New Year Resolutions?

New Year's Resolutions.... good or bad idea?

If I don't achieve these, I'll feel like a failure, but it isn't the first time ;)

I resolve to
...run 20 miles a month (240 mi by the end of the year)
...read more books, which means...
...read faster
...not eat cookies for a year
...write new songs
...cook a new dish at least biweekly
...take care of new pets
...find love (and that could be anyone or anything)

But it's so easy to just say these things and then once you break one, you take it off the list. I'm going to try not to work that way...
So:
a) I've got the workout log, that'll keep me in check
b) I have a membership at Barnes and Noble and plenty of books to read
c) Reading is reading
d) I have a baking book, but I can start baking for boys now :)
e) I need an inspiration... wings?
f) Haven't decided whether or not to get that delicious. cookbook, or it'll be the recipe from the baking ook
g) Petsmart.com = cats
h) Well, some things you can't guarantee.. ;)

6 months later...

After I-grad, it was a girls heavy weekend. Unusual for the rare female officers like myself, but it was needed... and ended up being a great time. The Saturday after the winging we all watched the movie Enchanted (which I still don't know what to think of that movie... it was so Disney, but it had McDreamy... and I was just all confused. I laughed, so that's what matters in the end I guess)

Following the movies, we went shopping all over the mall and I got sucked into using my Bed Bath & Beyond 20% coupon. It turned into an inspiration, and before long, I was purchasing my new bedroom look (completed it with the desk set I got at the flea market Sunday). Dressed up, went to Bonefish Grill, then out to a martini bar called 600 South in downtown Pensacola. Caught the Improv show at the Silver Screen after all of that. Quite tiresome for me actually.

At Bonefish Grill



Girl shot after the I-grad (VT-4 and VT-10)



The female graduating class of 0725



Started my first week of Advanced Nav Training here in Pensacola still... checked in to VT-86 Sabrehawks and there's already an overwhelming amount of work to be done. The command is working hard to push the Navy folks through in the "crunch" and hold all the AirForce kids so that they can follow the transition of the T-2 to the T-45. To be honest, I'm kind of glad I'm not going to be in that platform after hearing the mishaps that happened this fall which resulted in ejection from the aircraft. I've heard engine malfunctions or birdstrikes but haven't confirmed the causes.

2 Squadron Holiday parties this weekend.. I'm socially booked!
And finally, it feels good to "catch up" with everyone who left VT-4... now we'll be stuck with work and seeing each other workING for the next 6-8 months until we get the heck outta Florida.

It’s Not Even December… and I Already Feel Sad.

So I requested a smaller version of Thanksgiving this year... however, we still had a few family friends over to help us eat all the food (which is a good idea, because a family of 4 would not be able to eat an entire deep fried turkey). Still working on trying to get the "traditional" sit down dinner and prayer thing down, but maybe Papa'll be coached by then.

So the look for the table went something like this:




During dinner, we took a couple of pictures...



There isn’t a greater feeling than going home and seeing your family for the holidays… especially if its been almost a year. It almost feels like a deployment and I’m coming home to see how everything changed. You know, how many inches your sister gains on you; how many inches your mother shrinks; whether or not your parents, uncles, or aunties tried a different hair dye this season to cover those gray hairs; if the house had new additions to up the value… stuff like that.

I began this blog in the car coming from a haircut. I didn't know I'd actually tear up afterwards writing the rest of it. I didn't expect it, but waiting to pass through the check-in gate, I kept trying to stop the hot feeling in my eyes, especially in front of my dad, who if I see cries, I'll just join in for the bawling too.

As I come closer and closer to realizing that Thanksgiving was the last I'll see of my family in the years filled with these long gaps of solidarity (yes, I think I know that was a run-on sentence), the more sad I get. No family for Christmas! That's so... unheard of. I don't even have a boyfriend! So I can't spend it with someone or anything like that... not that I'm going to be desperada and look for a Christmas date, but man.

Damm Airport Security. Stole my swiss army knife.

I Love Deep Fried Turkey.. but boy does it make me sleepy

It is so good to actually be home, sleeping in my old bed (which is a grand ol' queenie size) and just chill with my family for the holidays. Its a lot different now, because to me it actually seemed like I was opening up a little bit just because of the fact I have a kick ass job (or because I'm in a place where I'll be ABLE to do kick ass things), I feel like they actually can see my funny side.

Thanksgiving day was all kitchen. We prepared frozen pies, some traditional Thanksgiving food like ham, cranberry sauce... and the deep fried turkey. Then the rest was the easy Filipino treats like embotido. I tasted Lambrusco for the first time and even with the few uncles and aunties there to share with us, we had plenty of food to last us a week. Too bad I can't stay that long.

I'm up a little early because I actually passed out during guitar hero.. it most probably was the tryptophan that knocked me out--but anyways, we have to get up for Black Friday anyways. Supposed to be REALLY busy on I 95, but I'll go through the pain for little 'yelle. She's not even that little... she's taller than me, and she can drive. How did I miss that? She also can figure out the Rubik's cube like I can figure out sudoku, which she can't. She's been teaching me (or rather, TRYING to teach me) how to solve the damn thing, but I must be retarded. I fail to see the relationships between the different colored faces on the toy.

I hope this vacation doesn't lead me to fail Monday's flight.. I haven't pulled my flight manual out yet to study, and I've got until Sunday....

GO HOKIES! BEAT UVA!

It's Almost Thanksgiving

3 more days, and I'm on my way home!

I'll write more later... I should really be studying for my T-1 flight.

Extreme weather

Hey happy people! Its me, enjoying the week off from flying because of an early finish from the T-6A Texan II. For now I'm just studying ahead, learning the T-1 Jayhawk, my transition trainer jet.

I just wanted to mention its been some crazy weather lately. My forms partner, Ted, and I were lucky to squeeze out our last forms low level last wednesday (after being cancelled a bunch due to weather). We had a clearing up on a Friday and Then Saturday was a pretty sunny day until the evening, where the crap came back. Since then, we have experienced a tornado that hit a Day Care center in Downtown Pensacola, massive rains and thunderstorms. Flood watches are almost every night, a tornado hit the Mobile area last night, and on the satellite map it looks as if somebody crapped primary colors all over the panhandle and Mobile bay area.

This morning, the sky was red. I took a picture of it and I'm sure I'll upload it later, but it looked like doomsday. It was a little breezy outside so I went back inside to get ready for my eye appt..... then I walked outside not 5 min later and there was torrential downpour. What is going on?

Right now, CNN is on the tube and Southern California is experiencing some major fire damage. Right now about 300,000 confirmed have been evacuated from their homes and most are seeking shelter right now at the Qualcomm Stadium where the SD Chargers play. I think it was yesterday when Ysmaelle mentioned that celebrities were leaving their million dollar mansions to evacuate and seek other shelter. The air has gotten bad and the Californians are wearing masks because of the quality--it looks like a SARS outbreak all over again.

The horrible weather and Sigmet action over the field has really slowed down the training at the wing, as they are only getting I think 10% of their schedule up in the air. If it fares good this weekend, they'll be flying Saturday again. I just don't know what is going on with this... we're flooding here and SoCal is drying and burning up. There's even a reporter right now covering the fire and pointing out his own house burning down. That is so horrible. So sad.

Pray for the victims of this extremely crazy weather. Is mother nature seriously testing us?

Happy Birthday Sailors!

So I realize that I have not been keeping up with the blog like I used to in API (what a shame), but I will try to update it every now and then when I get a chance. Right now it's the weekend before my low level formation flights then i get to wait awhile until I drop the T-6 and learn the T-1s. A bunch of us have rolled back on account of bad weather for VNAV low levels, but there's really nothing we could have done about it, so we're all embracing this rollback, ready to enjoy the couple of days of relaxation we have fun back to work again. A week or so in ground school and then 8 flights in the T-1s for more helmet fire.

I just had to note the fact that Sandy and I went to Coyote's bar by the mall and participated in a TK 101 (radio station) Guitar Hero Contest. Apparently they have these every Wednesday where you can win a 25 dollar bar tab and other things, but they had this one on a Saturday and it turned out to be some kind of gambling game... almost like we were at the dogtracks! Sandy and I were the 2 out of the 3 girls who tried out for the competition, out of 16 contenders. Zach didn't make it, but Sandy and I were able to battle it out to the quarterfinals... and I was dubbed the best female performer because of scores. I never thought I'd actually attend something like this, but it was pretty fun... we drank, played GH, bet on dudes who looked a lot more serious about it than we ever did (with their GH or Jedi shirts).

Looking forward to Thanksgiving, whenever the Navy decides to ever approve that.
And oh by the way,

HAPPY 232nd BIRTHDAY, U.S. NAVY!

Sneak-up

Looking at pictures that people from sea are showing off, makes me remember that time that I was asked by the Skipper to conn the ship during an UNREP (Underway Replenishment)... and now 2 years later I'm already a year in the navy as an officer, and I've gotten to the point where I'm comfortable in the plane. I've got VNAVs and then Formation flights left then T-1s to learn next. Lucky enough though to pick up CCXes to Austin/San Antonio for the McCaw wedding and then to San Diego for surfing lessons. Sweet all around.

It's been a long road so far, the light at the end of the tunnel is almost there...

Reminisce

My... how things have changed!

About this time last year, I was gearing up to make the move my parents were dreading ever since I was born. I had been learning to slowly ease off their care and take care of myself so the transition wouldn't be too bad...

1 year later...

I'm in my 3rd phase of training here as a student NFO, I've truly met my share of people here in the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force... its just like the military. You see em come, you see em go.

I miss Virginia Tech though. The atmosphere is what I miss the most, not the studying there. The camaraderie, the closeness... its definitely changed since I've been there with all the news streaming out from just the one town of Blacksburg. A lot of good memories and friends made.

I need to find my own.

The Out and In that turned into a Mini CCX

Ok.

For you non-aviation types, an "out and in" is not the first thing that pops into your head, it is better described as a drop in to another airport (non-base) for food or whatever, then back to your home base.

My out and in to Lake Charles/Chennault airport located in what I call south central LA (Louisiana, yup, home of the Cajun style food.. "boo yah")...

So I had already briefed this flight before with the same instructor 2 days before and had been cancelled twice due to bad weather in the area. Or so they say. The sigmet pictures online tell me I can't legally fly. Oh pish posh. But anyways, it was the first time I had actually stepped onto the flight line only 30 minutes after brief time. I performed the flight pretty well, getting all the point to points down, finally making it into Chennault airport. We did one 2 approaches, one circling and one ILS. Upon touchdown which was less tha 80 mind you, my instructor noted our left main tire felt flat. Checking in with the airport's rinky dinky tower (well, compared to our really tall one), a blown tire was confirmed... and we taxied at minimum power to get tied up and head inside to the FBO for food. With no maintenance available nearby to help our forsaken T-6A, we were destined to stay the night in Lake Charles.

First of all, the people there were very kind and helpful to us upon our arrival! They hooked us up with a hotel room at the local Sleep Inn (right next to the Chuck.E.Cheese no doubt) and we got the crew car (the black minivan) to do our errands. We kicked it off by checking into the Inn, where we both were able to get 2 doubles for the same price as a single. We then did our grand entrance into the nearby Old Navy for some hanging out clothes (this is where I did most of my impulse shopping. (I bought a shirt that said "head in the clouds". I know, isnt that awesome?)

Afterwards we went back, changed, headed to Wal-mart to get some essentials for my eyes, and the IP got some liquor in their liquor department. Welcome to Louisiana. Decided to ditch the rental car idea, returned the car to the FBO, where the owner's 19-year-old son took us around and dropped us off at Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. I quickly learned I had to build my beer tolerance.

I rock at the trivia game, by the way.

A couple of boneless wings and beers later, the driver picked us up in the Jaguar, and brought us back to the hotel for some more TV watching. Werd.

Next morning, saw Rob Sanders from VT-10 doing the same route I did at the airport (like I saw Chad Quandt the day before) and we just all chilled while the Capt Clark and I waited for the maintenance guys to arrive in our T-39. 2 new sets of tires and a brand new tank later, we were up in the air to finally complete the second leg of my flight plan. Scored above MIF on my P2Ps, did a couple of approaches at Mobile Regional, then back home for a GCA.

You know you did pretty good when the IP gives you a beer during the debrief. So that's why the bar's there... for days like this. We actually touched down the same time we lifted off the day before... kinda like a 24 hour ride. It was my only chance for a cross country (CCX) while down in primary here in Pensacola, because who knows after graduation this Friday... I might not be here anymore. MIght get my platform and move!

Well, I just thought I'd post all this, I had fun so it was pretty notable for me. And it was the first time I felt a lot more comfortable in the plane with all the procedures. There is still a lot of studying to be done, and there's always room for improvement. Flying.. it ain't half bad, if it can get you anywhere out of Pensacola!

Instrument Flight One

After much waiting around after the simulator events...

Waiting to be put on the schedule for a flight...

I finally get scheduled for a Monday 2 weeks before graduation!

And let me tell you, I was having mini-anxiety attacks yesterday, I was praying at church hoping that my brain could recall all the little things I learned from the way back when... I didn't have anything in my stomach this morning but a lowly bowl of oatmeal so I wasn't concentrating well... I even double briefed with Mount who was doing his Contacts checkride, so it gave me some time to gather myself together, but also become even more freaked out because I did that checkride about 5 weeks ago and half the figures and altitudes for patterns I wasn't remembering. Granted, it was VFR nav, but I was just beating myself up I guess...

The flight went well though, I just need more refinement in a few areas. I did backup my weaknesses with some strong strengths... apparently I have good SA techniques that some students don't display within the first flight.

1LT Gogel does a good job in creating passion for something you may or may not be interested in, but convincingly switch your interests towards something else. I was all set on going P-3s, and to be honest, all I've heard from people were the benefits. You get per diem, you are land based and off a carrier, you have the chance to be a mission commander and actually make decisions that matter, you "hunt" subs, and on a crew of 10-11 people.

Then there's the jet side. He was talking Prowlers in particular. I have to admit, when I first think aviation, I don't think of the monstrosity that the Orion exhibits. I think TOP GUN. Although I have no real motivation to do Hornets, I was attracted to the thought of Prowlers.

So with less than 2 weeks remaining until PGrad, I already have a preference sheet turned in for P-3s... they say the likelihood to get it is in my favor, and with that decision also comes with a PCS move in holding. So what will it be? I really need to talk to more salespeople, more like Justin.

I just hope I can come up with a decision... FAST.

I got laughed at... because I looked 13.

After the front nine was finished on Saturday, it was time for the four of us to get some refreshments to keep the energy of the game going. The sun was beaming down on our heads and since beer had been a help to me before during bowling games, I decided on a cool, refreshing Mike's Hard Lemonade.

I walked up to the bar counter and politely asked the lady for a Mike's Hard Lemonade and a cup of ice.
The black lady behind the counter paused, then shot me one of those "Are you serious?" looks. Then she laughed at me.
"ID please? You look thirteen."

I told her I was 22, she apologized, and that's when I realized I was the "baby" of the golfers with me that day. I still get carded everywhere, even at Wal-mart if I buy glue stick. I'm not mad, and I know i should be flattered that I can still look so young (13 however is a bit past the look I was going for, haha... I was attempting sixteen)

When my 16 year old sister visited, we went out to Flounders, and I was trying to read people's reactions of us being either the same age of a teenager or a young adult.

I ordered for both of us, the waiter asked if we wanted separate checks. Girl doesn't even have a job yet.
During the meal, I ordered a frozen martini. He asked my sister if she needed anything.
I guess its hard to realize she's 16, and I didn't do anything grownupish during that age but to go through senior year as a youngin... so I still see her as my little baby sister.

I guess its cool though that sometimes she can be my 20 year old friend, and I could be her high school friend. Its a switchoff that relies on what I feel like wearing that day. And believe me, I can pull off the "older" look, its just hard to look so exquisite and chic in an area like Pensacola where the culture's fashion consists of swimsuits, speedos, and cutoff shorts.

Quick Update

My sister came to visit for about 2 weeks during her summer vacation. Where's MY summer vacation? Oh, that's right, we don't get those anymore. But anyways, she came to spend some time with her one and only favorite sis:


At the Captain's Cup Volleyball tournament (VT-4 took 1st!)



Naval Aviation Museum - sittin in a F/A-14 Tomcat, doin it Top Gun style lol



Watching the loop-de-loops at the Blue Angels Show



Beachy at Pensacola


She left just in time for my sim flights... last one is tomorrow. Hoping that goes well, considering its the end of block flight, but I'm crossing my fingers that I don't get scheduled for INAV flights on the Thursday after. I haven't really gotten to preparing for it yet, and we're technically supposed to always be 2 flights ahead. Each of these INAVs require 2 flight plans (originals and backups) so its a lot of time involved.

Cross your fingers.

Instruments

What an interesting week!

Monday I had the Instruments 1 exam, scored a 98%... missed one stupid question. Stupid stupid pub question!

We had our 2 test reviews (2 reviews too many), a nice holiday thrown in the week
....isn't that nice? an opportunity to drink in the middle of the week! Oddly enough, I only watched fireworks the day before Independence Day...

This morning, Instruments 2 test... 100%! That could be due to proper planning and studying and procrastinating during that studying period last night, Facebook is such an addiction... I swear. I contributed to a class test average of 98. That's swell. We're the smartest class ever.

2 lunches. I brought my lunch, then I ate again at the golf course. They have these irresistable seasoned cajun fries, I can't resist.

Flew a TP... they are pretty long, but I had to refly the departure and route again.
Because they're so long, (we're basically doing point to points that we can't prepare for in advance and the fixes pop up on the window screen), I only flew it once more after class. Needless to say, I did better the second time around... I kept it within the 4 miles of the intended routes.

What's this little student naval flight officer got lined up for her this weekend?

No studying until after golf tomorrow morning--its been more than a year since I've been on a course. Then attempting the crazy folder of homework handed to me today.

And.... this is the part where flight school gets hard. Ysmaelle visits me just in time! (ha ha ha)

I have an addiction.

And it will never go away.

Therefore I am doomed when the culture in today's society reverts back to the stone ages... unless I am well armed and educated. Let us hope that I am prepared when that time comes.

It's kind of like... if someone stole my lip gloss, chapstick, lip balm, whatever. I would melt down like the Wicked Witch of the West.

The dizzle as of... now.

I can't believe its already the end of June. What happened?

I

...was a temporary roommate and found a new friend.
...started flying and finished up, now lost in a new phase of instruments.
...moved to a new place, seems like a brand new lifestyle.
...am adapting and realizing new strengths and weaknesses.
...always learning.

Rent on the 1st!

God, do you hear me? It's me, Vanessa

I was cancelled again this morning at 6am.

Then, while trying to pack and shop for a TV at Wally World, I get a voicemail that isn't accessible on my crazy-ass cell phone because of horrible signal on the first floor. The message was left at 8:45am and I don't access it until 1:30pm.

"You've been called back in, you can fly with another IP." I call the desk and then he says there was a mistake and to come in anyways. I come in.

They are lucky I only 5 minutes away, its not much gas to spare. Otherwise I would have been really pissed off.

So I'm thinking.. I'm flying! Reciting all the maneuvers in my head as I'm driving, power up, angle of bank, spin spin spin! Oh, right, I'm on base now... gotta obey the speed limit.

I get to the squadron, they finegle with the fact that I can or can't fly, we're all looking to see if there's an instructor available to pick me up to fly. So they type my name in for a 1345 slot with a FOR SALE written in the instructor's name spot. That's rich.

I print out weather (wasting paper), all the necessary forms (more paper), and even decide to brush up on my Boldface/Limits by making some copies and practicing until someone decides to holler at me (again, more paper).

15 minutes go by, I'm chatting lightly with my buddies who have their checkride/night contact flight... and a LT comes pokes her head in the ready room and calls my name. She says I can go, nobody will pick me up -- as if I was some orphaned puppy in the pet shop and they are going to send me to the pound or somewhere dark and lonely.

So as you can see, one moment, you're gliding along through, thinking you're going to finish all of your flights in one week. Then things can turn around--somebody that you don't even know decides to take action upon themself and do something out of the ordinary, which ends up affecting everyone else down the food chain.

Yes, I know I'm in the military. Stop whining, we are supposed to adapt and be flexible. But excuse me for complaining... God does not like me and this is not the week to mess with my hormone-induced emotions.


On a lighter note, I visited my apartment... "previewed" if you will... and it's an exact replica of Erin's apartment, except my walls are white white white. So stoked on moving in and decorating. That'll be the good part of all this.

Wow, I'm thinking.

Well in the midst of all the commotion happening here at VT-4, and because this is the week that Penascola decides to storm its beaches, 4 flying days have passed on by and I am still negative 3 by this Friday.

However, I have realized a few things:

-During Pensacola's summer season, you can almost always expect some sort of precipitation between 2 and 4pm (there you go Evan Baxter)
-I slice 10 minutes off my get-ready time because of the hair length that I have
-I have finally come to grips that the sun does not nor will not care about your makeup in uniform -- it will melt off and leave stains on random items of clothing. So... I have given up on makeup in the summer.
-I never got tired of downtown Blacksburg. Why am I so tired of downtown Pensacola?

Thank you for realizing that with me. Now I must return to my hot green tea and pass out so I can fulfill a day of nothing tomorrow. Perhaps packing a bit?

Til next time, folks.

Ooh, free time to blog

Yeah, that's me in the front cockpit, being watched.


Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Ever since contact simulator and flight phase began last week, I've been in the books, trying to feed my brain radio procedures and maneuvers and even chair fly. Yes, chair fly... when I'm not on base in a sim, I'm sitting in a chair and imagining scenarios (by myself or someone else is throwing them at me) and flying them. It sounds funny when you say that you're chair flying, but its the only way you can get some good practice in the comfort of your own home.

A pretty funny story: the Monday we had our first flight, it felt like 95 degrees F outside, and the majority of my class (from VT-4) had early briefs/flights. All but one of us got airsick on the first flight. Word spread quickly that our class got airsick, which they say is usual, especially for those who haven't been in a plane for more than a year (i.e. me - IFS was last June after commissioning). I remember being on a ship for Navy summer cruise and while underway, the first day most of the crew got sick. It just goes to show you, once you've been out of the game for a while, no matter how old you are, you can still get motion sickness.

So I took some ginger today .... and they called me to tell me that there's a ground mishap so flights are cancelled today. So now there is ginger floating in my tummy. I hope nobody I know got hurt.

In other news, I've got another flight, a night flight, and a checkride (the test). I have until the end of next week to get all of the contact flights in. Then I'll be free to do whatever... watch duty, or maybe even move to my new apartment! Who knows?

VVVVRRRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMAAAA ZOOOOM

I saw this bad boy chillin outside the hangar.

Its so funny, Fat Albert is so damn big that its tail sticks out of the hangar, showing its backside for all to see.

It is also funny, everytime I walk away from the hangar to my car, I feel that cool Top Gun feeling... I'm just missing my motorcycle.

Done with Ground school... for now

I am starting my fourth week into Primary Flight Training.

I start simulator contact flights tomorrow. The weather sucks, which doesn't bother me... because I'm INSIDE!

Later dude.

I must really love birds.
I must really love VT.

Actually, just the latter is correct.

Systems week

Wouldn't this be cool as a patch? Warbucks... we drop bombs, biyotches, we drop bombs.

More systems this week. That and some time to spend on muscle memory with checklists and EPs.
I can't wait for my brain muscles to actually do some working, unlike back in college... lol

Oh, and I might just add the ribbon + "We will prevail" to the current Hokie bird patch. Kind of cluttered, but it'll work somehow.

Purr-rye-mary.

I'm glad I joined the HT's. If it wasn't for them (or 3rd battalion for that matter), I wouldn't have to spend extra money on navy blue t-shirts for my uniform at VT-4!

So I'm between getting the already-made Hokie bird in a flight suit patch... versus a patch I haven't made, but want to make. Its a white or black background with the VT and a ribbon behind it, possibly saying "We will prevail. We are Virginia Tech."

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Parasailing, anyone?

Horrible form on my spiral.



That's me in the air. Light as a feather.



Why are my goggles all fogged up?!


Good ending to all the fun. Time to check out and hopefully I'll remember a condensed version of API whilst in Primary. Or else, I'll be screwed. And... if I forget any of these experiences, I've got this blogger to look back on!

One of the top 3 coolest experiences - the helo hoist

I think thats me in the Virtual Reality Trainer... anyways

IF that was me (which I'm pretty sure, but I took so many pictures I don't know anymore) then I was in the middle of a bicycle kick trying to free myself from a line twist in my chute. Pretty cool huh? The harness was grabbing me in the... area...

Today was one of the coolest days ever. Aside from practicing PLFs in preparation for tomorrow's redneck parasailing, I was
1. Dragged by 4 of my classmates on grass, dirt, and its moguls
2. Floating in Pensacola bay with nothing but an inflated vest and dolphins swimming around me
3. Hoisted up by an H-3 helicopter

Yeah, it was a short day, but hey, 2 more days until graduation, and that's what counts, right? Then I checkout and start Primary. This has been a cool ride so far, I wish we did these kinds of things at least once a week, the warm weather is definitely enticing to those who end up cooped up studying all the time, but what can one do, eh?

Alabama.. tomorrow.

More practice with parachutes, helicopters, and ejection seats

Today was Play in the Water day!

We did the pool thing bright and early today, putting on our G-suits and going through the techniques for PLFs in the water. Trained with all the stuff strapped on you: the inflated LPU, harness, seat cover simulating the part of the ejection seat, and the rest of your flight gear. Did some more helo hoist practice and then finally we were dragged across the length of the pool only to unhook ourselves with our good arm. No more pool! (I hate manual inflation, by the way)

The day was done for the pilots, but we T-6ers were sticking around for the ejection seat trainer. Wasn't all that hard, I should remember not to eat so much right before another lecture. (The food didn't come up during the eject, it just helped me doze off in the front row.) It was really simple, 2 commands and we were out of the plane. The trainer used compressed air, which is the dumbed down version of the real thing of course. In real life, we would be feeling lots of hot gases under our butts and maybe a period of unconsciousness...

Here's a picture from the trainer:



Hi Ma!

Dunkin donuts... and one more week

Can you imagine being strapped into a seat inside this section of a helo and then hitting the water after a major malfunction, then having to brace for impact, then find your way out of this huge washing machine (yes, you go upside down) with very limited visibility? That's what we did yesterday. Practice a lotttttt of water egress while feeling disorientation. I just have gotta say, that's a situation I don't ever want to find myself in (the aircraft crashing, of course).

We all had to familiarize and build up to that point, however, by learning how to unstrap ourselves from safety harnesses and find reference points which would eventually lead us to our exit. Turning and pulling knobs and handles in the dark is hard enough, all I have to say is that you definitely should be familiiar with your aircraft. Then we did the SWET (Survival Water Egress Trainer) where we sit in a set and then manually turn us upside down, teaching us how to brace for impact and find a way out despite the disorientation. That is when you start getting used to water going in your nose. 2 times and a third time with blackened goggles and then you move on to the helo dunker. The backseaters also got to practice the helo hoist... the "save me, save me" technique and then how to attach yourself without the help of a SAR swimmer.

All in a day's work. Oh, finally took the freakin class picture. Aren't we lovable?

Parasail ops Part I

Some pictures of the Low Pressure Chamber experience and the Pensacola pattycake (I'm playing on the left side, Seat 14). I hit my head on the back of the pattycake. I am really more coordinated than you think WITH oxygen.




More of this other stuff was from today, we learned about some extended sea survival and certain life rafts, then we were taught a little bit about ejecting from the T-6, my future aircraft trainer, learned a bit about what's going to happen next week as far as practicing PLFs (parachute landing falls). We then went out to shoot some day/night flares, pencil flares, then did some pretty fun stuff like jumping into the cool water and getting into certain scenarios with the single and multi life rafts. I was morale officer and all I could come up with was the one joke about the 2 Mexicans playing bball with each other (Juan on Juan, get it? Oh man, now I have to go figure out a new one to tell...) But overall, it was a good day.

Now all I've got left to do is continue videotaping (because I have really become the PAO in this class, and the only female =) )

Tomorrow is in the pool, for helo hoist.

21-22

2 days of physiology =

Day 1 - the entire joint aerospace physiology text in one day aka death by powerpoint
Day 2 - Multi Spatial Disorientation Demo aka Spin and Puke
Low Pressure Chamber/Rapid Decompression

Basically we learned everything we needed to know to take a physiology test today, but it was information that's going to be applicable in the future, which was cool. We did scenarios today, for instance, if your jet takes off and suddenly you experience engine failure or something happens which causes you eject from your aircraft, its pitch black.. are you going to be able to save yourself? Did you preflight well enough to know where all your equipment is on your SV-2 life vest? What do you do first in order to try to save yourself?

Our class was divided into 2 groups; I was in the first group to go to MSDD. We were put into these little pods that resembled Disney's infamous teacups and we were forced to listen to Top Gun music while trying to figure ourt which way we were turning the whole time in a simulated nighttime situation. It basically got our bodies used to a constant turn which fooled us into thinking we had stopped turning, in which the one thing to take away from that was "trust your instruments!"

In the altitude chamber, it was "can you recognize your symptoms of hypoxia?" They stole us from our oxygen (by the way, that was the first time for me to be put in an oxygen mask... oxygen is SOOO good when it hits your lips) and I even have video of us doing the Pensacola pattycake, then getting fatigued, confused, and completely unaware of the surroundings. We had a couple of goofy faces worth laughing about. (In my case, my muscles either became tight, or I was just got really tired playing pattycake. When I was playing with the invisible man, it started to blur a bit, and the video shows me hitting my face instead of hitting the helmet like I was supposed to. So fatigue set in, and I put that mask right on.)

Good times... the gas in your body, though, expands in high altitudes (we went all the way to 35,000 ft before leveling off to 25,000) so I was burping and farting trying to expend the gas... and no I wasn't the only one... and doing Valsalva maneuvers the whole way down. It was pretty awesome stuff. Like an amusement park ride almost, haha...

Longer days in the classroom... longer days in the sun

Isn't API fun? We spent a lot of time in this classroom today and we've covered long topics such as First Aid, CPR, and all sorts of Land Survival. Death by powerpoint.

We had the class bbq this weekend. Typical burgers and buns, and a few games of beer pong.



This 80 degree weather is killing me. And its not even technically summer yet.

Day 20!

Last day of academics! (Well... except for physiology next week... but that's tied in with the pressure chamber and other stuff...)

Happy to report no failures for our Flight Rules and Regs test! Our day was really about 3 hours long today, it was awesome. We had our test at 0700, got our scores 0850ish, went to play some "team sports" outside afterwards.

We had to play either football or ultimate frisbee. Now if you know me, you know I like to give the ol' pigskin a toss-around. But the Marines were playing. And boy, are they HUGE.

Yes, bigger than the ones at VT. (And why is it that they ALWAYS need to play as one green team??)

So I played some ultimate frisbee, which isn't all that bad once you figure out how to throw with your wrist rather than with your arm...

For now, I am home, doing what I am doing... I recorded another song--first song in spanish--in 2 hours and I'm going to post it up with a link pretty soon.... But tonight, its 70s night at Pensacola beach, and its hard to thrift shop, but I think I found something psychedelic...

The less Humped Day ever

FR&R at 0830, couldn't be more glorious.
CRM brief, which was very engaging, was right after that. Finished at 1215.

PPO brief? Psh. Only for the pilots leavin Pensacola. I'm dunzos!


But I'm not looking forward to the CPR/First aid class tomorrow.... yikes.

And because you EXPECT every student aviator to marvel in their fantastic flight suits, here are the pictures you EXPECTED:

Here's my sort-of-badass picture:


And because you know I'm not that badass... here's the real me


Yeah, you like it, I know you do. I know I'm gonna get all the guys with THIS uniform.... (I wish this were true)

Whew! 5 down, 1 more to go

As Week 4 gets underway, I would like to take a moment and mention that:

I made Muddy Buddies.



Aren't they gorgeous? (Well, this isn't MY picture, but they look the same... minus the teddy bears)

So anyways, the Nav test came this morning at an early 0600. It was an important test for me, because if I happened to fail this test (and yes, failing means missing 11 out of 50 multiple choice questions, so study hard you college graduates) I would get rolled back a week. You get rolled back after 2 test failures and you have to stand in front of a board. I think I mentioned this already in a previous post, so I'm going to go ahead and just skip the explanation. Anyways, I passed! We sat in FR&R (Flight Rules and Regulations) awaiting our test scores, it was ridiculous. Our instructor for FR&R was rather... hyped up on caffeine, or so it seemed. He just knows so much about NATOPS and OPNAVINST that he goes by it so fast and makes jokes but you have to be quick on listening so you can laugh along. We didn't even finish the long chapter today (the book's only 3 chapters) and we cut it short. Finished at 1030... the schedule was odd in having us go to weight training at noon.

So basically I went home after lifting a bit, laid out in the sun studying the chapter we just covered today, then chilled out until... the idea hit and I looked up the recipe for Muddy Buddies. Look! We're back in a circle!

This is what API's all about folks. The week gets much easier after the Nav Test and then you just hope and pray you don't land wrong during Redneck Parasailing, which would delay your graduation even further (like another Hokie I know).

Toodles!

Last Monday of academics (hopefully)

PT at 0700... we did a little bit of running and CV then played some mean games of volleyball. I swear I love that sport, I miss playin it back in the fall when it was still hot outside. After that, we showered, changed out of PT gear into the pickle suits!

Flight suits rock by the way.

Nav test tomorrow. Pressure's on, if I get 11 questions wrong, I get rolled back one week and graduate in 4 instead of 3 weeks.

I WILL PASS TOMORROW.

I guess its Day 15? I'm just going by weeks now...

So, low and behold, Week 3 is finito! And I've already got one pink sheet, 4 tests behind me, a mile swim under my belt (not to mention lots of swallowed chlorine, mostly likely harmful to my health), and about 10 bucks worth of gedunk added to my great female figure. (Ok, great may be used interchangeably with "decent" here)

Passed the engines exam, learned hot to put a jet log together (well... re-learned b/c we did this stuff in IFS, except now this stuff is really testable stuff) and now all I've gotta do is keep doing nav problems until I've worn and torn the whizwheel.

Wait! I've got to pick up my flight suits at the wings n things... got the patches and velcro done. But anyways, happy stoner day.... 8 year anniversary to Columbine, official Day of mourning for VT, and lots of other celebrations. Happy Birthday Lily Tam and Ate Evelina! Later chickadoos... one more of academics and then its "lets see how many times we can drown Vanessa in one evolution" time.

Almost there...

Thursday! Flight Gear issue! I got everything on my inventory sheet except for a helmet, which supply has been out of for a while. But here's what I got (pictures will be later...)

4 "pickle" suits
2 pairs of boots
1 flight jacket
1 leather jacket (oh yeah, sexy sexy)
2 pairs of flight gloves
1 pair of aviators (yeah, I didn't expect that in the issue either)
1 kneeboard
1 logbook
1 parachute (kit) bag
1 helmet bag

It's a pretty sweet deal. We aren't supposed to start wearing them until we start Week 4, and by then we'll have all the velcro and patches and ranks put on the suits... Pretty excited to start wearing pajamas to school, yeah?

Followed by an awesome engines review... and more navigation on the whiz wheel. Nav usually eats 2 hours of the day, then it was back home to study for the exam tomorrow morning!

Hump Day, Mid Week 3

Whew today was busy... had a toll on me, but anyways let me break down the day:

Had engines class at 0700 and finished up the book. We drove over to the Naval Aviation Museum for a bit to get the visual on the types of engines we were learning about... let me say it definitely helped and I can name turbojet engines, props, fans, shafts, you name it. It was raining outside though:(.

Next at 1000... the mile swim. Finish 36 laps (72 lengths) in less than 80 minutes utilizing any combo (or one) of the breaststroke, sidestroke, and freestyle. I finished in 55:19.

After lunch, we had another long class of Nav where we learned how to use the darned whiz wheel. I was already feeling the sluggishness and headache that most likely arose from dehydration and prolonged exercise. My endurance dropped since API because I started to study more and work out less... don't do that by the way. Keep studying and working out during school.

I'm feeling a lot better now (3-4 hours later) after dinner and water and even white wine and good stories. Tomorrow I've got 0800 Flight Gear Issue and more classes tomorrow. So excited! I hope they have my size.

Days 11 and 12

Sorry y'all, I didn't get a chance to post yesterday partly because I had a lot of studying to do and also because of the tragic events that happened yesterday, April 16, 2007. I'm sure we all know by now the details regarding the Virginia Tech shooting, which affects the Highty Tighties as well as the corps and Hokie Nation. Before I get into the API day, R.I.P. Matt LaPorte, HT 09. I didn't really know you, but you have greeted me numerous times in the halls and had BP with me.

Ok, so the Aero 2 test didn't fare so well with me yesterday. You know when you take a test and you feel so confident coming out of it you don't feel like you have to worry about it anymore because you aced it? RTFQ (READ THE FULL (OR F***ING) QUESTION) or else you'll end up having to retake it the next morning. So that was a complete shot to the brain yesterday. We did our final stroke swim test: a lap of each of the 4 strokes, then we did about 75 yards in full flight gear. I hate backstroke! I get so much water in my mouth and up my nose, its ridiculous. Engines was fun, we learned about types of engines: props, fans, shafts, jets.

In light of what happened yesterday, I found it incredibly difficult to concentrate at my 0600 retest. The test seemed harder to me, and I had little spurts of emotional trauma in my mind, so I wasn't really sure about some of my answers. If I fail the test and then fail the rest, its an automatic roll to the class behind you, and you have to stand in front of a board (with a doc and 3 other aviators) and explain why you can't understand the freakin material.

So after the exam, I decided to let out some stress (because at this point I wasn't relaxed thinking about possibly failing again, at 78% or below) by playing volleyball and punching some more on the speedbag... and bleeding the knuckles a bit. Afterwards, went back to Instructor Bay and low and behold, I didn't fail! I only missed 4 questions. Sweet. So if I end up failing another test (there are 3 more: Engines this Friday, Nav next Tuesday, and FR&R next Friday), I have 2 failures on my "report card" and I have to talk to another board and get remediated. So lets not let this happen, shall we?

More engines class (long one) and then our first Nav class (long one also). Nav was just like what we practiced in NROTC from nav in the water and also what we did in IFS. No sweat right? Just loooooong and time consuming. It'll be the longest exam we have in the whole API thing.

How exciting.

Done with Week 2!

What happens when a group of ensigns and lieutenants conspire together to get out of doing a CV workout by starting games of basketball and volleyball before the instructor shows?

WE DON'T GO OUTSIDE TO DO A CV WORKOUT. WE SKIP OUT ON RUNNING! YAY

Did the speedbag a little more and aggravated the already missing skin area on my outer knuckles... so it bled through my bandaids (gross!) and now i just have bandages all over my hands. Meh, oh well. Now I look tough. Or just... wrapped.

Thought we were having to endure 3 chapters of Engines, but Chief knew we were just going to go home and study for the aero test, so he went in depth into the parts of the engines, and different types of each part (who knew there lots of types of compressors and combustion sections?) Next week will be our busiest week.. we start if off with an exam, and a swim out test in full flight gear. We also start Navigation classes. Engines and Nav, ugh. We have a mile swim on Wednesday, Flight Gear Issue Thursday, and lots of other goodies, including a visit to the Naval Aviation Museum to look at even more engines.

But anyways, TGIF the 13th! Buahahaha.. 4 more.

El Dia Nueve

AAGGH! Weather is tricky! I know all of the stuff, but since its fairly easy material (just a lot to memorize), they try to give you ambiguous questions and answers... good news is that I passed the exam and won't have to retake it and/or be remediated.

Aero was cancelled today because we finished up early, so we waited around for 2 hours before we did the WS-7. A couple of people had to do the jump a couple of times, but they eventually was able to swim to the passing line. Oh for the VT NROTC kids, Dillion rolled into my class last week, and he completed the thing on the 3rd try. (3rd time's the charm, right?) Then we had some surface debris/burning oil demos and then inflated trousers. After that, the day was pretty much done. Done at 10:45.... sweet.

More studying...? The warmer temps are back in town now so I can study out in the sun again... and now I've switched full gears--attention is on Aero 2, which covers glide ranges and endurances, spins, and lots more! And even better...

...tomorrow's Friday!

Day 8

Well folks, nothing real special here. The days seem to be getting shorter for some reason, but they start out really early. We had "weight training" this morning, but it just ended up being team sports. I played volleyball and hit the speedbag until the skin off of my knuckles started to tear off... others played basketball.

We wrapped up Aero today, which leaves us really with nothing but a Weather test tomorrow and then the tower jump/underwater swim. THAT should be interesting.

My roommate was in the Spin and Puke then the Pressure chamber today. She said she played pattycake with an Italian and kept hitting her head until she sort of blacked out (meaning she didn't remember what happened after she got out of the chamber) and reached Hypoxia. The point is to know what your limits and signals are, what your body recognizes as being in a state of hypoxia, and when to put that mask on feeding you pure oxygen. Ahhhh... refreshing.

Not much here, later guys!

Day 7

Yayy!! No more treading and floating! Helmet helped me out, thank goodness for its buoyancy. Then we put on some PSDs (Personal Safety Devices, aka red lifejackets) and practiced methods to swim with burning oil on the surface, then we huddled up as groups and sang Twinkle Twinkle as a morale booster. Next up, tower jump to the line and trouser inflation. That's fun stuff. Every day in the pool ends up being a fun day, I just like to complain about it on here.

2 more chapters of Aero got rammed into my brain, and I have to review for the weather exam on Thursday. Nothin new happening... just studying as usual. Hm.. Does pizza help with studying in groups?

Day 6

Hey there, this will be quick, as I have a lot of studying to do.

Aero 1 test this morning at 0630, on the first 6 chapters of the book. We had a female LT who had this mood swing, psh... women. She was about to start us on the test, and she got really quiet, checking her watch. Then she saw someone in the front row writing down on his dump sheet and opening the test (I guess he assumed the silence meant we could start) and she yelled at him, "Are you starting the damn test?" She went a 180 then pulled out a pink post it and was about to take his name down when she asked the rest of the class if they had started writing. (Pretty much anything pink paperish is a bad sign, we get "Pink sheets" if you fail a test or a swim evolutions... 3 of those pink sheets and you're out) She decided not to take names (I guess because there were about 3 other people who raised their hands, maybe she didn't want to do extra paperwork?) and as she was walking out, she told us "I hope nobody fails the test." The tone of voice she used, she might as well implied "I hope you all fail the test." The whole class passed the exam (which is 80% or higher) and class average is about a 94. They also do averages according to branch, and as I expected it, USN was last with 93, followed by USCG, USAF, then the USMC being the top do-gooders of the class. Who knew? j/k...

Then we had our first class of Aero 2... our prof went through it really fast, so for someone like me who didn't really read ahead of today (because I was gung-ho studying for this morning's exam), the information just kind of flew over my head. So bottom line: READ AHEAD.

Back to the pool at 1000, we did the WS-5, which was added gear and gloves. For some reason I sank faster than I did last time, so I was already having mini-freakouts during the float, where I was actually supposed to be calm. Because when I took my 5-8 seconds of float time, I did a big underwater clap and then realized that it didn't quite get me to the surface to get air, so just realizing I was sinking 2 feet and needed to expend more energy just to get air was tiring me out. But, I got through it (luckily!). Then we did more build-up laps (the fun part... not really).

Packed a yummy sammich, finished up the weather book and out by 1430 (2:30 for you non-military types). Tomorrow, we start up in the pool, same as today with a helmet. I think I am going to study tonight in the library... after a nap of course.

Day 5

Boy am I going to drown on Monday.

Today we had another weather class about Thunderstorms.. just as the prof was telling us a story about having a black cloud around (someone who just brings bad luck with him/her everywhere), the power went out in the building and it took him 10 minutes before we were learning again. The powerpoint wasn't working (go figure) so he had to actually wing it. Heh.

WS-3/4, tread and float... I was seriously getting tired keeping myself afloat with those darn boots, my face was in the water a bit, but I tried not to show any signs of distress. Afterwards we did some build up shallow laps with the boots on... it's so weird to swim around in so much drag, you work so hard to move forward, and all your momentum moves you, oh, about 2 inches ahead in the water. After that, we ditched the boots and swam racetrack laps switching strokes until we were going to pass out. Yeah, I was that tired.

Ergo, Monday, I am going to drown. We add the SV-2 (the gear) and gloves (oh no) and try again. Ok wait, let me revert to my alter ego, the Marine in me.

Errrrr oohrah lets kill and eat babies. WS-5 is going down. And so is the Aero 1 test. God, give me the strength to study hard this weekend...

Day 4

The day started out with some delicious chlorine in my system as we performed the 100 yd swim stroke test. I did arms yesterday, so my joints were a little sore, but theres something about that heated pool that makes it go away... temporarily. Then we got a demo of the tower jump and then performed it, doing the abandoned ship jump off of a tower (about 14 feet above the pool?). Did the no contact lens thing so I couldn't really focus on the horizon of which I was supposed to be staring at, and I think I loosened the nose pinch which caused me to get water up in my nose a bit. But it was all good in the end, I just hate it when you're blind and then you have to worry about water getting into your nose... its hard enough trying to figure out where you're going. Heh. Following that, we did a 5 minute prone float. Sang the same first verse everytime I went up for air because I kept forgetting the next words to the song...

Another weather class, today about frontal systems and clouds. This is prof was good in trying to wake us up after a tiring swim, made fun of the E-2s a bit and had lots of Navy humor and Marine bashing jokes. Good times.

Finally worked with a study group to grasp the first 3 chapters of aero. First time in that library... reminded me of my elementary school, except with less books on the shelves.

Today I wrote ELOs out (Enabling Learning Objectives) for a good period of time (1300 until about now, 2200) so now I won't be TOO lost when we go over the other chapters in class...

Exciting day tomorrow... weather 4 and then WS 3/4, treading for 2 min, drown proofing (floating) for 3 in flight suit and boots. Boots are probably 1/4 of my body weight! Working at the pool as a stash for 7 months taught me to not look like the one who's spazzing out, so even if I've got my head a little under the surface, the whole point is to look absolutely calm.

Remain calm, conserve energy.

Day 3

Hello all y'alls out there!

Day 3 was our first CV (cardiovascular) workout. We stretched, did a long Indian run (what do they call those runs in India?) minus our foreign students (the ones from the Saudi and Danish navy and just some more running. The swim was just more practice before the testable swim screen tomorrow--4 racetrack laps around the pool demonstrating each of the 4 strokes. Easy peasy. I can't wait until tomorrow, we do the tower jump, prone float, then the stroke test. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm secretly planning to yell "Bonzai!!!" while abandoning ship.

Weather 1 today, our instructor moved kind of fast, but hey, it got us out of class early and then we had literally 2 hours of lunch b/c our Aero instructor was not going to move it up to skip his lunch. Psh. Then we finished up aero and I think I left the class feeling even more confused about a chapter I didn't really read yet. (Reading now, folks, don't worry)



Now there's a beautiful sight! All our coursework for 4 weeks!

For all you people who want media, here's a youTuber of a quick rundown of API. In comparison, this part of the pipeline is supposed to be the easiest, so there's no point in complaining now. It's actually the fun part, and when you start flying, that's when the REAL stress comes in.
API video

Enjoy fellas.

Day 2

Woot! The day didn't start until 0800 which was good news. I had enough time to sleep, eat breakfast, etc. and make it down there ready to go. We had the intro video which explained the 4 basic survival strokes, then we were off to do WS-1 which checked our class to see if anyone had any fears of the water. Some people were asked to stay back and perfect the strokes a bit, but for the most part I think our class is pretty well off. The water was super chlorinated (b/c there are so many people that swim there) and me with my contacts off... bad juju. I couldn't see where I was going underwater, and then my eyes just felt pink afterwards.

We called the instructor and moved our Aero 1 class a couple hours early (nobody knows why they schedule our swim class and aero class so far apart) so we were done by 1230 today. I debated staying after to study for tomorrow's chapters, but decided to read it up on the pool deck of CountryWood.

My roommate had her 5th test, Navigation and scored pretty well. She was having her doubts, but she's maintained a 95 average (with one fluke of a test for aero 2), so I want to be like her! Her NSS score (what they grade you along the competition within your class) is above a 50, and I've been told that's good stuff. I was worried when she got that pink sheet (pink sheets are issued for test failures or failure of a testable swim event), because that meant if she got another one, she'd have to sit in front of the board (or stand, hah). 3 of them means you are most likely to be attrited. And I feel so responsible, well 10% responsible for her test grade, but that's because she told me to say that. It's actually more like 50%.

Full day tomorrow - CV workout, more swimming, first weather class and then finishing off aero 1. Yum. I hate these early days.

DAY 1

Hey folks, time for a quick update on the first day of classes. The day started out with lightning in the distance on the drive to the gym, which was a bad sign but quite odd because lightning was all you saw, unaccompanied by thunder and the usual rain showers. So, sadly we had to run the PRT. For some odd reason, the prior OCS guys voted sand to grass, so we had to do our best performance on hard, wet sand with random sticks spread all over the place. Needless to say, my test score was still the same from when I was in ROTC a year ago with the usual max of pushups, and a excellent low-ish on everything else.

AFter that we had about 2.5 hours to spare, so I went home, indulged in a shower, watched some VH1, chowed down on some breakfast, then slowly made my way back to API. Had briefs from the API director (who was also an XO of TBS back in the day), the Skipper of Schools Command, and the Chaplain. Headed to Subway for lunch for about an hour at the food court--probably one of the few times that'll happen, it's going to get expensive--then came back for 2.5 hours of Aero 1. The easiest chapters in one day.

Tomorrow we'll be tackling the more difficult parts of the book after lunch--after a nice Water Survival video (I've had the pleasure of viewing a bit of it while stashed at the API pool) and a mini swim screen (can you swim 50 yards=2 lengths without freaking out in the water?) just to get used to the insane amount of chlorine in the tanks. Gonna stay after to study some more aero and ahead for Weather starting on Wednesday. Exciting stuff eh? Plus they gave us 4 GMTs we've got to complete by Friday (Yay for ORM briefs AGAIN). I'm excited. Not about the weather though. It rains, and then I have to live in 80+ weather in my own apartment. Times like these I want to move to California where the weather is JUST RIGHT. Til next time, folks.

SO IT STARTS! Day Zero

So I thought I'd start keeping a little journal of these grand glory days in API. I don't want to call API flight school yet because of the "Pre-flight Indoctrination" part of the acronym. It's just ground school to me. So here's to graduating "ground school".

DAY 0:
I anticipated the inspection to be a lot rougher than it was, but my roommate told me that they just did a quick look up and down, a right step and moved on to the next. But you know, you can never be too sure which inspector you'll end with that morning. I actually forgot what time they told us to meet at the F-18 by the NASC building, Erin told me wrong, so I showed up 10 til 7, so I showed up right after the Marines who were already there, smoking and joking.

Our class leader was a LTJG who admitted right after the bat that he forgot the commands used for an inspection. Now, I know there must have been a reason why we practiced Open Ranks so much during Pro Lab. The Marines helped him out with the easy close order drill and once one of the marines did all of the commands to "demonstrate", our class leader decided to leave us there to save him the trouble. Go figure.

Now you'd think that on the first day you'd want to make an awesome impression with your uniform. The one time I needed my uniform to look good, I was worrying about the iron stain I got on it yesterday from ironing it. Figures I'm down to my last pair of khakis (the others died after I washed them both with an ink pen in the pocket) but lucky for me, the inspectors (2 LTs) saw my awesome shoes and apparently, that's all they saw. A quick "good shoes" and then I was home free.

Next we went and had our physiology brief (8 hours of sleep, don't drink too much alcohol before a test, no self-medication, and apparently no dietary supplements and teas with ginseng--I've got stuff to throw out now), TRICARE enrollment, "good on you for picking aviation, its not going to be easy", and at the gym, a little Water Survival speech from PO Trombley. It was weird because I had worked there since September and Trombley made a comment when he was scanning the room ("Awww, they let you go?") calling me out and leaving lots of the students with confused looks on their faces. Well, we'll see how he does, we're his first class. The guinea pigs.

Monday will be our PRT (this one counts) then our first aerodynamics classes. I can't wait. Bring it on, I'm tired of not having to plan my day out! Until then, I've got this one weekend to relax, so I'm headed to florabama and possibly the beach tomorrow... til Monday, y'all.

Update on my so-called life

First of all I want to congratulate FASA on a job well done (I'm glad I can still feel a part of the whole experience via Internet)... tears came to my eyes after watching the slideshow.

Next, I want to apologize for my behavior this past weekend. Drunk people do drunk things, like leave their purse unattended and then walk off begging for it to get stolen. Lucky for me, my keys and lip gloss were returned... getting the IDs back took a bit of exercise (I was car-less, so I had to bike to the DMV, that was fun) but anyways, I'm all good again. New phone, old style, so I'm back to the sadness of MIDI ringtones. :(

To keep me from being depressed, my friends decided to head to the beach this weekend. I have to admit that this was only the 2nd beach trip I have made while I was down here. I'm thinking, why bother when I have a pool in my own apartment complex?



I love jump pictures!

Another piece of exciting news... after 7 months of waiting, I am finally going to start flight school! API Day Zero starts Friday and I am psyched. (There was actually somebody trying to get me to switch to start a week later, I was like "hell no!")

Today's my last day at the API pool, instead of being stashed there, I'm going to start dreading it I bet, once I start doin the evolutions as a STUDENT rather than watching it as an "instructor's aide" ....

I was trying to figure out lyrics to a song that I have, does anyone write songs out there? Where's Drew Barrymore when you need her?!

Beware the Ides of March

Although that has a Roman theme, I am going to talk Pinoy today. But I will drink some green good stuff this Friday.

About this time, I'd be somewhere in Burruss Hall with a group of other students, practicing and practicing over and over our dance routines. On the stage would be the dancers, in the pit and audience would be the actors, rehearsing. Stage production and "others" would be scattered around within the building, finishing up last minute projects and tweaking all the lights for the show. Aaren would have introduced one more 8-count to the end of the modern dance and we'd be learning it, at the same time thinking about that exam we'd be taking the next morning. Rex would be making the last additions to the slideshow. The fashion crew would be sewing our costumes in the back, right next to that hole where the water pipes blew 2 years ago and luckily missed all of our cultural articles.

It sure is weird to be away from all of that stress. But that was all FUN stress, for sure. I miss that dancing, that anthem singing, that acting, that afterparty, that brunch, that slideshow, those visitors watching... cheering and laughing in the crowd. From all over the VA schools: UVA, ODU, W&M, a bunch of others. Rivals in other things, D7 together and understood through all the cultural similarities.


Watch these slideshows. Amusing and well put together.

If you're in Blacksburg, watch this year's show: (again on St Patrick's Day)



Because I'm just feeling so damn sentimental, I'm going to put a whole bunch of pictures for your viewing pleasure.



Practicing in good ol' Squires



Totally having a party on stage... last dance with FASA ever



The Fashion Show portion. Modeling with Mr. Paul Aquino the "Springin' Red" Collection



Tinikling, my favorite bamboo dance



Grindin' it up on Ginuwine's "In Those Jeans"



Effortlessly acting out my typical Auntie role in this skit talking to my children



CN brunch group shot



Another closeup on the dancing skills



Singing the Filipino and American National Anthems for the 3rd and final time



Rex posing as the memory of the Filipino WWII Veteran, nice image


I miss FASA. Good news though, I still make lumpia and adobo!