Well time is definitely flying by . . . I can’t believe that it’s already Thanksgiving!!! I have really been enjoying life down here in Florida. I mean I always enjoy life, but this past two weeks have been something else. I have had a fun-filled, very packed past two weeks and I can’t wait to tell you about them. Well, I guess I’ll wait until I tell you about my classes. . . . .
TTH 8:15am-9:30am – Aviation Weather – As I already told you in a previous journal, this class is half lab, half lecture; however, the labs are only worth 20% of your final grade. We take three tests which account for 60% of the grade, and there is a project that is the remaining 20%.
Usually the project is a big long paper about something weather related and most of the time only mildly interesting, which is why I’m glad they decided to change it. Instead, the project consists of making a webpage that is weather related. I like this project for two reasons:
1. I enjoy working on the computer a million times better than writing a paper.
2. It is very practical. I am almost done with the project, and once I put the final touches on it, I will put it online. So now when ever I have a flight, I can just go on the website that I created and gather all the information in one place! And I know that it is all the information I need because I created the website!
TTH 9:45am-11:00am – Business Communications – Well, since we have this huge paper due in a couple of weeks, we haven’t met in class that much. Instead, we just meet in our groups and try to work on the paper. I’ve got to say as much as I dislike writing huge research papers, I have really enjoyed researching my topic (Boeing’s new 747-8). Out of all the things that I research in high school, this is by far the most exciting for me. Just the engines alone I would read about for hours. Technology is getting pretty crazy; just check out the 747-8 engines here http://www.geae.com/education/theatre/genx/
TTH 12:45pm-2:00pm – Intermediate Aeronautics – I am definitely learning a lot in this class, and I think I really lucked out with my professor. I haven’t heard a lot about the other teachers that teach this course, but I am so glad that I got the professor I did. I actually signed up for a class next semester with my professor (Professor Harmon) and I’m looking forward to it.
TTH 2:15pm-3:30pm – Air Traffic Management II – We took test number 4 out of 5 last week and I got a 98. Definitely happy with that, but my stupid friend Aaron had to go and get a 103 just to prove no matter how smart I am, he’s still smarter! Well, good for him. He is majoring in Air Traffic so he should be better than me, because I am only minoring in it.
TTHS 5:30pm-8:30pm – Flight – I am at the point where I have learned almost everything about Instrument flying, but now I need to study and practice everything to get better. It’s cool to see how much aviation has changed in the past 30 years. I have been practicing different approach procedures and some were used 50 years ago and work, but aren’t very accurate. And sometimes I practice with GPS which is amazingly accurate. You go from one extreme to the other, and it really makes you appreciate how much easier it is getting to navigate in a plane. I know I’m glad that I have GPS!!!
Well since I only have classes Tuesday and Thursday, I obviously don’t have class on Thanksgiving, which is good. However, for some reasons my professors decided that we should start our vacation early and take Tuesday off! No arguments here! So now I have a full week off, but loads of homework to do.
Oh well, welcome to college.
Well I have been having a lot of fun this past two weeks. It all started with homecoming and its festivities. There was a lot of stuff going on, so I’ll just touch on the stuff I did.
There was a stunt pilot who graduated from Embry-Riddle years ago and he now is a professional stunt pilot. He came and did a quick show over Daytona’s airport and it was insane. I was actually getting ready to go on a flight with my instructor when the show started. We ended up just staring at the sky for 15 minutes. The stunt pilot shot across the ground and went straight in the air until he stopped, then he started falling back down backwards. Then he twisted out of it just feet off the ground! He was doing some crazy stuff, much crazier than the stuff I get to do!
There is always entertainment during homecoming, and this year we had some country singer whose name I already forgot, and Pablo Francisco who is a comedian. I actually have been a fan of Pablo for a while and that was real cool to be able to see him live. He had an opening act that was pretty funny too. He’s most known for his “movie-guy” voice, and I still laugh every time I hear that joke.
Along with the homecoming activities, I have been doing some other things as well. For example: There is a place about 45 minutes away that has indoor rock climbing, and I went twice this past two weeks. It is a whole lotta fun. You pay around $15 and you can climb until they close. They have over 30 walls with different paths on each wall, so you never get bored. Also, they have bouldering, which is where you don’t get hooked up to a rope, and you just climb stuff that is right off the ground. Overall it is definitely a work out, and a fun one at that!
One thing I was real excited about was the fact that I got to see my favorite band in concert, Slightly Stoopid. I have been listening to Slightly Stoopid for a couple years, and they continue to be my favorite band. They came out with a CD a couple months back, and I actually saw them over the summer down in Boca Raton. They are constantly on tour and they always make a stop in Orlando! I’m already anxiously awaiting their next visit!
So rock climbing, Pablo Francisco, seeing my favorite band live, you would think this week couldn’t get any better. Well guess again.
I got the chance to see my favorite comedian as well, that’s right; I got to see Dane Cook! I went with six other friends to Orlando and we saw Dane Cook in his tour, “Rough Around the Edges.” When I first found out about the show, I bought tickets 10 minutes after they went on presale.
The seats we got were pretty good, but not the best. There is the stage, all the floor seating, then the lower bowl and finally the upper bowl. Well, we were in the second row of the lower bowl. We were a little to the left of center stage, which I was bummed about at first, but then I realized that just to our left, Dane Cook would be running out from behind stage.
When the time finally came, he walked out with SuFis blazin’ and for just a second he turned to his right and looked right at me and my friends. He just stared as we gave the SuFi back and then he ran up on stage. He did all his jokes and there was laughter after everything. It was so cool to see him on stage and in person. After he finished all his jokes he ran off right by us again and I reached out to give him a five, but I was just short. Then, the arena got so loud I thought I was going to go deaf. A couple seconds later he ran back on stage, passing right in front of me and my friends again. He did a couple more jokes and then he thanked the audience and it got even louder. Then he tore his shirt off and threw it into the crowd and started running off stage. I tried one last time to slap his hand as he ran by, but this time I overshot. I leaned too far forward and grabbed his shoulder by accident and he kinda stumbled past me. I was so excited, I mean I know it sounds stupid, but I’m a huge fan of Dane Cook and now I can say, “I touched Dane Cook!!!!!”
Well I think that’ll wrap it up for this journal. I am exhausted after this past two weeks and I am looking forward to relaxing, eating turkey, and seeing family. I hope everyone has a safe holiday and I look forward to sharing my next two weeks with you!
See ya later! -Blake
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