Finally

I'm glad I finally have a set course in my life and that I'm finally realizing dreams of mine. It was just four days ago that I was on Le Cordon Bleu's website exploring the various opportunities afforded to me there, then one day later going in for a tour and filling out my application. Having been accepted that day, I paid my application fee then set up an appointment the very next day for filling out my financial aid paperwork. Unbeknown to me, the Veterans Affairs Department was more than willing to fund almost my entire tuition of $40,550.00! I only needed to take out one small student loan in order to be fully funded so in that single financial aid appointment, I was able to complete every step necessary to start when classes start! I'm so excited and can't believe it's happening finally! I've been trying to go to secondary school ever since I graduated from High School in 2003. The military didn't help me much as far as having time goes. Ever since getting discharged, I needed to focus on employment. Having recently become unemployed John and I agreed it was time to focus on careers. I'm excited to start next month and also can't wait to see what the future brings.

Flights

Carter's Flight: IAD-JFK

March 10th, 2009
United Express Flight 7199
Aircraft type: Canadair Regional Jet
New York, Ny Kennedy (JFK) to Washington, DC (IAD)
Departs: 0930
Arrives: 1055
Seat #: 9D (Economy)

Carter's Flight: LAX-JFK

March 9th, 2009
United Flight 82
Aircraft type: Boeing 757 (Premium Service configuration)
Los Angeles, Ca (LAX) to New York, Ny Kennedy(JFK)
Departs: 2215
Arrives: 0628
Seat #: 11D (Business class)

Monday, March 9, 2009

Carter's Flight: DEN-LAX

March 9th, 2009
United Flight 1223
Aircraft type: Boeing 767
Denver, Co (DEN) to Los Angeles, Ca (LAX)
Departs: 1832
Arrives: 2000
Seat #: 3H (First class)

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Carter's Flight: IAD-DEN

March 8th, 2009
United Flight 103
Aircraft type: Boeing 777
Washington, DC Dulles (IAD) to Denver, Co (DEN)
Departs: 1222
Arrives: 1417
Seat #: 1A (First class sleeper)

New job, and SNOW!

So, the new job with United is going GREAT and while the hours are a little unusual (3:30 p.m.- midnight), I'm finding it enjoyable. This is the last day of my first week there. People have no idea or respect for what it takes to work for an airline. The hiring process alone is so excruciating. Sooooo many background checks, and fingerprinting, and tests that have to be taken etc. Every time you move to a new airport, you have to learn the whole station again, and take all the airfield exams. Oh well, it's worth it.

So I never realized just how huge Denver International Airport was until I had to drive the whole airfield the other day for my competency test. It's HUGE! I'm also excited for the new types of planes I'll be predominantly working with. While at US Airways, it was mostly average sized Airbus and Boeing aircraft such as the A319, A320, and B737. Here, I work with the Boeing 757, 767, 777 and 747! All VERY large aircraft! I never realized just how big the 777 was until I was right up next to one last night. The are enormous, especially for a two engine aircraft. It's a fun new learning experience. I'm WAY ahead of the others in my training especially since I have airline experience, and already know all the city codes. The class I'm in is made up mostly of people who will be my subordinates :) That's always fun. I digress.

So I got of work last night right at midnight, got home about 12:25, and then went to bed. I was woken up by one of my roommates around three and he was telling me to move my car to the back, under the tree cause we were then getting our first major snow of the season. My car had been parked for maybe two and a half hours and already had a couple inches on it! By about 7 it had snowed over 4 inches! I love this weather! Anyways, I'm excited to see where this job, and this weather bring me next!

November...

So the last few months have brought so many changes and uprooting to my life, that I think I'm going to kinda play it cool for awhile. Perhaps it's all the changes that facilitated the heart attacks mentioned in my earlier post.

Anyways, so here I am all settled in and cozy in Denver, CO and I'm really liking it here! This is my kinda town. I mean, Greer, AZ (where the cabins are) has always been my favorite place in the world, and now to live in a place that has similar weather and scenery is just heaven! Everyone here is super nice, and I can't wait to see what this winter brings. The only other place I've lived in that might have prepared me for this winter is Germany. I hear even Germany is mild though, compared to Denver's blizzards. I also hear it's kinda hit or miss as far as how cold or bad it just might get. We'll see though.

My new job with United Airlines was awfully difficult to get, and I hope I keep it for awhile, and can eventually get full time. At least I have full time benefits! I'm sure Mom and Dad will appreciate the flight benefits so they can go visit Adam, Jessica, Gage, and the new little one when he comes! I only hope they come visit me too! :)

Heart attacks and such....

So, this past week has seen it's share of difficulties for me. It all started off with one of the few friends I have here in Denver not being able to hang out with me for awhile because he's going out of town. Anyways, I have had so much on my mind lately that I guess, culminating with this last Monday night, it just got to be too much.

I was over in Lakewood, Colorado (about 20 minutes from where I live in the Denver(Stapleton) area) visiting another friend at about 7 p.m. when a very unusual pain started gripping my chest. I've always had some form of heart problems, and I thought this was just more of that. It became very difficult for me to breathe, and then it felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest. I actually had to grip my chest and groaned like I've never had to. It was quite unusual. Anyways, that lasted for about 4 minutes, and my friend became super worried for me, and I said it was nothing. I WAS worried, but thought it was just an intensified pain like I had experienced so many times before. Anyways, about 45 minutes went by and I decided to go home where it happened again! This time for about 5 minutes.

I told my friend, who I was now talking to online, and he wouldn't take no for an answer this time, and called 9-1-1. I never, EVER like a fuss being made about me, so this wasn't entertaining. The ambulance finally got there, and took me to the University of Colorado Hospital. I was attended to by several doctors, none of whose names I can remember unfortunately. I tried describing the pain to the doctors and nurses when guess what...it happened for a third time! This was the longest one, and while ti was happening, I distinctly remember the Dr. saying, "Carter, you're experiencing a heart attack right now etc...". They never ended up needing to use the defibrillator which I was thankful for. After it was all said and done, and they had done as many tests as they felt they needed to, they put me on Bayer heart aspirin, and an ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor called Capoten. I've been moderately ok since, although it does feel like my heart is significantly weaker and I only say that because now when I go up and down the stairs, it just feels like it takes a lot more. I'm really not trying to feel sorry for myself.

I'm glad I was able to receive excellent medical care, and am trying to get on the Access system which will pay for some things retroactively. Hopefully that will work out. I am honestly just thankful to be alive. I've been calling them 'mini' heart attacks, only cause once again, I don't like a fuss being made about me. I honestly don't know how small they were though. They felt pretty big.

I'm thankful to have wonderful parents, and some friends here who care for me. I'll be taking it easy till November 10th when I start my new job at United. :)

Denver

So, blogs are a lot better with pictures, which unfortunately, I don't have right now. My camera is working fine, but no cord to connect it to the puter. Anyways, so I was in Ohio a little over a month, and lost my job due to a work-related accident that really wasn't my fault anyways. Some CuCN, or Copper Cyanide was spilled all over me due to the fact that the place I was working didn't require me to be wearing an apron. Long story short, I had to go to the hospital that night and the next day, they told me I was too much of a liability. Now, I could've fought it by saying it wouldn't have happened had they just required me to wear an apron, but I lacked the motivation.

So here I was , back at square one with no lease, and no job and could literally live anywhere. So I decided since I had a couple good friends in Denver, and that it was closer to home, that I'd go there.

I love it here so far, as the weather is ideal (although a little cold) and I was able to get a job with United Airlines like I wanted to. I live in a nice house with two moderately cool roommates, and start work on November 10th. I'm pretty excited, especially for the fact that I'll be able to fly home for the holidays for free like I really wanted to!

The drive out here to Denver was pretty interesting. I started leaving Bellbrook, Oh at about 10 in the morning on September 30th, and got about 5 minutes away from home when my steering and tires started acting really funny. Long story short, I had to buy two new front tires, costing me $200. About an hour later, when that was done, I hit the road. Not much to tell in between, because I drove all the way through the night while talking to people on the phone, and listening to NPR on the radio. I got to Denver at about 4:00 a.m. the next day which was of course October 1st. I went to visit someone before going to my new home, and ended up getting home at about 5:30 a.m.. I was exhausted, went right to sleep, and woke up in the afternoon in my new home and have loved it ever since.

I'm trying to get a new cable for my camera to my computer so I'll be able to upload pictures once again.

Vegas to Ohio

The drive out here was pretty amazing. It all started on a Wednesday
morning from Las Vegas where I was living with Matty. So, I started
packing that morning and got done around noon. I called Ben (my best friend, and now roommate) and we both
decided it'd be better if I left as soon as possible so I could get
there earlier. Well, I started thinking about it, and decided to leave
that night around seven. I loaded all my stuff, kissed Matt goodbye,
and started driving just after seven p.m. I took I-15 north and got to St. George, UT about two
hours after that and pulled off the highway on my Uncle Phil's exit to say hi and so he could make sure I was ok cause I was already tired. We talked for about 10 minutes, and then I hit the road again.
I went another couple hours north, and turned right onto I-70 towards Denver which, by the way, I was planning to sleep. Well, long story short here, I got to Denver about 9 the next morning Denver time which was 13 hours after I left Vegas! Right as I came over to Rockies, I called my friend Aaron who I was going to be staying with to ask him directions, but he didn't answer then, or the next 9 times I called lol. Anyways, I looked up his address on my phone and the map quested it on my phone, and showed up at his house. I knock, and some random guy answers the door :). I say, is Aaron home, to which he replies...."who are you?" I say, I'm a friend of his, and he's expecting me. He tells me to wait while he goes back and asks, and he comes back and says....I'm sorry but he says he doesn't know what you're talking about. I say.......that's ridiculous and I force my way into the house. I go back to his room, and start jumping on his bed and he wakes up, sees me, and says......"what do you want?" Ha ha, he was kidding of course. The random guy was relieved to discover he did actually know me, and we proceeded to catch up. It wasn't until about noon I actually managed to get some sleep. I then woke up at 3, which of course was three hours later, and drove Aaron to work. I then hit the road just after that for my next stop which was going to be Wichita, KS.
It was supposed to be an 8 hour drive to Wichita, and then, after some rest there, a 13 hour drive to Dayton. I was about 2 hours out of Denver and it was about 6 p.m. at this point when I decided to not stop in Kansas at all and drive the entire way through to Dayton! I was fine driving until about 2 a.m. when I started to get REALLY tired. I tried calling a couple people to keep me occupied but no one answered. I didn't have my ipod, and no cd player in the car so I was stuck with radio the whole way! Anyways, I ended up just rolling down the window, and counted the miles I had to go until St. Louis. I knew if I could make it there, I'd make it the rest of the 6 hours no problem. I got to about two hours outside of St. Louis, and I just had to pull over. I went to a motel to see if they had hourly rates, or just cheap in general, but to no avail. I stretched my legs, took a deep breath, and got back in the car.
By now, it was about 5 a.m. Friday morning and after stretching my legs, I knew I'd make it to St. Louis no problem. Ended up rolling in there about 7:30 and called my friend Shanita from my old job in Phoenix who lived there to see if we could meet up. Unfortunately, she couldn't, so I just kept on driving, and crossed into Illinois. I took a wrong turn as soon as I got into the state, and went about 30 miles north on I-55 when I should have kept east on I-70. Anyways, I realized my mistake, turned around, and before long was back on the right track. It didn't take long to pass through Illinois and Indiana and before I knew it...I was in Ohio! Finally, after 20 hours of straight driving from Denver, I made it to Bellbrook , OH! Home finally! I'll add some pictures later as I can.