Yeah Service!

So yesterday I was just chilling at the airport when I get a call from my friend Tyler who lives up in Tooele.  He called to tell me that there was a wedding reception at Thanksgiving Point for his wife's cousin and that she has a cousin down in Provo that needed a ride up and asked if I'd be willing to pick her up and take her.  Since I had no other plans that night I decided that this would be a great opportunity to do some service and just get out and not be bored.  Plus I'd get to see Tyler who I hadn't seen in a while.  So Tyler gives me her number and all and we arrainge that I would pick her up at 8 from her apartment.

8 rolls around and I go to pick her up.  Turns out that I actually knew who she was.  I didn't know her, but she was in the Color Guard and since I was in the band, I had seen her many times. So Kathryn (that's her name) and I drove up to Thanksgiving Point and talked all the way up.  She's actually really really cool, and cute, so this is a double plus.  Get up to the reception and they drive us down to the actual shin dig in golf carts.  It was pretty sweet.  Get there and get to see Tyler, his wife, and baby girl.  Kathryn knows Tyler pretty well too so that was awesome.  We all talked for a while, and then the party ended, but not without the bride and groom walking out in a tunnel of bubbles blown by the attendees. We couldn't leave with half full things of bubbles so we stayed around for another 10 minutes blowing bubbles at each other until we ran out.  Then we went to the parking lot and talked again about childhood memories and stuff. (Tyler and I grew up together). Then we left.  Kathryn and I had a fun time driving home too.  She was super awesome and I was really impressed with her.  I think I will probably call upon her again sometime.

That was my Saturday night.  Amazing what service can do for you.

Ouch

Facebook comment string:

Me to girl:  Hey I saw that you are friends with Ben Truman, from the band Truman.  Do you like them?
Girl:  yeah i love them.
Me:  I just found out that they are playing this Thursday at 8 in Provo.  Want to go?
Girl's sister:  She loves the band Truman, not you...
Me: Understood

Harsh.

You are so dumb. You are really dumb. For real.

Best videos on YouTube.  For real.







Cause i'm backin up, backin up, backin up....

Soarin', Flying'

Back in Utah these days.  It's been fabulous.  Not near as hot as I anticipated.  Makes for wonderful convertible weather.  And coincidentally, I happen to have one.

You know what else cooler weather is good for?  Flying.  Number one reason: my airplane doesn't have air conditioning.  Number two reason: the air is denser so the airplane has a lot more performance.



Ok...so maybe my airplane doesn't perform quite like that.

I'm up to about 24 hours of flight time now. that means I only need about 16 more hours till I can get my license.  And i'm probably going to get about 10 hours of time next week.  I'm getting really close and it's really exciting.  After I get my license, (technically, you don't get a pilot's license.  You get an Airman Certificate.)  I'll be able to take people flying if they want to.  But before you all start flooding me with emails and Facebook posts, the first flight after I take my checkride has already been promised, and it goes to this girl.

(Why is she cleaving to a giraffe?)

After that I whoever wants to go can go.

People ask my why I like flying so much.  It's hard to explain really.  Why do people love sewing?  I'll never figure that one out. I think I love flying because it offers a sense of freedom that can't be had on the ground.  Ever look up and watch the birds soaring through the sky and just imagine how liberating it must be to get out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life on the ground and just be able to fly over it?  That's how I feel.  I can look down on cities and just feel free of all the chaos.



Also, all throughout my life, I've never stood out as being someone special or different (a good type of different.  I've been looked at as the bad kind).  Being a pilot gives me an edge over most other people.  I can do something amazing that not everyone else can do.  Anyone can learn to drive a car.  It's super easy and takes almost no effort to get a driver license (that's an issue i have a problem with, but not up for discussion now).  Learning to fly is not easy.  It is demanding, and some days just down right isn't fun.  But the rewards for sticking to it are incredible.  Being a pilot gives me some bragging rights.  I can do what most people can't.  I am special.

Lastly, it's a matter of faith.  If you've ever listened to the talk by W. Cleon Skousen called The Meaning of the Atonement then you will understand what I mean by all this.  I find it truly a miracle that an airplane can even fly.  Each element in the universe has intelligence and God can command those intelligences and the obey Him.  God has spoken to all the intelligences that make up the elements of the air and has given them an order, and a pattern.  And unless He commands otherwise, they always follow that pattern.  God, in his infinite wisdom, has commanded these elements that such that when struck by an object, they shall flow around the object in as smooth a way as possible.  Without that simple command, flight would not be possible.  A wing would simply strike the air and the molecules would scatter, rendering flight impossible.  So every time I go flying, I like to look out at the wings and witness the power of God as air flows over them.  I believe God inspired the creation of the airplane to facilitate the spreading of the Gospel throughout the world.  Because of the airplane, the prophets and apostles can travel to any place in the world within a day to organize stakes, dedicate temples, and correct matters of doctrine.  In the past this was not possible and the church fell into apostasy as a result.

Truly flying is a manifestation of the hand of God.  I'm grateful that I understand how it works and can see his hand in it.

That's why I love to fly.

The People I Miss

I miss these people.  Fortunately I will be seeing them shortly (with a few exceptions).

In no particular order:

Chantel Ockerman- this girl is my best friend.  She's amazing, and crazy, and a spaziod.  That's why I love her.  Words just can not describe how incredibly awesome she is.  She has helped me through some hard times and helped me to really discover who I am.  I can't thank her enough for everything she's done for me.


Lisa Mackley- Chantel's cousin.  She's just about the same as Chantel.  So much fun to hang out with.

David Phipps- one of the coolest dudes I know.  He and I have a lot in common- pilot, politics, freakin hilarious.  David is just an all around good guy.  I'm a bit sad that he moved back to Virginia.  I guess I can forgive him. haha


Heather Lombard- aka Tinkerbell.  Heather is one of my pilot friends.  Subway runs are our almost daily ritual.  She's a blast to hang out with.  She kept a nice female balance to our guy group at school.  Heather is awesome, even though she's now a red head.


Ryan Sherry- Ryan is the married dude, but is still the man.  He's a pilot too.  Hm...pilots are just awesome.  Intelligent guy and fun to discuss ideas with.  A little bit of a geek, but that's totally awesome.  If we were all the "cool" type, life would be so incredibly boring.  It's guys like Ryan that keep life awesome and fun.


Marlena Rabago- I've known this girl the longest of everyone on here.  We met when we were in high school. She's been a great friend for many years.  I don't get to see her too often due to the fact that she goes to school at SUU, but I try whenever I can to make it down there.  Now that I can fly, I can make it down in a lot less time.  I love this girl and miss her.



Kathryn McLane- Kathryn is fun.  She's part of the hang out group and is an awesome member of it.  Kathryn was a fellow band member at BYU so I've known her ever since she showed up at BYU last year.  Hung out a few times last year, but we became good friends once Chantel got in the mix and we all started hanging out together.  Lazer tag...awesome. haha.


Julia Phipps- Julia is David's sister.  She's super fly. haha.  No, but she's way awesome.  Really fun to talk to. I don't know her too well as I met her very shortly before I left for Alaska.  But she made enough of an impression that I miss her company and can't wait to hang out with her again.




So basically, I'm just excited to get back to Utah and hang out with all my awesome friends again.  Life will be good my friends.  Life will be good.

Jobs

So the summer is quickly coming to an end.  What does that mean?  My job is ending.  I'll be heading back to Provo soon.

I've applied for a few jobs.  The one I really hope I get is with the company that I currently work for.  If I get this job, I'd be driving all over the eastern United States in this:



Or it could be orange with moose or blue with a whale.  The purpose of this job would be to advertise for our company and to work with travel agents in booking people on tours in Alaska.  If I get this job, I would be gone for a long time...like 6 months or so.  I would terribly miss all my Provo friends, but I would really enjoy this job I think.

The other job I've applied for is at Million Air in Provo.  If i get that job I'd be doing stuff like this:



Moving airplanes around



Refueling airplanes.

That job would be a blast!  Doing stuff I love every day.  And...I get to stay in Utah and hang with all my amazing friends.

Which do you think I should do?

Dyson Air Multiplier

I want this.



I want is bad.