Yesterday it snowed a few inches, which was enough to cover the grass and allow me to try cross-country skiing for the first time!  I think I was down in the snow more than I was on the skis, but I had a great time!  My aunt bought the skis last year but we didn’t get a chance to use them because it never snowed again.  When I saw the snow start to fall, my sister and I both hoped it would be enough to let us try out the skis. The only thing I wish I could have changed was how cold it was—in the low 20s with crazy winds.  We couldn’t be outside for long because even with two pairs of gloves my fingers would start to freeze!  I can’t wait to try it again!

By the time I write my next journal entry, I will have taken the long awaited GMAT.  I’m scheduled to take it on January 6th and from what some of my friends have told me that it’s going to take about four hours .  I’ll be glad to have it done and over with!  I have to put the finishing touches on my essay for the graduate application and then I’ll just have to submit it and wait to hear back.

Over break, I’ve started working on a scrapbook for myself that begins when I was a freshman three years ago.  I’ve enjoyed looking back at the pictures and seeing how much things have changed (the new College of Business building) and how some of them have stayed the same (the Wright Flyer is still outside the Library).  I’m hoping to be caught up to the present by the time I go back to school.  I have two weeks left of my break, so I think it can be done!

Sometime this week or next week, I’m going to go shopping online for the textbooks that I’ll need next semester.  Then, I’ll have them shipped to Florida and they will be there in time for classes.  The weather forecast is saying that there is more snow to come later in the week…Yippee, another chance to hone my cross-country skiing skills!

Until next time,

Kaleigh

It’s a time for family, friends, and loved ones to get together and celebrate. It’s also a time of reflection and goal setting, as we move forward into the year 2010. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday.

During my first week of winter break, I did a lot of traveling. On the day following the official close date of the fall semester, I flew back to Philadelphia, where I was home for a mere day. Then I flew to Tucson, Arizona via a stop in Atlanta, which proved to be somewhat pointless, as it only added to the total trip time. In Tucson, I spent time with family, including my new niece.

After a few days in Arizona, I flew back to Philadelphia. In the past few months, I’ve flown on a total of 14 flights; more than I’ve ever flown in an entire year. Although my passion for the airline industry is endless, traveling is a hassle. Yet, after a full night’s rest (12 hours), I’m good to go.

After settling back at home, I’ve begun to work more vigorously on winter-break goals. I promised myself I’d study for the FAA private pilot’s written exam, and I’ve done so; though, not as much as I’d like.

Writing wise, I have picked up the pace. I have spent more time keeping up with the latest in aviation news, and I have added more blog posts to my blog at aviation-buzz.com, and my blog (entitled “JetCheck”) hosted by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (PI).

With New Year’s around the corner, it’s time for goal setting and reflection. It’s difficult to stick to a new year’s resolution, but unexpected events throughout the year come-up, and we adapt. Yet I encourage you to set a few short-term and long-term goals for the future; sticking to your goal can take you extraordinary places.

Wishing you a happy new year,

Jonathan

It’s official, I’m now an FAA Certified Private Pilot! I took my checkride on December 16th with FAA Designated Examiner Bob Raskey. The weather was Marginal VFR and not preferred, but I was driven and well-motivated to finally finish up the course. I made it my goal to finish Private Pilot before I came back home for winter break. After staying on campus for an extra week, while everyone else was already home, you can see why I was so eager.

Prior to my actual flight test, I took a practice checkride and soloed two times to practice maneuvers and to reassure that I was confident and prepared enough to take the test. The practice checkride was with another instructor and consisted of an oral exam and a flight test. Both of which are what make up an actual checkride.

The university provides housing to students during the days that classes are not in session but the flight line is still open. This time period is called “overflight,” and costs just 25 dollars per day.

Classes finished on December 3rd and all of my grades are finalized and available on the ERNIE portal. I feel I did very well for my first semester away from home and in a new setting all on my own.

As soon as it was all over, I booked a flight and headed home back to NY. I’m glad to be home for the Holidays, but I think the warm weather may have spoiled me.

Over and Out.

“Jack Frost nipping at your toes…” I’m back home in Illinois for Christmas break and boy has it been cold here! The temperature has dropped into the negatives if you factor in the wind chill. I’ve been wearing lots of layers—quite a shock to go from warm Florida to below freezing! However, I love being home and am enjoying my time immensely.

My cousins and I went to a museum that was all about Abraham Lincoln last weekend. I learned a lot about Lincoln and found out that as a President the public didn’t like him very much; however, that all changed the minute he died. The museum was pretty elaborate and told the history of Lincoln from the time he was a boy till the time that he died. They had two movies that were interactive and captivated the audience’s attention. Being with my cousins was a lot of fun and I’m glad I was able to be home in time to go see them.

My church had a talent show/concert and my sister sang two songs. A couple of days before the concert my sister suggested that we sing a song together. I’ve never sang in public before but she convinced me that we sounded really good together. Needless to say, I sang “Go Tell It on the Mountain” with her and had a good time.

Well, my finals went well and I think it was a successful semester. My favorite part is the moment when I’ve finished my last final and I can take a deep breath realizing that I’ve made it through another semester. Next semester, I’ll be graduating and I don’t think that it has really sunk in for me, yet. I’m only taking two undergraduate classes next semester and two masters classes. One nice thing about my upcoming schedule is that I have made it so I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Four day weekends are going to be nice—except, I have PT on Mondays and Fridays at 7am. Oh well!

Time to stop thinking about school stuff and think about Christmas! I think today I’m going to put some Christmas lights up outside, since we are having a heat wave with the temperature in the 40s!

Until next time,

Kaleigh

The semester is officially over, and I’m no longer in Daytona Beach. Almost everyone is home, and it’s onto Winter Break. There is so much to do, and not do, during break. I plan on getting my private pilot’s written exam done, and catching up on my reading. Yet, I want to write about my experiences during the last two weeks.

Like any Flock member or Embry-Riddle sports enthusiast, I attended ERAU’s men’s basketball game versus Flagler. I had a blast! The team played great, and we beat Flagler 105-81. It’s a big game, as both Embry-Riddle and Flagler are long-time rivals, due to their close proximity in distance. At high school, there wasn’t much spirit, but here it’s very different – which is just what I like.

Finals finals finals! They sound hard, but if you study hard and work hard, they’re not as hard as they seem. During the past two weeks, a majority of my time was spent reviewing notes, handouts, and problem-sets, and it paid off. It was difficult to find motivation during finals week, but I constantly reminded myself of my future plans – it’s one way to encourage yourself to pickup a textbook.

Once finals ended, it was time to move out. I cleaned, threw away five hefty boxes of trash, and mopped the floors. Along with my roommate, we completed our dorm-room “checkout.”

While I’m glad to be back home with family and friends, I’m going to miss all the new friends I’ve made this past semester. One of them, Alan Larsen, another blogger here, is determined to get his private pilot’s license, and spent some extra time at Embry-Riddle getting it.

The next time I post, I’ll cover some of my winter-break activities. Additionally, I hope everyone has a happy holiday.

Season’s best,

Jonathan