Mute Cow

My 100 Word Story for this week is a true account from my time in the US Navy. (The challenge episode should be up this weekend but the text and audio is at the end of this post.) I used to work on F-14 Tomcats, yes the same one that Tom Cruise had in Top Gun. Whenever I try and describe what flight deck operations are like to people I know they never really ‘get’ it. It is one of those things that you have to experience in order to truly understand how dangerous and exhilarating it is. It was also one of the most rewarding jobs I think I will have ever had.

Years ago I was sure I would never get to see another Tomcat up close. Boy was I wrong. Just so happens that the museum I volunteer at, Prairie Aviation Museum, received a F-14. It was a huge deal, we are a small museum and here we have the only Tomcat in Illinois, it’s a big deal. So once again I get to take care of a Tomcat again. It was a true joy to see her fly in and rather heartbreaking to hear the engine shut down for the last time. 

The pictures below are from the Day At The Airport event. I was up in the control tower the day before when the F/A-18 came in, got some really nice pictures from that. 

The weather is turning and Tracy is going in for some surgery next week so it looks like this will be the last weekend we will both be on the Harley. It is getting rather cold in the morning now. Looks like Fall has fell.

Gearing up for next month, it’s Nanowirmo time much character creation and plotting going on here. My muse will not leave me alone about this 50 year epic thing that I though about earlier this month, even had a dream about it last night. So I guess I will be spitting out some of that next month.

Make sure you head on over and see the awesome birthday giveaway that Holly Lisle is doing! It’s free and you could even win something.

Airplane

Yellow wands taxi the aircraft into place. A grateful Tomcat kneels in gratitude and prepares for flight once again. Maintenance personal scurry around the aircraft in a well choreographed dance that completes the final check. Raw power illuminates the night as fire erupts from the exhaust. Vibration rattles to your bones as full power is reached. Personal signal everything is go. Salutes are given. The catapult speeds down the deck with the aircraft in tow and the Tomcat becomes airborne once again. Jet blast deflectors are lowered. The dancers await their next partner as she taxis up to the catapult.

Airplane 100 Word Story

And now a two pictures of a F/A-18 as seen from the aircraft control tower and a less then exciting AirTran flight. 

  

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Sounds that have been used in this recording came from Soundsnap.  The arrival of the space turtle is Justin’s famous intro. Background music by Joram, the song is ‘You Can Eat Them’ which was fitting for the story. More from this artist and more can be found at Magnatune.

Management is always sending us overseas to keep a eye on sales. It’s ridiculous. Sales are always great. Need something to spice up your pad? Then you shop our stores like everyone else. I’m starting to hate these trips. I want hazard duty pay. Last month Fred was stepped on by some giant lizard. Two others got it by a giant moth. Then there was ………… what was that. IKEA! Hey that’s trademarked! Crap, marketing is going to hate this. Wonder what you would call a giant space turtle anyhow? Ouch, Justin just got stepped on. That’s gonna leave a mark.

Click to download audio version of story

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Time to relax finally. Well not really but at least I don’t have anymore meetings for the A Day At The Airport event. Need to get some pictures up on that and the museums website about the event though. Just taking a break since that took quite a bit out of me. Tons of meetings, drama and other crap.

Trying to work on the layout for the prequel of the short story I wrote recently. It did get accepted into the upcoming book ‘Zombie Anthology’ that is being released by Library f the Living Dead Press. If you like the zombies check out the LOTLD podcast, great stuff. 

Next month I need to start doing a layout for another story I want to work on. Doing nanonwiro this year. Need to get some notes, characters, and plot lines a little figured out before I try and write 50,000 words in a month.

Looks like I might actually win this weeks 100 Word Stories weekly challenge. Check out the podcast if you haven’t heard it yet. Each week there is a new topic chosen by the previous weeks winner. I forgot what I sent in with my submission, guess we will find out if I win. The theme for the last one was Fuzzy Dice and here’s my submission. Get the audio though, it sounds better that way.

Over here you will see a relic that was recently recovered during the dig. Although we are not sure what the exact purpose of this device was. It is my belief that it was a communications device. You can see each side of the cube has a series of dots on it, ranging from one to six dots. The artifact was suspended in between the occupants seats from a reflection device. Clearly it had something to do with video conferencing. However, some of my colleges seem to think this was merely an item of decoration, hence the fuzziness. What rubbish.

fuzzydice

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Well it’s almost over. 2 more days until the ADAA event. The F/A-18 and C-130 will be flying in Friday. I’m going up in the control tower at the airport for the arrival of the F/A-18.

More after the event, just got back from another meeting, updated a website, and now it is bedtime.

Going to see about using the word carambola in conversation tomorrow.

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After almost three years my iPod mini finally died. Last week I almost went in and bought a new one and boy am glad I didn’t. Even made it up to the register but Best Buy said iPods didn’t fit under the coupon they sent me so I walked out. A few days ago the new iPods came out and I like them a bit more then the last weeks nanos. So I am now the proud owner of a nice orange one, just a bit of a change from the mini I had.

Damage to the car ended up being $2500, having insurance is a good thing.

The short story is coming along great, hoping to have it all wrapped up next week.

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Well that is what happened on Friday. Was coming back from picking the little girl up and rear ended someone during rush hour. It was the domino effect really. One of the cars in the front slammed on his brakes and it followed through the line. I glanced over at a car I thought was going to run the light and hit me for a half a second and when I turned around I saw brake lights. Slammed on the brakes but still hit the guy in front of me. Thankfully no one was hurt and the airbag did not deploy. The little girl was just scared about the whole thing though. Radiator fluid and transmission fluid drained from the car so it got towed. Driving a rental until the car is fixed. Not all that bad though, it could have been worse.

Managed to get a 100 word story in this week. Check out http://podcasting.isfullofcrap.com/ to here it when the weekly episodes are posted.

Have been working on my short apocalyptic zombish story this past week. Is really ruff at the moment but if any critics out there want to take a look and give comments I’d love to hear it. Submitting it to be published by “Library of the Livnig Dead Press” in a collection of stories in the “Zombie Anthology” book.

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Well the family has gone and it sure has been a busy week since then. Just noticed I hadn’t update this thing for a week. Always was horrible at blogs but I’m working on it. The little one spent the night and was in the bedroom at 6:30 to wake me up. Currently watching My Friends Tigger & Pooh

Things for today; heading to the farmers market to pick up some supplies, modifying my white bbq sauce, museums fundraiser dinner and getting an old ejection seat out of on of the museums hangar for use in a flight simulator kiosk I’m building this winter.

No 100 Word Story this week. Did put in almost 11 words into the short story I am writing though.

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Well today was the youngest first day at school. Big sister is in town so she got to go to the big event as well. East coast kids won’t start until after Labor Day. Anyhow, she walked into her class and promptly forgot about us. She has been rather excited about it.

Parents come back from my aunts later today. Spending the night here and then flying out tomorrow unless that hurricane decides to sit on top of Orlando.

The A Day At The Airport stuff is really working out good. Getting all sorts of planes scheduled to come in for that. Not bad for the second year of a really limited budget. Even though I enjoy it I will be glad when it is over with, I haven’t written anything over 100 words for a month now. Doing NaNoWriMo in November this year to make up for all my slacking.

OK, heading outside with the big girl to wash all the dead bugs off the Harley.

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So I am trying the Second Life world again. Still finding myself drawn to the MST3K showings though, go figure. My only problem is the video.

I know this is a laptop, but it’s a MacBook Pro, suppose to have a kickin video ability. It might just have, an I just don’t know it. But is SL really choppy during using? Might just be when I am caching new places but somehow I thought it would be smoother then this. Ok, granted I could just go into the other room and jump on the PC to try it but I am pretty sure the MacBook is a few steps above those PC’s. Do you need a pimped out vid card for S/L or do you just wait the 15/30 seconds for things to load. Okay that comment by itself just made me laugh after a flashback of how freakin awesome things where after getting that 9600 baud modem.

So, if you do SL, is it a laptop or desktop?

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