So, I get on to everyone for not checking on this thing and then I go two weeks without updating it....some blogger that I am. Here is what has been going on lately......
Since the last post I have been pretty busy. Actually having stuff to do everyday has been a big adjustment from the life of just laying around the house and thinking about what I could be doing. Academics is officially over now, and I went the entire period and only missed one question on the five tests that we took. I was pretty upset about that question, because if I had actually read the question I wouldn't have missed it. We start simming on Monday (the 1st) and right off the bat my sim partner Doug and I are scheduled to double turn (two events on the same day). That is going to be fun seeing as we don't really know what is going on in either sim or what we need to do to prepare. We have been just getting prepped for general stuff and learning our checklists. I think that we have those down pretty good, and I think that the sim should go pretty well. We have a little time in the middle to get ready for the second but hopefully their expectations aren't too high.
As for outside of pilot training, not much is really going on. Rach and I have just been hanging out a lot and getting stuff done around the house (except mowing the back yard). Seth got his wings last Friday and I went to go watch/party with him. It was a good ceremony but I spent most of the time being jealous because he is off to fly in the BIG AF. He is going to be stationed at Little Rock and fly C-130J's. That is the plane that I want to fly, but we want to go to Germany to do it. He is already out of Corpus at SERE training in Washington and will be back some time in mid-late June.
I was really trying to ramp up my training, with plans of a couple of triathlons and maybe a half marathon later this summer/fall. That was, until last Monday when I went to do my interval workout and I tweaked something in my right knee. It wasn't really bad at the time, but it never really got any better until Saturday. I have been trying to take it easy by not biking to work or getting any running in, but I don't think that I will have to be off of it for much longer. I think that I am going to move over to strictly biking this week just to try and work some of the stiffness out and keep up my cardio work. If this week goes well then we will start putting on the running mileage at the beginning of next week.
Well, that is really all for now. I swear that I will put pictures up sometime in the near future.
Thanks for reading!!!
31 May 2009
15 May 2009
New Week
So, this has been a wonderful week in all ways but one. I am finally back in the swing of pilot training, I am in the middle of training for a couple of triathlons this summer, I am firing on all cylinders in all departments. The only thing wrong with this week was that Rachael has been gone for a whole ten days. This has officially been the longest time we have been apart since we got married. I know that is not very long, but it is another milestone in our first year. I have officially gotten back in the swing of "bachelor" status. I have cleaned the house, done the laundry, and cooked for myself for the entire time. I am super excited that she is coming back tomorrow night so that we can go back to sharing the load.
As for training, we have been getting back into the academics that go with flying. We absolutely flew through the advanced weather course in two days. We took the test and I kept my streak of UPT 100s at 1 in a row. Pretty sweet huh? We went right into Advanced Instrument Ground Training and that was pretty much another joke. The test was open book (anything you could carry in) and each question had the location in the material where it came from. That upped my streak to 2 in a row. Next week we move into a little more difficult material when we cover the systems and the Flight Rules and Regulations. The only reason FRR is going to be tough is because the Navy and AF fly on different sets of rules. We should hit the flight line about three weeks from next Monday.
I have also decided that I am going to compete in a few triathlons this summer. I am aiming for some that are in August and most of them are in the San Antonio-Austin area. My training is going fairly well. I have been kind of in re-spin up mode after my down time in Columbus. I am trying to convince Rachael to do some of them with me, but all I have been able to get her to do is go and swim with me some of the time. I am going to be trying for the Olympic distance which is a little longer than the one I did last summer.
Well that is it for now. I promise that I will be posting pictures over the weekend so check back on Sunday for some pictorial updates.
As for training, we have been getting back into the academics that go with flying. We absolutely flew through the advanced weather course in two days. We took the test and I kept my streak of UPT 100s at 1 in a row. Pretty sweet huh? We went right into Advanced Instrument Ground Training and that was pretty much another joke. The test was open book (anything you could carry in) and each question had the location in the material where it came from. That upped my streak to 2 in a row. Next week we move into a little more difficult material when we cover the systems and the Flight Rules and Regulations. The only reason FRR is going to be tough is because the Navy and AF fly on different sets of rules. We should hit the flight line about three weeks from next Monday.
I have also decided that I am going to compete in a few triathlons this summer. I am aiming for some that are in August and most of them are in the San Antonio-Austin area. My training is going fairly well. I have been kind of in re-spin up mode after my down time in Columbus. I am trying to convince Rachael to do some of them with me, but all I have been able to get her to do is go and swim with me some of the time. I am going to be trying for the Olympic distance which is a little longer than the one I did last summer.
Well that is it for now. I promise that I will be posting pictures over the weekend so check back on Sunday for some pictorial updates.
10 May 2009
To Mothers!
Today is a day where we take a moment to officially honor the person whom to many, may have the been the single most important person of our lives. While we grow older and develop into the people we will become, few people will have as large an affect on us as the one who brought us into the world. This day is celebrated in almost every country around the world and yet only one day of recognition can not even begin to do justice to the mothers that made us who we are today. I know that my Mom was the catalyst that made/makes me want to strive for greatness. My biggest wish is that I might meet or exceed the possibilities that she sees in my future. Without her constant encouragement, advice, and discipline I know that I would not have become half of the person that I am today. So, with this meager medium, I send out my greatest respect and thanks to all mothers (especially you Mom). Happy Mothers Day!
--"Without the mothers of the world, we wouldn't be around to use it." Rick
--"Without the mothers of the world, we wouldn't be around to use it." Rick
09 May 2009
Back in Business
Finally, after almost three months of sitting around with nothing to do but move I have finally gotten back into training. This is a pretty big deal because this is the last phase of training before I get my wings. The academics for navy training should be pretty cake, but the flying is the tough part of any training. We are going to knock out weather and basic instruments in four days. That is going to be pretty fast, but the faster we go here the faster we get into the airplane. I actually got appointed as our class leader because they misread my commissioning date and they don't want to change it on the roles. It is going to be nothing like the class leaders back in the AF, but it is still probably more work than the other guys.
In other news, let the countdown begin! It is officially one month until I get promoted. That pay raise is going to be pretty sweet, especially with as much money as we have had to spend lately.
I finally forced myself to finish Into the Wild and I have to say that book was one of the most irritating books that I have ever read. There really wasn't enough story to be a stand alone book, because they really don't know what was going on with McCandless for the years that he was wondering the country. So instead of just writing what they do know, they infuse the story with all of these other tales of people that charge off into the wilderness unprepared to "find" themselves. It almost seems as if Krakauer spends the entire book justifying this way of life to his readers. I don't want to call it hero worship, but it comes pretty close in my mind. I have now moved on to Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond. So far this book is doing pretty well. I had no idea that Diamond was a biologist until I started reading, but his writing is very engaging (especially considering the topic).
In other news, let the countdown begin! It is officially one month until I get promoted. That pay raise is going to be pretty sweet, especially with as much money as we have had to spend lately.
I finally forced myself to finish Into the Wild and I have to say that book was one of the most irritating books that I have ever read. There really wasn't enough story to be a stand alone book, because they really don't know what was going on with McCandless for the years that he was wondering the country. So instead of just writing what they do know, they infuse the story with all of these other tales of people that charge off into the wilderness unprepared to "find" themselves. It almost seems as if Krakauer spends the entire book justifying this way of life to his readers. I don't want to call it hero worship, but it comes pretty close in my mind. I have now moved on to Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond. So far this book is doing pretty well. I had no idea that Diamond was a biologist until I started reading, but his writing is very engaging (especially considering the topic).
02 May 2009
membership
Rachael and I are officially members of the Texas State Aquarium. This is probably one of our top five purchases that we have made as a couple. It was only about 100 bucks and we get in free for the next thirteen months. Not only do we get in free, but we get to bring in two people with us for free every time we go. That is a pretty sweet deal.
We walked around the aquarium for a little while today with the total comfort that we didn't have to see everything because we could come back for free anytime we wanted to. That is a great feeling when it comes to these types of places.
I am now officially one week from restarting UPT (navy style). It has been 2 months and 12 days since I have flown an aircraft and that is entirely too long in my mind. It was nice to have this little break, but I have run out of things to do to fill up all of the time. I have read more books that I probably should have. Some of them were pretty good, but most of them were well below the average. I am pretty excited about getting to fly and learn to fly in a more complicated airplane. I am not looking forward to checkrides, tests, and five hour flights in 100+ degree heat. My anticipated "winging" date is October 9th. That is going to be a good day. And the best part is that it is only five months away. The biggest debate I am having with myself leading up to this Friday is whether or not I should convert the commuter back to a fixed gear for the morning commutes? I think that I am going to do it, just because I can and I haven't been taking advantage of that aspect of the bike in a while. I know that this is a pretty minor point to talk about in this blog, but nobody reads this anyways.
We are also going to visit Asbury Methodist Church here in CC for the third time. I am not sure how I feel about the church yet but I am hoping that tomorrow will kind of shine some light on whether or not we need to try some place else. That is one of the few things that I don't like about moving so much with the AF. It is tough to find a good church when you move. You really cant get established and involved with a church when you are only there for six months. I bet that we could do more if we tried but that is still something that we are working towards.
Well, that is all for now.
Current book: Into to Wild by Krakauer (I am giving it a C- so far).
We walked around the aquarium for a little while today with the total comfort that we didn't have to see everything because we could come back for free anytime we wanted to. That is a great feeling when it comes to these types of places.
I am now officially one week from restarting UPT (navy style). It has been 2 months and 12 days since I have flown an aircraft and that is entirely too long in my mind. It was nice to have this little break, but I have run out of things to do to fill up all of the time. I have read more books that I probably should have. Some of them were pretty good, but most of them were well below the average. I am pretty excited about getting to fly and learn to fly in a more complicated airplane. I am not looking forward to checkrides, tests, and five hour flights in 100+ degree heat. My anticipated "winging" date is October 9th. That is going to be a good day. And the best part is that it is only five months away. The biggest debate I am having with myself leading up to this Friday is whether or not I should convert the commuter back to a fixed gear for the morning commutes? I think that I am going to do it, just because I can and I haven't been taking advantage of that aspect of the bike in a while. I know that this is a pretty minor point to talk about in this blog, but nobody reads this anyways.
We are also going to visit Asbury Methodist Church here in CC for the third time. I am not sure how I feel about the church yet but I am hoping that tomorrow will kind of shine some light on whether or not we need to try some place else. That is one of the few things that I don't like about moving so much with the AF. It is tough to find a good church when you move. You really cant get established and involved with a church when you are only there for six months. I bet that we could do more if we tried but that is still something that we are working towards.
Well, that is all for now.
Current book: Into to Wild by Krakauer (I am giving it a C- so far).
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