I am trying to decide which I like better. Any thoughts? They are the same, except the first one is "warmed up." Seriously, I really need to learn how to use photoshop....ahhh...one day!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A co-pirate
This came from Micah today:
This story is for Porter. He thinks I am out fighting pirates. The Air Force has standardized the way pilots transfer the controls when flying an aircraft. There should be a three way conversation that goes something like this:
Pilot wants the co-pilot to fly and says, "Copilot has the controls" Copilot takes the controls and says, "Copilot has the controls." The pilot then visually confirms that the copilot has the controls and says, "Copilot has the controls."
This is the same process that we are teaching to our Afghan pilots. Only we have thrown a translator into the mix. The translators that we have aren't too bad. However, sometimes the translators have a funny way of pronouncing things. I admit that sometimes I do my part to contribute to the language barrier.
I have started saying pirate instead of pilot. It sounds close enought that no one notices except the other american in the back.
So that is a co-pirate over in the right seat. I particularly like this pirate's bandolier cartridge holder. I guess he plans on loading his semi-auto pistol like a single shot. The Afghans have a way of simplifying technology like that.
This story is for Porter. He thinks I am out fighting pirates. The Air Force has standardized the way pilots transfer the controls when flying an aircraft. There should be a three way conversation that goes something like this:
Pilot wants the co-pilot to fly and says, "Copilot has the controls" Copilot takes the controls and says, "Copilot has the controls." The pilot then visually confirms that the copilot has the controls and says, "Copilot has the controls."
This is the same process that we are teaching to our Afghan pilots. Only we have thrown a translator into the mix. The translators that we have aren't too bad. However, sometimes the translators have a funny way of pronouncing things. I admit that sometimes I do my part to contribute to the language barrier.
I have started saying pirate instead of pilot. It sounds close enought that no one notices except the other american in the back.
So that is a co-pirate over in the right seat. I particularly like this pirate's bandolier cartridge holder. I guess he plans on loading his semi-auto pistol like a single shot. The Afghans have a way of simplifying technology like that.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Cold Case
Have you ever watched that television show called Cold Case? It is a crime drama and the storylines involve unsolved cases. I have seen it a few times. It is kind of fun to watch because the story is always told during the era of the crime, then it flash forwards to modern day. The actors can be teenagers and then *flash* they are adults. And the show usually incorporates music current to the time of the storyline.
As many of you know I am currently living back in the town that I grew up in while Micah is deployed for a year. Talk about BIZARRE!! This is probably the most I have been here since moving away after high school and it has been 2 years since I last visited. I feel like I am in an ongoing episode of cold case. I run into people that looks SO familiar and yet I don't know who they are, or I do know who they are but they look OLD! Which means that I must look old too!!
One day I heard my dad talking to a man and when I walked into the room and saw who it was *flash* I was at a stake dance and R.E.M. was playing. I registered the boys for baseball and ran into a man there. I had to ask who he was because he looked so familiar. He was a grade older than I and married to one of my H.S. friends. *flash* back in high school...STRANGE!! Just yesterday I ran into a woman in Costco. We saw each other and at the same time said, "Hi! Who are you?" Then we laughed. We had gone to girls camp with each other as young women.
I went with my mom to get my haircut, and the woman cutting our hair worked with me during a summer job....and she told me that she had a picture of me. I said, really? And she said, "yah it was with the copy machine...we were messing around.' okay....don't remember that!
Anyway, it is a strange strange experience! But I have to chuckle because it is JUST like that show. Crazeee!
As many of you know I am currently living back in the town that I grew up in while Micah is deployed for a year. Talk about BIZARRE!! This is probably the most I have been here since moving away after high school and it has been 2 years since I last visited. I feel like I am in an ongoing episode of cold case. I run into people that looks SO familiar and yet I don't know who they are, or I do know who they are but they look OLD! Which means that I must look old too!!
One day I heard my dad talking to a man and when I walked into the room and saw who it was *flash* I was at a stake dance and R.E.M. was playing. I registered the boys for baseball and ran into a man there. I had to ask who he was because he looked so familiar. He was a grade older than I and married to one of my H.S. friends. *flash* back in high school...STRANGE!! Just yesterday I ran into a woman in Costco. We saw each other and at the same time said, "Hi! Who are you?" Then we laughed. We had gone to girls camp with each other as young women.
I went with my mom to get my haircut, and the woman cutting our hair worked with me during a summer job....and she told me that she had a picture of me. I said, really? And she said, "yah it was with the copy machine...we were messing around.' okay....don't remember that!
Anyway, it is a strange strange experience! But I have to chuckle because it is JUST like that show. Crazeee!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Dust Storm
Here is another Micah adventure. I was going to wait a day or two to post it but Porter's response to the pictures was too hilarious. That kid just cracks me up sometimes. There are two photos of Micah outside. One is during a dust storm and the other on a clear day.
Why is this funny? Let me refer you to a post/conversation that we had last fall. I can't figure out how cut and paste and the kids are going beserko, so go read this. Then come back.
Okay...ready now? So, Porter looks at this last photo of Micah and with a bit of disappointment says, "Well where are all the pirates?"
.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Afghan lessons
An update! Micah has deployed to Afghanistan for a year. In the meantime we are living in Idaho near my parents and doing some work on a house. The house isn't quiet ready yet so we are staying in a friends basement. We expect Micah home in about 11 months and 2 weeks or so. He does have a mid-tour when he will come home for 2 weeks time. While he is away I will be posting our adventures as well as some of his.
Micah sent me an email the other day. Thought I would share it:
"Ok, so these pictures stink, but there is a good story behind them. I took the first picture of the Mi-17 we were flying with in formation with. I then decided that it would be a good opportunity to get a picture of me flying so I tightened up the formation to about 3 rotor diameters and told my Afghan flight engineer (FE) sitting in the middle seat to take a picture of me in the left seat. The idea being to get a shot of my face with the other Mi-17 and the mountains in the background. I then gave the controls to the Afghan pilot sitting in the right seat so that I could look back while the FE took some pictures. The Afghan pilot had flown very well earlier in the sortie but as soon as the FE started yelling at him to make flight adjustments ( I think that is what he was saying anyway) the other pilot started getting really jerky on the controls. Then the Afghan pilot started yelling back at the FE and this went back and forth for about two minutes. Again, I can only assume what these guys were saying and in their defense most Afghan do raise their voice in normal conversation. Anyway, the lone picture the FE took during this two minute ordeal was when I was looking back over at the other aircraft to make sure that we were still in formation and not about to run into something. After I took the controls back the two guys continued their 'conversation' and a couple minutes later they started laughing when I started shaking my head and laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation."
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