TYMR Geezer hopes to be worthy of your guidance

[PizzaDad]

4/13/2020 Monday

Lat Pulldown 110x5 145x5x3 92% of 5rm

PizzaDad: I knew a Jimmy Jackson, (1976 AFA classmate) don't think he flew 130's. I flew 130's out of Little Rock (with rotations to Mildenhall UK) from 77 to 82. 50th Tactical Airlift squadron.
Went to Ft Benning quite a bit, parachute training stuff.

When did your friend fly, and where was he based. It is a smallish community. You flew almost exclusively with guys in your squadron. But C-130's first flew in like 1959. The birds I flew were manufactured in the early 60's and early 70's.
It was a fun bird to fly but it actually handled like a Cessna 172, LOL. (except for prop torque). What was great about flying the C-130 was that you almost never went to an "International Airport". All you really needed was a dirt road. So everything was much more interesting. Small towns. Especially cool was flying in Turkey. Almost died there, but even that was a cool story.

Very different world back then.

I texted my sister in law last night to ask a few questions. He was a navigator not pilot. She said she would send me his Bio today or tomorrow.
Its kind of funny, he was a great friend and we even had some business deals together but I only know what he did toward the end of his career. When I met him he had recently made Colonel and retired a few years later. All the stories he told were fascinating but the were always about the people he worked with and the personal interactions and not about the job.

[Cheesepuff]

Any chance of early retirement?

LOL, retirement is always an option.
But the real question is "package"... which I doubt. They need what I do bad, but I'm working way too hard right now.
I could get lucky I guess.
They are struggling to automate my pricing and targeting models. You'd think that would be easy. Turns out, not so much.
There is an $80M business with a 30% margin that relies heavily on my systems / models.
So they are ill disposed to send me off with a package. Also, a "similar individual" more on the BI side has given his 1 yr notice. LOL.
I've never heard of a 1 yr notice before.

Maybe I should do that. LOL. That guy is critical to a business 3x the size, and I'd guess half the margin. I'm probably one of the few people on the planet with the background to take over his stuff.
I'd rather drive a truck, especially long haul. Maybe go back to SEO. Maybe model building, data visualization. Hotel Revenue management for a chain. Of course, greeter at Wal-Mart is not off the table.

Retirement? Not sure I see it for me. Even if it is "forced upon me".... which I doubt happens. Change maybe.

I will die with my boot on!

[Cheesepuff]

I texted my sister in law last night to ask a few questions. He was a navigator not pilot. She said she would send me his Bio today or tomorrow.
Its kind of funny, he was a great friend and we even had some business deals together but I only know what he did toward the end of his career. When I met him he had recently made Colonel and retired a few years later. All the stories he told were fascinating but the were always about the people he worked with and the personal interactions and not about the job.

In my "era", navs were not treated well at all. Which I found pretty offensive. My best friends were Navigators. Within a couple of years they were replaced by electronics, much of which my friend Bob wrote. I had a vision problem requiring surgeries. I worked with a Navigator (Bob) for my last year or so on special PC projects. I later got him a job working with me in electronic distribution. Great guy, class of 1964. Lives in Indiana now. He tried to get me in at Hewitt as I recall. Bob was Smart as hell.

Yet my squadron commanders were often FAR less capable... but they were PILOTS!!! Being in the Air Force and "not being a pilot" was really a futile exercise. After my surgeries, my prospects were not entirely acceptable. So I decided to work for a living. Nothing against the service life and all. A number of good friends died, and one got burned really bad in Iran. The risks were real. The transition to civilian life is harder the longer you wait. So I got out at 28 which was my first chance.

I had read back then that the average life expectancy of a retired military was 1 to 3 years. We're talking about young guys. I got a chance to work closely with some guys getting ready for retirement. You'd have thought they were 73 not 43. That spooked me some. Their lives were "used up". Retirement pay is nice... if you live. The odds appeared otherwise.

I signed up to go to war. The peace time military did not suit me. Politics was the only important thing in peace time. I guess my timing was unfortunate. But I got plenty out of the experience. Many great friends.

[PizzaDad]

In my "era", navs were not treated well at all. Which I found pretty offensive. My best friends were Navigators. Within a couple of years they were replaced by electronics, much of which my friend Bob wrote. I had a vision problem requiring surgeries. I worked with a Navigator (Bob) for my last year or so on special PC projects. I later got him a job working with me in electronic distribution. Great guy, class of 1964. Lives in Indiana now. He tried to get me in at Hewitt as I recall. Bob was Smart as hell.

Yet my squadron commanders were often FAR less capable... but they were PILOTS!!! Being in the Air Force and "not being a pilot" was really a futile exercise. After my surgeries, my prospects were not entirely acceptable. So I decided to work for a living. Nothing against the service life and all. A number of good friends died, and one got burned really bad in Iran. The risks were real. The transition to civilian life is harder the longer you wait. So I got out at 28 which was my first chance.

I had read back then that the average life expectancy of a retired military was 1 to 3 years. We're talking about young guys. I got a chance to work closely with some guys getting ready for retirement. You'd have thought they were 73 not 43. That spooked me some. Their lives were "used up". Retirement pay is nice... if you live. The odds appeared otherwise.

I signed up to go to war. The peace time military did not suit me. Politics was the only important thing in peace time. I guess my timing was unfortunate. But I got plenty out of the experience. Many great friends.

I just sent a reminder to my sister in law. She was a Lt Colonel. My son is enlisted, ATC. He loves it. I was Army. Computer geek. Its worked out well for me as a civilian.

[Cheesepuff]

I just sent a reminder to my sister in law. She was a Lt Colonel. My son is enlisted, ATC. He loves it. I was Army. Computer geek. Its worked out well for me as a civilian.

Getting an A&P cert for your son is probably worth looking into. Great weather at most of the ATC bases.

I got my undergrad & masters paid for by the Air Force. That was great. I also got to fly jets for 6 years. I'm grateful for all of that.

I'd say that you've got to manage your career and life. Or others will do it for you. A good question for your son to keep in mind is "what are the smart people in my position doing". I sort of assumed he's in aircraft maintenance. But I'm sure ATC has all of the specializations.

Look into the potential career paths. I got my AFSC as a Cost Analyst, while waiting for Pilot training. And I got to spend several months in San Antonio. Good luck!

[PizzaDad]

My son is working on his “rating” so he can make level 5 soon. He signed up for 6 years, which I was thrilled about.
By the time his initial enlistment comes up I expect he will be in a good position, no matter which way he decides to go.

[Mr. Bingley]

4/13/2020

PizzaDad: I knew a Jimmy Jackson, (1976 AFA classmate) don't think he flew 130's. I flew 130's out of Little Rock (with rotations to Mildenhall UK) from 77 to 82. 50th Tactical Airlift squadron.
Went to Ft Benning quite a bit, parachute training stuff.

When did your friend fly, and where was he based. It is a smallish community. You flew almost exclusively with guys in your squadron. But C-130's first flew in like 1959. The birds I flew were manufactured in the early 60's and early 70's.
It was a fun bird to fly but it actually handled like a Cessna 172, LOL. (except for prop torque). What was great about flying the C-130 was that you almost never went to an "International Airport". All you really needed was a dirt road. So everything was much more interesting. Small towns. Especially cool was flying in Turkey. Almost died there, but even that was a cool story.

Very different world back then.

My dad flew in the Marine Corps during Korea, ferrying stuff. he'd fly Boxcars and Skyraiders from Guam to iwakuni, etc. Then he joined Eastern in '58 I think and flew a whole bunch of fun stuff there: Super Conis, Electras, 727, L-1011. He ended his carear on 1011s, but I think his favorite was all the years he flew the shuttle on the Electra; he much prefered turboprops to jets

[Cheesepuff]

4/20/2020 Monday (had to look it up)

Press 42x5 92x4,5,5 Was going for 3 sets of 5, somehow got sideways on the last rep of the first set.

Man what a gap. But I did have the chills the other night, and I slept A LOT.
Been going through home made chicken bone broth like it was beer.

So, who knows. Work is a nightmare. Putting in too many hours. I know most people are playing video games. That sounds great!

@PizzaDad: Sounds like your son has this under control. Well done!

@Mr. Bingley: Sadly the Boxcars were all gone by the time I flew. I knew people who flew them. Turbo props had a lot more power. Oddly though the C-123's hung around for a long time. So, when your dad joined Eastern, I was 4 and I had toy Boxcars. I'm sure he had great stories.

I've always heard what a great plane the Electra was, other than one flaw. LOL.

Turboprops are so much better at take off and landing. Our C-130's had 60% of their forward thrust in reverse at 100 kts. Kind of handy when you land in mud. Not so great when you land in a dust storm. Jets gain efficiency as they go faster, so we'd win out of the hole but get taken to the wood shed over any distance.

It was great flying a plane you could put anywhere, and run it on about anything. Ah, the good old days. LOL.

Stay well. Cup of hot bone broth every morning. With every meal if you have symptoms, or if you're paranoid like me.

[PizzaDad]

I hope you are doing well and the bone broth is no longer needed. Beer is so much more satisfying.
I know what you mean about the long hours. I had to buy another monitor and a Herman Miller Chair. My back couldn't take it in a kitchen chair. It seems like I put in more work since Ive been home. But I don't feel like I get as much accomplished.

[Cheesepuff]

4/25/2020 Saturday +5 day gap

Squat 45x5 135x3 205x3x3
Press 42x5 92x4x3 with arc
Dead 135x3 235x3

Music by Crazy Frog
Popcorn
Axel F (radio mix)
Cotton Eyed Joe
Who Let the Frog Out
We Like to Party
Whoomp
Copa Banana


The days remind me of the Enterprise being caught in a causality loop. The same thing keeps happening.

Company asked for volunteers for "reduced hours" and "leave of abstinence".
Terms were generous. I jumped on the reduced hours one, figuring that the volunteer cost savings is an order of magnitude short.
I was probably safe to make the "coming cuts", but stupid things happen, and this pushes me into a bulletproof position.
Now I take a deep breath and prepare for "survivors guilt", which oddly is an old familiar friend.
This ain't my first rodeo.
There are 4 long time veterans working in this space. We've decided that we are the 4 old guys in "Space Cowboys".

CHAIR
I bought a new office chair which is actually a gaming chair, which was on sale. So I have Star Trek logos on it. Great investment.
https://www.samsclub.com/p/arozzi-ve...trctid=7620814
it was $249. I got it in November, but it feels brand new still.

I actually get a lot more done at home. At work, I'm surrounded by accountants... which may explain me listening to Crazy Frog.
But I prefer going to work. So there is that.