Update on My Life

Have you ever gotten up one morning and felt like your life has slipped away from you in the blink of an eye? Such is the story of my life these days. Perhaps it's because I have severely altered my life-style due to a new job that I took just a few months ago. At any rate, this is my attempt to recap the past two months and see if I can catch myself up!

Most of you know that I have a background in the aviation industry. This is an industry rife with change, adventure, exhaustion, exhilaration but mostly inconsistencies. I used to love to say, "The only consistency in the airline industry is IN consistency"...and that's the absolute truth! Having said that, let me attempt to bring you up-to-date on a few things.

1. I am now flying for SkyWest Airlines which is a large commuter airline with contractual agreements with Delta, United, Alaska and soon, US Airways. Bottom-line, we fly their "puddle jumpers" to their smaller routes.
2. I am based in Portland, OR (PDX is their city code).
3. I live in a hoarder house with I-don't-know-how-many-other-commuters, but the important thing is that I share a CLEAN and ORDERLY room/bathroom with two other women whom I have grown to love adore.
4. My family is still in Utah...away from me:'(
5. I love my job, HATE the commute.

OK, now you are up-to-date.

Living in Portland has been an adventure in and of itself. I have become a master at navigating train routes around this beautiful city. The people are...well, let's just say, diverse (to say the least). The geographical terrain is spectacular and overall, the people are very nice and accommodating...but it's not home...

The base itself is fine. I am now trained to fly on the jets as well as our beloved prop plane (Brasillia EMB-120 turbo prop) whom we affectionately call, "The Bro". The Bro is the smallest plane in our fleet and by far the loudest, bumpiest aircraft I have ever flown on...having said that, I ADORE this plane! Crazy?? probably, but I feel in total command and every flight is an adventure. This little workhorse is amazing. Apparently it is very fuel efficient and highly effective on our smallest routes of around 250 miles or less. It's a funny little guy with it's very own personality. When we take off, the aft of the aircraft seems to rebel a bit and sway back and forth until it eventually gives in to the fact that it MUST follow the forward of the aircraft. It is L.O.U.D...in fact, it's so loud that I wear earplugs while working it.

Just the other day, I was boarding in Klamath Falls, OR (yes, we fly to ALL of the hotspots in the world with this little guy...) anyway, I was boarding when a gentleman walked onboard with his head completely down...I'm talking his chin was almost touching his belly button...not because of shame or embarassment, it was out of necessity. This man was 6' 8" tall and he was entering a metal tube of about 5' 9" in height for a fun 1 hour experience. I promptly moved him to the exit row (where there was extra leg room for his giraffe-like legs) to which he was extremely grateful.

But here's one of my favorite features of The Bro that I just had to share:

It's true, there's a window in the lav!! Awesome?? Yes, when you're in the air, but when you're on the ground...not so much!

Why?? No one knows unless it was engineered by someone with a sick sense of humor and somehow slipped through the Brazillian gaps of design. It's a great conversation piece and seriously, there's no other feeling like when you're peeing at 28,000 ft...try it sometime...!!

In all seriousness, I love, even adore my job. My co-workers are great, the company is great and my passengers are great, but there's no place like home. I have had my transfer in to SLC since the nano-second after we graduated training. Who know when it will actually happen, but it will and when it does, I will be jumping up-and-down like no other...in the meantime, I will continue to ride the MAX (PDX rapid transit system) live in my clean room in the hoarder house and love my sweet roomies to death. Life is too short to worry about the details of the things that we have no control over. My family is fine, my *Littles* are thriving and life is great!