4 posts tagged “houston”

I arrived in Houston five nights ago, fully expecting what was to be - five days of sitting around not flying.  I made an effort to check the open time on a daily, sometimes even on an hourly basis.  However my efforts were in vain - there were no trips to be picked up.

I've been lucky in the fact that one of my crashpad-mates, Dave, has allowed me the use of his car for my most basic transportation needs.  I could probably get away with using it more than I do, but I can't afford the money for gas.  And his car runs on premium.  I'll give him a few bucks here and there, but I can't afford to fill the tank.  These are not Army-Captain-on-six-year-flight-pay times...

My daily routine this week has consisted of getting out of bed around 11am, making some coffee and oatmeal, checking email and various message boards (all related to flying, of course), showering around 2pm, and then a combination of watching tv/playing Xbox/screwing around on the internet until bedtime, usually around 1-2am.

However, as lazy as I have been, I was actually able to accomplish some things this week.  I scheduled the second part of my army flight physical, I initiated the process to get the orders for that appointment, and I spoke with some people about an apartment in which we're interested.

Oh yeah, did I mention we're moving to Raleigh, NC, at the end of this month?  Why?  It's a nice place, it's a place to where there is nobody telling we have to move, and there's a possibility that my company will open a base there sometime within the next few years.  And it's only three hours from where we live now, so a U-haul will do just fine.

And they have Chipotle!  I have a thing for steak burritos with guacamole.

About the title - Dave just made spaghetti, and now I'm hungry.  Dammit.

Well, I guess I have some updating to do since I haven't posted in a while.

I did my first IOE trip last week.  It was a 4-day out of Newark, with overnights in Dallas, DC, and Buffalo.  I got to commute in the night before, and the company put me up in a hotel.  On the last day we finished early enough that I was able to go home that day.  It was a pretty cool trip.  Seems as tho I'm pretty good with the airplane, except for a few minor things, and the crew I was with were really nice people.

This past weekend Jeannie and I ventured down to Raleigh to look at houses.  We found a development of townhouses that we really like, and I think we're going to try to buy.  I have no idea how the whole process works, so it will be a pretty steep learning curve.  I hope it all works out.  We had such a great time - I didn't realize how much I missed being in a city that has everything.

I'm currently on my second trip of IOE.  It's just a two day trip, and tonight I'm in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  We got here early enough that we were able to walk downtown and check out the sights.  Throw in the fact that it was a beautiful, clear day and about 80 degrees F...very cool.  I think a summertime vacation up here would be very enjoyable.

Tomorrow we do a turn out of Newark to Rochester, and then we're done.  I should get signed off, and then I'll be good to go.  I actually received orders from the Army to report to the nearest reserve station and update my records on Friday, so I'm guessing that I'll be in Houston next week sitting reserve.  Joy.  I love the flying, but reserve blows.  I'm hoping that they use me a lot.  I don't want to get a crashpad right away, so the more they use me, the better.

So, about that workout...I need to start it again.  I'm looking a little pathetic these days.  My spare tire is inflating, and that's no good.  Time to deflate.

Did you know that Halifax is an hour ahead of the east coast?  That makes it 10:30 here now, and I have to get up at 4am.  Time to go to bed.

Well, after two days of not doing my workout, I guess I'm giving up.  For now.  Chalk it up to laziness.  Maybe I'll try again when I get back...

I have to go to Houston tomorrow.  I have a 2:30am sim session Friday morning.  Yuck.  I guess I should get my charts in order, huh?

Well, last night I finally got the call with my base award - Houston!  It was my first choice, so I'm pretty happy.  Actually, I would have been satisfied with any base that wasn't in California, but since I got my first choice, I'm happy.  For you Californians out there, I don't dislike your state (too much).  I used to live there as a kid.  The only thing wrong with getting based in Cali for me is that I live in Virginia, and that's a sucky commute.  I could do it, but if I got a two-day stretch of days off, I would have to fly home on my first day, and fly back on the second.  More than likely, in that scenario, I just wouldn't go home.

But none of that matters, since I'll be in Houston.  That's only 1/2 a day of traveling.

From what I hear, the class that was two weeks ahead of mine is just now getting called for IOE, so I guess I can probably expect to hear something in about two weeks.  That's good, because next week I'm heading out to NM for a week.  I'd like to finish up what I start out there before I have to start flying.  If you're wondering what it is, sorry, I can't tell you...well, I guess I could, but then I'd have to kill you.  No, not really.  Just a joke.