and my co-workers. And I know that I can be. But this dilemma is testing my integrity to its limits. I know what is right and my choice should be an easy one, but it is so hard to sit with no friends, family, finances in a foriegn city for four days.
Please Lord, help me to be the kind of Godly man you have set me to be.
In some sense it has been great to be home from Chicago, in my own bed every night, spending time with my precious wife and wonderful sons. On the other hand my integrity is being attacked.
I want to work! Don't get me wrong, but I hate traveling to Chicago to sit on reserve and maybe get to fly 3 hours total in 4 days. I know I have a responsibility to work as though Jesus is my earthly boss (study to show yourself approved, a workman after God). If I chose to not return to Chicago, I may be able to get away with it (playing Reserve Roulette (not being within 2 hours of reporting for duty)) but it may cost me my good name in the end with the company.
I want to be a good example to my sons, my friends and my co-workers. And I know that I can be. But this dilemma is testing my integrity to its limits. I know what is right and my choice should be an easy one, but it is so hard to sit with no friends, family, finances in a foriegn city for four days.
Please Lord, help me to be the kind of Godly man you have set me to be.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Robin: A Lesson on the El
I was traveling on the elevated rails in Chicago one day when I met Robin. She walked up to me and started a conversation about the expensive flat screens hanging in the underground loading area at the Logan Square stop of the Blue Line. While I wasn't particularly interested in speaking to anyone she was very insistent on talking with me. I moved away once but she soon followed me down the waiting tracks and again asked me an open ended question. Not realizing she was part of God's perfect timing I opened up and engaged in her banter about politics and the nuances of Chicago's transit systems. After a while I was really enjoying our conversation and since it was a cold evening it helped to take my mind off of the wind blustering through the tunnels.
After a while she began asking me how I liked being a flight attendant, as I was dressed in my uniform and it was very obvious what I was. I was excitedly explaining my new career for a while then realized I should ask what career she was in. To my amazement she too is a flight attendant, although her story is going to teach me a valuable lesson this very night.
Robin is/was an attendant for United's mainline carrier, meaning she flies on the big planes (not the regional jets that I currently work aboard). She has been in the industry for almost 16 years, the last of which has been the toughest. See...Robin was cleaning a plane after a long flight, prepping for the next leg of the trip and her life changed in that moment.
She remembers stepping into seat to reach into the overhead storage bin and retrieve a piece of trash that someone threw up there. The next thing she remembers is being across the aisle laying on the arm of the seats in agonizing pain. She had broken 3 ribs and badly damaged her spinal chord in the fall.
Robin has a home in the suburbs of Denver, I met her on the subway in Chicago. She has been on medical leave since the accident over a year ago. She is not allowed to leave the Windy City because her injuries are too severe, say her doctors. They will not release her to return to work until she can stand or sit for more than 2 hours at a time. She can't fly, ride the train, or bus, or even take a car ride that will last more than 2 hours without an immense level of pain. You see, she has been in Chicago away from her home, friends, and her family since before Christmas 2009. She cannot get home until she gets better.
Lesson here.... NEVER jeopardize your safety to clean the plane.
While I am instructed to clean the plane after each leg, there are specialized crews that will sterilize the plane once a week. If something is out of reach with my two feet planted on the floor of plane, it is going to stay until the weekly sterilizing of that plane. Period!
I had the chance to encourage Robin before we parted ways almost thirty minutes later. I gave her a poem about the Christ Child that I carry in my wallet and told her that she has played a vital role in my education into this new career, and I GREATLY appreciate it. I will pray for her, that she may get to go home soon to be with family and loved ones who can assist in her rehabilitation and eventual return to the career she still desires to pursue in aviation.
After a while she began asking me how I liked being a flight attendant, as I was dressed in my uniform and it was very obvious what I was. I was excitedly explaining my new career for a while then realized I should ask what career she was in. To my amazement she too is a flight attendant, although her story is going to teach me a valuable lesson this very night.
Robin is/was an attendant for United's mainline carrier, meaning she flies on the big planes (not the regional jets that I currently work aboard). She has been in the industry for almost 16 years, the last of which has been the toughest. See...Robin was cleaning a plane after a long flight, prepping for the next leg of the trip and her life changed in that moment.
She remembers stepping into seat to reach into the overhead storage bin and retrieve a piece of trash that someone threw up there. The next thing she remembers is being across the aisle laying on the arm of the seats in agonizing pain. She had broken 3 ribs and badly damaged her spinal chord in the fall.
Robin has a home in the suburbs of Denver, I met her on the subway in Chicago. She has been on medical leave since the accident over a year ago. She is not allowed to leave the Windy City because her injuries are too severe, say her doctors. They will not release her to return to work until she can stand or sit for more than 2 hours at a time. She can't fly, ride the train, or bus, or even take a car ride that will last more than 2 hours without an immense level of pain. You see, she has been in Chicago away from her home, friends, and her family since before Christmas 2009. She cannot get home until she gets better.
Lesson here.... NEVER jeopardize your safety to clean the plane.
While I am instructed to clean the plane after each leg, there are specialized crews that will sterilize the plane once a week. If something is out of reach with my two feet planted on the floor of plane, it is going to stay until the weekly sterilizing of that plane. Period!
I had the chance to encourage Robin before we parted ways almost thirty minutes later. I gave her a poem about the Christ Child that I carry in my wallet and told her that she has played a vital role in my education into this new career, and I GREATLY appreciate it. I will pray for her, that she may get to go home soon to be with family and loved ones who can assist in her rehabilitation and eventual return to the career she still desires to pursue in aviation.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Mary; The Nicest American Eagle Flight Attendant
I had the pleasure of meeting Mary (last name withheld) on a flight from Denver to O’Hare last week. She was a superb attendant partly because she let me sleep and then offered me a first class meal when I awoke almost 2 hours into the flight. But what makes Mary so unique is her story of “why”.
Mary started out as a navy flight attendant assisting troops heading to Operation Desert Shield in the early 1990’s. She was not planning an entire career in aviation at the time, but just in the navy trying to help her country and discover her passions. She served in the navy until ’94 then decided to apply for AA, the mainline carrier. She was very successful and extremely happy being with the mainline until that fateful day in early September of 2001. She was in the skies when the Towers fell and could not believe that someone would hurt Americans in such a heinous and cowardly way (her words not mine). She was furloughed from AA almost immediately so she could go back to full active duty in the US Navy, somewhere she was thrilled to be allowed to be in service. She was assigned to once again assist in the transferring of troops from US soil to Iraq and Afghanistan. She loved the interaction with so many young troops who are willing to defend their country. Both into and out of country she engaged in encouraging and congratulating many servicemen and women. She did not like the fact that so many of our troops were riding home in the cargo holds in plain pine boxes, but glad to be able to bring them home to their loved ones stateside.
Mary was again discharged from the Navy in late 2004 and found that AA had not bode well in her time away, but found a new opportunity in the form of regional carriers, American Eagle to be exact. So once again she is working in transportation and aviation flying the friendly skies above America. Her benefits are not as grandiose as in the past; but she still enjoys interacting with people from all walks and corners of this great land. If you ever meet Mary your life will be enriched. Oh, the Tiramisu from the first class meal was not bad either, as I listened with baited breath to her conveyance of the many stories she has from her times in the service of our country.
Thanks Mary! You make this life better by your willingness to interact and encourage others.
Mary started out as a navy flight attendant assisting troops heading to Operation Desert Shield in the early 1990’s. She was not planning an entire career in aviation at the time, but just in the navy trying to help her country and discover her passions. She served in the navy until ’94 then decided to apply for AA, the mainline carrier. She was very successful and extremely happy being with the mainline until that fateful day in early September of 2001. She was in the skies when the Towers fell and could not believe that someone would hurt Americans in such a heinous and cowardly way (her words not mine). She was furloughed from AA almost immediately so she could go back to full active duty in the US Navy, somewhere she was thrilled to be allowed to be in service. She was assigned to once again assist in the transferring of troops from US soil to Iraq and Afghanistan. She loved the interaction with so many young troops who are willing to defend their country. Both into and out of country she engaged in encouraging and congratulating many servicemen and women. She did not like the fact that so many of our troops were riding home in the cargo holds in plain pine boxes, but glad to be able to bring them home to their loved ones stateside.
Mary was again discharged from the Navy in late 2004 and found that AA had not bode well in her time away, but found a new opportunity in the form of regional carriers, American Eagle to be exact. So once again she is working in transportation and aviation flying the friendly skies above America. Her benefits are not as grandiose as in the past; but she still enjoys interacting with people from all walks and corners of this great land. If you ever meet Mary your life will be enriched. Oh, the Tiramisu from the first class meal was not bad either, as I listened with baited breath to her conveyance of the many stories she has from her times in the service of our country.
Thanks Mary! You make this life better by your willingness to interact and encourage others.
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