Yay for Frost!

Ah, the fun of deicing. I don't know exactly why I get so rapturous over it, but I love to deice airplanes! I did two of them this morning and loved every second of it. I love wearing the harness, climbing into the bucket, lifting it up to wing height and I even love the jerking and swaying that comes every time the truck makes the smallest movement. I like watching the orange glycol melt the frost, using just enough to cover the patches but not enough to drip off the wing. I love driving back behind the plane and being blasted by the APU exhaust--it's a burst of warmth in the middle of a very cold job. I love how wide the A300 wing is, just as much as I love how easy the 757 wing is to deice because it's so narrow. And I love that it is such an unusual job, with a slight element of danger. Why would I ever want to work at a desk!?!

Menly Men

I have a sister who is married to a "sensitive" guy. Think World of Warcraft, geeky, picked on in high school, skinny and prone to depression. Apparently, she was pretty offended when she found out I thought him less than manly. I, and others, have told her it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, she's the one who is married to him so she is the one who should love him. If others aren't attracted to him or don't find him manly, all the more safe and secure for her. She's still mad though and has decided that my definition of manly must be "someone who will beat me."

To set the record straight: manly to me means strong. Strong emotionally so as not to be needy or to require walking around on eggshells. Strong mentally so they can keep up with conversations, games, subtle sarcasm, cultural references, etc. Strong physically cause that's just a turn on. And strong socially so as not to embarrass me or themselves in public. I don't mean they need to be overly social, just able to read others and know what is and is not appropriate to the situation. Overall though, I want a man who is confident. That is the manliest trait of all!

Integrated Airport/English Services

I love my job. I work on an airport ramp, moving cargo. I have a BA in English and graduated Summa cum Laude, and would rather do grunt work on airplanes than actually use my degree. What is wrong with me!?!

Right now I work for Integrated Airline Services as the contract company for UPS. We work 2 big planes and about 11 small planes. Our big planes are A300s and occasionally a 757, and our small ones are Beech 99s and Metro something-or-others. I love every part of the job: marshaling, moving cans, stacking the cargo boxes in the planes, etc. I love working outside, love the physical aspect, and even love the environment of inappropriate comments and bad behavior from my fellow rampers. (At least the cool ones. The dorks I could do without.)

I worked for 5 1/2 years on the America West/US Airways ramp in Colorado Springs, and quit that job in order to go back to school. After getting my BA I moved to Utah, looking for a writing job. A year later, I'm happily back at the airport. (It's so much more appealing than working at a desk all day long.) I kick myself fairly often for quiting Am West! If I could do it again, I would have done more to stay part-time there while going through school. I love having my degree, but I also love the airport. My new challenge is to find a job that will integrate both.

My Randeuptom

In an effort to start a writing habit, I've created a blog in which to dicuss any and all random thoughts that come to mind. Since I tend to get up "on a soap box" about certain topics, I've named the blog after the Rameuptom in the Book of Mormon. It was a place for the Nephites to get up and "pray" while really using it as a forum to preach to each other. Seems fitting for what I'm sure I'll end up doing here. :)