Reply to---Longest. Vacation. Ever.

Hi G--, A quick note to say welcome back you "ace > traveler" . G-- this > is the time to be home anyway. Can't blame you a > bit for turning around in > AMS but it was a novel solution. > > This is the time to recenter, pray and start > looking. Though generally > optimistic, I think this time it is different. The > mechanics won't budge much if I > read am reading them correct. So many of our local > friends are mechanics and > they are all getting jobs, retraining selling homes > and generally seem > relieved that they have made those decisions. I > think the years of cumulative > stress brought on first by the Republic event then > the leveraged buyout by the > Beach Boys and their pillage has sent the message > that this time the outcome will > be different. It will take a little while (months) > for the full impact but it > will happen. > > With all airlines full I can't believe that the > fares and fuel surcharges > can't be added. My friend, this could be the > beginning of the end for the > airline as we know it. There is a new plan in place > that includes very few of us. > The plan will unfold over the next 2-3 years. It > will include a new financial > structure with the alliance partners in some form. > Take a guess: Holding > company, ala Air France/KLM, or perhaps foreign > ownership of up to 49% (Read > Open Skies Agreement) and a couple other choices as > well. Both the Donkeys and > the Elephants are supportive. Remember Clinton > forced AA back to work and Bush > has said he won't interfere with this issue. > > G-- I need to bid. Do pray about this issue > though. It is powerful and > after what I heard from a pilot who heard Steenlands > maniacal rant the other day > he needs the prayer and the door. I'm not easily > offended by anything and I > cant remember the last time, but his outburst was > the last straw. It was over > the top, classless and very, very crude. What a > leader. > > Got to go G--. Stay in touch and sorry I missed > you in AMS. Thanks for the > note. > Bon Nuit! Greg, Marilyn and kids > > P.S. Thirty year anniversary just happened. Wow, > did I ever marry up. See, > prayer does work and I would do a repeat. Marilyn > like your notes as well. > -------------------------------------------------- Hello, Greg... I heartily agree about this being the time to be home...I'm sitting here being all sedentary...my biggest project today was filing away a few piles of compact discs that had piled up over the past few weeks. (I have a friend who has iTunes so I just wheel over a pile of discs and he loads them into his program. Hey, it's free for him and it's a great way to share music in vast quantity. As for myself, I have more discs than I could ever listen to...so I consider it a library. That's the curse of liking a bit of everything... Your words of peril struck a chord in me. You ever see THE TWO TOWERS(The Second Installment of Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY)? Samwise does this huge stirring speech about how the dark times may come but they are only temporary and they serve to bind friends, trust, and virtue. I worry about this, but I don't panic. There is another exchange between Danny Aiello's character and Jacob in the metaphysical/psychological thriller JACOB'S LADDER. He says that if you're not ready for death(or, in this case, CHANGE) or want to fight it or NOT accept it,the forces aligned against you may appear to be demons. If you are prepared and are without fear, then they will appear to be angels. It's perception. Hell, I don't WANT things to change...but I will ADAPT if I have to. I have a HOME because I got pushed off the comfort-cliff. I was FORCED into a making into a decision...and some of our BEST decisions go unplanned. You get pushed off a plane, and you start frantically weaving a parachute...or you become paste. Just want you to know, Captain, that your faith does you credit and is your strength. My own beliefs are somewhat more nebulous but I DO believe that there IS a pattern...a PLAN. I imagine it takes a bit of...(dare I say it?)Faith. Thank you for the kind words, sir. And Happy Anniversary... Talk to you soon, my friend... All The Best to you and yours...GaP