Why do podcasters

Have to have these microphones on elaborate tripods? Like WTF? You need this complex apparatus to hold a microphone. It looks stupid. Just use a lapel mic.

American eagle

Sidney Sweeney did a commercial for American eagle featuring an old mustang and a pretty lady wearing denim. The left has lost it calling it a toxic commercial.

Contrary to what the new age woke feminists want you to believe, American men are not interested in fat tattoo'd lesbians with purple hair buzz cuts and a ring in their nose.

I don't like Sweeney but at least she isn't looking all gothic like she has t eaten in a week with a tattoo on her body

Super Star Ron

A friend of mine left the company on 12/25/2023. He's been living the life of a freelance actor, entrepreneur, professional marathon runner and influencer.

I called him two weeks ago and told him I was leaving the company. He was blown away at the decision I made. We had an interesting conversation.

One of the elements of the conversation was knowing on a fundamental level what you should be doing and lacking the courage to change direction and do what you were meant to be doing. On the flip side of the coin is fundamental knowing what you have been doing is not what you're meant to do. We both shared the thought that we knew this is not what we're called to do and we are called to do something else.

What stops us from doing what we're meant to be doing is fear. Afraid to be judged. Afraid to fail.

I've said it a million times - I was meant to be a mechanic. I was not meant to go to college. And back in the day being a mechanic was frowned upon.

Now I found a bunch of videos of mechanics wearing go pro cameras commenting on their work while they're fixing cars. I watch these videos for hours with great enjoyment and fascination.

I wrote about quitting my job because if I don't I'll keep doing what I'm doing and nothing will ever change. And I'll never do what I want to do. Abandoning the road I've been to do something different takes courage. Trading what is known and safe for the unknown.

I've learned a lot over the last 20 years. What I've learned has prepared me for what's next.

It takes courage to change. It takes courage to eat an elephant too. The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. The best way to make change is to take baby steps. Muster up the courage and take the first step.

The first step is choosing to step away from a career I've known for 20 years. Now it's time to learn and strategize to make intelligent decisions on how to proceed.

I step out of the house of
Blue and into the house of courage.

Insanity

Repeatedly doing the same thing expecting a different result. No matter what we do as a company we run our fleet into the ground during every busy season. The longer the season the more out of service events, maintenance delays and cancellations we end up with.

Is this the nature of the beast or are we insane? Every year we start in a good position and end up in the same shithole. This is the way it's been for 25 years. Expecting it to change is futile.

Another King George entry

Listening to one of king George's 22 more greatest hits album on my magic sound machine.

Superb.

My wife says why are you listening to that sad country music? None of it is sad. It's heartfelt. There's a difference. These are songs about living, loving and life.

George strait and the ace in the hole band sound oh so good. Divine.

Titan

Today feels like I'm the titan submarine.

Imploded. Failure. Dummy. Loser.

Motivation

Don't want to go to Dallas. I dislike the drive and the company doesn't want to pay to pay for air transport.

At least dinner will be at my favorite restaurant in the entire world.

Silver linings. Sorta.

Inalienable Rights

According to the Declaration of Independence all people are endowed with certain inalienable rights - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Anna Lapwood

Anna Lapwood has done something amazing. She managed to carve out a career to be the resident organist at the royal albert hall in the UK. She has somehow mainstreamed the mighty pipe organ from church instrument to concert show piece to modern music. Well done!

Night

I ran a covert experiment. Hiring for a vacant position and let the recruiting team handle the selection process. Sure enough…. A diversity, equity and inclusion hire.

Diversity is a priority in the company. And diverse isn't so diverse anymore. As a matter of fact, the time has come for the words diversity, equity and inclusion to include Anglo representation.

Nine people currently report to me. I'm the only Anglo.

My immediate peer group consists of seven people. I'm the only Anglo.

At the regional level it's 50/50. At the director level there is no Anglo person.

If we broaden the scope and look at the supervisor level, out of 50 people there are 3 anglos.

We have all these community resource groups for gay people, Asian people, black people, Hawaiian people, disabled people etc. There's no group for anglos. Why is that?

Most of the people in SLC have been outsourced to machine or India. Why is that?

Our company is led by an Anglo woman. Every member of the senior level is white except for one who is in charge of DEI. That's in her title.

At every upper leadership event our ceo remarks of how proud she is to see all the diversity, aka brown people, in the room. And always follows with remarking about how historically that wouldn't be the case. A feather in her cap. Is her husband white? Does she have white guilt? Is she trying to right historical wrong doings? Did the job really go to the most qualified candidate?

I don't know. I don't care. And it's not my problem.

Maybe we should call ourselves night. But spell it with a k. A fly by knight operation.

I'm not particularly proud of this post but it weighs on my mind.

My old boss

She called me today and told me her last day is this coming Friday. It hit a little different. I wonder when my last day will be. Who will I call?

Tragedy

Took my dad to the church attended while growing up. The pastor was blown out a year ago because a member of the staff was assaulted and he supposedly knew about it and did nothing. He was paterno'd.

It was import for my dad to attend because there was a church meeting to vote on weather to leave the elca or stay.

This was a big deal for the church and was very interesting to watch. I don't think the church was clear on why they were taking the vote.

Some were upset about the way the pastor was blown out without due process. Others wanted the right to self govern. And others wanted to stay with the elca.

They didn't have an issue that mattered to everyone. Some wanted revenge. Some were voting for the progressive agenda of the elca. Some were voting for conservatism and 'tradition' of the church even though the pastor was a liberal.

The church is struggling since the pastor got blown out. There were lights burnt out in the ceiling. The supply pastor did no research on the norms of the church. The organist quit. The piano player must have been sight reading with many wrong notes played. It was pathetic.

What gets me is the division among the congregation. You'd think in a church there would be commonality compared to other facets of society. But the riff is just as bad in the church. A church that's been there for over 150 years.

A church divided cannot stand. If you ask me that particular church has exceeded its useful lifespan and is no longer relevant to the community.

They own a TON of land. Here's what I think they should do. They ought to dissolve the church. Sell their pipe organ. Sell their stained glass windows and have an auction to get rid of their wooden pews.

Then they ought to sell the land to a developer and watch it become the next multi use retail/business/apartment development in this god forsaken shithole known as Austin tx.

Grounded

 For the first time in a long, long time I feel grounded.  At peace.  Comfortable.  Calm.  I feel like I've got momentum on my side.  What makes today different than any other day?

I told my boss I was taking advantage of the opt out package being offered at work.  Leaving a career I've known for 20 years and going to do what I want to do.  In the past I've written about how this job was a mistake. An error.  A miscalculation.  I didn't feel good about taking the job and I don't feel successful in the role.  The wins are few and far between.  After 20 years, it's time to get a new set of worries, concerns, priorities and challenges. Time for a new direction.  My boss told me my performance has been great.  I said that's a shame because I don't feel that way at all.  And I posed the question as to why we see the same performance completely opposite of one another.  There was no answer for that.  I still don't understand the difference in perception and probably never will.  It will be interesting to see how I feel after some time away from the role and the company.  My boss asked me what I was going to do.

I told her my story.  The true and honest story.  I told her I always wanted to be a mechanic and I am nearly 55 years old.  When I was in high school, it was expected that everyone goes to college.  Everyone gets a degree and goes on to a white collar career.  I never wanted to go to college.  I applied to one school... and dammit - they took me.  I spent a long three and a half years in college with nothing to show for it but college debt - that I paid off.  I changed majors too many times and didn't have enough credits in any area of study to earn a degree.  While my body can no longer take the abuse of being a mechanic, I want to take three years to learn the business of auto repair and open my own shop.  And work it for at least 10 years and sell it off or pass it down to one of my kids.  That's the goal and I'm very excited.  

A few days ago I was talking to a lifelong friend, recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, about the situation and he told me of a chapter in his life that lead him to work for the airlines.  He was an engineer at IBM.  When he was 47 years old, he took an opt out package and went to fulfill his dream of working for an airline.  He spent an additional 20 years with the airline and is now retired.  He said it was the best thing he ever did.  He encouraged me to work for the airlines probably 25 years ago and that, in part played a role with me being employed with JetBlue.  Now it's time for me to fulfill one of my goals - owning an auto repair shop.

I learned how to run a business while I was at JetBlue and I'm excited to take what I've learned and apply it to the next chapter in my life.  If anything, my time at JetBlue has prepared me for what's next!

During the talk with my boss, she asked why I am making this choice.  Now is the best time to make a change because if I don't I'll keep doing what I'm doing.  How many years to spend being miserable?  How many years doing the same thing and expecting something to be different?  It won't be different.  It will be another year down the drain.  This is the time!

The choice to leave has been on the table since June 23 when the company announced a change in leadership structure at the airports level.  Up until today, I wasn't sure about my decision.  There has been a lot of discussion with friends and family - to really give thoughtful consideration to the options in front of me.  Today, everything feels settled and locked in.  Definitive.  This is it!  Now I will do my job, prepare my resume and chart a course for the future.  I feel GREAT!

Now as I think about the last 2 years - I learned a lot.  I improved every team I was part of.  I developed my leaders and I am leaving each station improved from what I inherited.  It's been a tough slog.  I'll be happy to put this chapter behind me and look forward to what's next.  

Do you know what makes me happiest about the last two years?  Earning a bonus and blowing part of it on a stereo receiver.  That is what made the last 2 years worth it - being able buy something that gives me so much enjoyment that it makes the slog somehow worthwhile.  

Being back in the hometown also brought me home to be with my mom and care for her while she died - sending her off to fly with the angels in a way that only me, my Dad and my sister could have.

Now it's time to prepare to take off on a new adventure - after this plane lands.  I step off.  Waive to my friends, family and colleagues.  Take a bow and say "thank YOU!"  It's been a hell of a ride.

Transportation

I read the average car loan now extends to 84 months. Seven years. Which also means many people will be upside down on their cars value - meaning they owe more than the value of the car…. You can only fold so much negative equity into a new loan before it becomes too much of a risk. Then that means there will be lots of opportunity for automotive repair.  

I wonder if it will get to the point people have to utilize debt to have their car fixed?

Big mistake

I think the Donald just committed political suicide with the Epstein case. MAGA folk won't stand for a coverup by sweeping it under the carpet and hoping it will go away. Now he looks like a liar. MAGA people are fiercely loyal until they get screwed and they'll turn on a dime against him.

Gordon Ramsey

Never fear a storm. Learn to dance in the rain.

Medical and dental

I've been going to the same dentist for over 20 years. When I call them I tell them this is Spider-Man. I'd like to make an appointment to have my teeth cleaned. Or whatever.

I am the only Spider-Man in the computer. They all know it's me and it's awesome. Even the new people know who Spider-Man is.

That's rad.

Waymo

Waymo's taxis are autonomous self driving cars. They're fucking pieces of shit. Seeing them irritates me. They take jobs from people as a demonstration of computer processing power and ai. They have all these sensors and cameras mounted to them. Every time I see one I give it the finger. Fuck you and the person riding in it.

I wish I had a bat and I could destroy them. Or at least render them inoperable.

Great Scott!

Back to the future came out 40 years ago. I can't believe it's been that long. We saw the movie as a family with mom, dad, me and my sister. At the arbor cinema 4. It was the first movie theatre in the area to offer thx sound. I remember enjoying the movie immensely. And we drove home in our car. It had red cloth or velour seats. I don't remember if it was the minivan or the station wagon.

Good memory of everyone having a good time.

The theatre is long gone. It's now a Cheesecake Factory.

My career in a picture