A New Project is in the Works!

At the present, I am planning a multi-city promotional campaign for Southwest Airlines and The House LUV Built- the Ronald McDonald House. So far, I have begun putting together a team of trusted, professional, and talented friends, to offer me advice and feedback. This project was inspired by my desire, and now capability, of doing something memorable, substantial, and meaningful. More details will come as logistical planning results in significant developments.

Service Above Self

About an hour ago, just as I had heated up my dinner a woman approached me, obviously lost. I was wearing my Southwest Airlines Halloween costume at the time. She had an airline, a flight number, and time of arrival, but couldn't find the information on the Arrivals marquee. I left my dinner sitting on the table and eagerly jumped up to help her. I had to tote my bags all with me because you just don't leave bags unattended at the airport. We walked over to the marquee and scanned all the flights. Both of us learned then that the marquee's information changed every 10 seconds or so, and there were no arrivals from Pensacola. It took about ten minutes for us to be looking in the same spot as where the actual flight was going to flash. By the time we found it, the marquee changed again. Then I thought to see what concourse NWA flights had in common. That was the key. With all of the correct information, I pointed her in the right direction, and felt a sense of pride in being able to help her. Even though my food wasn't hot anymore, it was my pleasure to do that. I would live at the airport if I could help people like that everyday. That's what service is about.

Chili Bash at the 7th Heaven Hangar at Wittman Field

Omigosh! It just keeps getting better! I was able to go to the Chili bash while Michelle ran errands in Oshkosh. I met Wayne Daniels who is the president of the chapter. I brought along some of the pictures Brian gave me from his air racing career and a book called Air Shows from Walter Boyne's collection. Wayne enjoyed the pictures, and since he has a Sonex, he knew what a Sonerai was, and he told me John Monnett was a member of this chapter. I usually suck at mingling, but obviously, when it comes to aviation that isn't the case. I continued to mingle and met a man named Jim Cunningham who is writing biographies of Steve Wittman and Bill Brennand. He flew into the Chili bash from Illinois. I then met Bill Brennand who owns the Brennand Airport here in Neenah, and I also met Doc Mosher who flew a lot of early aerobatic air shows waaaay back when. It was amazing all of the people in aviation I met and it really reinforced to me how important it is to preserve my corner of aviation history.

Meeting New Friends at Southwest Airlines Headquarters

I arrived in Dallas at 7am and enjoyed the airport atmosphere for a few hours, since I wasn't expected at the Southwest Airlines Headquarters until 11am. While sitting at a charging station, charging my Blackberry, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant noticed my poster and complimented me on it. We chatted for a few minutes. Her name was Angela and she just finished a SAT (San Antonio) turn. She was from Louisiana and a very friendly lady.

I still had some time left so I found a quiet corner of the Dallas Love Field terminal and reconfigured my bags so that I would have what I needed in the next few hours most handy. While waiting for the SWA HDQ shuttle, I met a Mr. Quarles who was very friendly and helped me with my luggage.

When I arrived at SWA HDQ, I had about 15 minutes with which to take pictures after I had checked in with Security. My camera and I took in everything there was to see- on the ceiling, on the walls, on the doors, on the tables- in the lobby.

Paul arrived just before 11am as expected and began escorting me to The Landing. As we passed the elevator, he gestured toward it, "That's Colleen Barrett". I was able to wave and say hello as she disappeared into the elevator. Colleen Barrett is one of the living legends of Southwest Airlines. She is currently President Emeritus of Southwest Airlines, and most recently I had heard that one of the newest classes of Southwest employees had the privilege of hearing her speak.

I was overwhelmed with the amount of choices for lunch. I ended up choosing a fish sandwich, I think it was catfish and I watched it ~slowly~ grill before me, while precious time of conversing with my new friends was wasting away. I listed everyone that I got to meet on the previous post.

I "presented" the poster to my twitter friends from Southwest Airlines. Christi told me that a proper place would be found to display it. Scott presented me with a Southwest Airlines insulated lunchbox packed with all kinds of Southwest Airlines' brand goodies. Paul told him to put an inflatable airplane in there, but they were out. I did get a plush T.J. Luv, and yellow Southwest Airlines cap, a drawstring bag that actually can contain my laptop, a SWA luggage handle wrap, and I can go on and on! In return I held a drawing for some College Park Aviation Museum tumbler cups, since there weren't enough to go around.

The Landing was a great place to eat and had a nice view. But the best view of all was on The Deck. When lunch was over, Christi gave me a tour of the building. She took me onto The Deck where I was able to watch a few Southwest 737's take off and land.

I can't even begin to describe everything I saw on the walls and in the hallways! A large section was dedicated to pictures of employees' families. Some of the things that stood out to me were the pictures representing the activities and projects surrounding the opening of stations such as Denver and Philadelphia. I especially enjoyed the pictures from Southwest Airlines' earliest years. Another wall displayed cartoon caricatures of several leaders of the company. If I were to take a wild guess right now, I would say there were at least 100 to look at. I noticed Colleen's image quite early and Christi pointed out a few more for me and named their role with the company. The Five Symbols of Freedom wall adjacent to one of the elevators and the Giant T-shirt were some other of my favorite sights in the halls.

When Christi showed me the Giant T-shirt area and told me the story behind it and the several dozen t-shirts on the walls, I was so fascinated. When she asked if I wanted a t-shirt, my already sky-high level of excitement soared even higher. When the tour was finished, she presented me with a DING t-shirt that represented one of Southwest Airlines' most recent endeavors, designing an airplane's interior from scratch using more environmentally friendly and lighter weight materials. The shirt features a Southwest symbol blended with a recycling symbol and says "You are free to be green". She also gave me a copy of a poster entitled "We Are Southwest Airlines" that was a collage of many tiny pictures of employees and events that formed a bigger picture. It stood out at me as we walked down the halls. Finally I was given a copy of "Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success"

The adventure didn't stop there. I had the opportunity to visit Christi's department and meet Paula and Brandy. While in Brandy's office I saw one of those large magnets that allowed you to sculpt small metal pieces into a 3D shape. The small metal pieces were tiny airplanes. When I realized this, I exclaimed, "My heart!" before realizing that the magnet was heart-shaped and had the Southwest Airlines' logo on it. Brandy offered it to me, saying that she was trying to de-clutter her office, to which I graciously (I hope) received it.

Following the visit to Christi's department, Christi gave me a tour of Operations and Dispatch, where her dad works. It was then she told me about "My Old Man in Maintenance" a video series geared to educate people about basic SWA 737 maintenance.

Thank you so much to all who made this visit to Southwest Airlines' Headquarter such a magical experience! I hope to pay forward all the kindness and support I received from you all and make a difference for others as you have done for me!

A Trip of a Lifetime (Part 1)- Tweet-Up at The Landing and A Tour of Texas Aviation History... AKA Acknowledgements.

I want to start off by saying "THANK YOU!" to all those who made this trip magical!

-Thank you Paul (@FlyingPhotog) for co-ordinating the tweet-up lunch at The Landing!
-Thank you P.J. (@t0r0nad0) for inviting me to the 1940's Air Terminal Museum, and since he couldn't be there to meet me, thank you P.J., for covering my admission and telling Megan I was coming!
-Thank you Megan, for giving me a ride to and from your museum!
-Thank you to the staff, volunteers, and contributors to the 1940's Air Terminal Museum who have collected and preserved a rich Texas aviation history!
-Thank you Isaiah (@um_hi_isaiah) for the Southwest Airlines Spirit One pin, the "Wright is Wrong" pin, and the L1011 pin! Thank you for taking a picture of my flight as it came to the gate!
-Thank you Douglas Brown from Chase at Houston Hobby Airport for sharing your parents' connection to Texas aviation history!
-Thank you Tim for helping me with my bags while on my way to Southwest Airlines' Headquarters!
-Thank you Scott (@Scottas66) for the insulated SWA lunchbox, yellow SWA cap, Blue SWA drawstring bag, loveable plush T.J. LUV, and a selection of other useful SWA gifts!
-Thank you Christi (@christiday), Paul (@FlyingPhotog), Scott (@Scottas66), Deborah (@AluminumCloud), Mallory (@mcmswa), Leslie (@SWALesA), Paul (@pflaninganprguy), Katie (@packedandready), and Caleb Fox (@calebfox) for sharing your lunchtime with me and for your fun company!
-Thank you Christi (@ChristiDay) for the fantastic tour of the Southwest Airlines' Headquarters building, especially the enormous collection of SWA memorabillia, artifacts, and just plane fun!
-Thank you @Brandy_King for "My Heart!" A magnetized Southwest Airlines logoed base with tiny metal airplanes you can "sculpt"!
-Thank you Gary at the Frontiers of Flight Model Shop for the Top Flyte propeller!
-Thank you Brenda at the Frontiers of Flight Gift Shop for your assistance and stories!
-Thank you Paula (@PaulaBerg) for making my stay in Dallas a bit more comfortable!
-Thank you to my SWA cabin crew- Mary, Kate, and Sandra, for the used Emergency Procedures Card, and for making me sing in flight for some SWA playing cards!
-Thank you Harry, Harold, Leroy and Jim for letting me be your unofficial SWA Ambassador/Metro Navigation Expert. Thank you for dinner at Bertrand's too!

Saturday, 5 September 2009- EAA Picnic and Hanging Out With Brian

Today started out with me catching the Metro to College Park Station. From there, I caught the H bus to Laurel, MD. When I got downtown, I transferred to another bus that was supposed to drop me off at Brockbridge Rd and 198 so that I could walk the rest of the way to Suburban Airport (W18). But Brockbridge Road passed before I could get off and the next thing I knew, I was on a freeway and the bus had no intention of turning around for me.

When it dumped me off, stranded for 2 hours, at Arundel Mills, I decided to go charge my phone in the shopping center. While I was disappointed that this was going to make me an hour late for the event, a canyon blue SWA jet appeared in the sky, taking off to one of Southwest Airlines 67 destinations. It cheered me up.

After charging my phone inside, I returned to my awful fate of riding the bus back to Laurel, but a taxi driver BEGGED me to let him give me a ride- name my price. I said I could do $15. But when I realized I had to stop at an ATM, I upped it to $20 and gave him a five dollar tip for dropping me off at the entrance of W18 (Suburban Airport).

The party was off to a slow start, In the meantime, I greeted Carl, the airport manager and Brian (one of of the pilots who flies an experimental Cub). Soon the pilots were giving Young Eagles rides in their Cubs and helicopters. I had a delicious hamburger and was granted permission to cross the airport and runway to check out the airplanes in the hangers on the other side. I saw a Long EZ make three fast passes over the runway a little later, and met the pilot when he landed.

When all the Young Eagles had their rides, I was invited to change altitude in the Cubby. They called me a "Young-at-Heart" Eagle, and Brian said I qualified because I was a little bit knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic! Yay!

We made two circles of the airport because the helicopter was in the way after the first circuit. I didn't mind. I enjoyed the feeling of flying and felt the air on lifing the wings. I tried to picture it as if the air was visible. I spent too much time taking pictures though, and upon realizing that, I put the camera away and focused on the instruments.

Then Brian, my air race pilot friend, and I visited Doug's hangar where he was building a Challenger II with Dan's help. It was very interesting. I did get distracted by a ground hog that scampered into a hole near the hangar. I was fascinated by the metal work and recalled the time when I was able to build the control surfaces of a Progressive Aerodyne Sea Rey.

Brian had offered to give me a ride to work after a visit to Clopper Lake and a ride in the canoes, but we got there late, having to take a detour to my storage unit to get my work uniform. Since we couldn't ride the canoes, Brian presented me with an early Christmas present, a colorful Spitfire glider. We threw it around and I let Brian adjust the wings for a more straight and level flight after each attempt. Then, as we returned to Germantown, we missed a turn and ended up at Brink Road.

While we were were on the Brink, Brian remembered a friend that lived nearby. We circled for a while and finally found the house tucked away in a densely wooded neighborhood. The house was dark, but Brian went ahead and knocked on the door and visited with a friend he hadn't seen a while, while I remained in the car. Then as we were leaving, he shined his headlights on the backside of the house and right there before my eyes was a V-Witt! I only knew this because he had shown me examples in some books I bought from the CGS Aviation Museum. It was quite a sight, as I had learned about Steve Wittman who designed them and Brian said that he got to fly this particular one.

That had to be the highlight, other than the Cub ride. We checked out the movie theater, but nothing impressed us, so we went to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream, and then Taco Bell for Cheesy Gordita Crunches. Then he dropped me off at work.

Saturday, 29 August 2009- To College Park Airport Air Fair 100 and Beyond!

One of my highlights this year is the College Park Aviation Museum AirFair 100. It was a once in a lifetime celebration of 100 years of aviation history at College Park Airport, as well as an unprecedented waiver of the restricted airspace regulations for takeoffs, landings, and passengers in the area. I signed up to volunteer as soon as I heard of the opportunity.

The morning started with my arrival at the volunteer tent. I was issued an orange t-shirt, an AirFair 100! Visor and a meal wristband.

After eating a purple bagel at the volunteer trailer, I reported to my post at the front gate as a greeter and a baby counter. At about noon time, a police officer's horse left a line of material that would be unpleasant to step in, so I watched the foot traffic and tried to guide folks away from the manure. When Greg Koontz started his act, I was granted permission to take my break. The show was fabulous and I had a pretty good view. Afterward, I got to say hi briefly. He kind of remembered me from the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. I returned to my post where I remained until 4:30. Then the magic began!

One of the last people I greeted at the gate was an older gentlemen wearing a polo shirt with a personalized DC-3 embroidered on it and a particular N-number. I knew from the shirt that this man had some kind of tie to that DC-3 and asked. He said his DC-3 had a green and yellow Air North livery and was based at Hagerstown. I couldn't believe one was based so close!

I got to walk around the exhibits for the last half hour. I found Al who was trying to sell some old model airplanes. He offered the rest for $10. I was crazy excited for these airplane gifts! He packed them carefully in a large box which I hugged close to me as I wandered among the airplanes and booths in the static display area. When I came to an EAA tent, some of the guys jokingly asked if I had puppies in there. I let them know that I'm at an airport and I get excited about airplanes.

One of the guys, Dan, took a look at my collection and went gaga over one of the seven planes- just the same way I did when I was offered the collection. He was a pilot and was in the process of building a seaplane called a Challenger II. I told him I would give him the airplane in exchange for the promise of an airplane ride. I asked him to sign my Pilot log and put his phone number. He was flattered to sign next to the likes of Patty Wagstaff, Corkey Fornof, and the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team. Then he said there was someone I should meet and get his signature. He called his friend, Brian, over. Out of respect for his privacy, I won't post his last name on the internet.

Brian was a Formula Vee air race pilot who flew races and set records in the 1980's and 1990's. He brought one of his airplanes, a Monnett Sonerai called Miss Annapolis to the Air Fair. He was wearing a red flight suit with a variety of air race and record setting patches and a red beret. He seemed happy to talk about his experiences, and when I told both Dan and Brian my situation, I became an immediate hero and inspiration to them. Brian said my enthusiasm for aviation was a breath of fresh air. The clouds circled around us growing darker and grayer, threatening to rain. I helped Brian and Dan clean up and then remove Miss Annapolis' wings and push the fuselage into the trailer. Dan gave me a ride to Metro and I was invited by both Dan and Ron (Designer of the Minicoupe, and EAA Chapter 4 president) to the chapter's picnic being held at Suburban Airport (W18) next Saturday, the 5th. Today was a truly magical day!

Wednesday, 19 August 2009- Making Memories on National Aviation Day 19 August 2009

Making Memories on National Aviation Day

(This post can also be found on the www.eaarentals.com blog as a guest post)

Did you know that in 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed August 19 as National Aviation Day? When I first heard about it from the tight knit group of aviators I follow on twitter, I believed it to be true. I decided to go to my local airport and either participate in specially organized activities for the event, or simply spread the word.

When I arrived at the Montgomery County Airpark, in Montgomery County, Maryland, I had a calling... and a way to break the ice. Upon greeting the airport manager, Mr. John Luke, I proceeded to tell him about the day. Now, I didn't do any official research up to this point, and he was intrigued that he didn't know about it. I only knew that it coincided with Orville Wright's birthday, and why, I didn't know that either.

The doubt began to surface- maybe it wasn't a presidential proclamation, perhaps it was informally proclaimed such by the aviation community, such as AOPA- yet confidently I assured him that aviators across the USA were recognizing this distinguished day. I told him that I would give him much more notice next year- maybe I could organize something! We'll see...

My next stop at the FBO (Fixed Base Operator), was the pilot's lounge. I timidly peeked inside. Yay, a flight crew! I couldn't contain myself, "Hey guys, did you know today is National Aviation Day? No? Well let me tell you about it! As we proceeded with a pleasant conversation, we taught each other much. They were pilots of a Beechjet 400A, a single airplane operation, used to transport medical patients. They were waiting in the Pilot's Lounge for another four hours to deliver a patient to South Carolina. Having talked their ears off for over half and hour, I bid them farewell- the hangars out on the ramp were calling to me. Perhaps I might find someone willing to give me a National Aviation Day flight! I would offer to pay for the fuel of course. :-)

Surprisingly, the hangars were very quiet. I decided first to visit the hanger of one of our most famous aviators based at GAI. I volunteer at the museum in College Park where his Stearman Biplane is displayed. His name? Gus McLeod. He was the first to fly around the North Pole in an open cockpit biplane. I met him when I was a member of one of the local Civil Air Patrol squadrons. Well, Gus wasn't at the hangar that I thought to be his, so I walked up and down a few more rows in search of life at my local airport. I came across another hangar that had markings similar to the first I visited, I asked the man working on an experimental aircraft if Gus McLeod was affiliated with this outfit. A few minutes later, Mr. McLeod emerged from an office. I was amazed that he remembered me! He seemed impressed that I volunteered at College Park Aviation Museum. When I told him about my current working conditions, he suggested that he might be able to find something I might like to do around there. What an awesome offer to hear! Whether it will bear fruit was immaterial! On this National Aviation Day, someone could see my wing buds! Before he had to leave to test some of the ground breaking aircraft he's working on, he took my phone number and suggested that he would take me up in a plane as a belated National Aviation Day flight! Did Christmas just happen? I was hanging on to every word!

I returned to the FBO where I found a seat on the Airport Cafe's patio. There were four women and seven children, most under five years old, who decided to spend a day at the park. One of the women apologized in advance for her rambunctious kids to which I replied "Not a problem! I'm thrilled to be surrounded by kids excited about airplanes on National Aviation Day". Her friends congratulated he on he serendipitous choice of spending today at the airport. I told the adults and kids who were watching the same airplane take off and land that it was performing touch-n-goes. I invited the moms to bring their kids to Air Fair 100 at College Park on the 29th, to which one of the ladies said they'd been to the museum and would try to make it to the airshow. Yippee!! It was fun watching all these children excited about aviation!

When I finished eating my Gyro, I resumed reading a few chapters out of First Flights, until I got a tap on my shoulder. It was my pilot friends who flew the Beechjet. They were getting ready to leave. I remained in my seat for about two minutes when I realized this was my last chance to ask for a tour of their airplane.

Fortunately I caught up with the head pilot who granted me my wish. Excitement rushed through me as I stepped up into the Beechjet. The windows of the cockpit were covered to keep the aircraft cool. The darkness of the cockpit at first seemed uninviting so I sat in the cabin and took in the upholstery and interior decorating. Finally the head pilot urged me to sit in the cockpit, so I took a seat in the left seat. As the two pilots discussed the intricacies of the next leg of their trip, I scanned the instrument panels and imagined what it would be like to know how to make this bird fly. The pilot permitted me to take pictures of the cockpit and then he took my picture seated there as well.

Then the time came to say good bye. I showed the pilots my pilot log and the variety of signatures I collected from pilots like Patty Wagstaff, Corkey Fornof, and the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, whom I had met at previous Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In’s. There was also the signature of a Southwest Airlines Captain. I asked if they would be so kind as to sign as well, to which they humbly accepted the request. A quick Q & A session revealed that the head pilot always wanted to be a pilot as he was growing up- that would explain the love of aviation emanating from his being, from the moment I met him. The second pilot had just joined the operation a month ago, invited by his friend who sat in the left seat. He wanted to be a lot of things growing up, the latest being an astronaut. I was very impressed with this pair of aviators!

The head pilot then walked back to the terminal entrance with me to meet his passengers. My ear-to-ear grin said it all as I thanked him for making my National Aviation Day memorable beyond my original expectations.

My First SWA Spirit Day- Southwest Airlines Begins Service to Boston

Following my Southwest Airlines Twitter friends this morning at work made me wish I was in BOS for the big celebration. I was grateful that @danwebbage @curbcrusher @christiday and others were telling the story. When I learned that one of the flights was going to BWI, I decided that's where I was going- hopefully to meet them, but no guarantee.

As I made my way to the Germantown Transit Center from work, I decided that this was a poster-worthy event- I had to show my SWA Spirit! I went into Rite-Aid and bought posterboard and colored Sharpies for the project. I found a picture of a Canyon Blue Southwest jet to use as a pattern on my Blackberry and started to sketch it on the MetroRail to Greenbelt Metro Station. While waiting at the bus stop for the B30 bus to BWI, I spread out on a bus bench and continued sketching and started transferring the sketch to the posterboard.

Much to my pleasure, Brandon, a SWA pilot (I could tell by the SWAPA luggage handle) was boarding the bus. I asked him for a critique of my artistic ability when it came to aircraft graphic design. He was kind and seemed impressed with the project, as I explained what it was for. I also asked if he thought it was possible for it to get a ride to DAL SWA HDQ today, but he wasn't sure of the procedure. So I continued to work feverishly on it on the bus and then at BWI when I arrived.

It wasn't finished when the direct BOS to BWI flight arrived. I know this because a passenger from that flight saw me working on it and asked me where I came up with the "It's On!" slogan. I explained that it was Southwest Airlines' slogan and I was making a poster to greet the folks on the first flight, BOS-MDW-BWI, which left before the BOS-BWI, which in hindsight should have been the one that I greeted, since later, I would find no one who identified with the BOS-MDW leg. I continued to talk to this man who was quite a successful entrepenuer (sic) as I worked on the poster. When all was said and done, I had a pretty neat poster (if I do say so myself) and a great time, although I didn't get to meet anyone from Southwest Airlines.

Tuesday, 28 July 2009- My Trip to Potomac, MD in Honor of @nonoodle’s Un-birthday

Tuesday, 28 July 2009- My Trip to Potomac, MD in Honor of @nonoodle’s Un-birthday
This morning on twitter, I made a comment about not knowing what I was going to do today. I had been thinking of a variety of activities, buy none stood out. @nonoodle replied that I should do something that I’ve never done before”. The first thing that popped into my mind was visit Potomac, MD. @nonoodle also suggested that I should buy a fashion magazine- it’s an inside joke- I never read those things, and don’t know how to start. I told her that my Flying Magazine had fashion in it, and twitpic’ed photo’s of women with clothes on (All of them are dressed…).
When I got to Potomac, I went to the Safeway and bought a few plums and nectarines. They were a good deal, $1.99/ lb. The next store was a Tru-Value Hardware store- I bought a flashlight for work there. I went to the nearby seafood shop and bought a single giant shrimp for $1.27. After eating the shrimp, I went to the Rite-Aid and bought 2 pairs of earrings- one was free. Finally I went to Vie de France and bought a Cookie Monster Screamer. I stopped at the Chamber of Commerce for some ideas of touristy things to do. All they had were the Falls, but they were too far to walk. I returned back to Germantown satisfied with my little adventure.

Saturday, 25 July 2009- Walking from Downtown DC to DCA with a Detour, but some Incredible Airplane Pictures!

Saturday, 25 July 2009- Walking from Downtown DC to DCA with a Detour, but some Incredible Airplane Pictures!
Well, I made it back from DC in time for the 9pm bus to work. After picking up my uniform at the storage unit, I went to the bus stop next to a men’s group home, because it was a covered bus stop and it was raining. While waiting for a bus that I wasn’t sure was coming, I brushed my hair. One of the men from the group home saw me, came over, and told me I had beautiful hair. I told him it was getting cut. This guy was loaded with questions. He asked me where I was headed, if I had a boyfriend, if I wanted one, and what I was looking for in a boyfriend. Kind of awkward small talk for a first meeting… but I tried to indulge him with the honest truth: I don’t have a boyfriend, nor am I interested in getting one anytime soon. Friend, yes. Boyfriend, no. When I am ready, he’s got to appreciate my passion for aviation.
The guy said he liked military planes. He described the Nighthawk, but couldn’t remember the name. I was starting to enjoy conversation with him, but not enough to give him my phone number when he asked. He was certainly a charmer. He said he used to live in the Virgin Islands. He wanted to read my palm for a reason I can’t remember, but I pulled a Monk. I deemed that too much of an encouragement for him. I will admit I was impressed with his level of English- I would have expected him to have a different primary language- which is a major turn off.
When he told me he had Schizophrenia, I told him I had Asperger’s Syndrome. (Not diagnosed, but after having lived with an Aspie husband, I am almost certain I have a mild form of it.)
As the conversation continued, he asked my age. That was too personal to share, so I did what every other woman my age does and said I was 23. When he said that I looked fit for my age, like 25 or 26, I received it as a compliment. He asked for my phone number two more times before the bus came. My goodness!
I have a lot of those guys from that group home asking me why I am in their neck of the woods. I just tell them I am running errands. I feel a little more secure at the other bus stop in the opposite direction, which is uncovered.
Now back to the earlier part of the day! After waking up at the shelter this morning at 6:30am, I walked to Starbucks and recharged my phone. After an hour, it was half charged. I thought that would be enough for my trek to Gravelly Point and beyond.
I walked down 7th St. at E St. NE, taking pictures of street corners and scenes along the way. I turned right at G St. NW, walked one block to 9th, and turned left. I saw the Washington Channel Waterfront with its boats. When I turned right on Maine, I came to a tunnel under what I think is the Francis Case Memorial Bridge, just southeast of the 14th St. Bridge. Inside the tunnel was beautiful artwork. I couldn’t decide on which individual tiled piece of art to take a picture of. At 14th St., my battery was so close to gone. I turned right and made a beeline up 14th Street in search of a sit down breakfast place to re-recharge my phone.
Walking past the White House, I came across a motorcade. The police had the road blocked off so it could pass by. I wondered if Obama was in it, or if he was still in Chicago/Milwaukee. My battery died at 14th and I St. NW. At Thomas Circle I asked a hotel guard where the nearest McDonald’s was. He directed me to 14th and U St. NW. So I pressed on. I stopped at the post office on the way to mail Veronika’s book, Yay! The outlet at McDonald’s was powerful! I ate Cini-mini’s, hashbrowns, OJ, and a McChicken sandwich while recharging.
From there, I wanted to take New Hampshire Ave to Dupont Circle and Connecticut Ave to 17th St. NW, but time and battery charge was precious, and my destination was Gravelly Point, so I made a bee-line down 14th St. to the Jefferson Memorial. I bought a soda to hydrate myself on my way. It became my last soda, after spontaneously deciding that I would cut soda from my diet.
I caught some beautiful shots of aircraft on approach to Runway 19, while standing on the 14th St. Bridge overlooking the Potomac. All five bridges that span the Potomac at that spot are collectively called the 14th St. Bridge. Then I took a few minutes looking toward the span furthest to the east, called the Alden Williams Memorial Bridge, where the actual crash site was, and reflected on that Air Florida flight, the crew and the passengers. At one point, a Dash’s shadow passed over me! I continued to walk. Just past the Alden Williams Memorial Bridge, I found a hill leading up to a highway exit. I climbed to just below the top, and took some more great pictures of airliners’ side profiles. After a while, I continued walking, and spread my #aircraftonmycollegeparkaviationmuseumafghan on the grass just 25-ish yards from the tree line. I got incredibly detailed shots from my little Blackberry phone. Finally my battery succumbed at 5pm. I still had time to walk to DCA to catch the Metro. I almost bought a snap together model airplane, but hey, I have my Beech 17 Staggerwing, from www.warplanes.com, en route to me!
Note to self: I need to leave Gravelly Point by 4pm next time. I caught the last bus by the skin of my teeth!

Thursday, 23 July 2009- Following Oshkosh, Forty Thank you’s and Forty Smiles.

Thursday, 23 July 2009- Following Oshkosh, Forty Thank you’s and Forty Smiles.
Today was great! After work I sat on a bus bench and enjoyed the warm sun. I also did some research on UA232.
At one point, on twitter, I typed, “I’m bored.” That evolved into “I’m lazy”, “I’m hungry”, “I’m tired”, and “I’m hot”. I finally got up and walked the two blocks to the library, which I was feeling too lazy to do earlier. I was also hungry, but I decided to postpone eating until I spent a couple hours at the library. I blamed my backwards priorities on the fact that I’m tired, and I was hot because I was wearing 3 layers of shirts.
At the library, I started following the #OSH09 twitter stream. People were already flying into Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the annual AirVenture, and setting up their tents under wing. I got a friend request on Facebook from the owner of MotoArt, how cool is that??!!
On my way to the shelter, I bought two bags of York Peppermint Patties. I couldn’t stop at the storage unit to get my new afghan for lack of time, but I will tomorrow. The wait in line was uneventful. I protected my peppermint patties from the sun and watch as the clouds gathered for rain. I prayed to the wx gods to delay the rain, but in the blink of an eye, it began pouring. The doors of the shelter opened and vacuumed us all in. I guess that’s a good thing, because wet (homeless?) people don’t smell pleasant.
I talked to an interesting lady who I thought was in her 70’s or 80’s. It turned out she was in her mid 50’s. My initial impression was that she had suffered from a stroke or seizures. I didn’t want to ask such a personal question. Her speech was seriously impaired. It was difficult to understand her. When she read my hat that says, “Virginia is for Flying Lovers”, and said “I’ve never been a pilot, but my father was…” she had my undivided attention. I had to make an effort not to be distracted by her involuntary muscle spasms and what I can only describe as reverse chin-ups: She stood with her back to the lockers, reached up over her head and grabbed the edge of the lockers and pulled herself up to her tippy toes like she was stretching her back. When she wasn’t holding herself up like that, she was like a marionette that was being operated by a child. She would bend over at her waist 2 or 3 times a minute and swing her arms and sway or touch the ground. About every third time, she let go of her purse handles when she bent over, and picked it up when she stood up. It made me dizzy at times just to watch Linda’s actions.
I have to be impressed that she can maintain her balance in these robotic poses. She said her dad had been a Brigadier General in the air Force and spent a lot of time at the Pentagon. I asked her if she knew when the Pentagon opened. She said, “Now that’s a piece of history I don’t know, but would like to find out.” I looked it up for her on my Blackberry. We were both surprised to learn that ground had been broken on Sept 11, 1941- 60 years to the day of 9-11. It opened in 1943.
Once inside the shelter, after the meal service was finished I went to (nearly) every lady there and offered a York Peppermint Patty. It made me happy to have my gesture so warmly and enthusiastically accepted. Most of the ladies were very gracious, some asked for a second one. I wish I had more!

Wednesday, 22 July 2009- Key Words

Wednesday, 22 July 2009- Key Words
Tailspin, Crash-landing hotline, Bounce back, Food stamps, Anxiety attack, Cute bus driver, Dream Pilot…
‘nuf said.

Tuesday, 21 July 2009- New C-47 Added to my Fleet of Models

Tuesday, 21 July 2009- New C-47 Added to my Fleet of Models
I went back to the museum and bought a C-47 (Military DC-3) and assembled it on the Metro. I also spoke to the volunteer coordinator. After displaying my new model in my storage unit, I went to Taco Bell for lunch.

Monday, 20 July 2009- Aircraft on my College Park Aviation Museum Afghan

Monday, 20 July 2009- Aircraft on my College Park Aviation Museum Afghan
In an effort to offer sincere congratulations, I congratulated the second winner. I was surprised when this person thanked me, and also chose to follow me. It turned out he didn’t know that it was me, because I sent out a (non-reply) tweet that just gave him a heads up that I am the former foxwhisperer. His reaction/reply was classic! I wasn’t offended one bit, I only indulged in continual laughter for an entire day! How’s this for reading? “Oops that was an accidental follow. Didn’t realize the cursed & disturbing element changed her ID to continue deceiving & annoying folks”. I am sorry he thinks that’s my motive or nature, or that any others think that too. Thanks for the laugh, eh. Irony rocks!
To celebrate, I enjoyed some more of my #warplanes Rock e-Road ice cream. Wouldn’t it be cool if there were crunchy warplanes in it? ;-)
I’ve also begun to promote the College Park Aviation Museum’s AirFair100 on twitter, as well as the book by Jill Rutan Hoffman about her father and uncle, Dick and Burt Rutan, called First Flights. I also bought a beautiful afghan at CGS that depicts eight of its museum display airplanes: the Wright Model B, Bleriot, Gus McLeod’s Stearman, Berliner Helicopter, Piper Cub, Monocoupe, Ercoupe and Curtiss Jenny.

Sunday, 19 July 2009- UA232, Kayaking, Winning the Warplanes Contest

Sunday, 19 July 2009- UA232, Kayaking, Winning the Warplanes Contest
Today marks 20 years since United Airlines Flight 232 crashed in Sioux City. Ever since I first heard about it, shortly after deciding I wanted to be a flight attendant, I have held Captain Al Haynes and his crew in the highest esteem. I saw a re-enactment of the crash on TV, Captain Al Haynes spoke briefly, along with Senior Flight Attendant Jan Brown Lohr. They became heroes to me- it became important to me to recognize their accomplishments on this day, and throughout the week on twitter. Although I did get little feedback, I appreciated hearing others express the same respect for the crew of that ill-fated flight.
I went to Seneca Creek State Park and borrowed a kayak. At first, it looked like the bus 61 didn’t run on Sunday, but it does! The first kayak I was given was new and was very unstable. Since I had my new BlackBerry, I was taking a GREAT RISK! A couple layers of Ziploc bags didn’t make me feel anymore secure. I returned to new kayak and requested one more stable. I could tell a huge difference. I didn’t see any turtles this time. I concluded that that made last week’s sighting even more special.
Later tonight, I joined my twitter friends in the third day of attempting to win a model airplane from www.warplanes.com . This time I won! What was laughably ironic was that the second winner for today… HATES MY GUTS!

Saturday, 18 July 2009- Walking to DCA from Downtown Washington DC.

Saturday, 18 July 2009- Walking to DCA from Downtown Washington DC.
This morning, after charging my phone at Starbucks, I simply just started walking. I walked down D Street, past the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial. When I stumbled upon Pennsylvania Avenue, I decided this was the perfect time for me to see the White House for the first time. After seeing the White House, I saw a sign indicating the direction of the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial. It intrigued me enough that I decided to check it out. The Tidal Basin had a distinct fishy smell. Near the memorial, I saw bikers and walkers emerging from what certainly looked like a pathway over the river.
I kept walking and soon found myself on the footpath of the bridge over the Potomac River. I stopped for 10 minutes and took pictures of the planes flying over the bridge. This was a historic moment: I crossed a state boundary on foot. I then walked to Gravelly Point where I took many more pictures. I continued my walk to DCA and had a Cinnabon.
Finally, I went to the College Park airport. I enjoyed their Pilot Day activities and looking at exhibits. Then I walked over to the aircraft restoration facility and enjoyed meeting an older retired Eastern Airlines pilot and his friends. They showed me the Aeronca they were restoring, as well as a Pusher.

Tuesday, 14 July 2009- Mental Breakdown

Tuesday, 14 July 2009- Mental Breakdown
I had a mental breakdown today. The trigger was the news I got of a hole that depressurized a Southwest Airlines jet. The reason this is the suspected trigger is because I had no access any more information than that. I had expected it to have happened either shortly after takeoff, or shortly before landing, because there had been no hint of serious injuries that could have likely occurred in any degree of a rapid decompression at cruise altitude. Also I didn’t know where on the fuselage (assuming it was on the fuselage) the hole occurred, could it have been the cockpit or the passenger cabin, or some portion of the aircraft not accessed by people. Each of these scenarios played out in my head. All I could do was obsessively speculate through the middle of the night on the story behind the headline I read.
The other, probably more significant reason I suspect that this incident was the trigger, is because it literally brought back from the dead the dream I had of becoming a flight attendant or working for the airlines. Incidents like this always reignite my desire to be on the frontline, reassuring a cabin full of passengers, and preparing them all for a safe return back to earth, in the event of such an incident. I had to bury the dream again.
Put simply when I was walking to the second building, I was crying my eyes out. I lay face down in the grass and concluded that no one would know if I just stayed here and let the tears run out over the next couple hours, or I could just walk off my post and leave this job for good. Fortunately I had the good sense to call Chris who was working over at Medimmune. He came right over and listened to me and consoled me. I was able to return to duty in fair condition.

Saturday, 11 July 2009- The Third Annual Pilot Appreciation Day

Saturday, 11 July 2009- The Third Annual Pilot Appreciation Day
I spent nearly the whole day wishing twitter and Facebook pilots a happy “Pilot Appreciation Day”. I was disappointed with my uninteractive delivery of the greetings which stemmed from my lack of being online continually. In addition to that, I was still mourning the death of a three year old dream that I recently buried six feet under. I received some positive feedback from some of the pilots, so the third annual Pilot Appreciation Day wasn’t a complete disaster.

Friday, 10 July 2009- Staring Contest With A Red-Eared Slider and Trouble Because I Stripped (the Bed)

Friday, 10 July 2009- Staring Contest With A Red-Eared Slider and Trouble Because I Stripped (the Bed)
When I arose this morning, someone walking by my bed told me to strip the blanket and sheet and put them in the dirty laundry pile. I then went on my merry way to Germantown.
It was a beautiful day outside, and I wasn’t packing that much with me, so I decided to visit Clopper Lake. I anticipated taking the kayak out on the lake for 2 hours, but one hour ended up being long enough. I was even treated to a special bonus as I explored a random cove. From a distance of about 50 feet, I spotted a turtle sunning itself on a log. I thought it might be one of those Mississippi Mud Turtles (why, I don’t know, except I didn’t know what the native species were). I stopped the kayak and slowly paddled near the turtle. As I neared it, it looked more and more like a red-eared slider. With some careful periodic paddling, I was able to drift within 10 feet of the turtle. I was awed when I confirmed it was indeed a red-eared slider.
It was likely planted there by an owner who could no longer care for it. I’m sure a wild turtle wouldn’t have let me get this close, no matter how careful I was. We had a staring contest for about 20 minutes. Then the turtle slid into the water when the kayak drifted so that the tip came within 6 inches it. I definitely miss my little guys, this turtle was full sized, and weighed at least 10 lbs. Of all my turtles’ names, I decided to name this one in the memory of Captain Jupiter.
After returning the kayak, I headed to the shelter. I ate a Lunchable and drank a Red Bull while standing in line on the sidewalk for Intake. I couldn’t help but feel stared at and judged by all the passersby. Riff Raff. I learned earlier today that that is what Sir Richard Branson wanted to call the Economy Class of his Virgin Airlines brand. I LOL’ed upon learning that. 
When I got inside the shelter, I noted that the staff was in a light hearted mood. None of the clients were causing trouble. This time the potato concoction was cold. I had dinner next to a lady who had an animal companion, a tiny dog, slightly bigger than a Chihuahua. She was a nice lady and friends with a former US Army soldier also named Lee, who slept in the bunk next to the one I would be assigned for a second night. I didn’t have to wait long for word on whether I had a bed. The same lady was on work release, so again, her bed was available. I did get in trouble for stripping the bed. I tried to explain that someone instructed me to do it, with a voice of authority. I felt very intimidated by the scolding, but was told they’d let me off easy this time because I was new to the program, and that only the staff member behind the desk has the authority to tell me what to do with my bedding.
I had a nice conversation with Lee and found out she always wears “Life is Good” shirts, and goes to the VA every day. She had joined the Army during peace-time, just 6 months after the end of the Vietnam War and was stationed at Fort Benning, GA. As we chatted, I told her about my kayak ride and was about to invite her to join me sometime, but she said she wasn’t an outdoorsy type of person.
I began to hear Brendan Frasier’s voice in my head and realized that some of the ladies at the shelter were watching The Mummy Returns. I decided to join them, but the picture quality was so bad on the TV, it took away from any enjoyment of the movie I might have had. Instead, I called Marty and began to enjoy a pleasant conversation with him, until T-Mobile called. I had business to attend to, so I had to take the call.
The T-Mobile rep set up a replacement phone order for me and verified it could be received by the UPS store. Soon I will have a Blackberry again! I’m grateful that T-Mobile valued my 6 years as a loyal customer enough to give it a second try, I had only called to find out how much I was going to owe for not turning in the old phone.
I called Marty back and let him have the last of my battery juice. Charging cell phones isn’t allowed at the shelter, so I went to bed.