The Honor Is All MINE

Post #200 written by Phain.

*~*~*~*

I held the sign in my hand and the cell phone to my ear. "Where are you? I'm standing in the terminal looking for you!"

"I'm *outside* the terminal waiting for YOU!" he laughed.

"How are you going to see my sign if you're outside?"

"Turn around.....I'm right behind you."

And then I saw him. Larger than life with a weekend bag thrown over his shoulder, sunglasses still on even though he had come back inside to find me. He was finally here! I had teased him that I was going to be waiting for him to come off the plane with a cardboard sign as if I were some fancy car driver sent to pick him up. But I was running late and my moment was ruined. He laughed at me and smiled, "I can't believe you actually made me a sign!"

*~*~*~*

This man has affected my life in ways that I can't fully grasp let alone do justice with a simple explanation or description. The letters on the screen are too small to convey how large of an impact he has made. I'm just a silly girl from Florida who is daily amazed at this gentle man from Texas.

I wish I could look him in the eyes when he talks of his greatest passions - his faith, the kids at the hospital, skydiving, and the latest - Barrington. I hear it in his voice when we talk on the phone - it's the sound of a lion barely being restrained - ready to roar and poised to leap. His infectious enthusiasm is contagious. Merely being in his presence has me doing all sorts of silly things such as dancing at the top of church steps on a rainy New Years Eve. The unique perspective he has on the ordinary opens my own eyes to beauty in the every day things we take for granted.

He is my friend. Did you catch that? My...friend. Can I say it bigger or louder or bolder or with greater emphasis? F-R-I-E-N-D!!!!!!!!! That word is reverent. I quiver when I think about how affecting it can be.

*~*~*~*

Tonight I'll dream in my bed
While silly thoughts run through my head
Of the bugs and alphabet
And when I wake tomorrow I'll bet
That you and I will walk together again
Because I can tell that we are going to be friends
I can tell that we are going to be friends

*lyrics by Jack Johnson - We're Going To Be Friends*

*~*~*~*

Happy 200 George. Cheers to 200 more, and beyond!

Serenity

Will miss you Rennie.

One Hundred

Mike Blanton
Shari Gaulding
Robin Sekerak
Cory Kossan - video


And pie! They got me good!

Meeting Barrington Irving

This experience was so amazing that it is hard to put into words. Where do I start? Wow....

Yesterday Barrington Irving flew into Houston and I have had a chance to spend a lot of time with the guy. Barrington is 23 and has the poise and maturity of a man far senior. He was just pulling up to the 1940 Air Museum as I got there. I have to say that Houston gave him a really awesome welcome. Tons of kids were around, and a lot of local press showed up to meet him and get interviews. The whole event was sponsored by the Association of Black Airline Pilots and Continental Airline. I thought that it was really cool that even Sheila Jackson Lee attended and gave him a very warm welcome.

Kysa was there getting him around the press and handling the logistics and it took me a while to find her. When I did, I was able to get closer to the action and the aircraft. Eventually I caught up to Barrington and had a moment for a picture with him in front of his plane. Immediately he asked me if I was the George that Holly had told him about to which I answered yes. That's about as much as we had time for before he was taken away for autographs. I went by the reception that the Jamaican Consulate had planned, but my sinuses would not let me stay.
Today I woke to a great surprise. I am so glad that I did not head out to the DZ early. I had a message from Charlie Bolden that he was back in town and had heard that Barrington was in Houston and he wanted to meet him. WOW. It's coming together....... The next message on my cell phone was from Kysa telling me that Barrington wanted to spend some more time with me over lunch and maybe I could join them because they were going to NASA. WOW, it really is coming together. Quick call to Charlie, quick call to Kysa and it's all planned. Everybody will be at the same place at the same time. Cool!

I ran over to the hotel about noon and finally had a chance to sit down with Barrington over lunch and get to know him. We talked about everything from the flight to just joking around and getting to know each other. We also exchanged ideas on the "what's next" for him and the foundation. After hearing first hand about his dream, we were able to discuss some of the solutions that might help him along the way. We also discussed the concerns and pitfalls that could be out there fairly candidly. It was good and very productive.

From there we headed out to JSC and Space Center Houston and there was Charlie when we got there. I have to say I was VERY proud to see them together. I wanted Charlie to meet Barrington as a potential mentor in the future and that is exactly what happened. They really connected and Charlie did a great job of showing us around the visitor's center and also getting to know Barrington. It could not have gone better and I owe so much to Charlie for coming out. Barrington rode back with me and we had a chance to talk even more before we said good bye.

What an amazing young man - I want nothing but the best for him as he is such an inspiration. I look forward to introducing him to "my view" of the sky during his next visit to Houston.

God Speed and Congratulations!!!!

There are far too many cool pictures to share - here is the slideshow.

Gunslinger!

I was invited to join the fellas over at Tied The Leader today. Pretty cool huh?

Looking forward to spending time with these guys gaming for sure!

We are Ka-Tet.

Father's Day

Here's to the men
That were men before us

They Do It For Us

My day began with this:

Sorry man, it’s been crazy around here lately. I did hear from James, but never got a chance to respond (it’s on my list).

I’ve been mobilized. I am reporting Friday morning at 0800 to Gulfport for 10 weeks of training, and then on to Iraq for 6 months. I’ll call you and fill you in further.

I’m on my way out to dinner with Faith.

David

This war becomes more and more real to all of us as time passes.
We go about our day to day.
We run to Starbucks and don't fear the suicide bomber.
We drive our cars without concern of running over an IED.
We go for a jog without fear of snipers.

Yet we forget that even RIGHT NOW there is a 20 year old kid from nowhere Idaho on the top of a Humvee manning a .50 caliber machine gun that simply wants to stay alive for the next 10 hours until his shift is over. Our feelings on the war are irrelivant - it is a fact and a reality and we have to deal with it.

God speed Dave, come home soon and safely.

The Same Role

Same role.
Same scene.
Same outcome.

Why can't I be the other person and why can't they be me.

And so it is that here I am again.

Same role.
Same scene.
Same outcome.

Something has to change.

It's "Today" Again

Step out the front door
Like a ghost into the fog
Where no one notices the contrast
Of white on white

In between the moon and you
Angels get a better view
Of the crumbling difference
Between wrong and right

I walk in the air between the rain
Through myself and back again

Where? I dont know..............

A Week Away

I think Barrington will make it here to Houston in about a week. Well, I suppose that is the schedule and that could certainly change given the weather and the huge crossing from northern Japan to Alaska that lies ahead. Hopefully for his sake the weather will allow him to make it back to North America soon and finish his trip.

Things are slowly taking shape here for his arrival. I still find it amazing that more people have not taken an interest in this amazing story, but people seem to be taking notice slowly. I have gotten a few people to call me back and take note. It's kinda funny but people seem to pay attention to this as the dates get closer and this becomes a reality - THEN people begin to take note and want to be a part of this. If I could connect Barrington with some of the former and current Black Astronauts, I know that they could be great mentors.

It's been a fairly good week I suppose and with a lot of deals so it has gone quickly. I certainly need to get back focused on the job search next week and make time for that. I think good things are on the horizon there.

Note to self: be more aggressive. You will never get if you don't go.

Cusp of summer brings back a lot of memories. Most recently it's all days rehearsals back when I was marching drum corps. Long days, sweat that was really more like "smarm", getting clean and learning the book. Hard to believe that I did that back then but it was an amazing experience. Although it would have been great to march Cadets or Santa Clara Vanguard, I would not trade my days at Spirit for anything.

God speed to the crew od STS-117 and the Booster team. Fly safe boys.

What I Want To Be When I Grow Up

I keep reminding myself that this is it. Seems like it has just hit me over the last couple weeks. I guess ....this is the adult part of my life. I am grown now. There is no "when I grow up" left. Life is right now. Ok, I said it. That sounds absolutely stupid and rather silly for a person that is in their 30's in the adult world but that is kinda how I feel. So is there some big revelation that comes with this new feeling? No, not at all. Maybe it is just that I noticed "the clock on the wall."

I will always be a big kid that love games, corny jokes and being silly but that is something different. The responsibility stuff stays right in my face now. There are consequences. There are emotions. There are obligations. Most of all, there is no way to put it off or delay it as time is slipping away. This is no pity party is just kind of a "Damn I am grown up..........no, really, I am grown up!" I know it makes no sense to say that at the age of 37 but that is what it has felt like the last couple of weeks.

I think in some way this is all because of the fact that I have found my self examining the things I do and my surroundings.

My job
My family
My faith
Working with the kids at TCH
My friends
Skydiving
My home
My goals
Being single
My drive and work ethic
How I choose to spend my free time
How I feel
My simple joys like cooking
My health

All these things have been swirling around me causing some pause. Maybe this is just a pause.

And what's for dinner?

Lamb chops over shallot tarragon sauce
with mushroom risotto

I Told the Truth