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January 09, 2004
TGIF
Thank the Lord, that's the first week of the year out of the way. The next six weeks look pretty busy, but this one has been tough for all sorts of reasons. Let's just say that I haven't managed to open my e-mail for the last two days, and, as there is a divert in place which copies everything from my office to here, I had a pretty full mailbox!
First of all, thanks to all those of you who have visited me this week - your comments are appreciated, I hope that you don't mind my sometimes quirky humour in response. Its just my way of staying sane.
Certainly joining the Blogdoms of God has increased my hit rate - and suddenly promoted me to the status of Flappy Bird - I'd only just got used to having four paws and stopped slithering - on the TTLB Blogosphere, but it has also brought me into contact with a number of new and interesting blogs. One of these is the Rev Mike, a Presbyterian Minister in the US. Hi Mike, thanks for the explanation of the evolution on the TTLB Ecosystem - Creation Theory versus Evolution? If the former, we had better start being nice to the Bear in charge of the TTLB!
Blogging was out of the question yesterday. I had every good intention, but somehow my lunch hour vanished in a stream of problems all requiring my urgent attention and an emergency solution. Then I got home, made a quick supper and was heading for the PC when the doorbell rang. My son (normally resident in London!) had arrived for an unannounced visit. A nice surprise and a great chance to catch up. He has just landed a job as a First Officer with a company that hires out helicopters and also does charters. He still has to convert to a JAA Licence - but they liked his attitude, his determination and his initiative enough to take him on and offer to sort it out as he goes.
Sometimes your kids make you really proud of them, and this guy has earned gold stars in my book. He took himself off to the States and in three months and at his own expense, put himself through a Commercial Helicoter Pilots course. When he got back to the UK and applied for it to be recognised the CAA here told him they'd changed the rules seven days earlier and he would have to redo the exams and undergo conversion flying time with an "approved" school. As he had taken the trouble to go to them and ask about the recognition of qualifications before committing himself to the expense, you may be forgiven for thinking they would have told him the rules were about to change. But, no, this is the civil service we are dealing with here - only the answer to a specific question is given. You didn't ask about rule changes!
It is perhaps fortunate the smug moron who dropped that one was not within reach. As it is he got an offer to have his parents introduced to each other sometime.
I take my hat off to my son, he simply went out and started hunting for anything connected with flying helicopters that would enable him to get the flying time and the opportunity to sit the exams. And now he has succeeded. I look forward to having the opportunity to fly with him. He starts with Biggin Hill Helicopters in February. Anyone wanting to hire a helicopter - they're the people!
Today I have spent at a Military College lecturing on the practicalities and pitfalls of conducting a fire or explosion investigation. A nice class with mixed interests and an interesting day all round. As this is too students studying for an MSc, somee of them interested in a career path leading to Forensic Investigations, the questions and discussion were lively and fun. There is, of course, always a Joker in a pack like this and there was a fairly senior officer in mufti lurking amongst them - but he provided some interesting leads to be developed in the lecture and we got some good sparks going between us.
But it also reminds me that I have to contact my eldest daughter's (she's gone to University as a mature student and is doing a BSc in Physics!) Professor and see what he needs from a lecturer in investigation techniques and debris interpretation. Mind you, that last bits easy, the lecture can be summed up in one sentence. "I say, you've had a fire!"
Rambling swiftly on, I paid a visit to Bear Left on Unnamed Road and ended up with tears in my eyes, at Ron's decription of how he came to go hang-gliding. Read it yoursleves at "Flying on a wing and a prayer". Definitely a tip of the old titfer' in Ron's direction. I love gliding - can't afford it at present - but have usually done it in much larger sailplanes than the oversized kites they call hang-gliders!
Another of my favourite blogs "Practical Penumbra" has an hilarious story about a visit to the zoo. The bind definitely moggles at this one!
Now, I have a sermon to prepare. OK, so I'm goofing off and putting it off as long as I can, but I think I'm now pushing the boundaries of sleep time, so I had better get to it. But I can't go without another smile - see Cybnical Cyn for her "Cyn-icism" of the day.
Posted by The Gray Monk at January 9, 2004 10:46 PM