Not This Year... Not This Year

Maybe someone is trying to tell me something. Recently I have been bombarded with television ads tempting me to come and discover the land down under again. I've been watching Finding Nemo a lot this week, at least 3 times already. And Qantas and STA Travel have been directly targeting me with email messages tempting me into buying a ticket.

"Best Deals of the Year! Visit OZ for 10 days for only $1399, included roundtrip airfare from Los Angles to Sydney..." "Book NOW and Save!...."

I have even seen ads from New South Wales.

Just out of the blue, I will SMS or IM Sarah, "Meet me at the airport, we leave for Sydney in 2 hours..." How I wished that were true. Not this year, Not this year.

Le Sigh.

Strange Dreams

I have been having these nasty dreams of late. It is the same basic dream, down to every detail same kind of dream. It starts out with me waking up driving behind the wheel of this massive truck. I am not wearing a seatbelt which is an oddity in its own right because I always wear one without fault. It looks to be a very old late 80's kind of modelled truck. I look up to see this massive tree right in front of me. Then I go into that life flashing before your eyes mode.

I find that I get the images of family, friends, recent memories, but the strange part to me is the fact that I not only get memories but future events. I get events of graduation, first job, middle life, and then another scene of death, this time in the form of an airplane crash. It is United flight 492. I find that so odd that I have memories of future events. Normally when I dream of death, I dream of dying at my current age.

I realize that death doesn't really mean death, but rather change, but two scenes of death in the same dream with future memories? It is very bizzare to me.

I have been having this dream the last 2 weeks or so. Sometimes I get to the point where I actually HIT the tree instead of getting the flashing memories before me, and I will violently wake myself up. Then I spend the next hour or so, trying to calm down my racing heart and breathing and then I will eventually get back to sleep, and not have any dreams that night.

So the curious person I am, I looked up United flight 492. It is a flight from Los Angles to Dallas, Texas. Very interesting. Does that mean I will be finding a job in Los Angles and living there and visiting Dallas, or moving to Dallas... who knows. My dreams are so strange.

Wx Information 101

The days are getting shorter and colder here now that we are nearly done with the month of October. Today and the rest of the week are going to rarities come November and December. Today was a fairly nice day, not a cloud in the sky, full bright, warmish sun, but that breeze of wind just cuts right through you. It is very deceiving. I look out my window, seeing people walking by with just light jackets on, some with t-shirts, so I just go outside with just a light jacket.

Nope, big mistake. They must be NoDaks. I am from the south, relatively speaking compared to this place and I froze my ass off, to the point where I came back to grab my winter coat. Yes, the sun warms you up. But that stiff breeze from the west at 20+ m.p.h. just slices you to bits.

I, however, have discovered a secret weapon. All the aviation people should know this number by heart, but for you non-aviation people, take this number down.

1.877.269.2967 (1.877.any.awos)

This is a very cool number. It gives you up-to-date weather information for any airport. All you need to know is the 3 letter identifier for the airport closest to you. For me in Grand Forks, it is GFK. At home, it is STL for St. Louis. It is a very simple program to use. I find it quite intersting too that when you are calling to the weather station you get the "European" ring... the do do.... do do.....

Now, instead of freezing my ass off, I just ring up the weather station for GFK and check out the weather before venturing outdoors.

Weekend In MSP

I am back to the daily drudge of Grand Forks today. The trip to Minneapolis was fantastic. It was just what I needed to relax and get away from this tiny town. I guess this picture really just sums up the entire weekend. Man the B757 is a beautiful plane. I especially like it in the new colors. So... lets break the weekend down....

Friday: I had to get up at 6am after working from midnight til 4am, so needless to say Friday was going to be a long day. We left Grand Forks around 6.05am. Speeding out of town south on I-29 was something I have dreamed up since moving here. I am definitely not a small town kind of person. I need to see buildings that are over 4 stories high once in a while. I ended up sleeping half the trip to Minneapolis but, really, what is there to look at in the middle of Minnesota? I guess they have hills going for them. We got to the hotel around 11am, checked in, put our stuff down and raced off to do some plane spotting outside the fences.

I thought I was a nerd, but these guys are double the nerd I am. Just from seeing the registration numbers on the tail, they can tell you the model of aircraft, the destination, and the scheduled departure and arrival times. I am pretty sure some of them even knew the accidents that had been reported with that aircraft.

But it was very nice to hang out with guys that talked nothing but aviation. Inside aviation jokes; turning everyday events into something aviation related.

Just stuff that anyone with any aviation hormones in their blood would find interesting or funny or pathetic.

Friday continued with a tour through the Tracon and the Tower at Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. We spent a good 30+ mins out on the cat-walk taking pictures of planes departing, landing and taxiing. We are such nerds.

Later, we had were able to take a tour of Sun Country's brand new hanger. Just a bit of trvia for you, just in case it ever comes up on Trival Persuit; Did you know that Sun Country's Hanger at MSP can fit 4 Boeing 737-800's and has been measured and built to fit 4 Boeing 737-900's if they ever build them? While we were out on the tramac driving around, MSP had an Evergreen International Cargo plane come in because it had lost a door flap on the wheel well of a 747-100. The plane was massive. I have never been able to get that close up to one. The thing is massive.

Saturday: We were able to get a tour of the airport grounds. We got to head out onto the active runways and taxi-ways and snap a few pictures. Well when I say a few, enough pictures to fill a 256 megabyte card. I got a few mini movies too. Some nice, yet, bouncy pictures of a NWA 747 coming in to land from Japan. That was an awesome sight. Standing less than 100 meters from a landing jumbo.

Sunday: We ended up getting up having a bit of brekkie at Ikea (best 99 cent breakfast I've ever had), and then a bit more plane spotting. And then the long drive back to Grand Forks.

So that was my weekend, and now it's time to get back to school and surviving Grand Forks. Just two more months until Winter Holidays, and I cannot wait.

MSP Bound

I am about head off to Minneapolis for a bit of nerdy aviation social interaction. Some of the guys in APE and I are heading down to the cities for a bit of aviation intake. We are scheduled to take a tour of the Minneapolis Tower, Sun Country's Operations, and a nice tour of the Airport and their operations. We will even be allowed to step out onto active runways and snap a few photos of the planes landing. Nothing but redtails but that wont be a problem.

We had our little fortnight meeting the other day and it just wreaked of aviation nerds. Half the meeting consisted of gossip about airlines. So did you hear what American was doing? Oh man, USAir's new livery is awesome. Did you hear about AirTran? You know Cathy made top 1 again, right? You know things along those lines.

I am sure we will be all gossip on the 5 hour trip down there tomorrow. As now I will be sporting the APE t-shirt. All eight of us, running around MSP with APE shirts. Should provide for some very interesting pictures.

Let's Discuss the Rules of Higher Education

I feel sorry for my French professor. Last week he had some issues with students not coming to class and then moaning and bitching about not being able to make up the exam. I am sorry, if you can not read the course outline, and come to class on the days the exams take place, then you don't deserve to retake the exam.

Also the class is suppose to be around 20 people, today, I believe 7 of us showed up. Forty percent attendence rating, Fantastic. At UND they are not allowed to grade on attendence, but they can mark participation points. And if you manipulate the numbers just right, you can make attendence... errr participation points very valuable.

Plus, why would you want to pay for a class and then not show up? Wait... wait... wait... they probably get mummy and daddy to flip the bill. So there is not real desire or need to show up and learn. And really how hard could learning a new language be, really?

So today the French professor flipped out. The class was hostile, highly irregular and very off-putting. I can see how he is upset. He came all the way over from France to teach students French. He definitely is not here for the weather. But honestly don't take it out on us, we actually showed up today. If you feel that upset, spring a "pop-quiz" on us. Give us some credit for showing up, let the others fail and explain to their parents why they failed French.

Neat Appearence, Who Needs It?

As much as I love going to the beach, one of the most enjoyable parts is the fact that I get to wear board shorts! They just look so good on me. I find myself wearing them quite often when just being lazy around the dorm. As a matter of fact, I am wearing them now, right here at work. But since it was cold outside today, I had to put pants on too.

You might be wondering why I am talking about board shorts when the current temperature in Grand Forks is 35F (2C). Simply put, I ran out of underwear and I am too lazy to drag the pile of clothes down the 30 meters to the laundry facilities to chuck them into a washer and add some soap.

So I wear my board shorts and other shorts. Yeah you may be able to see some "panty" lines, but really, I am not out to impress. You can normally find me wearing on a daily basis, tee-shirts, jeans, tennis shoes, and my beloved Swans Jumper or the UND Jumper. It definitely has me smell on it. Not one of the most desirable smells, but it proves to be helpful when I want extra elbow room in a crowded Meteorology class. I have even reached the point where I do not even care to do my hair in the morning. And you know when I do not do my hair, I just have given up, because you can ask Scottie, before I left the house I always had my hair done, even when just running to Mackkers for a McFlurry.

But when I do style my hair, I get comments on it. I quite like my hair style. The faux-hawk seems to suit my personality quite well. I seem to get hit on more when I do style my hair. Not from the people I want to hit on me, but I will take what I can get. I get people wanting to touch it. Others, smile that certain way that clues you in that they are interested and intrigued.

For example, tonight I was talking to these two girls and they were obviously flirting with me. The giggles and stupid comments gave it away.

FYI: I don't go for stupid, so stop trying to act stupid. Sit down and discuss world events with me and you can have me.

But they ran off, and not 20 mins later, they came darting back, all jumpy, bubbly, and full of cheer. They tag-teamed me with questions, rapid fire style.

What is it like working there? Do you get bored? How do you get your hair to do that with no gel? Where are you from? What are you studying? Do you have a girlfriend? Do you work all the time? Where do you live?

Uh... working here is fine. Sometimes. It just does that right out of the shower. St. Louis. Air Traffic Control and Airport Management. No. Usually weekend nights. In a dorm.

But as soon as the girl on the right asked, "do you have a girlfriend" the other girl gave her a nasty glare, and then continued to spout off questions, like it was 100,000 dollar pyramid.

But they ran off to a Frat party, leaving me to watching my movies in peace and ponder why the hell did i sign up for the weekends?

I Want My Internet!

Last night at work, I was so upset, I could have thrown my computer across the room. It probably would have not solved the issue, but it would have made me feel better about it. At work, we are able to hook up the wireless net provided. Most of the time, the connection is awesome. High-Speed Wireless Connection, it doesn't come any better than that. But last night, in the midst of my logging onto the system, the wireless just quits. Ugh, the internet is my life line at 4am!

As I am fumbling through my bookbag, trying to find something to do. Well shit, the first day I don't bring homework to do, I actually have time to do it. I am finding nothing. Oh, a red letter. YAY Thank God, I found you my NetFlix movie. I love you. One of my all time classic favourites too, Pushing Tin. Yes, after watching that 2 hours down, 2.5 more to go.

I guess I could make some more copies of some papers we need here in the office. So I made 120 copies of the duty sheets, 1 at a time. Awesome, that wasted 20 mins. Now what?

Yes, I can sweep.

*Cue cleaning lady* What are you doing, she asked.

Uh... your job, I responded. *insert nasty looks from cleaning lady* I'll just find something else to do.

I guess I could play tic-tac-toe with myself. You know, "good" S vs "bad" S.

Finally it rolled around to 8am and I got to head home for some well deserved rest.

I Think My Heart Stopped

So I went and had an eye check up today. I really was just going to get an eye exam done, in order to renew my Missouri driver's licence, but decided to just stick around and do the complete thing.

Here is my contribution to the MasterCard Corp.:

Eye Doctor Standard Exam: $63
Digital Picture of Eyes: $25
New Glasses, Prescription, and Protective Covering: $312

Being the Lab-Rat and testing new contacts in the US for the next 2 months: FREE (WooHoo!)

My mother is going to kill me! I am sure when she gets the lovely bill from Mastercard that she will be on the phone screaming and yelling and complaining. Maybe it is a good thing that I wont be home for Turkey Weekend.

Do You Agree with Travis?

"Do you agree with Travis?" Well do you? For the last two weeks, our campus sidewalks, billboards, and message boards have been bombarded with that same message. With no other form of explaination, no further details, but just those exact words, sprawled everywhere on campus. From one end of University Ave. to the other end, that message has intrigued people. And for some people it made them so upset that they felt inclined to write "FUCK TRAVIS" with chalk throughout the campus. But whatever your views, your intrigue, your inquest, everyone seemed to be captivated by the phrase.

And finally last Thursday people found out what "Travis" was talking about. In fact, Travis is a real person. He is a senior here at UND. He spoke this past Thursday on his life, experiences, and his faith.

Yes, Campus Crusades for Christ was behind this whole media bliz. The genius marketing campagin envoked feelings that overcast a shadow on other issues that were going on during the same time period on campus. While everyone was engrossed in figuring out who the hell Travis was, and if they should really agree or disagree, our campus was dealt a major blow by the NCAA. We can no longer use the name the Fight Sioux as our mascot, but that really doesn't matter because we were too worried about Travis.

Now I really don't agree with Travis and his Evengalical views. And gauging from half the campus' written comments towards the media campagin, other people don't agree either. But that is not the point. Student's priorities were completely out of skew. We were focusing on the trivial and pathetic, instead of focusing on the more important issues facing our university.

As a side note, I find it very interesting that every time there is some sort of gay related event schedule, the C.C.C (Campus Crusades for Christ) has to come out with this big media bliz and schedule other events to overshadow any other event.

Out of My Mind...

The weather here seems to be depressing me. Seasonal depression has already sunk in and it is not even winter yet. I just have this utter desire to sleep all the time, even though I really am not tired, neither physcially nor mentally. I am just roaming through this time with no real desire to persue anything at the moment. I have no energy to to my job, I mean I still go, sit there, do the work assigned but, I have no real desire to be the stand out worker. I am okay with being the guy who is just average. Nothing special. Really the only class I look forward to, is well ATC Lab, and that is for obvious reasons.

We have these two TA's that roam around the class, helping us with the scopes. Did you know they get paid to do that? I want to do that. I think it would be great. Just two hours a week, roaming around, telling someone to turn that plane, "tell that American 14-47 to turn right heading 190 degrees and then say your approach clearence." I would love to have a job like that.

I overcharged these two ladies that checked out today by a dollar. It maybe not seem like a lot but I know how being on a budget feels like and a dollar can really add up. And the cash register freaked out on me and I had to fiddle with the til and the numbers until things worked out. And this girl this morning was so undecieve that I am sure the accountants will be writting me a nasty note.

I was just to that state where you are about to drift off to sleep, you are still consceince yet about to drift into slumberland, when all of the sudden, I heard, the fire alarm going off. I completely forgot that they were testing the alarm, and that there was no need for any exit of the building until I was half way down the exit stairs.

I don't think my neighbours like me. They never say hello when I pass them in the hallways or in the lobby. I smile and nod, sometimes I even say hello, but any form of reply in terms of body language or verbal cues,... NOPE. None.

Eatting alone all the time, has improved my eatting skills. I make a game of it. How fast can I eat this taco or piece of grilled chicken without making it seem like I just inhaled it. Or how many times can I get a piece of pizza from the same lady and her not start to question my abilities to consume such large amounts of starch. How can I hold my fork and knife this time? Should I go European or American? Is it weird to eat pizza with a knife and fork? Why is it that our glasses here are only 8 oz? Why is it that everyone seems to get two of them at a time? Do I look like a pig if I get up and get another slice of cake?

I wonder if the people working feel bad for me, seeing that they know I come in at the exact same time every night, go to the exact same table, and eat alone? Is it possible that their ice cream has crack in it? If it doesn't why does it taste so good when it is 25 degrees F outside?

And that is enough stream of consceiceness for today.

Empty Nest Isn't That Great, Eh?

I think my parents are hating the empty nest. With my brother off to basic training shortly and well my decision to study in the northlands, things have been very quiet around the new, big, lonely house. I have recieved more calls, more pieces of mail, more inquires into my daily life, than ever.

For instance, my dad, whose conversation abilities include, "Hey, how are things?", "How is school?", and "Be good, study hard." kept me on the phone the other day for more than an hour. That's the longest he has ever been on the phone at one point in time.

My mother... she has called more times this last week, than she ever did while I was in Australia. She calls to tell me that she sent a package of my old mail, just silly stuff. She calls to tell me that the news in St. Louis was talking about the blizzard conditions in ND. She calls to tell me not to call her at work, because she is on holiday this week and next, but instead to call the house. She calls me to ask how much snow I got. She calls me to tell me that her and dad on on their way to Europe and wants to know if she should call me when they arrive in Frankfurt. She calls to ask me what my sex life is like... well not quite that intrusive, but it feels that way.

It is nice that she likes to hear from me. But if she doesnt stop being such the carer, what am I going to have to complain about or drink away later in life?

Cold As Ice?

I am very excited for my little trip coming up in two weeks. Well not a little trip for me. I am off to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/ St. Paul) with a few other aviation nerds coming up in just two weeks. It is a big deal for me. I have yet to visit the big cities up here and I constantly here people raving of the cities.

I was telling a friend of the upcoming events and expectations. I mentioned the homo-erotic behaviour, consisting of lots of drinking, male bonding, and of course the famous hotel Hot-Tub. It doesn't help the fact that I find myself oogling the President of the group and more so than oogling, I find myself daydreaming of the VP. So the combination of drinking, hottubs, male bonding, and those rampten male hormones running throughout my veins, should make the weekend getaway to the cities something of an exciting event.

I told the friend that I was just really interested in oogling and not following thru on making any moves. I definitley feel the straight vibe, but I was told that I don't have the best detection system. I have to agree. My radar seems to be government run... always behind the times, severely underfunded, and it never seems to work when I need it.

Am I really that cut-off? Do I have this barrier that keeps people from approaching me? And if so, how can I change that so people feel that I am more approachable without really changing who I am?

Go Away Winter!

"S" is quite Scared. He has been dreading this moment for months now. The first snow in Grand Forks is coming. The image above is the forecasted precipiation for the North American continent for the next 48 to 60 hous. I have pointed out GFK on the map. I scared. They saying we could have up to 6 inches of snow on the ground come Wednesday night.

I don't have gloves. Or a hat. Nor am I even semi prepared for snow.