Continued VA Beach Fun

So Saturday night was a blast. John, Beth, and I ended up extremely drunk, stumbling back along the boardwalk after an awesome thunderstorm. When we got up on Sunday (finally) we were all ridiculously hung-over and tired. We ate mini-quiches and baba ganouche (sp?) left over from the party the night before for our breakfast. Once we had properly sated ourselves, we drove to the base. Joe had left a performer's parking pass for us, and John still had his Navy ID, so we drove right up to the flight line and parked by the hangars. Thank God... I couldn't have walked far in the state I was in.



We started out in the Fed Ex tent, scarfing hot dogs and potato salad, then they pulled us down to the Executive Chalet, which is where all of the 'big boys' on base and their families were. I was psyched about that because I thought I would be able to get some good shots from an area so close to show center. Then, a guy organizing the air show came and grabbed us and the other pilot's family so that we could be right on the flight line for Joe's final flight. We were right next to the announcer's platform, right where all the planes taxied by. It was great!



Joe's last flight was a really cool experience. The only disappointment was that during the portion of the show where the announcer switches the mic over to the cockpit, they had some problems, so Joe didn't get to do his last 'shout-out' to the crowds. No worries... we had our shout-outs on Saturday. How much fun is it to have your name called out by a guy sitting in the backseat of an F14 going about 300mph? Super cool.



After the flight, they sat at the end of the runway for a while. I got kinda pissed because they delayed their final taxi and last pass in front of the crowd for some bullshit Hummer giveaway. We had to stand there and wait about 15 minutes while some schmucks tried their keys in a Hummer to see who won it. Who cares? We're waiting for the final F14 demo EVER! GET OUT OF THE WAY!! They finally got to taxi up to us and had their 'wetting down' ceremony where all of the guys in the squadron shower them with champagne as they climb out of the jet. It was great to get to see that. I got some pretty good shots, but a guy I know from an aviation photography website sent me some even better pictures of the final ceremony. The funny thing is, they were taken by his 10 year old son!



As soon as the ceremony was over and we got to talk to Joe, we had to jump in the car and get to the airport as fast as we could so that John wouldn't miss his flight. I had to wait about an hour for mine, but our timing was pretty good. My flight was uneventful, really. I sat next to this girl that was very odd. She just kept pulling snacks out of her bag in between naps... Pringles, Capri Sun, more Pringles, Zebra Cakes, Twizzlers, another Capri Sun, MORE Pringles. What's up, piggo? When I got back to my truck in remote parking, guess what? It wouldn't start. My battery was completely dead. I had to go back to the little bus terminal and call the courtesy patrol. They came out with the magical little black case and jump-started my truck. I made it home just fine, thank you.

See pictures of my weekend here.

Monday morning, I woke up feeling like complete and utter ass, so I called in sick. My roommate needed me to move my car from behind hers in the driveway so she could get to work. The moment of truth. My truck just baaaaaarely started. I was afraid to risk it not starting again, so I pulled it back into the driveway, ran inside to put on some clothes, and drove to Wal-mart. Do you have any idea how much fun it is to sit in the Wal-mart automotive waiting area for a couple of hours while you are breaking a fever? Let me tell you, it's great.



So I laid around most of Monday, feeling like crap. I called in sick to class so I wouldn't have to drive all the way up there and sit for 3 hours. Tuesday, I attempted work. I ended up having to leave around 11:45, because I just couldn't be there anymore. Same story for Tuesday afternoon... more laying around, more sleep. I made it through work on Wednesday, but skipped class again. I still feel junky, but at least I'm not as nasty-feeling as I was.



That's my story. Nothing too exciting, but enough to keep me busy. More later.

Is it really almost October??

Yeah, okay, so I suck. I know it's been entirely too long since I've updated. How pathetic is my life? I'm too busy to waste time blogging, but I'm not busy doing anything interesting enough to actually write about. My only time to blog is at work, and unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I've actually been somewhat busy at work lately.



The diet is still on, but I've been cheating like a m-effer. I do pretty well when I'm at work, but on the weekends it's a challenge. I'm still down about 12 lbs, but it's been bouncing up and down a little. (hehehe... I said bouncing) I cheated my ass off when I was on vacation this past weekend, but that's what vacations are for, right??



Oh... you want to know about my vacation? Okay. Sounds like a plan.



I left DFW Thursday night (over an hour late due to the thunderstorms) and arrived in Norfolk VA where my entire family was waiting on me. We went back to my brother's condo (not bad, not bad) and crashed. My oldest brother(Joe) took my parents to wherever it was that they stayed that night, so I staked my claim in the guest bedroom and made my other brother (John) sleep on the couch. After all, I booked my plane ticket first, so this was MY trip!



Friday morning, Joe and my parents went to the naval base for his practice flights and so my parents could watch the other planes practicing for the air show. John and I jumped on the beach cruisers and rode down the boardwalk in search of lunch. John ordered clam chowder and got something that was... red. Not exactly what you expect from chowder, but he said it wasn't bad. I took some pictures of the surf (which was really high, due to Hurricane Ophelia sitting just off-shore) and got some pictures of John riding his bike. Exciting pictures, I know, but they are for my photography class.



After we got back to the condo and got cleaned up (I think the humidity was 200% up there), we all went back to the naval base to watch the twilight air show. I think the best part of the night show is the big rig with jet engines and the giant wall of fire on one side of the runway! After the show we went to the Officer's Club on base and did some drinking. I met the F-16 pilot, Hack, who presented me with some fake flowers he stole from the ladies' room. Those military men are high class, huh?



Saturday morning we all slept in, then went back out to the naval base for Joe's next to last flight. It was ridiculously hot and humid, but we were in the Fed Ex tent, so we had free food and drinks all day, plus lots of Fed Ex goodies! The show was really fun, and it was great to see Joe fly again. We left just before the Blue Angels finished so that we could get back to Joe's place and get set up for the party he was throwing that night. We got back to find his girlfriend (Beth) working in the kitchen, and we all started dragging things out to the pool area.



Everyone showed up, started drinking and eating, and we had a grand old time. I met some of the guys from Joe's squadron in Japan, almost fell in the pool, learned that I don't really like champagne, and somehow ended up exchanging phone numbers with Disco... like I'm ever going to see him again. John, Beth, and I proceeded to get exceedingly intoxicated, and when the official party was over we went down to a bar on the boardwalk with a couple of the guys from Joe's old squadron. We were only at the bar for one drink before it closed, but in that time one HELLUVA thunderstorm came through! When the place shut down, we all stumbled back to Joe's place and passed out promptly.



Sunday will have to come later, along with links to pictures of the weekend. Right now, I have to go to a meeting for work. Wheeeee.