Squishy thoughts

So here is an old blog I wrote the night before my birthday in 2006. I was reading through and the irony of the whole thing in retrospect made me grin. May not be interesting to anyone else, but its a memory that makes my heart warm to look back on.

5 Feb 06

A good day overall.. I got up at the CRACK of dawn for another LOOONG day at the airport. Yesterday the weather was fairly nice (though cold as hell) so for some reason general aviation was CRAWLING in Cheyenne... today was another story all-together. The winds were blowing so badly that a tri-pacer not-very-tied-down on the ramp was on two wheels, trying its best to blow over/take-off before we realized it. Result was yours truly racing out and hanging off the strut to keep it from doing an un-manned ground loop... you just thought only taildraggers did that! Joe and I had fun with that one... Anyway long story short we got NOTHING productive (like con law homework) done today but it was fun regardless. We did get to see some pretty dare-devil landings: picture a C-130 actually having a hard time not smacking the left wing on the runway-- you think its windy where YOU live... try CYS!!! That's how we roll!

Days like this make me realize me grateful to work here. We have such a great time despite all the bunk that goes on at that place. I'm incredibly fortunate to work with such awesome guys. My last job long-term job (the vet hospital) was with no less than thirteen women-- and I can definately account for the fact that men are a helluva lot more productive and easier to work with. We've got a couple dopes but in general it I really do love this FBO. When someone tells me that I get to be paid (however miniscule that compensation may be) for working around airplanes... how could I go wrong. What's so sad is how little interest the management takes in keeping great employees. Most of us work here for the opportunity-- not for the pay.

Anyhoo, so I stayed late to help out a bit with all the stuff being blown around, and eventually took a blustery drive down to Colorado to meet my family for a Superbowl party... Three hours into the Superbowl: Thankfully I didn't have to sit through an entire football game muahahaha! 

I arrived at my Grandad's with only about an hour left in the game and we just had a blast talking-- and him showing off his new furniture, floors and kitchen in his house. He's done sooo much remodeling since we lost Kreeks (my Grandmother RIP). It was a GREAT night overall.. and the best part came when he walked me out to my car.

Grandad confirmed we were doing the birthday thing next Friday and then he said,

"Jessie I don't know if you know this, but I've been meaning to tell you: I took my oath into the Marine Core on February 6, 1941. I had no idea that I'd ever have a grandaugther then, but it turned out to be a special day."

Ok.. This gets me so teared up again.
 

I've been so depressed lately, turning twenty-five and not having accomplished anything worth noting has really been weighing on me. This birthday I was almost hoping that my family would forget and I wouldnt have to do the obligatory embarassed smile as they sang to me-- since I almost feel its been another year of me wasting space. Somehow, Grandad made it better.

Everytime I see him I leave with a smile on my face. My whole life I've known that I shared my birthday with the great late Ronald Reagan and that's always been a bragging note for me, much to the chagrin of any liberal in the vicinity,  but tonight my birth day truly takes on some significant meaning.

Talk about an amazing gift. Knowing that makes me want to make him sooooo proud... as proud as he was to wear that uniform. Someday, I swear he'll get tears in his eyes from something other than tragedy. In the words of my mum, "God! I love that man!!!"

Have a wonderful night!!!! :)