Where Have All the Bloggers Gone?

After a prolonged period of silence, all of you out there are going to hear some more . . . silence. Summer is here and I am working full-time in the warm summer sun. Make that a scorching summer inferno. Imagine a giant barbecue grill that has weeds growing in it and then imagine your boss telling you to go inside it and clean it out while it is going full-blast. That's work in the California sunshine! At least I'm getting a tan that anyone would be highly envious of.

Well I'm not blogging for any particular reason - just expressing my tired thoughts. And warning you that more silence is on its way. I just can hardly be bothered to blog after a full 9-hour workday. (There's also a mess waiting to be processed in my bedroom.) Stay tuned, but don't lose any sleep checking to see if I've posted. If you want some current reading check out the blog of someone I know very well at myrandomramblinz.blogspot.com.

The Roasting Dutchman

Thoughts to Stir the Mind (28)

Well this is really it. My last post as a student of W.A. After I'm done typing this up, I'll be free to do my other homework so that I can graduate. But as I have been assigned to do, I will talk about the deep concept of beginnings and endings.

As humans we have a built-in way of looking at things that involves a beginning and an ending. Every story must start, and the good ones always have an ending. School starts at 7:25 and ends at 12:30. Airplanes take off, and then they land. This earth also has a beginning and an end. It is wrapped up in the Great Controversy which is soon to end.

But if you want to get your mind wrapped up in knots, think about existing with no end. My picture of heaven starts with the last-day events which culminate in Jesus' 2nd Coming. Then the Millennium and the 3rd coming in which the New Jerusalem is brought to Earth. Then sin and sinners are finally destroyed and the Great Controversy close. Then in my mind's eye, as I see the whole universe rejoicing, the curtain falls and my conception of any existence beyond that point fades. My skewed human perspective makes it look like an old person dying happily, completely satisfied with life.

But no! That is the beginning of the endless ages of eternity. We will exist forever. There will be no more end to anything. It is impossible to comprehend. Letters on a screen cannot communicate the vastness of that idea. But it is a reality.

There will be many endings in this life. High school is almost over. We bid friends goodbye, often for good. Life ends for close loved ones. But there is hope. We can look ahead to the end of all endings. And an eternal beginning beyond.

The Time Has Come (27)

My senior year of high school is drawing to a close. Less than two weeks are left before my classmates and I march down the aisle. I have to say this year has been one of the strangest. Up until now, there were always older classes to look up to, to hang out with, and to bawl over when they left. But that was over this year. Now we are the ones on the way out.

This school year has been one full of change. It was tough, and those of us who were here the longest had it the worst. But perhaps the most memorable events of my life happened this year. We had the best men's chorus ever and we even went on tour. I was baptized. I went on my first international mission trip. And I became a pilot.

God is good. He has brought me through four years of high school, and He has been careful to mix joys into the trials. Everything has worked out in the end. The finish line is in sight. Academy is almost over. Soon I will step out into the real world. Weimar University.

Salt Point 09 (25)

This past weekend the Academy made its annual pilgrimage to the coast for its spring campout. It was my 5th time to go to Salt Point, and my 3rd time going with the Academy. And it must have been the windiest campout I've been on so far. Most people brought too few clothes, as usual, and half the time was spent huddling around the campfire. But overall, the experience was enjoyable.

As a new adult, I got to enjoy a privilege of being 18: a motorcycle ride along the California coastline. Boyd missed the bus and had to come on his red sport bike. I was pretty happy about that, because for our outings, he took me on the back of his motorcycle. It was exhilerating when we came to a rise in the road and found ourselves on the top of an immense cliff with no guardrail and nothing but the vast ocean filling our vision. That's Highway 1 for you!

That my last campout with the Academy as a high school student. Who knows, maybe they'll beg me to come along with them again next year, but as far as being a student camper, this is the end of the line. Graduation is less than 3 weeks away, and then those little assignment numbers will be disappearing from my post titles for good!

"This is your captain speaking..." (26)

Prompt 26 came just in time to let me tell you about the latest milestone in my life. As some of you know, I started flight training in January. And my checkride, the pilot's equivalent of a driving test, was scheduled for May 4 - yesterday. As we were heading into late California spring, the weather was sunshiny and clear until an unexpected storm blew in last week. The weather service predicted a chain of storms would blow across Northern California over the weekend and into the week. Each day the forecast worsened for checkride day. It looked like I would need to cancel.

May 4 dawned, gray and overcast. My instructor had insisted that I wait to reschedule until the actual day of the test. The day before I had carefully did my homework for the checkride and I tried to get enough rest. When I got up, the nearest aviation forecast for the area I would be testing in was calling for low ceilings and rain. But the current conditions were good.

My instructor said I might have a chance. The examiner said it was my call. (Thanks a lot.) I decided to give it a try. Rushing to the airport 45 minutes late, I was in the plane heading to Chico within the hour. I arrived, met the examiner and began the examination. The man was a very quiet fellow who looked like he could have been a WWII bomber pilot. He wasn't the kind of man to be easily impressed, but I had the impression that he was trying to teach me some valuable lessons.

The ground portion was completed by noon and the weather continued to hold. We went out to the plane. A brief preflight, with some rain to hurry things up, and we were off for the flight. I had never flown in such strong winds before! I performed the maneuvers and tasks he asked me to do, making a few mistakes. The airplane started to go into a spin when I did a power-on stall, and while I recovered, I didn't do it correctly. But I definitely learned a good lesson.

We were on the ground again after just an hour and fifteen minutes. I taxied back to the hangar and shut down the plane. The examiner asked to look at some piece of paper. I cringed inside as I listened to his silence and remembered how I messed up one of the maneuvers. He finished whatever he was doing, and without ceremony he turned to me and said quietly, "Well, I'd like to congratulate you. You passed."

After years of dreaming for years of this moment, I had finally made it. I had really become a pilot! Now I am truly The Flying Dutchman.

Looking Back (23)

I'm sure most of us are glad to be living in the 21st century. All the modern conveniences that we have make other periods of history seem unappealing. We don't have to talk to each other in "thee's" and "methinks". We also have running water and flushing toilets. But some pretty exciting things happened in the past and sometimes I wish I could have been around to see the events of history take place.

Probably my favorite aspect of history is exploration. The thought of sailing forth to the unknown and discovering things no person had ever seen before - or at least no one in your country - sends shivers down my spine. Perhaps the greatest voyage of exploration in the history of mankind was the flight of Apollo 11 to the moon. If I could witness any event in history, I would probably liked to see the moon landing first-hand. Actually, I would have liked to be one of the astronauts themselves!

On my 17th birthday I went to the Imax to see a 3D film I'd been wanting to see for months. It's called Magnificent Desolation and it is produced by Tom Hanks, the main actor of Apollo 13 who happens to be obsessed with spaceflight. I knew it was going to be good, but I wasn't expecting the experience that came when the theater lights dimmed and I lowered my 3D glasses. For the next 45 minutes I was right there on the moon with the astronauts. Amazing computer generated imagery combined with shots of actors moving around in spacesuits made it look extremely real. It was truly the best film/documentary I had ever seen. So in one respect, I did really experience the moon landings. And I'm planning on going back to see the movie again.

Removing the Trigger (22)

Have you ever pondered on the question of gun-control? Does the 2nd Amendment really allow every American to tote a shotgun? What would it be like if your friend kept a revolver in her refrigerator?

My opinion is that guns really have no place in normal society. It appears that the context of the 2nd Amendment deals with Militia. The provision for a Militia guarantees Americans the protection of a military, and this military is allowed to bear arms. The amendment really doesn't address whether ordinary civilians would be allowed or forbidden to have firearms.

Naturally, one must consider what the Framers of the Constitution were thinking when they wrote the document. I'm sure they weren't thinking of restricting gun usage from anyone - after all hunting was a sport as well as a necessity in their time. And I'm sure they wouldn't want to forbid themselves from going out to shoot partridges of boars. But that opens up another can of wormy questions like Should we be flexible in our interpretation of the Constitution to allow for changes in society and time? We're not going to go there.

Guns shouldn't be allowed in the hands of civilians. They don't need guns. Nobody needs to go out and shoot lunch anymore. And those of you who insist on being armed to the teeth whenever they go to the store, just learn some moves if you are that paranoid.

In a perfect world, if guns were not available to anybody, the criminals wouldn't be able to get a hold of them either. But unfortunately there would be other countries that the bad guys could get their guns from. Complete gun control is not possible, but it should be attempted as much as possible. Then there would be less incidents like school shootings.

How does green taste? (21)

The other day I saw a funny advertisement produced by the TV station it was airing on. A nervous employee was in his boss's office getting instructions. "Go out and fire 50 people. I don't care who they are, just fire them," he says. The employee is about to walk out of the office, when he turns around and faces his superior. "Actually," the worker replies, "you're fired!" The next scene shows the worker kicking back in his new office - at his former boss's desk. The commercial ends with the words, "Fight the recession. We are."

I'm not completely sure that the suggested advice of the commercial was practical, but it was inspiring and funny. With the U.S. in recession, people are having to dig up and dust off one of the attributes that used to define Americans: thriftiness. People are finding that a good way to fight the recession is to live more economically. One couple close to retirement lost nearly 60% of their 401k account, and now they've stopped eating out and buying expensive nonessential items. That makes sense. And one family cooks beans for supper every evening during the summer. And some people (including my family) are returning to the Crock-Pot. Interesting that all these cases have something to do with food. Eating cheaper often means eating healthier and this puts money in the bank of health. Simply put, a good way to fight the recession is to invest in a little more green!

Stop Blinding Me! (20)

I have been asked to highlight a news article of my own choice for this post. So naturally I headed over to the BBC's news website and browsed around for interesting articles. I found one that dealt with the problem of laser beams distracting pilots. In England, people are playing pranks by pointing laser beams at passing aircraft at night. If the plane is flying low, the laser can actually damage the pilot's eyes; if the plane is higher, it continues to be a dangerous distraction. The article described what police are doing to combat this threat to aircraft safety. Police helicopters have a new technology that is capable of tracking the laser beam to its source and locating the offender on the ground. An arrest follows suit, and now the bored teens who think they are playing a joke (these people are called hooligans) can face severe penalties. It just goes to show you that it's very important to be considerate of others and their safety.

We're Back (19)

I'm back! Last Friday we arrived back from Tuxtla, Mexico. The mission trip was spectacular, and a highlight for me was the choir performance at the end of the evangelistic campaign. I had the privilege of directing the choir and it was really fun. But now I want to learn how to really direct. The coolest part of the program came when the marimbas accompanied us for Vivaldi's Gloria. The sound was amazing and I don't think many choirs have ever sung Gloria with the marimbas.

I was a main speaker for one of the five evangelistic series, and it was my first time preaching. I don't relish public speaking, but at least the butterflies I used to get have flown away. The nervousness now has just transformed itself into a silent dread. But God got me through the series. There were no immediate results from the series, but I know I was just doing what God had asked me to do. As Jesus said in John 4:37, "For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.'"

Congratulations! You just won...(18)

This isn't some bogus telephone message. It came directly from the English department of Weimar Academy: An all-expense-paid trip to anywhere in the world! Well, sort of. I only get to write about the trip, not actually experience it. Here is my idea of a dream trip.

Rent a six-seater airplane (remember, money isn't an issue this time) and take the Senior class with me on an exciting air trip. We'd fly down to Central America via Southern California, Mexico, and make the final destination someplace like Nicaragua. Along the way we'd visit tons of people that we'd met on our tour or mission trip. Swimming would be an absolute must - just no sand in the plane please! For part of the flight, I would route us along the coast. A leg of the trip would be over the mountains for some wonderful views of the rain forests of Central America.

The trip would be last all summer long and we'd be pretty sick of each other by the end, but nonetheless it would be a pretty cool vacation. So if you want to make the dream a reality, you can send your tax-deductible donation to . . . just kidding. This is just a "flight of fancy" but that doesn't mean I won't take my Senior friends flying. Checkride time is coming pretty quickly, and then the Flying Dutchman will be in business!

Morality on Trial (17)

An online article by Time magazine discusses the current issue of gay-marriage in California. Prop 8 was supposed to outlaw gay marriages, but the public vote didn't solve anything. An appeal to overturn Prop 8 is in the California Supreme Court, and the debate is not going to end after the ruling is issued. The idea has been around for a while that the word marriage be taken out of the picture and replaced with the term "civil union", thus taking religion out of the picture, and allowing straight or gay couples to be legal.

I believe it's a silly idea. So what if marriage is fundamentally religious? A male-female union also happens to be the only relationship of its kind in nature. The primary purpose of marriage is to continue the human race. Put two roosters on an uninhabited island and wait a few years. What will you get? A new colony of chickens? No. Just two dead roosters.

Gay couples who complain about not receiving government benefits have no grounds for their argument. They are incapable of multiplying, so why should they get government goodies reserved for parents? And no, gay couples should not be allowed to adopt and raise children. The family is being destroyed by today's culture. Allowing "civil unions" will be the next step down. Society is not the same as it was a century ago. The questions that are being raised now would never have surfaced then.

If the state allowing civil unions instead of issuing marriage licenses, people will supposedly get equal treatment, but some may be upset that they are not really "married". A change of wording isn't going to really change the true nature of the situation, however. As Seventh-day Adventists, we know that the end is near. We should fight for morality, but eventually there will be nothing more we can do to restrain the evil impulses of mankind.

T-Minus 8 days and counting (16)

I've been asked to write about my expectations for this year's mission trip to Chiapas, Mexico. One thing is certain - we're going to be sweating. A quick check of current weather and the 10-day forecast shows mid-90's. Another expectation that I expect to be met in traditional W.A. style is chronic sleep deprivation. I don't think I've ever gone on a trip with the Academy and slept more than 7 hours a night. This leads me to my next expectation - somebody, maybe me, is going to get sick because of lack of sleep.

Anyway, that's enough pessimism. I also know that the trip is going to be a blast, with excellent group bonding, good trust-building experiences, and filled with unforgettable memories. As a speaker, I'm a bit aprehensive about preaching a series in church, but I know God will help me. I also know that I need to do my part and prepare my sermons. (You too Jonathan, Jose, Anna, and Carsten.)

It hasn't hit me yet that we're actually leaving for Mexico next week. And this time, Mom isn't coming! (That exlamation mark expresses amazement, not utter elation.) Ms. Jenkins is going to be catering to my every culinary whim and I'm looking forward to eating well. I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us on this mission trip. Something always happens on W.A. trips. So with that said, let me move on to my other posts so I can get my assignments out of the way and work on sermons.

"First, fly the plane..." (15)

When a student pilot passes his checkride, the examiner usually presents the new license with the words, "Remember, this is a license to learn." A pilot never stops learning, and for neophytes like myself who have little experience, advice from seasoned pilots is invaluable. Probably the most useful advice for any pilot is, "First, fly the plane." This may seem redundant, but it can actually be a lifesaver. Distractions creep in, and when the pilot isn't flying the plane, nobody is.

I was on my second solo flight to Lincoln airport. I had just taken off at Auburn and I was climbing up to 3500 feet. The sun was shining through the windshield and making it very warm in the cabin, so I reached up to adjust the air vent. Twisting the part that directs the air flow, I was startled when the whole tube popped out onto my lap. Miffed, I began fiddling with the part, trying to put it back in its slot. It wouldn't go in. I continued to struggle with the part when I realized I was getting distracted. My plane was in a climb, I was supposed to be looking out for traffic, and there was a checklist I needed to complete.

Leaving the piece of plastic on my lap, I finished climbing to cruise, did my checklist, made sure the area was clear of other planes, and then turned my attention back to the air vent. With a little effort, I managed to slip it back in.

This little dilemma was by no means a life-threatening situation. But when pilots get distracted with small problems, events tend to escalate and produce big trouble. Learning simple lessons like this produces safe pilots. Advice should be simple and easy to remember - then you will know when and how to use it.

Don't Tell Me! (14)

My good friend Carsten is a very conscientious eater - on his own accord he chooses to avoid cheese, eggs, and even chocolate. But when it comes to something he has already put in his mouth and is enjoying, new facts about the food are not welcome. On some occasions he might be chowing down on a bag of chips when I'll come along and read the ten paragraphs of ingredients on the back.

"Do you know what's in here?!" I'll exclaim.
"Wait, don't tell until I'd done eating it," is his hasty reply.

Ignorance is bliss in many cases. Who really wants to know they just swallowed the spider that was in the bottom of their glass? If you leave out some of the "less-important" information, your friends will remain friendly longer. But there's a flip side.

Most people would rather not know what drugs, nicotine, alcohol, or even caffeine do to their bodies. Similarly, many of us young Adventists wish we didn't know that following the world is wrong. Whenever we have another seminar on music or relationships at the academy, I can sense the kids starting to squirm in their seats. But ignorance in these areas produces anything but bliss. Hosea 4:6 puts it into perspective: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. . ."

OCD - Obama Compulsive Disorder (13)

Last post, I praised the wonderful attributes of the United States. However, some of the most ridiculous things in the world are found, in the words of Reader's Digest, "Only in America". Let me show you part of the writing prompt:

Presidential memorabilia dates back to the days of President George Washington, but Pres. George gots nothing on Barack. He has four times as many products as any other president in U.S. history. The scope of products run the gamut from, “Hot 4 Barack” hot sauce to “iKiss Barack” lip balm. Die hard Obama fans can even buy 43 inch “Obama’s White House Swords” or worse yet Chia Obama’s will be avalible for purchase later this year. The chia pets will be sold in two poses: determined and happy.

How absurd can you get?! Marketing managers jump on anything that the public gets interested in. In outlandish schemes, companies try to exploit people's obsession with celebrities in order to make as much money as possible. I think this craze over Mr. Obama is totally unnecessary. In fact if I were him, I would make it illegal to market presidents.

This frivolity speaks for human society as a whole. Many people either worship public figures to an extreme, or try to make money off those who do. These silly products don't do much good for the President's image either. They certainly don't help him out in his job. Do you consider patriotism to be eating your President in the form of a waffle? Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject.

From an Immigrant (12)

As an immigrant to the United States, I've been asked if I like it here by various people. (Now I'm being asked by my English teacher, which is why I'm writing this blog.) I have to say that up until recently, I looked down on Americans as being stuckup and shallow. I maintained that I was British and Dutch and that I would never apply for U.S. citizenship.

But I have realized two things: Anywhere you go there will be stuckup and shallow people. The other thing is that I'm already practically an American. Although I don't have the citizenship yet, this country has been my home for 10+ years. I now have an American accent and I have absolutely no idea where all those something-ham and elsewhere-shire towns are in England.

America is called the "melting pot of society," a place where people from all over the world have come and created a unique culture. I have to say that this country was kind to my family when we needed to start a new life. It is truly a land of opportunity - in the urbanized flatlands of the Netherlands, I would have had no skiing, mountain-climbing, or hiking. America also is one of the best places to become a pilot, which is my lifelong dream. Yes, America still rewards those who try their best, and I am truly grateful to live in this country.

Forced to Fight (11)

The draft. A word that strikes fear and inspires 18 year-olds to change their vacation destination from Key West to Canada. Thankfully the U.S. does not draft people into military service unless the country is involved in a serious war. However, there are countries that require one to two years of service from each of their male citizens. Being in the army isn't optional for some folks.

Americans pride themselves on having the most powerful military in the world, made up by elite soldiers. One of the reasons this is so is because the military doesn't force you to join up. Those who really want to fight can go and fight, while those of us who are better at taking care of lawns and working for UPS can stay at home. It's human nature to perform poorly at something you aren't interested in doing. America is a free place because people choose to protect that freedom. It would be a sad day for liberty should the U.S. ever introduce mandatory service.

When will the fun ever end?! (10)

I sacrificed any hopes of vacation by joining the Senior Class Young Men's Chorus and signing up for mission trip. Last home leave was dedicated to a special tour to southern California with the quintet, mission trip is occupying my entire spring break, and the last home leave of the school year was recently canceled. At least the first two are for a worthy cause. Let me recount my experiences from home leave last weekend.

The Big Three rode down with Mr. and Mrs. R to Redlands, where we met up with Chris and our host, Corey. (Danny managed to see as little of us as possible by staying at home) We sang our way through the weekend, hopping between LLBN, churches, markets, and malls. The food was good, the schedule not too hectic, the weather hospitable, and the socializing and male bonding excellent. Every night was a late night, but the trip was positively memorable. We made it back safely, narrowly avoiding two successive collisions while trying to find Jose's "animal fries".

Now it's over, but the fun doesn't end. I still have to watch the DVD of us singing at the Romanian church and we'll be looking for our program airing on LLBN. Canada is now calling the quintet, mission trip is just around the corner - whew! Such are the latest escapades of the Flying Dutchman.

Once Upon a Time . . . (9)

In retrospect, I wouldn’t say it was my best idea. But as they say, It's the thought that counts. When I lived in the mission field, visiting SDA dignitaries would frequent our home, as my dad was the field president. Usually they would stay for a meal, much to my five-year-old delight. One particular morning, a visitor showed to chat with my parents. As it was just before breakfast-time, I decided I would help out by making breakfast for this visitor. Slipping into the kitchen, I proceeded to pour bowls of corn flakes - my favorite food - in preparation for the meal. It turned out that the person didn't stay, and after bidding the visitor goodbye, my family discovered my doings. Sitting on the table were bowls full of nice soggy corn flakes. I had also added the milk. It made a good laugh, and, although I don't remember the event personally, it made a good story as well. And that’s how I attempted to make this world a better place.

Note to Teacher: This is a true story.

Freedom (8)

Freedom is the breath of life. -The Flying Dutchman

In commemoration of February 1st being "National Freedom Day" here are my musings on freedom. Having read accounts of the Holocaust, the era of slavery, and the Dark Ages, I have glimpsed some of the horror that results from freedom being destroyed. Freedom is what keeps both beast and man alive. Most creatures, when deprived of liberty will eventually die. On a spiritual level, freedom is what sustains life as well. Sin, when allowed to continue its fatal course, puts man in bondage and results in death. Only by true freedom in Jesus is eternal life possible.

For Lack of a Better Title (7)

Some annoying individual on Facebook who has started a tagging craze, getting people to post 25 random things about themselves and then tag 25 more people to do the same. And now I'm assigned to do likewise (except for tagging 25 people). Well, it's not that bad - who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to talk about himself?! So here's some real randomness:

1. I like carob
2. I listen to classical music
3. Documentaries fascinate me
4. Onions make me cry
5. I soloed in an airplane 3 weeks ago
6. I drive people crazy by always talking about planes
7. I've been snow-camping
8. Antarctica has an icy grip on my imagination
9. If I don't get 8 hours of sleep consistently I get sick
10. I need to pack up my Lego collection
11. I love reading and writing satire
12. I've started and stopped piano lessons probably ten times
13. I am one of the Founding Fathers of the WMC (Weimar Men's Chorus)
14. My wisdom teeth are still somewhere in my mouth
15. I need a haircut
16. I have two citizenships and I've never lived in either of my home countries
17. My friends and I plan to climb Mt. Whitney this summer
18. I've lived at Weimar for 10 years.
19. I've never eaten chocolate (hence carob is my favorite)
20. Fried eggs smell horrible
21. I own no pets
22. I can whistle and hum two-part harmony
23. School bores me, but sitting around at home bores me even worse
24. I'm getting hungry right now
25. I hope to write a book one day (a real book, not randomness like this)

There we go. That was weird. Now you know some trivia about the Flying Dutchman.

Driving: Way Over the Hill (6)

If you were to describe the U.S. in one word, I'm sure many words would pop into your head. How about "cars"? A huge percentage of Americans own and drive cars. In this country it doesn't take a lot to get behind the wheel. It's even easier to stay there, as long as you don't get too many speeding tickets. Retesting requirements aren't common and elderly folks who got their licenses back in the Roaring Thirties can be seen zipping around. Now the question arises, Should elderly drivers be required to reapply for their licenses?

My sister and I were catching a ride to a concert with an elderly couple, and neither of us will forget the experience. Jerky driving, flying along the freeway, arguments over which way to turn, last-minute swerves to take an exit - I was relieved to find out that this couple recently decided to carpool to visit relatives in San Jose. I do believe there should be a system that effectively screens out incompetent drivers.

Consider aviation, where any ordinary Private Pilot has to take a flight review every two years, regardless of age. This weeds out dangerous pilots. A study seemed to suggest that as the result of a mandatory vision test for drivers over 80 in Florida, accidents in the older driver population have decreased significantly. However there could be several reasons for these results. You can check the article out here. From personal experience, I know there are some elderly drivers who should be banned from the road. So enough with excuses about "age discrimination." It's better for ego to be injured than for bodies to be in the hospital.

A Few Thank-You's (5)

Time for thank you cards. Oh joy. I’ve reached the age when I must do things for myself; no more putting my signature on the cards my mom wrote on my behalf. Since January happens to be national Thank You month, Ms Chi has asked the seniors to list seven people they should write thank you cards to. I have about twenty names I could pull up because of their contribution to my mission account (Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me!). But I’ll some people who have been helpful in ways other than money:

• Mrs. Santana, who is very patient with her only student even though I’m sometimes bored and drowsy
• My mom, for putting up with me for 17 years.
• Maria, for giving me free transportation to flying lessons
• Mrs. Morgan, for getting me going on writing and, strangely enough, making videos
• Mr. Greenfield, for fixing the crazy Academy schedule
• Mr. Im, for giving us a test with half of the answers on it already
• Dr. Wilson, for his constant generosity to my family (ask me about it sometime)

Time to transplant the Bush . . . (4)

On the steps of the Capitol, the two leaders shook hands before the former President walked onto the whining helicopter and America was left with its new President. During his eight-year administration, Bush led the country through terrorist attacks, two wars, and devastating natural disasters. He ended his stay in the Oval Office with very low approval ratings and many are glad to see him go. What is the legacy that he left? I believe he always tried to take the actions he knew were best for the country. His military campaign in Iraq did help at least some people (if you're not convinced, read the book A Table in the Presence).

Now it's over and Obama takes center-stage. It was truly a historic moment as Obama took the oath of office, becoming the first African-American President of the U.S. He now has the difficult task of leading a country that's at war and is going downhill economically. What will he succeed in accomplishing? Hopefully he'll be able to leave Iraq in good hands when the U.S. military finishes its 60-month pullout. Some legislation I would like him pass is a law that would prevent the FAA from imposing a user fee on general aviation. Even if free air traffic control services is socialistic, everyone in the pilot community (including myself) would be quite upset if we had to pay to use our wings.

Finally I would like to see Obama make good on his promises. He has succeded in bringing minority groups to the forefront and he has many amibitious plans. It will be interesting to see how Obama will play into current events, as he now has the ability to make them. I wish him well, and I hope for his sake that he will do what is right.

You Could Say That Again (3)

Ever notice how you tend to hear the same words over and over again when something big is going on? Here are some words that popped up a lot during 2008, either in national news or in local happenings:

Big Three, the: The three largest car industries in the U.S. Characterized by executives who choose to top off their corporate jets rather than put cash in their employees' pockets. This term appeared in the media a lot when Congress was deciding who should get the bailout monies.

Credit crunch: A crisis in which the ability is to borrow vast amounts of non-existent wealth is hindered. Brought on by people who think that owning plastic exempts them from paying for their goods. This cliche was a favorite term for reporters to describe the economic crisis that has come to define 2008.

Lawmakers: A bunch of guys who earn their keep by rescuing unfortunate industries, getting into heated arguments over who gets to dish out the bailout pie, and taking the longest possible time to get a task done. These people seemed to have been at the center of attention as of late, and you don't hear about the economic crisis without hearing what Congress is trying to do about it.

Merger: The joining of two companies. Often used to describe the absorption of a less powerful business by a more powerful one. Examples: Northwest Airlines and Delta Airlines merging, to come under the new name of . . . Delta. Also, Weimar and Amazing Facts (although officially they are "married", not merged). Weimartians heard a lot about this last spring when negotiations between the two ministries were underway.

Meet Microsoft Mom 1.0 (2)

The management is getting grand illusions again - or rather it's trying to create them. An article by Time magazine online highlighted the newest hair-brained scheme coming from the Pentagon: Design a computerized hologram that can take the place of parents who have been deployed. When a parent has to go off to war, he/she is often placed beyond the reach of email and telephones, thus preventing any contact with their kids. Some younger children are confused when a parent leaves and doesn't come home.

The brass at the Pentagon hope to improve soldier morale by improving emotional stability for families left at home. The plan is to make an artificial stay-at-home mom or dad that can say "goodnight," "I love you," and be capable to carry on a simple conversation with the child. To develop this technology, the military is looking at handing out up to $300,000 contracts to private companies with promising ideas.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, would be the key to creating the "illusion of a natural (but simple) interaction." Specially videos of the parent would be recorded before the he or she is deployed and be used to make the virtual version of the parent. Then lonely family members could "boot up" the computer and hold limited conversations with their electronic parent.

What will be next? A hugging machine?! We are living in the Information Age, with computers performing more and more tasks everyday. People are spending more time emailing, chatting, and texting than actually talking to others. This is the next step. I believe this illusion of family togetherness is exactly what it is - an illusion. Children growing up with technology like this will ultimately be unable to handle reality.

I don't think there is any real cure for upset families separated from their deployed loved ones. Better options might be real-life prerecorded video messages, support groups for the parents left behind, and perhaps better communications technology to link the soldiers with home. The article really puts the situation into perspective with its closing words: "It's obvious that the real breakthrough will come when the military can deploy parental holograms and let Mom and Dad stay at home."

What Was Great about O-eight (1)

I'm back again with a new semester of English class and those annoying numbers next to my post titles. It's good to be pounding the keyboard again, and letting my thoughts flow out onto the screen in front of me.

2009 has arrived, and with it, a host of New Year's "resolutions". Most of these vows end in failure after a few weeks, or some never get put into action. Instead of listing some ambitious plans for the year to come, I have been assigned to come up with 10 accomplishments from 2008. Sounds good, since often the best achievements aren't the result of some brave January 1st decision. So here are some of the success I experienced last year:

1. Became a Senior at W.A.
2. Learned to ride a horse (thanks Corey)
3. Got approval from Uncle Sam to start flying lessons (no relation as of yet)
4. Got in my 240 hours of work in the summertime so I could go to W.A. this school year
5. Finished my correspondence American History course before the deadline
   
6. Was published in Insight Magazine
7. Read Great Controversy
   
8. Learned how to land a plane (now I'm learning how to fly one!)
9. Overnighted on 9103 ft Castle Peak
10. Passed Ms Jenkins' Government/Economics class (whew!)

I didn't set out on January 1 2008 to do all these things ; they just happened as the opportunities arose. So here's my little piece of wisdom: Be thankful for past successes, don't plan your future failures, and take advantage of the opportunities that you already have.