Life moves on too quickly….
Dave is in the brown jacket. I am not sure who the guy holding the life doughnut is, but he sure looks young. Photo from Dave Weddington.
Hey Y’all,
Another busy week here writing away like someone who should get paid like a rock star, but unfortunately none of it is for profit. It is for others but it all serves the greater good. I finally finished the next veteran interview for my local newspaper. It should be printed this Friday but as my editor always says, she controls the printing date not me. When it becomes public, I will give you a link. This week’s victim is Dave Weddington. Dave was a Flight Engineer in my former guard unit, he also lives around the corner from me so it was easy to get him to sit down. He served thirty years and his article is about twice as long as the previous article about Bert Clendenin. Dave’s article was tough to write because I am so close to the story, most of them I knew and some I lived with him. Also, it is tough to summarize a long career in just a few words. I know you will enjoy it when it is published.
My first trip to Alaska. Dave is next to me in the blue shirt. This was taken in 1998. Photo from Dave Weddington.
I am tempted to write about Malaysia 17 that was shot down last week over in the Ukraine. However, our good friend Karlene Pettit did a fantastic article about the event and after reading it, I am sorry to say that there is very little I could add. So head over to her place if this is something that interests you. http://karlenepetitt.blogspot.com/2014/07/mh17-shot-down.html
A couple weeks ago our good friend Abby Jones asked if I would write something about why I blog for a series she is doing over at her site. I said yes before I read what some of the other writers had to say. Suddenly, I had that vary familiar feeling inadequacy, but it was too late to back out. It should be published on Tuesday. I want to thank her for the opportunity to speak to her audience. Sometime I the future I am going to open up the home station to her. I hesitate because once y’all see how a real writer can craft a sentence then there will be a mass exodus. I might follow you all out the door too. Ha ha. Here is her site. http://gentleandquiet.com/
Since I don’t have much to say this week, I will leave you with this short video clip. I don’t normally link you over to YouTube because there is so much garbage and most of it takes too much time to watch. But this is different, I got this from Steve W. who is a retired Captain from my airline. When he was flying, he had too much time on his hands. He would send me all kinds of things, all the time, at all hours of the day and night. But now that he is retired, I guess he has too much going on because I rarely get anything from him anymore. He was a great Captain and one of the few guys that I totally trusted to help flatten out the hump in the Roanoke Va. Runway.
These dudes are super crazy. Watch the video to see the last seconds of life. Photo from yahoo.
If you are squeamish, don’t watch the last three seconds of the clip. If your real squeamish, let your kids watch it first and they will tell you when it is okay to look. This is the body of the e-mail that Steve sent to me and sets up the clip perfectly.
Another Wingsuit Flyer Meets His Maker – YouTub
It’s crazy what these daredevils will try!
Until next time, keep on rockin.
robakers 
Rob, Thank you so much for the great mention! I’m really looking forward to your article and Dave’s story is going to be great because I suspect you will be in it. And you are right about one thing… you write like a rock star, and you should have the pay, but the rewards are many in other ways. And you don’t have to go on tour. Oh…wait….
Thanks for the video, too. A great way to wake up to the very busy day today. School starts! Ahhhh. lol
Karlene,
Thank you for the comments. I love what you had to say about MH 17. It was so perfectly stated and I thought my side of the internet would like it. The article about Dave will have no connection to me except that I reshaped his words. My intent would be that a random reader of the article would never know that I served several years with Dave. But Dave is a good friend and a great neighbor.
The write like a rock star sentence was a total accident. Last night I only had about an hour to get a post out so sitting in the crew lounge on the cargo side of EWR, I banged it out. I wanted to say “partying away like a rock star.” You know the up all night, sleep all day thing. Oh well, it is all good.
I usually don’t watch videos that are sent in e-mails. Just a personal thing because I hate to waste ten minutes to get to the point and most of the time I don’t even think it has a point. But this one was short so I watched and yes I laughed too. Never saw that coming.
But… writing like a rock star is much safer when you’re at work. Especially when prostitutes and Heroine is involved. Oh wait… that was an other airline. lol Nothing surprises me… but the ending on that video… a classic! Thank you so much for the nice comments. So much appreciated!
Sorry to disappoint you by at my company we don’t get prostitutes or heroine. I think that is only at JetBlue.
Lol… yes, I know…. JB. It’s enough to make you go nuts! I know I should not joke about mental health, but seriously, we’ll have to wait to find what’s next for them.
You’re ridiculous. 🙂 You always craft a wonderful story which I always happily read! 🙂 And this is another good one. I’m also enjoying all your other articles out in the rest of the world. 🙂 And that video was so funny!
Abby,
You are so wonderful with your encouraging comments. Thank you for letting me take control of your site for the day. I am about to head over and see the reaction. I’m nervous. Maybe I should watch that video again. Ha ha.
Haha! You’re fine.