the life and times of...

Its been a Year

2011-02-23T09:43:00.002-05:00

Since my last post.

Here is the Rundown...

We have all gotten a year older.

I still love to Fly.

I love my Wife Even More.

We are expecting our Third Child in August.

Patience is a virtue, and one I'm working to embrace.

I hope to get back on the bandwagon here at some point and start posting some stuff that would actually interest you ;)

What Time Is It? Valentimes!

2010-02-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

What Time Is It? Valentimes!

A Hotel Story

2010-02-06T12:00:00.001-05:00

Guest calls front desk -

Guest: " I parked my car in the parking gararge. do I need to get it or can the valet guys bring it up?"

Guest Service Agent: "Sir, you say you parked your car yourself?'

Guest: "Yes."

Guest Service Agent: "Well, Sir, since you parked the car yourself our valet wouldn't know where to find your car, so you would need to get it yourself."

Guest: "oh. ok."

nice.

Carpe Diem!

2010-01-29T11:33:00.000-05:00

I love my family. My wife and my kids. My parents. My brother. My in-
laws. My friends. My role models. Why is so easy to take that for
granted and lose sight of the big picture in the day to day?

I've known so many amazing people in my life. I've spent time with
many people of substance, talent, and heart. I'm an outgoing person,
yet protective of the life and family I've cultivated.

I am still learning how to be a great husband, dad, son, brother, and
friend. There are so many ways I can be better and It's a process
that I'm committed to. I owe that to myself and the people I love.

To the people I've lost touch with - I'm sorry. I know sometimes it's
a part of life, but not part I'm happy with. I'm resolving to work on
relationships this year. I only have so many hours in a day, but I
want to make the most of what I've got.

What's one thing you can do today to be a better husband/wife, friend,
father/mother, leader, professional, son/daughter, brother/sister?
Focus on one thing today and do it!

Yesterday is gone, and tommorow isn't promised. All you have is right
now.

Seize the day!

I'm at a 6

2010-01-23T08:35:00.000-05:00

On a scale of 1 to 10, that's where I would put myself on
accomplishment of new years goals. They say it takes 21 days to form a
habit, and unfortunately I'm still working on breaking some of the old
ones. I'm off to a good start but why is it always a struggle? Why
can't I live off of 4-5 hours of sleep on a continual basis? Why is
time management such a chore?

Can anyone form any habit in 21 days, "set it and then forget it", or
are there some that will always be a struggle?

But hey, it's only January 23. There's still hope for me and for you.
For those of you on the right track, what are your secrets, tips, or
tricks?

Enjoy the day!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T00:01:00.002-05:00

"God Bless Us, Every One"

I wish you an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas day. Take time to hug a loved one. Celebrate all of the life events, family, friends, ups and downs this year that got you to today. Soak in the magic of this day.

Merry Christmas!

Commuting

2009-12-18T20:24:00.002-05:00

Walking with the masses. checking schedules and taking the Purple,
Orange, and Red lines. Using a lot more purell.

These are all things that have become a part of my life over the past
few months.

My first job flying jets was for a charter company based in
pensylvania. I lived in Massachusetts. I had to commute. 7 hours one
way. I would usually do this 6 times a month. It became part of the job.

Then I got spoiled. I took a job where the jet was based 5 minutes
from my house. It was good for me and good for the company. I was able
to be hands on to oversee the jet, prepare for trips, and be availible
for pop-up trips within 20-30 minutes.

Enter our amazing economy. People start losing thier savings, thier
jobs, thier homes.

I now find myself doing less flying than I like but taking part in a
new life experience.

Since the new year is rapidly approaching, I find myself looking at my
career and wondering what to do now. I'm thankful for a job (which is
both flying and working in a service industry), but the more time I
spend away from a plane the more I miss it.

That's all.

Resoloutions

2009-12-16T23:54:00.001-05:00

I'm getting an early start.

Eat better.
Excercize regularly.
Stick to my goals.
Focus.
Live. Love. Learn.
Blog more.

I'm coming back...

Bannanas

2009-09-21T08:23:00.001-04:00

Last night Alizee came to her door. This is about an hour after we had
put her to bed.

The door opens, and a bannana peel was ejected from the room and
landed in the hallway.

As Meme' (Alizee's grandmother) walked by her doorway, Alizee informed
her that she had bannana on her hands. She was cleaned up and sent
BACK to bed.

We wondered, how did Alizee get a bannana in her room?As Jenn and I
were down the hall discussing the event with Meme, a little voice came
from Alizee's room, "it was VERY tasty!!!"

Malfunctioning robots strike again...

The winding road...

2009-09-21T08:10:00.001-04:00

It seems like just yesterday we we apple picking and pulling out our
winter clothes, yet walking outside this morning, I'm reminded why I
love new England-the seasons.

Once again, this year has flown by. It seems like the older I get, the
faster time passes. Could it bethis is the true reason people despise
growing older? I look forward to being seasoned, with a life of
accomplisents, memories, and love given - but once I'm there, how do I
stop time?

I guess I just have to learn how to savor every minute I'm in, make
every moment count, and love as much as I can. That's my plan for the
day...

2009-08-15T22:16:00.002-04:00

Kings of Leon.

Michael Jackson.

Obama's Healthcare Plan.

60 days and 60 nights of work.

A Move. A Roadtrip. A Family.

Man, what a summer. The list is endless, and ever cyclical. Every summer has its day, its song, its events.

How many summer vacations do you remember. Summer Camps, barbecues, and days at the pool or beach.

I have been blogging less lately. I guess you can decide if thats a good thing or a bad thing. I don't think it matters either way. I think I've resorted to facebook and twitter for the daily expressions of self, and left the blogging by the wayside.

Roadtrip Extraviganza

2009-07-23T16:36:00.001-04:00

As My wife will attest, I work hard, yet somehow so often miss the "playing hard" balance in life.

It was Jenn's idea that led us to where we now - getting ready for our first-ever family vacation. Amazing.

It's a long story, but I basically was told I needed to take my two weeks so we set the date. After working like crazy either at my job or at home (finishing a basement/moving/packing/etc) for the past month, and just completing my recurrent company training, the time has finally come.

We leave tomorrow morning. I'm sitting in Tampa waiting for my connecting flight home from training and thinking about all the last minute things I might have forgotten. I think we are as prepared as we are going to be.

We've been talking to our kids (well, mostly my 3.5 year old) about "the road trip". My daughter is thoroughly prepared, and every time I've talked to her rehearses all the things she can do and the places we talked about going. I'm excited about not working. Not having to always check email. Being together with my family and having only a basic plan of where we want to go. The fun part is figuring out the rest along the way.

So, the plan is spending a few days to visit family in TX, getting to experience New Orleans, LA, Visiting family in North Carolina, and spending a few days in DC. A big circle of the eastern half of the US. When we get there or what we'll be doing along the way will be totally spontaneous. I can't wait.

My job is driven by being at a specific place, at a specific time, getting specific catering, and taking specific people. This will be the exact opposite and I'm excited to see what we find along the journey.

Here's to Vacation!

//Andrew Arbo
andrewarbo@gmail.com
Sent Wirelessly

The things I cannot control

2009-06-25T16:46:00.001-04:00

The past few months I've been thinking about all the things in life I cannot control. Let's just say the list Is long. The past two weeks have added punctuation to that list, and yet I am learning to remain calm. I take a deep breath...

For some reason I feel successful and productive, all the while feeling secretly imprisoned by these things I cannot control. I am working up the strength to not only endure, but make change, and make it positive. Our lives are ever evolving, whether is family, the economy, our jobs, or our health. We are all in perpetual change. I think the key is how we handle the changes and take positive action to get to places of peace - that quality of life.

Ahh, quality of life. I'm sure that's very different for each of us. Sure, we all need the basics, but what makes life great for you?

As I get older, my dreams have not gotten less ambitious, but I've noticed my definition of "Quality of Life" has changed, and thus my goals become more focused. Sometimes we can even take something positive away from negative experiences, jobs, or interactions with people.

So, each day we have 24 hours. None of us get any more or less than another. I think It's what you do with that time that determines where you'll end up and how you'll feel when you get there...

These are my thoughts. Enjoy the day!

//Andrew Arbo
andrewarbo@gmail.com
Sent Wirelessly

High and Low

2009-06-09T12:59:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I was in Fredrick, MD, and unfortunately, had been here longer than I'd like. There's nothing wrong with the location, except for the fact that I should have been home. Instead of a two day trip, it turned into 8.

We landed there because of a issue with the airplane, and 3 days later, we were still waiting for the issue to be resolved. The glamorous life of a pilot.

While I was stuck, I did what I've been "trained" to do. Make the most of my time while I was there. Call me a workaholic, or obsessive compulsive, or a busybody. I have a hard time just sitting, or relaxing. Maybe I'm being responsible. whatever it is, I sat at the airport every day, all day, and taking care of various projects, checking up on the status of the aircraft, and doing whatever I can to facilitate the best interests of the aircraft owner and the management company.

I've gotten to the point where I keep my bag packed and do my laundry on the road. When I am home I spend my time with my family and take care of everything else on the road (bills, etc).

Out of the past month I have been home 6 days. This is not exactly the ideal situation for a husband and a father. Right now I'm thankful for a job, but at some point I have to believe my experience will qualify me for a job where I am more accessible to my family.

I think every job must have it's high and low points, so I'm trying to focus on the high's right now. Some of the situations I find myself in are pretty comical. The places. The passengers. Oh yeah, and I get to fly!

For instance, on a recent trip we were told by the charter broker that the flight we were assigned to next was very time-sensitive. Our passenger had a meeting that he would be late for already and needed to get to the destination as quickly as possible. Isn't that our job to get people as quickly (and of course, safely) as possible?!

So the other pilot and I started thinking about this...If our passenger going to be late, would we be able to come up with a "Time-Travel" package where we not only take them to their destination, but we arrive in the past (or future)? This could be HUGE!

This post has taken a while to make it to the interwebs, but by the time anyone reads it, i will have completed my reccurent online training. man, 3 weeks was enough...

I've been enjoying reading the muses, thoughts, and reality that is posted on Jenn's blog, booksarepeopletoo.blogspot.com check it out if you havent. I think it give a good idea of the other side of a pilots life, and how it affects others. of late I've been busy, and its been hard on me, my family, and possibly my friends. It's like that commercial for Cymbalta. You know the one, "who does depression hurt? everyone...". substitute depression for charter aviation, and you've got a good start. Ok, maybe I'm being a little over the top here, but I'm sure Jenn feels this way at times ;)

I'm thankful for the various avenues of communication i have at my fingertips, whcih allow me to stay in touch with friends, to catch up on shows, movies, or sports, and to see and talk to my family even if I'm across the country.

I think it's time to wrap this one up. I've been rambling far too long. Here's to schedule and work enviroment that allows me to spend more time with my family and friends. keep the faith!

Enjoy the day!

Rent Our Condo!

2009-05-31T10:54:00.001-04:00

North Andover Rental Available

2009-05-15T15:26:00.005-04:00

Check it out!
http://www.postlets.com/rts/2159356

Waves

2009-04-16T08:21:00.000-04:00

Man...it's quiet here. Hanging out at Laguardia airport for the day.

Seems like a stark contrast to the craziness of life. Of my Job. Of our schedule.

I think there are others who have many more obstacles to overcome, but some days I feel like I'm in a blur. Like when I was younger and would dive through the waves in the ocean-for a few seconds it was hard to tell which way was up-then POW! Fresh air hits your face and you find equilibrium.

Between work and family/friends and decisions we've been mulling over, this month has been full for us. We got to enjoy some great times with friends, see family we haven't seen for years. I got to spend some time with my brother before he moved back down to TX.

I'm looking forward to next week. I'll be home with no plans but to spend time with the fam. Fresh air after getting caught up in the ocean waves of life.

Oliver’s first birthday was this past Monday. He is growing so fast! My daughter is a little over 3 and my pug is a little older than 4...where’s the button to slow things down?

Here’s to finding right side up.

It's Here!

2009-03-24T10:47:00.000-04:00

I’ve been talking to Jenn about starting a blog for a while. Well, it’s here.

She loves me. She Loves our kids. She loves her books and coffee. This is her blog...

http://booksarepeopletoo.blogspot.com/

p.s. Congratulations Jenn! oxox

Alizee Mae=Jackson Pollock

2009-03-18T15:41:00.000-04:00

If you don’t know who Jackson Pollock is, then take a moment to click on his name and educate yourself on wikipedia....go ahead, I’ll wait.

Got an Idea of who he was and the type of work he did? Good. Now begins my story.

Our children share a room and every morning Jenn and I wake up hear to our amazing kids talking, singing, and their favorite-Screaming. Alizee is the instigator and Oliver jumps on the bandwagon as soon as he’s awake. She’s been known to put ALL of her stuffed animals and toys in his crib (to the point that it looks like one of those grappling hook games filled with toys and you are trying to pick out that little stuffed monkey in the back...and Oliver is that little monkey)

This morning was different. This morning Oliver was screeching, and Alizee was quiet. I remember thinking as i was waking up, “Alizee is quiet. This is good. All of my bedtime instructions to read and play quietly is finally paying off...”

Thats when I heard it. Her little voice.

“daaaaaaadddddyyyyy.”

(5 second pause)

“daaaaaaadddyyy”.

(8 second pause)

“daaaaAAAAADDDDddddyyy”.

I get up. I slide out of bed and walk out of our room and turn to go into the kids room. The door is open, and Alizee is standing is the middle of her room.

Covered in paint. She had paint in her hair. On her hands. On her nose. I turn and see that Oliver was also offered some of the brightly colored liquid fun. At least Alizee knows how to share, right?

We have a sealed plastic tub filled with craft items that we keep in the kids closet. It’s on the top shelf.

Through the magic of science, deduction, expensive forensic equipment, and the skills learned while watching a few episodes of “CSI“, we can go back and determine the events that took place. When our three year old started her pre-dawn artistic adventure, there were eight bottles of kids art paint (and thankfully, it was washable). By the time I walked in, the center of our kids room was not one of eight colors but a muddy mixture: brown.

At the furthest points from the center there were bright splatters of each color. a distant memory of what started out as red, green, yellow, brown, pink, orange, white, and blue colored paint sitting neatly in their bottles. It was both amazing and horrifying at the same time.

The wool rug. Her favorite frog chair. Her dresser. Her toys.

Handprints. Footprints. Splatter marks. Paint absolutely everywhere. Amazing.

After Jenn came to the doorway and we both stood there with our mouths wide open for what seemed like 10 minutes, we put on the parent hats and went into action. We were calm. We were deliberate. We were organized.

We are parents.

Alizee was put into the bath to soak and Jenn took care of Oliver and Sebastian and started laundry. I went to work on the room.

5 hours later. A few loads of laundry have been done, some coffee has been consumed, and the room is clean. We are pretty sure that nothing was permanently damaged (still waiting to see how the rug and frog chair turn out), and don’t forget about the very specific conversation reminding our three year old about when and where paint is used.

This isn’t the first time, and I would wager some serious money that it wont be the last, that something has like this has happened. I lovingly refer to our kids as ”Malfunctioning robots“, make the event a learning experience, and move on.

It’s not always easy being a parent, but today it was certainty colorful.

The pictures are worth a thousand words...

Headed Home

2009-03-10T14:51:00.000-04:00

I’m a few hours away from the 25 minute flight that will take me home. We have been sitting and waiting for a trip, but nothing has materialized, so since it’s the last day, we are just heading home (unless we happen to get a trip....which, unfortunately for the company, probably won’t happen....

Enjoy the day!

Im so fly I'm on Auto-Pilot

2009-03-09T23:05:00.000-04:00

I’ve bee re-reading some of my old post’s. I’ve had some funny experiences, some good times, and been busy building the family...

Life is truly amazing. I still feel like I'm young and invincible, but a whole lot more responsible.

I live life out of a bag lately but some of this is due to the economy we are in. Eventually the economy will afford jobs where pilots get paid big money for 10 days a month, but for now, everyone who has a job is blessed to be employed.

So i make The most of it. i spend my days home with the wife and kids and enjoy any and all time i get.

my conversations with family and friends have grown shorter. work and family have been taking all of my time...

To my wife and fem. love you...you are awesome!

you are all loved!

Netflix Watch Instantly

2009-03-09T20:17:00.000-04:00

Since I travel for a living, I often find myself with a few hours (or more) of downtime.

Sure there are bills to pay, paperwork to do, logbooks to update, and blogs to keep up with, but when i have some free time, it’s nice to watch a movie or TV series i enjoy. That’s where Netflix come’s in handy. I have a membership wich affords me two DVD’s at a time, but while on the road (or at home) I have unlimited use of thier “Watch Instantly” feature.

If I had a DVR at home I could use Slingbox and watch saved media or live TV on my computer/blackberry, but alas I don’t have that awesomeness, so Netflix it is!

My other salvation is my MLB.TV subscription. Whether I’m in Aspen, CO, West Palm Beach, FL, or Chicago, IL, I can get instant access to live Red Sox games or catch up on the ones that I’ve missed.

These two media outlets (along with Hulu, which of course is free) have made it incredibly easy to enjoy the shows, movies, or sports that I enjoy. On my (ever-changing) schedule. Amazing.

Thats all.

Traveling

2009-03-09T09:40:00.000-04:00

After a weekend trip with the owner I'm down in Florida for a day or two waiting for the next charter trip.

I often take walks near the hotel I'm staying at for food, haircuts, etc. Yesterday I started out and was looking for a grocery store. A woman at a nearby gas station directed me to a super wal-mart "just two lights down".

So I start walking.

After 30 minutes I pull out my blackberry to find I still have another mile to go. Nice. I ended up getting about 6 miles of walking in by the time I went there and back.

During my walk I was thinking about how many different aspects of this country I see. From the ultra-extravagent lifestyles to the desolate remains of a community.You can find pictures of each just by doing a google search, but the emotions felt while experiencing them first-hand are great.

Speaking of lifestyles, while I was down in Florida, I ran into some other pilots that I’m good friends with (they happened to be staying in the same hotel as I was). We ended up playing a round of golf and getting together for dinner. I am constantly grateful I actually have a job, considering our current economy, and It’s an even bigger benefit when it’s doing something I love and I have opportunities to see friends and family or take my wife and kids on trips while I am “working”.

For all the members of Red Sox Nation out there, opening day is a mere 28 days days away. Although it’s snowing back home as I type this, I’m already starting to look forward to baseball season. I’m not a fan of spring, what, with the soggy ground, rain showers, and random temperatures, but that feeling of a new start, a new season, and the promise of cookouts, days at the beach, and afternoons at the park with my kids seem to bring a smile to my face.

So, here’s to a fantastic baseball season for the Sox, and to a change of the seasons.

Enjoy the Day!

Raise Your Hand If...

2009-02-18T23:27:00.000-05:00

This is a quick one.

I’m in the hallway taking out the vacuums hose to do some vacuuming. My daughter is with me and waiting for her vacuum (we give her another vacuum extension and she goes around and helps me).

As I was pulling out the hose, my daughter out of nowhere yells out, “Ok, if you like to vacuum raise your hand!”, and Immediately raises her hand. She is standing there looking at me. I immediately raise my hand, because of COURSE I like vaccuming.

This is not something we taught her, nor had I ever had her ask me this before...

I couldn’t contain the laughter. Maybe it’s not that funny, but when my three year old is taking a poll of who likes vacuuming, it makes me smile.

New Things

2009-02-15T18:25:00.001-05:00

For the past few days I’ve been stationary in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We flew a family here from the northeast, and it seems as if we will be staying with them a few more days until they return.

With beautiful scenery, fresh air, and some spare time i’ve been trying to do more than watch the news, bury myself in some aviation project, or just generally waste time. so, in an effort to use the beautiful scenery, fresh air, and spare time i previously mentioned i’ve been working on editing some of the 4 years or a couple hundred gigabytes worth of video footage i have sitting on my mac. It gives me an incredible amount of respect to those who do this for a living (Jay, you are the man). Even with modern video editing software, the process is can be enormous depending on how much you want to alter the raw footage. I’m not going overboard, nor will any of our home videos win any sort of awards, but it’s fun and challenging at the same time. ahh, the creative juices are flowing...

I’ve also started learning how to speak French. I spent my high school years learning Spanish, which I know is very useful (and unfortunately more so in America), but was not my first choice of a second language. Since my Wife, Father, and Father-in-Law are proficient, and a good part of my heritage is french/french-canadian, I consider it a personal project that connects me with my past, present, and my future. I it’s something I hope to stick with and become a more connected person because of it.

On my days home, I’ve been trying to separate work from home even more, especially since it’s been a busy season. I am starting to take my daughter to the pool on a regular basis. It’s something she used to be very hesitant about, but now has warmed up to the point that even as her fingers are quite wrinkly she begs to stay. In between riding on my back or holding on to the edges I try to teach her swimming techniques, and the simple fact that she will not sink (especially with the two or three pieces of styrofoam surrounding her). It’s something that we share that is very rewarding as a dad.

Well thats enough for now...enjoy the day!

New Things

2009-02-15T18:25:00.000-05:00

For the past few days I’ve been stationary in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We flew a family here from the northeast, and it seems as if we will be staying with them a few more days until they return.

With beautiful scenery, fresh air, and some spare time i’ve been trying to do more than watch the news, bury myself in some aviation project, or just generally waste time. so, in an effort to use the beautiful scenery, fresh air, and spare time I previously mentioned i’ve been working on editing some of the 4 years or a couple hundred gigabytes worth of video footage I have sitting on my mac. It gives me an incredible amount of respect to those who do this for a living (Jay, you are the man). Even with modern video editing software, the process is can be enormous depending on how much you want to alter the raw footage. I’m not going overboard, nor will any of our home videos win any sort of awards, but it’s fun and challenging at the same time. ahh, the creative juices are flowing...

I’ve also started learning how to speak French. I spent my high school years learning Spanish, which I know is very useful (and unfortunately more so in America), but was not my first choice of a second language. Since my Wife, Father, and Father-in-Law are proficient, and a good part of my heritage is french/french-canadian, I consider it a personal project that connects me with my past, present, and my future. I it’s something I hope to stick with and become a more connected person because of it.

On my days home, I’ve been trying to separate work from home even more, especially since it’s been a busy season. I am starting to take my daughter to the pool on a regular basis. It’s something she used to be very hesitant about, but now has warmed up to the point that even as her fingers are quite wrinkly she begs to stay. In between riding on my back or holding on to the edges I try to teach her swimming techniques, and the simple fact that she will not sink (especially with the two or three pieces of styrofoam surrounding her). It’s something that we share that is very rewarding as a dad.

Well thats enough for now...enjoy the day!

Valentimes is Serious Times!

2009-02-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentimes. Yes, I know it's Valen-TINES. Just watch the video. Enjoy!

Today's Random Thoughts...

2009-02-08T08:14:00.001-05:00

I am nearing the end of the book, "Lake Wobegon", by Garrison Keillor. It's pretty funny if you like dry humor-heart warming and sad at the same time....

This week I had a trip that took me to Ft. Worth, TX. So I dropped by my parents house and was able to spend the night with them. In a day where people are losing perks, pay, and even jobs, I consider myself pretty fortunate to have a job that affords me such opportunities. Great to see you Mom and Dad!

Winter. Many people loath it. Some like the first snow then are done. Maybe it's because I've been gone for half of it, but I am a fan of all but spring.

I haven't owned a iPhone yet, but the blackberry has been working very well for me. Much quicker and more reliable than my WinMo HTC. Between the Facebook app and my email its hard to put down, and so easy to stay in touch...

I’m currently listening to a bunch of random stuff: Meiko, The Royal Tenenbaums Soundtrack, Josh Radin, The Fray's new Album, and some of Lisa Loebs hits.

As I wrap this up I'm working on getting some video footage finally burned to DVD and off my computer. I have a lot of respect for those around me who are media artists by trade...a lot goes into this stuff! As i look over I’ve only got a few more hour’s of encoding left...

As a final thought, I've been trying out Google's new map feature/program, Latitude. Its like Loopt for the iPhone but is built to work on a wide variety of platforms. It basically, with your permission, broadcasts your location to your approved friends and vice-versa. It's brand new, and I'm sure will continue to be improved upon with more platforms, functionality, and intaractivity...google continues to shine with an offering of amazing (and free) products.

Check out latitude at:http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html or download to your phone at m.google.com/gmm

Enjoy The Day!

Parent Assistant

2009-01-29T19:09:00.000-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer at my daughter’s preschool as the parent assistant of the day. Each family is on a rotation so that during every school day there is one parent assistant to help and play with the children.

I realized I would be home on the day that we were recently scheduled and so I decided to take the opportunity to go be a kid with my daughter.

I talked to my daughter the day before and she was so excited that her daddy was going to school with her. Every so often the day before I was able to walk up to me and ask, “Daddy do you want to go to school with me?” Each time like the time before I would answer, “Of course I do!”

I got to school with Alizee and the first thing she did was walk over to the dress-up clothes and said, “Daddy I’m a princess!” she pulled out the princess dress that they have and proceeded to twirl around in circles. We picked out accessories ( the wand, the purse, and the tiara...) and she was off. She walked around interacting with the other children (who thought it not at all unusual that she was wearing a princess dress). Every few minutes she would grab my hand pull me over to another area and we would play.

At one point I sat down at the play-dough table and we started making various things. I’d rolled some of the play dough into a ball and one of the little boy is instantly yelled, “It’s a fireball”. Instantly all the other boys wanted me to make them a “ fireball”.

As soon as I had ramped up production of these amazing “fireballs,” their attention shifted and now play-dough trucks were in high demand. I retooled my fireball factory into a truck production center and we were good to go.

The morning went by in a whirlwind of glitter, paint, sand, sing-along songs, and snack-time, but it was amazing to watch these three and four-year olds interact and play together. There were times two or three of them would be in a play area having a conversation. It made no sense, but they knew what they were talking about...

So, that’s my day as the parent assistant. I look forward to the next time I can interact and take part in my daughters learning experience. It’s an amazing thing.

January Birthdays

2009-01-26T18:01:00.009-05:00

This month we celebrated my daughters third birthday and our dogs fourth birthday. I feel older as I type this...

Signs of aging are slowly creeping up on our pug, Sebastian, although he still a manages to keep us on our toes.

For our daughter, we had "Birthday Week" (an inherited and fabulous tradition I recommend we all incorporate into our lives), put up streamers and blew up balloons. My amazing wife and daughter made the cake together and made sure to "test" it every step of the way. We told her that this was HER cake and she could decorate it however she wanted. She picked the colors and the kind of cake. They baked the cakes and made frosting from scratch, decorated it with sprinkles and an amazing piping job, then put it in the fridge for the next day.

Later in the afternoon Jenn and I were making

plans for her birthday activities the next day.

After talking for a few minutes we became aware that it was very quiet-to parents of young kids this is a definite sign that there is something going on that probably shouldn't be. We walked into the kitchen. As I came around the corner I could see the refrigerator door open...

...My jaw dropped. Alizee was standing there with her fingers and face covered with remnants of frosting. There was less than 2 seconds of awe bef

ore Alizee turned to us and excitedly said, "Momee, I EAT the CAKE!"

At that point all we could do was laugh in awe and instruct her that her cake was for her birthday, which had not come yet...It was a pretty great moment.

My daughter went to Chuck-E-Cheese and brought a friend, she went to a reading of "The Cat in the Hat" at the mall, and got to go to the Rainforest Cafe-her favorite of all Cafe's becuase it has the alligator.

It's funny what kids are drawn to. Some kids might be scared of the animals, while others can't get enough of them. If we are ever in the mall, no matter what entrance we are at, she knows the way to "The Alligator". Crazy.

No Snow Days?

2009-01-19T13:37:00.001-05:00

We just got about 14 inches of snow yesterday, and I have been enjoying the time home with the fam.

As I was outside with my daughter there were 3 or 4 other neighbors out shoveling and brushing the snow off of their cars(which would all be covered again in a matter of hours). A few of us struck up a conversation and one neighbor asked who had off the next day (For the MLK holiday). One of our neighbors who is a USPS employee said he was off, and I replied that I had off as well.

I kind of chuckled to myself, because at my job, there are no holidays, no weekends, no snow days. You are either on duty or not. I consider myself in the same category as doctors or lawyers. I'm always on call, I have terrible handwriting, and I keep you alive. Ok, maybe that's stretching it, but my handwriting IS atrocious.

Anyways, I've been spending the past few days immersed with the kids. Playing in the snow, making paper snowflakes, scrapping and yelling, and loving every minute of it.

My wife baked a loaf of bread and some rolls (from scratch) and as I walked in the door from being outside with my daughter, I was greeted by the aroma you might expect from a french bistro. Warm, savory, and instantly giving you the feeling of contentment and love.

So, no. I don't have snow days. Whether I'll be home for MLK or any other holiday is pretty much chance. And unless, it's severe, weather doesn't often stop us from leaving.

BUT, when I'm not gone, I'm home and I'm given the opportunity to spend all day with my family, regardless of the day of the week. I consider that a beautiful thing.

Hope you are all well. Enjoy the day!

//Andrew Arbo
andrewarbo@gmail.com
Sent Wirelessly

My Haircut Diary

2009-01-02T11:58:00.002-05:00

Since I'm on the road a lot, I try to get stuff done so that I have more time to focus on the family when I'm home.

I pay bills online, trip paperwork and records, if I need clothes or toiletries I get them on the road, and I usually try to get my hair cut.

The upside: more time with the family. The downside: I never know what I'm going to get when it comes to a haircut.

I've been to everywhere from supercuts to barber shops to beauty schools to hair salons. This is usually. because I'm limited to something close to the airport/hotel I am at that day and have to go to these places sight unseen.

Sometimes I get a fantastic cut, other times it looks like a blind person cut my hair (no offense to any truly talented blind hair stylists out there).

Sometimes the barber/stylist/student has a great personality and other times its like a robot is going about their business.

On my most recent excursion I had googled the area around the airport and found a few places in the same area. So I headed out, looking for a decent place. I couldn't find the first one on my list, "Family Fun Haircuts"(maybe that was a good thing), so I moved on. I stopped at a rundown plaza in the area to ask about the next shop. The woman in the beauty supply store I walked into told me it was a few shops down, "next to the dry cleaners". So I walk down and see the sign on the door that said "salon". I walk in and a single older asian woman is sitting there watching tv. She jumped up.

I asked, "is this a hair salon?

She replied "you need hair cut?"

I told her that I did, but that I would be right back. I wanted to evaluate my other option before I committed.

As I was walking out I saw on the awning outside of the shop that displayed the establishments name. It read, "Hot Nails".

I hop in the car and go across the street and find a beauty school. I walk in and it's deserted. I hear scurrying in the back, and a few young students popped their head out of the back room door. I called out to see if anyone could help me. No answer. After about 5 minutes, a woman walks in with a huge "Route 44" Sonic cup and a bag full of items from the dollar store.

By this time there is actually another man who walked in and was waiting for a haircut. We both asked if someone could give us a haircut. She replied that there was no one there that day that could.

Ok then, back to "Hot Nails".

I pull up to "Hot Nails" and walk in. The kind woman asked if I was ready for a haircut and directed me to the first chair.

She asked me how I wanted my hair and then started to go to work. We started chatting. Her english was pretty broken, which made it even more interesting. I came to learn she was from vietnam and had owned this salon for 14 years. Then she started commenting on how everyone loves pilots (I was wearing my uniform at the time) and wanted my job. I debated whether or not to explain the current downturn in aviation and the economy in general, but decided against it.

Then she goes on to say how flying in the sky must be glorious. I agreed.

It gets better.

She then starts talking about how all the women in vietnam love pilots and want to marry them because "they look like super hero". Nice. I was trying not to laugh. I informed her that my wife liked my uniform too (I wasn't sure if she was hitting on me or just expressing her enthusiasm towards aviation).

We continued chatting and I ended up with a pretty good haircut. It's always an experience...who knows where I'll get my haircut next...

Staying Busy...

2009-01-02T09:52:00.001-05:00

It's the end of our 8 day trip and it's time to head home. Unfortunately it's only for 14 hours or so, then we are back out for a week.

We will make a few stops in Utah and New York before we head home.

I have a pretty funny story to tell about my haircut dairy...I'll try to get that out today.

I'd like to give a shout out to my baby momma: Jennifer, you are the definition of amazing! I love you.

Hope you guys are enjoying the holiday!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T10:51:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a great New Year celebration.

We are living in unique times and are continually surrounded by opportunities. 2008 has been a trying year of ups and downs. 2009 may contain more of the same.

It can be easy to say that because of the situations around us, that this year will be full of hardships.
Remember, Our personal success depends entirely on the inward condition rather than the exterior. Often exterior adversity met with ones inward faith, resolve, and determination yield impossible triumph.

Go into 2009 confident. This is Your Year!

I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and successful 2009!

The Holidays

2008-12-27T20:35:00.000-05:00

WOW. Christmas. Here and then gone...time flies!

What happened to when I was a kid and it seemed like it would take forever for Christmas to come? Oh yeah, I have a job and a family...

This Christmas was a first. We had the whole family together to celebrate. It was crazy but so great. The warmth from my wife's hand in mine as we drove to my in-laws house on Christmas morning, watching my daughter open presents, cooking with my mother-in law, the food,goofing off with my brother, keeping an eye on crazy uncle louis, seeing my parents....the list goes on.

I have many things to be thankful for.
//Andrew Arbo
andrewarbo@gmail.com
Sent Wirelessly

Test2

2008-12-23T11:28:00.001-05:00

This is a test
//Andrew Arbo
andrewarbo@gmail.com
Sent Wirelessly

Testing

2008-12-23T11:27:00.001-05:00

123
//Andrew Arbo
andrewarbo@gmail.com
Sent Wirelessly

Too Busy

2008-12-07T18:54:00.000-05:00

Ok, let me preface this by saying that yes, I would rather have a job than not, but this month we are scheduled to be out for 22 days and I am already feeling it.

I'm sitting in Teterboro, NJ waiting for some passengers. I was thinking about how I love the holiday season, and spending it in a hotel is not my preference. I would much rather be home by the fire with my wife and kids. Snowmobiling on our property and sitting in our jacuzzi while the snow falls. Ok, we don't have any of those things anyways, but you get the point. Home is awesome.

Well at least I'm not overseas somewhere, and I am home for Christmas eve and Christmas day right?! Im trying to stay positive.

In other news, I have all but abandoned my myspace account, and pretty much stuck with facebook. It's smoother, and just works for social networking (without all extra crap). I don't speend a whole lot of time on updating FB or this blog, but when I do it feels little theraputic...maybe I'm crazy.

As far as events whilst on the road, we haven't had anything too out of the ordinary happen. I don't have any crazy stories of recent. I just wanted to write a bit and say hi to all.

I hope everyone is having a great start to the holiday season. We are having the whole family together this year so I'm looking forward to it. I love the games, the food, and the ambiance of it all. I have a LOT to be thankful for and spending time with my wife and kids is huge!

What are YOU doing this holiday season. What are your traditions/favorite things. I'd love to hear....Enjoy the Day!

The Turkey's In!

2008-11-27T08:34:00.000-05:00

Leaving Newark, NY

2008-11-26T15:35:00.000-05:00

Almost home for thanksgiving! we are in line at Newark headed up to Bedford, MA...then home to bedford!

In the waiting line...at La Guardia...

2008-11-24T16:53:00.001-05:00

So here we sit right next to Donald Trumps 727. Its 4:45 pm and we are number 13 in line and New York La Guardia Airport.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-22T13:55:00.000-05:00

Man, It's almost here.

Turkey. Mashed Potatoes. Stuffing. Thankfulness.

It's almost Thanksgiving, and this year I will actually be home with my family rather than eating a few pieces of turkey at the Aspen, CO Atlantic Aviation like I have been the past few years...

It's a great feeling.

My Parents and brother will be together in Texas and We are hosting dinner at our house for the first time!

We plan on having ALL the family this year for Christmas and I cant wait.

Can you tell I'm excited?

The 44th President of America

2008-11-06T09:28:00.004-05:00

We now have our 44th president. Congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama. The campaign is over (finally!) and It's time to look to the future.

America needs to make a turnaround and improve in many ways.

I pray that President-Elect Barack Obama surrounds himself with a moral, wise, and honorable staff. You may not always agree with his personal beliefs, decisions, his track record, or his platform, but like any other President, he needs our prayers and support.

I believe that there will be changes in our government and the way it affects our lives. I also believe that some of these will be good. I don't know the future, but I am hopeful that America will continue to be the greatest nation in the world and will make great strides to improve the quality of life for each of it's citizens.

One man alone will not accomplish this. We all have a part to play.

God Bless America.

Flight Attendants

2008-11-06T09:13:00.001-05:00

This story is an excerpt of a conversation between the other pilot I fly with, a flight attendant, and myself that took place in a hotel shuttle while riding to the airport the other day.

We were all talking about various aspects of the aviation industry. We were talking about duty times, and how they were different for airlines vs. charter flight.

Then the flight attendant started commenting on how she thought that the industry was full of crazy flight attendants. Out of the blue.

So I ask, "How so?"

The flight attendant preceded to talk about how the other day two flight attendants started a fist fight...with each other. she then commented that the captain had to come out of the cockpit and break them up. And this never made the news? "Oh yeah, this happens all the time", she says.

Amazing. We pull up to the terminal. My next questions was "So, what airline do you work for?" She started to laugh and got out of the van.

Enjoy the day!

VOTE!

2008-11-03T07:52:00.000-05:00

The title says it all. Tomorrow is Election day. Vote!

Apple Picking

2008-10-19T08:06:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we went Apple picking at Smolack Farms. My wife and i used to go there as kids and now we have the opportunity to take OUR kids.

It was a great fall day, and they actually were having a Pumpkin festaval, so there was a bounce house for the kids and live folk music (live folk music outdoors in the fall, with some cider, and a apple cider doughnut is greatness).

My daughter got to pick a few apples off of the tree's, but she mostly just wanted to eat the ones on the ground.

A great way to spend a fall day.

ALCS Game 6 - GO SOX!

2008-10-18T19:40:00.002-04:00

Just gotta say GO SOX! World Series Anyone?

**Updated**

The Sox methodically outplayed the Rays and came out on top 4-2. The Series is now tied 3-3!

A recap courtousy of MLB.com:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_18_bosmlb_tbamlb_1

The Hills: According to Me

2008-10-18T14:43:00.002-04:00

Jenn and I were sitting and flipping channels while the kids were napping, and we stumble across this show: "The Hills: According to Me". We didn't realize it at first, but it's basically a spoof on The Hills, using The Hills footage with voice overs and inserted clips...its pretty funny, even if you have only seen the real show ("The Hills") in passing...

Here is a clip of the theme song...listen carefully...it's hilarious..

Here is a clip of the show...

pretty funny.

We Believe

2008-10-17T07:20:00.000-04:00

Game 5 of the ALCS. Rays lead the series 3-1. Sound Familiar?

For the third game in a row the Rays take the lead early and we find ourselves down 7-0 in the Seventh.

Then in the last three (and INCREADABLY suspensful) innings, David Ortiz and J.D. Drew put it all together. Cococ Crisp and Kevin Youklis were machines out there getting into 8 and 10 pitch counts.

Greatness.

Stay tuned for Game 6 on Saturday!

Here is MLB.com's wrap of the game if you missed it:

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2008_10_16_tbamlb_bosmlb_1

This is a video from the game...as you can guess the already standing crowd goes crazy when J.D. Drew hit the walk-off RBI single.

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-17T07:09:00.002-04:00

This year one of the ways we are celebrating fall is by pumpkin carving. My daughter doesn't have a lot of history with pumpkins, much less carving them, so we thought it would be fun to introduce her to the tradition.

My daughter helped along the way-her favorite part was cleaning out the "slimy" inside! We saved the seeds to roast later, then got to the good part...carving!

We had a lot of fun together making a mess and playing with pumpkins.

We had two pumkins-the smaller one we made a traditional pumpkin smiley face (which our daughter loved!) and the bigger one we make a silhouette of a tree and the words "Happy Fall". Here is a picture of the pumpkins in action-Happy Fall!

First Day of Pre-School

2008-10-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

This week my daughter started her first day of pre-school. It's hard to believe she's starting, but so exciting for all of us!

Her class has 12 other children who all seem to get along with her great. The other parents and staff were very welcoming and it was a great experience.

When we picked her up from school, she didn't even want to leave (which we take as a good sign!). She learned about Apples today, and they integrate the days theme into each learning area (apple tasting, learning about apple skin and seeds, apple stories, apple counting, etc...)

The school is "learning through play" driven, and very family oriented/directed. I think it will be a great experience for all of us.

On Vacation

2008-10-14T17:30:00.001-04:00

I'm home for the next week. Fall. Vacation. Family.

Gmail to the Rescue?

2008-10-10T11:12:00.003-04:00

I was trying to find out how to change setting in my gmail account (my personal email of choice)today when I happened upon a new feature

It's a safeguard against sending email that you might later regret, and it is an actual feauture (this is not a joke)...

http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-in-labs-stop-sending-mail-you-later.html

Brilliant!

Happy Birthday and Go Sox!

2008-10-09T07:54:00.001-04:00

This week marks My 27th birthday and my Brothers 19th birthday.

Being born 8 years and one day apart (October 8th and 9th) from my brother

a) makes it easy to remember my brother's birthday, becuase its the day after mine (or vice versa if I ever forget my birthday),

b) is not very common?, and

c) means that I'f I ever get a gift I can't use, I can always pass it on to him!

But seriously, Happy Birthday Matt! You are awesome and loved!

And speaking of love, the Red Sox bested the Angels to make thier way into the ALCS. Game one is Friday Night, so grab a bag of peanuts. Here's to another ALCS Championship (and another set World Series rings!)...

First Frost

2008-10-07T07:28:00.000-04:00

The picture doesn't quite capture it, but I'm out with Sebastian and there is a sea of frost on the front lawn!

Call me a dork, but I love this time of year.

Flying South

2008-10-06T07:43:00.000-04:00

I was out walking Sebastian (our dog) this morning and caught this photo of a flock of geeese heading south, presumably for the winter.
Also wanted to give you guys a picture of the fall leaves around our house.
We are planning on getting some pumking in a week or so and carving them up with the kids. My daughter wasnt old enough last year, so I'm really excited to show her what its all about.
Today I am headed to Lincoln, NE to drop our plane off for some heavy maintinence, and then we fly back home on the airlines.
Enjoy the day!

One Down

2008-10-02T08:20:00.001-04:00

The Sox take ALDS game 1 against the Angels 4-1!

GO SOX!

2008-10-02T00:05:00.000-04:00

Im Home. Its late and I just finished up the paperwork for the flights we did today.

I have the Sox vs. Angels Game on with the closed captioning...I look up, and its the 7th inning and the Sox are up 2-1.

Here's to taking the first win against the angels in the playoffs!

Going to bed...

Skittles Superpowers

2008-10-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

I laughed out Loud (in a very quiet pilots lounge) when I saw this commercial. Enjoy!

October Already?!

2008-10-01T15:56:00.001-04:00

Right now I'm in Chicago. It's 59 degrees. It's Fall.

Yesterday morning I looked outside my dining room window while my family and I were sitting at the table eating breakfast and I noticed the distinct turning of the leaves. Reds, burnt oranges, yellows. It's a beautiful thing.

I have been thinking about how many great things we got to do this spring and summer. The day trips to New york and The Vineyard. "Dog Days of Summer" at smolack farms, beach days with family and friends, and of course, the arrival of our second child, our first son-Oliver Stephen Arbo. Amazing. Time flies when you are adding to the family...

I am a truly blessed man.

Our airplane is due for maintenance at a certain number of hours. We track the flight time and cycles (number of times the engines are started) for every flight and maintenance intervals are based on this. It's like that little sticker up in the top left corner of your windshield that says "Due on this date or this mileage reading", except there are some times we can and can't exceed that date/time limitation.

This particular maintenance mandates that the engines are inspected at a certain interval. Once we hit that number we are done. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Once the plane goes in for maintenance, I'll be able to spend some time enjoying the fall, some apple picking, all the good stuff. Then comes november, December and all the crazy holidays! good times...

Boccerball

2008-09-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

I'm on the plane now heading back home from recurrent flight training in Texas.

I had a pretty intense week of training, but it was great experience, as well as the added benefit that I got to see and spend some time with my parents.

There is always something funny when i see them and this time it was a new addition to their living room. I walk in the door, everything's normal...I scan the room...BAM!

I think to my self, "what's that new piece of furniture that looks like it came from a 14 year old asians bedroom?".

Then I say to my dad, "Dad, uh, wha'ts that thing over there?"

My dad breaks out laughing and then casually says, "It's a Bockerball table", as If these are common. Like, "oh, thats my TV". I say, "BOCKERBALL!?!?!?".

Bockerball is a game where you drop metal marble-sized balled down these chutes onto a enclosed table and the objective is to knock the "soccer ball" (which is about the size of a ping pong ball) into the other players goal.

Apparently bockerball is fun and small and no big deal to put in your pink and wildly victorian livingroom.

Then my dad tells me that my mom may have it painted to match the lining room...nice.

Eventually my dad tells me the story behind it. Some of my moms friends had a table, so she wanted one, and found a great deal on it, but when it arrived on their doorstep it came with no instructions of how to assemble or play it.

We sit down and my dad starts giving me a list of "official" rules, and then tells me my mom them each and every one of them up. of course she did! (she even has a special chair she sits in...).

I couldn't make this stuff up if i tried...

Love you Mom and Dad! Thanks for putting up with my crazy schedule and for teaching my how to play Bockerball!

As an aside, It's weird, i didn't love living in texas, but do I enjoy coming back to Fort Worth and visiting the fam and some of my old favorite places. Jenn and I enjoyed living downtown and walking to everything (besides work), We miss the mexican food, and the BBQ is great, but as I sit on the plane I'm looking forward to apple picking, cold weather, walks with leaves falling and turning color...and my home, Boston.

Downhill Slope

2008-09-23T12:58:00.000-04:00

I'm on day 5 of 6 of my training, and almost done.

My days have been extremely full with training for my aircraft type as well as some additional coursed I have elected to take. Although not nearly as exhausting as taking care of two kids under 3, the days have been long.

In recurrent training you spend the first few days in what they call "Groundschool", which reviews the aircraft systems and operational considerations. Then the fun part-The Simulator. It's a big box on hydraulic pistons inside of which is a full and working mockup of our aircraft. In the windshield there is a 180 degree visual screen to give us a pretty realistic experience.

The whole time in the simulator they fail systems and test your flight skills while you are trying to fit in approaches to various airports, takeoff, or land.

The real benefit is that you can accomplish more in less time becuase they can reposition you anywhere instantaniously, create any weather conditions, as well as the aformentioned system failures, etc.

Well, I'm about to head back in the box...enjoy the day!

Recurrent Training

2008-09-19T14:25:00.001-04:00

Greetings from Texas.

I'm at recurrent training for the aircraft I fly. For most of the training centers, the type of aircraft you fly and where that corresponding simulator is located. It Just so happens that the simulator for my aircraft is located at a large training facility at the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport, about 25 minutes from my parents house.

Although I am pretty immersed in training, it's good to be able to stay with and see my parents while I'm here.

The training is all day ground and flight training and is intended to increase the safety of the pilots by review and practice of applicable systems, procedures, and aircraft management. its a great opportunity to self-examine any underlying area's of deficiency in experience or knowledge.

I'll be down here for a week and then head home for a few days off.

Man, next thing you know the leaves will be falling, it will be time for pumpkin carving, apple picking, and sweaters!

Hurricane Ike part deux

2008-09-15T13:13:00.001-04:00

So you can read my earlier blog about dodging hurricane Ike this past weekend. well, we came into contact with it again last night all the way up in Cleveland, OH.

The airport is right on the water and depending on which way you come in, you fly right by the Cleveland Brown's football stadium. We came facing the stadium while the game was in progress, on approach we could see the scoreboard and the jumbotron screen. it was pretty neat.

View Larger Map

We landed just as the wind started really picking up. it was about 25-30 kts (around 40 mph) when we landed. shortly thereafter it picked up to about 40-45 kts ( 55 mph). there was some heavy rain that came through as we were securing the aircraft. I had a waterproof jacket, but my pants were literally soaked and dripping wet by the time I got inside. crazy.

It was all but gone this morning, but it makes me wonder why anyone would be foolish enough to stay in a place like galveston when a storm like that is coming. We caught the tail end and it was still pretty rough.

Anyways, enjoy the day!

9/11/08

2008-09-11T21:58:00.000-04:00

Seven years later.

Todays news has been filled with Hurricane Ike, the elections, and remembering those lost in the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks.

I personally don't have much to add. It was a tragic day in which many were lost that truly changed the way Americans live their lives.

As a Ironic aside, on the September 11th 7 years ago I had the opportunity to work with and fly a great man, Dave Roever, and was on a business trip in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. We ended up being grounded (unable to fly out of the country) for close to a week.

Seven years Later on this day, I find myself In Canada once again.

As this day closes please remember those that were lost, and the character inside each of us to unite irreguardless of our religion, political affiliation, skin color, or nationality.

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-11T13:10:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone. got a lot to catch up on. Yesterday we left to head to Mont-Tremblant International airport in Quebec. Going to Canada Is always interesting...more on that in another blog.

Our passengers were originally going to North Carolina, but at 12:30 am decided to head home instead. So we woke up to a message from dispatch that changed our destination from NC to Houston, TX.

The pilot and I looked at each other, "Hey, Isn't that where that hurricane is headed?".

Yup.

It's not slated to hit here until Saturday but we could see the storm developing from 40,000 FT.

So, here we sit at the airport in Houston. We don't have a trip out of here. We will most likely reposition out of here, but we'll see. I've inquired if anyone has a monopoly game that the other pilot and I could use in the event we had to stay...no luck yet.

After being on standby for a few hours, we ended up heading for a safer location - Misissippi.

To my family and friends in Texas, be safe!

The Last Few Weeks

2008-09-02T09:10:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, It's been a crazy/great few weeks.

I've had a few trips here and there, pretty much the norm.

My brother and a friend drove up to new england a few weeks ago, and my brother is finally back up north for the time being. He stayed with us for a week or so, and It was great having him around again. Today he starts classes at SOLO outdoor training to become a EMT.

I'm really proud of him diving into what he loves. It's great to stand back and see your little brother taking the next step.

As for my parents, they have officially successfully raised two handsome and smart sons (I'm laughing as I type this...I know, I know...a little braggadocios.) Anyways, Congratulations guys! We love you!

As labor day has passed and the mornings are getting cooler, we are now looking forward to the fall and winter. New England's best seasons! Pretty soon the leaves will be turning and it will be time to pick apples and have hot cider and apple doughnuts at Smolak Farms...

Thats it for now. Enjoy the Day!

The Audacity of Hope (part 1)

2008-09-01T22:01:00.000-04:00

Due to the fact that I've only begun to read this book, I must be fair and say this is the first blog of more to come...

Let me also come out and say that I don't favor any political party. I think in recent history the "political parties" have done more harm than good....but that's a whole other blog.

I'm at page 66 of 362 of the book "The Audacity of Hope" by Barack Obama. While reading this book, I've taken the presidential race and put it aside. I was drawn to this book in part by the former statement, but primarily due to the subtitle of the book, " Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream".

What Is the American Dream?

I'm sure there are many definitions based on your background, your core values, and your beliefs. Reading this book has certainly caused me to turn inward and think about what my version of the "American Dream" is. I haven't come up with a fully developed personal definition, but when I do I'll let you know. I think it does have a lot to do with providing equal opportunities everywhere for individuals and families who take the initiative to serve themselves, their neighbors, and the community they live in and benefit from. This doesn't mean a free handout.

As an aside, I've gained some insight into the thought process of Senator Obama. I am neither endorsing nor dismissing his eligibility, but if he did, in fact, author this book and has presented his beliefs and idea's for thought, then I admire, can Identify with, and appreciate his view.

In short, this blog is pre-review to a book by a political figure. I suggest anyone who is interested in this election take a look at this book by Barack Obama if for no other reason than to evaluate the state of America and what can be done to improve the quality of our great country and the people who call it theirs.

Feel free to comment, or if you want to write me directly, click the "email" tab up top.

I'm determined to become more involved in this election and I encourage everyone else to do the same. It's not just a vote but decision for the next leader of America. Don't take it lightly...

Labor Day 08'

2008-09-01T14:18:00.001-04:00

I'll update the blog later...I know I've been a slacker...I've got some stuff to catch up on.

Meanwhile, enjoy your Labor Day.

It's almost the end of the summer so relax, it's good for you! And don't burn yourself on the grill...

The Fray

2008-08-18T07:49:00.000-04:00

I've been without my computer for the past two days becuase somehow my charger cord melted through itself and created a fray in the wire. I used some duct tape to hold it together for a few days until my replacemnent came in, but alas, it didn't hold.

Anyways, after four legs today I'll be home!

Cop For a Day (and other stories from Thomasville)

2008-08-16T11:21:00.003-04:00

Where do I begin?

We started our day in MN and flew to Norfolk, VA. After waiting at the airport until we were released to reposition the next destination, which was Thomasville, GA.

This was a new airport for me, but once we landed in Thomasville we knew we were in Georgia. a lineman by the name of "Robby" promptly greeted me with his southern hospitality and a handshake (not the norm in the northeast). with his southern accent and camouflage hat we were instantly

since our departure the next morning was at 8:00 am on a saturday, I asked what time they opened. Robby told me at 8:00 am. since we need to have the Aircraft ready at least 1 hour prior to departure, I asked if anyone could come in early.

Robby looked at me through his nascar sunglasses and replied, "I live here!".

"You live here?!", I responded."

Well, not right here. Just down the hill".

I asked, "Can you be here at 7:00 am?"

"Well, I'll have to charge you, and we don't normally do this, but I'll be doin' you a favor".

What a great guy.

After securing the aircraft and closing out the days paperwork, and paying our bill, they hand us keys to their crew car to use overnight to get to and from the hotel.

The CSR behind the desk hands me a map and a piece of paper that looks somewhat official. She promptly tells me, "Carry this paper with you in the car so you can prove that we are letting you use it in case there is a roadblock, or you get pulled over". We were a little confused, but it was the end of the day so we just smiled and nodded.

We walk out to the parking lot and start looking for the car. we were told it was a "crown vic". There's a police interceptor in the lot, but no crew car.

Wait. the police interceptor IS the crew car. Nice.

The other pilot and I immediately began arguing who would get to drive the "cop car". I lost due to senority.

That little piece of paper the CSR gave me was starting to make more sense.

We put our bags in the trunk and head out to grab some dinner and go to the hotel. we are now on a mission...we are looking for "perps" and "hooligans". It was our duty to uphold the law while driving this cruiser. Although it had no lights or siren, I DID have a spotlight and government plates. Gotta represent!

We get in the car and turn it on. Country music came on, and there were a stash of toothpics sitting in the center console. the pilot and I looked at each other and each took one. Sunglasses on, toothpics hanging out the sides of our mouths, country music blaring. lets roll.

Although we didn't find any "perps", we found our way to the hotel. This was after stopping at "Granny's" gas station to ask for directions. While I was standing in line at the convenience store, I looked over at the counter. amongst the knives, lighters that looked like shotgun shells, and beef jerky for sale, there was a CD rack with various classic CD's to include "Commissioned" and my favorite, "Super Hits" from RUN-DMC. nice.

I get directions and we head to the hotel. still in our pilots uniforms, the people at the hotel ask if we are pilots, and if so, what airline do we fly for. so we chat for a while, and apparently they think that since we are pilots we have foreign names and they need to pronounce them with flair. they added some rolling "R's" to our name until to make the pronunciation sound like we were nationals of spain. They were very accommodating.

After we had had enough laughs for one day, we got our keys and headed to our rooms. I fell asleep that night wondering if I should have bought that Run DMC cd. I mean, c'mon, where else would I find a gem like that still in the wrapper. thats like, a collectors item. and to think, it was hidden away at "Granny's" in Thomasville, GA. oh well.

Dr. Suess was a genius when he wrote the book "oh, the places you'll go"...

2000 hours

2008-08-14T21:07:00.001-04:00

Pretty much everything in my career field is based on number of hours one has flown, and today I reached another milestone and flew from Hyannis, MA to Kansas City, MO to surpass a logged 2000 flight hours.

Thats a little over 83 days or two and a half months. In a plane.

Although generally the more time the better at any point in the aviation industry, the next goal for me is to reach 3000 hours. Thats generally the point that many companies feel comfortable hiring a pilot to be a captain, which leads to new experiences, possibly a wider viability for other aircraft, and usually higher salaries.

As you can read in some of my previous posts, I have come in contact with a wide variety of personalities that vary from extremely personable to inhumanly rude. On today's flight we flew a grandfather and his two grandchildren whom were a pleasure to fly. Once we got up to altitude the youngest grandson, 8, came up to the flight deck and started asking us various questions. at one point we were talking about an instrument which is like having a radar to see other aircraft around us. Once he figured out what that did, he started going to each of the windows and trying to see the airplanes. He was pretty funny...

Well, thats about it. I'll be out until monday, then home for a few days. My brother, Matt, will be making the trek from Texas to Massachusetts to hang out with me for a few days before going up to NH to start school in September. I'm really looking forward to having him closer again...

Enjoy the Day!

Day Trip

2008-08-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

There are some unique benefits to my job, and on monday I got to bring my family on the jet that I fly and fly down to New Jersey. So, after my wife and two kids enjoyed the 45 minute flight, we jumped in a rental car and made our way home.

We decided to drive into New York City and visit Central Park. After driving around for 30 minutes looking for parking, We got to walk around 5th avenue and even went to the Central Park Zoo.

When we finished walking around Central Park we thought we would take the kids to F.A.O. Schwarz ( a massive toy store), but apparently the day had caught up with them. On our way to the store, my daughter was leaning over the stroller and getting close to touching the wheels. Jennifer told her not to do that and tipped her back in the seat. So, we get to the store and are making a big deal about it to the kids. As we walk in I suggest we take a picture. Jenn turns the stroller around and I see my daughter slumped over - Asleep.

We then deduced that she had probably been sleeping when Jenn told her not to touch the wheels and we just sat her back up. nice.

We made our way back home, making a few stops for food and coffee (we started the day at 5 am). Good times.

Here are a few photos of the trip...

Starting The Day

The Girls Enjoying the Ride

Oliver Likes It!

Visiting Central Park Zoo

Walking In The City

Alizee Sleeping @ F.A.O. Schwarz

Jennifer Enjoying the Ride Home

Waiting

2008-08-01T19:28:00.001-04:00

Sometimes when people ask about my job, they think is pure glamour.

Although I thorougly enjoy it, there are things that come with the job. The biggest is Waiting. Since we are not an airline flight we don't leave without our passengers, which means when they are late we wait. Add that to the 60 to 120 minute time frame ahead of time we have to be at the aircraft ready and waiting to go and sometimes you've got a lot of spare time.

Like any many other job's there's paperwork to be done...which is what I'm doing now. As we wait.

Wow...

2008-08-01T19:15:00.001-04:00

I'm on a quick trip and last night I stayed at the most amazing Holiday Inn Express ever.

Oh, and by the way, Manny Ramirez (or as my Jenn calls hime "handy manny") has indeed been traded to Torre's Dodgers and Jayson Bay is here to play (forgive me, I've read way too many sports blogs in the past 24 hours). Sad to see him go but I beleive the sox will be better off in the end...

Ok, back to this sweet HIexpress. I walk in the lobby of this hotel that has been disguised as a log cabin in Pelston, MI. In the lobby there are two dogs walking aound on the loose, and I'm surrounded by stuffed animals. Not the soft kind.

Bears, wolverines, billy goats, foxes, deer, etc. Mind you, this is not some rustic hunting town. This is a Holiday Inn accross from the airport.

I get to my room and the wallpaper boarder around the room is a hunting scene. The pictures on the wall are of various animals (quite possibly some of the ones in the lobby BEFORE they were stuffed...).

I was impressed at how much hunting decore was in such a small space.

Anyways, thats my story of the day.

Welcome to Boston Mr. Bay. Enjoy LA Manny!

Enjoy the day!

Sedona, AZ

2008-07-27T13:05:00.001-04:00

I'm thinking I may start posting pictures of the airports I go into...whether or not I keep it up is another story

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but this airport sits on its own plateau about 500 feet above the valley it's in so it almost feels like your landing on an aircraft carrier or something...

Here are few pictures of our approach into Sedona, AZ.

Taxi Cab

2008-07-12T11:31:00.002-04:00

We got into Taos, NM yesterday and I was cleaning up the plane while the other pilot was finishing the paperwork and talking to dispatch.

I walk in the FBO after finishing up and the pilot tells me we are staying at the Sagebrush Inn(rather than a brand name hotel) becuase there was a big pow-wow going on this weekend.

So I asked the customer service rep at the counter, "oh, so whats going on this weekend?"

The Customer Service rep replied matter-of-factly, " a pow-wow".

Ok, I forgot where we were....

Then we had to take a cab to get to the hotel. The woman driving us would be talking to us and then halfway through the conversation she would start talking on her phone...using a blutooth headset...without any warning. So the whole time we had no idea if she was talking to us or on the phone.

Then we started asking about transportation back to the airport on Sunday.

"Oh, we dont really answer the phone or do much work on Sundays"

So after more conversation, we asked if we just gave her a time to pick us up if she could do that.

"Sure, what time?"

We tell her 8:00 am

"Man, you guys are making me get up EARLY. I guess I better not party too hard on saturday night"

Hopefully our ride will show up Sunday morning...

Celebrities And The Pilots Who Fly Them

2008-07-11T18:00:00.001-04:00

**UPDATED 7/11/08**

There are various aspects of my job that are challenging and stretch me physically as well as mentally. There are also aspects (some might call them "perks") that make it exciting and enjoyable. Some of these enjoyable aspects include the actual flying, the various destinations, and the people I work with or meet along the way.

When I started the blog, one of the ideas I had was to post a list of celebrities I've flow or run into on the road and today I've been prompted to do just that. Due to the buisness I'm in, I try to be courteous and respect peoples privacy, so the interactions usually don't result in autographs or pictures. Some of these people I only see, others I actually get to meet.

The best experience I've had to date was flying the Red Sox pitcher #38, Curt Schilling (you can read about it here).

Today I had the opportunity to fly former US Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.

Other Celebrities I've seen or met in the past include (in no particular order):

Curt Schilling
Sean Casey

Barak Obama
Colin Powell
Gregg Norman
Zach Johnson
Chris Berman
Scottie Pippen
Yo-Yo Ma
Jerry Springer
Stephen Colbert

Lorne Michaels
Emeril Lagasse

Chris Rock

I'll keep updating the list over time as I see or meet new people...

Rapping Skills, Production Skills...

2008-07-11T10:12:00.000-04:00

There are many talents of the members of Red Sox Nation and apparently sweet rapping and video production skills are some of them.

Check out this tasty treat...GO SOX!

Flight Tracking Still Working

2008-07-10T02:27:00.000-04:00

I originally was told that flight tracking on my aircraft would be blocked. I'm sure this will become a reality in the near future, but until then, you can still click the "Flight Tracker" link to the right and see the last flight I took.

Enjoy!

A Catholic Pirate?!

2008-07-08T21:05:00.003-04:00

This evening Jenn and I were flipping through the channels and caught some quality TV on the Catholic channel.

A pictures worth a thousand words....or at least the rest of this blog. Amazing.

Back to Business

2008-07-06T12:37:00.002-04:00

Well, after the interview, the new job accaptence, job training and putting in time setting up the jet and office for charter operations, I'm headed out tuesday on my first trip.

This week we will be working with a broker who reserves the aircraft for a week at a time. The weeks schedule is usually pretty fluid, so you never know where I'll end up.

As an aside, the aircraft I'll be flying has a blocked tail number during flight, so if any of you used to use the flight tracker i had set up, that no longer works. I'm planning on just putting a list of airports (by city/state rather than identifier) so you all can see where I've been.

I'm sure I'll have some more stories as I head back out on the road...

I hope everyone had a great fourth and is enjoying the summer!

Happy Fourth Of July!

2008-07-04T09:51:00.002-04:00

Man, these have been few and far between lately, but wanted to wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Just to refresh everyone's memory and help parents of young children explain why we are celebrating Independance day

All About Independance Day

Freedom is never free. Enjoy the day!

Comments

2008-06-25T07:17:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone, I just realized this week that a setting I changed on blogger only allowed comments by people with blogger/google accounts.

I fixed the setting so now all are free to comment...

I started my new job a couple weeks ago, and have gone through thier training. This past week i've been getting things set up for the plane and hangar and supplies. Basically setting up the flight department here.

I'll probably start flying next week, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works with this new company. During training I was impressed by their dispatch system and support for the pilots.

Well the kids are up and i need to run to the store...

Enjoy the day!

The Life and Jobs Of...

2008-06-16T06:11:00.008-04:00

Hey everyone. I wanted to give an update as far as my job situation. I've been hinting that there was some transition, and finally am getting a chance to let people know whats going down.

I was recruited for a job for an aircraft based locally mostly in part to my prior relationship with the owner. I had flown this aircraft for the owner on several contract trips over the past few months, so when he decided to let an outside management company operate it there was an open opportunity and desire for me to fly for him full time.

I resigned last week with my previous employer, and left on excellent terms. The aviation community is smaller than you might think and burning bridges is never a good idea. I really appreciated the opportunities they afforded me, and the experience and growth I gained, but it was time to move on.

I will be flying for this new company starting as a co-pilot, but they are pushing to upgrade me to captain asap. The plane is based 5 minutes from my house. That is huge. the company's managment is younger and seems talented and driven towards excellence. I think it is an exciting opportunity.

Here are a couple of exterior pictures. From a pilots point of view it's a good airplane to fly, in good condition, with some extra equipment that makes our life safer. nice.

I'm still continuing to pursue other avenues in aviation on the side. I always want to put myself in a position to grow and gain more experience and of course make more money, spend more time with my amazing family, the list goes on...

Hope everyone is well. I'm sitting in the airport now, and someone's phone just started ringing. the ringtone was "tiny dancer" by Elton John. I just chuckled...

Once I start flying again, the blog should return in force with more aviation life observations (and of course the random stories about crazy passengers we fly).

Go Sox, and Go Celtics! What a year for Boston....

Quote Of The Day...

2008-06-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.
- John W. Gardner

Email Address Change

2008-06-12T16:56:00.001-04:00

Hi Everyone, effective immediately I will be using this email address ( andrewarbo@gmail.com ) as my primary contact email. Please update your address book accordingly.

Thanks, and enjoy the day!

Greetings From Rockland

2008-06-11T12:54:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to check in. I've got a lot going on with work transition, and i'll fill everyone in once things are settled.

Summer is here and it's unbeleivably hot (almost hit 100 the other day). We hit up smolack farms for some ice cream the other day. It was a "dog festival" and the tempurature was 93.. Needless to say our pug was pretty hot so we made it quick...

What is everyone else up to this summer? Got some time, drop me a line....

Death of the Airlines

2008-06-05T01:31:00.000-04:00

I'm currently traveling for a personal trip and have been "displaced" due to weather and mechanical issues. I was quickly reminded why the business I'm in will never go away (or at least not until the last gallon of fossil fuel has been consumed).

A 6:30 pm departure turned into 8:30 pm. A Two hour flight turned into Three hours. My connecting flight departed on-time, which would make me about about an hour and a half late. nice. This is why private travel will never disappear.

So here I sit, in the lobby of a Ramada hotel in Charlotte, NC printing up my boarding pass for tomorrow. This is the only hotel within 30 minutes of the airport that had rooms, and for a good reason. i think the term for the decor is "Old School".

The front desk is behind me, and there are people in various states. some tired, some frustrated. Some are walking out of the lounge that just closed rambling on about connections and flight times. I am just speculating here but I think they were drowning their traveling sorrows with a few beverages. One of them is getting a little rowdy in the lobby while the other is asking for a hotel receipt. The gentleman at the counter is explaining to him for the third time that he will get one when he checks out. "But how do I know what the rate is and that im not getting screwed?", the man says. It's still not sinking in. I think he may have some trust issues?

well, after todays flight, I have some trust issues. all of the people on my flight, and every other flight paid a fare to travel on the airplane to xyz destination. that would make us "Customers". Unfortunately the whole time everyone was waiting, there were no update announcements, nothing posted on the boards. The only source of information was a group of tact-less and rude/grumpy/ill-trained customer service (and i use that term loosely) agents telling people they may or may not make their connection. No reasons given.

Whatever happened to the days when riding the airlines was glamorous and fun with hot meals and legroom. I guess those days have gone along with the days when getting a pilots autograph was cool (as an aside, for those of you requesting my autograph, please submit you request via email or fax with your name and address and I will return a personalized pilots autograph within 5-10 business days).

Needless to say, unless you are riding on southwest (which I haven't had a negative experience on to date), don't expect any "extra mile" customer service when everything's running smothly let alone when things are not going well (due to weather, maintenance, or the pilots late because they got caught up signing autographs).

Well...It's now 1:30 am and I've been up for more hours than I can count...

"good night and good luck."

Communication Devices (geek alert)

2008-05-30T13:29:00.003-04:00

I'll start by saying this blog is a departure from my usual subjects, but the real point of this blog is to specifically poll readers about their opinon on communication devices. Specifically phones that do more than just make a call. It's on my mind so I'm writing.

Im a guy who can be somewhat obessed with electronics. I think its immensly facinating how consumer electronics has changed in the last 5 years to become even more embeded and connected to our everyday lives.

There are basically three big players in mobile device software: Apple, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry (palm and symbian have been put aside for this discussion).

Right now i roll with the Windows Mobile flavor. I feel like it's a happy medium between the User friendly and media-centric iPhone and the bullet-proof no-nonsense instant email/im/phone that the blackberry is known for.

Ever since it came out I've had a slight desire to drink the apple kool-aid (i already have a macbook) and enjoy the ease of the iphone. It would sync my logbook (which i can't do now), I can still get email, and use the web (albiet at a slower speed than my current provider, Verizon), and it would eliminate another device I have to carry when I travel. It would also afford the ability to make calls when I am out of the country.

I know, there are downsides too. Coverage? Customization? Price?

So I'll make this post more of an open ended question to my readers who have (or have had) one of the three devices above: which do you prefer and why?

In the Waiting Line

2008-05-28T18:20:00.003-04:00

As I sit here waiting, my ipod shuffles to Zero 7's," In the Waiting Line". How appropriate.

I came down to Pennsylvania yesterday to take a checkride (think of it as a drivers test you have to take every six months-but in the air). I'm supposed to be starting a week's rotation tomorrow, but by the time we got done it was about 7:00 pm and I still hadn't seen any schedule in my email.

And here I sit.

I guess It's the nature of the industry; we either fly or we don't. Hopefully something will pop up so we can head out on the road. I get paid either way, but being in the air is much better than being in a hotel room.

This weekend is my brothers high school graduation and a good friends wedding. It's a long story, but unfortunatly I have will not be attending either of them.

And here I sit.

Early Morning

2008-05-20T06:17:00.001-04:00

Woke up at 3 am for a 5 am flight. We didn't start to see the sun until about 5:30 am (the sun is such a slacker...)

So there we sat, with the sun blazing on the horizon on our left and the moon in a purple shadow on our right. Pretty cool.

Flying "The Mayor"

2008-05-18T22:13:00.005-04:00

Today I got the opportunity to fly one of the Red Sox's first basemen, Sean Casey. Nicknamed, "The Mayor" of baseball for being so outgoing and personable, it was pretty easy to see why.

Reason number 22 why I enjoy my job....

Clocks

2008-05-17T21:49:00.002-04:00

This is the second day I've flown with the charter company I work for after being home for a month. Although it's hard leaving Jenn with the kids, I can't help but feeling good about getting back in the air.

I get in the plane and something just clicks. I go through the cockpit setup and checks, start the engines, taxi out, and takeoff into the sky. I felt good about not missing a beat.

So, we ended our day in the Florida panhandle at Panama City. I get to my room tonight and after getting unpacked, I realize that my clock is an hour behind. I try to change it but can't figure the clock out...ok, whatever. After a few hours of working, I head to the gym. At some point I looked over at the clock and IT is an hour behind. I remember thinking to myself, "whats up with all these clocks that haven't been changed?".

It didn't sink in until I got to my room, "I'm in the central time zone".

So much for "not missing a beat"....

Home Update

2008-05-13T15:30:00.001-04:00

I want to start off by saying that i do have a myspace and facebook account (look me up if you like) but this is the only blog i update regularly...

Ok, In other news, after my three day trip a few weeks ago, I came home and my parents and brother had flown in from Texas earlier the same night. We spent pretty much the whole week together. We "New Englanded" it up with seafood and sweaters on the beach and making a stop to the local north andover smolack farms. Good times...

Since then we've been getting to know Oliver more, and just focusing on our little family. Day trips to the park and flying kites.

My daughter, Alizee, has been really helpful and continues to amaze me and remind me daily why she is daddy"s little girl.

I start my first rotation with my company this thursday. Its the first week ill be gone since my son was born. My wife will be busy but she is amazing and will do great.

As far as the career path, Im in a "holding pattern" (had to drop the aviation phrases...). Thats all i will say for now...

My brother is graduating in a few short weeks. He's 18 and heading to New Hampshire for Wilderness survival and EMT training. He has caught, skinned, cooked, and eaten a squirrel. He's crazy and I love him. Here's to graduating, Matt!

The Sox have blown thier 3.5 game lead and somehow turned it into a .5 game lead. But it's still spring and schilling has begun throwing again....things will turn around.

We are planning some day trips into boston, days at the beach, and cookouts with friends. You can often walk outside in the evening and smell hamburgurs cooking on the grill....summers almost here!

Enjoy the day!

Our Mailman Hates Us: Part Deux

2008-05-13T15:02:00.000-04:00

So this is what I found when I opened up the mailbox. Nice.

Mailperson Strikes again...

Happy Mothers Day!

2008-05-11T08:38:00.001-04:00

To my amazing wife, Jennifer, my mother, Barbara, my mother in-law, Wendy, and to all of my friends and family who have the awesome responsability of raising a child: Thank you for all you do, for walking so tall with all that responsability, and for being "Mom".

Happy Mothers Day!

LearJet 45

2008-04-30T22:58:00.004-04:00

Working

2008-04-29T21:01:00.001-04:00

On the road as we speak. I'm on a contract trip for a different type of aircraft. The plane I'll be flying is 3 months old....staright from the factory. State of the art avionics, with a glass cockpit and tablet pc's for charts, performance calculations, and navigation (read lots of electronic toys). Nice.

I'm incredably torn leaving my 2 week old newborn son, amazingly beautiful daughter, slightly depressed pug, and tired wife.

The only reason I'm here is that this is basically a trip that puts my foot in the door for the future.

We'll see what happens.

I get back home friday, just a few hours after my parents and brother fly into town. They will be here for a week to visit Oliver and the rest of the fam. Good times.

Here's to my amazingly strong and supportive wife...

SummerSummer

2008-04-25T18:52:00.001-04:00

Its not the first of the season, but the first of many.